MUNICIPAL Village awards new waste services pact Waste and recycling items will be collected every week in the village of Wolverine Lake under a new contract awarded to Republic Services on Wednesday, December 18, at a special Wolverine Lake council meeting. Village council members voted unanimously to approve the community's solid waste, yard waste, bulk leaf service and recycling collection contract with Republic for $770,949. The agreement replaces the village's current contract for services with Waste Management, which expires at the end of December. Republic's bid was about $60,000 less than the bid for services by Waste Management, and the lowest among five service providers who submitted bids to the village for consideration. Village council members said they believe changing recycling pickups from every other week to every week will benefit residents. "In terms of service, having recycling done every week is important to many people," said councilman Ron Cumbo. "There's also a fiduciary issue and it's substantial. I think that's what tips the scale. I think the service has been great with Waste Management and I expect it to be great with Republic. There is no disappointment with Waste Management, but we pass the costs on to the property owners and I think that's important." Village Administrator Sharon Miller also said the level of service hasn't been an issue with the community's current service provider. "We have had wonderful service and we appreciate that, so it has nothing to do with Waste Management,� she stated. Council president John Magee said the village administrative committee spoke with Republic, which has had positive reviews in neighboring communities and that he expects the service will be on the same level as residents are accustomed to receiving. "Everyone is doing a good job recycling in the village and with collections every other week, it appears to be overflowing some," he said. "Also, collecting every week alleviates some confusion as to when it will be picked up." The schedule of pickup and collection days will remain the same, on Tuesdays. 32
New development director chosen By Kevin Elliott
T
he Commerce Township Board of Trustees on Thursday, December 19, selected Terry Carroll to head up the township's new community development department, effective January 6, 2014. Carroll has worked in the public sector for more than 25 years, most recently serving as the director of planning and economic development for Van Buren Township. As community development director for Commerce Township, Carroll will be paid $60,000 annually to oversee the new department created by the merger of the township's planning department with the building, water and sewer department. Township board members made the decision to hire Carroll following a series of interviews at a special meeting December 20 with three other candidates who were under consideration for the position. Following the interviews, four board members said Carroll was their first choice for the position, while two members voted for another candidate, and one board member expressed interest in a third candidate. "It was a tough decision. I thought we had four good candidates, but there were two that really stuck out," said trustee David Law. "In the end, I was more comfortable with his experience as a manager." Trustee Rick Sovel said Carroll appeared to be well polished, experienced and compassionate. Township Clerk Vanessa Magner said she believes Carroll "will be good for the township." Carroll, who described Commerce as one of the "premier" townships in southeast Michigan, indicated during his interview that he was already familiar with the township's software system, as well as many of the duties and responsibilities that come with being a municipal department director. He also spoke candidly about his departure from his position in Van Buren Township, which he said occurred in February when a new township supervisor was elected who chose not to renew his contract when it expired. Township supervisor Tom Zoner said each of Carroll's municipal positions appeared to have been a good experience and that he didn't suspect that he left his last position due to any problems related to poor job performance. Plans to create the director's position were finalized in October when board members approved a description for the job. Among the responsibilities and duties included with the job will be coordinating activities for building inspectors, planning consultants and township engineers. The director also will oversee and enforce field inspections of building construction; inspections and repairs within the township to determine that homes, commercial buildings and other structures meet local and state codes; reviewing building permit issuances; and other related tasks. The new department should be able to provide efficiencies to the township by cross-training staff to perform functions currently handled by the two departments. Zoner said adding a director in the slower winter months will provide time for the new director to learn the position before development picks up in the spring.
Water storage facility moving forward The Commerce Township Board of Trustees on Tuesday, December 10, granted engineering consultants authorization to move forward with plans to construct a two-million gallon water storage facility behind the township's fire station on E. Commerce Road, across from DMC Huron-Valley Sinai Hospital. Board members voted 5 to 1 to approve engineers with Giffels Webster
to proceed with the development of site plans for the facility, with trustees David Law, Robert Berkheiser, Susan Gross, Tom Zoner, and Vanessa Magner voting to approve the action, and trustee Rick Sovel voting against. Trustee Robert Long wasn't present at the meeting. Engineering consultant Jason Mayer said the purpose of the facility is to lower water rates charged by the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD). Rates charged by the department are based on several variables, including the elevation of the
WESTEND
destination to where the water is going; the distance from the department's water facility; and peaktime usage, or how much water is used during times when water is in highest demand, which is typically in the morning before people go to work, and in the evening, after people return home from work. By creating a water storage facility, the township hopes to offset peak-time usage by filling the storage facility during off-peak times and using it to supplement demand during peak hours. Engineers estimate the facility will provide a 20 percent savings to customers. The overall cost to build the facility will be about $5 million, which includes constructing a brick exterior with artificial windows on the outside of the facility to make it more appealing to passersby and residents in the area. Money to build the facility will come from the water fund, which is funded by water customers. Sovel, who voted against moving forward with the facility, said he is concerned about the future of the DWSD and how it would set rates if the system is sold to a private equity firm, as has been discussed by Detroit Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr as a possibility as the city looks to liquidate assets and find new streams of revenue. "This (project) is based on the way the rate structure has been in the past, so the question is: can that structure be broken?" Sovel asked. "What if someone buys it and they change the rate structure. How do we know we will have any savings if they change the formula?" Mayer said he believes any rate structure, regardless of who owns the system, will have to account for peak usage times. Mayer further stated that delaying the planning of the project would push back the date to when the facility would be able to begin operating. The facility must operate for about a year to show a drop in peak-time usage before water rates can be adjusted. Since construction of the facility will take about two years, the earliest that rates could be adjusted could be in 2016. Delaying the project to next year could mean pushing rate adjustments back another year, Mayer indicated. The facility is estimated to save the township about $1.3 million per year on its wholesale water purchase rate from the DWSD. 1.14