Commissioners review CDC/EDC issues

The Presque Isle County Board of Commissioners heard from the vice chairman of the CDC/EDC Tuesday and responded to a letter that was read at the meeting. Peter Pettalia, Presque Isle Township supervisor and vice chairman of the CDC/EDC rose to speak. He said he was directed by his board to attend the County Commissioners? meeting and address some concerns that were reported in the Advance on November 17. Pettalia?s board also delegated board member, Linda Taylor to compose a letter to the Board of Commissioners in response to the article.

In part, the letter found, ?Chairman Alan Bruder?s statement irresponsible and potentially damaging to an organization that has brought in many grants that have helped economic development within our county.? Pettalia explained the reason he was at the meeting was because he was the acting chairman at the CDC/EDC meeting. ?Being in politics myself, I know how difficult some things are when you are running different committees trying to get things organized,? he said. ?I know the difficulties you folks have gone through and the growing pains we have gone through,? he added.

Pettalia brought up the size of the CDC/EDC board, which was set at 13 members when it was created by the county commission in 2000. He noted that the number of members serving on the board was at the discretion of the commissioners. The original steering committee members, of whom Pettalia was one, wanted to bring in a wide a variety of people from around the county including, ??Business people, real estate people, farmers and other people interested in economic development. ?It?s your commission so you get to decide how many and who get to sit on the EDC,? he said. ?I know that. The original CDC was my idea. But you didn?t make any friends with that letter,? replied Chairman Alan Bruder. ?The way the last director was hired was nothing more than a form

ula for failure and that?s why we are here now. But I would like to assure the board that we are moving forward and we will have someone soon for you to consider,? Pettalia said.

IN OTHER business, Al West, director of Northeast Michigan Affordable Housing (NEMAH), reported on the status of the home improvement program. He said 31 loan applications were taken in with five completed projects and five projects currently in progress. There are 13 projects on the waiting list; some have been approved and are awaiting funds while others are awaiting funds. There were seven ineligible applicants and one was withdrawn.

The program provides up to $14,999 for approved home improvement projects with an additional $10,000 for lead paint abatement around window and doorframes, West said. Eligibility is based on an income level 80 percent or less of the county?s median income, or about $39,000 for a family of four. The public defender contract was approved by the board with a increase from $64,140 last year to $67,000 next year. The bids for transporting recyclables collection bins were reviewed and the low bid from Republic Waste Service of Onaway was selected. A one-year contract with no increase in the unit prices will be awarded with the option to extend the contract to three years by mutual consent. The airport fund required the transfer of funds from the contingency fund to meet expenses. The airport owes $35,000 to the tax fund now, pending the receipt of funds. Commissioner Mike Darga was absent from the meeting.

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