Housing Concerns, Park Improvements Shape Chelsea City Council Meeting

Chelsea City Council’s first regular meeting of the year reflected a community balancing everyday concerns with long-term planning, as residents spoke out about power outages, road construction, housing development, and election trust, while council members approved contracts tied to environmental monitoring, public safety compliance, and park improvements.

The Jan. 12 meeting also included approval of more than $1.28 million in bills and payroll, along with discussion of the proposed Old Manchester housing project and several infrastructure-related contracts.

Residents Raise Power, Spending, and Development Questions

During public comment, Debbie Osborne questioned recent power outages on Chelsea’s south side and expressed concern about how upcoming construction might affect reliability.

Gaye Morgenthaler thanked Chelsea police for recent assistance before raising broader concerns about city spending, fund balances, and debt related to the Main Street Park project. She also questioned election security, raised doubts about recent election results, and commented on the Old Manchester Housing project and city commissions.

Representing the Rotary, Holly Ridenour, CEO of Silver Maples, asked the city to support participation in the Dementia Friendly Community Certification, emphasizing its importance for residents and caregivers.

Justin Perkins, who lives on Werkner Road, submitted petitions opposing the Washtenaw County Road Commission’s plan to widen the road at Chelsea’s north end. He cited the potential loss of old-growth trees and asked the city to help communicate residents’ concerns to the county.

Closing public comment, Tom Higgins thanked council members for their work and spoke generally about election safety and the challenges facing local government.

Old Manchester Project Draws Scrutiny

Under council business, resident Chris De Witt formally requested discussion of the Old Manchester housing project, calling it “a good project in the wrong location.” He cited soil conditions, traffic impacts, parking concerns, and transparency issues, and questioned whether environmental challenges had been fully disclosed.

Community Development Director Paul Montagno responded that environmental concerns had been discussed publicly at multiple meetings and confirmed that the developer plans additional testing to determine whether methane is present on the site. Council members questioned staff about testing timelines and next steps.

Appointments and Infrastructure Approvals Move Forward

Council unanimously appointed Virginia Field and Jules Zane to fill vacancies on the Chelsea Education & Recreation Collaborative, following the departure of two members who moved to other commissions.

Council also approved several service agreements:

• Merit Labs was authorized to continue semiannual groundwater sampling at the city’s closed landfill, a requirement mandated by EGLE. The testing includes PFAS analysis, with costs expected to reach $60,000 this year.
• CTC Engineering was approved to conduct load and arc-flash studies for the Electric Department to meet OSHA safety requirements.
• DuraEdge was approved for maintenance and renovation work at the Dana Ballfields, following a Parks Commission survey showing strong public support for upgrades. The work will not exceed $20,000.

Bills, Payroll, and City Finances

As part of the consent agenda, council approved the release of payments for:

• $202,263.96 in invoices from Dec. 5–19, 2025
• $1,078,542.17 in invoices from Dec. 22, 2025–Jan. 7, 2026
• $1,166,288.26 in weekly payments authorized under the city’s bill approval policy

Council also approved bi-weekly payroll totaling $382,838.61, covering pay periods ending Dec. 12 and Dec. 26, 2025.

Staff and Council Updates

Interim City Manager Marc Thompson reported that EGLE extended the grant deadline for the Rockwell project and noted that Chelsea’s water, sewer, and electric rates remain comparatively low regionally.

Council members shared updates from regional boards and commissions, including recycling, human rights initiatives, parks planning, and upcoming city manager interviews. Mayor Kate Henson encouraged residents to apply for openings on the DDA, CERC, and Zoning Board of Appeals.

Closed Session

Council entered closed session to discuss real property matters and confidential materials before directing staff to proceed as discussed.

The complete meeting packet and video can be found on the city’s website.