Manistee Area Tea Party Organization

05/19/2026

Our Manistee Tea Party meeting is coming up this Thursday, May 21, at the Bungalow and we hope you can join us. 5:30 for dinner/social hour and 6:30 for our speaker, Manistee County's Transportation Manager. She will tell us about the millage that will be on the August ballot and the services they provide.
Hope to see you there.

05/08/2026

CITY OF MANISTEE BOARDS & COMMISSIONS VACANCIES
APPLICANTS NEEDED

BROWNFIELD REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. One vacancy - term ending 6/30/29. (Terms begin 7/1/26) Applicants must be city residents or persons with interest in property in the city: Purpose: Promote revitalization of environmentally
distressed & functionally obsolete areas. Meetings are held as needed.

COMPENSATION COMMISSION. One Vacancy - term ending 9/30/28. Applicants must be registered voters in the City.
Purpose: Establish compensation for City Council Members. Meetings are held every odd numbered year.

DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY. Three vacancies - interest members - One unexpired term ending 6/30/27 and two terms ending 6/30/30 (Terms begin 7/1/26). Purpose: Central Business District and Tax Increment Financing
Authority. Meetings are held monthly, 2nd Wednesday of the month at 8:30 a.m.

NEIGHBORHOOD RESTORATION AND BEAUTIFICATION COMMISSION. One vacancy - unexpired term ending 4/30/27. Applicants must be City residents or City property owners and at least one applicant should be a representative from a locol service club organization. Purpose: Identify, research, and recommend opportunities and resources to help prevent, remediate, and eliminate blight and help beautify the City of Manistee. Meetings are held monthly, 1st Thursday of the
month at 4:00 p.m.

OIL & GAS INVESTMENT BOARD. One vacancy - term ending 6/30/30 (term begins 7/1/26). Purpose: Oversees Investment of Oil & Gas Trust Fund. Meetings are held Quarterly on the 3rd Friday of the month 12:00 p.m.

PARKS COMMISSION. Three vacancies - terms ending 6/30/29 (terms begins 7/1/26). Applicants may be non-residents but must own real estate or a business/profession having a licensed business location in the City or have a child attending school within the City. Purpose: Advisory on parks development, maintenance, improvements, & identifying, planning,
implementing public & private beautification projects. Meetings are held on the 3rd Thursday of the month at 5:30 p.m.

ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS. One vacancy - term ending 5/31/28. Applicants shall be representatives of the population distribution and of the various interests present in the City: Purpose: Hears appeals to zoning and building issues. Meetings are held as needed.

Application forms are available at the City Clerk's office, (231)398-2803, or on the City website at http://www.manis- teemi.gov. Applications must be returned by May 27, 2026, to be considered for appointment at the June 2, 2026 City Council meeting.

05/08/2026

The Manistee Area Tea Party will welcome Manistee’s Transportation Manager, Ms Julie Stec, Thursday, May 21, at the Bungalow Inn. She will explain the services that her department provides, plus information on the Departments new software upgrade. Also covered will be the proposed mileage increase on the upcoming August ballot.
The public is cordially invited. Social hour is 5:30 to 6:30,
presentation to follow

05/08/2026

Applicants Needed
Manistee County Boards and Commissions

Two (2) vacancies on the County Planning Commission, for three (3) year terms commencing Junee 10, 2026 and ending June 9, 2029
Application packets are available at the Manistee County Clerk's Office, Manistee County Government Center, 415 Third Street, Manistee or at www.manisteecountymi.gov The deadline for filing your application packet is Friday, May 15th 2026 by 4pm at the County Clerk's Office.

05/05/2026

May 5th, 2026
WSCC Capital Improvement Millage Proposition

Below is the millage proposition. The way it is worded confused me, leaving me thinking this proposition, if passed, would double the previous Capital Improvement millage. That is NOT the case. Had tomorrow's vote been held back in August 2025 as planned, this proposition would have been called a renewal. Since the 2016-2025 millage expired 12/31/25, even though what tomorrow's proposition calls for is, in effect, a renewal of that millage, it cannot be called a renewal.

The many entities listed in the bottom paragraph are called tax increment authorities. By going through a highly structured process they can apply for funding from the captured tax increment revenues provided by the WSCC millage. Other millages that provide captured tax increment revenues include: County Operating Millage, City Operating Millage, Medical Care Millage, Dial-A-Ride Millage, Library Millage and Soil Conservation District Millage.

MAY CONSOLIDATED
Tuesday, May 5, 2026 Manistee County, Michigan FILER TOWNSHIP, Precinct 1

PROPOSAL SECTION
Community College
West Shore Community College Capital Improvement Millage Proposition
This millage will allow West Shore Community College to continue to levy the previous voted increase in the constitutional tax rate limitation on general ad valorem taxes of 0.9604 mill.

Shall the constitutional tax rate limitation on general ad valorem taxes within the district of West Shore Community College, State of Michigan, be increased by 0.9604 mill ($0.9604 per $1,000) on all property subject to ad valorem taxation for a period of ten (10) years, 2026 through 2035, inclusive, subject to reduction as provided by law, to provide funds for capital improvements?

Such increase is estimated to provide revenues of approximately $4,108,147 in 2026 and is a new additional millage. The following tax increment authorities are within the community college district and can capture and retain tax increment revenues for authorized purposes as permitted by law from property taxes levied by West Shore Community College: Charter Township of Filer Downtown Development Authority, Manistee Downtown Development Authority, City of Manistee Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, Manistee County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, Manistee County Land Bank Authority, Oceana County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, Ludington Downtown Development Authority, Scottville Downtown Development Authority, Mason County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, City of Ludington Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, City of Scottville Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, and Lake County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority. Such capture would include a portion of this millage levy. The total amount of captured tax increment revenues from such millage in the first calendar year of the levy is estimated to be $128,000.

04/24/2026

CORRECTION
Thank you to Penny Nelson the township clerk for Springdale Township for pointing out the error.
The correction has been made below.

SPECIAL ELECTION
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, That a Special Election will be held in the City of Manistee and the Townships of Arcadia, Bear Lake, Brown, Dickson, Filer, Manistee, Maple Grove, Marilla, Norman, Onekama, Pleasanton, Springdale and Stronach:
COUNTY OF MANISTEE, STATE OF MICHIGAN
TUESDAY, MAY 5, 2026
AT THE PLACE OF HOLDING THE ELECTION IN SAID DISTRICT AS INDICATED BELOW, VIZ:
ARCADIA
Township Hall
3422 Lake Street
Arcadia, MI49613
(231) 889-4463

BEAR LAKE
Township Hall 7771 Lake
Street
Bear Lake
(231) 864-3620

BROWN
Township Hall
8233 Coates Highway
Manistee
(230 723-4481

DICKSON
Township Hall
14270 Brethren Blvd
Brethren
(231) 477-6885

CHARTER TOWNSHIP
OF FILER
Township Hall
2505 Filer City Road
Manistee
(231) 723-3138

MANISTEE
Township Hall
410 Holden Street
Manistee
(231) 723-6507

MAPLE GROVE
Township Hall
9208 Kauko Street
Kaleva
(231) 362-3825

MARILLA
Township Hall
9991 Marila Road
Copemish
(231) 362-3555

NORMAN
Township Hall
1273 S. Seaman Road
Wellston
(231 848-4564

ONEKAMA
Township Hall
5435 Main Street
Onekama
(231) 889-3308

PLEASANTON
Township Hall
8958 Lumley Road
Bear Lake
(231) 864-2584

SPRINGDALE
Township Hall
(231) 378-2252

STRONACH
Township Hall
2471 Main Street
Stronach
(231) 723-7983

CITY OF MANISTEE
Manistee County Council on Aging - Wagoner Center
260 St. Mary's Parkway
Manistee
All Districts: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th & 7th
(231) 398-2803

CITY HALL, 70 MAPLE STREET, MANISTEE

FOR THE PURPOSE OF VOTING ON THE FOLLOWING PROPOSALS:
SCHOOLS
West Shore Community College Capital Improvement Millage Proposition
This millage will allow West Shore Community College to continue to levy the previous voted increase in the constitutional tax rate limitation on general ad valorem taxes of 0.9604 mill.
Shall the constitutional tax rate limitation on general ad valorem taxes within the district of West Shore Community College, State of Michigan, be increased by 0.9604 mill ($0.9604 per $1,000) on all property subject to ad valorem taxation for a period of ten (10) years, 2026 through 2035, inclusive, subject to reduction as provided by law, to provide funds for capital improvements?
Polling locations are accessible and alternative formats of voting instructions (audio and Braille) are available for persons with special needs as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Persons with special needs should contact the appropriate Clerk's Office.
This Notice is given as required by law (MCL 168.653a)
THE POLLS of said election will be open at 7:00 a.m. and will remain open until 8:00 p.m. of said day of election.
SHELLI JOHNSON, COUNTY CL

04/20/2026

04/18/2026

CITY OF MANISTEE
BOARDS & COMMISSIONS VACANCIES
APPLICANTS NEEDED
COMPENSATION COMMISSION. One Vacancy -term ending 9/30/28. Applicants must be registered voters in the City. Purpose: Establish compensation for City Council Members. Meetings are held every odd numbered year.
HOUSING COMMISSION. One vacancy - term ending 05/31/31. Purpose: Oversees Senior/Low Income Housing. Meetings are held, 3° Thursday of the month at 9:00 a.m.
NEIGHBORHOOD RESTORATION AND BEAUTIFICATION COMMISSION. One vacancy - term ending 4/30/27. Applicants must be City residents or City property owners and at least one applicant should be a representative from a local service club organization. Purpose: Identify, research, and recommend opportunities and resources to help prevent, remediate, and eliminate blight and help beautify the City of Manistee.
Meetings are held monthly, 1* Thursday of the month at 4:00 p.m.
TREE COMMISSION. One vacancy -term ending 12/31/28. Applicants must represent a cross section of the resident population of the City, two (2) members may be nonresidents of the City, but must own real estate within the City, or own a business or profession having a licensed business location within the City. Purpose: Oversees public (parks/boulevards) tree program. Meetings are held on the 2nd Monday of the month at
5:00 p.m.
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS. One vacancy -term ending ending Applicants shall be representatives of the population distribution and of the various interests present in the City. Purpose: Hears appeals to zoning and building issues. Meetings are held as needed.
Application forms are available at the City Clerk's office, (231)398-2803, or on the City website at http://www.manisteeri.gov.
Applications must be returned by April 29, 2026, to be considered for
appointment at the May 6, 2026 City Council meeting.

04/14/2026

April 16th, Thursday -- MATP Meeting

Josh Glass,
Manistee City Chief of Police,
Speaking about the Mental Health Crisis.

Mental Health has become a crisis around the nation and has become a burden on law enforcement, as well as health professionals. Even in our small community it is a problem.

The meeting will be at the Bungalow Inn in Manistee, starting at 6:30pm on April 16th, with a social hour and optional dinner starting at 5:30pm. The public is invited.

Bungalow Inn, 1100 28th St US 31 South, Manistee, MI 49660

04/06/2026

City of Manistee

Petitions are now available for the 1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th district City Council seats.

Council members for these districts will be elected for two-year terms at the Novemeber 3rd, 2026 General Election.

Qualifications:
Must be a registered voter of the City for not less than two (2) years immediately preceding the filing deadline.
Must currently be registered and live in the open district.
Must be at least 25 years old as of the filing deadline.

Nominating Petitions are available from the City Clerk's office. Petitions require 25 signatures of registered voters from within the district (but less than 50)

For more information, contact the City Clerk's office (231)398-2803 or email [email protected]

Deadline for returning petitions is Tuesday, July 21, 2026 at 4:00 p.m.