By By JOHN EBY / Dowagiac Daily News
Dowagiac City Council Monday night confirmed administrative restructuring necessitated by retirements and personnel changes.
With the departure of Fire Chief Harold Munson, Tom Atkinson assumed administrative responsibility for the Fire Department as well as the Police Department as public safety director.
Historically, Dial-a-Ride Transportation (DART) has been part of the fire chief's administrative duties.
Assistant City Manager Rozanne Scherr will be assigned responsibility for managing DART.
Donald Hallowell's public services director position will be filled by newcomer Christopher J. Bolt, according to City Manager Kevin Anderson.
Bolt holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Iowa and is working on his thesis for a master's degree in engineering management through the University of Minnesota, Duluth.
Anderson said Bolt has spent about half of his career in the public sector as city engineer and director of public works in Ashland, Wis.
The other half of his career has been in the private sector with consulting engineering firms. He is currently employed by JJR, LLC.
Bolt, who also has a successful track record as a grant writer, begins his duties as Dowagiac DPS director and city engineer on Feb. 16.
Senior council member Bob Schuur, who served with Hallowell on the Cemetery Board, said Bolt has "some pretty big shoes to fill because Don did things very well as far as I could see."
Third Ward Councilman Dr. Charles Burling agreed. Hallowell "really did a nice job of leading that department."
Burling said it is a "nice testimony" to Dowagiac that Don and Pat want to stay in Dowagiac because it has become their home.
"That speaks well to the community and the people in it," Burling said.
Audit presented
by Berthiaume
Dowagiac earned an unqualified opinion on its financial statements, auditor Ken Berthiaume of Saginaw reported.
"That's the best opinion we can render," he said. "Your local property taxes are going up while state share of revenues is going down. We know that the city has to continue to monitor its budgets closely, which it does. There are no deficits in any of the funds. Enterprise funds are all operating profitably, as they should. We don't see any problems in any of those areas. Internal controls are working (well). We had some discussions with management about streamlining some processes. They were very receptive to our recommendations and eager to implement those. Your personnel were very cooperative in all departments we worked with. We have great people to work with in Dave (Pilot), Angie (Crocker) and Kevin (Anderson). You have good control of your bookkeeping. It's a pleasure, really, to work here. The city has adequate fund balances, and that takes some pressure off. You're well-managed and you're taking care of business."
Public hearings set:
206 Florence, 109 Maple
The council scheduled public hearings at its next meeting at 7 p.m. Jan. 26 to consider declaring 206 Florence St. and 109 Maple St. public nuisances under city code.
Marie Thompson owns the one-story, concrete block, single-family structure built around 1940 at 206 Florence. The vacant structure contains about 1,120 square feet of living space.
"Due to the extent of damage, the cost of repairs is estimated to exceed the current true cash value" of $53,324 in 2008, Building Official James Bradford stated in recommending its demolition. Demolition is estimated to cost $3,400.
Mitesh Parikh of Illinois owns the property at 109 Maple St. The vacant two-story, wood-framed, single-family structure was built around 1900 and contains about 1,000 square feet of living space. Its 2007 SEV, which is half of TCV, was $11,200.
Bradford estimated it would cost in excess of $60,000 for repairs to bring the property up to code, so it is also recommended for demolition.
Appointments
Council appointed or reappointed: Joann Ausra to the Board of Review for a term ending in December; James Dodd to finish the Board of Review term of Richard Sifford ending in December 2010; and Donald Hall to the Board of Review for a term ending in December 2011. Board of Review members serve staggered three-year terms. Assessor Ed VanderVries requested the appointments.
Second Ward Councilman Bob Schuur thanked Sifford for his service.
City Manager Kevin Anderson will succeed his predecessor, Dale Martin, on the Cass County Central Dispatch Authority.
The council authorized Finance Director David Pilot to pay out $1,526,268.37, including $1,058,251.55 for bills and $468,016.82 for payroll. Third Ward Councilman Leon Laylin abstained from voting on $59.60 in bills paid to Laylin Welding, which his brother owns. "I'm no longer affiliated with that company," he said.
The council set a public hearing Feb. 9 for the brownfield plan.
Schuur and Burling praised city crews for their snow removal efforts.
"Niles is not as well organized," Schuur commented after visiting that Berrien County community.
Burling said with southwest Michigan gripped by an "old-fashioned winter, we keep the streets and sidewalks cleared off, but it's the folks who drive and walk down them who make this community."
Clarification
Mayor Pro Tem Wayne Comstock, who conducted the first 2009 meeting in the absence of Mayor Donald Lyons, called a story about downtown apartments in the Jan. 2 Daily News "misleading" to the general public by saying there are 41 rental units "available," with two more being built, since of those 41, "Ninety percent, to say the least, are occupied."