The Chelsea Standard
A Heritage Newspaper
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Sparks fly as Electric Department workers protest reorganization
By Edward Freundl, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: May 22, 2008
The plan, which was announced at a council work session in February, creates four divisions: Administrative Services, Public Safety Services, Community Development Services, and Public Utilities Services, all of which answer to City Manager John Hanifan.
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Of the four divisions, only the Public Utilities sector remained to be finalized with the creation of a director position.
The Utilities Division would encompass the Water and Wastewater, Solid Waste, Public Works and Electric departments.
The plan also called for Water/Wastewater Superintendent Brad Roberts to be named director of the new division.
That apparently rankled some in the Electric Department, who appeared at the council meeting, in uniform and accompanied by Interim Electric Superintendent Bob Shepherd, to voice their displeasure with the reorganization plan.
"We're unhappy with the director position; it creates another level between us and the people in charge," Chris Cavin told the council.
"I think we should keep people in charge who actually know what's going on in the department.
"We need somebody with the proper certifications; he (Roberts) doesn't even have a (commercial driver's license) to drive a snowplow, as far as I know," he added.
Jeff Burns told the council that Roberts' selection was a "no-confidence vote" in the current crew.
"I don't believe it serves the city to have supervisor on top of supervisor of the electric department," Burns said.
"We don't really have anybody qualified for that position - it's a no-confidence vote in your workers and their supervisor.
"We like to have people in charge of us who know the job," he added.
City Manager John Hanifan said he respected their opinions and their point of view, but the time to come to him with concerns had passed.
"This isn't coming out of the blue for anyone; we've been discussing this since February," Hanifan said.
"Change is hard, change is different, but nothing will change my opinion that this is the right move for the city," he added.
"I have no doubt the electric department will continue to provide great service.
Mayor Ann Feeney tried to be conciliatory as the men got up and left the meeting.
"Thank you for coming," she said. "I think it will work, I really do."
Roberts declined to comment on the record about the workers' concerns or about his promotion to head of the new division.
In other council business:
- A public hearing was set for 7:30 p.m. May 27 on the 2008-09 fiscal year budget and the proposed property tax millage rate.
- Property at 128 Jackson St. and 303 Railroad St. was placed on the summer 2008 tax rolls as a special assessment for failure to pay $530 each to mow grass and weeds at those locations in the summer of 2007.
- The current "milestone schedule" will continue for the city to apply for $10.8 million in funding from the state's low-interest (2.5 percent) revolving fund to pay for expansion of the Wastewater Treatment Plant. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality notified the city that the project was put on its list for funding in the fourth quarter of this year.
- The vision coverage age limit was set at 25 years old for dependent family members, in line with other city insurance plans
- Zou Zou's CafÈ was given permission to offer outdoor seating at six fold-down tables along West Middle Street from now until no later than Nov. 15, contingent on Zou Zou's providing the city with a liability insurance certificate of $1 million.
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