Top Accomplishments in Bangor

October 4, 2014 - City Manager Ryan Fellows, City Manager's Office, City Hall, Bangor, Michigan — October 4, 2014 – City Manager Ryan Fellows, City Manager’s Office, City Hall, Bangor, Michigan (with his own artwork)

I previously worked as the city manager of the City of Bangor, Michigan, after working for the City of New Buffalo. Here are my top accomplishments in Bangor while I was there (2014-2015). Also see my list of Top Places in Bangor.

City Manager Ryan Fellows buying some turnip greens and other produce at the Bangor Farmers Market

1. Community Involvement (improved/healed previously damaged City relationships):

- - DDA: Improved previously damaged City relationship with Downtown Development Authority Board after a bitter lawsuit that had just concluded as I started as city manager
  - Apple Fest/Farmers Market: Improved previously damaged City relationships and participated in planning and organization building with Bangor’s Michigan Apple Fest Planning Committee and Bangor Farmers Market
  - BPS, CoC, & IP: Healed previously damaged City relationships with Bangor Public Schools, South Haven Area Chamber of Commerce, and Ollie Hosier Industrial Park tenants (plus re-certified IP through MEDA)
  - BSHHWTA: City Representative to Bangor-South Haven Heritage Water Trail Association – assisted with non-profit incorporation, organization building, and planning
  - Caboose: Instrumental in implementing a community volunteer project to paint the downtown caboose – a community gathering focal point, including the Farmers Market

September 5, 2014 – Street repair work, City Manager Ryan Fellows and DPW crew, Bangor, Michigan

2. Team Building (implemented multiple transitions from out-going staff from City Council’s change-in-direction reforms):

- - New Chief of Police: Assisted City Council closing lingering litigation from a former police officer; created and lead New Chief of Police Interview Panel, representing diverse community interests
  - Public Works Transition: Administered transition of retiring DPW director to a professional service
  - New Housing Commission Chair: Identified several organizational/procedural deficiencies at Housing Commission, recruited a new chair, began reforms which continued after I left
  - New City Clerk: Hired, trained, supervised new City Clerk; assisted with City Election Commission
  - New City Attorney: Assisted the City Council in selecting a new city attorney

May 26, 2014 - Bangor City Hall, Bangor, Michigan — Memorial Day, May 26, 2014 – Bangor City Hall, Bangor, Michigan

3. Fiscal Management:

- - Budget: Managed $0.9M General Fund, plus water and sewer enterprise funds
  - Deficit Plan: Administered Water Fund Deficit Elimination Plan
  - Grant Writing: DEQ Wellhead Protection Plan update grant application successful
  - City Audit: Assisted the City Council in selecting a new auditing firm

Bangor-5k-Greenway-Plan — City of Bangor 5k Loop Trail Greenway Plan (including proposed bluff boardwalk)

4. Planning-Zoning:

- - Planning Commission: Reactivated Planning Commission after many months without meetings
  - Master Plan: Started a new master plan to replace 1990 one – initial draft and survey form completed
  - ZBA: Restarted the Zoning Board of Appeals after years of no members being appointed
  - Greenway Planning: Performed greenway planning: 3 km parks/green space trail – part of 5 km loop

Image of bangormi.org City Staff & Service page (2015) — Image of bangormi.org City Staff & Services page (Image capture: February 21, 2015 – Internet Archive: Wayback Machine)

5. Transparency: bangormi.org (establishment/content creation) [website was redesigned after I left]

- - Established New Website: Utilized website management app and created all content for new City site
  - Transparency Portal: Utilized ballotpedia.org Transparency Checklist, e.g.:
    - City of Bangor – Transparency webpage (see Internet Archive: Wayback Machine; not on new site)
    - City of Bangor, Michigan – City Code (City Charter/City Ordinances) (compilation not on new site)
    - City of Bangor – planning documents (not available on new site; a few are on swmpc.org)
  - City Facebook Page: Re-established City control over City’s official Facebook page from private party

2014 Repaving of West Arlington Street, Bangor, Michigan — July 25, 2014 – Repaving of West Arlington Street, Bangor, Michigan

6. W. Arlington Repaving & Stormwater Management (administered project – $180,000 STP 80/20 grant)

2014 - First Annual Arbor Day in the City of Bangor, Michigan — April 25, 2014 – First Annual Arbor Day in the City of Bangor, Michigan – Left to right: City Manager Ryan Fellows, DPW staffers Jorge Hernandez and Josh Rigozzi, Parks and Recreation Board Chair Two-Cam McLaren, and two volunteers

7. Arbor Day in the City of Bangor (re-establishment/Tree Board reactivation)

8. Bangor Community Garden (establishment at Northside Park)