Financial Reports

The general operating expenditure budget (general fund) for the fiscal year ending 30 June 2013 is proposed to be $2,845,677, slightly more than the previous year’s general operating budget of $2,767,272. The ad valorem tax rate adopted to fund the general operating budget remains at 8.065 mills.

Following are links to the entire current budget and commonly requested specific information within the budget document:

• Proposed Fiscal Year 2013 Annual Budget
• Adopted Fiscal Year 2012 Annual Budget
• Fee Schedule
• Fiscal Year 2012 Water / Sewer Rates
• Fiscal Year 2011 Annual Audit

Performance Reports

The City produces performance reports in accordance with the State of Michigan Economic Vitality Incentive Program.

• Citizens’ Guide – Provides a more transparent understanding of local unit finances through a simple, graphic presentation of the City’s most important financial measures.
• Performance Dashboard – Includes financial and operating measures most important to the City and its residents, such as fiscal stability, economic strength, public safety, and quality of life.
• Employee Compensation Plan – Explains the City’s intent to reduce some retirement and health care plan benefits for non-union, full-time employees hired after 01 May 2012.

The Delta assessing offices are located in the Delta Township Hall, 7710 W. Saginaw Hwy., Delta Township, MI 48917, and are open Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You may contact the Assessor via email or by calling (517) 323-8520.

The Assessor has prepared an informational presentation explaining Proposal A, assessed values, taxable values, and the Board of Review.

The Winter 2011 tax roll is available to download as a Microsoft Excel file. Detailed property tax and assessment information is also available online at no cost through our vendor’s internet services website.

Residents may drop off the following items for reuse, recycling and disposal:

• Cell phones and batteries
• Electronic waste
• General Refuse
• Lead acid batteries
• Mercury thermometers and thermostats
• Scrap metal
• Tires
• Usable clothing, furniture and household items

See this flyer for more details and information on applicable fees, if any.

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City Hall

The City Council continues to meet to discuss the possibility of relocating City Hall. The current City Hall was built in 1930 as a church. The City purchased the building and renovated it for use as City Hall in 1970. Now, forty years later, the building has aged and deteriorated to the point it poses health and safety risks for residents and employees. Click here for a complete history of the City Hall building.

The City Council has entered into an agreement with MAYOTTEgroup to develop and design a new City Hall. Numerous meetings and public forums have been held to determine the best location for a new City Hall, and the site of the current City Hall was chosen. A project budget has been developed to determine the space and construction costs, architectural and interior costs, and relocation costs.

The City Council has determined not to take any further action authorizing expenditures for schematic plans and budget estimates until after the City determines a funding source for the project. The City intends to avoid any additional taxes or millages to fund the project, but instead will try to obtain federal and state assistance, and grants.

For more information on this project, contact the City Administrator via email or by calling (517) 627-2149.

Fitzgerald Field

The City has long enjoyed its downtown ball field, but over the years it has deteriorated. The recently completed renovation of Fitzgerald Field began on March 23, 2010, with soil excavation. The project included a grass outfield with irrigation system, appropriate outfield fencing, new dugouts, improvements to the bleachers, and other amenities. The City was the general contractor and coordinated the contributions of Pete Clark of Clark Farms, Jeff Cadwell of Cadwell Construction, the Grand Ledge Rotary, Jeff Witt of Witt Sod Farm, Darrin Vilminot of Universal Designs, Dave Glasser of Dibble-Glasser Landscape, the Lonier Family of Shady Lodge Farm LLC, and the Downtown Development Authority. The project cost $19,930 with in-kind donations of $14,950 and cash donations of $4,980. The renovated Fitzgerald Field is the home field of the new PONY Mustang Spring League and Grand Ledge City Recreation league. This is a welcome improvement and will benefit the entire community.

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Greater Lansing Regional Committee for Stormwater Management

The City is involved in the Greater Lansing Regional Committee for Stormwater Management, a group dedicated to preserving, maintaining, and enhancing the Lansing region’s watersheds.

Please help us protect the Grand River and other watersheds by reporting illicit discharges and dumping into the City’s storm water sewer system. You may call the Department of Public Service at (517) 627-2144 or use email.

Illicit discharges and dumping allows contaminated wastewater into our local waterways without receiving any treatment. Such activities may be intentional, but also may be unknown to the property owner. Some examples of illicit discharges or dumping are failing septic systems, improper disposal of sewage from recreational vehicles, or cleaning pool filters, paint brushes, and vehicles in a driveway or in the street.

Following is more information on what we are doing and how you can help:

• Greater Lansing Regional Committee Fact Sheet
• Riparian Buffers: Protecting Our Water Resources
• Do You Know Your Watershed?
• Top Ten Things We Can Do to Protect Our Watersheds
• Wood Debris Management
• Car Washing
• Lawn Care
• Motor Oil
• Pet Care

News Articles:

• What is a Watershed?
• Who / What is the GLRC?
• Fertilizer
• Pet Waste
• Car Washing
• Illicit Discharge
• Riparian Area
• Onsite Septic System
• Vehicle Maintenance
• Storm vs. Sanitary Sewer
• Adopt Your Catch Basin
• Wetlands

Other information:

• Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
• Tri-County Regional Planning Commission
• General watershed information
• The Grand Ledge / Oneida Composting Center is located on Whitney St. behind Oakwood Cemetery. City and Township residents can drop off limbs, branches, unbagged leaves, grass clippings and other yard waste for composting. Mulch and compost is available for use in home landscaping and gardens. The Composting Center is open Wednesday, 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

North Side Parking Lot

The Downtown Development Authority is currently moving forward with a project to completely redesign and reconstruct the parking lot and alley behind the businesses on the west side of N. Bridge St. The businesses and their customers will benefit from increased parking and accessibility to the buildings.

For more information on this project, contact the Economic Development Coordinator via email or by calling (517) 622-5256.

Non-Motorized Pathways

The City is seeking to improve its resident’s access to non-motorized transportation by developing pathways in and around the City.

The Riverwalk concept was originated in the winter of 1996 by a group of citizens and recreation enthusiasts interested in the restoration and beautification of the waterfront area in downtown Grand Ledge. Early in 2003, the Parks and Recreation Commission held several public meetings and developed a prioritized list of projects the public wanted the City to undertake as part of the Parks and Recreation Master Plan. Walking paths were placed at the top of the list. After the Island Park project which was completed in 2003, a riverwalk was proposed from the boat landing at Jaycee Park to the just restored Island Park.

The now completed Riverwalk starts at the Jaycee Park boat dock and travels across ground and over water to the Grand Ledge Opera House and under the M-100 bridge, skirting the recently upgraded Fitzgerald Field baseball field, then on to Island Park. There is an overlook built on the old foundation of a planing mill that existed in the late 1800′s and fishing decks along the length of the path.

The Widewalk was developed through a Congestion Mitigation / Air Quality grant from the State of Michigan. The City Council acted to postpone an ongoing sidewalk improvement project to take advantage of the grant to construct an eight-foot wide pathway along M-43 from Timbercreek Dr. to Jenne St. The next phase, which has been approved for implementation, extends the pathway from Jenne St. to M-100. Further plans project the pathway to continue north on M-100 and connect to the Riverwalk at Jaycee Park.

The City Council hopes to be able to eventually encircle the City with a non-motorized pathway system along M-43, M-100, the Grand River and Fitzgerald Park.

For more information on this project, contact the City Administrator via email or by calling (517) 627-2149.

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Wastewater Treatment Plant

The City is currently improving its wastewater treatment plant located on the Grand River in Fitzgerald Park. The City has spent the past two years working with the State of Michigan to develop a plan to reduce and eliminate overflows into the Grand River by improving the capacity of the treatment plant to handle the current load placed on it by the City’s sewer customers. The City obtained a grant to pay for 97.5% of the project cost and is funding the remaining 2.5% through existing funds and rate increases.

For more information on this project, contact the City Administrator via email or by calling (517) 627-2149.