Dowagiac City Council renewed assessor Edward VanderVries’ contract for three years.

VanderVries, of Portage, makes $1,975 until September, then $1,775 per month through May 2016.

“The reason it costs less money in the next couple of years is that he’s taking on some partnership — his daughter is getting into that line of work,” City Manager Kevin Anderson recommended to council members Monday night. “As she works through her level of licensing, she is going to have a greater presence here and he is going to be working side by side with her. We will have more hours of a person here. Overall, this will be good for the city in the long haul.”

Scheduled office hours will be 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. the second and fourth Tuesday of each month.

A new assistant will hold office hours and field hours to be established in September — four to eight days per month.

An opt-out provision of 90 days written notice remains unchanged.

More business

The council concurred with the planning commission July 1 review to approve a proposed special land-use permit to allow Chuck Wimberley to establish a car wash as part of an expansion of his Ford dealership at 56081 M-51 South with the condition grass be planted in three asphalt islands.

Dowagiac’s zoning code provides for such a facility as a special use in the general business district.

Council also completed the sale of city-owned property at 423 Maple St. introduced June 10, selling the parcel “as is” to Bruce Boatright for $100 plus closing costs.

Anderson said the city is working on a grant for a bike and walking path along Middle Crossing from West Prairie Ronde to Russom Park.

“That won’t be constructed this year,” he said, “because we have to work through a number of things with the grant application, but that’s still moving along. We have a meeting with the state next Monday.”