Port Huron City Council members and city officials forged the winter storm Tuesday night for a special meeting concerning goals and priorities for the city. Mayor Pauline Repp noted that the goal setting meeting is a part of the city’s budget making process. At the meeting City Manager James Freed continued to stress that unfunded liabilities, such as pension and healthcare costs, are the biggest issues facing the city. He warned that growing legacy costs are starting to affect services and projects. Other goals discussed for the city include; fighting crime and blight, seeing developments through completion, including the Sperry’s and CityFlats project, and trying to make the McMorran Arena more viable by ensuring more quality events and programming. Freed criticized SMG, which manages McMorran and the Blue Water Convention Center, for doing a poor job of marketing the facility. Council will address the list of goals discussed Tuesday night at one of their meetings in March.
