12-28-2017 News & Newsmakers of 2017 Revisited; Jannuary-March highlighted

News and Newsmakers of 2017 revisited

By Angela Stair

In this final week of 2017 and the first weeks of the New Year it is an annual tradition of the Tri-City Record to recall the headline stories of this past year.

Following the News and Newsmakers feature, the Record will publish noteworthy stories and photos from the Press Box columns of 2017.

Complete pages of each issue are archived at www.tricityrecord.com. They are also available for viewing on the Coloma Public Library website resources in newspaper archives at colomapubliclibrary.net.

JANUARY 5, 2017

 Bainbridge Township Supervisor Bill Hodge taking County to court over removal from Road Commission seat. “It’s all about due process,” Hodge tells Tri-City Record.

Newly elected Bainbridge Township Supervisor Bill Hodge is taking Berrien County to court over his removal from the Berrien County Road Commission. The Berrien County Board passed a resolution on December 1, 2016 which declared that the position that Hodge filled on the Road Commission was vacant due to the Incompatibility of Office Act (MCL 15.181 et seq).

Hodge declined to comment on the issue to the Tri-City Record, but said to the Editor Karl Bayer, “It’s all about due process. Read the court documents.”

Hodge is asking the Berrien County Trial Court to set aside the resolution removing him from the Road Commission; to be restored to his position of Road Commissioner pending a hearing; to order Berrien County to hold a hearing with proper notice; to award him lost pay, benefits, interest, costs, a reasonable attorney fee and any other relief that the court deems fair.

The hearing on the motion filed by Hodge before Berrien County Trial Court Judge John Donahue was scheduled for January 12, 2017.

On January 20 Berrien County Trial Court Judge John Donahue asked for some court filings as he examines whether Bainbridge Township Supervisor Bill Hodge should be placed back on the Berrien County Road Commission. He denied preliminary injunction, and request for lost pay and related costs. Judge Donahue will entertain filings on the individual sides as to whether or not serving as a township supervisor and a road commissioner are incompatible offices.

OTHER JANUARY NEWS

 Watervliet High School sisters are members of equestrian drill team slated to ride in President Trump’s Inaugural Parade.

City of Coloma extends winter tax deadline to 4 p.m., Tuesday, February 28.

Keeler Township works on ordinance violations; will increase penalties.

Proos supports pro-hunting initiatives; DNR license app bills, ‘Hunter pink’ legislation sent to the governor.

Watervliet City Commission likes School Resource Officer proposal, Mayor wants more funding details.

Street project a nightmare, says Coloma commissioner.

Cassidy Fickett wins dual titles, Miss Coloma and Miss Congeniality; Jacob Sharpe crowned as Mr. Coloma.

Watervliet City commissioner resigns to accept staff position.

Demolition of blighted apartments on Red Arrow underway… once were home to many families for 40 years.

Kaylee Ann Chapin crowned Miss Watervliet; two crowned Co-Mr. Watervliet 2017, Brent Simmons and Hayden Richards.

Decades of service by Hartford icons Daun and Bud Pitcher were recognized during halftime of the Indians & Panthers Coaches vs. Cancer January 13.

Hartford Commission hears plans for Main St. building improvements after citizen seeks action on other city properties.

Arthur Hawkins, WWII, Korean War, and Vietnam veteran honored by the State.

James Lull, Bainbridge Township resident, presented Quilt of Valor.

Watervliet City Commission whole again; Mayor seeks public input on City Manager vacancy.

FEBRUARY 2, 2017

Four City Manager candidates interviewed by Watervliet Commission

The Watervliet City Commission held a special meeting on February 7 in order to interview four candidates for the position of City Manager. The four candidates were Griffin Graham, Amanda Morgan, Heath Kaplan, and Ann Capela.

Griffin Graham is a graduate of South Haven High School and is currently attending Michigan State University. Graduation date will be May 2017 and he will have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Urban and Regional Planning and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Management. He is interning at Meridian Charter Township.

Amanda Morgan is currently the Customer Service Manager for the City of South Haven. She has worked for the city for the past 17 years. She has an associate degree in Business Administration and a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration/ Management.

Ann Capela is from the Detroit area and her last similar position was that of City Manager in Bethel, Alaska. She has experience in the areas of financials, bonding, grant writing, water and sewer, and public management as a whole. She feels that the job of City Manager is a traffic manager with information gathering and dissemination and feels the key to success is good communication.

Heath Kaplan had been interviewed in the fall of 2016 for the City Manager position, but was not selected. The Board brought him back for a second interview.

Kaplan has a master’s degree in Public Administration and his resume describes his strengths as finance, accounting, operations, staff leadership, communication, project management, budgets, grant coordination, and financial modeling among others.

A decision on a finalist could be made at the February 14 meeting.

The Watervliet City Commission interviewed another candidate on Tuesday, February 14 for the City Manager position. Commissioners interviewed Michael Uskiewicz and pending his background check was offered the position.

New manager reports to Watervliet City Hall on Monday; has local roots

A Michigander with ties to the Watervliet area will be the new City Manager and will occupy City Hall on Monday, February 27. He has a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and a master’s degree in Public Administration, both from Grand Valley State University.

OTHER FEBRUARY NEWS

 Beshires sentenced to life for infant death; mother of infant seeking to withdraw plea.

Fit it or tear it down? Hartford City Commissioners move for structural analysis of building at 1 East Main.

Citizens donate $25,000 for Watervliet County Park start-up.

Watervliet graded “A”, Hartford “B”, Coloma “C”. Hartford and Watervliet high schools score in Mackinaw Center Top 100.

164 years of Valentines… live, laugh, love.

Hartford School Board briefed on Third Grade Reading bill.

North Berrien Historical Museum presented “Eden Springs Park Restoration” on February 21.

Lakefront and fire lane sales eyed, Coloma Township looking at ways to save funds or pay off debt.

Failed culvert that closed road since last April could be first of many, road commission director says. Territorial Road culvert replacement should be done by July 4; engineers detail project scope at Bainbridge public meeting.

Newlyweds Kenneth and Veronica win the Tri-City Record “Be My Valentine Love Letter Contest”.

Skate Park given new life; May open April 1.

Two generations help the Watervliet Skate Park.

Coloma’s St. Joseph Street more accessible for residents thanks to Senator Proos; Mayor sets office hours.

Watervliet DDA consulted WMU students on Little City, Big Dreams project; Students’ work saved City thousands of dollars in consulting fees, “now it’s up to us,” DDA Chairman Bob Becker says.

Hartford School Board approves weighted GPA; adds 5-point grade.

MARCH 9

O’Halloran selected as North Berrien Fire Chief

Following the findings of a North Berrien Fire Department organizational structure and function study and the recommendation for a full-time Fire Chief in June of 2016, the lengthy detailed search has resulted in the selection of Denis O’Halloran of Berwyn, Illinois.

At a special meeting of the North Berrien Fire Board March 16, the final step in the interview process took place with a six-question interview of the top three candidates, a meet-and-greet with those in attendance, a public comment period, and the final scoring and reveal of the selection.

O’Halloran has 34 years of continuous service with the Berwyn Fire Department, 18 of it in management and administration. He has been the fire chief of the department for the last eight years. He has experience as a paid on-call fire fighter, an EMT, and as a paramedic.

As the scores were tallied from the process, O’Halloran came out on top. A motion was made to give the fire board’s attorney permission to work out offer details and contract language for the fire chief position. It is unknown how long that process will take.

OTHER MARCH NEWS

 Demolition of vacant Huffman Furniture building sought by Hartford Commission.

Watervliet signs new 2-year city manager contract, $55,000 annually.

Coloma’s St. Patrick’s Day Committee announces events for March 11 downtown celebration.

City of Coloma renews ambulance agreement; OK’s signage to help DQ with E. St. Joseph Street detour.

Watervliet girls’ basketball team celebrates their win over Bangor, which earned them the Southwestern Athletic Conference Lakeshore Division championship.

Hartford Township works to revamp cemetery operations.

Watervliet Public Schools add W.I.N. Time to elementary classrooms.

Hartford officials discuss perceived Medic 1 failure to deliver.

Watervliet running out of working water meters.

Family needs wheelchair accessible van; Spaghetti dinner to benefit Bingaman family.

Tri-City Royalty seeks Blossomtime titles this Sunday and Monday.

Keeler Township Board discusses sewer rate increase.

Watervliet’s Kaylee Chapin crowned Miss Blossomtime.

Hartford’s Hunter Ackerman crowned Mr. Blossomtime.

Coloma St. Patrick’s Day was cold but successful.

Federal grant aids Hartford Township on road reconstruction project.

G.W. Jones Exchange Bank branch closing in Watervliet.

Arclight Brewery pays off $60,000 loan to Watervliet DDA.

Hagar Township Board approves application for kayak park grant over objections by vocal group opposed to use of funds for public access and promoting tourism.

Coloma Township seeking $400,000 parks grant for former Washington School site; will match it with $100,000 of own funds.

Paw Paw Lake Association ignites dry hydrant project to aid in lakeside fire-fighting.

Hartford Foundation annual auction breaks all records; new scholarship announced.

Coloma approves City budget; citizen gets OK for chickens in yard, but no roosters.

City of Hartford seeks federal funds for road work.

Watervliet City Commission improves water billing; zoning amendment needed for proposed downtown farmers market.