Dennis Liimatta

MARQUETTE — Marquette Township Board members had until noon Wednesday to review and request clarifications or changes to the contract offer that will be sent to its manager candidate, former Marquette Township Supervisor Dennis Liimatta.

The board received a copy of the revised document from township attorney Roger Zappa during its regular meeting on Tuesday.

During a special meeting on Monday, the board voted 5-2 to submit a response to a counteroffer received from Liimatta, contingent on the board members viewing the document prior to it being sent. The township’s offer to Liimatta includes a $108,650 salary, $8,000 for moving expenses. Under the terms of the offer the position would remain within the township’s current compensation matrix and continue to participate in the Municipal Employees Retirement System defined benefit program currently offered. The board declined Liimatta’s request for a $500 per month car allowance but included four months of severance and agreed to a slight increase in vacation-time allotted as well as no probationary period for Liimatta as an employee of the township.

The board also adopted three resolutions related to property tax collection, required for audit compliance during its meeting Tuesday.

The subjects of the resolutions concerned poverty appeals, which sets guidelines for eligibility for a poverty exemption to property tax; a policy dealing with the denial of Primary Residency Exemption, or PRE which exempts a property owner from paying school operating millage; and a resolution for the waiver of penalty and interest for “untimely filed property transfer affidavits.”

The board also heard but took no action on a conceptual plan to construct a roof over the Lions Field Ice Rink.

The township’s planning commission and recreation committee forwarded their recommendations to the board along with a conceptual plan for the proposed structure, which could cost up to $200,000.

The plan will allow township staff to apply for grants and seek other possible funding sources, officials said.

Lisa Bowers can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 242. Her email address is lbowers@miningjournal.net.