Plymouth Board of Public Works & Safety considers requests

Thursday, October 16, 2025 at 12:00 AM

By Kathy Bottorff

Members of the Plymouth Board of Public Works and Safety took action on two requests Monday night and tabled one for more information.

Plymouth Clerk-Treasurer Lynn Gorski presented the requests. Joseph Germick and Justine Johnson from Hinterland Bookery, a mobile bookstore, requested permission to block off two parking spaces in front of 113 East LaPorte Street, Ivy Terra, on October 18th, November 15th, and December 13^th.

The mobile bookstore was at the exact location last month and commented to the board that the event went very well. Johnson said it is a great way to meet community members, and the business wants to increase literacy.

The Board of Public Works and Safety approved a request to block two parking spaces on the three dates.

The second request for a directional sign was from Jay Buchtel with the Marshall County DAV chapter 42. He did not attend the meeting but requested directional signs at Harrison and North Michigan Street, as well as at Harrison and Oak Drive. The signs would direct people to 1305 West Harrison Street, the Older Adult Services/Life Enrichment Center.

Street Superintendent Jim Marquardt reviewed the request and checked the locations. He said there are Wayfinding signs for the Life Enrichment Center at both intersections. The Street Superintendent didn’t know if the DAV was providing the DAV signs. Marquardt said there are a couple of signs at the intersections and had some concern with stacking additional signs on existing poles.

City Councilman Don Ecker tabled the request because additional information is necessary to make an informed decision. The street superintendent will contact Buchtel for clarification.

The final request for partial street closures came from the Downtown Merchants. For the last few years, the merchants have conducted Candlelight Shopping events on Thursday evenings in December.

West Garro Street is closed off at Michigan Street to the alley at the Post Office during special shopping hours, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., to allow for entertainment and serving s'mores and hot chocolate by a fire.

The board unanimously approved the request.