RC council offers manager job to Hefele, still want to explore shared option

by Angie Asam–Staff Writer

Neither vote was unanimous but the Rogers City Council took action on filling the vacant city manager position Tuesday night.

The items were added to the agenda of the meeting following an earlier workshop meeting. Council member Scott McLennan made a motion to offer the city manager position to Joe Hefele, current Onaway city manager and one of the applicants for the job through the Michigan Municipal League (MML) search. Hefele was one of the top five as identified by the MML and was interviewed by council last week as it thought about sharing a manager with Onaway.

McLennan’s motion was to offer him the position full time. It was supported by Gary Nowak pending a background check and contract negotiations. The motion passed by a four to one vote with council member Ken Bielas voting no.

Immediately following that item on the agenda was the idea of the shared agreement with Onaway. CouncilmanA.J. Przybyla made a motion to explore the option of sharing further, the motion was supported by McLennan. The goal is to explore further how a shared manager would work, what cost savings would possibly be and other issues. That motion passed four to one with Nowak being the no vote.

Council will be looking into the idea of the shared manager in the next couple of weeks trying to iron out some questions it has in order to make a final decision on it in the next couple of meetings.

The council will meet again on Mon. March 17 with a workshop prior to the 7 p.m. regular meeting. The meeting has been moved due to the MML Capital Conference that some members of the council will be attending.

IN OTHER CITY COUNCIL NEWS:

• Council heard from citizen Rachel Goodstein who said she was in support of the recruitment and hiring of a full-time city manager as she didn’t feel that part time would be enough for the manager to complete all of his/her duties. She also voiced her concerns about sharing a manager and that manager having split loyalties.

• The Michigan Department of Transportation Title VI nondi

scrimination plan was approved. The plan has to be placed on the city Web site.

• Council approved the purchase of a new computer for Toby Kuznicki, engineering assistant, as it quit working unexpectedly. His computer was not part of the recent replacement of other computers as the software he runs used Windows XP and the new upgrades were going to Windows 7. However, with the crash he will have to move to the new Windows software, thus will need to purchase a different version of Auto CAD. The purchase of the computer through Dell with the governmental discount and the software was approved unanimously.

• Two events were approved using city property. The first was a Flag Day celebration being planned by the Rogers City Masonic Lodge. It is planning a parade, kids games, food vendors, entertainment and other fun for the whole family June 14 from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. The parade will run from the Mariners’ Mall, down Third Street to Michigan Avenue and proceed to the Lakeside Park Pavilion where the other events will take place. Council also approved the Fat Hogs Fishing Frenzy ladies classic for July 26 and the main tournament for Aug. 30-31 at the marina. Both tournaments utilize the band shell as well for a weigh in area.