Approval of City Council Regular Meeting Minutes, September 28, 2026

CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING September 28, 2026 The City Council met to have a Regular Council Meeting at City Hall at 6:30 p.m. 102 Butler St., Saugatuck, MI 49453. Call to Order: The meeting was called to order by Anderson at 6:30 p.m. Pledge of Allegiance was recited. Attendance: Present: Mayor Anderson, Mayor Pro-Tem Clark, and Councilmembers Dean, Gardner, Muncey, Stanton. Absent: Peterson. Motion by Gardner, second by Stanton, to excuse Councilmember Peterson from tonight’s meeting. Via voice vote, motion carried 6-0. Others Present: City Manager Cummins, Attorney Witte, Zoning Director Moore, Treasurer Bredeweg, and Clerk Wolters. Mayor’s Comments: Mayor Anderson praised the city staff’s work and the many projects underway. She thanked Councilmember Muncey for the fall decorations, noted that Clerk Wolters and the team were preparing for elections, and said Maple Street’s progress and the website RFP were exciting signs of how much the city was accomplishing. City Manager Comments: City Manager Cummins said the city is working to identify and replace lead and galvanized service lines by the revised 2037 deadline. The city sent its se4cond annual round of notices to affected property owners, prepared FAQs, and is awaiting a decision on funding that may include a partial grant and a 0% interest loan. He also shared that a business community town hall is planned for October 20th at the Saugatuck Center for the Arts. Elizabeth Street engineering is progressing, with the city awaiting the Bayview condominium owners’ input about an easement and nearby trees; Maple Street’s base layer is in, and crews are continuing work. Engineers are conducting regular on-site inspections to confirm the work meets specifications, and he encouraged anyone with concerns to reach out to city staff. He also said the parking study report was ready to share once he received its link; the city would send it to council and the community, then hold a workshop in December or January to discuss the recommendations and council’s policy direction. Cummins said that he and Planning & Zoning Director Moore would be attending the Michigan Municipal League conference the following week. Since the October agenda items were not urgent, he proposed canceling next Wednesday’s workshop. No objections were raised, so the workshop was canceled. 102 Butler St.

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Agenda Changes: None. Guest Speakers: None. Public Comment on Agenda Item Only: None. Consent Agenda: A. Approval of City Council Workshop Minutes – September 23, 2026. B. Chip’s Groundcover Christmascape Proposal for Water Street and Hoffman Street for 2026 and 2027. C. Special Event – Family & Pet Halloween Parade and Party. D. Special Event – Toyota E&D MI. E. Request for Proposals – Website Redesign and Development. F. Appointments to Board and Commissions • Interurban Board Member: Gregory Muncey with a term ending September 30, 2030. Motion by Gardner, second by Clark to approve the consent agenda as presented. Via roll call vote, motion carried 6-0. Approval of Accounts Payable: Motion by Gardner, second by Dean to approve the accounts payable in the amount of $4,488,754.83. Via roll call, motion carried 6-0. Public Hearing: None. Unfinished Business: None. New Business: Ordinance No. 260928-A Zoning Ordinance Amendment to Create a New definition for Enhanced Bed and Breakfast and to Regulate Enhanced Bed and Breakfasts: Planning & Zoning Director Moore explained that the zoning amendment would allow more flexibility for bedand-breakfast uses on certain parcels in the R4 transitional district, particularly those next to commercially zoned areas. Motion by Stanton, second by Muncey, to approve Ordinance Number 260928-A Zoning Ordinance Amendment to create a new definition for enhanced bed and breakfast, and to regulate Enhanced Bed and Breakfasts. Via roll call vote, motion carried 6-0. Staff Reports, Boards, Commissions & Committees: Monthly department activity reports were provided by the City Manager along with the following board and committees: Fire District Administration Board: John Mayer reported that the fire department had been busy, including attending the station groundbreaking and receiving the final installment of a donation to the district. July was its busiest month of the year, though call volume had since returned closer to normal; year-to-datecalls were about 11% below the previous year. The department helped remove the swim buoys and spent about seven hours assisting with the large South Haven fire, where its 27-year-old truck performed well. He added that EMS calls continue to make up most of the department’s work. Interurban Board: Councilmember Muncey reported that Interurban’s August revenue was $91,797, with year-to-date income of about $1.58 million; rising costs and vehicle needs remain budget concerns. Ridership was a bright spot: August 102 Butler St.

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carried 16,686 passengers, and year-to-date ridership was up 18.4% from the previous year. The parking shuttle carried 8,860 riders through August, about 48% more than in 2025. The board approved a 4% employee wage increase, plans to retire two buses and receive two Ford Transit vehicles, and is working to maintain its aging fleet. Muncey said he would ask Becky whether shuttle counts could be broken down by pickup location. Kalamazoo Lake Sewer & Water Authority: Mayor Pro-Tem Clark reported that annual lead and copper testing showed results well below Michigan’s action thresholds. The Clean Water State Revolving Fund loan closed on August 27, with work expected to begin in the spring. He also said the authority administrator would take over as water system operator on October 1, and the authority board approved moving forward with an easement for the old Allegan sewer line, subject to further legal work. Kalamazoo Lake Harbor Authority: City Manager Cummins reminded the council that a join meeting with Douglas and Saugatuck Township about the Kalamazoo Lake Harbor Authority was scheduled for October 6, at 6 p.m. at Douglas City Hall. The meeting will cover the authority’s current status and framework and discuss its future direction. He said the meeting notice and packet would be shared, along with a link. Zoning Board of Appeals: Planning & Zoning Director Moore reported that the Zoning Board of Appeals approved two variances for a property at 1169 Bridge Street. Because the water in front of the home is marshy and shallow, the owners needed to extend their dock to reach deeper water and carry out construction over a wetland. Historic District Commission: Councilmember Dean noted that the Historic District Commission will meet this Thursday at 6 p.m. Planning Commission: Councilmember Gardner said the Planning Commission discussed the enhanced bed-and-breakfast proposal and updates to the city’s master plan. He encouraged residents to review the master plan material on the city website, noting the discussion had generated strong interest. He said the commission’s next meeting is scheduled for October 17. Parks & Public Works Committee: Councilmember Stanton reported that the Outdoor Discovery Center was working on fall invasive-species management at Mount Baldhead, and the committee received an ecological evaluation update for the Saugatuck Harbor Natural Area. It unanimously recommended native plantings at the Mason Street dead end and the Coghlin Park ditch, with $10,000 from Rotary and $5,000 from the Friends of Saugatuck Parks pledged toward the work. The committee also discussed clarifying signs about where dogs are and are not allowed in the Harbor Natural Area. Tri-Community Non-Motorized Trail Study Committee: Councilmember Dean said that the archeological survey is completed, and they are meeting this week on next steps. Water System Operations Contract Advisory Committee: Mayor Pro-Tem Clark said that the committee had reached an agreement on a framework with Douglas and Saugatuck Township. The framework is with the Kalamazoo Lake attorney, who is preparing a master legal document. Laketown still needs to join, and the final contract will come to City Council for approval, with a fuller presentation to follow. Public Comment: None. 102 Butler St.

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Closed Session: Motion by Muncey, second by Stanton, pursuant to closed session pursuant to MCL 15.26 (e) to consult with legal counsel regarding the lawsuit filed against the City by Ana Cisco, captioned Ana E. Cisco v City of Saugatuck (Case No. 26-72006-NO) regarding trial or settlement strategy, which if discussed in an open meeting would have a detrimental financial effect. Via roll call vote, motion carried 6-0. Council entered closed session at 7:06 p.m. Motion by Stanton, second by Dean, to go back into open session. Via roll call vote, motion carried 6-0. Council resumed open session at 7:16 p.m. Correspondence: None. Council Comments: Councilmember Gardner said the town had a beautiful weekend, with many people enjoying their time there. He noted that business owners had observed the crowd tends to skew older after schools reopen, joking that it was “blue hair season.” Mayor Pro-Tem Clark and Councilmember Dean offered no comments. Councilmember Muncey shared plans for fall decorations around town, thanked the volunteers helping set them up, and invited others to join. He also promoted the October 24 fundraiser at the Dunes Resort, which raises money for a special wish for a local child with a terminal illness. He said local businesses and performers support the event, and he would be collecting donations and preparing food. Councilmember Stanton shared that Habitat for Humanity is developing a new home site in Fennville on donated land. Applicants would need to live or work in the surrounding area, including Saugatuck, Douglas, or Fennville. She noted that Interurban now serves Fennville and said more planning meetings are expected. Mayor Holly Anderson thanked everyone for their work. Adjournment: Motion by Clark, second by Gardner to adjourn the meeting. Upon voice vote, motion carried 6-0. Mayor Anderson adjourned at 7:20 p.m. Respectfully Submitted ___________________ Jamie Wolters, City Clerk

102 Butler St.

PO Box 86

(269) 857-2603

www.SaugatuckCity.com