SHELBY - The Shelby Village Council had its most recent meeting Monday, July 27, 2026, to review updates on community input and correspondence.
The meeting started with Village Police Chief Dean Roesler reminding everyone of National Night Out coming up on Tuesday, August 4, at the Shelby Township Community Park.
Immediately after, public participation opened, during which village resident Alex Katt sought a request for an amendment to permit lawnmowers and property maintenance equipment on roadways while traveling short distances. “The purpose of this request is not to encourage unrestricted use of roadways or create safety concerns,” stated Katt. “The intent is to establish a reasonable and clearly defined exception that allows residents and legitimate local businesses to effectively perform necessary property maintenance while maintaining public safety.”
After further review, Village President John Sutton referred the matter to the Ordinance Committee for additional evaluation.
The council then transitioned into its authority as the Village of Shelby Zoning Board of Appeals. A variance request submitted by Edward and Susan Parcell sought approval to add an addition to the south end of their residence at Shelby Acres. The addition required approval, as it goes 13.5 feet past the yard setback limits. Due to the location of the house and the pond that sits behind it, the addition would not interfere with additional neighboring property. Therefore, since all conditions were met, the variance request was approved.
It was then, after returning to council business, that Village Administrator Phil Morse made a request for the board to submit their review of his annual performance evaluation of his second year in this position.
Following this, a request for a lot division had been submitted by Robert Cain, involving his property on State Street. The split would separate the easternmost 68 feet of the property on State Street and combine it with his adjoining property on Grant Street. The lot division request was approved.
The council also unanimously approved the Mutual Aid Agreement between the Oceana County Sheriff's Office and the Shelby Police Department, allowing Shelby officers to assist outside of the village if necessary, along with allowing other departments to assist Shelby PD if needed. The agreement expires on Dec. 31, 2028.
The next item under new business was the discussion of a police storage building purchase agreement. In May 2025, the council toured various village-owned facilities to assess conditions. During that review, the council noticed the police storage building was deteriorating, and it was decided that it needed substantial attention. After much discussion between Morse and Chief Roesler, it was brought to the board’s attention that the best possible location for the new storage building would be Nichols Park.
“Of all the locations, I like this one the best for a couple of reasons. It’s not in a commercial area and it’s still somewhat centrally located,” said Chief Roesler.
Although Morse and Chief Roesler found this to be the best location, some concerns were brought up by the board. Councilmember Samantha Gottschalk, the chair of the Parks, Recreation and Buildings Committee, was concerned that Nichols Park is the only park on the south side of the village.
“I see a lot of potential with that park personally. We just haven’t done anything yet. It’s also right off the Rail Trail and I would just hate to lose an asset,” stated Gottschalk.
Councilmember Crystal Heykoop said she was apprehensive about the timeframe. “My biggest concern is with them tearing down within two months. The new building’s not going to be done. Whatever we agree on, we are going into winter, and winter happens fast.”
Morse responded by saying, “I think if we wait, we might end up with nothing.”
The council then went into discussion over the Getty Field “Reset” initiative. In recent months, the Shelby Schools Athletic Committee has collaborated closely with the Village of Shelby Parks and Recreation Committee to develop a plan aimed at enhancing safety measures and overall appeal. Reset efforts would include the removal of aging and underutilized facilities along with the creation of a new competition venue at Shelby Township Park. The project would also include relocating the fencing about 50 feet to the east, allowing for a more closed-in and safer area for residents. Both parties understand that the project still needs ironing out and have decided to push it back to allow for more time to discuss.
At the Monday, July 13, village council meeting, the council unanimously approved a proposal from Kennedy Industries for an amount up to $50,847 to replace the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system. According to the minutes from that meeting, “Several months ago, the Village’s Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system – the primary communication and monitoring network for the water system and its associated infrastructure, including remote phone access – experienced a significant failure. King Service completed a series of repairs and temporary corrective measures, while these efforts temporarily restored functionality, the repair has since failed again, confirming that the existing system has reached the point where a comprehensive upgrade is necessary.
"The village has obtained proposals from Kennedy Industries and UIS for a complete system replacement. Furthermore, village staff are also investigating whether insurance coverage may offset a portion or all of the replacement cost. Preliminary information suggests the second system failure may have been a result of a lightning strike, and staff are working with the village’s insurance provider to determine eligibility for coverage under the village’s policy.”
