Commissioners Vote Against Expanding Road Board
Decides To Keep Commissioners at Three After Second Public Hearing
By Karen Gould

The size of the road commission will not be increased from three to five members, said Mackinac County commissioners following a second public hearing on the matter Thursday, June 7. The first public hearing was held in April.

A new law gives county leaders across the state the option to increase the number of road commissioners to a maximum of five.

Twenty-two county residents attended Thursday's hearing, with 12 speaking up against the road board expansion, saying they would rather have the cost associated with adding two board members used for road improvements. While no one at the hearing voiced support for the board expansion, letters presented during the hearing from the county's two western township boards, Portage and Newton, favored the change. Aletter from Hudson Township opposed the increase. Previously, county commissioners had received a letter from Clark Township board seeking road representation in its township.

Road commissioners receive the same compensation as county commissioners. Board chairmen earn $5,049 annually and board members are paid $4,222.80 a year. For meetings attended, board members are compensated $60 a day. They also receive retirement benefits and can receive health insurance.

The additional two road commission seats would have cost the road commission more than $11,500 a year, not including benefits.

Road Commission Chairman Frank Luepnitz and commissioner Paul Amacher attended the hearing. The third commissioner is Lester Livermore.

"Some of the people from the poorer townships in this county, because I've been to several road commission meetings, those are the people who do not eventually get the service," said Dr. David Craig of Brevort Township. "If we have to cut them back any further, then we might as well go back to horses, because it would be easier to go down some of those roads than it is to try to travel in a vehicle."

Hudson Township Supervisor Al Garavaglia agreed.

"Why put $40,000 into two more people sitting behind the table?" he asked. "I'll take $40,000 in road work any day."

Portage Township resident Richard Oliver, formerly of St. Ignace, who has sought election to the road board, addressed the inequality of benefits for part-time employees, compared to road commissioners. He said if board benefits were reduced, funds saved would cover the expenses of two additional road commissioners.

"These are part-time positions," he said of the road board. "Part-time employees to the road commission do not get health insurance. Commissioners are part-time and they get health insurance, they get retirement. They get a lot of benefits that the other part-time employees don't."

Keeping costs down and calling for cooperation within the road commission were appeals made by many of the residents who addressed county leaders at the hearing.

"Keep the three people on there and hope that in the future they will work together to make our money go a little further and do a good job," suggested Brevort resident Warren Smith, who also called for itemized billing for road work.

"Putting on two additional people is not going to fix the roads faster, or better, or get any more money," said Joan Theut of St. Ignace Township.

She read a three-year-old letter signed by then-road commissioners Lester Livermore, John Duncan, and Paul Amacher opposing the legislation that would increase the size of the board. The letter included five reasons the road board should not be increased, including the added expense of additional board members.

"With road funding already in short supply, it makes little sense to spend more money in administrative fees," she read.

Clark Township resident Robert Holland also expressed his concern for the cost of adding two commissioners, with only $100,000 left in the road commission's seasonal maintenance fund.

"I think it is the county commission's fiduciary responsibility to look at what it will cost the county," he said. "We're all concerned about the road commission budget."

John Lechner of Dafter, who owns property in the county, said, "I think it is working fine, it's very open. People can go to the road commission meetings and if they are not satisfied there, they can come to you," referring to county commissioners.

County commissioners Larry Leveille and Mike Patrick and Chairperson Dawn Nelson called for increased cooperation among road board members, and a focus on road work. Mr. Patrick also called for the road board to do its job and work with the road commission manager, Craig Kelso.

"You guys are the voice of the people," said Commissioner Mike Patrick. "There is a chain of command. When there's a problem, you go to Mr. Kelso and you make him take care of the problem. Don't try to interfere and bypass him. You guys need to work together and solve your problems, get these things done, and get the roads in shape."

County commissioners Carl Frazier and Calvin McPhee said the most common complaint they receive from township boards is a lack of details in road work estimates and bills.

"The biggest complaint I hear from township people," said Mr. McPhee, "is when they get a bill for $10,000 and it's not itemized, what do you do?"

"It's not the proper way to do business," said Mr. Frazier.

The road commission will take such concerns into account when it meets Tuesday, June 26, at 6 p.m., at which time all township supervisors have been invited to discuss project financing and offer details they would like to see on estimated road agreements and invoices.

Residents called for a vote on the matter of expanding the commission, and Mrs. Nelson said county commissioners did not have to take a vote, rather they could choose to do nothing, which would leave the road board at three members. Nevertheless, a motion to leave the road commission with three members was made by Mr. Leveille. County commissioners unanimously supported his motion, voting on it at the public hearing, and attendees applauded their decision.