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Long protested the reconstruction design plans for State and Park Streets, saying he would lose numerous parking spaces at his Par T Pac store that is located at that intersection.

City manager, Michael Cain, disputes the assertion that numerous spaces would be lost, and said the original reconstruction plan would have resulted in the removal of two parking spaces in front of the store. Cain further said that according to plans by C2AE, the city's engineering firm, the project would have increased on-street parking in the project area by three spaces, from 21 to 24.

Action taken by the city commission at its May 8 meeting further increased on-street parking by one space. That solution will result in 25 spaces in the project area, Cain said.

If approved by the Michigan Department of Transportation that is funding the project, work will begin the week of May 14. Completion is scheduled for June 30.

Long said he thanks the city commissioners for delving into the matter, especially mayor pro-tem and commissioner Chuck Vondra.

"It isn't quite over yet, but it is good to see the city, on a local government scale, how it looked into the welfare of this business.

"Chuck (Vondra) really dug into the matter and I appreciate that," Long said on Monday. "I appreciate the support of the community also."