Tracy Schultz Kobylarz will be responsible for the operations of two communities for the next six months.
Kobylarz, who is currently the supervisor of Redford Township, was hired as interim city manager by members of the Belleville City Council during a special meeting Feb. 10. She will continue her responsibilities with Redford Township while serving as the interim Belleville manager. She replaces Diana Kollmeyer who retired from the city Feb. 3.
Her responsibilities in her elected position as Redford Township supervisor are part-time, allowing her to also work in Belleville, officials said.
Kobylarz was interviewed for the interim position by Mayor Pro tem Jess Marcotte and City Councilman Ken
Voigt who praised her 15 years of experience in municipal management.
Kobylarz was the only applicant for the job and was recommended by Plante Moran.
Voigt noted there was a $10.2 million structural deficit in Redford
Township which was eliminated under Kobylarz' management and that she is interested in the full-time Belleville city manager position when the six-month interim contract expires. She will be paid about $40,000 for the length of the interim manager agreement.
Kobylarz will now be subject to a background investigation by Fifer Investigation and her educational transcript will be requested. Board members approved the $450 expense for the investigation.
“She functions part-time as a supervisor and her term ends in November,” Mayor Kerreen Conley said.
“As long as she's able to be here full time, we don't care,” Voigt said.
Members of the city council also agreed to meet and interview three candidates for the top job in the police department. Interviews are set for Kevin Bias who is retired from
Northville Township Police Department; David Egeler, retired from the Washtenaw County Sheriff's office and David Robinson, retired from
City of Dearborn Police Department.
The three were selected for follow-up interviews to become the new chief of police from a field of 13 by a committee appointed by retired Police Chief Hal Berriman.
