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The Village Council also decided against taking away a police officer from the force, a consideration that was talked about at the last few meetings. Instead, the council voted to restrict the police department from having any overtime or extra pay for the remainder of the fiscal year. The conference room was chock full of citizens opposing the possible disbandment of the DDA, a village organization that improves the downtown and attempts to raise the economic base of Mancelona.

The council members were aware they would hear an outcry of opposition at the meeting. Two special meetings have already been held on the subject. Supporters of the DDA argued the organization has enhanced economic development, increased the tax base and the village has received much more than it has put in for DDA projects.

Though Mancelona is not "in the red"according to Village Council President Robert Wilcox, auditors have advised them to cut back if they want to stay out of trouble and after agreeing on many smaller cuts, the council has talked about the possibility of dissolving the DDA.

"Our town has no frills,"Council Member Judy Eschedor said. "That's why it's so hard to make budget cuts."

Despite the passionate arguments from citizens to keep the DDA, council members came to the meeting prepared to make tough decisions to balance the budget, which could include cutting programs that are good for the town.

Eschedor was choked up when she told the room of citizens, "I'm a strong backer of the DDA. But these last 10 years have been terrible. You have no idea what we're deciding."

But thoughts going into the meeting were thrown of balance when, early in the meeting during public comment, Mick Shanahan, who works for Dura and is involved with the Union, made an announcement that fueled the council's choice to postpone the decision. He informed the council that AAP, the company that bought Dura Automotive, voted 119-23 to keep the business in Mancelona several hours before the Village Council meeting begun.

The village dove further into financial woes after Dura Automotive declared bankruptcy earlier this year causing the loss of around $45,000 in property taxes to the village.

"We wouldn't be sitting here tonight if it weren't for the Dura situation,"Wilcox said.

With the possible good news from Shanahan, council members had second thoughts about rushing into any decisions.

"I'm not sold yet that we should do away with the DDA,"Eschedor said. "I think at this crisis situation that Dura might not be going, we should just wait."

But some council members felt with elections in September, it would be unfair to dump the complicated budget issues on newly elected members.

"To dump this on their lap at the first meeting, they're not going to have a clue,"Council Member Kathy Altrock commented. "They don't know what the auditors have told us. To be able to make an intelligent decision, I think this board is the one that has to do it."

But, the village council members did not want to make a decision they would regret in a month if they found out the automotive company would stay in town and the budget may not be as tight. Especially since DDA officials say a decision to disband the association would make the village unable to bring it back again.

Also, the village does not have to make any payment to the DDA until February, which helped sway the council not to make a decision before knowing the details of the AAP staying in town.

"I don't think it's an emergency to disband it,"Council Member Randy Yalacki said.

The new council will not rush into making the decision at its first meeting and Wilcox and others vowed to work with new members to get them up to speed on the situation. In November, the council will make a decision on the fate of the DDA.

Hadley Robinson can be reached at hrobinson@michigannewspapers.com or by calling 231-533-8523.