Baroda council accepts DPW resignation, hires Spitzke full time; operator contract faces possible termination after state violation letters

The Village of Baroda council accepted the resignation of Department of Public Works employee Nick Skorupa and approved offering the vacant full-time DPW position to Andrew Spitzke effective Jan. 6, 2026. The council voted to make Spitzke full-time on a motion by Julie Elliott and a second by Katie Zordell; roll-call recorded six yes votes.

Clerk Gloria Payne said the council expects Spitzke to pursue a commercial driver’s license and water and sewer operator licenses as part of the hire. The hiring decision follows Skorupa’s resignation and was recorded in the Jan. 12 meeting minutes.

At a Jan. 19 special meeting, DPW member Anthony Cochran recommended terminating the contract of the village’s current water/sewer operator after the village received letters from the State of Michigan citing violations. Cochran proposed that he and President Michael Price perform operator duties in the interim and requested a $750 monthly stipend for that work; the minutes record that the current operator is paid $1,500 per month. President Price told the council that he holds both sewer and water licenses and agreed to accept a $750 monthly stipend while he fills the role. The council did not vote to terminate the operator at the special meeting and said the staffing and compensation items would be returned to a future agenda for formal action.

The council also accepted a quote from Clean Earth Environmental Contracting Services to vacuum and wash four sanitary lift stations and to dispose of ECO Waste Solutions material at a cost of $3,270–$4,240 to restore proper operation. The motion to accept the quote passed on a roll-call vote of six yes at the Jan. 12 meeting.