Following the resignation of Parks Supervisor Bill Drozdalski in October, Suttons Bay Township officials are looking to do away with the position altogether.
The township board is now planning to split the responsibilities of parks supervisor into two new roles — a parks manager and parks maintenance and activities assistant.
The parks manager will be in a part-time position with a $10,000 annual salary. According to the job description posted on the township’s website, the person hired to fill this role will prepare requests for proposals and grant applications, inspect township parks on a regular basis, and present a report to the township trustees every month, among other duties.
In the job description and during the March special meeting, emphasis was placed on the fact that the parks manager “works with” the township parks and recreation committee. Drozdalski, the former township parks supervisor, seemed to often come into conflict with parks and recreation committee members over the direction that the parks should take.
The new job description and title are, in the words of township Trustee Eric Carlson at a previous meeting, meant to clarify that the position does not supervise the committee.
As was the case with the parks supervisor position following changes to the committee bylaws last year, the parks manager will not be a voting member of the seven-member parks and recreation committee.
The new parks maintenance and activities assistant position will be filled by Pete Ostrowski. Ostrowski is the current chair of the parks and recreation committee and assistant parks supervisor, and he will retain the $4,000 annual salary that comes with the latter position in his new role.
The township board authorized the posting of the job description following a personnel committee meeting at a March 27 special meeting. Also at this meeting, the board adopted a millage rate of 0.05414 — the maximum allowed by the 2022 “Headlee” rollbacks — for their proposed budget for the 20242025 fiscal year, following a Truth in Taxation hearing.
Then the township board adopted a five-year community park, recreation, and open space plan for 2024-2028, after what Ostrowski described as a sparsely attended March 11 public hearing. The plan can be viewed in its entirety on leelanau.gov/ suttonsbaytwpord.asp or suttonsbayparks. org.
Finally, the township board approved the appointment of Gary Thorton, effective May 1 through Dec. 31, 2024, to the township planning commission, replacing Dee McClure; and Kevin Weber, also to the planning commission, effective immediately through Dec. 31, 2025; replacing Don Gregory.
