The Leelanau County Road Commission authorized a 3% cost-of-living wage adjustment for salaried employees at their Jan. 21 meeting. The motion was approved narrowly by a 2-1 vote, with two commissioners absent.
Reasons given for increasing wages included keeping up with the costs of inflation and that the Leelanau County board of commissioners approved a similar increase for government employees. But the counterargument was that the costs of a 3% increase would add up quickly, especially for the more highly paid positions, and it could cause controversy with union employees.
The raise was approved with Vice Chairman Garth Greenan and Commissioner Jim Calhoun voting in favor, and Chairman Bob Joyce voting against it. Joyce added that he was opposed for the reasons listed above, but he still felt that all employees deserved a raise. Commissioners Mel Black and Greg Mikowski were absent.
The road commission also awarded contracts for bridge/ culvert replacements on Alpine and White roads to AJ’s Excavating, with the total cost of both projects at about $1.1 million, and authorized staff to administer the projects. This will be partially funded through an agreement with the Conservation Resource Alliance.
All present road commissioners unanimously supported Fleet and Facilities Manager Tim Trudell in his bid for a seat on the Michigan County Road Association (CRA) board of directors. The CRA recently allowed all board members four-year terms, but this appointment is for a three-year term before the transition becomes effective. Trudell is running against Kirk Harrier of Otsego County.
Road Commission Manager Brendan Mullane said that an M-72 closure initially scheduled for mid-January was pushed back to Feb. 3 due to delays in getting permits. The highway will be closed just west of the M-22 intersection near Greilickville for four weeks while crews relocate underground utilities. Traffic will be detoured onto county roads and Traverse City streets.
Utilities are being moved in preparation for work on a new roundabout at this three-way intersection, which is currently scheduled to start in mid-April.
In his Jan. 21 report to the board, Mullane praised road workers for plowing snow almost every day of the month so far. He added that they have been able to respond much faster to changing weather conditions now that they are fully staffed.
“Our drivers have been working their tails off and they are doing a great job. I have to show my appreciation to them, both as their manager and as someone who uses the roads,” Mullane said.
The road commissioners also discussed sending a notice to service providers reminding them that service lines need to be a minimum of 18 feet above the road. According to Calhoun, a truck hit low-hanging wires on North Shore Drive in Northport a couple of weeks previously, resulting in extended power outages in the area and an emergency response.
