Due to repeated complaints from Hillsdale residents about public burnings, the Hillsdale City Council restricted the right to hold public burnings — which include bonfires and barbecues — from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. every day. The Public Safety Committee is now reviewing the amendment to the city code after council’s discussion at the Monday meeting.
“Originally, you had to come into the station to get a permit, and we issued about 700 permits a year. After you picked up an initial permit, you just had to call,” Hillsdale Fire Chief Kevin Pauken said. “Midnight is the cutoff point. We get occasional complaints of fires at one or two in the morning.”
Councilperson Adam Stockford disagreed with the resolution to designate a specific time for public burnings, saying it restricted basic freedoms.
“I don’t want to see our citizens not be able to barbeque on a Saturday at noon,” Stockford said. “I also have a problem with the midnight cutoff. Why can’t we just leave it to the discretion of the fire department?”
City Attorney Lewis Loren said the city needed to “establish a standard” so citizens wouldn’t burn at inappropriate times of day, but at the request of Councilperson Mary Beth Bail, the council sent the amendment back to the committee for further review.
In other business, the council approved two traffic control orders, which permanently prohibit parking from South Howell Street to East Hallett Street and from East Hallett Street to South West Street and South Howell Street. Hillsdale Police Chief Scott Hephner said two people contacted him about having difficulty backing out of their driveways because parking on the street obstructed their vision.
“I went and observed and there is a legitimate parking hazard,” Hephner said.
The council approved both traffic control orders, 6-0. The council also approved an amendment to the airport engineering contract to begin taxiway construction at the Hillsdale Municipal Airport. Acting City Manager Doug Terry said the amendment adds surveying and staking to the contract, which are both necessary to begin construction.
“The contract has been reviewed by legal counsel. What we are seeking is council approval of this contract — we can’t commence field design work until after council approves this,” Terry said. “Time is critical to have the stream of money set in place for reimbursement.”
After approving the amendment to the contract, the council approved the grant contract between the city of Hillsdale, the Michigan Department of Transportation, and the Federal Aviation Administration. The grant contract allows the city to receive $1.35 million from the FAA and $75,000 from MDOT for the airport taxiway construction. The city of Hillsdale will put $241,667 toward the project.
Terry also requested the council hold a special meeting to review the final three candidates for the Hillsdale city manager position.
“I am making a request for a special city council meeting to interview at least two of the prospective candidates and allow the public to sit in and ask questions,” Terry said. “As many council members as possible should be present. This person will be working for you.”
After discussion, the council decided to meet at noon on Saturday, May 2, to review at least two of the city manager candidates. All council members are expected to attend, and the public is invited to attend and ask questions of the candidates, which will be facilitated by Terry.
