KINGSFORD — The Kingsford City Council has decided to enlist CUPPAD’s help on setting up a capital improvement planning program to prioritize projects and get them on track for funding at least six years in advance.

The council voted earlier this week to pay the Central Upper Peninsula Planning and Development — or CUPPAD — Regional Commission about $3,000 to assist in developing the plan after hearing about the process from Ryan Soucy, a community planner with the agency.

Such a plan can be a useful tool in organizing needs so they can be worked into annual budgets, Soucy said, and can be a plus as well when pursuing grants. Yet the plan is flexible enough to adapt if something emerges that demands more immediate action, he said.

“It doesn’t set anything in stone,” he told the council.

The process would begin in October and include forming a committee with representatives from the council, city department heads and others in the community. He also recommended a session that would let the public be involved in setting some of the direction.

The plan ideally will be ready when budget discussions begin in February for the 2019-20 fiscal year that starts July 1, 2019.

In other business, the council:

— Chose the low bid of $26,025 from Riverside Auto and Truck Sales of Iron Mountain for a 2019 Dodge service pickup truck with tool boxes for the water department, over a $27,300 bid from Town & Country Sales of Quinnesec for a Ford F-250 truck.

— Learned from City Manager/Clerk Anthony Edlebeck that the Michigan Municipal League Liability and Property Pool, a self-insurance program Kingsford uses, has refunded $7,388 to the city.

— Heard the Dickinson Conservation District will seek a grant from The Toro Company and BOSS Snowplow for about 40 trees to go in various Kingsford sites: six in Lodal Park, 12 in Cowboy Lake, 15 in Menominee River Park, one in the Olympic Street tot lot, two at the Public Safety building, and three at Triangle Park. While no city money is involved, Kingsford would be expected to provide a backhoe and at least 20 volunteers to plant the trees next spring.

— Set a public hearing for 6:45 p.m. Sept. 17 on a variance request from Mark Shanks at 190 North Blvd. to reduce the setback for a planned detached garage from 10 feet to 3 feet.

— Approved $250 for a quarter-page ad in the 2018-19 Dickinson Area Chamber Alliance’s directory.

Betsy Bloom can be reached at 906-774-3500 ext. 40 or bbloom@ironmountaindailynews.com.