City Council

ARMADA TOWNSHIP BOARD Special Meeting Minutes 23121 East Main Armada, MI 48005 December 29, 2023 MINUTES CALL TO ORDER: 7:00 p.m. by Supervisor Paterek MEMBERS PRESENT: Murray, Paterek, Job, Goetzinger MEMBER ABSENT: Swiacki – Clerk Swiacki notified Supervisor Paterek she was unable to attend due to a prior commitment. ALSO PRESENT: Stephen Kohut, Candidate Comment for the record: Trustee Goetzinger noted that Clerk Swiacki stated that she had full confidence and no hesitation in the recommendation of Mr. Kohut. Supervisor Paterek reiterated that he had the same opinion from Clerk Swiacki. Background for this special meeting: Follow up to Fire Chief Hiring Sub-committee meeting on 12-18-23. Trustee Goetzinger, chairperson of Fire Chief Hiring Sub-committee, notified the board of trustees on 12-20-23 that their portion of the hiring process had concluded and offered their recommendation to the board. The committee recommended hiring Stephen Kohut as Armada Fire Department Fire Chief after thorough evaluation, testing, interviews and discussion. Matter is turned over to the board of trustees for the final portion of the process. Supervisor Paterek had a discussion with Mr. Stephen Kohut on 12-28-23. This was follow-up to the committee meeting and candidate recommendation. Covered the current job description as advertised and Mr. Kohut’s thoughts on a contract if he were to also pass the psychiatric evaluation, criminal background check and physical examination. Board discussion was based on Mr. Kohut’s negotiable contract discussion with Supervisor Paterek, the Townships employment description in its advertisement and current contract in use for Fire Chief if the additional requirements mentioned above are met: • Does not require healthcare or the offered stipend for health care of $4500. Suggested instead to add $4000 to wage of $75,000 bringing it to $79,000 base pay per year. • $1000 per year increase in base wage • Three-year contract • 10% retirement benefit based on annual wage to be paid annually • All benefits to follow hire date only. Not fiscal year, not beginning of year. • Overtime paid at 1.5 hours of comp time accumulated for emergency fire runs only as stated in existing contract. Overtime to be used as vacation time and will be tracked on each paystub by Clerk Swiacki, fire department payroll clerk, and as submitted by Fire Department to clerk for payroll. This will not roll over to next year and paystub will reflect continual tracking. • Four weeks paid vacation that expires at the end of each anniversary year. Does not roll over to next year. Will be compensated in pay for time not used first paycheck of new anniversary year. • $750 uniform allowance to begin the date of hire, annually thereafter • One-year probationary period  • Must submit in writing six months prior to end of contract term of intentions as to possible continued employment with any modifications to contract or ending employment at end of contract. • Six-month employee evaluation, annually thereafter • Verbal communication with Mr. Kohut at meeting. He is in agreement with these terms if he also passes the additional requirements. • No additional adverse issues were mentioned regarding the remainder of the Townships current Fire Chief contract. • Paid holidays per County of Macomb schedule of holidays. • Mr. Kohut was also advised in addition to other duties this is an admin role NEW BUSINESS: Fire Department: Fire Chief Candidate Offer of Employment -Motion by Paterek, second by Job to send Mr. Kohut through the process of the psychological evaluation, criminal background check and physical. Pending passing those requirements, hire him as the new Fire Chief. All Ayes Adjournment: Motion by Paterek, second by Murray to adjourn the meeting at 7:18 pm. All Ayes Submitted by: _________________________________ John W. Paterek Armada Township Supervisor