By By JOHN EBY / Niles Daily Star
CASSOPOLIS – Cass County Road Commission's precarious financial situation was reiterated again and again Thursday as the county Board of Commissioners interviewed eight finalists for two new January seats on what has been a three-member panel of Chairman Robert Powers, Clifford Poehlman and Roger Bowser.
"In 2005, they were bringing in revenue of $710,000 a month. This year's budget has fallen to about $540,000 a month," creating a $1.2 million deficit, Commissioner David Taylor, D-Edwardsburg, said.
The gap will attempt to be closed by two millage questions commissioners voted 10-3 to place on the Jan. 15 presidential primary ballot.
Each seeks a half mill, or 50 cents per $1,000 state equalized value for four years, 2008-2011, which would generate $828,400 the first year of the levy. One request is for primary road and major street improvements, the other for local bridge and street improvements.
Commissioners Ed Goodman, D-Silver Creek, John Cureton, R-Dowagiac, and Dixie Ann File, R-Cassopolis, voted against, with Commissioners Minnie Warren and Carl Higley absent.
One new road commissioner will be appointed to a four-year term and the other for two years. Road commissioners otherwise serve six-year terms.
Chairman Robert Wagel, R-Wayne Township, allotted 10 minutes for each presentation – five minutes for candidates' opening remarks and five minutes for questions from the board.
Two former commissioners were among those quizzed – Dale Lowe and Larry Malsch.
Malsch, of 65696 W. Peninsula Drive, Porter Township, Cassopolis also served eight years on Dowagiac City Council and as Porter Township supervisor before his recall over the controversial sewer project.
Lowe, 1326 Breezy Beach, Howard Township, Niles, has been in the area since 1955, is married and has four children. The District 14 commissioner in 2005-2006 chairs the Woodlands Behavioral Healthcare Network board and serves as vice chairman of the Cass County Building Authority.
Lowe attended more than a dozen Road Commission meetings after getting interested in the Eagle Lake Road abandonment.
"I retired after 32 years in manufacturing," including a foreman at Tyler Refrigeration in Niles.
"I would like to see more communication between this board and the Road Commission," Lowe told his successor, Debbie Johnson, D-Niles.
Others interviewed included: Mike Brosnan of 28436 Downey St., Silver Creek Township, Dowagiac; Louis R. Csokasy of 21198 Carlton Drive, Calvin Township, Cassopolis; LeRoy R. Krempec of 68373 George Smith Court, Mason Township, Edwardsburg; Howard McClelland of 65773 Dailey Road, Jefferson Township, Edwardsburg; Lennel D. Smith of 65817 Tharp Lake Road, Cassopolis; and William "Bill" Vaughn of 19307 Northrop St., Calvin Township, Cassopolis.