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Content about Jim Wonacott

November 30, 2011
Flooding impacts neighborhoods beyond river
Several neighborhoods in the village of Blissfield are expected to be impacted by the flooding.
UPDATE: 6:10 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011
BLISSFIELD - Several neighborhoods in the village of Blissfield are expected to be impacted by the flooding.
November 30, 2011
River Raisin may reach near-record level

The River Raisin may exceed its banks at near-record levels after heavy rains swamped the area over last couple of days. Nearly  five inches of rain in and around Blissfield have been reported since the storm began on Monday. 

 

1:59 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011

By Melissa Burnor

The River Raisin may exceed its banks at near-record levels after heavy rains swamped the area over last couple of days. Nearly  five inches of rain in and around Blissfield have been reported since the storm began on Monday. According to the National Weather Service the River Raisin is expected to crest 686.6 feet as of 11 a.m. Nov. 30. The flood stage was 683 feet at that time. The river is expected to crest some time near noon on Thursday.

June 14, 2011
Let there be new light

    As the Pink Floyd song title says, “Let There be More Light.” And 
hopefully, that’s exactly what will happen in Blissfield by the end 
of this week or the beginning of next.
     

As the Pink Floyd song title says, “Let There be More Light.” And 
hopefully, that’s exactly what will happen in Blissfield by the end 
of this week or the beginning of next.
      According to village administrator Jim Wonacott, the wiring for 
new LED street lights is taking place “as we speak,” and the new 
lights will be installed from the U.S. 223 bridge all the way down to 
Lena’s restaurant.

March 30, 2011
Council inks 10-year deal with D&P

The Blissfield Village Council voted unanimously Monday evening to enter into a new 10-year franchise agreement with cable provider D&P Cable.

The Blissfield Village Council voted unanimously Monday evening to enter into a new 10-year franchise agreement with cable provider D&P Cable.

October 27, 2010
Grant Application Controversy Diffused

A potentially fiery pre-election public hearing was quickly diffused at Monday’s Blissfield Village council meeting ... Read more ...

A potentially fiery pre-election public hearing was quickly diffused at Monday’s Blissfield Village council meeting.

October 13, 2010
Village Vote: Candidates Talk About Downtown and the Economy

This week, we asked the village council candidates questions about Downtown Blissfield, the DDA, Michigan Main Street and the local retail and services economy. Presidential candidates Jae Guetschow and Mike Gunter, and Trustee candidates A. Ray Jones, Mark Burgermeister, Art Weeber and Andrea Cueto all took time from their schedules to answer these questions.

Over the past few years, despite the terrible economy, the local economy has seen its fair share of success stories. The opening of the new TLC Community Credit Union on the west side was a boon for town. On the east side, Dollar General opened a discount store.

October 7, 2010
New Downtown Flooring Business Bolsters S. Lane St. Merchant Base

 

Village officials, Downtown Development Authority members, and local business owners gathered in downtown Blissfield Thursday morning to attend the grand opening of Eric Slusher Flooring at 135 South Lane Street.

September 8, 2010
DDA Narrows Main Street Field to Four

The Downtown Development Authority has narrowed the field to four in its search for a manager of the Michigan Main Street program. The DDA board will interview three candidates at a special meeting that begins at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Schultz-Holmes Memorial Library auditorium.

The Downtown Development Authority has narrowed the field to four in its search for a manager of the Michigan Main Street program. The DDA board will interview three candidates at a special meeting that begins at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Schultz-Holmes Memorial Library auditorium. A fourth candidate, currently residing in Florida, will be invited, as well, but made it known that he might not be able to get the time off work or pay for the airfare and accommodations.

July 26, 2010
Gold Star for Village Administrator

The grades are in and Jim Wonacott made the dean’s list. Wonacott, in his 16h year as village administrator, scored high grades in the annual evaluation conducted by members of Blissfield Village Council and tabulated by Blissfield Village President Jae Guetschow.

Using a five-point scale, with one being unsatisfactory and five being outstanding, each council member was asked to grade Wonacott in nine areas, ranging from profession skills to residential relations. When all the votes were tabulated, Wonacott received an average score of 4.6, which puts him a little closer to outstanding (a five rating) than above average (a four rating).

Wonacott’s top rating came in fiscal management, where he scored a 4.8 rating.
“(Wonacott) makes the best possible use of available funds (and he is) conscious of the need to operate the village efficiently and effectively,” wrote one of the council members, in the evaluation.

The grades are in and Jim Wonacott made the dean’s list. Wonacott, in his 16h year as village administrator, scored high grades in the annual evaluation conducted by members of Blissfield Village Council and tabulated by Blissfield Village President Jae Guetschow.

June 14, 2010
CDBG Money Could Spur BioDri Into Action

In February, after receiving $3.1 million in state tax incentives, BioDri announced that it could begin operating in Blissfield as early as May.

Midway through June, the company which pledged to directly create 337 jobs in the next five years, BioDri is still technically without a home and hiring hasn’t begun.
Blissfield Village officials say that could change soon.

The development has stalled while awaiting the application for and processing of community development block grand funding through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. To qualify for a major tax break on a facility, BioDri was required to wait for the block grants to be approved before it could move into a building in Michigan.

 In February, after receiving $3.1 million in state tax incentives, BioDri announced that it could begin operating in Blissfield as early as May.

Midway through June, the company which pledged to directly create 337 jobs in the next five years, BioDri is still technically without a home and hiring hasn’t begun.
Blissfield Village officials say that could change soon.

May 26, 2010
Agreement Would Give Village Control Over Home Canning Property

Blissfield will have full control of the Home Canning property if its partners agree to execute the property acquisition and demolition agreement approved by village council Monday night.

Council voted 5=1 to pass a draft agreement which states that the village shall be “solely responsible for the pricing, marketing, and sale" of the 35-acre purchased for $150,000 at an auction April 9. Trustee Mark Burgermeister, who voted against the motion to bid on the property, was the lone dissenter.

Blissfield will have full control of the Home Canning property if its partners agree to execute the property acquisition and demolition agreement approved by village council Monday night.

Council voted 5-1  to pass a draft agreement which states that the village shall be “solely responsible for the pricing, marketing, and sale" of the 35-acre purchased for $150,000 at an auction April 9. Trustee Mark Burgermeister, who voted against the motion to bid on the property, was the lone dissenter.

Trustee George Brown was absent from the meeting.

May 13, 2010
Trustee Brown Offers To Rescind Offer

At the end of Monday’s meeting of Blissfield Village Council, Trustee George Brown offered a rebuke to anyone suggesting there were any “backdoor” shenanigans involving his offer of $50,000 to help the village purchase the Home Canning property at auction.

Brown, one of three private partners who offered to help the village pay for the property and demolish the existing buildings, had a few questions of Village Administrator Jim Wonacott and attorney Frank Riley.
 

 

At the end of Monday’s meeting of Blissfield Village Council, Trustee George Brown offered a rebuke to anyone suggesting there were any “backdoor” shenanigans involving his offer of $50,000 to help the village purchase the Home Canning property at auction.

Brown, one of three private partners who offered to help the village pay for the property and demolish the existing buildings, had a few questions of Village Administrator Jim Wonacott and attorney Frank Riley.

April 12, 2010
Partners Help Village Buy Property

    Blissfield Village is now the owner of the 35-acre Home Canning property at 119 E. Jefferson St.
    After Friday’s auction, Village Council President Jae Guetschow, who was authorized by council to do the village’s bidding, said the village hoped to use the property for an industrial park.
    “Our primary interest is that we believe we are going to need more industrial park,” Guetschow said. “Especially when you consider some of the development, with BioDri and the spinoff industry, that’s coming in. I think we need to be in a position to attract those businesses here because they have nowhere else to go (in the village).”
    The village was the high bidder, at $150,000, at an onsite auction held Friday afternoon.
 

    Blissfield Village is now the owner of the 35-acre Home Canning property at 119 E. Jefferson St.
    After Friday’s auction, Village Council President Jae Guetschow, who was authorized by council to do the village’s bidding, said the village hoped to use the property for an industrial park.

April 1, 2010
Council Calls Special Meeting To Discuss Property

Blissfield Village Council will have a special meeting at 7 p.m., Tuesday April 6 in the Schultz-Holmes Memorial Library’s meeting.
The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the sale or purchase or lease of property.
Council went into executive session at its March 22 meeting to discuss the sale or purchase of property.
Village Administrator Jim Wonacott is on vacation and is unavailable for comment.
Attempts to reach President Jae Guetschow and Trustee A. Ray Jones were unsuccessful. Jones was the council member who made the motion to go into executive session March 22.
Trustee Art Weeber declined to comment on the matter.  

    Blissfield Village Council will have a special meeting at 7 p.m., Tuesday April 6 in the Schultz-Holmes Memorial Library’s meeting.
    The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the sale or purchase or lease of property.
    Council went into executive session at its March 22 meeting to discuss the sale or purchase of property.
    Village Administrator Jim Wonacott is on vacation and is unavailable for comment.

March 22, 2010
Council approves L&W, BioDri requests

                Here are some quick notes from tonight’s Blissfield Village Council meeting:

·         For 20-plus years, the village has enjoyed free recycling services. That’s about to change. The company that provides the service is talking about charging for it. So council is considering other options, including a service that would include home pickup of trash weekly, and recyclables every other week. It would cost money of course. Village administrator Jim Wonacott is looking into it.

 

                Here are some quick notes from tonight’s Blissfied Village Council meeting: