Councilwoman Kim Tindall resigns, search begins for replacement

The resignation of Belleville City Councilwoman Kim Tindall was regretfully accepted by the city council as of the end of Monday’s regular council meeting.
On Tuesday morning she was at her new job at city hall as payroll/building clerk in the front office. Becoming an employee made it necessary to resign from the council.
Tindall replaces Michelle Bellingham who resigned to work at Sumpter Township Hall, closer to her home.
The city has 30 days to replace Tindall or the governor will select someone to fill the seat.
Tindall’s former position runs for one more year, so her replacement will serve until after the 2017 election.
A special meeting was set for 6 p.m., Nov. 15, to interview candidates.
Those seeking applications should request them from City Manager Diana Kollmeyer by Friday, Oct. 21. The applications will be ready to distribute by Monday, Oct. 24. They are due back to the city by Nov. 10.
Trustee Tom Fielder pointed out all the interviews will be in public meetings.
The Belleville Civil Service Commission met on Oct. 4 to interview nine candidates for the payroll/building clerk position and selected four finalists. City Manager Kollmeyer was required to offer the job to the four in the order given by the CSC. First on the list was Meagan Gallagher. Kollmeyer said Gallagher turned down the position and so she offered it to second on the list, Tindall, who accepted.
Tindall recently had been employed in security at McBride Middle School.
At the end of the meeting council members took turns praising Tindall’s service to Belleville.
“Thank you for your kind words,” Tindall said. “It has been an absolute honor to serve for almost seven and a half years. And, it’s a privilege that the voters chose me twice. I don’t know why.
“I’m happy to be moving to the other side of the wall,” she said nodding to the wall between the council chambers and the front office. “I’m sad that the move requires me to resign.”
Mayor Kerreen Conley said Tindall brought to the council a perspective that makes people think.
Mayor Conley encouraged people in the community to apply for the council position. She said, under the city charter, eligible candidates must have lived in the city for one year and be a registered voter at the time of application.
Also in Monday’s meeting, the council:
• Approved the Downriver Sewage Disposal System Service Agreement with the Downriver Utility Wastewater Authority (DUWA), as recommended by Mayor Conley. Thirteen communities are working together to acquire, improve, and enlarge the sewer system. They have been negotiating a contract since 2010. The agreement pledges up to 25% of the funds received by the city from state sales tax levied to pay the contractual obligations for the sewer;
• Approved use of Horizon Park from about 7:30 to 8:45 p.m., after dusk when the park is closed, on Nov. 3 by the Belleville Area District Library for an astronomy program. Lecturer Jesse Mason will meet with participants at the library at 6:30 p.m. to show some of the Hubble telescope’s most stunning images and then they will go outside with telescopes to view the night sky. They wanted a darkened area within walking distance;
• Approved accounts payable of $236,134.58 and the following purchases in excess of $500: to Hennessey Engineering, $3,650.50 and $1,986, from the Escrow Fund for construction/project management; to Wayne County, $2,835 from general/police funds for lodging in Dickerson Facility; to Lisa Long, $2,000 for temporary employment from general/various funds; to Oakland County, $2,495, for CLEMIS/software from general/police fund; and to Wise Technologies, $561.24 for computers / network from general/various funds; and
• Heard Mayor Pro Tem Jack Loria comment on the Booville events in Belleville. “If it wasn’t for white-haired, bald volunteers a lot of things wouldn’t get done in this community. We need more young volunteers,” he said.