By JOHN EBY

Dowagiac Daily News

Cass and neighboring St. Joseph will be the first Michigan counties to share a road commission manager, Louis Csokasy.

The St. Joseph County Road Commission (SJCRC) Wednesday morning gave informal approval to an operational agreement between the agencies.

Csokasy has headed the Cass County Road Commission (CCRC) for two years.

The five-member CCRC agreed to the arrangement in principle pending a review by both attorneys of language before formal adoption Oct. 21.

The two counties would divide his $72,000 salary and benefits.

The Three Rivers Commercial-News reported Thursday that the decision to hire Csokasy came after Tim O’Rourke, manager of the Roscommon County Road Commission, couldn’t reach employment terms with the SJCRC following an offer of $85,000 in salary plus $5,000 in moving expenses.

The SJCRC position opened in July with the retirement of engineer/manager Bruce Jones, who served for 52 years.

“We’ll initiate two agreements — an employment agreement and a joint operating agreement,” Csokasy was quoted by the newspaper in the discussion on finalizing the proposal at Oct. 13’s SJCRC meeting. “I think it’s a good road map. I’m ready to go. Just sign the contract and I’ll be here.”

He outlined four requirements he’d need to make the plan work: a contract, an introduction to the entire SJCRC staff, check signing authority and patience while adjustments are made to the new concept.

“I’m a change agent,” Csokasy explained. “I try to do it professionally. Some people don’t like change. But when I see areas that need to be changed, I’ll change it.”

Neither Csokasy or CCRC Chairman LeRoy Krempec of Edwardsburg could be reached for comment Thursday night.

Vice Chairman Robert Powers of Marcellus, however, who is stepping down at the end of the year after 30 years on the road commission and eight years on the county commission, said Cass and St. Joseph are “almost twins” and a good fit.

“ It’s going to happen,” Powers said. “A whole lot of counties will be watching,” such as Hillsdale and Branch or Barry and Calhoun.

“Louie’s very capable,” Powers added. “If this goes through we’re going to make it work” because the state’s ongoing financial woes and lack of road support has pushed the issue onto the local level’s plate.

Powers characterized the discussions as “very low key” but “not secretive.”

Two county commissioners reached before deadline both said the development was news to them.

Commissioner Gordon Bickel Sr., R-Porter Township, liaison to the road commission, felt “completely caught off guard” because when he inquired about the move a few weeks ago “it was all denied.”

SJCRC chair John Bippus was quoted as being pleased with the plan. “This is going to be a good relationship,” he said.

Under terms of the arrangement, Csokasy will remain a CCRC employee, with the SJCRC paying monthly for half of his employment costs.

With that, Bippus said, “I make the motion we authorize Louis to start effective immediately.” That was followed by a unanimous vote of acceptance of Csokasy’s overture, the Commercial-News reported.

Yunker said that although the SCJRC had made an offer for a full-time manager, the idea of exploring a shared manager came up at the beginning of the search process, and he said a proposal was made to Cass County and Csokasy at the outset.

“We determined as a board that it was an interesting option,” Yunker said. “But … we wanted him to go through interviewing just like everyone else.”

Commissioner Rick Anderson said the sharing concept had arisen even before a manager search was needed.

“We had looked at joint operating for services a year ago,” he said.

Yunker, Anderson and Csokasy each mentioned the fact the CCRC owns and operates an asphalt plant — something few road commissions do — and that it would be very cost-effective for both counties to share in its use.

Also, the SJCRC operates its own chip and seal operation, which will benefit both counties as well.

Powers added another advantage for Cass — St. Joseph County’s bridge-building crew.

Csokasy and Krempec were appointed to the road commission when it enlarged from trhee to five members.

Powers opposed enlarging the road commission at the time, but in hindsight thinks it has served the county well.