By Tom Gilchrist
For The Advertiser
MAYVILLE — Mayville Police Department Officer Tony Coln seeks to become the village’s new police chief following the Nov. 30 resignation of David Forystek, who accuses the Village Council of “micromanagement and second guessing of even the smallest decisions.”
Coln, 37, of Saginaw County’s Taymouth Township, said he’s willing to move to Mayville for the police chief’s job.
“I think the village could benefit by having somebody who is committed to the community, not only because they work there but also because they live there,” Coln said after Tuesday night’s meeting of the council’s Committee of the Whole.
If hired, Coln — who also works for the Mundy Township Police Department in Genesee County — said he would achieve success by communicating with people.
“I know when I go to a call — whether I’m dealing with somebody who has done something wrong or somebody who needs help — they need to talk,” Coln told council members Tuesday.
“Before I start telling people what I need from them or what they’re going to do, I need to give them a few minutes to tell me what’s going on with them, so I can understand everything as a whole,” Coln said. “That’s how I approach stuff.”
Village Council members meet again at 7 p.m. Tuesday, and plan to create a job description for the chief’s job, and advertise the position.
Council members said they’ll place an interim police chief in place by Dec. 1. Trustee Cecilia C. Kapcia, however, noted the Village Council is just starting its search for a successor for Forystek, who has been chief since 2011.
“We haven’t even set up the parameters of what the job description is going to be, or of the hours — whether it’s going to be part-time or full-time,” Kapcia said. “If Tony’s going to step in and be the interim chief, great for Tony.”
Kapcia added that “Just because you’re given the interim chief’s job doesn’t mean you’re going to get the chief’s position; it has to go out and there has to be interviews.”
Forystek worked part-time as police chief. In an Oct. 15 resignation letter, he wrote that council members have demonstrated a “lack of support and trust” for him.
“I have always had the best interest of this village in mind, which I believe is evident from the budgets I have prepared and my efforts to reduce costs to the taxpayers, while maintaining and even increasing the level of service,” Forystek wrote.
Earlier this year, Mayville officers began inspecting rental properties in the village and collecting fees for doing so, capturing revenue once given to a private inspection business.
On Tuesday, Kapcia asked Coln if he would have problems enforcing the village’s blight ordinance.
“I have no problem enforcing the ordinance,” Coln said. “I have no problem punching a time clock, so you’ll know when I’m here and when I’m not here.”
Coln said he’ll pride himself on being in Mayville when he’s needed as an officer.
“I don’t know how to put this — I don’t want to talk badly about Dave (Forystek), because I respect the man — but I don’t think he was here enough. I know his officers did a lot for him.”
Though the council hasn’t offered anyone the chief’s job, Trustee Sue Marlow asked if it would be fair to offer Coln only a part-time job if he’s willing to relocate to Mayville.
“I’m looking at it like if my boss came to me and said ‘I’m only going to offer you a part-time job but you’re going to be the police chief, and you want to move here.’ I don’t think that’s a fair offer if he’s willing to negotiate.”
Coln said he once served as a manager for DirecTV’s Saginaw/Bay City/Thumb region. “I had 30 technicians under me, and took care of budget, payroll and everything that comes along with it,” he said.
Kapcia asked Coln about his previous “confrontational experience.”
“I’ve been punched in the nose, and I’ve punched a few people,” Coln replied. “And I didn’t like either one of them.”