Vassar meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Vassar roundup: Council OKs union deals, directs 9% PILOT ordinance for Valley Green Apartments

City Council approves union agreements, moves toward PILOT ordinance

On July 6, the Vassar City Council approved tentative collective bargaining agreements with two unions: the Police Officers Association of Michigan (POAM) and the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 324. Council also directed the City Manager to prepare an ordinance for a 9% PILOT program tied to the Valley Green Apartment Complex. A PILOT, or payment in lieu of taxes, is an arrangement under which a property owner makes payments to the city instead of standard property taxes.

Council also approved the June 1, 2026 meeting minutes and consent agenda items.

DDA takes up downtown projects and race spending

The Downtown Development Authority met July 8 and July 15. The July 8 session was an agenda-only meeting, so official minutes are not yet published; items listed for discussion included a bid proposal for a dumpster enclosure in the S parking lot, dog waste stations throughout downtown, light pole repainting, and fountain maintenance. The board also welcomed new members Tiffney and Kathy.

At the July 15 meeting, the board approved two expenditures from the Kill the Hill fund: $300 for Cold Sky Apparel shirts and $672.71 for race banners and signs. Both passed with all members in favor. The board also approved the July 2026 agenda, including added call-to-order members, and the June 2026 minutes, each unanimously.

Parks and Recreation assigns park and rink tasks

The Parks and Recreation Board met July 9 and unanimously approved the June 2026 agenda and the July 2026 minutes. The board assigned several follow-up tasks: M. Ellis is to obtain shade-net quotes for the T-North ice rink and email them to B. Fisher, and email a Riverside Park checklist to B. Fisher. B. Fisher is to notify the DPW of Riverside Park issues and post a weekly park highlight on the City of Vassar Facebook page.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings are listed for the next 14 days.

Vassar boards weigh tax abatement, road closures, and downtown upkeep

Vassar's City Council, Downtown Development Authority, and Parks and Recreation Board each met in the past week, but minutes have not yet been published for any of the sessions. What follows is drawn from the agendas for those meetings, so items reflect what was scheduled for discussion or action — not confirmed outcomes.

City Council — July 6

The Council's agenda centered on a Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) request from Deshano Development Corp. for the Valley Green Apartment complex. A PILOT is a negotiated agreement in which a property owner makes payments to the municipality instead of standard property taxes, often used for affordable-housing projects.

Also on the agenda:

• Road closure for the Shifters Car Show on Aug. 1, 2026.
• Road closure for the Kill the Hill 5K Race on Sept. 20, 2026.
• Appointments to the Downtown Development Authority: T. Lesert (3-year term) and K. Dennis (3-year term).
• A closed session for collective-bargaining strategy.

Because minutes are not yet available, the PILOT request and other action items should be treated as pending until the Council's recorded votes are published.

Downtown Development Authority — July 8

The DDA agenda included several downtown maintenance items and welcomed new board members Tiffney and Kathy.

Agenda items:

• Bid proposal for a dumpster enclosure in the S parking lot.
• Dog waste stations throughout downtown.
• Repainting of light poles.
• Fountain maintenance, with Abeles having started landscaping.
• Discussion of ongoing events: Kill the Hill 5K, Pumpkin Roll, and Christmas in the City.

No bid amounts or vote tallies were included in the agenda summary.

Parks and Recreation — July 9

The Parks and Recreation Board agenda focused on recruitment, facility upkeep, and a possible membership change.

Agenda items:

• Recruiting seven new board members.
• Possible transition of Pat Mecham from council liaison to board member after her council term ends.
• City manager's plan to install a shed or enclosure for the water spigot at T-North before winter.
• Requesting quotes for a shade net for the T-North ice rink.
• Review of the ruined summer-rec time capsule and park walk-through reports.

No cost figures or timelines beyond the winter target for the shed were listed.

Coming up

• **Downtown Development Authority — July 15, 2026.** The DDA is scheduled to approve its July agenda and minutes and discuss the Biggby ribbon cutting, Kill the Hill 5K advertising and sponsorship, fountain maintenance and landscaping, and the bid proposal for the downtown parking lot dumpster enclosure.

Residents who want to verify outcomes from the July 6, 8, and 9 meetings should watch for the published minutes, which will record any votes taken.