During the evening of Monday, August 29th Sturgis fire fighters were dispatched to a report of a structure fire on the corner of W. West and N. Clay Streets; time of dispatch was 10:44 pm; the first fire Engine arrived at 10:47 pm. Due to the age and construction of the home, fire had burned into a concealed wall and floor space, then into a portion of the attic. The fire was brought fully under control in about an hour. The cause of the fire remains undetermined, however Sturgis fire investigators will be on site Tuesday, August 30th trying to determine the cause and origin of the fire. Sturgis responded with 17 fire personnel and received assistance from Life Care ambulance and Sturgis Police. One resident received treatment on scene after breathing in some smoke. No other injuries were reported and no damage estimates are currently available.
With the election of a new Governor and Republican controlled State House and Senate, we are witnessing the most active period of legislative change in decades. Along with this comes continued uncertainty and almost daily changes that impact local government, and by extension the citizens, in a variety of ways. The most significant may be the Governor's Economic Vitality Incentive Program (EVIP). This new legislation made significant changes to local government revenue by repurposing a fairly stable (if declining) revenue sharing system into a new incentive based program. Under EVIP, State shared revenue was reduced by one third from last year and the remaining amount can be earned by local communities if they meet three main criteria: 1) Communities must develop a citizen's guide and dashboard report, 2) Communities must produce a plan to increase existing levels of cooperation, collaboration and consolidation, and 3) Communities must certify their intention to im... [more]
At their regular meeting on Wednesday, August 10th, the Sturgis City Commission held a public hearing and subsequently approved the 2011-2012 budget for the City. The Commission is required by the City Charter to pass a budget on or before August 20th each year. A copy of the budget is available to download HERE.
FY 2011-12 will continue the trend of financially challenging times for the City of Sturgis. Recent years presented a host of financial issues including a substantial increase in pension costs, an unprecedented decrease in property tax revenue since the inception of Proposal A as well as declines in State Shared and ACT 51 revenues, and flat or declining utility consumption. The City of Sturgis is undoubtedly experiencing the effect of a struggling economy. The test of any organization facing these types of issues is its ability to reevaluate, reinvent, and seize opportunities that are presented. Under the direction of the City Commission, City staff is constantly reviewing operations and systems for improvements, creatively using grant funding for needed projects and exploring innovative and cost effective ways to deliver services. Some of these changes have impacted services such as brush pickup and snow removal and others have impacted employees by reducing overtime and increa... [more]
Saturday, August 13th the Doyle Community Center will play host to their 4th Annual Classic and Custom Car show. The event runs from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. rain or shine and will feature music, games, raffles, food and drink, vendor booths, and swap meet. The cost is $10.00 for vehicles (dash plaques to the first 100 vehicles to register), spectators are free! Stop by for what is sure to be a good time.
