Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

NILES — One of the Niles community’s most popular events is set to take shape in a few weeks.

The 19th annual Hunter Ice Festival will take place from Friday, Jan. 12 to Sunday, Jan. 14 in Niles’ downtown area. The Niles City Council voted 4-1 to approve the annual event, with councilman Michael Thompson voting against it.

The annual event is free and open to the public. Six expertly carved ice sculptures from prominent artists will be placed around the downtown for people to view. The Festival is sponsored by the Niles Downtown Development Authority Main Street, directed by the organization’s promotion committee and underwritten by the Hunter Foundation. The goals of the festival are to encourage commercial activity in the downtown area and tell the history of the Hunter Family and their ice carvings and ice cream. Activities will include ice carving competition, chili crawl, ice games and sledding. The 14th annual Frigid 5K Run will take place the morning of Saturday, Jan. 13. 

Ice Sculptures and competitions will be taking place from the NW corner of 5th and Main to Riverfront Park including the Amphitheater and between Cedar and Sycamore Streets. They requested that all fees be waived. 

According to Niles DDA Main Street Program Manager Lisa Croteau, the festival has been listed in the top 10 things to do in Michigan in the winter time consistently for the past 10 years. Linda Casperson, a resident of Niles and a business owner, stated that she sees an increase in business and traffic due to the festival.

The council also approved purchases of three dump trucks and three plows for the Street Department:

• A new International HV507 Single Axle Dump Truck from Tri-County International Trucks and purchase the necessary components from Truck & Trailer Specialties, at a total cost of $193,546.36, charged to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds.
• A new International HV607 Tandem Axle Dump Truck from Tri-County International Trucks and purchase the necessary components from Truck & Trailer Specialties, at a total cost of $227,538.91, charged to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds.
• A new International HV507 Dump Truck, from Tri-County International Trucks and purchase the necessary components from Truck and Trailer Specialties, for a total cost of $171,125.36, charged to the Vehicle Capital Equipment Outlay Account.
• Three new Root Model TPR-10′ front plows from Truck and Trailer Specialties, at a cost of $43,230, which is MiDeal pricing, for use by the Street Department, and charge the expense to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds.

In other business, council:

• Accepted the bid of approximately $18,500 from Pride Toilet Services to provide portable toilets at the City parks, charge the expense to the Parks and Recreation account, and authorize the Mayor to sign the contract.
• Approved the Independent Contractor Agreement for grant administration with Sanya Vitale in the amount of $3,500 on a month to month basis.
• Approved by resolution a renewal of the airport ground lease with Roger Dash of 1718 Niles- Buchanan Road, Niles, for a five year term expiring December 31, 2028.
• Appointed Public Safety Director James Millin as the City’s Emergency Management Liaison with Berrien County.