Ypsilanti DDA to decide on second choice for director spot

By Dan DuChene
Apr. 14, 2010    ·    5:58 a.m.

The Ypsilanti Downtown Development Authority's Executive Committee plans to recommend the board chose the second candidate in line from its initial search for a director.

The committee decided on the recommendation unanimously at its meeting Tuesday afternoon, which was held at Bombadill's Café downtown and lasted for approximately 20 minutes.

The group will recommend a $55,280 salary plus benefits.

Peter Rinehart, a member of the committee, said the DDA has had projects and other goals in limbo since the previous director, Brian Vosburg, last year.

“He was a strong second choice,” Rinehart said of the candidate. “I think we should move forward.”

Committee Chair René Greff and committee members Linda French, John Coleman, Karen Maurer and Dave Wheeler were also at the meeting Tuesday.

The candidate, who has not been publicly named, was the search committee's second choice after Teresa Gillotti, who accepted a planner position with the city in February. She took the position before the DDA was able to make Gillotti an offer.

A total of 57 people applied for the position when it was first posted last year. After Gillotti took the position with the city instead, the committee had discussed re-posting the vacancy. However, committee members said Tuesday the DDA had never directed the city to do so.

“It did end up getting posted,” Greff said during the meeting. “The city went ahead and posted it without us meaning to post it.”

After the meeting, Rinehart said the city had only posted the position for a short time on its Web site and not in other publications as it would have in a full search. He said it was taken down shortly after members of the DDA were alerted to its existence.

Eight applicants had applied to the inadvertent posting. One of those applicants, Northville resident Michelle Aniol, was at the meeting Tuesday and urged the committee to review her application.

It was discussed by the committee that reviewing any applications from the second posting would require the group to go through a second selection process as well, which would push back a potential start date for the successful candidate.

Calling the situation a “communication snafu,” Aniol said she understood the committee's actions after the meeting Tuesday.

“It's not an official second round,” Anioli said.

“They followed the right process,” she said. “I think they conducted themselves perfectly.”

Greff said she had contacted the candidate from the initial search before the meeting Tuesday, and said he was still interested in the position.

If the committee's recommendation is approved when the board meets Thursday, the candidate will be offered the position. If he accepts, a background check will be performed by the city. Members of the committee hope to have the candidate start by the board meeting next month, or at least by June 1.

Related article:
Ypsi DDA to vote on ending interim director's contract