Staff Report: City Manager

City Manager Report February 23, 2026

Prioritization Process for Capital Improvements • Thank you for the feedback on the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). • Engineering, Public Works and I are working on the adjustments before bringing it back for your approval. • A question was asked about what goes into the prioritization process. Here is some feedback from engineering. I hope it helps you as you talk with your constituents. We will work on sharing this information with the broader community. o Asphalt condition (PASER rating). o Utility needs: Sanitary sewer, water main, water service replacement needs. o Traffic volume: Dead end vs. corridor used by entire community and visitors. o Traffic type: Primarily residential vs. commercial/trucks. o Non-motorized facilities: Does the corridor already have appropriate sidewalks, trail, shoulders, etc. o Drainage issues, storm system condition and size. o Maintenance cost/effort vs. project cost. o Outside funding availability/opportunities. Maple Street and Other Infrastructure Improvements • A preconstruction meeting is set with Schippers Excavating. • They are planning for an early to mid-April start on the repairs around town and lateApril to early May start on Maple Street. They have been working on a detailed schedule, and we hope to learn more at the preconstruction meeting. Updates to the Community • Last year, I began sharing a community update every 2–3 weeks through our social media channels and email list. These updates summarize items approved at recent meetings, provide project updates, and address common questions we’re receiving from the community. • At your most recent regular meeting, the agenda was particularly full, and Council approved several projects along with updates to the City’s short-term rental (STR) regulations. • As artificial intelligence (AI) tools continue to advance, I recently used a new tool I learned about at the Michigan Municipal Executives (MME) Winter Institute to create a short informational video summarizing what occurred at that meeting. I included the video alongside my regular written report, and it was a big success. The video

received 3,334 views, which goes a long way toward keeping the community informed. We will continue to be innovative and experiment with these really neat, low-cost tools.

Mt. Baldhead Restroom • The new restroom is largely complete. Here is an update from Midwest Construction: o Exciting news! The permanent doors for the restrooms have been installed. Caulk and paint touchups are lined up this week to finish them up. o Remaining items for project completion: Drinking fountain, north concrete sidewalk, and landscaping.

Ever wonder where your curbside plastic recycling goes? • I recently met with the Republic Municipal Services Manager. Part of our discussion involved the value of recycled material and where our plastics go. • Much of the plastic collected in our area is processed through the Indianapolis Polymer Center, a state-of-the-art Republic Services facility that manages plastics from curbside collection all the way to high-quality recycled resin used in new packaging. • Here’s how it works: o Collected from your recycling cart o Sorted and baled by material o Processed into recycled PET flake and other resins o Manufactured into new consumer packaging • The center produces approximately 160 million pounds of recycled resins per year, helping create a more circular economy where items like water bottles can be remade into new bottles. Learn more here: https://tinyurl.com/yn94fptm

Last year, the City increased residential recycling pickup to twice per month to make participation easier and expand our community’s impact. The continued effort to recycle properly truly makes a difference.

Parking Survey • The parking survey is still live. The short survey aims to help us better understand travel and parking experiences in Saugatuck. • So far, we have had over 500 responses! Here is the list of what we have done to get the survey out: o Posted on City website. o Shared on City social media and local informed pages. o E-mailed to the City’s eNews list. o Shared in the City Manager report to the community. o E-mailed to businesses on our business registration list. o E-mailed to our Convention and Visitors Bureau who e-mailed it to their members. o Sent a press release. Both local papers (Holland Sentinel and Commercial Record) covered the survey being available. o E-mailed the link to the Task Force Members and City Council asking for their help in spreading the word. o The Chair of the Task Force hosts a weekly radio show and has mentioned it there. o Printed flyers for Task Force Members to share. o Paper copies available at City Hall. • The survey closes Wednesday, February 25, 2026. • Survey Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SaugatuckParking Miscellaneous • Held Department Head team meeting. • Held one on one meeting with Director of Planning and Zoning. • Held one on one meeting with Treasurer/Finance Officer. • Held one on one meeting with City Clerk. • Met with Director of Saugatuck Douglas History Center. • Prepared for and attended joint advisory utility committee meeting. • Attended Election Commission meeting. • Prepared for and attended Parking Improvements Task Force meeting. • Attended Convention and Visitors Bureau Board meeting. • Attending City Hall remodel options meeting.