HOUGHTON - The Houghton City Council approved the use of a wayfinder sign Monday on Sharon Avenue for the Mine Shaft and Rock House Hardwood Grille, which is scheduled to reopen later this summer.

Kevin Geshel, director of development for Moyle Real Estate & Development, said the new tenants, Trifecta Management Group of Agoura Hills, Calif., wanted to put a wayfinder sign on Sharon Avenue and Razorback Drive.

The city has stanchions for a sign at the intersection.

Geshel said the company had experience running similar facilities.

"They're good at what they do, to come in and fix these things and make them work," he said.

Geshel said the company would likely not do the deal without the sign. They had originally wanted a sign on M-26 near Walmart, he said, but accepted it when told that wasn't an option.

"We want this to work," he said. "This is our shot at this."

Councilman Eric Peterson voted for the sign "with reluctance."

"I don't like the idea of someone holding us hostage on the sign ordinance," he said.

The complex, which closed in January, is expected to open before the end of summer. Geshel said the biggest issue would be getting a liquor license.

In other action, the council:

approved a $3.16 million budget for the 2010 fiscal year. The city will again levy 15 mills.

MacInnes said the city is expecting $809,000 in revenue sharing from the state, though that's not set in stone.

The most noticeable change came in the Public Improvement Fund, which dropped from $1.5 million to $148,000. Much of that $1.5 million came from contracted services from downtown facade grants and skywalk removal.

A public hearing at the start of the meeting yielded no comment.

approved a five-year capital improvement plan for the city. The wishlist includes a $1.2 million extension of Cedar Street in 2010-11, $500,000 for street paving over the next five years, and $250,000 between 2010 and 2012 for street lighting on west Sharon Avenue. That public hearing wasn't any busier.

appointed Jennifer Donovan and Dennis Garver to the Portage Lake District Library board. Garver's term will expire in 2010, while Donovan's will expire in 2012. The two replace MacInnes and Mayor Pro Tem Robert Megowen, who sat on the board briefly following the removal of former director Jim Curtis. Garver, the board's former president, resigned in January over his frustration with the board's handling of Curtis.

denied a sign variance request by Superior Travel on Montezuma Avenue by a 6-1 vote, with Councilman Craig Kurtz voting against the denial. Council members said the business' lack of an electronic sign was not an undue hardship.

approved the payment of $298,966.57 of expenses of the streetscape project. The money is to be drawn down from Rural Development through the city's water and sewer accounts for the construction.

approved an amended resolution for the liquor license at Scott Ala's building at 317 Shelden Ave. Ala plans to open a restaurant with a capacity of under 50.

Garrett Neese can be reached at gneese@mininggazette.com.