Dowagiac City Council Monday night approved the contract by which July 1 it becomes general manager of the Cassopolis Area Utilities Authority.

Dowagiac will make $30,000 in each of the next two years for providing administrative, accounting and field service administration, providing technical support to the Village of Cassopolis Public Works Department.

The CAUA accepted the agreement June 17, City Manager Kevin Anderson said.

Terms of the five-year agreement with an option to renew include $600 increases each year in the third, fourth and fifth years and one-year notice for non-renewal or termination.

CAUA encompasses the sewer system serving Cassopolis, Vandalia and Diamond and Donnell lakes.

“We should be able to do this particular contract without having to add anything to our existing workforce,” Anderson said.

Russom Park

Tentative timelines indicate a 10-week construction period for work at Russom Park in partnership with Silver Creek Township.

Playground equipment constitutes a separate contract.

The first phase consists of construction of parking lots on Yaw Street and on Middle Crossing Road, more than a mile of walking trails, six full-size soccer fields and the future addition of two baseball diamonds.

“It does not include a shelter at this time,” Anderson said, “mostly because the grant didn’t allow for it, but it does call for an upgrade of electricity on the site, buried under ground. When it’s all said and done, it should be a very nice community park — the kind of place that’s not just for kids, but families as well.”

After he spoke to Dowagiac Rotary Club June 20, Anderson heard from Council on Aging officials that they want to coordinate transportation to the site at the north edge of town.

Other business

N Third Ward Councilman Dr. Charles Burling shared that Borgess-Lee Memorial Hospital had a “very productive retreat” June 21 with a nationally recognized speaker on “things to look for as The Affordable Care Fact goes into effect.”

N Second Ward Councilman Bob Schuur said the alley behind Fifth Third Bank contains a pothole “big enough to bury an elephant,” to which Mayor Don Lyons, without missing a beat, said, “The good news is, if we ever do find an elephant, we’ll know where to put it.”

In the meantime, Anderson will follow up on the crater.

N Council spent $659,935, including $536,960 for bills and $122,975 for payroll before retreating to closed session to discuss negotiations related to purchase of property.