COMPOST & FOOD WASTE REDUCTION PROJECT

MARKING A SUCCESSFUL FIRST YEAR

The City’s Compost and Food Waste Reduction Project has completed its first year with strong participation and measurable environmental impact. The program, launched in partnership with SEEDS and local hauler Carter’s Compost, focuses on diverting food scraps and organic materials from landfills and turning them into nutrient-rich compost.

Over the first year, Carter’s Compost collected more than 58,000 pounds of food scraps from households, businesses, and community drop-off sites across the City. These materials were processed into approximately 27.5 cubic yards of finished compost as of August 2025.

The pilot program was made possible through a $250,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which funded the purchase and installation of an in-vessel composting unit. This enclosed system provides a controlled environment for composting year-round, regardless of weather conditions. The technology accelerates composting, improves odor and moisture management, and allows Carter’s Compost to operate throughout all four seasons, a major advancement for local composting infrastructure.

The City’s program supports its broader sustainability goals by reducing methane emissions and landfill waste. Food scraps decomposing in landfills generate up to 20 times more methane than if composted, and since 38% of Michigan’s landfill waste is organic material, expanding composting capacity has an outsized environmental benefit.

The City extends its gratitude to SEEDS for program support, and to Carter’s Compost for their commitment to local hauling and compost production. The City also thanks the USDA for its grant support, which made this project possible.

Great Michigan Compost Tour

Recently the City participated in the Great Michigan Compost Tour, celebrating the Compost & Food Waste Reduction project, and the acquisition of the Peel Mobile by Carter's Compost. Thank you to the Michigan Recycling Coalition, SEEDS, Carter's Compost, EGLE, City Staff, Mayor Shamroe, and the many tour attendees from the community and Michigan municipalities.

HALLOWEEN HAPPENINGS IN THE CITY

HALLOWEEN OPEN HOUSE, GOURDOWEEN, & PUMPKIN SMASHING

Get ready for a thrilling Halloween season in Traverse City! The City is excited to announce a lineup of festive events, offering fun for all ages.

Gourdoween: October 23rd-31st

Entering its second year, Gourdoween is a showdown as City and Grand Traverse County departments face off in a creative challenge to craft the ultimate gourd diorama. These eerie or quirky displays will be on view at the Governmental Center, where the public will get the chance to cast their vote for their favorite between October 23rd and October 31st. Which department will win the coveted Gourdoween title? Only your vote can decide!

Halloween Open House at the Governmental Center: October 30th

Get into the Halloween spirit at the City and Grand Traverse County's family-friendly Halloween Open House! Join the fun on Thursday, October 30, 2025 from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm at the Governmental Center, 400 Boardman Avenue. This community-favorite event offers trick-or-treating, festive activities, and a chance to meet local government staff in a fun, welcoming environment.

Kids can explore fire trucks, police vehicles, and Department of Public Services equipment while meeting local heroes who help keep our community safe. Come in costume and bring the whole family for Halloween fun!

Pumpkin Smashing Extravaganza: November 8th

The City is excited to team up with Carter’s Compost and SEEDS again this year for the Pumpkin Smashing Extravaganza, a community event focused on sustainability and fun, happening on Saturday, November 8, 2025, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm at the City’s in-vessel composting unit, located at 143 Beitner (next to the DPS Building on Woodmere Avenue). This free event will welcome the public to smash their pumpkins at various activity stations. In addition, pumpkin drop-off will be allowed from November 1st, and will continue until 1:00 pm on November 8th. Pumpkins should be free of any decorations and paint.

The 20-yard in-vessel composting unit is a key part of the City’s Compost and Food Waste Reduction project. This fully enclosed system, ideal for urban settings, can process approximately 100 tons of food waste annually.

In 2025, the City exceeded its goal and was able to divert 3 tons of pumpkins from landfills. With 1.3 billion pounds of pumpkins produced annually in the U.S., many end up in landfills, contributing to methane emissions—landfills account for 20% of the U.S.’s methane output. Composting pumpkins helps reduce greenhouse gases, diverts waste, and returns nutrients to the soil, improving environmental health. This event is part of the City’s ongoing efforts to reduce emissions and educate the public on how they can make incremental steps toward food waste reduction.

Halloween: October 31st

Halloween will take place on Thursday, October 31, 2025, within the City limits from 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm. Participating residents are asked to promptly turn lights on and off at the specified times to indicate their participation to the public.

Please stay extra mindful of increased pedestrian traffic. Keep your headlights on, slow down, and be on the lookout for excited little ghosts and goblins who may dash out unexpectedly. Let’s keep Halloween fun and safe for everyone!

CITY OFFICE HOURS ADJUSTMENT

GOVERNMENTAL CENTER

Beginning October 6, 2025, to better accommodate the varying schedules of City staff, the customer service hours at City Offices in the Governmental Center, 400 Boardman Avenue, will be adjusted to provide consistency across all City Departments.

City Office Hours: Governmental Center

• Monday–Thursday: 8:00 am – 4:30 pm
• Friday: 8:00 am – 4:00 pm

Customer needs outside of these regular business hours will be available by appointment only.

For after-hours services, customers may use the red drop box located at the Governmental Center, or make payments online.

“These adjusted office hours ensure that we continue to provide reliable and accessible customer service for our residents, while also recognizing the times when in-person customer activity is at its lowest. At the same time, the nature of City work sometimes requires staff to begin earlier or extend later than traditional hours, and these changes provide the structure needed to balance efficient operations with community service,” stated Interim City Manager, Benjamin Marentette.

Please note that Grand Traverse County Offices will continue to maintain their customer service hours at the Governmental Center, Monday–Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm.

ROAD CONSTRUCTION

PROJECT UPDATES

The City’s 2025 Road Reconstruction Projects are fully underway, with some recently completed. Work activities will cause disruptions to pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular traffic. Appropriate signage will be in place for the detour, and access to all homes and businesses will be maintained at all times. 

Following are updates on current projects.

Eleventh Street Reconstruction Substantially Completed

Eleventh Street reconstruction was substantially completed on September 26, 2025. Pavement markings were completed on October 2, 2025. Contractors will continue to work on permanent signage, bioswale plantings, irrigation repair, and the installation of the Rapid Rectangular Flashing Beacons (RRFBs) at the intersection of Cass Street and Eleventh Street.

Griffin Street Reconstruction Active

Griffin Street reconstruction, between Pine and S. Union Streets, is anticipated to be substantially completed by October 31, 2025.

Ninth Street Reconstruction Active

Ninth Street reconstruction, between Union and Cass Streets, is anticipated to be substantially completed by October 31, 2025.

Twelfth Street Reconstruction Active

Twelfth Street reconstruction between Union and Cass Streets is anticipated to be completed Friday, November 14, 2025, weather permitting. 

Water Service Replacement Line Project - Week of October 13th

The week of October 13th, the Water Service Replacement Line project will be conducted on the 600 and 1200 blocks of Union Street, the 1000 and 1200 blocks of Cass Street, and the 100, 200, and 300 blocks of Fourteenth Street. The work will result in lane closures under flag control, lane shifts, and sidewalk closures. 

Learn More

TCPD SUBSTATION

DOWNTOWN TRAVERSE CITY

On Friday, October 10, 2025, the Traverse City Police Department will open a new substation at 128 West State Street in Downtown Traverse City.

In 2019, the Traverse City Police Department and the DDA partnered to split the cost of a Downtown Community Policing Officer. In 2023, the DDA began fully funding the position currently held by Officer Jonathan Culver. “A goal of mine since becoming Chief of Police has been to find Officer Culver a permanent place within the DDA boundaries. After many attempts, we have located a place that will not only provide Officer Culver with an office downtown, but also benefit the community as a whole,” stated Traverse City Police Chief Matthew Richmond.

In addition to the Downtown Community Policing Officer, all Traverse City Police Department Officers will be able to utilize the substation located at 128 West State Street to further the department’s community policing philosophies. The substation will allow Officers to integrate more into the community, provide additional Officer presence downtown, and reduce response times to areas of the City. The substation will not be open to the public, but it will have all the amenities for Officers to complete reports, conduct follow-up investigations, and provide a safe space for breaks or meals.

Chief Richmond continued, “With the new substation, the community will see more Officers in and around the downtown district. I believe this latest addition to the Traverse City Police Department will enhance the trust and legitimacy we have built within the community.”

TCLP FIBER NAMED TO 2025 BROADBAND COMMUNITIES TOP 100

PROGRAM UPDATE

Traverse City Light & Power (TCLP) is proud to announce that its community broadband division, TCLPfiber, has been named to the 2025 Broadband Communities Top 100 list. This recognition highlights TCLPfiber among a select group of companies, entities, and organizations making the most significant impact on broadband advancement nationwide.

The annual Broadband Communities Top 100 honors leaders across the broadband industry, including national providers such as AT&T, Verizon, Charter, Cox, T-Mobile, and Lumen. Being named alongside these industry giants underscores the scale of what TCLPfiber has accomplished and its important role in shaping the future of broadband access.

TCLP is continuing the rollout of TCLPfiber to the City of Traverse City proper, building on the utility’s long-term vision of providing affordable, reliable, and future-ready internet service. By investing in next-generation fiber infrastructure, TCLPfiber is enhancing connectivity for residents, businesses, schools, and community organizations across the region.

Program Update

The program is on schedule to be completed by June 2026. However, the TCLP team is working hard toward an earlier completion by the end of this year. Once fiber-to-the-home installation becomes available in a neighborhood, residents will receive a postcard in the mail notifying them that service is ready and encouraging them to sign up. Residents can sign up directly on the City’s website under Fiber Sign-Up, or contact the customer service team, who will gladly assist through the enrollment process.

FALL LOOSE LEAF PICK UP

BEGINS OCTOBER 20TH

The Fall Loose Leaf Pick-Up will begin Monday, October 20th in City neighborhoods, starting on the west side and moving eastward over 5 to 7 weekdays. Crews will then return to the west side to repeat the process.

The City has a progression map that divides the City into six zones for efficient service. Leaf collection will begin on the west side in Zone 1 and progress eastward through all zones. Residents can view the map to identify their zone and prepare for leaf pickup accordingly. Due to weather conditions and the unpredictability of leaf fall, exact dates for each zone's pickup will not be provided. The City encourages residents to be ready by having their leaves gathered before collection starts in their zone.

Progress updates will be announced via social media and will also be available on the interactive map on the City's Leaf Pickup webpage. While crews may clean streets outside the scheduled zone to finish up the day, if they are not officially picking up in that zone, they will return at the appropriate time. This zoned approach will help ensure timely and effective leaf removal across the City.

Fun Fact: The City’s Loose Leaf Pick-Up program prevents leaves from ending up in landfills and catch basins. The leaves are composted, turned into rich screened topsoil, and used by the Parks Division for flower beds!

BRING CLEAN ENERGY DOLLARS BACK TO THE COMMUNUTY

The Michigan Infrastructure Office Technical Assistance Center (MIO TAC) will host an informational session on the IRS Elective Pay program—a federal initiative that allows tax-exempt entities such as municipalities, public school districts, nonprofits, houses of worship, and rural electric cooperatives to receive direct cash payments for a portion of their clean energy project costs.

The Traverse City session will take place Friday, October 17, 2025, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm in the Training Room (2nd Floor) of the Governmental Center, 400 Boardman Avenue.

MIO TAC representatives will explain how organizations can apply for Elective Pay, meet important upcoming deadlines, and access free accounting support to help secure these federal funds. The Center has already helped multiple Michigan communities recover tens of thousands of dollars through the program.

OAKWOOD CEMETERY FALL MAINTENANCE

Beginning October 1, 2025, Oakwood Cemetery will commence its annual autumn cleanup. Families are kindly asked to remove any personal items from plots prior to this date. On October 13, 2025 cemetery staff will begin removing flags, flowers, and decorations. Please note:

• Items not placed in an approved container or attached to a shepherd’s hook will be removed.
• Nicer plastic pots, floral arrangements, glass containers, and items that may hold sentimental value will be retained for one week. Families may call or email during that time to arrange pickup of these saved items.
• If assistance is needed to remove items before October 13th, please contact the Sexton in advance to make arrangements.
• Families wishing to have a flag remain year-round for a veteran may submit a request by email.

As in past years, winter wreaths may be placed beginning December 1st. No additional decorations are permitted until May 7th. For questions or to make arrangements, please contact Oakwood Cemetery at (231) 922-4907.

COTTONWOOD GETS NEW LIFE

TRUNK CARVED INTO A STURGEON AND TROUT

This past summer, the City removed a beloved cottonwood tree at the mouth of the Boardman/Ottaway River after it had reached the end of its life. The massive tree stood as a landmark, holding countless memories for the community. So rather than saying goodbye forever, the City found a way to give it new life.

Thanks to the incredible talent of the City's own Scott Chupp, the cottonwood’s trunk is being transformed into a stunning sculpture featuring a sturgeon and trout.

Scott has been hard at work carving, and we can’t wait to share the finished piece with you soon. Stay tuned for the unveiling!