Nick Wilson/Daily Mining Gazette Hancock City Council members (from left) Ron Blau, Richard Freeman Jr., Paul LaBine, Lisa McKenzie, Kurt Rickard, Whitney Warstler, and John Haessler discussed the budget on Wednesday.

HANCOCK — The Hancock City Council convened on Wednesday evening for a regular meeting followed immediately by a budget work session.

City Manager Mary Babcock delivered an administrative report, starting with details on the water boil advisory that was announced on March 7, and lifted a day later after the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) conducted water tests and received safe results.

The notice caused confusion for some residents, and Babcock said that the city is working with EGLE, Adams Township, Portage Township, and the Health Department to solve this issue by creating a standardized process for clear and accessible future communications.

Babcock went on to announce the extension of a program offering free rides to veterans on the city’s public transportation. Made possible by the Houghton County Veterans Service Office, the program will continue for another four months thanks to the procurement of additional funding.

This program allows veterans who present an accepted form of veteran ID to use Hancock’s on-demand bus service free of charge. Although drivers initially expected about 15 riders per month, they have had more than 60 veterans utilize the program on a monthly basis.

“They’ve had a tremendous response to this program and our transit drivers really enjoy the comments they’re getting,” Babcock said.

She also mentioned that the city is coordinating with the Hancock Housing Foundation to explore the possibility of developing a senior housing apartment complex across the street from Lakeview Manor. Councilor John Haeussler addressed this topic later in the meeting, noting that senior housing is in short supply.

“We’re looking at the possibility of doing this. It’s a little bit outside of the box because it’s not lower income housing. But there’s certainly demand from people who want to downsize and move into a smaller place and have amenities taken care of and still be reasonably close to everything,” he said.

Haeussler stressed that the city is in the very early stages of considering this idea.

Following the conclusion of the regular meeting, Mayor Paul LaBine re-convened the council for the budget work session. Four of the city’s department heads discussed their department needs and presented budget proposals for the upcoming fiscal year.

First up was Department of Public Works (DPW) head John Erickson who listed several upcoming city maintenance projects including installing storm sewers on 4th St. and Water St., fixing a water drainage issue on Wolverine St., and replacing service lines that contain lead. He also described equipment maintenance needs like replacing a sander’s under blade and grader’s tires, along with the need for two new city trucks.

Police Chief Wayne Butler then presented a more moderate budget that included medical supplies, officer gear, and software systems. He also said that the Police Department is experiencing staffing shortage issues and suggested hiring another full-time officer.

Recreation Commission Chair Deb Mann took the podium next, delivering an expense update on the Hancock dog park in addition to projects replacing the Terrace Park basketball court, constructing a gazebo at Klondike park, and installing new grills and fire rings at Hancock Beach.

The biggest expense on the recreation list was a proposal to resurface the damaged tennis court in Laurn-Grove Park and convert it into four pickleball courts. This item sparked discussion among the councilors due to its high expense. Councilors debated the pros and cons of the project, but were generally supportive, noting the growing popularity of pickleball among area residents.

Lastly, Fire Chief Bill Lepisto listed expenses for truck servicing and advised the council to consider replacing the city’s aerial fire truck in the near future. The department’s current aerial truck is 22 years old, and Lepisto said that the typical lifespan of these trucks is 25 to 30 years.

The council will use the information provided by the department heads to formulate its budget during future work sessions. The next City Council meeting is on April 20 and a budget work session will be held on April 27.