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MOUNT CLEMENS — The Mount Clemens City Commission approved a motion to change the 65 Market Street tax capture and reimbursement plan at its March 20 meeting.
Originally made with the idea that the DDA would no longer exist in 2021 and that the Mount Clemens Brownfield Redevelopment Authority would take over reimbursing 65 Market Street developers Partners in Architecture, the new plan shifts responsibility in light of the DDA’s continued existence.
As per the plan, funds collected by the DDA will be “shared” with the city, which takes on the responsibility of reimbursing Partners in Architecture. As a result, the DDA will lose the projected income the original plan would have brought it, although Mayor Laura Kropp says getting the money to 65 Market Street is the “right thing to do.”
“65 Market Street held up their end of the deal and should be properly reimbursed even though it didn’t work out the way the city had originally planned,” Kropp said. “The DDA felt as though it was the right thing to do, and also Partners in Architecture have turned a building that was run-down and in need of revitalization (around) and did a great job of it.”
The DDA unanimously agreed to give back about $180,000 in building costs over the course of the original agreement, and the City Commission voted unanimously to approve that as well. Amounts between $17,000 and $20,000 will be given back each year over the next five or six years.
Made in 2009, the brownfield plan for 65 Market Street froze property taxes on the site and allowed Partners in Architecture to submit receipts to a city authority to be reimbursed on some building expenses. The authority was originally the DDA. Now, it is the city of Mount Clemens. The taxes are expected to remain frozen until 2033.
Water assistance
City commissioners also approved an agreement with Macomb Community Action to take part in the agency’s low-income household water assistance program.
The LIHWAP is a temporary emergency program to help low-income residents pay overdue water and sewage bills. Funds come from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to MCA, which works with qualifying residents.
Along with being a resident of Mount Clemens, qualifying persons for the program need to be in arrears or disconnect status and be under 150% of the federal poverty level or actively receiving Family Independence Program/Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Food Assistance Program/Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (FAP/SNAP), State Emergency Relief (SER) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
Interested and qualifying residents can reach out to MCA to sign up for the program, though Interim City Manager Gregg Shipman said a list of qualifying residents has been given to the organization so it can reach out to residents on its own.
The LIHWAP is currently expected to end on Sept. 30, 2023, due to funding limitations, but Shipman said the funding will likely be extended for another year.
“I just wanted to say thank you as a Mount Clemens resident that you all agreed that the residents of Mount Clemens can get water assistance through (the) Macomb Community Action Center,” said resident Theresa McGarity, during a public comment period in the virtual meeting. “I like the way that we’re looking to help our residents in Mount Clemens.”
Planning commission appointment
On March 20, Vicky Mazzola was approved to fill the Planning Commission vacancy created by Erik Rick’s appointment to the City Commission.
Approved via consent agenda, Mazzola’s term ends on May 30, 2024.
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