Farmington City Manager Taps Planning Commission Chair for New Post

Farmington city manager Vince Pastue will ask city council members Monday to approve the employment of planning commission chair Kevin Christiansen as the city's new Economic and Community Development director. 

The new post is being created as part of a reorganization plan that will ramp up economic development efforts throughout the city. Building inspections and code enforcement will move into the new department.

"I believe Mr. Christiansen is the best candidate for this newly created position," Pastue wrote in a memo that is part of Monday's city council meeting agenda packet. "He has professionally been involved in the community and economic development field for over 27 years in both a public and private sector capacity."

Christiansen was community development planner for West Bloomfield Township from 1990-1999 and is currently senior project manager with Atwell, LLC in Southfield. The proposed employment agreement lists his starting salary at $80,000, with incremental increases to a salary of $87,450 in 2015. 

Other items on Monday's special study session agenda include authorization of an agreement with Thomas A. Duke Company to sell or lease the former 47th District courthouse property on 10 Mile Road. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. in conference room A at city hall.