Algonac City Council members approved several items at a recent meeting, including giving their support for a company looking to apply for a grant for high-speed internet in St. Clair County.
Mayor Rocky Gillis said the city received a request from 123NET, a private company, which will be applying for Broadband, Equity, Access and Deployment Grant funding for St. Clair County to provide high-speed internet to the remaining unserved and underserved homes within the county.
“The state of Michigan has allocated $1.6 billion to fund BEAD in an attempt to expand high-speed internet access throughout the state,” Gillis said at the Dec. 17 meeting. “St. Clair County and (the St. Clair County Regional Educational Service Agency) have also provided 123NET with a letter of support.”
He said 123NET is a Michigan-based business with headquarters in Southfield and currently is the only private company that has requested a letter of support from the city of Algonac for a BEAD grant application.
Mayor Pro Tem Dawn Davey made a motion to support 123NET’s application for a BEAD Grant and direct the mayor to sign a letter of support on behalf of the city.
Gillis said the city does not have a problem with its internet but there are roads right outside of the city’s borders that don’t have internet. He said he supports the company trying for the funding.
“This is very, very cool,” Davey said.
The motion was unanimously approved.
The council also talked about IT services in the city.
“The city council changed IT providers in September 2024,” Gillis said. “Based on the overall review of the current electronic equipment, there is an overwhelming need for upgraded computer equipment in all departments, as well as the server. The new IT provider, Hi-Tech, will perform the necessary work onsite, in most cases.”
“Hi-Tech offers a time block option, where hours are pre-purchased at a discounted rate compared to on-demand service rates,” he continued. “Right now, Hi-Tech charges $170 an hour, but in January 2025, Hi-Tech is raising their rates. If we purchase time now, the block will never expire and rates will not change. By securing a time block now, we can save money and promote budget predictability.”
He said the city can choose a 25-hour time block at the cost of $4,000, or $160 an hour; a 50-hour time block for $7,500, or $150 an hour, or a 100-hour time block for $14,500, or $145 an hour.
“Some of the projects with an estimated service time include: Windows 11 upgrade on all computers, six hours; new server, including set up and relocating equipment, 50 hours, installation of new computer equipment on a rotating replacement program over the next few years, two to four hours per computer,” Gillis said. “Based on the needs, it is recommend purchasing a block of 100 hours at a cost of $14,500.”
Council member Michael Bembas made a motion to approve the purchase of a 100-hour time block with Hi-Tech in the amount of $14,500. He asked what the city does with its old equipment.
Fire Chief Joseph Doan, who was filling in for City Manager Denice Gerstenberg during the meeting, said the city usually keeps the equipment in service as backup, and then once it is at the end of its life, the hardware is taken off and things are recycled.
The motion was unanimously approved.
The council also unanimously approved a motion to reappoint Jamie Sternberg to the board of review for a two-year term ending Jan. 6, 2027; to reappoint Kimberley Catenacci to an alternate position on the board of review for a two-year term ending Jan. 6, 2027, and to reappoint Adam Ragsdale to the zoning board of appeals for a three-year term ending Feb. 1, 2028.
The three board members had terms expiring in January and February of 2025. The boards and commissions appointment policy approved by city council in December 2015 states that new applicants will not be sought out in the case of a requested reappointment unless by majority of the council.
“Thank them all for stepping up to be reappointed,” Davey said.
Additionally, the council unanimously approved a motion to approve Algonac pool project pay application no. 2 to Robert Clancy Contracting in the amount of $184,011.30. The application covers the billing period of Oct. 1 to Nov. 1. Doan said that to his understanding, construction is on schedule.
