With screens gone at Market, city has a new problem to deal with — bird poop

Jul 05, 2023

CADILLAC — Some problem tenants recently moved into the Market at Cadillac Commons.

As a result of the screens at the Market being destroyed by winds last year, a number of birds have begun making nests inside the structure.

If that wasn't bad enough, they’ve also begun using the floor of the Market as a bathroom.

Cadillac City Manager Marcus Peccia told the Cadillac City Council members at their Monday meeting that staff power wash the floor of the Market on a weekly basis but almost as quickly as the droppings are removed, the birds replace them.

Peccia said they’re considering ways to address the problem, including by removing the nests and installing a wire mesh to prevent birds from accessing the upper part of the structure.

"It's a battle we’re going to have to fight," Peccia said. "But we’re aware of it."

City council members in April took action that ultimately could lead to major enhancements to the Market, including installation of overhead doors and glass that would prevent birds from entering the facility.

Council approved a plan to apply for $750,000 in Michigan Community Block Grant funding to pay for the enhancements.

If selected for the grant, the city would be required to allocate $100,000 toward the project, bringing its total cost to $850,000.

Connie Boice, engineer with Prein and Newhof, wrote the application for the grant, which she said the city qualifies for based on its percentage of low- to moderate-income residents.

If approved, Boice said the money would go toward replacing some of the existing screens on the Market with overhead doors that can be raised and lowered. She said the remaining tattered screens would be replaced by glass to completely enclose the structure.

In addition, Boice said the project entails the construction of a bathroom, the installation of a couple of large fans to cool the space in the summertime, a speaker system, a projector and screen for viewing movies and other media, a monitor for displaying information about upcoming events, solar-powered lights and bike racks.

Also on Monday, the Cadillac City Council approved a change order giving Elmer's Crane and Dozer the green light to repave North Boulevard this year from M-115 to Rose Street.

Peccia said the city had planned to repave the road next year but were informed by Elmer's Crane and Dozer that they could fit the project into their schedule this year.

Elmer's Crane and Dozer had previously been awarded a $549,220 contract to complete a number of other repaving projects in the city this year. To cover the cost of the North Boulevard work, council amended this contract to $695,973.

Peccia noted that this project is not a complete reconstruction but does extend the life of the road at least five years and possibly longer before it needs to be rebuilt.

Boice anticipated that work on the road would begin sometime in June.

Council members on Monday also approved the purchase of a new screw pump, which is a critical component of the wastewater treatment system.

Council approved the project to remove and replace the screw pump, awarding the contract to Franklin Holwerda Company in the amount of $287,000, which was the lower of the two bid amounts received by the city.

The new pump will replace the current unit, which is no longer repairable.

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