Road Commission Cuts Workforce by 30 Percent
By Amy Polk

A shrinking budget and short road construction list is forcing the Mackinac County Road Commission to reduce its workforce by 30%.

Eight seasonal employees will be laid off March 28, and commissioners have no plans to call them back for the summer construction season. Commissioners also decided Tuesday, March 11, to reduce the full-time, union workforce from 18 employees to 14: one foreman, one mechanic, and five heavy equipment operators in each of the county's two garages. The rest of the full-time employees will be laid off March 28 with the seasonal employees until the construction season, when they will be called back to work on road projects.

Road commissions around the state were told to expect 4% less money from state and federal sources this year, said Road Commission Manager Karrie Abbitt. Only two road construction projects, Swede Road in Clark Township and East Lake Road in Brevort Township, have received state approval to move forward this summer. Other projects are still awaiting state approval that may or may not come through, Mrs. Abbitt said.

Commissioners Tuesday also named Bill Wagner the county construction and maintenance foreman while Mrs. Abbitt is on three months' maternity leave, starting in early April. Mr. Wagner is now west district garage foreman, so he will receive additional compensation for taking responsibility for the entire county. Commissioners increased his hourly rate of pay from $24.37 to $30. Mr. Wagner will be responsible for all county construction and maintenance projects, as well as the budget for those projects. West district crew leader Gary Derusha will fill in for Mr. Wagner.

Terry Cece was named the acting east district garage foreman until Dale Williams returns to the job after at least six weeks' medical leave while he gets treatment for a shoulder injury he suffered last year. Mr. Cece, a seasonal heavy equipment operator, will be responsible for supervising maintenance projects in the east side of the county. Commissioners increased Mr. Cece's hourly rate from $16.13 to $20 and will pay him an additional $1.50 per hour in lieu of benefits because the position is temporary.

Regarding the March 28 layoffs, Mrs. Abbitt asked commissioners to keep the full-time employees on through April 3 so they can attend mandatory mining safety training. The training is required for workers entering road commission gravel pits.

Commissioner Paul Amacher said if the training is required for their jobs, the workers should voluntarily attend without the road commission having to keep them on an additional week.

"This is going to be a late spring, and if we're going to save money, now is the time to do it," Mr. Amacher said before making a motion to proceed with the March 28 layoff.

Commission Saves $38,800 by Changing Retirees' Health Insurance

Retired road commission workers will see little change in their insurance benefits, said agent Jennifer Michelin of Mazzali Insurance Agency, but the road commission will cut its premium costs in half by adopting a new policy. Among the changes, retirees will now receive vision and dental insurance and will pay $10 for prescriptions instead of the $2 they paid under the previous policy. Private duty nursing is not covered under the new policy. Hospital stays longer then 275 days will need approval for road commission coverage, as will hospital stays for mental health reasons longer than 190 days. The changes will impact three retired employees now covered by the "old" policy, and two more expected to retire this year. All future retirees will be covered by this policy and receive the new vision and dental insurance.

Mrs. Michelin said the "old" Master Medical insurance policy cost the road commission $77,000 each year for three employees. The new policy will cost $32,800.

Four retired employees covered under an even older policy in which they pay their own premium will be offered the same benefits at a reduced cost. Mrs. Michelin will meet with those employees and present the new plan, which also cuts the rates in half. A two-person monthly premium, for example, would cost $1,215 instead of the $2,575 they now pay.

Road Agreements Signed for Black Point, Hog Island, H-40, Clark and Moran Townships Match

Commissioners signed road work contracts for Black Point Road in Brevort Township, Hog Island Road in Hudson Township, H-40 in Hudson Township, and for the match programs in Clark and Moran townships.

Black Point Road will receive a double chip seal application on 1.40 miles of road, starting 0.5 mile north of Charles Moran Road and continuing north, around the curve.

An intersection at Hog Island Road and H-40 in Hudson Township's Rexton will be realigned for safety. One of two legs of the road entering H-40 will be eliminated, and the road will receive a six-inch gravel lift. Nearly one mile of H-40 starting at the east line of Hudson Township will be paved and receive a course of hot mix asphalt wedging to correct cracks and buckling in the road.

As part of the county's match program, commissioners approved Clark Township's plans to spend $20,000 on miscellaneous projects and $10,000 on Durapatch pavement preservation. Moran Township will spend $20,000 on ditching along Worth and Cheeseman roads, and $10,000 on pavement preservation.

Commissioners Signed Title Sheets for Simmons and Krause Roads

As a part of the state approval process, commissioners signed title sheets for projects on Simmons and Krause roads. The project applications are still in Lansing awaiting design and official funding allocation, Mrs. Abbitt said.

If the road commission receives state approval, nearly one mile of Simmons Road west of Three-Mile Road in Marquette Township will be lifted. A new base, at least six inches of new gravel, and drainage improvements are slated for the road section. The Krause Road project in Garfield Township is also awaiting approval, and would replace the Skunk Creek culvert. A gravel lift will be applied from Brown Road north about 0.5 mile.