Site work and paving for a mixed-use development in Big Rapids, Michigan. Working plans call for site work for a playground / park / athletic field; for paving for a sidewalk / parking lot; and sidewalk / parking lot.

https://cms6.revize.com/revize/bigrapidsmi/document_center/City%20Commission/Agendas%20&%20Minutes/Current%20Year/Agendas/April%2013,%202022%20%20agenda%20joint%20meeting.pdf Resolution in Support of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Public Gathering Spaces Initiative Grant Application for a Playscape, Splash Pad, and Warming Station at Hemlock Park. _______________________________________ https://www.ourmidland.com/news/article/Big-Rapids-updates-Capital-Improvement-Program-17023802.php Big Rapids updates Capital Improvement Program Hemlock Park and Maple Street are priority projects BIG RAPIDS -- The city of Big Rapids continues several improvement projects in fiscal year 2022-23, as outlined in the Capital Improvement Plan adopted by the city commission during its meeting this week. Community development director Paula Priebe explained that every year the city prepares and adopts a six-year capital improvement plan, in which departments make requests for funding for projects that are reviewed and prioritized by city staff. The purpose of a CIP is to facilitate the orderly planning of infrastructure improvements; to maintain, preserve, and protect the city of Big Rapids' existing infrastructure system; and to provide for the acquisition or scheduled replacement of equipment to ensure the efficient delivery of services to the community, she said. The CIP is also utilized to ensure that capital improvements are fiscally sound and consistent with the goals and policies of the governing body and the residents of the community. The CIP informs Big Rapids residents and stakeholders on how the municipality plans to address significant capital needs over the next six years and provides a link between the planning and the budgeting for capital projects. Some major projects in the works for this year include the Hemlock Park Improvement project and the Maple Street restoration project. The city commission accepted a proposal from F&V Construction to begin work on Phase 1 of the Hemlock Park Improvement project this summer. Phase 1 will include the installation of four pickleball courts, basketball courts, two tennis courts and a kayak launch. A splash pad and new playscape are planned for 2024. The city continues to look for ways to help fund the project, including grants, American Rescue Plan Act funds and financing options, along with the $150,000 budgeted and the $600,000 in donations. The city received a grant from the Michigan Department of Transportation in the amount of $171,000 to resurface a section of Maple Street from Third Avenue to Bronson Avenue. The project will include milling and filling with 3-inch mill on a 4-inch bituminous pavement, which will address major potholes along the corridor. The total cost of the project is around $215,000, leaving a $44,000 gap for the city to cover. _____________________________________ https://www.registercitizen.com/local-news/article/Hemlock-Park-improvements-may-finally-get-underway-16941307.php - BIG RAPIDS -- Big Rapids residents eager to see some improvements at Hemlock Park may soon get their wish, as construction on Phase 1 of the project is set to begin this summer. The city commission accepted a proposal from F&V Construction to complete the work during its meeting this week. According to the proposal, the company will do sitework, including soil erosion and sedimentation control, site preparation and site restoration; construction of four pickleball courts, the basketball court and two tennis courts, including concrete slabs, surfacing, fencing, posts and netting; and a kayak launch, complete with a concrete walk, floating dock and supports. Despite the generosity of the local community, funding for the project has been a concern for the city. During the meeting, city treasurer Aaron Kuhn presented the board with some different funding options to consider. "Over the past 2 1/2 years, a group of citizens have led an initiative that would make dramatic improvements to Hemlock Park to make it the cornerstone of our community," Kuhn said. "Preliminary estimates had the project costing just over $739,000 for all five facets. City staff has sent the project to bid numerous times unsuccessfully." Following the unsuccessful bids, Fleis & VandenBrink offered a proposal to act as the general contractor for the project and subcontract each specific area, which the city agreed to during a previous meeting, he said. The proposal included potentially expanding the project from the base bid originally recommended by staff, to include additional pickleball and tennis courts, adding an additional cost of around $450,000 to the original estimate. Since the initial stages of the project, the cost estimates have increased significantly, with the base bid now at over $1 million and the entire project estimated to cost over $2.6 million. "Also considered was the prospect of including replacement of the (Hemlock Park) Playscape within the scope of the improvements," Kuhn said. "As a result, staff has arranged a few options for the commission to consider for the overall scope of the project. "The citizen-led committee has done a remarkable job of fundraising just over $600,000 toward the project," he continued. "The city has budgeted $150,000 in the FY2022 budget toward the project. Additionally, ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funding totaling $1,086,863 could be utilized to supplement the project." Kuhn presented the following funding options to the commission: Option 1 would include the entire project -- Phase 1 with the additional courts, Phase 2, the splash pad and Phase 3, the playscape, at an estimated cost of $2,679,000 between the three phases. Funding for option 1 would include the fundraising amount of $600,000, plus an expected Michigan Department of Natural Resources grant of around $470,000 for the splash pad, the existing $150,000 of city funds and using $189,000 of ARPA funds, and financing the remaining $1.5 million. Option 2 would include Phase 1 without the additional courts and the splash pad, with no replacement of the playscape. That cost is estimated at $1,654,000. Funding for option 2 would include the fundraising monies, the DNR grant for the splash pad, the $150,000 from city funds and the remainder from the ARPA funds. This option would avoid financing any amount, Kuhn said. Option 3 would include Phase 1 with the additional courts, the splash pad, and no playscape replacement, at an estimated cost of $2,079,000. Funding for option 3 would include the fundraising monies, the DNR grant for the splash pad, the city contribution of $150,000, and the entire $1,086,000 in ARPA funds. Again, this would avoid any financing amount. Staff is recommending Option 1, with the caveat that a millage levy be adopted with the next budget cycle as an offsetting revenue source for the debt, Kuhn said. "It should be noted that staff is vigorously opposed to borrowing money without an additional revenue source to service the debt," Kuhn said. "Staff has solicited financing rates from local banks. The rates range, depending on the structuring of the debt, from 2.3% to 2.9%. Financing the $1.5 million would require an annual payment of $170,000 from the general fund to service the debt. "That would equate to roughly 1 mil of taxable value," he continued. "The city has the capacity to levy over 3.5 mils for general operating purposes. A 1 mil levy could be dedicated to servicing the debt on the park improvements over the next ten years." He added the city has paid off the outstanding debt on the public safety building which allowed nearly 3 mils to drop off the annual millage rate. Other issues to be considered, Kuhn said, include the anticipated drop in shared revenue based on the current Census numbers, which will amount to around $400,000 annually. Additionally, the city is looking at the prospect of borrowing funds to install infrastructure for the Mechanic Street housing project, which will require a $200,000 annual cost to the general fund, and within the next few years, the city will be assessed for its share of the costs of the Ives drain repair project. "For those reasons, it is the opinion of staff that the city should retain as much of the stimulus funding as possible," Kuhn said. "The impending state revenue declines and anticipated financing for the Mechanic Street project are cause to retain the stimulus (ARPA) funding to act as revenue replacement for the next few years." City manager Mark Gifford said he, too, recommended completing the full project at one time because it is not going to get any easier or less expensive by waiting and the project will be a benefit to the community. "The way the community has responded to this project is above and beyond anything I ever expected," Gifford said. "After the last two years, with the COVID-19 pandemic, we are only going to see a higher demand for such facilities. If we do the entire project, it will benefit the city in bringing tournaments and other activities to the area. We think this is the best decision for the community." The necessary infrastructure installation, which has been delayed due to permitting issue from the state, is set to begin this spring. Once the infrastructure is complete, work will begin on Phase 1 construction, which is expected to take until the end of summer to complete, Gifford said. The Splash Pad is tentatively scheduled for summer 2023, depending on the DNR grant availability, along with the Playscape replacement. Mayor Fred Guenther said the playscape is something the city has to take care of, and the sooner it is done, the less it will cost, considering the recent increase in construction costs, adding he would expect that the community may come together with additional gifting for the playscape. Gifford said, if it is the direction the commission would like to go, staff will continue to gather information on financing the cost of the project and bring that back to the commission for further action at the next meeting. Information on the scope of the Hemlock Park project and how to donate can be found at cityofbr.org. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Items of work include HMA pavement removal, miscellaneous removals, soil erosion control measures, earthwork and grading, aggregate base, sand subbase, perforated underdrain 4-inch, concrete sidewalk 4-inch, concrete court paving 5- inch, black vinyl fencing, basketball court goal, tennis court nets, pickleball nets, court acrylic color surfacing, kayak launch, rip-rap surface restoration, and all related work. Bid security shall be furnished in accordance with the Instructions to Bidders. The City of Big Rapids reserves the right to accept any bid, reject any or all bids, to waive informalities and make the award in any manner deemed in the best interest of the City of Big Rapids. TRS users may dial 711.