CCRC Managing Director Updates BOC

By DIANNE ALWARD-BIERY

Cleaver Staff Writer

HARRISON – At its Dec. 17 meeting, the Clare County Board of Commissioners heard an update from Dewayne Rogers, Clare County Road Commission managing director, who started his comments by noting the winter edition of the CCRC’s bi-annual newsletter. He said it had been done by a CTE student, from concept to design to layout, as a school project.

“It’s a project that they do for their school,” he said. “They pick a senior and they volunteer to help us out. I think it’s good for them to build their resume, and helps us get some new ideas.”

Reporting on CCRC construction projects, Rogers said the Brand Road bridge project was underway, and that just south of Mannsiding Road, Brand would likely be closed until May.

“Winter work is slow going, but the contractor wanted to keep their guys busy for the winter,” he said.

An update on the new CCRC building included the office having been enclosed with drywall being hung that week. Rogers said the parking garage also was pretty much enclosed as well. Work was being done on the hoist pits in the mechanic shop, with the project pivoting soon to roof installation.

“It’s going good, on track, per their schedule,” Rogers said, adding that the snow, while nothing too bad, had slowed things down a bit.

Also discussed was Arthur Township, where there had been discussion regarding the solar farm project.

“We have been in communication with the township through this whole process,” he said. “We actually have a road usage agreement signed with DTE – Arthur Township has a copy of that, and they’ve been informed.

“We’ve actually just installed a large 15-foot culvert on Clarewin, just north of Mannsiding [over a creek there], which was funded by DTE,” Rogers added. “We’ve also done some ditching, tree clearing and drainage work and driveway installation with them – which is all part of that road use agreement funded with them.”

Rogers also informed that he had been trying to coordinate a February meeting in the conference room at the new CTE building.

“I’d like to do an annual local leaders meeting,” he said, listing township supervisors, the commissioners, Farwell, Harrison, Clare. “Just to go over the road commission’s year in review, upcoming projects, budget. And then I would like to really explain what’s going to be happening – or what is happening – with the new Neighborhood Road Fund and how that’s working with our current MTF [Michigan Transportation Funding] and what’s happening.”

Rogers said there are lots of rumors out there, and the meeting would be an opportunity to “air everything out and Question/Answer.

Saving what could be considered The Best for Last, Rogers informed of the CCRC recently received multiple recognitions from MichiganWorks! Region 7B. Those included [Victoria Humphrey] the Clare County Alumni of the Year; and  the CCRC being named Employer of the Year, as well receiving the State Impact Award for Employer of the Year. He said that last one resulted in an invitation to attend an April ceremony in Lansing to accept the award from the politicians and possibly the governor.