Rotary Club Fourth Of July Firworks a Huge Success: Once again the St. Johns Rotary Club sponsored a top notch Fourth of July program up at the City Park. The live music at the performance shell was entertaining and well attended. The fireworks that followed were spectacular. We thank the Rotary Club for their continued involvement and support of our City as well as the individuals and businesses that provided donations for the 4th of July program.
New City Commissioner: The City Commission is pleased to announce that Robert Bellgowan has been appointed to fill the vacancy created by the recent resignation of city commissioner Mike Nobach. Bob is a local attorney who has been a long-time resident of St. Johns. Mr. Bellgowan also serves on the City Planning Commission and the Library Board. Bob’s wife Donna works for the Clinton County Prosecutors Office.
Consumers Energy Line Replacements And Street Work: In conjunction with the City’s street improvement program, Consumers Energy continues to replace and upgrade underground gas lines that serve City residents. Consumers is doing this work in advance of the next phase of the City’s street construction, which is slated to commence following Mint Festival weekend. Area 1 sections, west McConnell, Baldwin as well as sections of south Ottawa, Church, Clinton and Wight will experience reconstruction activity in August and September. The remaining two sections, Area 3 and Area 4 will also be completed this year.
Big Trash/Spring Clean-Up: The City recently received a summary of the 2014 spring clean-up event conducted annually by our trash and garbage pick-up contractor. Waste Management reported picking up 238 tons of trash and utilizing 214 driver hours to accomplish the task. That translates into 476,000 pounds of refuse and other unwanted items tossed to the curb by our residents!
A Rainy Summer And The Challenges That Come With It: Farmers aren’t the only ones lamenting the large rainfalls this summer. The unprecedented amount of precipitation experienced in the mid-Michigan area has proved a challenge for the City’s storm water system. Public Works employees are to be commended for their response to heavy storms that overwhelm catch basins and tax underground storm sewer lines. The City continues to evaluate the integrity of both the storm water and sanitary sewer systems as problems arise. The City has recently arranged for certain downtown underground piping to be televised and inspected in an effort to find possible blockages and other defects that need repair or replacement. Making underground fixes is both time-consuming and expensive. The City endeavors to use the most cost-effective methods to address these issues.
St. Johns Spray Park: A City crew recently completed site preparation for construction of the St. Johns spray park, which will be installed at the former location of the Veteran’s Memorial Pool. Initial construction will begin shortly after Mint Festival. A grand opening is slated for spring 2015. The Spray Park Committee continues to accept donations for this facility, which will be built in phases.
Rail-Trail Update: The Clinton-Ionia-Shiawassee recreational trail is under construction with a completion date and Grand Opening tentatively set for October 31, 2014. Trail sections passing through Ionia, Fowler, St. Johns and other communities along the route will have an asphalt surface. Longer sections between communities on the rail-trail route will be composed of crushed limestone. This long-awaited trail will eventually tie in with the Fred Meijer Grand River Valley Rail Trail, the Flat River Valley Trail and the Fred Meijer Heartland Trail. These four trail segments, stretching from Owosso to Lowell before heading north and then east through Belding, Greenville, Stanton, Edmore and Alma, comprise a total of 125 continuous trail miles. The City is working with the DNR to establish St. Johns as a “trailhead town”; a place where recreational users enter the trail system for their bike ride, jog or leisurely walk. The City has applied for three different DNR grants to make trailhead improvements on and near the Railroad Depot grounds.
Mint Festival Set For August 8 Through 10: Mark your calendars for this annual community festival sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. There will be a craft fair, carnival rides and lots of good food and entertainment throughout the weekend at the City Park. The traditional parade will be held Saturday morning. The Principal Shopping District/Downtown Development Authority will sponsor a car show, live music and a beverage tent downtown and at the Rotary Depot Park. Don’t miss the fun!
Overnight Parking: We would like to remind residents due to this weekend event you may request overnight parking on a City street where it is currently open to parking. Please contact the City Police Dept. at 224-6721 Monday thru Friday 8 AM to 5 PM or central dispatch after hours as a non-emergency.