The annual Fourth of July parade will step off at 6:00 P.M., Sunday, July 4, at the intersection of Hill Street and Kalamazoo Avenue and will proceed down East Mitchell Street, to Petoskey Street, to East Lake Street, and will end at Pennsylvnia Park.  The Fourth of July fireworks celebration has been scheduled in Bayfront Park, sponsored by the Stars and Stripes Committee, and will be held shortly after dusk on the night of the fourth.  The display will again be performed by Melrose Pyrotechnics, Inc. of Kingsbury, Indiana.  For additional information on the many activities planned for the July 4 holiday, visit the Petoskey Regional Chamber of Commerce website at www.petoskey.com

At its April 19, 2010, meeting, the City Council approved use of a National Citizen Survey (NCS) developed by the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) and the National Research Center, Inc. in Boulder, Colorado, for obtaining citizen opinions on a wide range of current city services to assist City staff and City Council with program planning, budgeting, and goal setting.  This survey has been used by communities in 41 states and, within the State of Michigan there are at least eight communities that have participated in the survey including the Cities of Ann Arbor, Troy, and South Haven.  

The survey was customized by the City staff and will be mailed to randomly selected City residents from the National Research Center beginning mid-July with a pre-notification postcard, followed by mailings of the actual surveys.  

Meeting in regular session Monday evening, the City Council: 

• Heard a presentation by Dennis, Garland & Niegarth, Traverse City, concerning the Financial Statements and report of Independent Certified Public Accountants as the annual audit of the City's fiscal year ended December 31, 2009;
• Authorized purchase of a 2006 Komatsu-type fork lift from AID Construction Equipment, Williamsburg, to replace Public Works 1975 Unit #128, for $18,400;
• Authorized contracting with Great Lakes Roofing Systems, Inc., Jenison, for roof removal and replacement installation at the City Hall building, for $60,800;
• Established dates and designated locations for 2010 Annual Ward Conventions to be held at 8:00 P.M., Monday, July 26, at the City Hall for the First Ward, Petoskey Middle School for the Second Ward, Lincoln School for the Third Ward, and Spitler Administration Building for the Fourth Ward; and designated the annual 2010 City Convention to be conducted at 8:00 P.M., Wednesday, July 28, at the North Central Michigan College Conference Center;
• Authorized a Termination of Lease and Assignment of Tower Lease Agreement, and Tower Space Lease Agreement between the City of Petoskey and the Charlevoix-Cheboygan-Emmet Central Dispatch Authority for the Krause Road Tower in Bear Creek Township and directed the Mayor and City Clerk-Treasurer to execute said documents; 
• Tabled consideration of endorsing a proposed Sunset Park lighthouse project to be funded by the Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association;
• Conducted a first reading and scheduled a special-session July 6, 2010, City Council meeting for further review of a proposed ordinance that would adopt the 2009 edition of the International Property Maintenance Code, regulating and governing the conditions and maintenance of all property, buildings and structures; by providing the standards for supplied utilities and facilities and other physical things and conditions essential to ensure that structures are safe, sanitary and fit for occupation and use; and the condemnation of buildings and structures unfit for human occupancy and use, and the demolition of such existing structures in the City of Petoskey; providing for the issuance of permits and collection of fees therefore; repealing Article II of Chapter 13 of the City of Petoskey Code of Ordinances entitled “Substandard Buildings or Structures” and all other ordinances and parts of the ordinances in conflict therewith;