NORWAY — The Norway City Council took action Monday to possibly restructure the department of public works and the water/wastewater departments under one supervisor.

Making this move would reduce the number of full-time city staff from nine to eight, with a savings of $57,000 that could be used to hire another employee at some point if needed, Norway City Manager Dan Stoltman said. Having one person supervising those areas should improve consistency and communication as well.

Stoltman said he came up with a potential salary of up to $90,000 for the combined position after a review. The DPW supervisor already exists in the IBEW Supervisors Union contract and is listed as not filled and inactive. Stoltman requested it be reinstated.

Councilmember Jeff Muraro expressed concerns about the salary, saying any savings may be erased in pension costs.

“It does save us money up front but with medical and pension, I am not comfortable until we have some numbers based on what this looks like,” Muraro said. “We have had a lot of pain and suffering in the past so I would like to see some projections.”

Stoltman said the type of retirement could vary depending on the candidate. An internal candidate may fall under the older pension plan, while a new applicant may be a part of the 401(k) plan.

The board authorized activating the DPW supervisor position with a salary of up to $90,000, with Mayor Pro Tem Scott Popp opposed. A memorandum of understanding from the IBEW will be brought back to the council for final approval.

In other business, the council:

— Approved spending $60,566 of a $100,000 allocation from Dickinson County to upgrade water system controls with new flow meters and spools. The project originally included other updates but after a lightning strike damaged components, that work was completed as part of the insurance claim.

The updates are needed due to discrepancies between the amounts of water pumped compared with the amount of water being treated.

FDS Engineering & Electrical Services was awarded the contract pending clarification regarding warranty and limitation of liability.

The city has $39,000 remaining from the $100,000 in federal American Rescue Plan funds redirected by the county to the city. Projects for the remaining funds need to be approved and allocated by the end of the year.

— Voted to retain the law firm of Clark Hill PLC of Detroit to represent the city in personnel matters. City Attorney Grant Carlson said while Norway has not had many personnel issues, labor law is a very specific area. Stoltman also noted that most cities he worked for previously all had separate counsel for personnel matters.

The agreement with Clark Hill PLC is for $285 an hour and includes a retainer of $2,500.

— Passed a resolution appointing Stoltman as the city’s representative to the Upper Peninsula Public Power Agency.

Jim Paul can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 229, or jpaul@ironmountaindailynews.com.