By Dennis Volkert
Sturgis City Commission on Wednesday approved restructure of membership options and rates at Doyle Community Center.
The committee has recommended changes to membership options, along with a 5% rate increase across the board. Changes include:
- Eliminating 3- and 6-month membership options.
- Inclusion of 24-hour passes to the Iron Mill for Full Service and 12-month memberships.
- Adding a one-month membership tier, with automatic renewal.
- Revisions will take effect Oct. 1, 2025.
Mike Liston, director at Doyle, outlined the process that led to the revisions.
In April, the Parks, Recreation and Doyle Board appointed a committee of board members along with city staff to review the current Doyle membership rate structure.
The committee met several times over the course of three months to discuss and determine the most effective way to remain competitive with gym facilities in nearby communities, such as operations in Coldwater and Kendallville, Ind.
Liston said the Doyle board and committee “dug really deep” to learn why some members haven’t renewed membership.
“Some are scared to get into it long-term,” he said.
Many competitors offer one-month plans, so Doyle wants to provide that alternative, and see how it works for members.
Also on Wednesday, city commissioners discussed a desire to explore options to continue curbside recycling. The current contract with Borden extends through December 2025.
In July, the city commission, by general consensus, decided to remove recycling from the next fiscal year budget. Several options were presented at the time, including a possible increase in the budget or providing drop-off recycling.
Deadline has passed to place a proposal on the November election ballot, but other possibilities might be feasible, city manager Andrew Kuk told the board. The topic could be placed on a work session or commission agenda soon.
Additional notes from the meeting: - The board approved participation in a direct settlement agreement with Purdue Pharmaceutical and the Sackler family, related to opioids. The state of Michigan has chosen to participate in a settlement with Purdue, and that allows Sturgis to participate. Precise estimates are uncertain, but officials expect the city to receive about $25,000 over a period of 16 years.
- Commissioners gave a second review and approval of an ordinance pertaining to the franchise for Michigan Gas Utilities, effective Sept.17, 2025. A first reading of a draft ordinance was held July 9.
