Three months into his contract, Hillsdale City Manager David Mackie is bringing an attitude shift to Hillsdale’s city government. Mackie is already building a closer relationship between his office and Hillsdale College as well as making important updates to the city’s municipal airport.
“You will see an attitude shift during my tenure: being progressive, but maintaining Hillsdale’s history,” Mackie said.
Mackie was introduced to Hillsdale’s Chief Administrative Officer Rich Péwé before he was even hired as city manager. Now that he’s hired, Mackie wants to work closely with the college to accomplish projects.
“Just to have somebody there full time who knows how to do things is great,” said Hillsdale City Councilman Brian Watkins.
“As the college does well, the city does well,” Mackie said. “I suspect that Rich Péwé and I will be working together very closely in years to come.”
One of the ways Mackie hopes to bridge the community and college is by replacing the road signs leading to the college with signs that not only highlight historic Hillsdale, but also Hillsdale College.
Péwé said he likes working with someone who “won’t leave the college out of the picture.”
“He comes from a development background so he really gets that you need to have standard when it comes to things like parking lots,” Pewe said. “Mackie seems like someone interested in community development, he’s interested in the college being a part of that.”
Another area of focus for Mackie the airport.
As part of an effort to take the airport in a new direction, he recently decided to let go airport manager James Scheibner and his company, Hillsdale Aero. Mackie wants the airport to accommodate larger and more sophisticated aircraft.
Mackie said the city invests about $100,000 to $150,000 a year into the airport and over the last seven years it has invested almost $8 million — which includes federal and state funds — into the airport. These funds paid for things like land expansion, runway improvements, taxiways, and entrances.
Péwé supports the changes at the airport because they will benefit the college.
“Obviously it’s a benefit to use to have a small airport for trustees to fly in and out, and for us to bring donors in,” Péwé said. “We do have some people that want to live here: they fly recreationally, they fly for business.”
With a fresh perspective and his experience, Mackie believes he can help Hillsdale become more attractive for homeowners as well as businesses.
“I have a philosophy to go by for communities,” Mackie said. “You either demonstrate that you’re open for business and willing to work with developers and local business owners to grow or expand or come to your community. Or, you make things difficult and they go some place else.”
