St. Clair Shores mayor poised to get $114,000-a-year job in authority he helps oversee

May 1--The mayor of St. Clair Shores may be sliding into a new job as the director of operations for a regional sanitary district of which he is the governing board chairman.

Kip Walby was recommended for the job in a 4-0 vote Thursday by another governing board that he chairs that has an interrelationship with the sanitary district.

The $114,400-a-year job was not advertised, and Walby, who has spent more than 30 years in the insurance business, would replace an engineer if hired. The job would come with a $450-per-month vehicle allowance, four weeks of vacation and other perks.

The South Macomb Disposal Authority at a special meeting recommended that the Southeast Macomb Sanitary District appoint Walby. Two members of the disposal authority board also sit on the three-member sanitary district board.

Walby is chairman of both boards. If hired, he could no longer be a representative on the boards since he would report to them, attorney Tim Tomlinson said.

Walby did not return a call Thursday from the Free Press seeking comment.

Walby would take over for chief engineer Brett McDonald, who has overseen both entities for about a year. Tomlinson said McDonald submitted his resignation April 20, giving 30 days notice.

McDonald's LinkedIn profile states he was employed since May 2019 and is responsible for the day-to-day operations of both entities, including a sewage collection system, municipal solid waste transfer station and closed landfills. The profile says he has a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Michigan State University.

The sanitary district is a joint venture of Eastpointe, Roseville and St. Clair Shores. The disposal authority is comprised of the three cities as well as Center Line and Warren. Some of the system that the sanitary district operates is in the Grosse Pointes and services communities there and Harper Woods.

Tomlinson said Walby was interested in the job and was looking to make a career change. Tomlinson said the position was not advertised, but he said the entities don't have a legal obligation to post it and that it is an at-will position.

If he's hired, Walby's proposed salary would be $10 more per hour than McDonald's.

Tomlinson said he did not believe Walby would have to step down as mayor of St. Clair Shores, a part-time job, if he was hired.

Tomlinson said insurance issues are "a big part" of what both entities deal with, but said another engineer may be needed to be hired in the future. He said the entities have some crossover employees.

Eastpointe Mayor Monique Owens, who sits on both boards, asked at the meeting if the hourly rate was competitive for the position in other communities. She was told it was comparable or lower.

Roseville Mayor Robert Taylor, who is vice chairman of both boards, said Walby is a "very competent person to handle it," adding that Walby is aware of issues in St. Clair Shores, neighboring Lake St. Clair and familiar with the two entities and its operations.

Contact Christina Hall: chall@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter: @challreporter.

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