At the Special Meeting on September 12, 2023 - and post-meeting, via email - residents were invited to share their questions about the Wilson Center Project. This page is dedicated to answering those questions and providing additional information.
The City of St. Johns is currently seeking an alternate for the Board of Review. Board of Review meets in March to hear appeals regarding property tax assessments. It also convenes a short meeting in July and December for the purpose of making clerical corrections and other limited changes authorized by statute. Training will be required, and provided. For more information and to apply, please complete a boards and committees application and return application to City Clerk. If you have questions, please contact our office at 989-244-8944 Ext. 222.
Board of Review Questions and Answers
https://www.michigan.gov/-/media/Project/Websites/treasury/Delta/1/AMAR_Adopted_91817_with_Hyperlinks.pdf?rev=35700fe250f047c6b3d1517b87de3803
The Wilson Center project has been of significant interest to the St. Johns community. The City is grateful for the high level of resident feedback and engagement, and has created this webpage as a place where residents can learn about the project, get answers to their questions, and access important documents.
Serving Our CommunitySt. Johns Chamber of CommerceHealth & Well-beingPrincipal Shopping District/Downtown Development AuthorityArts & CultureIndustrial ParkSchoolsLocal Development Finance Authority LDFAResident HandbookPort Lansing Port of EntryEconomic DevelopmentPACE Program (Property Assessed Clean Energy)
Would you like to serve our Community?
There are many Boards and Committees that serve our citizens' best interest and they are always looking for new appointees. If you are interested, please click on the link to download the Boards and Committees Application, complete, and either mail or drop it off at City Offices or in the City Drop Box (located in the rear parking lot).
In addition, there are non-profit organizations throughout our community that welcome volunteers: Non-Profit Service Organizations
The St. Johns Chamber of Commerce "bringing local businesses and the community together to accomplish great things".
St. Johns offers a wide array of health services for our citizens, including, but not limited to a professionally-staffed hospital with physicians ranging in practices from family practice to a wide rage of specialties.
We have rehab and wellness centers, nursing homes, assisted living facilities and home nursing programs, as well as a hospice program.
Sparrow Clinton Hospital in St. Johns is a division of Sparrow Health System. A 25-bed acute care hospital, Sparrow Clinton enjoys a rich tradition of more than 80 years as a provider of high quality healthcare services to the people of Clinton County and its surrounding communities.
Open for socializing or any number of activities such as bingo, puzzles, card games, reading and much more!
Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.
The Center also offers nutritional meals, there is an exercise room, pool table, a library and much more. There are monthly calendars that list the activities and the meals that are available for each month. If you like you can take a tour of the Center during regular hours. Call the Center at (989) 224-4257 for more information.
On Mondays the Senior Center has a fundraising lunch that is open to anyone from the general public. Volunteers make a complete meal. The center provides all the supplies, but needs two or three people to make the meals. To volunteer to make a meal either once a month or once every other month, contact Brenda Terpening at (989) 224-7248.
Volunteers are also needed Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays to serve meals. To volunteer to serve or clean up after these meals, please call Brenda Terpening at (989) 224-7248.
Located at: 201 East Walker Street, St. Johns, Michigan
Lunch is available to Seniors (60 & over)--; Monday-Tuesday-Wednesday and Friday -- Cost -- $3.50 -- Call one day in advance to reserve your meal.
Lunch is available to the Public: Monday -- Cost -- $5.00; $6.50 with homemade pie included. 11:30 A.M. - 12:30 P.M.
Bingo:Tuesday and Friday -- 12:30 P.M. $1.50 charge. For More Information Call (989) 224-4257
The St. Johns Principal Shopping District/Downtown Development Authority (PSD/DDA) is dedicated to business owners, property owners, real estate developers and local government to create a desirable and profitable Downtown Central Business District.
The St. Johns Principal Shopping District and Downtown Development Authority are dedicated to taking the progressive steps necessary to ensure the economic vitality in our Downtown through advocacy, community and special events.
City staff contact for the DDA: Chad Gamble, City Manager, 989-224-8944 ext. 231, cgamble@@stjohnsmi.gov
Any other information required by MCL 125.4910(1) can be obtained at St. Johns City Offices, 100 E. State Street, Suite #1100, St. Johns, Michigan 48879.
DDA Committees:
Marketing
Events
Security, Parking and Maintenance
Executive, Finance, Strategic Planning
Meetings:
*Meetings take place the first Wednesday of every month at 11:30 a.m.
*Meeting Location
PSD/DDA Office, 109 E. State Street, St. Johns, MI 48879
For assistance, contact PSDCityofSJ@gmail.com or call (989) 224-8944, ext. 233 (City Offices) and leave a message.
Our unique community has the privilege of housing the Clinton County Historical Museum at the Paine-Gillam-Scott House, as well as the Clinton County Arts Council, and the Briggs District Library.
The City of St. Johns is just twenty (20) miles north of Lansing, the center of many arts and cultural activities.
Clinton County Historical Museum at the Paine-Gillam-Scott House
Museum to open for the 2025 season!
The Clinton County Historical Museum Paine-Gillam-Scott House has announced their 46th Season: The 100th Anniversary of Rodney B. Wilson High School 1925-1969.
Volunteers have been busy creating an exhibit that highlights the years RBW was a High School - with displays of clothing, clubs, the arts and sports.
The Museum will open on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays from 2-5pm and Saturdays from 1-4pm from June 14th through October 25th.
The museum is located at 106 Maple St. in St Johns. For more information, please call 989-224-2894 or visitwww.pgsmusem.com.
Clinton County Historical Museum
The Archives of the Clinton County Historical Society is available to anyone researching families and history of Clinton County and is open at 16101 Brook Rd, Lansing, MI. Hours are Monday and Tuesday 9 to 4, and Thursday 2 to 6. Contact 517.482.5117 x 2, or email ccgensoc@yahoo.com. Membership in the Archives ($20.00) includes a very interesting quarterly Newsletter "Clinton County Trails".
Clinton County Historical Society
Meets the first Monday of the month at 1:00 P.M., November through March; and at 7:00 P.M., April through October. Meetings are held at the First United Methodist Church, 200 E. State St., St. Johns.
For anyone needing additional information, send requests to CCHS, P.O. Box 174, St. Johns, MI 48879.
Clinton County Historical Society consists of the Museum and the Archives. The mission statement of the Clinton County Historical Museum is to maintain the complex related to and typical of the Clinton County history, to provide education, and encourage community involvement. Any skills and time you have that would fit the mission, i.e. computer skills, publicity, community awareness, document sorting and cataloging, textile preservation, displays, presentations, cleaning, maintenance (outside and inside), docent duty, etc., would be greatly appreciated. Please contact pgsmuseum@gmail.com or call 989-292-9096. We are located at 106 Maple in St. Johns and plan on reopening for the Mint Festival, August 14 and 15, 1pm-4pm, with the remaining year’s schedule to be determined.
The Archives is the keeper of documents and photos that represent the history and residents of Clinton County. If you have free time and an interest in keeping history available and accessible, please contact Julie Peters at 989-501-0599 or petersj@msu.edu. There is always a need for computer skills (from home or at the Archives), filing, copying and research. You can check out our webpage at www.dewittlibrary.org/CCHS to see the types of things we do.
To assist the mission, donations and membership are needed. Dues for the Museum are $25.00 and the Archives $20. Both can be mailed to PO Box 174, St. Johns, MI 48879.
We are strictly a volunteer group, and the reward of knowing you are helping history stay alive is great! Thank you for your consideration and support.
RODNEY B. WILSON HIGH SCHOOL COLLAGE PHOTOS UPDATE…
After the sale of the former Rodney B. Wilson High School/Junior High School building, the Clinton County Historical Society was fortunate to obtain the framed collage photos from the graduating classes of 1925, 1941, 1945-1967, that had been hanging along the hallways for so many years. Central School was the high school before RBW was built for the 1925 graduating class. We also have the whole school photo from 1921 taken at Central School.
The frames are well worn and of the many individual photos they contain, less than five are missing. It has been decided that to make these accessible to the community, CCHS has had them digitized. For a donation you can obtain a digital file to use as you wish. (A print would make a great placemat at a reunion.)
To obtain a file, you will need to contact CCHS to arrange the file transfer. Contact the Museum at pgsmuseum.com, or 989.292.9096 or the Archives at petersj@msu.edu .
Hosts events, projects, programming, and more, such as Concert in the Park series, Homegrown Productions and our Mint City Singers!
Gallery Hours: Open Tuesday - Friday 10:00 A.M. - 5:30 P.M. Open Saturday 10:00 A.M. - 2:00 P.M.
Concerts in the Park
The popular summer “Concert in the Park” series, sponsored by the Clinton County Arts Council and the City of St. Johns, will open its season on June 11th.
2024 Concert in the Park Series
June 11 The 126th Army Band: Grand Opening Concert
June 18 The General Assembly Big Band: All About Jazz
June 25 Miranda & The M80s: The Very Best of the 80's
June 2 Lansing Concert Band: Our 4th of July Concert
July 9 Fly2k: High Energy Nashville 90s - 2000s Cover Band With Bear Mitchell & Rachel Thompson Mitchell
July 16 Shrock Bros Band: An American/Blues Band Featuring Grammy Award winner Peter Madcat Ruth
July 23 Toppermost: Wonderful Tribute to the Beatles
July 30 Wilson Thicket: Acoustic - Folksy - Bluegrass
August 6 On The Lash: Great Irish Band - Celtic Folk
August 13 Detroit Retro Society: The Big Detroit Sound
SET ONE INSTRUMENTAL Pick Up the Pieces – Average White Band (Fm) GABE Superstition – Stevie Wonder (Ebm) GABE I Want You Back – Jackson 5 (Ab) GABE The Way You Make Me Feel – MJ (F) STEVE Waterfalls – TLC (D) GABE Brick House – Commodores (Am) GABE You Sexy Thing – Hot Chocolate (F) GABE What’s Going On – Marvin Gaye (E) STEVE You Can Call Me Al – Paul Simon (F) GABE Jessie’s Girl – Rick Springfield (D) GABE Signed Sealed Delivered – Stevie Wonder (F) GABE I Can’t Help Myself – Four Tops (C) STEVE/GABE Bust a Move – Young MC (Em) GABE I Got You (I Feel Good) – James Brown (D) GABE P.Y.T. – MJ (Bm) GABE/STEVE Uptown Funk – Bruno Mars (Dm) SET TWO INSTRUMENTAL Tequila – The Champs (F) GABE Respect – Aretha (C) STEVE Stuck in the Middle – Steelers Wheel (D) GABE Isn’t She Lovely – Stevie Wonder (E) GABE Boogie Shoes – KC (Bb) GABE Just the two of us – Bill Withers (Fm) GABE Get Lucky – Daft Punk (Bm) GABE This is How We Do It – Montell Jordan (Fm) STEVE Low Rider – WAR (G) GABE Play that Funky Music – Wild Cherry (E) STEVE Sweet Emotion – Aerosmith (A) GABE American Girl – Tom Petty (D) STEVE All the small things – Blink182 (C) GABE Sir Duke – Stevie Wonder (B) GABE Can’t Stop the Feeling – JT (C) GABE Don’t Stop Believing – Journey (E) Detroit Retro Society - August 14, 2025 Royal Oak Summer Concert Series One 60-minute set SET INSTRUMENTAL Pick Up the Pieces – Average White Band (Fm) GABE Superstition – Stevie Wonder (Ebm) GABE I Want You Back – Jackson 5 (Ab) STEVE Waterfalls – TLC (D) GABE What’s Going On – Marvin Gaye (E) GABE Jessie’s Girl – Rick Springfield (D) GABE Signed Sealed Delivered – Stevie Wonder (F) STEVE/GABE Bust a Move – Young MC (Em) GABE I Got You (I Feel Good) – James Brown (D) GABE Respect – Aretha (C) GABE This is How We Do It – Montell Jordan (Fm) STEVE Sweet Emotion – Aerosmith (A) GABE American Girl – Tom Petty (D) STEVE All the small things – Blink182 (C) GABE Don’t Stop Believing – Journey (E) GABE/STEVE Uptown Funk – Bruno Mars (Dm) ENCORE Sir Duke – Stevie Wonder (B
August 20 Audrey Ray: Nashville Recording Artist - Country
August 27 Jake Slater/Josh Ramses Band: A tribute to Elvis
The series will be held at the William E. Tennant Performance Shell in the beautiful St. Johns City Park. All concerts begin at 7:00 p.m. rain or shine. The Lions Club food trailer will be available this year – social distancing and safety precautions are encouraged. The CCAC receives funding from the Michigan Arts & Culture Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.
St. Johns Community Band
Contact Roy Davis at 989-227-4273 for information on how to join.
Michigan Certified Business Park
The St. Johns Industrial Park is a Michigan Certified Industrial Park with a total of 205 acres with utilities. To become a Certified Industrial Park, the Michigan Economic Developers Association (MEDA) and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) developed a set of higher standards of quality characteristics and services.
The City met the high standard and protective covenant requirements with the zoning and land grading as well as the site plan/plat approval. Highways and roadway access to the park and interior sites is an important factor.
There are all-weather roads leading into and inside the park. Standards for compatible uses, types of building materials, landscaping, parking, storage, loading docks, continuous management, setback specifications and signage requirements must also be met. The City's Industrial Park was first certified in 1998 and has been recertified every three years since that time.
This exceptional Industrial Park currently has 30 acres available for new industry and/or warehousing and includes the following:
Water: 8-inch and 12-inch mains on interior streets, serviced by the City of St. Johns
Sanitary Sewer: 8-inch mains on interior streets, serviced by the City of St. Johns
Storm Drainage: 24-inch to 60-inch drains in interior streets, one detention basin to serve all parcels, serviced by the City of St. Johns
Electric and Natural Gas: Available on interior streets, serviced by Consumers Energy Company
Street Lights: Available on interior streets, serviced by Consumers Energy Company
Telephone and Cable TV: Available on interior streets, serviced by Frontier (formerly Verizon) and Charter Communications
The city and Frontier now offer high speed, secure Internet at the city's industrial park. For more information about Frontier please contact them at their website: http://internet.frontier.com/fios-tv/
Development Incentives
Why bring your business to St. Johns Industrial Park? Not only is this first-rate Industrial Park centrally located, but it also offers your business the following development incentives:
All public and private utilities and streets included in purchase price
Tax incentives
Training funds
Single source for all permits
Public Industrial Park
Fiber optice is readily available in the park
The City will assist with applying for the MEDC Rural Mega Grant (Application)
Additional Information
Topography: Gently rollingwith a 0.5% slope from SW to NE
Soil: Loam-clay
Present Use: Professional Offices, Engineering Functions, Manufacturing, Warehouse and Distribution, Fabrication and Recycling Facility
Neighboring Uses: Residential, Commercial, Industrial and Municipal
Combined Tax Rate: 55.2189 mill per thousand (2019)
Workforce: The area provides a trained workforce, serviced by Michigan Works! (Recognized nationally as the largest and most progressive workforce development association in the country)
Certified Industrial Park - Michigan Economic Developers Association (MEDA) and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)
Businesses
St. Johns Industrial Park is currently home to the following thriving businesses:
Save-A-Lot Distribution Center
Quest Software
Spicer Group
Hogan Trucking
Michigan Polymer Reclaim, Inc.
Penske Fleet Maintenance
Martin-Brower Corporation
Schwan's Frozen Foods
Unified Screening & Crushing
RAMPF Group
Journey Federal Credit Union
Avery Vision
St. Johns Chiropractic Clinic
DHS, LLC
DJV Properties
DRB Transport
Glanbia Nutritionals
Proliant Dairy Ingredients
Location and Transportation Access
St. Johns Industrial Park's close proximity to Lansing and East Lansing offers businesses easy access to both State Government offices and the many amenities available at Michigan State University. The park is also less than a mile from US-127, which conveniently links to major interstates and Michigan highways to Grand Rapids, Flint, Detroit, Chicago, Milwaukee, Cleveland and many other major metropolitan areas.
Access Roads: Walker Road and Business US-127
Highways: On Business Route US-127; M-21 is one mile South and US-127 is 3/4 mile to the North
Airport: Approximately 20 miles to Capital City Airport in Lansing
The St. Johns Public School System has an excellent reputation, updated facilities and a strategic plan objective to become the best school district in the state of Michigan.
Higher education options are available to St. Johns citizens with two- year, four-year and graduate degree programs offered at Central Michigan University and Alma College to the north and Lansing Community College and MSU less than a 30-minute drive south on US-127, a four-lane divided highway.
The Local Development Financing Act, Public Act 281 of 1986, as amended, allows a city, village, or urban township to utilize tax increment financing to fund public infrastructure improvements.
This tool is designed to promote economic growth and job creation. Communities across Michigan have utilized LDFA districts to extend sewer and water lines, to construct roads, and to service manufacturing, agricultural processing, and high technology operations.
The financing mechanism allows for the capture of the incremental growth of local property taxes over a period of time to fund public infrastructure improvements. By leveraging future tax increments, the LDFA is able to finance these public improvements, which can lead to new development opportunities within the community.
Staff contact for the LDFA: Chad Gamble, P.E., City Manager, (989) 224-8944 ext. 231, cgamble@stjohnsmi.gov
Any other information required by MCL 125.4910(1) can be obtained at St. Johns City Offices, 100 E. State Street, Suite #1100, St. Johns, Michigan 48879.
RESIDENT HANDBOOK can be found in the helpful links tab
Give your business a competitive advantage in today's economy through the use of Port Lansing, Mid-Michigan's newest port of entry based at Capital Region International Airport.
For more information, go towww.portlansing.comand read about this port of entry that allows for goods and passengers to clear customs, LOCALLY!
Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP) serves as Clinton County’s Economic Development Department via a contract for services, offering a range of tailored economic development services and programs to businesses and entrepreneurs across our county. From strategic guidance to facilitating crucial connections, LEAP is your go-to resource for navigating growth opportunities and leveraging business resources and incentive programs. Whether it's access to funding, workforce development, or assistance with regulatory processes, our team is committed to fostering the prosperity of Clinton County communities through business investment, job creation and success.
How LEAP Can Help Your Business
Assist in real estate site searches to help you find the perfect building or site for business.
Help identify, understand and pursue applicable business or developer financing and incentives at the local, regional or state level.
Connect to a large network of community and business leaders and wide range of opportunities to identify suppliers, customers or professional service providers, along with resource providers of business and workforce development tools and programs.
Facilitate collaboration with your local municipality and/or utility service provider to offer assistance.
Acting as ombudsman in working through any concerns or challenges working other elements of Clinton County government.
PACE is an innovative mechanism for financing energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements on private property. The program allows a property owner to finance the up-front cost of energy or other eligible improvements on a property and then pay the costs back over time through a voluntary assessment. The unique characteristic of PACE assessments is that the assessment is attached to the property rather than an individual.
On November 27, 2023 the St. Johns City Commission adopted a Resolution to Establish a PACE Program within the City. This resolution also designated Lean & Green Michigan as the management agency for this program on behalf of the City. Please use the following link and documents as a source of information about this program.
Public Act No. 270 of 2010 (“Act 270”), as amended, authorizes local units of government to adopt Property Assessed Clean Energy (“PACE”) programs to promote the installation of renewable energy systems, energy efficiency improvements, water usage improvements, and environmental hazard projects by owners of commercial, industrial or agricultural property within a district designated by the local unit of government. Act 270 allows private commercial lenders to finance projects; authorizes local units of government to issue bonds, notes and other indebtedness; and authorizes the assessment of properties for the cost of the projects. Act 270 provides for repayment to the local unit of government or the private lender through a voluntary property assessment. The property assessment remains with the property and has the same priority as other property tax and assessment liens in the event of foreclosure.
Lean & Green MichiganTM (“LAGM”) has developed a collaborative approach to PACE programs for local units of government by standardizing the administrative and legal process under which PACE programs are created and managed. St. Johns has joined LAGM utilizing a “shared services” approach to eliminate upfront and ongoing program costs and duplication. Further, this approach creates one efficient statewide market, allowing property owners, lenders and clean energy contractors to utilize a standardized process as they employ PACE financing in multiple jurisdictions throughout the state.
