At Monday’s Belleville City Council meeting, Mayor Richard Smith made three appointments to open seats on boards and commissions.
He still has several more openings to fill and continues to seek volunteers.
Mayor Smith appointed:
* Jim Fitch to the Parks & Recreation Commission with a term to expire Dec. 31, 2011. Fitch, a retired teacher and former city council member, has served on several boards and commissions in the past;
* Robert Cameron to the Zoning Board of Appeals, with a term to expire Dec. 13, 2012. Cameron, Belleville High School class of 1996, holds a Master of Urban Planning degree from the University of Michigan; and
* John H. Dillon to the Zoning Board of Appeals with a term to expire Dec. 31, 2012. Dillon served on the planning commission for 10 years and the ZBA for three years.
In other business at Monday’s meeting, the council:
* Approved holding Halloween night on Main Street Oct. 30, with the police putting up caution tape and arrangements for candy checks. Shawna Austin from the Central Business Community is chairing this year’s costume contest, set for 6 p.m. at the Fourth Street Square;
* Opened two bids for refuse and recycling and turned them over to the administration for study and a recommendation at the Oct. 19 meeting. Republic Services, which provides the service now, bid $12.32 per unit, per month for the first year; $12.81 for the second year, and $13.32 for the third year. Republic also submitted an alternate five-year bid. The other bid came from Waste Management for $13.98 per home, per month for the first year, $14.33 for the second year, and $14.69 for the third year;
* Set a 6 p.m., Nov. 2 meeting, prior to the regular city council session, for a discussion on details for next year’s Strawberry Festival. Former Mayor Tom Fielder suggested the dialog begin with hopes of having details worked out by the end of the calendar year. Representatives from the Strawberry Festival and city officials will do the discussing. Fielder said there is uncertainty about the carnival because of construction on the school grounds;
* Approved closing Fourth Street between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Oct. 17 for the Harvest Fest activities;
* Voted to hold the yearly review of City Manager Diana Kollmeyer, since such a job review is required by city policy. The details of the review and who would do it are to be worked out. Councilman George Chedraue, who asked that the item be added to the agenda, pointed out no review was ever done for the last two city managers, and Kollmeyer corrected him to say Steve Walters did have one review in the seven years he was city manager;
* Approved accounts payable of $168,773.79, including the following departmental expenditures in excess of $500: to Argus/Hazco, $1,031.64, for flow test SCBA regulators; to Council of Western Wayne, $3,407 membership dues; to Contract Welding, $1,500 for hose bed dividers; to McCoig, $1,165.50 for concrete road repairs; to McCoig, $948.25 for concrete road repairs; and to Target Safety $1,200 for fire training program. Fire Chief Darwin Loyer said Michigan Risk Management Authority paid $75 for each fire fighter to be trained in the program, with the city paying $25 each. City Manager Kollmeyer said she and Clerk Lisa Long recently attended a MMRMA training program on discipline; and
* Went into executive session to discuss pending union negotiations.