Pay City Water/Sewer Bills On-Line and much more
Halloween Trick-Or-Treat Hours: The fun starts at 6 pm on October 31 when trick-or-treating officially begins in the City. Kids will have until 8 pm to fill up their candy bags. If you’re out on the road please be very careful during trick-or-treat hours. City police will be out patrolling local streets to insure all the little ghosts and goblins have safe passage during their Halloween activities.
Pay City Water/Sewer Bills On-Line: City residents can now pay their water/sewer bills on-line through the City’s website at www.cityofsaintjohnsmi.com. This payment feature is on the main page of the City website. Just click on “you can now pay your water/sewer bill on-line”. You will then be directed to a page which will allow you to type in your “customer name”. Your current balance will appear when you click on your account number. To pay your bill click on the “pay on-line” box and you then will be asked to provide information, including what amount you wish to pay on-line and whether you wish to pay by credit card or “e-check”. There is a small convenience fee of less than five dollars for utilizing this service.
Leaf Bags/Leaf Pick-Up Program: Leaves are falling in bunches as a result of cool evening temperatures and recent windy, stormy weather. As leaves begin to carpet yards, we encourage city residents to use leaf bags for leaf disposal. Filled bags put near the curb will be picked up by City public works crews. The City also provides a drop off site 24-7 for leaves and brush at the DPW facility located at 1000 N BR-US 27. If you are in need of additional leaf bags please contact Steve Rademacher, Department of Public Works at 224-8944 ext. 229.
Annual Veteran’s Day Observance: The St. Johns Honor Guard is once again sponsoring the annual Veteran’s Day Parade on November 11, 2011, beginning at 11:00 a.m. The parade route will wind through the downtown area and conclude at the Veteran’s Memorial near the Railroad Depot. A short program with speakers will conclude the event at that same location.
Upcoming City Commissioner And School Board Election: Mark your calendar for November 8th. City voting sites will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. As a reminder, the Precinct #1 polling place has changed. Originally at the old Swegles School, Precinct #1 voters will go to the nearby First Baptist Church, 512 South US 27. Remember to bring picture identification to the polls. If you require additional information please contact City Clerk Mindy Seavey at City Offices, 224-8944, ext. 223.
Tiger Grant: The City, in partnership with Clinton Area Transit Authority, the villages of Pewamo and Ovid, and Bengal Township, is pursuing a federally funded “Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery Grant”. Congress passed the Economic Recovery Act in 2009, making funds available for modernizing and improving public infrastructure. These funds come from that legislative initiative. If approved, the City’s portion would be used to improve roadways and pedestrian walkways along major traffic routes.
City Obtains Land For Trailhead Facilities: The City recently completed its purchase of two tracts of land between Railroad Street and the old railroad line east of the Depot. This land, obtained in large part through a Department of Natural Resource Trust Fund grant, will be used in the development of facilities and amenities for a trailhead for the Rails to Trails recreational corridor. An additional grant has been submitted to the DNR for further site work to be completed as part of the Rails to Trails project.
Commission Passes Resolution Regarding Tax Issue: At its September 12, 2011 meeting the St. Johns City Commission adopted a resolution urging the Michigan State Legislature to carefully consider the impact of eliminating the Personal Property Tax. This tax supports the provision of essential services by local communities. The resolution did not directly oppose the elimination of this tax, but asked the legislature and the governor to condition any reduction or elimination of this tax on finding a source of replacement revenue for Michigan communities. If this tax proposal passed without replacement revenue, The City of St. Johns would lose almost $170,000 in annual tax receipts. Such a loss of revenue could have a significant impact on services to City residents.
City “Dashboard” On Website: On the City’s website you will find a feature titled “How Are We Doing? Dashboard Information Now Available” http://www.cityofsaintjohnsmi.com/dashboard/.
The information found at this site is tied to the City’s participation in the state’s Economic Vitality Incentive Program. EVIP funding is expected to be approximately two thirds of what a community previously received under what was called “statutory revenue sharing.” Under this replacement program Michigan municipalities may receive funding as part of this new incentive system by providing transparency and information to the state and its residents. On our “dashboard page” you will find statistics regarding the City’s fiscal stability, public safety, economic strength and quality of life.
It is noteworthy that before implementation of the EVIP/Dashboard initiative, the City of St. Johns has consistently given important fiscal information in greater detail to its residents. The City’s annual audit is available on line at Michigan.gov. The City reports financial data beyond what is required in an effort to provide full transparency to the State of Michigan and our residents.