Banotai Park to get dock additions, gates, streetlights

At its regular meeting June 23, the Sumpter Township Board of Trustees approved two dock additions, two new gates, and two new street lights, all for Banotai Park and all paid for by a Wayne County Parks grant.
The board voted unanimously to:
• Approve R. Henry Construction to build and install two dock additions to the existing dock for $1,200;
• Purchase two gates from Hoover Fence Company for $2,800; and
• Pay DTE Energy upfront the cost of $3,492.17 to install two new street lights at Banotai Park.
In other business at the June 23 meeting, the board:
• Approved a letter of understanding with the Police Officers Association of Michigan that temporary, full-time police officers who work 40 hours without benefits, will get six paid-time-off days instead of two. Attorney Rob Young said the police staff is short right now. One officer is out on medical, two are at school, and the police department detective has gone on road patrol to fill in the gaps;
• Approved the reappointment of Jay Bardell to the Planning Commission with a term to expire June 22, 2018;
• Accepted the resignation of Building Official John Tackett and approved Tim Wright as the new Building Official;
• Approved a resolution stating fees for Freedom of Information Act requests in compliance with the state’s 2015 FOIA Amendments;
• Heard Trustee Matthew Oddy, the board’s liaison to the planning commission, announce that the survey to gather information for the update of the master plan is now on the township website and in paper version at the clerk’s office. The survey will be taken until Sept. 1 and then compiled for discussion at the October planning commission meeting;
• Heard Trustee Oddy say the committee that was working on an ordinance to control marijuana provisionary centers has tabled its work to wait and see what the state legislature does. He said it could end up that the provisionary centers would have rules enforced by the state, which would be good for the township;
• Heard Treasurer Alan Bates thank Carleton Farms for sending out three machines and crews to work all day at Banotai Park, providing an estimated $3,000 to $4,000 of donated time to put the park roads into shape. “They are a good corporate friend,” said supervisor John Morgan. “Thanking them is in order”;
• Heard Deputy Treasurer Karen Armatis announce the tax bills will be going out on July 1. They are pink this year and will carry an assessment from Wayne County for the county’s pensions; and
• Went into closed-door session to discuss collective bargaining with the fire department. Attorney Rob Young said the board would set parameters for the negotiating team.