The Houghton City Council met on Sept. 14 and discussed matters including fall clean-up for the fall 2022 season, traffic on Houghton Avenue, and the Beta Sigma Theta Fraternity fundraising event.
The clean-up will begin Friday, Sept. 30, and continue through Monday, Oct. 31. The city of Houghton allows residents to drop off items at the Public Works Garage on the corner of Technical Avenue and Gundlach Road for the duration of the timeframe.
The dumpsters are available on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays only. The fall clean-up drop-off accepts wood under 4 feet long, brick, and metal which is to be placed in a specially labeled dumpster at the same location.
Houghton City will not accept furniture, clothes, tires, cardboard, paint, empty paint cans, garbage, or lightbulbs. City of Houghton residents can drop off yard debris such as leaves, small branches, and yard clippings on the east side of the salt storage building at the same location.
Pick-up is available to senior citizens (65 years and older) and disabled individuals living in a single-family home in the city that are unable to deliver their items to the garage. Public works crews will collect the yard debris and items accepted above from the home on Oct. 7 and Oct. 21. Individuals who meet the requirements can call the city officer (906-482-1700) and ask to be put on the list for one of the specified dates.
During the opportunity for the public to address the city council, Joan Borbas said that with the College Avenue construction project there is increased traffic on Houghton Avenue and asked for better control of the traffic speed. Police chief Donnelly said, “We will have a speed sign moved to her area.”
City Manager Waara also stated, “speed bumps can be installed as well.” A future agenda item was proposed by Waara to add a radar sign on Montezuma Avenue as well.
During the initial report to the city council, it was announced that the grand opening event for the Waterfront Pier is scheduled for the weekend of Oct. 1. The contractor hired after the previous city council meeting is to begin to cap the mineshaft that was uncovered during the College Avenue project.
The public works department finished the netting at Dee Stadium, painted the crosswalks around the school, fixed the sewer main on Isle Royale Street, a sewer line on Vivian Street, and finished paving the waterfront trail. They are also replacing a portion of the sidewalk downtown and on the corner of Third Street and Houghton Avenue.
