Belleville hires Melissa Frierson of VBT as new DPS Director

Melissa Frierson of Van Buren Township has been hired as the new Director of Public Service for the city of Belleville.
At the Nov. 12 meeting of the commission, city manager Jason Smith said Frierson has a fantastic track record of successes in governmental public works as well as the private sector. He said she comes highly recommended from multiple DPS directors across the state.
She was set to begin her at-will employment in Belleville on Nov. 18 and her pay is $85,000 per year/$40.865 per hour. Smith said her pay rate shall be adjusted on an annual basis upon the finding of a satisfactory performance review by the city manager. Her position is a salary, exempt from overtime.
She begins her employment with 120 hours of vacation leave and 40 hours of sick leave, among other provisions.
Smith acknowledged this is a Civil Service Commission hire and since the voters on Nov. 5 refused to dissolve the commission, he said the Civil Service Commission has “signed off” on this hire.
“We are very blessed to have an applicant,” Smith said, noting this is a great applicant and comes highly recommended and is a VBT resident. He said she volunteers with the band and goes to band camp, and has the right skill set and right temperament to make the DPS department more efficient. He said most of her career has been in the public sector. He said she is getting extra vacation time for band camp.
Smith said she was offered more money by other municipalities who wanted her to work for them, but she likes where she is living.
Mayor Ken Voigt said she was initially recommended by the city’s engineering firm. He said applicants for this position are few and “qualified applicants are as few as hen’s teeth.”
Frierson did not attend the Nov. 12 meeting.
She replaces prospecutive DPS director candidate Jordan Edwards who agreed to serve for the salary of $75,000 and then backed off and had to be taken off the council agenda the night he was to be hired. He was to replace Anthony Bollini who was hired in May for $65,000 and was later terminated. Bollini replaced Rick Rutherford, who served for many years in the DPS director position and then was demoted to a part-time position in the building department after Bollini was hired. Rutherford made about $75,000 with benefits on top of that.
In other business at the Nov. 12 meeting, the council:
• Heard city manager Jason Smith explain the $50,000 grant the city was awarded for equipment for an outdoor gym from the NFC Fitness Court. A matching payment is required and the city is asking the Downtown Development Authority to furnish the match and if that doesn’t work the mayor said the project could be dropped. The grant furnishes exercise equipment and the city must pour the slab in addition to installation, for a project estimated at $200,000 total to be completed in spring of 2025. The council passed a resolution needed by Nov. 14 saying it is interested in moving forward and Smith said they can’t get the money without this resolution;
• Approved the low bid of COSM Tree Service of Wixom for $23,250 for cemetery tree removal/trimming/stump grinding/ replanting of smaller trees. Smith said the local vendors are not on BidNet and all the bids have to come through BidNet. Mayor Voigt said in 1952, the city accepted ownership of Hillside Cemetery from Van Buren Township. Smith said a lot of families want shade for their loved ones and so the vendor will replant every tree removed with a tree that will grow smaller;
• Approved Winter Fest activities as part of the consent agenda for the first weekend in December, including a night parade on Saturday and breakfast with Santa;
• Approved the Best One quote for mobile tire repair for the Vac Con truck. Smith said DOT inspected the truck and the 20-year-old tires have to be replaced, it needs new brakes, and there is an exhaust leak the city crew can fix. The light problem that requires rewiring will be free or low cost. The tires are estimated at $10,000. Smith said the truck is road-worthy, but not DOT certified to go out of the city;
• Approved the cost of $2,239.39 for DTE to schedule the upgrading of the manifold and replacing the fire house gas line with a larger size in anticipation of the future installation of a whole-house generator;
• Approved the Snider Electric quote for installation of a tornado siren, without stating the amount;
• Removed from the agenda without comment the concrete saw purchase, cement mixer purchase, DPS time card software, and RS&A proposal for a City of Belleville Classification & Compensation Study;
• Heard Smith report the city had a 64.1% turnout for the general election, identification badges are being prepared for SLC workers who are replacing water meters, and the alley asphalting is complete;
• Heard Mayor Voigt report the veterans’ banners that have been installed were designed by assistant city manager Steve Jones. Jones later said it took nine hours to do the work. Mayor Voigt said he drove into Harbour Pointe and the new roadwork is very smooth. He said he is happy the fire department got its roof fixed; and
• Heard Fire Chief II Chris Zweng report the new engine is out of service for warranty issues and recall. He said the fire house kitchen should be done by early December. He invited the city council and staff to the Winter Fest after-party at the fire hall which brings police, fire, and city officials together.