WHITEHALL — The Whitehall Township board unanimously approved a job title switch for John Duff during its Oct. 27 meeting, naming him the township Department of Public Works director at an updated salary.
Duff was previously deputy supervisor. Supervisor Dennis Kroll proposed eliminating that position and giving Duff the updated title in light of all the work he has been doing as the township sewer administrator. Duff, who according to Kroll was effectively being paid $5 per hour for the work he was doing, was installed at an updated salary of $14,400 per year.
The position, as all positions are, will be open to review in future years, per a discussion between Kroll and trustee Chuck Schmitigal during the meeting.
The board has also proposed a bump in the late fees for its quarterly sewer payments. The late fees were previously 1% per month for unpaid balances after a 30-day window. Kroll said he felt the small fee was "antiquated," resulting in the proposal to increase the fee to 3% per month. As the fee is a matter of township ordinance, the board is required to make the proposal public at two meetings before enacting the change, so it will be proposed again and voted on at the Nov. 24 meeting. If approved, the change would take effect with bills dated Jan. 1.
During public comment, township resident Kathy Dusseau asked if the township can do anything about lowering speed limits on Wiczer Road. She said there are 49 homes on her one-mile stretch of Wiczer, but the speed limit is 55 miles per hour. She said her mailbox has been taken out in the past and that she and neighbors are concerned about having children in their front yards given the high limit. Kroll replied that Michigan is looking at its current survey plan for speed limits; Public Act 33 of 2024 allowed municipalities to petition county road commissions for speed limit changes without needing to conduct a speed study.
