Top Accomplishments in New Buffalo

Thomas Johnson and Ryan Fellows, 2007
City Manager Thomas G. Johnson with Assistant to the City Manager Ryan D. Fellows on his first day working for the City of New Buffalo, Michigan, January 22, 2007, at New Buffalo City Hall (Photo courtesy, Mary Beth Moriarty, New Buffalo Times)

I have previously worked as assistant city manager for the City of New Buffalo, Michigan (cityofnewbuffalo.org/fellows2). Before that, I served as the City of New Buffalo’s assistant to the city manager (cityofnewbuffalo.org/fellows1). Here are my top accomplishments in New Buffalo while I was there (2007-2014):

New Buffalo Harbor, Michigan
New Buffalo Harbor

1. New Buffalo Harbor Dredging (planning/implementation)

New Buffalo, Michigan Amtrak Platform
New Buffalo, Michigan Amtrak Platform

2. New Buffalo Passenger Rail Improvements (implementation/planning)

April 23, 2008 – Oselka Park: Phase 1 Groundbreaking: Fire Chief Bill Taylor, Chief of Police Larry Pitchford, Assistant to the City Manager Ryan Fellows, and Mayor Bob Westergren
October 7, 2010 – Oselka Park: Phase 2 Check Presentation: Pokagon Fund Director at-large Viki Gudas, Pokagon Fund Executive Director Mary Dunbar, Mayor William J. Geisler, and Planning Commission Chair Marge Kowalec with Assistant to the City Manager Ryan Fellows

3. Oselka Park Improvements (planning/$1.8 million Pokagon Fund grant administration/implementation)

November 17, 2011 – Water Superintendent Ken Anderson (right) begins a tour of the expanded Water Plant facility with the new laboratory

4. Water Filtration Plant Improvements ($1.1 million ARRA grant administration; $3 million water system improvements)

Downtown New Buffalo
Downtown New Buffalo

5. Downtown Development Authority (establishment)

6. Safe Route to School (planning/$585,000 successful grant application)

7. South Whittaker Repaving Project ($150,000 successful STP grant application/planning)

8. cityofnewbuffalo.org Website (content manager/creator)

Lake Michigan Water Trail
Lake Michigan Water Trail

9. Lake Michigan Water Trail (the Appalachian Trail of paddling; local implementation)

10. Marquette Greenway (continuing the Burnham Plan of Chicago; part of founding regional implementation team)

11. Harbor Country Hike and Bike Plan (implementation)

Kayaking in Louis J. Sima Great Lakes Marsh Preserve, New Buffalo
Kayaking in Louis J. Sima Great Lakes Marsh Preserve, New Buffalo, Michigan

12. Galien River Watershed Management Plan (implementation)

October 25, 2011 – Master Planning Public Hearing: Left to right, Rusty Geisler, Warren Peterson, Susan Maroko, Michael Mitchell, Marcy Colclough, Ryan Fellows, Paul Augius, Oscar Loveless, and Bill Geisler

13. Master Planning (administration/drafting content)

Pokagon Fund Appreciation Day
May 20, 2011 – Pokagon Fund Appreciation Day: Left to right, City Manager Michael Mitchell, Pokagon Fund Executive Director Mary Dunbar, and Assistant to the City Manager Ryan Fellows

14. The Pokagon Fund (grant administration/City Representative)

City of New Buffalo Arbor Day 2013
April 26, 2013 – Arbor Day: Left to right, Ryan McCoy, Eric Horvath, Nancy Smith, City Manager Rusty Geisler, Assistant City Manager Ryan Fellows

15. Arbor Day in the City of New Buffalo (conception/establishment)

West Michigan Pike historic marker
April 30, 2010 – Dedication ceremony for the West Michigan Pike historic marker

16. West Michigan Pike Historic Marker (implementation)

Ryan Fellows assistant city manager
March 20, 2013 – Deputy Clerk Allyson Holm administered the oath of office to Ryan Fellows to become assistant city manager