SPECIAL MEETING NOTICE

The Tawas Utilities Authority will hold a special meeting at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 4, 2022 in the Council Chambers of the East Tawas City Hall, 760 Newman Street, East Tawas, Michigan 48730. Phone 989 362-6161.

The purpose of the special meeting is to discuss obtaining a Construction Manager for the Tawas Utilities Authority Wastewater Treatment Plant project and current equipment repair needs.

Minutes of meetings of the Tawas Utilities Authority are available for public review at the office of the East Tawas Clerk/Treasurer, 760 Newman Street, East Tawas, Michigan 48730 or on the East Tawas website at www.easttawas.com.

Julie J. Potts
Secretary/Treasurer
Tawas Utilities Authority

NOVEMBER 8, 2022 GENERAL ELECTION
The General Election will be held in the Community Center Gymnasium at 760 Newman Street, East Tawas, Michigan on Tuesday, November 8, 2022.  Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.

The City of East Tawas will be holding a non-partisan election.  The purpose of the election is to elect a Mayor for a two-year term and three Council members to be elected at large for four-year terms. 

REMINDER:  The last day to register to vote in any manner other than in-person with the local clerk for the November general election is October 24^th. 

If you are on our Permanent Absent Voter list, an absentee ballot application would have been mailed to you prior to the previous August Primary Election.  That application was a dual application for both the August and November 2022 elections.  If you requested to be on our Permanent Absent Voter list after the August Primary Election, you should have already received an absentee ballot application.  Remember, you cannot receive an absentee ballot unless you have completed an application and filed it with the Clerk’s office.  If you believe you have completed your application and have not received your absentee ballot for the November General Election by the second week of October, please contact our office by phone at (989)362-6161 or stop in at City Hall to complete the absent voter application and we can issue you an absentee ballot if you so choose.  You will need to present your Michigan Driver’s License or ID card to receive a ballot in person.  

For your convenience, if you are unable to return your voted ballot in person, a drop box is located under the awning in the north parking lot (basketball court side).  If you plan on mailing your ballot, please allow ample time for your ballot to be delivered before election day by the post office.  If you cannot bring your ballot to our office before the day of the election, we ask that you bring your ballot inside to the Clerk’s office on election day. 

(Note:  Election law states that a ballot can only be given to the person requesting the ballot.  Applications for an absentee ballot can be presented at City Hall but only those persons appearing in person will be given an absentee ballot.  Ballots for those not appearing in person will be sent their ballot by mail or hand delivered by the Clerk.  Please contact City Hall if you have any questions.  Ballots can only be returned in person to the Clerk’s office by the voter, a spouse or an immediate family member.)

CITY OF EAST TAWAS CHARTER AMENDMENTS
Electors of the City of East Tawas will be voting in the General Election on three proposals.  Two proposals are to amend the East Tawas City Charter and the third proposal would allow waterfront property owned by the City of East Tawas on Tawas Lake to be sold.  Full wording of the following proposals will be available to the public to view at the East Tawas City Hall.        

PROPOSAL 1
PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE EAST TAWAS CITY CHARTER TO RESTATE THE CHARTER IN GENDER-NEUTRAL TERMS
Shall various sections of the City of East Tawas Charter be amended to restate the Charter in gender-neutral terms?
YES      _________________                                                                                   
NO       _________________
This proposal would replace all he/him/his terminology with gender-neutral terminology.

PROPOSAL 2
PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO SECTION 4.2 OF CHAPTER IV OF THE EAST TAWAS CITY CHARTER
Shall Section 4.2 of Chapter IV of the East Tawas City Charter be amended to allow the City Council to establish the annual salary of Council members including the Mayor by Resolution following a Public Hearing?                                                                                 YES      _________________                                                                                        NO       _________________
This proposal would allow council compensation to be established by a Resolution after holding a public hearing. 

PROPOSAL 3
PROPOSAL FOR THE SALE OF LOTS OWNED BY THE CITY OF EAST TAWAS ALONG THE WATERFRONT OF TAWAS LAKE
Shall the City of East Tawas be authorized to sell the following parcels situated along the waterfront of Tawas Lake pursuant to requests for proposals, and in the best interests of the City? 

                                    121-P20-001-026-00   Maple Drive
                                    121-O30-999-001-00  Warren Avenue
                                    120-017-400-024-25  Clifford Street
                                    121-P10-001-001-00  Lakewood Drive
                                    121-P10-001-015-00  Lakewood Drive

YES      _________________                                                                                               NO       _________________

For the full wording of the three proposals, please click here. 

STATE OF MICHIGAN PROPOSALS 
The Michigan Board of State Canvassers has approved ballot language for the following proposals on the November 8th general election ballot. 

Proposal 22-1
Proposal 22-2
Proposal 22-3

City of East Tawas Water and Sewer Rate Adjustments:
Beginning this October, water and sewer bills in the City of East Tawas will include a new line item to accommodate short and long term infrastructure expenses associated with the water and sewer systems. The new line item will be designated the “Infrastructure Improvement Rate” and will be incorporated to fund improvement and replacement costs for the City’s water distribution system, sanitary sewer collection system, the Huron Shores Regional Utility Authority’s water treatment facility, and the Tawas Utility Authority's sanitary sewer treatment facility.

The Infrastructure Rate for a standard ¾” diameter residential water meter will be $4.62 per month for water infrastructure and $21.06 per month for sewer infrastructure. Rates will vary proportionately based on the customer's water meter size.

Each utility bill will continue to include ready to serve and usage charges for both water and sewer services. The ready to serve cost has been adjusted for 2022 to accommodate Michigan Rural Water’s recommendation of equivalency-based rates. The cost for a standard ¾” diameter residential water service will be $9.04 per month for water (a reduction from $12.80) and $16.22 per month for sewer (an increase from $13.53). Ready to serve rates will vary proportionately based on the customer's water meter size. Usage rates, per 100 gallons of water used, will increase to $0.63 for water (an increase from $0.62) and $0.65 for sewer (an increase from $0.62).

Residential sewer customers that do not have a water meter will be charged the base usage rate of 4,600 gallons per month for sewer ($29.90), the sewer ready to serve charge ($16.22), and the new sewer infrastructure rate ($21.06).

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation to help maintain and improve our City’s public water and sewer systems. Information regarding the changes will also be included on the City’s Facebook page and in the fall newsletter. Please contact City Hall with questions.

Public Utilities Comparison 
2022 East Tawas Rates 
Billing Code Breakdown (example bill) 

SPECIAL MEETING NOTICE

There will be a special meeting of the Tax Increment Finance Authority at 8:45  a.m.  on Wednesday, October 5, 2022 in the Council Chambers of the East Tawas City Hall, 760 Newman Street, East Tawas, Michigan 48730.  Phone  989 362-6161.

The purpose of the meeting is to review the TIFA Bylaws. 

Minutes of meetings of the Tax Increment Finance Authority  are available for public review at the office of the City Clerk, 760 Newman Street, East Tawas, MI 48730.

Julie J. Potts
Clerk/Treasurer

The East Tawas City Park is accepting applications for year-round part-time employment at the East Tawas Community Center.  Available positions average between 20-30 hours per week.  Interested applicants should be prepared to work weekends, holidays, first and second shifts. Applications are available at the East Tawas City Park office, 407 W. Bay Street (behind the Museum), East Tawas; or at the East Tawas Community Center, 760 Newman Street, East Tawas.  The City of East Tawas is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Part-Time Employment
The City of East Tawas is accepting applications and resumes for a Part-time Library Assistant (20 to 30 hours per week). Experience in a public library is preferred but other appropriate experience and qualifications will also be considered.  Applicants should have excellent customer service and communication skills. Applications are available at East Tawas City Hall, 760 Newman Street, East Tawas, MI 48730 and or by clicking here.

Applications and resumes can be submitted to East Tawas City Hall at 760 Newman Street, East Tawas, MI 48730 or by email at cityhall@easttawas.com. The City of East Tawas is an equal opportunity employer and provides a drug free environment.

Starting Monday, July 12, 2021 the East Tawas Library and Community Center will have new hours of operation . See the schedules below.

The Department of Public works will be performing maintenance and removal of trees and shrubs in Greenwood Cemetery. Some of the work will be in close proximity to grave markers. Click here to view the cemetery map highlighted the work areas.   The work is planned to start May 1, 2021, if you should have any questions or concerns, please contact City Hall at 989-362-6161 or by email at cityhall@easttawas.com. 

Thank you!

City Hall and Community Center Reopening 

The East Tawas Community Center and City Hall will be reopening on Monday January 25, 2021.  Please see our hours of operation below. 

We will be following the required COVID-19 regulations.  Please wear a facemask when visiting our facilities.   Utilize our sanitation stations that are available  upon entering and exiting the building.  Those using  the Community Center will be asked  for information pertaining to  the COVID-19 health screening/trace contacting requirement.

The East Tawas Library is currently closed with reopening information to follow in the near future.  Please see hours of operation below.

City Hall 
Monday through Friday 9:00 am- 4:00 pm 

Community Center (with restrictions) 
Monday, Wednesday & Friday
9:00 am- 4:00 pm

Tuesday and Thursday
Noon- 8:00 pm 

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation during this time. If you have any questions, please contact City hall at 989-362-6161 or by email at cityhall@easttawas.com during offices hours, Monday through Friday 9:00 am- 4:00 pm. 

The City of East Tawas is working together with conservation nonprofit Huron Pines to understand how to keep our local water resources healthy.  We are forming a partnership to learn more about managing our city's stormwater.  With heavy rains and snowmelt, water can pick up pollutants like road salt and dirt and deposit them into our fresh water sources.  We'll look at how and where stormwater and snowmelt enter our rivers, inland lakes and Lake Huron and how we can reduce negative impacts with natural features like forests, wetlands and green space. 

On June 6, 2019 local decision makers and Huron Pines staff like come together to kick things off with a hands-on workshop to build a shared understanding of stormwater efforts in the City of East Tawas and to identify tools and opportunities that can help us build a sustainable plan for healthy water in East Tawas.

The City of East Tawas accepts credit/debit card payments for utility bills, tax bills and miscellaneous items at City Hall, over the phone or online through Graphite Municipalities.  You are able to view your utility bill and tax information through the online services tab on our website, but you will have to use the Graphite Municipalities link to pay your bill online.  Please click here or click on the Graphite Municipalities logo on our main page or on the water/sewer and tax information pages.  You may also call 989-362-6161 during our office hours Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and our office staff will be glad to take your payment over the phone.  

PLEASE CLICK ON THE GRAPHITE MUNICIPALITIES LOGO UNDER THE QUICK LINKS TO MAKE AN ONLINE PAYMENT.

In an effort to expand broadband services for Northeastern Michigan, Develop Iosco is teaming with Northeast Michigan Council of Governments (NEMCOG) by maintaining critical infrastructure such as high-speed internet access, sewer, water, and transportation that is necessary for all aspects of the traditional economy, as well as the new economy. Check out the links below.

• Technology Action Plan
• Broadband Survey for Iosco County

We are looking for residents who may be interested in serving on one of the City’s boards, commissions or authorities which currently include the following:

A Walk of Honor has been incorporated into the design of the Veterans Recognition Plaza located in the heart of Tawas City at the corner of US-23 and Matthews Street. Brick pavers, donated by the City of East Tawas, are available to recognize a Veteran for a $100 donation. Black Granite Benches are also available to recognize a Veteran for a $2,000 donation. More information and an order blank are available here.

In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, religion, sex, familial status, sexual orientation, and reprisal. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.)

The East Tawas City Council has approved a special assessment for aquatic weed control. at Tawas Lake.   Click here for a report prepared by Paul Hausler of Progressive AE.

The City of East Tawas Clerk’s Office will now be maintaining a Permanent Absent Voter List. The Permanent Absent Voter List is a list of voters who qualify under state law to vote by absentee ballot. All voters on the Permanent Absent Voter List are automatically sent an absentee ballot application for each election scheduled in the City of East Tawas. From this permanent absent voter list, absentee voter applications are mailed out for every election as required by Michigan Election Law. If you would like to be placed on our Permanent Absent Voter List, please fill out a Permanent Absent Voter List Request form and hand deliver to the City Clerk, East Tawas City Hall, 760 Newman Street, East Tawas, MI or mail to: City Clerk, City of East Tawas, PO Box 672, East Tawas, MI 48730.

For additional information, please see the Clerk's page within the City Government tab or contact the Clerk's office at 989-362-6161