Rosemary Loria’s four-year term on the Belleville Downtown Development Authority expired on Dec. 31.
At Monday’s regular meeting of the City Council, Mayor Richard Smith replaced Loria on the DDA with the appointment of Mike Colletta to the seat.
Loria was the DDA chairman and had served on the authority since being appointed Nov. 1, 2004 and also had served on the City Council briefly to fill out a term.
Colletta, who had served on both the Belleville DDA and City Council in the past, was appointed to a four-year term to expire Dec. 31, 2013.
Colletta retired from the Van Buren Public Schools as athletic director. He is the owner of Café LLC, formerly Lakeside Jewelers, and will serve on the DDA representing business owners in the district.
His business is in the process of moving from a Main Street location to the site of the former bicycle shop on Fifth Street, within the DDA district.
Mayor Smith also reappointed Sabrina Richardson-Williams to the DDA for another four-year term.
Other members of the DDA are: Kerreen Conley, James Higgerson, John Hoops, Gary Snarski, Ryan Taylor, and Ken Voigt. Mayor Smith also is a voting member of the DDA.
The reorganizational meeting of the DDA will be at its Jan. 20 meeting.
On Monday, Mayor Smith also reappointed:
* Thomas Smith to the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, with a term to expire Dec. 31, 2012;
* Gary Koeppe and Mary Ann Chudzinski to the Cemetery Advisory Committee with terms to expire Dec. 31, 2013;
* Conrad Welsing to the Zoning Board of Appeals, with a term to expire Dec. 31, 2012; and
* James Fitch to the Board of Canvassers, with a term to expire Dec. 31, 2013.
In other business at Monday’s meeting the council:
* Postponed until the Feb. 1 council meeting approval of selling bonds of $4.2 million for not less than 25 years to pay for Main Street repaving and streetscape work, as proposed by the DDA. The DDA intends to pay off the bonds with its tax captures, but if there are any glitches in repayment, city residents could be taxed to pay off the bonds. Mayor Smith said he needed more information and needed to talk to the city’s bond counsel and accountant. (Later Mayor Smith said the DDA is anxious to get the city’s approval this month so the bonds can be sold in February, so the item might come up on the Jan. 19 city council agenda, after all.);
* Accepted the low bid to refurbish the city street sweeper from AIS Construction Equipment Corp. at a cost of $29,250, which includes extensive renovation, plus sand blasting, painting the truck white and installing new decals. The second bid, by Jack Doheny Companies, was $40,377.47. “This means we don’t have to buy another street sweeper for $300,000 and the old one will last another 10 years,” said Mayor Pro Tem Rick Dawson;
* Approved the request of Melissa Varney to hold the second Annual Freddie Harris Memorial 2K Walk and 5K Run on Sept. 18. The approval included use of the pavilion in Horizon Park and closing part of High Street and the parking lane on southbound Main Street to accommodate the runners;
* Heard Ron Vesche say that Main Street Flowers had damage to its awnings and window during recent water line construction on Main Street. He said they have tried to work through the contractor and Spicer Engineers, who have insurance coverage, but they are “not getting any satisfaction.” Mayor Smith said the city will look into the problem;
* Heard Councilwoman Kim Tindall ask about getting more precise information on credit card purchases by city employees, so there are no problems like with a previous city manager. She was told City Manager Diana Kollmeyer, DPS Director Keith Boc, and Mayor Smith have the only cards. When Police Chief Gene Taylor was asked if he had a card, he replied, “I’ve got a gun, no card.” Tindall was told she could call the treasurer’s office to get whatever details she wanted;
* Approved accounts payable of $302,055.41, including the following departmental expenditures in excess of $500: To ACS Firehouse Software, $735 for software support renewal for the fire department; to All Seasons Landscaping, $1,000.44 for repair to two sludge pumps for the water department; to Barrett Paving, $505 for cold patch road repairs out of Major Street funds; and to Michigan Power Rodding, $806 for sewer repair at 327 Liberty Street out of the water fund; and
* Heard Mayor Pro-Tem Dawson say at the end of the 17-minute meeting: “I’ve decided it’s going to be a wonderful year for me and this is the hope for you all, too.”