BATTLE CREEK (WKZO) — Battle Creek City Hall has seen more than its share of turnover and tumult in the past few years as scandals, political intrigue, philosophical differences and even death has resulted in major personnel changes.
Now its about to see more.
New City Manager Rebecca Fleury wants to shake things up in a planned and controlled way to improve efficiency and operations, putting key people in positions where they belong and creating new ones to fill the gaps.
Susan Bedsole will become Assistant City Manager and oversee day to day operations.
Former Mayor Ted Deering will become an assistant City Manager focused on economic and community development.
The clerk’s position will be elevated in the organizational chart, and there will be other shifts as well.
It will all take place April first.
Kalamazoo City Manager Jim Ritsema says they hope they have turned the corner on winter weather and there will be fewer frozen pipes, but he is still advising homeowners who have had frozen pipes, or who sense any drop in pressure to continue the let the water trickle from a faucet.He says utility staff have had to deal with 176 frozen pipes this month.He says there are about 50-homes without water service due to frozen pipes. He has crews working 12-hour shifts to thaw them out.The City of Battle Creek is also urging homeowners in designated high risk areas to continue running a trickle from a faucet to keep their pipes from freezing. They issued a long list of streets last week where it has been a problem. This week they announced that they will be adjusting the bills in those parts of town, and not charging for the water you trickle.
