Changing of the guard at the road commission
by Peter Jakey– Managing Editor
There?s been a leadership change at the Presque Isle County Road Commission. Superintendent/manager Eric Rose stepped down after 15 years at the post, and after more than 30 years with the road commission.
His successor, road commission clerk Jerry Smigelski, who was named as a replacement last year and trained by Rose through much of 2007, officially took over Monday at the main office in Rogers City. Rose?s last day was Friday. Rose?s career path is a classic example of a person working his way from the bottom to the very top. He was hired as a member of the summer work crew in April 1975. Brought back for another year in 1976 for another summer, he eventually was hired later that year as a full-time worker in October.
In 1991, Rose was named foreman in Onaway, before taking over January 1, 1993 as manager of the entire road commission.
?I?M GOING to miss the crew,? he said. ?I had a really good management staff that worked with me, including Jerry. I had some great foremen, and they are going to help Jerry, too.? Rose has no specific plans for retirement, except for checking off various jobs from his wife Rosalie?s ?honey-do? list. She operates a salon out of their home in Onaway. The couple has been married since 1971.
?I also have a little special needs grandson that we are going to be watching after,? said Rose. He also plans to continue his duties as Onaway Fire Department chief, ?until I can talk one of the y
Smigelski, who has a business administration degree from Central Michigan University, has handled the financial records for the road commission for the last 17 years. He was the road commission clerk and secretary to the road commission board. His appointment as superintendent/manager began January 1.
?Ninety-nine percent of the public will not see a change in the service,? said Smigelski, a graduate of Posen High School. ?We?ll keep the status quo for now. One of our biggest hurdles is funding, and we?re always looking for additional funding as the state continues to cut our revenue.?
Rose is expected to accompany Smigeski to various meetings, especially during the first year of transition, although Smigelski has already represented the road commission at different functions. Regarding his former boss, Smigelski said, ?He was always conscientious about the public?s concerns.? He added that ?his are big shoes to fill.?