A city-wide ethics policy could take effect in Mount Pleasant as early as next month.

A proposed city ethics policy might not have the approval of many on the Mount Pleasant Planning Commission. Commissioners discussed the proposed policy at Thursday’s meeting. While no action was taken, some commissioners felt uneasy about a clause that bars public officials from discussing agenda items that could result in private gain from a company they work for, especially when it comes to lending.

City Commissioner Jon Joslin wants to keep city dollars local by looking into a new purchasing policy for Mount Pleasant.

Mount Pleasant City Commissioners Monday unanimously approved changes, which allow city workers and members of the Technical, Professional, and Office Workers Association of Michigan to retire when they are 50 years old and if they’ve served 25 years. Non-bargaining and supervisory employees can retire at 55 and if they have served 15 years.

ight-foot sidewalks and new bike lanes were just two suggestions the City Commission came up with Thursday after a walking tour of Main and Washington streets. The two streets are the subject of ongoing plans to redevelop the corridor between Central Michigan University’s campus and downtown Mount Pleasant.

Mount Pleasant may reduce its number of employees by as many as 10 percent as the city prepares for a decrease in state-shared revenue in the next budgeted year. Because of the decrease in revenue and a decline in the city’s endowments in the stock market, officials are looking at removing eight to 12 positions, said Nancy Ridley, the city’s director of finance and administrative services.

Mission Street has one less orphaned property.
The former laundromat at 1135 S. Mission St. was purchased, according to city assessor David Rowley. The property, next to the former Rooster’s and Ponderosa Steakhouse off Mission Street, was purchased by Nocadeli Investments.

The decision to take on a second year as mayor of Mount Pleasant was not a hard one for Jim Holton.