The Pentwater Village Council met Monday, Nov. 9, for their monthly meeting. In addition to three department reports, one special memo, a proclamation to honor a retiring council member, and one unfinished item from their October agenda, the council discussed six new business items that included a long debate on the number limit and the fee for short-term rentals.
Present were council President Mary Marshall, Village Manager Toby Van Ess, Police Chief Laude Hartrum, Council members David Bluhm, Jared Griffis, Dan Nugent, Don Palmer, Kathy O’Connor and Karl Schrumpf and 20 persons in the audience.
Following roll call, Marshall read a proclamation to honor retiring member David Bluhm for his three terms (nine years) of service to the village. It recognized his contributions on the service committee and as council representative on the Pentwater Lake Improvement Board, as well as his thoughtful questions and comments and faithful attendance at council’s monthly meetings. It expressed gratitude for his work and the continuing impact that work will have in future years. Council unanimously voted to support the proclamation, and Marshall presented a framed copy to Bluhm.
Michelle Bieri presented the treasurer’s report, and council members thanked her for the new format she used, which was much easier for them to follow. She said although the current balance shows $856,000 more in funds than they had last spring, those funds will quickly be used up in bills and loan payments before the end of the year. In October she reported the state sent a memo of concern regarding the village’s overspending of its budget three years in succession. They allowed 60 days for the village to respond with a plan of action to rectify the situation, and Bieri said a plan of action had been formulated and sent.
Department reports followed. Chief Hartrum said work is still focused on traffic violations and mentioned a recent bizarre incident. A driver without a valid driver’s license flew through a stop sign near the school at 30 mph and came within feet of striking a pedestrian.
Aaron Bigelow submitted a zoning administrator report listing the group’s ongoing activities and two zoning permits issued in October for a new fence and a house addition.
The Department of Public Works (DPW) report highlighted three areas of operation. The water system had a hydrant flushing of more than 300,000 gallons of water, cleaning debris from the water mains and turning over the water tower's contents twice. Winterization activities included greasing and servicing the caps on all 110 fire hydrants. Since the spring of 2025, the water meter program has reduced the number of 150 non-functioning meters to less than 5 of the 834 meter accounts in the system by repairing or replacing broken units. The revised leaf collection program, while stirring some criticism from residents, has proven to be more efficient and responsive. Currently, leaves are picked up within 24 hours, and the DPW crew spends 15 hours a week instead of 40 on pick-up. This allows them more time for other important jobs, reduces leaf accumulation in the roads, and reduces gas costs by not using diesel fuel.
Postponed from October, the matter of an easement for the DTE Gate Valve now housed on Monroe and Longbridge to be relocated on DPW property was taken up for a vote. More information plus diagrams clarifying the location on the DPW property were helpful to council members. DTE proposed a one-time payment of $9,500 for a 15-foot by 30-foot easement in perpetuity. Advantages to both DTE and the village are the placement of the meter from underground to above grade for easier access and better maintenance. It is now underwater and requires some excavation every time it needs to be accessed. Council agreed to DTE’s request with four “yes” votes and three “no” votes from Nugent, Palmer and Marshall.
The first item under New Business was a resolution regarding the number of short-term rental licenses and the application fee for the 2027 season. A long discussion, including several different points of view, followed. The present ordinance limits the licenses to 80 and sets the license fee at $750, which produces an income of $60,000 for the program. Manager Van Ess estimated the cost of the program at $68,000. Bluhm questioned the veracity of the costs listed and felt the fee was too high. He wanted to see the fee directly correlated to the cost. Others stated that they felt the fee was too low to cover the cost of the program.
Van Ess explained that the exact cost per license is difficult to calculate because there has been no dedicated code enforcement staff the past two years. Complaints regarding excessive noise or excessive number of vehicles parked at rental properties were investigated by public safety officers. Three years ago, there was a code enforcement person who formally charged landlords with code violations, and there were lawsuits against the village that were costly. The projected 2027 budget expenses included some funds for that possibility.
O’Connor had compared the village's license fee to other nearby communities and said Pentwater’s was well below the median fee elsewhere. Nugent said the fee was a small percent of the weekly rental fee charged by landlords in the area, which can range up to $4,000. Hartrum concurred with that figure and suggested the median is over $2,500. Hartrum also asserted strict code enforcement would guarantee lawsuits because “landlords don’t simply rollover and comply with charges of violations. They fight the charges.”
Palmer asked where the money would come from if expenses exceeded the income, and Van Ess replied, “The general fund.”
Since license applications will soon be coming in for 2027, Marshall reminded council it was imperative to make a decision. A motion to leave the limit at 80 and the fee at $750 was supported. The motion passed with negative votes by Bluhm and Palmer. The issue will be revisited next year, as well as using a waitlist instead of a lottery for the available licenses.
The next five items were handled expeditiously. Council meeting dates for 2027 were unanimously approved. Judy Pazol and Deb Zehr presented a proposal from the Pentwater Arts Council (PAC) for a Monarch Butterfly Sculpture commission that would be a gift to the village, installed north of the fish cleaning station, which was supported. Schrumpf volunteered to maintain the small garden around the sculpture. A request to install the ice-skating rink on the village green again in 2027 was approved by council. A resolution to approve Dixon Engineering, at a cost of $25,500 from the 2026 water budget, for the engineering aspect of repainting the water tower and to seek bids for the painting work, was passed unanimously. Van Ess’s grant proposal to the Rural Development Fund for financial support in fixing and maintaining the pool lining at the water treatment plant had unanimous support. Palmer praised Van Ess for his vision and subsequent action for future financial needs.
Public comment included concerns about the new noise ordinance and new leaf collection method, and thanks for inviting residents to the upcoming council retreat.
During council comments, Bluhm shared he had enjoyed his time on council, denied the rumor he plans to leave town and said he’s exploring the next thing to do and welcomed suggestions. Palmer quipped, “You can come and take care of my leaves.”
Marshall clarified the new noise ordinance by saying the decibel limits were defined by the ability to hold a conversation 100-feet from the source of the noise.
The manager’s report called attention to the final report from Fleis & VandenBrink Engineering on the water project, spoke to the water tower repainting work and reviewed a profitable visit with Congressman John Moolenaar, who submitted a request for $1 million in federal appropriations for equalization basin repairs at the water treatment plant. Van Ess also discussed the EGLE Administrative Consent Order with its 13 required projects and additional efforts being pursued to fund the work, the goal of closing down well #1 by year-end, and an update on the sale of 327 Hancock. Although the parking issues remain unsolved, the prospective buyer has released the village from the anonymity commitment and is working with the manager to hold a public meeting with residents.
The meeting adjourned at 7:45 p.m.
