Author Archives: Karen Sisolak

Over the past few years, I’ve often asked questions of John Scanlon, our City Finance Director, and he has always taken the time to explain parts of the budget to me. I recently asked him to review my budget posts. I saw John at yesterday’s City Commission meeting, and he pointed out an error in my BUDGET PART 2: Giving Citizens a Voice post from October 6. In the Post … Read More

After the Candidate Forum at the Plymouth District Library on September 23, I received an email asking for specifics about how I would approach budget decisions if elected. Because the budget is something many citizens care deeply about, I decided to respond here on my blog, which has turned into a three-part series. This Part 1 post offers my general thoughts on the budget. In Parts 2 and 3, I … Read More

One of my top priorities is ensuring that the City makes spending decisions in a fiscally responsible way, guided by meaningful community input on how we set priorities for investments. At the January 6, 2025 City Commission meeting, I raised concerns about the Capital Improvements Program (CIP) section of the budget. That section described the statutory framework for capital planning, including the Planning Commission’s role. However, this is misleading because … Read More

In Parts 1 and 2, I shared my general thoughts on the City’s budget and the importance of giving residents a stronger voice in setting priorities. In this final part, I want to look at how we can take a more comprehensive approach to planning that maintains existing infrastructure while supporting growth and preparing for future needs. A good example of why this approach matters can be seen in the … Read More

We all remember the major flooding in August 2023 and again this past April 2025. Families and businesses were hit hard, and many of us are still worried about what happens the next time we get heavy rain. May 5th City Commission Meeting At the May 5 City Commission meeting, a number of business owners and residents spoke about their concerns. I was the first to make citizen comments, which … Read More

I’ve advocated for a Parks & Recreation Advisory Board for almost two years. In my January post, I outlined initiatives the City could pursue to improve our parks and recreation programs even if the idea of creating an Advisory Board continues to be dismissed. These included engaging residents, establishing formal volunteer and sponsorship programs, building a long-term financial plan, setting up a regular assessment process, and continuing to explore additional … Read More

Back in July 2024, I shared two posts on the idea of creating a Parks & Recreation Advisory Board. You can still find those original posts in the archive if you’d like a deeper dive. Below is the brief six-minute presentation I created at the time that explains the concept in more detail: I continue to believe this board would be the best way to maintain and improve our parks … Read More

The Planning Commission is finalizing the 2025 Master Plan, which could be approved at their next meeting on Wednesday, September 10th. A lot of good work has gone into this document, but I want to share one concern that directly affects Old Village. The plan proposes allowing 3-story buildings in the Mixed Use area of Old Village. Adding another story could significantly alter the historic character and scale of the … Read More

The Planning Commission is finalizing the 2025 Master Plan. In the most recent revision (August), the Future Land Use for Smith Elementary School and East Middle School  was changed to a higher-density category. If the school district ever sells these properties, this designation would allow 18–27 homes per acre and buildings up to 4 stories high. This change was included in the August Planning Commission’s agenda with little notice and … Read More

In my last post, I shared thoughts on revising the Draft Master Plan to prevent developers from using its intent to justify exceptions when zoning ordinances haven’t been updated. I shared these concerns with the Planning Commission via email. The August 13, 2025, Planning Commission meeting agenda included a Public Hearing to “Review Finalized Master Plan” and contained an updated draft that incorporated edits based on feedback received. The changes … Read More

Over the past weeks, I’ve been reflecting on what made the Champion PUD process so difficult and contentious. I have no doubt that everyone involved would like to prevent this from ever happening again. Please note, my intent is not to revisit or relitigate the Champion PUD process, but to help ensure that we avoid similar issues in the future. We allow Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) in the City of … Read More

In my opinion, it does not. Under Section 78-311(c)(1)(a) of the City of Plymouth Zoning Ordinance, a Planned Unit Development (PUD) must result in a recognizable and material benefit to the community that would be unlikely to occur under standard zoning. The current proposal falls short of this requirement. The development’s primary public offering appears to be a gravel walking path, along with two small seating areas and few new … Read More

Establish a Parks and Recreation Advisory Board There are several actions we can take, as outlined below, but they require considerable time and effort. This is why I continue to advocate for the establishment of a Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. While such a board would involve some administrative overhead, its volunteer members could provide the necessary resources to execute these initiatives and offer well-informed recommendations to the City Commission, … Read More

The proposal approved by the City Commission at their June 3rd meeting is for a new tax in an amount not to exceed 1.2 mills, for 8 years, from 2025 through 2032, to provide funds to the city to acquire, construct, improve, furnish, operate, and maintain parks and recreation facilities. It is estimated that it would raise approximately $834,000 when first levied in 2025 and $7,200,000 over the eight years. … Read More

Specific projects, detailed costs,  project priority, and timing  have not been defined. The City Administration suggested 4 broad categories of potential spending with approximate amounts which when totaled would be between  $6,200,000 and $7,400,000. See excerpt from the Administrative Recommendation below. The ballot language does not restrict the City Commission to specific projects or initiatives. While the funds can only be used to “acquire, construct, improve, furnish, operate and maintain … Read More

As presented in a previous blog post, The City Administration suggested 4 broad categories of potential spending approximated to be between  $6,200,000 and $7,400,000. If the Millage is passed it would raise approximately $834,000 the first year and $7,200,000 over the eight-year proposal. NOTE: While the funds can only be used to “acquire, construct, improve, furnish, operate and maintain parks and recreation facilities” the City Commission has full discretion on … Read More

I focus my blog posts on sharing information that I can back up with sources, in this post I am sharing my opinion. I believe the City should consider creating a Parks & Recreation Advisory Board because it would be an effective way to solve three significant problems I see related to Parks and Recreation in the City of Plymouth. I have blog posts that shar information on each of … Read More

Included in the agenda of the City Commission Regular Meeting held on June 3, 2024, was an Administrative Recommendation which outlined seven instances where the public was invited to provide input on matters related to parks, recreation, and the proposed millage. Although these events took place, it’s important to note that there were no public meetings before the millage decision that allowed for open dialogue, where the community could ask … Read More

Parks and Recreation Advisory Boards are groups typically established by local governments to provide guidance and recommendations on matters related to parks and recreation. They are established by passing ordinances to define the purpose, authority, and structure of the board. Bylaws provide detailed operational procedures, meeting schedules, and specific duties. These boards act in an advisory capacity only and are commonly responsible for: A good example of such a board … Read More