Brittany Bezrutczyk

The meeting commenced with a recognition ceremony for the Mayor's one-year anniversary in office, involving a reading of a congressional certificate. Public comment session featured significant discussion regarding police conduct, specifically concerning Officer Tristan Shouty, allegations of misconduct, a substantial raise received by the officer, and demands for an audit of police funding and practices. Other public comments addressed community development issues, including housing shortages and the city's residency incentive policy, with suggestions focusing on relocation and down payment assistance rather than general raises for current city residents. Concerns were also raised about zoning ordinances related to storage facilities, the success of recent community events like Chili Fest, and the need for council members to increase their attendance at city meetings. Finally, unfinished business included complaints about uncleared ice and snow on sidewalks near a viaduct on 24th Street and questions regarding the location of a 'State of the City' meeting.

The session included a mayor's reflection on the year 2025, emphasizing community resilience, public safety priorities, infrastructure needs, economic development via the EDA, and support for youth and families. During public comment, one speaker addressed allegations of elected officials spreading private information and quoted a passage about controlling one's tongue. This same speaker also raised concerns about the poor condition and lack of accessibility of the pedestrian passageway at the 24th Street underpass, advocating for new sidewalks. A second speaker requested the City Council hold a goal-setting session, specifically addressing the upcoming expiration of the trash contract to prevent unreasonable renewal bids. This speaker also expressed disappointment and confusion regarding the insufficient plowing and salting efforts following a recent temperature drop, noting that residential streets and intersections remained icy. Finally, concern was raised over approving lengthy (up to 10-year) service contracts for lawn care companies. A subsequent speaker reflected on the increase in trash accumulation over 15 years and suggested implementing a mechanism, such as QR codes on trash cans, to report overflow directly to the city for cleanup, also reiterating the need for improved pedestrian safety and sidewalks on 24th Street due to its high foot traffic, especially near the high school.

The meeting included a proclamation for Community Pay It Forward Day, a presentation from the Port Huron Beautification Commission, and a presentation on the Discovery City Children's Museum. The Beautification Commission reported on maintaining flower beds and recognizing residents' yards, while the Children's Museum shared statistics on visitors and partnerships. Public comments addressed concerns about freedom of speech and adherence to the Open Meetings Act.

The Port Huron City Council held a regular meeting to discuss several key items. They considered an agreement with BMJ Engineers & Surveyors, Inc., for engineering services related to the City of Port Huron Marinas Maintenance Dredging and Dock Repairs project from 2026 through 2030. Additionally, they discussed and considered approving a two-year master service agreement with Rep'd to extend the "Ask the City" communications tool on the City of Port Huron website. The council also considered the rezoning of properties located at 1700 Washington Avenue, 1620 Kearney Street, 1125/1129 12th Avenue, 1635 Washington Avenue, 1640 Thomas Street and 1313 & 1229 12th Avenue to a Planned Unit Development district. Furthermore, the council considered the sale of a vacant lot at 1430 Pine Grove Avenue, and authorized the submission of grant applications for renovating a tennis court at Lincoln Park and creating a half-court for basketball play at Renaissance Park.

The meeting included discussions and decisions on several requests. A request to tear off existing asphalt shingles and install new black asphalt shingles at 804 Wall St was approved. A request to install a metal roof at 719 Wall Street was reviewed, with concerns raised about mixed materials and partial work, leading to a denial. A similar request for 713 Wall Street was also denied. Conversely, a request to install new doors and windows at 103 Michigan Street was approved.