The Empire Village Council held a work session on August 14, 2025, during which they addressed various items including pending projects, public comments regarding local designations, and council initiatives. Key decisions included the approval of bidding services for alley and street paving, and the establishment of a No Wake designation for S Bar Lake.
Public Comments
Steve Lewis raised concerns about the S Bar Lake No-Wake Lake designation, confirming that both the Village and the Township must submit a resolution to the DNR. Terry Bacon commented on the impact of Short Term Rentals on affordable housing and expressed concerns about access for legacy families wishing to return to Empire.
Parks and Recreation Matters
No parks and recreation matters were discussed during this meeting.
Infrastructure Projects
A significant decision was made to approve bidding services from Gosling Czubak for the Union/Wilce St. alley paving and Union St. overlay at $5,500. The council discussed why a specific section of the alley was not prioritized and whether a performance guarantee for the work would be necessary due to existing road conditions. It was clarified that the new work will be an asphalt overlay and not another tar and chip process, with assurances from the DPW, Engineer, and Street Administrator about quality.
Other Business
The council adopted the amended agenda and approved the minutes from the previous meeting. The presentation on Brownfield Redevelopment by representatives from Fishbeck and Leelanau County Planning was also held, where several questions were addressed.
Action Items
1. A resolution for the No Wake designation for S Bar Lake needs to be drafted and submitted by both the Village and Township.
2. Ongoing consideration of the impact of Short Term Rentals on the community, particularly regarding affordable housing options.
Source Document
This summary was AI-generated from the official meeting record. The full source document is the authoritative version.