KINGSFORD — Residents of Kingsford will pay a slightly lower property tax rate for city services under a 2021-22 fiscal year budget adopted by the city council.

The new rate is 22.1 mills, or $22.10 per $1,000 of equalized value, down from the current rate of 22.237 mills, or $22.24 per $1,000 of equalized value, a decline of 0.6%.

On a home with a market value of $80,000, and an equalized value of $40,000, the savings amounts to about $5.50.

The general operating fund millage will remain the same at 18 mills, but the police and fire pension millage will drop from 2.652 mills to 2.5 mills. The public works facility debt millage will dip to 1.1 mills, down from 1.105 mills.

The revenue expected from property taxes is $2,909,883, up from $2,876,471 last year. Total taxable valuations are $131,669,042, up from $129,355,181 last year.

The general fund will receive $2,370,042 from the tax levy. Also, $329,172 will go to the police and fire pension fund and $144,835 goes toward the public works facility debt. The county-voted street fund millage of 0.5 mills will generate $65,834.

In other business at its June 7 meeting, the council discussed the roof at the gazebo on the corner of Westwood and Woodward Avenue, which has been repaired through the generosity of a local business.

Ryan Okler of Okler Roofing learned the Northwoods Garden Club and the city were seeking repairs for the roof. The city had proposed funding a portion of the repair, estimated to cost between $4,643 and $6,400, by agreeing to pay $2,000.

Okler Roofing replaced the roof with materials donated by the business. The only charge was for $480 for materials they didn’t have.

The council agreed to allow the garden club to use money allotted by the city for the roof for other gazebo repairs, not to exceed the original $2,000. The club will seek bids to make the additional repairs with the rest of the money available. The gazebo is used by the club for its annual strawberry festival.

The council, in another matter, is re-evaluating its Michigan Municipal Risk Management Authority liability insurance. The policy is up for renewal July 1 at a cost of $84,789. MMRMA has a similar policy with a cost of $83,301.

They also offer a second option, an individual policy, that has a lower rate at $66,197, but members are required to put $25,000 into an account for four to five years until it builds up. The account generates interest. The money can then be used to cover deductibles and the policy cost. The individual account has a higher risk if a large claim occurs, according to Chris Katona of MMRMA.