Township Manager

Year in Review

The quality of life objectives of our citizens, and the strategies to achieve those objectives, are not accomplished by themselves. Behind any successful program, construction project, or improvement undertaken by our governing authority, lies a strong network support system to accomplish these objectives. Our Township Board is committed to the professional management of its public policies, and operates under a “council/manager” form of governance modified to fit statutory laws governing townships. For every action taken by our Township Board—an ordinance, resolution, program, appropriation, or budget consideration—a highly effective team of managers and staff are dedicated to carrying out the goals, objectives, and strategies of our Township’s Elected Officials.

In order to more effectively serve the public’s needs and those of the governing authority, an Administrative Reorganization Plan for Township Hall Offices was adopted by the Township Board. Departmental functions as well as employee classifications and wages were realigned, creating a centralized Finance Department. This reorganization of departments and staff members will ensure that taxpayer dollars are utilized conscientiously and efficiently.

A major reorganization plan was developed for building and planning functions. Now operating under a Community Development Department structure, the reorganized department has expanded to include a new civil infraction procedure for municipal code enforcement. This effort decriminalized our former code enforcement process, streamlining enforcement actions and allowing revenues from code violations to be received by the Township rather than District Court. For the first time in Township history, a full-time Code Enforcement Officer was employed to work with citizens and neighborhood associations on code compliance. A Township Board resolution revised the fee structure, and the department can now boast that its entire building, planning, and code operations are self sufficient, not requiring any Township tax dollars for its activities.

Good decisions can only be forged through the dissemination of quality information. To ensure that our boards, commissions, committees, and Elected Officials are employing timely and manageable information, a series of improvements have been made to upgrade the Township’s information system. Our police dispatch and public safety hardware and software has been revolutionized, allowing police to share criminal databases within the region, state, and nation. Our police officers will have the capacity to access key data during criminal investigations at all times whether in their vehicles, on the scene, or at the station. Unprecedented throughout the state, Grosse Ile Township participated in the formation of an Information Systems Consortium, sharing hardware and software costs with five other Downriver communities. This produced savings to Grosse Ile of close to $300,000.

No project can be accomplished without funds to finance its implementation. The primary role of our Board of Trustees is to manage the fiduciary affairs of our Township. To aid our board members in their elected responsibilities, a state of the art financial software system is currently being employed following the establishment of a new Y2K compliant wide-area network. Boards, commissions, committees as well as township departments will now have the ability to review real time information on revenue, expenditures, and encumbrances.

Decision making at all levels can be achieved under a cost benefit analysis of afforded options, opportunities, and constraints.

Following years of concerted efforts by the Cable Commission and Township board in soliciting competitive and quality cable services to our public, success was achieved by the execution of a franchise agreement with Ameritech New Media (Americast Cablevision) and the adoption of a new cable operating ordinance. The benefits of competition are now being realized by our residents with the delivery of expanded channel offerings and digital fiberoptics. Competition combined with the Township Board’s efforts at negotiation have stimulated Comcast Cable Services not only to upgrade its services but also to represent the first opportunity for Island residents to access high speed cable modem services.

As we close this fiscal year and enter the first full fiscal year of the new millennium, many challenges await the administrative team, which have been set in place by the actions of our Township Board. A series of applications for Federal and State grants have been completed, calling for major economic revitalization of our airport commerce park, the enhancement of our bike and trail system, and the opportunity for new recreational offerings, pedestrian and landscape amenities along the Macomb Street corridor. If successful, these grants could total over $2 million to augment local revenues necessary to achieve our goals.

It has been a pleasure this past year working together with Township Board members and our Administrative Team to ensure that the highest level of service is provided to our Grosse Ile residents.

David A. Mekarski, AICP
Township Manager

1999-2000 Annual Report

1999-2000 Annual Report

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