WILLIAMSTON — In order to take advantage of professional
services, a small town east of Lansing decided to contract for its community
development and planning directors, according to the Williamston Enterprise. The
city council has agreed to hire McKenna Associates Inc. to provide the services.
Officials expect the move to save money. Filling the positions
directly would cost approximately $140,000. The contract calls for a base
payment of $116,880 per year, the Enterprise reported.
The city’s neighboring township already has a contract with
McKenna. "For us, it works out better because we could never afford an on-staff
planner. They have so many resources they can tap into at their office for
design and any type of ordinance from landscaping to cemeteries to ballparks and
everything. It’s like having 20 people working for you, but you only pay for the
one that’s here for the day," Williamston Township Supervisor Mickey Martin told
the Enterprise.
If the city is dissatisfied with the contract, it can
immediately terminate it, the Enterprise reported. Almost a half year into the
contract, City Manager Lisa Hitchcock reports being very satisfied with the
arrangement.
Many Michigan residents may not realize the degree to which such
functions can be provided to units of government by for-profit enterprises.
Zoning reviews, fire inspections and mechanical, plumbing and building code
enforcement are all services provided under contract with units of government
somewhere in the United States, if not in Michigan. For more on this subject,
see the MPR article "Looking Over Private Inspections" at www.mackinac.org/3161.
Reference: Williamston Enterprise, "City hires firm
for planning, development," July 1, 2007
