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St. James Township board accepts trustee resignation; approves staffing posts and $3,000 card for harbor master
Summary
At its May 20 meeting the St. James Township Board accepted Trustee Paul Cole’s resignation effective June 19, approved multiple personnel postings including a part-time maintenance assistant at $14/hour, and authorized a $3,000 credit card for Harbor Master John Manza; several public-works bid items were tabled for a special meeting.
ST. JAMES TOWNSHIP, Mich. — The St. James Township Board on May 20 accepted Trustee Paul Cole’s resignation effective June 19, 2026, approved a set of personnel postings and financial authorizations for marina operations, and tabled several public-works bid items for a future special meeting.
Supervisor Welke called the meeting to order at 5:30 p.m. at St. James Township Hall. The board approved minutes from the April 8 regular meeting and special meetings on April 16, April 24 and May 8 after motions and roll-call support.
On financial business the board approved payments as presented. The motion to approve payments was moved by Paul Cole and supported by Peirano; the roll-call vote recorded Cole, Gillespie, McDonough, Peirano and Welke as voting yes.
Personnel actions: the board discussed whether to post a part-time township manager position but tabled that question for review by the Finance Committee. Separately, the board approved posting a part-time Maintenance Assistant for marina duties. An initial motion to post the maintenance position was moved by McDonough and supported by Peirano and passed by roll call with all members voting yes. A later motion specifying compensation — $14 per hour for 100 hours per month for five months (June through October) — was moved by Peirano, supported by Paul Cole and approved on roll call: Cole Y, Gillespie N, McDonough Y, Peirano Y, Welke Y.
The board also authorized Harbor Master John Manza to be issued a Charlevoix State Bank credit card with a $3,000 limit. That motion was moved by McDonough, supported by Peirano, and passed by roll call with all members recorded as voting yes.
Public works matters dominated several agenda items: bids for millings from the airport project, bids for aggregate surface-course processing, and proposed Road Fund amendments were discussed but each was tabled until a Special Meeting for more review. The board also discussed severe weather and flood damage, the Donegal Bay S-curve, surveying at Gillespie/Wojan Park and an update on PFN; no formal actions were recorded on those items.
In administration the board accepted Trustee Paul Cole’s resignation, moved by Gillespie and supported by Peirano; the motion carried unanimously. The meeting ended after a two-minute general public-comment period and a motion to adjourn at 7:02 p.m.
Actions recorded in the minutes included approvals of minutes and payments, two posted personnel items for the marina (one with a recorded no vote by Gillespie on the wage/hours measure), credit-card authorization for the harbor master, tabling of several public-works bid items for a special meeting, and acceptance of a trustee resignation. The minutes were submitted by Suzanne Boyle, Deputy Clerk.
