Shawn Hauck

The meeting included a review and subsequent failure to approve an indefinite postponement of any action regarding the City of Saugatuck Sewer Capacity Purchase. A subsequent motion to decline consent for the sale of sewer capacity from the City of the Village of Douglas to the City of Saugatuck carried, directing the Manager/Administrator to draft a response letter to the involved municipalities. The Board conducted a preliminary budget review for FY27, postponing final action until the next meeting, and postponed action on the Health Insurance Renewal. Additionally, the Board tabled the approval of the compensation package for the Administrator position to allow for negotiation regarding a car allowance, and unanimously adopted the presented By-laws.

The agenda covered various items including routine financial reviews such as Bills & Review of Invoices for September and related revenue/expense statements. New business involved a motion to approve a Generator Rental Invoice from Total Energy Systems, LLC for $11,916.85 related to a prior WWTP generator failure, a request for an update on Surge Protector status at LS6, discussion on disposing of old vehicle fleet assets, designation of Kaz Bajc as the primary SRF loan contact, tabling a decision on the Lift Station 8 stabilization proposal, reviewing a request for sewer capacity transfer from the City of Douglas to Saugatuck Township (55,000 gpd), and discussion regarding the Administrator Hiring Process framework.

During the meeting, the agenda was amended to include Commission Comments, the managers' report, and a review of the recruitment process. The consent agenda was approved with an amendment requiring the addition of a summary page for previous meeting minutes, which was explained as a bylaw requirement. Under reports, the Administrator discussed his thoughts on the Northern Lights Billing situation and the Authority website. New business involved keeping the Authority Structure topic on the agenda as a placeholder concerning work on the new Water Agreement. Old business included a motion to review Administrator candidate resumes at the regular meeting on December 15, and reviewing the draft By-laws, which were returned with comments for revision.

The Commission meeting agenda included standard items such as Roll Call, Approval of Agenda, and Public Comments, where speakers were limited to three or five minutes. The Consent Agenda covered the review of December bills and invoices, approval of minutes from December 15th and 18th, 2025, and various operational, historical uses, and community base fee reports. New Business items focused on a preliminary budget review, the review and approval of the City of Saugatuck's sewer capacity purchase, health insurance renewals, Operator In Charge designation, and setting 2026 meeting dates. Old Business included updates on the Administrator hiring, by-law review and approval, a union update, and the Mt Baldhead service line.

The Special Commission Meeting agenda included a public comment period, a review of consent agendas which covered bills, invoices, and reports for December and January, and correspondence. New business items focused on the administrator hiring update and contract authorization, a budget review, and an update regarding Kaz's retirement. The Commission Meeting on December 15th included entering a closed session to review confidential communications and applicant information, approving the consent agenda (with edits to the December 3rd minutes), discussing retirement funds, reviewing engineering standards, and inviting candidates for administrator interviews. A subsequent Special Public Meeting on December 18th involved interviewing two administrator candidates and conditionally offering the position to Robert Miller, contingent on a background check and negotiation. The January 21st Special Public Meeting addressed the City of Saugatuck sewer capacity purchase, which resulted in a motion to indefinitely postpone action and a subsequent motion to decline consent for the sale and direct the Manager to draft a response letter conveying this decision. This meeting also included postponing action on the FY27 Budget and Health Insurance Renewal, and tabling approval of the compensation package for the administrator candidate, as well as adopting new By-laws.