KINGSFORD — Kingsford City Council has approved a $2,000 bid from North Bound Tree Service LLC of Gaastra to remove trees in the Heights area for the next water project.

Nine trees will be cut down, mostly on Lane Avenue. The other two bids received were $5,100 from 1st Down Tree Service in Iron Mountain and $5,200 from St. Vincent Tree Service in Aurora, Wis.

Jeff DeMuri, public works director, told the council he has city workers clean up debris from tree removals to save money. The company that cuts down the trees takes what they want and the city clears the rest, he said.

In other business, the council:

— Approved making one $47,945 payment for 10 Axon body cameras with cloud support for the public safety department, rather than five annual payments of $9,589. By making one payment, the city will qualify to be reimbursed $24,146 through a Michigan Municipal Risk Management Authority Risk Avoidance Program Grant.

— Voted to send discussion on an unofficial city seal to the citizens advisory committee for further discussion. Last month, council member Dennis Baldinelli brought to the council a design by Aaron Richards at a cost of $2,000. Richards has since said he would do the design at no cost to the city. Several council members thought it should be displayed on the main floor of City Hall rather than the council room upstairs.

— Learned that 14 hunters had culled 34 deer in the city archery hunt, compared with 26 deer taken in 2023.

— Agreed to send Jennifer Castro, administrative assistant/accounts payable clerk, to the 2025 Clerk’s Institute in March in Mount Pleasant. The training is sponsored by the Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks. City Manager Mike Stelmaszek indicated that with training Castro will be certified as a professional municipal clerk.

— Heard that Scott Sternhagen of CliftonLarsonAllen of Green Bay, Wis., has completed the city’s audit and will make a presentation at the next council meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 21, because of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday Jan. 20.

— Learned Christmas tree pickup will start Monday. The city’s holiday decorations will be removed as well next week.