The Grosse Ile Township Board spent its Dec. 30 study session focused on how the township will staff and operate the toll bridge it plans to buy in mid‑February to early March, concentrating on a purchase‑agreement clause that requires the township to employ the bridge company’s current workers for a minimum of 90 days after closing.

Derek, the township DPS director, told trustees the purchase agreement "mandates that we are to employ the current employees of the bridge company for a minimum of 90 days following purchase," and described a three‑level model—township oversight, a middle management layer (DPS/commission), and a contracted operator—mirroring the township’s wastewater treatment arrangement.

Why it matters: trustees said the model balances continuity with the township’s desire to avoid direct, long‑term management of daily bridge operations. Board members flagged tradeoffs: a strict bidder requirement to keep all current staff could limit competition or raise costs, while too much outsourcing could transfer control of maintenance or capital priorities despite the township retaining legal ownership and financial responsibility.

Trustees asked staff to return with concrete options. Many favored issuing two optioned solicitations: Option A asking for an operator that supplies staff and runs day‑to‑day functions, and Option B seeking a turnkey management/purchase‑services proposal that would manage broader responsibilities. Several trustees also asked for a decision matrix that lays out low/medium/high cost ranges, liability differences, and the decision points the board must meet to keep the transaction on schedule.

Dissenting concerns included liability and technical expertise. Kevin, a trustee who reviewed previous public Q&A sessions, warned, "We are not experts at running a swing bridge," and urged staff to look for turnkey firms that specialize in bridge operations so the township does not assume daily operational risk without adequate bench strength.

Teresa, who addressed benefits and HR implications, said the purchase language requires offering "substantially similar wages and benefits," and cautioned that the benefit and retirement consequences depend on hours worked and the duration of employment, adding complexity to the 90‑day transition obligation.

Derek said staff will prepare a draft RFP/RFQ that incorporates the two‑option approach, asks bidders to provide benchmarking and references, and includes a revised organizational chart adapted from the wastewater model. Trustees agreed staff should circulate the draft for board feedback; if needed, the board will call an additional meeting before the Jan. 9 session and consider formal approval of solicitation language at its Jan. 13 meeting.

No formal votes were taken at the study session; the board closed the meeting after public questions about benefits, ACA/retirement triggers and whether the township could attempt to renegotiate the employee clause with the seller. Teresa said staff will continue to work with legal and benefits professionals to refine contract language and limit unanticipated liabilities.

What’s next: staff will produce (1) a two‑option RFP/RFQ draft, (2) a decision matrix showing cost/liability tradeoffs and decision points tied to the acquisition timeline, and (3) a responsibility chart that clarifies which tasks remain township obligations. The board will review those materials at upcoming meetings before issuing solicitations.