ESCANABA — Finances and city planning will be the two main focuses of tonights’ Escanaba city council meeting.

THE BUDGET

The council will hold the fourth of five scheduled public hearings on the city’s budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. Typically, these hearings have very little participation from residents, but they serve as an opportunity to weigh in on the city’s finances and priorities.

INVESTMENTS

The council will then hear an update on the investment performance of the city’s surplus funds and will be asked to review and approve the city’s investment policy. No changes to the policy are being requested by the city’s administration.

HISTORIC

An error with the creation of the city ordinance establishing the city’s historic district commission was recently discovered that invalidates the commission. Because of this, the city’s legal counsel and the zoning administrator drafted a new ordinance recreating the district.

Tonight’s meeting will include the first reading of the new ordinance. A second reading, public hearing, and presumed adoption of the ordinance is expected to take place at the May 16 meeting.

PLANNING COMMISSION

The council will also hold the first reading of an ordinance amending the city’s existing planning commission ordinance. The changes — which are the result of comments made by the council at the April 4 city council meeting — aim to make training requirements for planning commissioners enforceable. If approved, a planning commissioner that fails to meet their education requirements will not be reappointed for the next term.

PUBLIC WORKS

The city’s public works department will request the council’s approval for a seal coating project for the area in front of the bandshell and underneath the benches at Ludington Park and for the purchase of a stainless steel dump box. If approved as presented, the sealcoating would be performed by Draze Sealcoating for a cost of $2,627. The dump box would be purchased from one of three vendors under consideration and is expected to cost between $20,000 and $25,000.