BAY CITY -- Bay City commissioners asked for public comments and feedback Monday evening at their third annual town hall meeting at the State Theatre.
The city has been no stranger to hot button issues in 2012, but heading into 2013 there’s a sense of optimism.
“One of the things I thought was great tonight is we had people coming up asking about a lot of the good things that are going on in Bay City and they want to know more about it," Mayor Christopher Shannon said.
A major effort by Bay City officials entails the development of a 43-acre property along Bay City’s riverfront and a water cooperative. Bay City would like to build a new filtration site, partner with the Saginaw-Midland Municipal Water Supply Corp. and bring in water from the Tawas area.
Mayor Christopher Shannon said, “This is a move that some folks have been waiting a lifetime for. The improved quality of our water is going to be tremendous.”
The public safety merger that combined firefighters and police officers into one public safety department was also a big topic.
“I don't see how a fireman can all of a sudden become a policeman and a policeman become a fireman,” David Fluke said.
Firefighting training is already underway for 12 police officers.
“I can tell you I have received calls from similar-sized cities from around the state wondering how we did it and how we got there, so I know a lot of eyes are on Bay City,” Mayor Shannon said.
