CASSOPOLIS — A motion to appoint a committee to review Board of Commissioners rules and ethics failed Jan. 6 in a 7-8 vote.

Voting no were Robert Wagel, Dwight Dyes, Gordon Bickel, Charlie Arnold, Carl Higley, Ron Francis, Annie File and Dale Lowe.

Last year’s chairman, Robert Ziliak, R-Milton Township, who made the unsuccessful motion, supported by new Commissioner Roseann Marchetti, commented, “I have a concern over it being voted down.”

Also voting for the rules review were new Chair Minnie Warren, new Vice Chair Ed Goodman, Dowagiac Commissioner E. Clark Cobb, new Parliamentarian Johnie Rodebush and Cathy Goodenough.

Ziliak continued, “Our rules need to be looked at. This past year we had several incidents occur on this board and with actions we’ve taken. We just let things go on.

“We’ve gotten opinions on some of these issues with our attorney. He comes back and says, ‘You don’t have a rule for that.’

“One example, a previous commissioner and his wife signed up for a conference and didn’t go. Some board members wanted him to reimburse the county for his wife’s expense. We didn’t have a rule in place to enforce that, so we couldn’t come back on him and retrieve the money for canceling.”

“That’s why we need a committee,” Ziliak said, “and it’s going to take a lot of research to find out what we need in a set of rules, what other counties are doing and what MAC (Michigan Association of Counties) recommends. Our rules are not complete.”

Rodebush, D-Howard Township, remarked that Allegan County’s Code of Conduct runs 11 pages. “I agree with Commissioner Ziliak. We should take a look at it.”

“We’ll revisit it,” Warren assured Ziliak.
Warren’s first order of business is meeting with Ziliak and outgoing Vice Chair Ron Francis for a status report “so we can understand where they are, then go forward from there” — particularly on the search for a county administrator before Cass marks the anniversary of Terry Proctor’s last meeting on Feb. 4.

“I think as soon as possible the new chair needs to contact our headhunter (Robert Slavin of Georgia), for lack of a better word and see if we can’t can’t get this done sometime in January,” Commissioner Carl Higley Sr., R-Ontwa Township, said.

“It’s been long enough. We need to hold his feet to the fire and get something done.”
“I’ll concur with Mr. Higley,” Commissioner Gordon Bickel Sr., R-Porter Township said. “This has been going on so long it’s ridiculous,”

“I agree,” Warren said.

Interim Administrator Chuck Clarke said he would provide the three new commissioners with candidates’ resumes.

Ziliak pledged to help Warren “in any way I can. Don’t hesitate to call.”