By By MARCIA STEFFENS / Dowagiac Daily News
CASSOPOLIS - An apology will be given by both parties, the Village of Cassopolis and its clerk, Paula Beauchamp.
Beauchamp filed a lawsuit against the village after she was told to leave a closed session in January at which the council was to discuss Village Manager Art Sciorra.
Though Beauchamp will not receive any money, her attorney, Mark Westrate of Dowagiac, will be paid a flat fee of $10,000 by the Municipal League, the village's insurance company.
Village Attorney Frank DeFrancisco told the council it was a good settlement, as did Attorney Robert Callahan.
No agreement on who should be president could be made by the remaining board members at a recent Cassopolis Village Councils special meeting, following the recall of President Julia Bell and two trustees, William Curry and Maxine Snipes.
Michelle Andrews, as longest serving member of the board, should act as interim president, according to DeFrancisco.
The four members left, who also include Clare Mallo, Bob Yoder and Vince Hawkins, also couldn't agree to pay the bills until a bill for $1,163 to Yeo and Yeo was removed at this time from payment.
According to Sciorra, those expenses occurred when he or council members had questions about the previous audit by that firm.
Treasurer Cynthia Ash told the board a plan with her helping Beauchamp is in place for past items which still need to be put into the general ledger and should be completed in the next 10 to 15 weeks.
Soon they should be able to seek bids for the village audit.
Negotiations are still being made with the Department of Water Quality (DEQ) on fines the village is to pay from spills. According to the attorney, the counter offer of $7,500, down from about $40,000 was countered back by the DEQ for $15,500.
It is possible that $10,000 of that amount could come back to the village in the way of improvements to water quality, with $5,000 kept for administrative costs.
Election of a village president and two trustees will be part of the ballot on Tuesday, Nov. 8.
A recount made by LaGrange Township Clerk Amy Juroff yielded one additional yes vote in favor of recalling President Julia Bell. She has chosen to run for the office of trustee.
Also running for two open trustee positions on the council are Raymond Strome, Tim Swenor and Leon Gilliam.
Putting his hat in the ring for president of the village, is William Curry, who had been on the board for nearly two years before being recalled.
Also turning in a petition to be on the ballot for president is Michelle Andrews, who as the longest serving board member was appointed interim chair.
Running against Curry and Andrews will be former village president Fred Senger.
Former trustee Maxine Snipes is unable to run for the same position from which she was recalled.