ESCANABA — Barring any major additions, the agenda for this week’s Escanaba City Council meeting will be significantly lighter than usual.

INTERIM CITY MANAGER

One key part of the meeting will be a request for the council to approve a $29,440 salary stipend for City Assessor and Recently-appointed Interim City Manager Jim McNeil. The stipend is intended to compensate McNeil for the additional workload he now has while serving as the city’s chief executive officer in the wake of the resignation of City Manager Patrick Jordan.

According to a letter Jordan sent to Mayor Mark Ammel and Mayor Pro Tem Karen Moore on Nov. 2, Jordan’s official last day with the city will be Nov. 27. However, McNeil has already begun to transition into the role.

JAIL SITE REDEVELOPMENT

One way McNeil is likely to show off his new administrative position Thursday is by giving a report on the status of property sales to developers working to transform the sites of the former Delta County Jail and Delta County Chamber of Commerce. McNeil has been involved with the process from the beginning and has historically given these reports in Jordan’s absence.

WATER PROJECTS

The council will be asked Thursday to approve the hire of C2AE, of Escanaba, for engineering services related to the lead service line replacement project and for a water main project. In total, hiring C2AE for both projects will cost the city $2,039,050, however, the funds will be reimbursed through a grant from the American Rescue Plan Act, commonly known as “ARPA,” at no cost to the city.

The more than $2 million total is composed of $737,240 for lead service lines and $1,301,810 for water mains.

WATER METERS

The water department will also seek approval for $76,160 worth of endpoint encoders for automated water meter reading. The department is seeking 800 of the units at a cost of $95.20 each.

The money for the purchase is available and was already budgeted for the encoders.