Regular City Council Meeting Minutes, August 10, 2026

CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING August 10, 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. Absent: Councilmembers Peterson and Stanton. Motion by Clark, second by Muncey to excuse Councilmembers Peterson and Stanton from the meeting. Via roll call vote, motion carried 5-0. Others Present: City Manager Cummins, Attorney Witte and Deputy Clerk Williams. Mayor’s Comments: Mayor Anderson commented that the city continues to be very busy as we enter the middle of August. Due to a technical issue, audio was unavailable for approximately the first eight minutes of the meeting. City Manager Comments: City Manager Ryan Cummins provided several ongoing projects and initiatives, including Maple Street construction, downtown water valve work, Park Street planning, the Parking Improvements Task Force, floating home litigation, and the Logo and Branding Committee. Water main installation on Maple Street is now complete. Water service installation for the remaining Maple Street residents will continue over the next several weeks. Concrete sidewalk installation on the west side of Maple Street is expected to begin next week and proceed from south to north. Sidewalk grading, stormwater improvements, and retaining wall installation will also continue moving north. Paving remains scheduled for October. The City is also narrowing down dates in October for the downtown water valve replacement work. The work is expected to take place over two days and will be scheduled early in the week so that any required boil-water advisories can be lifted before the weekend. The City intends to avoid Halloween, Gallery Stroll, and Indigenous Peoples’ day, although some disruption will be unavoidable. The City will also consult with the Convention and Visitors Bureau before finalizing schedule. 102 Butler St. ★

PO Box 86

★ (269) 857-2603

www.SaugatuckCity.com

Other reported highlights: • The City filed five motions seeking to resolve most of the remaining floating home litigation involving Dune Ridge. • Planning continues for improvements along Park Street, with a public open house scheduled for September 1 from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. at Mount Baldhead Park. • The Parking Improvements Task Force will hold its final meeting on August 25 and is expected to present recommendations to City Council in late September. • The Logo and Branding Committee’s recommendation is tentatively scheduled to be presented at the August 18 workshop meeting. Agenda Changes: None. Guest Speakers: None. Public Comment on Agenda Item Only: None. Consent Agenda: A. Approval of City Council Workshop Minutes – August 5, 2026. B. Resolution No. 260810-A Approving the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Agreement Amendment for the Blue Star Non-Motorized Trail Motion by Gardner, second by Dean to approve the consent agenda as presented. Mayor Anderson requested a correction to the meeting minutes on page 4, changing the heading from “Proposal for Design Engineering Services” to “Chili Cook-Off.” Gardner withdrew the motion with the support of Dean. Motion by Gardner, second by Dean, to approve the consent agenda with the correction recommended by Mayor Anderson. Upon roll call vote, motion carried 5-0. Approval of Accounts Payable: Motion by Dean, second by Muncey to approve the accounts payable in the amount of $352,144.46. Via roll call, motion carried 5-0. Public Hearing: None. Unfinished Business: None. New Business: Kalamazoo River Greenway – Request for Funding and Kayak Launch Donation: Motion by Dean, second by Muncey to approve a $5,000 contribution to the Outdoor Discovery Center for fiscal year 2026-2027 to support continued implementation of the Lower Kalamazoo River Greenway Plan and accept the kayak launch donation from the Saugatuck Douglas Rotary Club. Via roll call vote, motion carried 5-0. Staff Reports, Boards, Commissions & Committees: Monthly department activity reports were provided by the City Manager, Zoning Director, City Clerk, DPW Director, Treasurer, Engineer, and police. Public Comment: None. Correspondence: None.

102 Butler St. ★

PO Box 86

★ (269) 857-2603

www.SaugatuckCity.com

Council Comments: Councilmember Muncey commented on how busy the town is in August, noting that many families are trying to squeeze in last-minute summer activities. He encouraged everyone to exercise extra patience and caution, particularly when driving through town, since traffic can be heavy and tempers may run high. Muncey also promoted the upcoming Movie in the Park at Coghlin Park, sponsored by Laura Durham of Millpond Realty, where the film “Ford vs. Ferrari” will be shown this Friday at dusk on a big screen. He mentioned that Kimberly will be making her famous bacon popcorn to share, and he invited community members to come out, enjoy the movie, and spend time together as a community. Councilmember Dean remarked that it is a good film but had no other comment. Mayor Pro-Tem Clark thanked the Council for excusing his absence from recent meetings and shared reflections from traveling around Michigan. He remarked on what a beautiful state it is and said that returning to Saugatuck highlights the contrast with other towns, underscoring how much the community has to offer. Clark noted the astonishing number of visitors who come to Saugatuck and gave credit to the Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) and others who promote the city, emphasizing that their efforts clearly make a positive difference. Councilmember Gardner first offered a spoiler alert that a team whose name starts with “F” wins in Ford vs. Ferrari, calling it a worthwhile movie. He then raised a concern about a recent Xfinity internet outage, noting that while outages happen, there was no advance notification, and it was disruptive for residents and people working from home. He argues that internet service should be treated like a utility and urged that the city engage Xfinity to improve communication about planned outages. Gardner also thanked staff for the press release on the houseboat/gloating home litigation, saying it helped him respond to frequent community questions and explaining to residents that the city has invested significant resources and that legal processes move slowly. He further appreciated the city’s response to Tim Woodard’s email about Holland Street, stressing the need for a comprehensive plan to manage bike and pedestrian traffic there – especially with new housing development nearby – and warning that current conditions are unsafe. Finally, he thanked staff (including Paul) for following up with In The Elements and for attention to the Spear Street boat launch issue. Mayor Anderson built on earlier points about communication and engagement, praising the city’s recent public engagement efforts. She highlighted the value of outreach around issues like the houseboat litigation, water valve work, and the Park Street project, and specifically praised the idea of holding engagement activities at the pavilion so residents can be heard more easily. She also commended the quality and clarity of the staff reports (city manager’s, treasurer’s, clerk’s, planning & zoning, engineering, and police). Finally, she offered strong recognition to the elections team, including the two clerks, Cathy Brockington as election chairperson, and community members who work the polls, noting their attention to detail, accuracy, and professionalism, and expressing gratitude for their work. Adjournment: Motion by Muncey, second by Dean to adjourn the meeting. Upon voice vote, motion carried unanimously. Mayor Anderson adjourned at 6:55 p.m. Respectfully Submitted ___________________ Sara Williams, Deputy Clerk

102 Butler St. ★

PO Box 86

★ (269) 857-2603

www.SaugatuckCity.com