Lake Michigan Molding has abandoned plans to construct a new facility on 1.6 acres in Dowagiac industrial park.

Monday night City Council bought back Lot 24 for $3,325 — the amount Jason Sysak and William Wilczynski paid for the parcel in June 2007, according to City Manager Kevin Anderson.

“Business conditions for Lake Michigan Molding have changed,” Anderson advised the council. “They’re not going forward with this particular project.”

The lot Lake Michigan Molding acquired initially was exchanged for Lot 24 in 2009 when ground conditions proved too wet for development.

In other Aug. 22 business, Anderson reviewed with council members a proposed policy for replacing trees diseased by emerald ash borers.

“We’d solicit proposals,” Anderson said, “and try to put together a package to help people and to give an incentive for removal of trees that have been diseased. We’d bundle them together to get the best price because you have mass quantity, then make them eligible for the Design Review Committee to give up to $200 incentive to aid in their removal. Then the balance of those costs, if someone needed it, could be placed on a special assessment for a two- or three-year time period, depending on the cost. Obviously, we need to make sure we get the word out as best we can to property owners so they know it’s available.”

“I have received a couple of comments back on it that I’ll incorporate,” Anderson added. “One was that the policy, as written, is very open-ended. We should probably limit it to 10 trees per year, with a maximum of three years, then council can re-evaluate the program.”

Council will consider his second draft at its next meeting Sept. 12.

Third Ward Councilman Dr. Charles Burling was told the administration is still trying to determine how many ash trees there might be in the city.

On street resurfacing projects, the city manager reported, “The county has been having some problems with equipment and actually ended up shutting its plant down this week, which will further delay some of the remaining projects that we have yet to do. I’ve asked staff to take a look at other contractors that are currently in town doing paving to see if we can do some change orders and get those done. It’s potentially going to be an extended time before the county’s back out there and we have projects we need to get completed now,” including Maple, Thickstun and Spruce streets “that are all prepped and ready to go.”

“A bit of a disappointment,” Mayor Donald Lyons stated.

“We got into this with the idea we’d get more streets paved, and we have, but it hasn’t come without angst along the way,” Anderson responded.

Added to the agenda was Lyons’ appointment of Mayor Pro Tem Leon Laylin as delegate and City Clerk James Snow as alternate to the Michigan Municipal League convention in October.

Anderson told Second Ward Councilman Bob Schuur he anticipates signs at Riverside Cemetery will be installed by Sept. 1.

The city manager advised Second Ward Councilman James Dodd that the project manager is “hopeful” there will be enough funds at the conclusion of the M-62 project to give some attention to Front Street.

“It’s going to be a little while until you see the blacktop,” Anderson said. “They’ve got all the curb and sidewalk work to do first.”

New First Ward Councilman Randy Gross commented he was glad to see paving started on Solomon Street by Patrick Hamilton Elementary School.

Rod and Roll “was well-attended,” Laylin said. “I was very lucky in the fact the Studebaker took Best of Show because it was my choice before it was announced” from 180 vintage vehicles. “I got it right this year.”

“I was impressed with the quality of the cars at the Rod and Roll show,” Mayor Lyons agreed. “I commented to Joan as we were walking that it was one of the strongest selections of cars that we’ve had in a long time. The Belgian concert band (at Dowagiac Middle School Performing Arts Center Aug. 9), that was a wonderful show. If you missed it, you missed a great show. We’re lucky to have those kinds of things come through our community.”

“It was nice to see all of people out at the ACTION program,” Schuur said. “It’s nice to see all of the churches working together. And I enjoyed the car show immensely.”

“I think they gave out 300 backpacks,” Dodd said, “and I don’t know how many hot dogs, but they did a really good job with that. With the new street light program we’ve got going on, I can sit on my porch and see down Parsonage.”

Dodd also reminded council members that the Chieftains open football season Thursday.”From what I’m hearing, it sounds like it’s going to be a good season.”

Schuur moved that the council direct City Treasurer Robin Coffey to pay out $715,253.28, including $594,756.68 for bills and $120,496.60 for payroll.

After meeting in public for about 15 minutes, the council went into a closed session to discuss collective bargaining strategies between the city and IBEW Local 876 and the Police Officers Labor Council.