Council moves forward on Smartzone, sells paintings

The Port Huron City Council decided to apply for state funding for a plan that could create more technology-based jobs in the community.

The satellite SmartZone plan would create a technology park and offer related supportive business services in the area.

If the deal goes through, state funding for tax breaks would go to start-up businesses. Funding for the SmartZone would come from captured school taxes. The Michigan Economic Development Corp. would then reimburse those funds to school districts to insure that schools do not lose any money.

"From what I heard in the presentation, it positions us for the future for advancement in the technology field and job growth," Port Huron Major Pauline Repp said.

Port Huron City Manager James Freed said Port Huron would benefit from the program.

"Hopefully this is another arrow in our quill," Freed said.

The areas that would be fall under the SmartZone in Port Huron would be near St. Clair County Community College, Sperry's and TechPort in downtown Port Huron. A second zone would be a proposed technology park near between 24th and 16th streets.

The price to become a Satellite Smartzone is a $200,000 operating budget, and plans call for $213,000 budget from Port Huron, Kimball Township and nonprofits.

But Freed said most of the funds are already being used by Port Huron to further business already and will be redirected for better use. Kimball Township Supervisor Rob Usakowski said no money will be taken from the township's general fund.

"That's mostly counting in-kind contributions," Freed said.

Dan Casey, executive director of the Economic Development Alliance of St. Clair County, said the partnership is key to all of the Blue Water Area.

"The intent is to support job creation as well investment in a designated certified technology park," Casey said. "The intent is to start new business and diversify industry — and technology companies generally pay high wages."

The resolution also will create a new industrial park in Kimball Township. Several residents who said they were against a proposed park voiced anger over the SmartZone program with Automation Alley Executive Director Ken Rogers.

There are three available satellite SmartZones spots available, and other communities are also trying to become one, including Holland in west Michigan.

Before the meeting, the Pax Christi organization held a meeting outside the Port Huron Municpal Officer Center to pray for refugee children from Central America. Anti-immigration demonstrators yelled and held signs with American flags opposing undocumented immigrants.

During public comment, David Frank of Blue Water Pax Christi asked the city council to adopt a resolution to welcome refugee children from Central America.

"This is their only choice. They cannot return to their homes safely" Frank said. "We ask to welcome these children and not turn them away."

Frank had sent a resolution to city council members individually and said he was disappointed no one decided to bring it to a vote.

Other people spoke to the council against allowing undocumented children in the city.

"We have to take care of our own children," Heather Souliere of Port Huron said. "I'm concerned about diseases."

The council also approved the sale of four paintings from the McMorran/Murphy Collection by the Port Huron Museum. Port Huron Museum executive director Susan Bennett said the paintings would be better displayed and appreciated at the Mendel Gallery in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

The council also will have a special meeting Tuesday to go over proposed budget cuts in the city.

Contact Nicholas Grenke at (810) 989-6261 or ngrenke@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @NickSJ86.

IF YOU GO

PORT HURON CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING

A special meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday in Conference Room 408, Municipal Office Center, 100 McMorran Blvd. to discuss the city's finances.