By: Nick Powers | Fraser-Clinton Chronicle | Published November 25, 2024
FRASER — Eighteen months after a vehicle crashed through one of the walls at the Fraser Public Library, the library is taking a step toward reoccupying the building.
The library has been located in two spaces in a strip mall near the intersection of 15 Mile Road and Hayes Road since the crash on May 21, 2023. The temporary location officially opened its doors July 1, 2023. The city, which owned the building, agreed to sell it to the library for $1 days before the crash occurred. A unanimous vote from the Fraser City Council reaffirmed that purchase agreement at its Nov. 14 meeting. Fraser City Attorney Donald DeNault said no substantive changes were made to the original 2023 agreement.
The building has been around for quite a while. The oldest portion dates back to 1884 and was part of a school related to Saint John Lutheran Church, according to Library Director Lorena McDowell. When the church moved across the street, they allowed the library to rent the building for about 20 years. Eventually, the city purchased the building to house the library. The newest portion of the library is the annex, which was built in the late 1970s.
The library itself was established as a petition of the people on the 1963 ballot and opened its doors officially in 1964.
The crash itself wasn’t the only obstacle for the library to reoccupy the building. Given its age, other improvements were needed before a move could take place. Fraser Library Board of Trustees President Marlene Hoeft said at the Nov. 14 meeting that approximately $1 million in improvements were needed before the move could take place. The amount was arrived at following an inspection from the city. The library has the funds banked for this to happen, according to Hoeft.
“We have the money to move back in,” Hoeft said. “We collected the millage the last two years, and we have that money invested and ready to go.”
Voters upped the millage for the library from 1 mill, which it had operated on since its founding, to 2 mills in 2022.
Hoeft said the library may potentially come back to the council for a bond to build a second floor. Adding the second floor would also require making improvements to the first floor.
The Rev. Oscar Saavedra of Fraser’s Our Lady Queen of Martyrs church offered to take over the library building at the Nov. 14 meeting. He said he’s been interested in the library building for a long time. The church, which is next door, purchased its building from the city and took it over in 1998.
“If the library doesn’t take the building, we would like to take the building,” Saavedra said. “You’ve seen the church. We have maintained it very nicely. People are happy with us.”
Saavedra said the church could maintain the building in a similar fashion. He said he was happy to see the library reoccupy the building and said they were a good neighbor. But he said there are sometimes conflicts between the two when it comes to parking.
“They don’t have the space for their programs,” Saavedra said.
He cited examples of a Halloween event where overflow parking made it difficult for him to find a space at his own church. Movie showings at night were another example he mentioned.
“It is not appropriate for them to be there as a library,” Saavedra said.
Saavedra said the library wants to be a state-of-the-art facility, similar to Clinton Township’s, but added that it does not have the space. He said the costs to make the library operate in the building would also be an obstacle.
SAD for industrial park roads gets public hearing
The Fraser City Council will hold a public hearing to establish a special assessment district for funding improvements to the Fraser Industrial Park roads at its meeting at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 12. A motion to set the hearing was approved unanimously at the Nov. 14 meeting.
The special assessment district will help to cover the costs of the project, which also has funding from the city and state. The city has applied for federal funds through U.S. Rep. John James, R-Shelby Township, but is still waiting for a response.
Fraser Mayor Michael Lesich, when making the motion to set the public hearing, laid out a specific option to be considered. The cost that would be spread across businesses in the park is 25% of the total project cost, not to exceed $4 million. The term for the SAD would be 15 years.
The estimated total cost of the project is $16 million, according to Fraser City Manager Elaine Leven. State Sen. Veronica Klinefelt, D-District 11, was able to secure $4 million in funding for the project during the appropriations process for the 2025 state budget. The City Council tentatively approved $3.5 million for the project at its Sept. 12 meeting, though it was made clear this is subject to change.
Jeff Siciliano, representing the businesses in the industrial park, said there is generally support for the SAD there. Siciliano said the 15-year term was preferable to businesses in the area.
Roads set for repair in the park include Malyn Boulevard, Commerce Road, Riviera Drive, Doreka Drive, James J. Pompo Drive, Cross Drive, Mike C. Court, Vermander Drive and Bennett Drive.
This isn’t the first time the council has tried to find a way to improve the park’s roads. According to previous reporting in the Fraser-Clinton Township Chronicle, business owners went to a June 8 meeting to speak out against taxing residents to fund the project. After a hearing of the public at the City Council meeting on Aug. 10, 2023, the tax funding for the project fell by the wayside.
Adjustments to water rates also get public hearing
Adjustments to water and sewer rates will also be on tap for the Dec. 12 meeting. The City Council unanimously approved a motion to hold the public hearing in December at its Nov. 14 meeting.
In September, Municipal Analytics provided City Council with information about necessary increases to the utilities. John Kaczor, the firm’s founder and principal consultant, returned on Nov. 12 to show adjustments following input from the council. He brought several options to consider. Since the September meeting, Kaczor combined the residential rates for 1-inch and 5/8-inch meters.
A hybrid of two of Kaczor’s plans was eventually approved. Councilwoman Patrice Schornak made a motion to consider, for the public hearing, starting the hike next March and for subsequent increases in July. Shornak also included in her motion for a $22 million cash investment over seven years by the city, adding no new debt. By doing this, some capital improvement projects will be deferred.
In March, rates would increase by 8%. In July of 2026 and 2027, rates would increase by a similar amount. In 2028, the increase would go down to 5.5%.
Kaczor said rates for nonresidential customers would be phased in. This ranges from 6-inch and 8-inch meters being phased in two years later to 1-inch nonresidential meters being phased in six years later. He said the adjusted transition to the American Water Works Association’s ratios makes costs to different meter sizes more uniform. Increases to ready-to-serve charges were also slowed.
City OKs car wash moratorium
The Fraser City Council also voted to have a yearlong moratorium on new car wash developments. All members voted in favor of pause except Councilman Kenny Perry.
Lauren Sayre, a planner with McKenna, said that the regulations on car washes have not been updated since the 1990s. She said Roseville and Sterling Heights have similar moratoriums on car washes in place. A moratorium would allow for the study of things like visual, noise and environmental impacts.
Shornak worked in an exception for the proposed Mr. Car Wash location near Meijer on Utica Road since the business is already working with the city. Councilman Patrick O’Dell made sure existing car washes closed for renovations were included.
Pump station on Masonic gets rehabilitated
The $1,767,840 bid L. D’Agostini and Sons Inc. made to rehabilitate the Masonic stormwater pump station was unanimously approved by the Fraser City Council Nov. 14.
Anderson, Eckstein & Westrick Vice President Michael Vigneron said that L. D’Agostini and Sons had the second lowest offer of the six bidders considered. The lowest bid was not taken because of “irregularities” in their bid, according to Vigneron.
A memorandum in the board packet states that the project will include detention basin clearing, dredging the bottom of the basin and improving the pump station intakes.
“This station is in desperate need of some love and it’s overdue,” Vigneron said.
Lesich said he took a picture of the station when he drove by it prior to the meeting.
“If you want to see what failing infrastructure looks like, you could use that as a poster,” he said.
Council approves demolition of Reindel Building
The City Council also approved the lowest bid to demolish the Reindel Building from Den-Man Contractors for $11,800. Schornak, O’Dell, Mayor Pro Tem Dana Sutherland, Councilwoman Amy Baranski and Councilwoman Sherry Stein voted yes, while Lesich and Perry voted no.
The roof on the building was leaking and there was damage to the carpet, according to Department of Public Works Superintendent Rob Barrett.
If the roof was repaired, it would’ve cost $28,184. The bid considered for the project was provided by Esko Roofing.