Schnell Leaves Development Post at Village
Mackinaw City
By Paul Gingras

Steve Schnell, community development director for Mackinaw City, has resigned from the village to work in a similar, newly created position for Cheboygan County. At the Village Council meeting Thursday, June 21, the board voted to post the nowopen position, and change its title to Planning/Zoning Administrator, which board members called an apt description.

Since 1999, Mr. Schnell has prepared and presented reports to the Village Council, worked with the planning commission, and helped with zoning and land use projects, in addition to taking part in village development activities.

In his resignation letter, he said, "I have thought about this long and hard, and it has not been an easy decision. This staff has become like a family to me."

Mr. Schnell said June 7 he feels well prepared to tackle issues facing Cheboygan County.

Village Manager Jeff Lawson has been working extra hours to compensate for the loss of Mr. Schnell, who was considered a highly effective and personable employee, board members noted.

Mr. Lawson said when resumes are submitted, he will narrow the pool of applicants based on experience. Board members are awaiting resumes for consideration.

In other business, Mackinaw City Police Chief Patrick Wyman announced that he was named president of the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police at its annual June conference in Harbor Springs. As president, Mr. Wyman will help set policy for the organization and lobby on the state level on behalf of police departments.

The Village Council has approved its millage for 2007. Tax bills will be sent to the village's 859 residents and non-resident property owners in July.

Mackinaw City has a taxable value of $109,403,393, spread between the townships of Mackinaw ($72,729,464) and Wawatam ($36,673,929). The village will levy 16.0657 mills to raise $1,757,634, about $36,000 more than last year. The millage was reduced 0.0158 from last year.

A mill collects $1 for each $1,000 in taxable value of property.

The largest portion, 10.6215 mills, will produce $1,162,028 for the village's general fund, which pays for police, fire, and parks and recreation departments. It also funds the municipal government.

Another 3.8289 mills will produce $418,895 for roads, 0.3087 mills to raise $33,773 for cemetery operations and utilities, and 0.8495 mills to raise $92,938 on behalf of Mackinaw Area Public Library, even though the village does not own the library.

To promote and host events in the area, such as Fourth of July and Labor Day celebrations, the village will levy 0.4571 mills, producing $50,000. Much of this will be spent on fireworks, said Mr. Lawson, with the balance used to pay staff to prepare and clean village facilities.

The village council accepted a special event request by harpist Anne Brege to perform on the Central Avenue sidewalk this summer. She has performed in Mackinaw City since 2003.

Council tabled a request from a three-person jazz group called Uke Bros, pending more information regarding their music and how much of the sidewalk the band would need.

The board also renewed its contract with the Department of Natural Resources to participate in the central reservation system, which allows marina patrons to make online reservations. The Mackinaw City Municipal Marina was the first to take part in the system, Mr. Lawson said. As a result, the state has relied upon the village for much of its initial feedback.

The system "is working for us," he added.

Village President Robert Heilman noted that the central database connecting Michigan's marinas is in Maryland. This "should be an embarrassment to Michigan," he said.