Belleville approves stipends in place of raises for POAM

By Rosemary K. Otzman
Independent Editor
The Belleville City Council unanimously approved paying a one-time, $1,000 stipend to full-time employees and a one-time $800 stipend to part-time employees, who work 32 hours, covered by the Police Officers Association of Michigan union.
At the Feb. 17 council meeting, Mayor Kerreen Conley explained this stipend was for the current POAM wage reopener on the last year of the contract. She said union members agreed to take the stipend instead of a raise in pay.
Also at the 21-minute meeting, the council:
• Unanimously approved closing part of High Street along Horizon Park for the Relay for Life event. The fund raiser for the American Cancer Society will run from 10 a.m. May 30 to midnight, with two hours of cleanup planned after that. While the Relay for Life usually is a 24-hour event, this year it will be 12 hours. There will be tents in the street, walking the sidewalks in a route by teams, and a stage and entertainment. Jen Garland said they will sell relay wrist bands that will entitle the wearers to discounts at local businesses. Steve Windham, the “face” of Relay for Life came late to the council meeting because of bad roads. He was introduced to the council;
• Set a public hearing for 7:30 p.m., March 2, to consider a transfer of $39,204 from the 2013 Community Development Block Grant fund allocation to use this year for the replacement of the Village Park playscape to meet with the Americans with Disabilities Act;
• Approved $65,493.99 in accounts payable and the following departmental purchases in excess of $500: To Farmer Underwood, $560.40 for road repair from the Water budget; to Hennessey, $5,400 for street evaluation out of Major/Local Street Fund; to J&T Towing, $800 for towing fees from police budget; to Morton, $6,135.04 for road salt out of Major/Local Street Fund; to Oakland County Treasurer, $2,428.25 for CLEMIS police computer consortium from police budget; and Wayne County Accounts Receivable, $1,050, for prisoner lodging at Dickerson facility from police budget;
• Heard City Manager Diana Kollmeyer report that the Department of Public Services just had its fifth water main break this winter with just two employees plus DPS Director Keith Tackett. The latest break, on East Huron River Drive, was announced on TV and radio because the road was closed;
• Heard City Manager Kollmeyer announce that they have purchased an atomic clock to replace the one in the council chambers that lately was incorrect. She said the clock just arrived in the mail that day. She said now they won’t have to change the time when it goes to Daylight Savings Time. The accounts payable listing said the clock was $8.97 purchased from Walmart Business in Atlanta, GA;
• Heard Police Chief Hal Berriman announce that the $550 training in interviewing for Cpl. Todd Schrecengost by John E. Reid & Associates was the Reid Technique, “one of the best in the country”;
• Heard Mayor Conley report that the Council of Western Wayne meeting was the previous Friday and they discussed the May 5 ballot proposal on roads. She said the Michigan Township association has raised $100,000 in support of the proposal and the Michigan Municipal League agreed to support it, along with most of the communities across the state;
• Heard Mayor Conley report that the recent Mayors’ Ball in Romulus was a sold-out affair and made more money for the Boys and Girls Clubs than last year. She said they will be looking for a larger venue for next year. Mayor Conley said they announced one of the top Boys and Girls Club recognitions in the state for Tiffany from the local club; and
• Heard Chief Berriman announce the annual basketball game to benefit St. Vincent DePaul will be held March 28 with tickets $10 for those 10 years and older, and younger children free. The Belleville, Sumpter and Van Buren police officers play the fire fighters from those communities. Last year, the fire fighters won, but Chief Berriman said this year the police will win.