ROGERS CITY — This year Rogers City will pay and care for the flower baskets along Third Street.

“Depending on volunteers (to water) has become increasingly difficult,” City Manager Joe Hefele said. “They’re always sweating whether or not they’ll get the things planted. To me it’s an important part of our placemaking efforts; what our community looks like. Really in the grand scheme of things it’s not a huge amount of money.”

He said the flowers cost between $1,200-$1,800 any given year. He said he didn’t want to ask the same business owners to donate money to cover the cost of the flowers.

“We would strike on the heels of the Third and Erie Project,” Hefele said. “That would mean showing up to the same business with our hands out again. The business owners get hit for anything and everything. I would just prefer this become part of our annual budget.”

Hefele found support for this idea in the board. He said they still will ask volunteers to help a few hours a week but the majority of the care will be up to the city.

Council member Richard Adair had one suggestion.

“Next budget we’ve got to add this so it’s in there,” he said.

In other business:

∫ the board approved a resolution to accompany a MDOT permit application to work in MDOT rights-of-way as well as parade route closure permit applications.

∫ the council also approved a request from Mike Tulgestke to use The Hole as well as the minor and junior Little League fields at South Shore Park. The request was contingent upon staff’s ability to coordinate the use of the park with other leagues.

∫ the council approved a request from Girls on the Run to conduct its annual Color Me Awesome 5K on May 20.

Jordan Spence can be reached via email at jspence@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5687.