Fence will surround Lansing burn pile

by B.J. Tomlinson

The Lansing City Council met in regular session Monday night, April 6 and considered a fencing plan presented by Street Superintendent Jerry Aperans. Aperans estimated the cost of the project to be $2,000 or less. The City burn pile on Valley Street has come under fire from the DNR in the past year because of unauthorized items being dumped there. The Council discussed various options to regulate access to the burn pile after the fence is built, including locks, cameras and higher fencing and will implement one or more of the strategies after the fence is built.
Main Street Lansing (MSL) Board President Bruce Palmborg presented a resolution for the Council’s consideration regarding conversion of commercial space to other uses in Lansing’s Main Street District. Palmborg said the MSL Board is concerned about storefronts being converted to residential spaces which is contrary to the mission of preserving the historic integrity of the District. He said other area communities have experienced this threat of conversion and have undertaken strategies to forestall it. The Council agreed to consider the request.
The Council reviewed and adopted Resolution #860, designating annual fixed periods for the burning of yard waste and hillsides within the corporate limits of the City of Lansing. The new resolution set the periods of open burning as April 15 through May 31 and October 12 through November 30 as permissible burn days.
Tom Burke addressed the Council regarding the ongoing ash borer infestation, stating that about half of the City’s trees would be affected. He invited everyone to attend an informational meeting to be presented at the Lansing Library Thursday at 7 p.m.
Parks Board representative Dave Pleasants and the Council discussed wages for summer recreation employees. They agreed to increase the wages of the pool manager from $11.00 to $12.10 per hour, but to leave wages of other employees the same as last year. They also discussed constructing a volleyball court, but although everyone thought it was a good idea, decided the project is too expensive at this time.
In other business, the Council instructed the Clerk to post flood projects for bidding. Councilman Dave Darling indicated he would be moving out of the City and would be resigning at the end of the month. Mayor Mike Brennan announced that the suit brought against the City by Bill Burke has been resolved; Burke lost the suit and has been ordered to pay court costs.