The Dorr Township Board voted 5-2 Thursday night to elevate the part-time maintenance position to full time and raise the compensation.
The move was made after a request from maintenance supervisor Jarrod Simon, who said he has trouble keeping up with the work load and it’s difficult these days to find good people willing to work for only 30 hours a week at $12 an hour. He just lost an assistant who left to join the Marines.
Supervisor Jeff Miling said the duties made it so the assistant was working nearly full time anyway.
Clerk Debbie Sewers said in support of the proposal, “I think we’re at that point. Dorr Township is growing.”
The plan is to pay the assistant between $12 and $17 per hour.
Trustee John Tuinstra, who with Terri Rios cast a dissenting vote, agreed that, “It’s generally cheaper than hiring an outside contractor, but I’m not in a rush to do this,” because of the added costs of vacations, leave, sick pay and health insurance. “And what happens if the economy slows down?”
Miling insisted that it’s not good business to have a lot of turnover in such a position.
“When you get new people in here all the time you are constantly training them,” he explained.
Tuinstra suggested postponing a decision on the move until the next fiscal year budget is adopted and he said he’d want to examine resumes and take part in job interviews.
Sewers and Miling said a new employee is sorely needed now, and prospects aren’t good for getting anyone soon to to take the job under current conditions.
In other business Thursday evening, the Township Board:
• Approved a new three-year contract for recycling services with Arrowwaste, which has bought out Bob’s Disposal, the previous provider. The same costs and conditions will apply at least until April 1.
Tuinstra said he’d like to bid out the recycling, but Miling told him to go ahead and get bids for a decision later.
“Bob’s was giving us a super deal, maybe too good because they went out of business,” the supervisor said.
Treasurer Jim Martin said, “Everybody seems to think we have the best recycling service and Republic (the other possible bidder) doesn’t do it any cheaper.”
The contract will be good until March 31, 2022.
• Postponed a decision on a request from the Zoning Board of Appeals to change the date of its Dec. 21, 2019, meeting. The ZBA already has moved its regular meeting in March so as not to conflict with the Township Board’s.
• Noted Ryan Gerke, deputy for Leighton and Dorr Townships through the Allegan County Sheriff’s Department, will be leaving in April and his replacement should be named in April. The other deputy is Bernard Austof.
• Was told by Fire Chief Gary Fordham that the brand new Engine No. 312 is in service and the old vehicle was sold to a town in Mississippi for $39,000.
“They were as happy to get it as we were to get our new one,” Fordham quipped.
• Was told by Martin that the township this fiscal year has received $631,000 in state revenue sharing, about $11,000 more than expected.
• Approved the slate of fire departments officers as recommended by Fordham, who noted they all are the same as last year.
