Jeremiah Beebe, Tom Fielder named to Belleville City Council

It turns out that there are two vacancies on the Belleville City Council as of Jan. 1, instead of one, so on Monday, Dec. 19, the council selected Jeremiah Beebe and Tom Fielder to fill the seats for one-year terms, until the next election.
Councilwoman Amy Henry resigned because she was moving to Van Buren Township and on Monday it was learned Councilman Steve Jones also was resigning to take the new Project Manager position with the city.
Four candidates interviewed for what was thought to be a single council position during a public meeting on Dec. 12, including Julie Kissel and Randy Priest.
Mayor Kerreen Conley said after the interviews, council members were asked to write down their top two candidates and give that to City Manager/Police Chief Dave Robinson. She said Beebe and Fielder each got three votes of the four council members and so were selected.
“It wasn’t easy,” said Mayor Conley of the choosing, noting everyone had talents and experience. She said there will be an election in a year and anyone interested can run.
At Monday’s meeting, the council also gave City Manager Robinson a 5% raise in salary, retroactive to February 2022, plus a $5,000 bonus. He was appointed in February 2021 and hadn’t had an evaluation or raise since then, so this raise was retroactive, Mayor Conley said.
Mayor Pro-Tem Ken Voigt said Robinson should also get Cost of Living pay of 3.5% back to February 2021. Voigt talked about merit increases.
“He’s doing several jobs and comes in with a gun strapped to his waist, putting his life on the line every day,” Voigt said. “I don’t think we could get anyone better.”
Councilwoman Kelly Bates talked of Robinson’s dedication to this community and the way he corrected a lot of things that needed correction. She added the suggestion for a bonus for the time he didn’t get an evaluation and raise.
Mayor Conley said that merit pay is for expectations and fulfillment. A bonus is for past work. Voigt said either was good with him, adding that his pay hike had to be at least 2.5% to keep pace with the bargaining unit and he deserves more than 2.5%.
Councilwoman Bates made the suggestion and then motion for a $5,000 bonus and 5% increase retroactive to February 2022, which was seconded by Jones and approved unanimously.
His salary has been $90,000, Conley said.
She said each member of the council evaluated Robinson’s work and found him outstanding, and he got top grades in his work, which included being police chief, city manager, assistant city manager, and director of the DDA, most recently.
Mayor Conley said the council can talk about merit going forward.
Voigt pointed out that Robinson was just taking a straight salary with no benefits, so he is saving the city money.
Robinson thanked the council and said he feels appreciated for working so hard and being able to form a team around himself. The new sergeants in the police department offer great assistance.
“Anything I’ve asked, I’ve had support for,” he said, noting now there would be a Projects Manager and he is really hopeful. He said there are a lot of things going on in the background.
Robinson said the building finally coming down next door to the police department was a big project for him.
“It’s finally something I did that I can see,” he said.
“I congratulate Steve for coming to the other side,” Robinson said, referring to Jones’ resignation from the council to be a city employee. He said he appreciated the support of his employees who do a phenomenal job.
Jones, who was an employee at the Van Buren Public Schools, also is chairman of the board of the Belleville Area Chamber of Commerce and active in the Belleville Area Council for the Arts and other community activities. He runs a DJ business, as well. He served on the city planning commission for ten years.
In other business at the Dec. 19 meeting, the council:
• Presented lighting awards for those chosen winners in their categories;
• Approved city council meeting dates for 2023. The charter requires two meetings a month at 7:30 p.m. and most are on the first and third Monday of each month, except for January, which will be Jan. 9 and 23; along with Tuesday, Feb. 21; Tuesday, June 20 (not meeting on Juneteenth); July 10 and 24; Tuesday, Sept. 5; and Nov. 13 and 27 to avoid Thanksgiving week.
• Heard Voigt say for the new year he has some suggestions, such as getting a grant writer for the city and an intelligent program for making repairs on the city’s roads. “I don’t think any big grants are coming our way,” he said, adding if you go into the neighborhoods, every street has a spot or two or three that could be restored with some concrete, absent a special millage to come up with money. “We should start the new year along these lines”;
• Heard Jones say this was his last meeting as a councilmember and it was his honor to serve; and
• Heard Mayor Conley say, in this last meeting of the year, she thinks of all the things that have been done in the city. She said Chief Robinson is very humble and the police keep everybody safe. She said the DPW is out in the night when the pipes break and they are appreciated. The city is getting into a “new normal,” she said. She said she appreciates the police and fire and other employees who don’t get a ton of recognition for what they do, along with those who help the officials to make decisions. “This truly is a beautiful community,” she said, adding the council has high expectations of new employee Steve Jones.