Three appointments to the CDC/EDC accepted

The County Development Commission and Economic Development Corporation received three new members after the Presque Isle County Board of Commissioners approved three of the five candidates presented to them at the September 13 meeting. As part of an added agenda item, the county board was prepared to appoint representatives from both the Rogers City Council and Onaway City Commission, but instead accepted two of the three candidates recommended by the CDC board of directors. The county board formally nominated Onaway City Commissioner Jessie Palmer, along with CDC nominees Tom Sobeck of Rogers City, and Mark Kinney of Presque Isle. The commissioners needed to make two appointments to the EDC because the board has been in violation of state statute. There also is some pending action that will need to be made by the EDC board. The CDC needs between seven and 10 board members, according to new bylaws approved in May. Going into last Wednesday?s county board meeting, members of the Onaway City Commission recommended Palmer, while council members in Rogers City recommended Deb Greene.

THE DECISION to appoint representatives from Rogers City and Onaway was spurred by representatives from the City of Rogers City who wanted someone to ?absolutely represent them,? county board chairman Allan Bruder said at the last meeting. At the September 13 meeting, the commission had more candidates than they expected as the CDC board of directors submitted a letter recommending Sobeck, Kinney, and Doug Elliot. ?After careful consideration, the committee has chosen (Sobeck, Kinney, and Elliot) to fill the three vacant seats on the CDC board,? the letter dated September 8 stated. ?Each candidate has s strong commitment to Presque Isle County and its future.? Sobeck works in Onaway as chief financial officer for Presque Isle Electric and Gas. Elliot is from Rogers City and is employed by O-N Minerals as the divisional manager of human resources management for Oglebay Norton. Kinney earned a PhD from George Peabody College of Vanderbilt University in Foundations of Education. His expertise is in the area of team leadership, fundraising, and effective strategies, the letter stated.

DISTRICT 1 COMMISSIONER Stephen Lang said all three candidates had ?good credentials.? He added the CDC serves as an advisory board and that their recommendation should be considered. The dilemma facing the county board was that all five candidates could not be approved. It would put the CDC over the maximum of 10 members allowed by the bylaws. Bruder did not favor the additional board members saying, ?14 did not work.? He wondered if the board should wait to make a decision, but instead decided to take nominations. Commissioner Mike Darga was absent. Schell nominated Palmer, Lang nominated Kinney, Bruder nominated Sobeck, while Gary Wozniak nominated Greene. Bruder then asked each board member to submit their top three choices. Palmer and Sobeck received four votes, while three of the four commissioners nominated Kinney. Greene received one vote from Wozniak.

Bruder?s concern was that the City of Rogers City would not have the representation they were seeking. CDC vice chairman Andy Hayhoe said city officials are invited to the meetings to take part in the process and ?act as a liaison.? The terms of Palmer, Kinney, and Sobeck will end May 15, 2008.

IN OTHER bus

iness: ? A truth in taxation resolution was approved, setting the millage rate at 5.74 mills. Bruder said letters asking for budgets from elected officials and department heads have gone out. The board will begin work on the budget fulltime by the end of the month.

? A $1,000 appropriation for the Onaway Historical Museum, which is reorganizing at the historic courthouse building, was approved.

? After final corrections were made to the contract for the dispatchers and jail workers, the board ratified the contract with the Police Officers Labor Council and submitted it to the union for final signatures.

Negotiations were to start with the deputies September 14. The board went into executive session for a strategizing session following the nearly 90-minute regular meeting. ? County workers will have the Friday before Christmas off. Christmas Day falls on Monday this year, and based on union contract language, some employees are entitled to the last workday off before Christmas. The commissioners decided it would be best to give all the employees Friday, December 22, off and to close the courthouse.

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