On March 6, 2023, Ms. Miller voted against the cost share agreement to repair and upgrade the City’s sanitary retention tank (Click here for more details - Item 10b). This tank is used to store the sewage from residents’ homes when sewage arrives for disposal at a faster rate than the City can legally dispose of it (usually during heavy rain events).  This safeguard prevents the basements of homeowners from backing up with raw sewage.  The tank is in dire need of maintenance and upgrades so that sewage can outflow faster, making basement backups less likely.  In addition, the City is under a consent decree from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE, formerly the DNR) to make improvements to the tank system.  Money for these improvements was budgeted for in the capital improvement bond.  However, when the time came to approve the agreement for repair and upgrade, Ms. Miller voted NO without any explanation.  Had she been successful in her opposition, the City would have faced legal action from EGLE for non-compliance and residents would have been at greater risk of sewage flooding their basements.