Prospects good for South Main Street project grant

Prospects are looking good for street work to be done in Wayland on South Main Street from Maple south to the end of Locust.

City Manager Joshua Eggleston told the City Council Monday night there is a “99 percents chance” the city will get $400,000 in funding for the project from the Michigan Rural Task Force. However, it’s likely the work will not begin until 2023.

There’s also a chance the city will pick up between $100,000 and $150,000 for work on a center turn lane.

Eggleston said he believes the city hasn’t gotten this kind of financial support for infrastructure since 2009.

In other business at Monday night’s meeting, the council:

• Approved a request from Bruce Patrick, owner of the Open Road Brewery, for an encroachment permit to accommodate and outdoor heated tent for a “Tag a Brew” party Patrick said may bring in as many as 100 people from out of town.

The event, scheduled for 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 12, will take place in the alley behind the brewery, so Police Chief Steve Harper said both ends of the alley will need to be blocked off.

• Approved the appointment of new Councilman Abe Garcia to be an ex-officio (non-voting) member of the Planning Commission. He succeeds Lisa Banas, who indicated a change in her work schedule lately has made it more difficult for her to attend the monthly meetings.

• Agreed to change the meeting date of the second council meeting next month from Jan. 21 to Jan. 22 because offices will be closed for Martin Luther King Day.

• Approved the reappointment of Jennifer Antel as mayor pro tem.

• Was told by Eggleston that the police chief search has been pushed back into January. Current Chief Harper plans to leave in February for a new post at his church.