HANCOCK – At its regular meeting Wednesday, the Hancock City Council took a procedural step toward making changes in its ordinances policy, which hasn’t been done in a long time.

Council members approved setting April 20 in the council chambers in city hall for a first reading of changes to several city ordinances.

City Manager Glenn Anderson said the council’s ordinance committee met three times with city attorney Kevin Mackey.

“We looked at a variety of issues,” he said.

The ordinance committee wanted to decriminalize some activities covered by city ordinances, Anderson said. Many of them were misdemeanors, and the committee wanted to change them to civil infractions.

“Most communities in Michigan have gone to civil infractions,” he said. “It’s a simpler process for everyone.”

Of the several proposed changes, Anderson said a proposed ordinance prohibiting the placement of indoor furniture outdoors is particularly applicable to Hancock.

“Being a college town, we get a lot of that,” he said.

Anderson said most college towns have similar ordinances regarding indoor furniture being placed outdoors.

Councilman and ordinance committee member John Slivon said more time should be taken for consideration before the proposed ordinance changes are acted on.

“This is moving too fast,” he said.

Mayor Lisa McKenzie said before the council will act on the proposals, council will listen to what residents have to say about them at the April 20 public hearing.

Councilman and ordinance committee member Ted Belej said it’s time to make changes to the ordinances.

“We’re cleaning up our ordinances,” he said. “We did spend a lot of time on it.”

Councilwoman Mary Tuisku said it’s important the city update its ordinances.

“This has not been done in decades,” she said.

The council voted 6-1 to set April 20 for the public hearing for the ordinances, with Slivon voting no.