County discusses potential reforms 

While presenting her resolution to terminate Cass County’s involvement with the proposed Ontwa sewage treatment plant last month, Commissioner Roseann Marchetti told the rest of the board that a discussion was needed to determine how the county would avoid finding itself embroiled in another messy public works project.

The weeks that followed, the seven members of the board developed potential solutions to this issue, which Marchetti presented to the public during the meeting of the committee of the whole Thursday evening.

Among these suggestions were:

• Communicate potential plans

• Have a committee review plans, contracts, costs and bids

• Require requests for proposals be sent out for all future township projects

• Require a commissioner or other official to work as a liaison between townships and the county for future projects

• Review existing guidelines and develop new procedures/bylaws for county board of public works to follow for future projects

• Have the county attorney review any potential projects presented to public works, at the cost of the township requesting it

Scrutiny over the current operation of the board of public works was what drove most of the discussion that occurred that night. It was with that group’s suggestion that the commissioners initially green-lit construction on the nearly $8 million facility back in March. The board later ordered a moratorium on public works’ activities with the project in August, following a massive backlash from Ontwa citizens and over fear a lawsuit from the City of Elkhart, which the township was under contract with to handle their wastewater processing.

The suggestion to create a set of bylaws mandating the operation of the board was supported by several commissioners. As confirmed by public works board member and drain commissioner Bruce Campbell, the body currently operates solely by Robert’s Rules of Order.

“I’m a member of a garden club, and we have bylaws,” Marchetti said. “So why we have a board that’s dealing with an $8 million project that has no bylaws or procedures to follow, I find that very concerning and troubling. I think that should very well be the first step.”

While public works would be responsible for creating their own bylaws, the commissioners should also sign off on them before they go into effect, Marchetti said.

Commissioner Skip Dyes agreed with Marchetti’s statement, though he bristled at the suggestion that they create a separate body to oversee the public works or future projects

“The board of public works is supposed to bring us something, and we’re supposed to believe whatever they tell us,” Dyes said. “We shouldn’t have to second guess them and have another committee take a look at it. If they’re not working in the county’s best interest, then we need to get rid of the board.”

Commissioner Bernie Williamson suggested that commissioners meet with the board to work together on establishing these bylaws, though she also questioned how far they should go in their oversight of the body.

“I think we’re all going in the same direction, but the question is where the fine line between hindering them and just making sure they have the tools they need,” Williamson said.