COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Michigan South Central Power Agency General Manager Paul Beckhusen survived another 3-2 vote during the Agency’s Board of Commissioners meeting Monday morning.
Beckhusen’s contract runs out June 30, 2020. If his contract was not going to be renewed, the board would be required to inform him of that by next Monday. Also under terms of the contract, Beckhusen would be entitled to 14-months of severance pay, which would give a total of $500,000 for the last year of his contract along with the severance money.
Hillsdale City Manager David Mackie cited a portion of the contract when he motioned to terminate Beckhusen at of the end of this month. He said that would limit the agency liability to $250,000.
Mackie said the agency’s transition can be handled by the director of finance, the board of commissioners, outside agency staff and the agency’s attorneys.
Mackie and Union City Village Manager Chris Mathis have been critics of Beckhusen and have voted several times to fire him. However, Jeff Budd from the Coldwater Board of Public Utilities, Clinton Village Manager Kevin Cornish, and Marshall City Manager Tom Tarkiewicz have supported Beckhusen.
Mackie’s motion sparked a nearly half hour debate which got testy at times over items that have already been discussed. Tarkiewicz serves as the board chair and he once again voted against terminating Beckhusen.
Tarkiewicz said Marshall’s power load is going to almost double by September and by 500 percent in three years as part of their economic development and the power supply is something they are working with Beckhusen on right now.
