Municipal Infrastructure Improvements: Challenges and Opportunities

Town Hall Meeting: Infrastructure Millage Proposal
May 30, 2018

The May 30th town hall meeting focused on roads, water, and sewer. City Manager Matt Baumgarten and DPW Director Derrick Schueller made a presentation that described the challenges of maintaining the city's infrastructure with limited funds and provided an update on steps taken to enhance stormwater management.

The next town hall meeting is scheduled for August 30, 2018. Updates on the three ballot proposals will be posted on the city website, Facebook, and Twitter.


Town Hall Meeting: Proposed New Community Center
April 17, 2018

The April 17th town hall meeting focused on the proposed new Community Center design concept. Residents heard details about the floor plan, construction costs, and types of activities being considered for a new recreation facility. A FAQ distributed at the meeting provided additional information about other facility features, potential uses, program offerings and funding method.

To continue this series of community engagement and information sessions, the next town hall meeting will focus on potential improvements to the city's road infrastructure and the proposed millage to generate the funds needed for these important capital improvements. This meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 30, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm, at the Public Safety Building, 2395 Twelve Mile Road. The meeting will begin with an overview presentation followed by resident comments.   

Note: This meeting, originally scheduled for May 16, has been rescheduled.  Please plan to attend the city infrastructure town hall meeting on May 30, 2018.


Town Hall Meeting: City Hall-Historic Fire Hall Renovation
March 15, 2018

The March 15, 2018, town hall meeting focused on the proposed City Hall-Historic Fire Hall Renovation. The community engagement meeting gave residents an opportunity to discuss the design concept and cost associated with the renovation. The presentation provided city hall renovation design details for residents to review.  A Frequently Asked Questions document (FAQ)  was also distributed at this community engagement meeting.

The next town hall meeting will be held on April 17, 2018, from 6:30 PM  until 8:30 PM, at the Community Center.  The proposed Community Center design concept will be the focus of this session.


Open House: Overview of November 2019 Ballot Proposals
March 1, 2018

The March 1, 2018, open house focused on the three ballot proposals that will appear on the November ballot. The discussion focused on how each relates to the city's infrastructure needs. The following documents contain the details presented during this community engagement meeting:


Open House: Overview of Infrastructure Needs
January 16, 2018

During the January 16, 2018, open house, city leaders shared important information about specific challenges related to needed improvements for Berkley’s road network and municipal buildings. The purpose of this webpage is to share the information presented during the open house and provide updates as developments occur. 

City infrastructure includes local roads, water mains, the sewer system and municipal buildings.  Each is in need of upgrades or repairs.  Municipal buildings, the Community Center and city hall, have both outlived their useful life.  Over time, limited funds have been available to address these needs due to stagnant revenue and decreases in state funding.  There is currently no sustainable funding method in place to pay for annual road improvement projects. Funding for capital building projects is limited.

In spite of ongoing maintenance efforts, roads continue to deteriorate and the integrity of municipal buildings continue to decline due to age. Residents will be asked to consider the following funding strategies in order to address these concerns:

  • Road Millage - 2 mills for 10 years
  • $15.25 million bond proposal to construct a new Community Center
  • $4.5 million bond proposal to renovate City Hall

The proposals are scheduled to appear on the November 2018 ballot.  If all three proposals are approved, the annual cost for the owner of a home with a taxable value of $75,000 would be about $318 per year or 87 cents per day. Voter approval is required for all of the financial options under consideration and none will be implemented without voter approval. Opportunities for more public dialogue will be scheduled and communicated via the city’s website, social media, and email.   

Click here to estimate how these proposals may affect your property taxes. 

Click here to view the PowerPoint presentation, “Municipal Infrastructure Improvement Challenges and Opportunities”, shared during the open house.
 
Click here to view the Stantec presentation describing the Community Center design concept.
 
Click here to view the proposed floor plan for the City Hall – Historic Fire Hall renovation.
 
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