Sumpter board grants special land use for slaughterhouse parcels

The Three Farmers Custom Processing slaughterhouse property at 50425 Bemis Rd. was granted amendment of its special land use permit by the Sumpter Township Board of Trustees at its June 8 Zoom meeting.
They are dividing the 9.50 acres of land into two separate parcels of 5.037 acres and 4.463 acres.
The amended land use permit was recommended by the township planning commission at its May 13 meeting.
Trustee Matthew Oddy, who sits on the planning commission, said the owner is interested in doing other things auto-related, such as repair shops and towing.
Trustee Oddy said the owner grew hemp on the property last year through a State of Michigan pilot program. He said the owner would like two separate entities.
Trustee Peggy Morgan said she hasn’t heard any complaints about that location and it’s very nice.
In other business at the 28-minute workshop/regular meeting, the board:
• Held a moment of silence for township treasurer Jim Clark who died June 7. At the end of the meeting board members praised Clark;
• Welcomed visitor Kevin McNamara, supervisor of Van Buren Township, who said his township will write a letter of condolences to Treasurer Clark’s family. He said his township is trying to team up with its friends and the tri-community is all together. “Belleville is our downtown and I’m stuck with that,” Supervisor McNamara said. He said he thought they were going to have a tri-community Lake Fest, but it’s turning into a Belleville event. McNamara suggested Sumpter should do a lake fest at Sherwood Pond;
• Heard Sumpter Supervisor Tim Bowman report that boxed lunches were prepared for fire fighters the previous Saturday by BooyaQ BBQ, with sponsorship from Hogz Backyard BBQ, Shiggin’ Aint Easy BBQ, and Sumpter Ace Hardware and he thanked them. He also said he appreciated the letter from McNamara and VBT Fire Chief Dave McInally thanking their fire fighters for helping with the recent VBT apartment building fire;
• Heard Deputy Supervisor/Finance Director Michelle Cole ask for a motion to temporarily use the S-2 license of union member Michael Petrowski in the water department for state requirements, since DPW Director Ken Kunka has resigned. Petrowski will directly report to the township supervisor on water operations and utility billing. The board passed the motion unanimously;
• Heard Public Safety Director/Police Chief Eric Luke state the Rawsonville / Willis Road crossing is the top intersection for crashes in the township and to be careful there;
• Heard Deputy Clerk Anthony Burdick thank Zywicki greenhouse which has donated potted plants for the front entryway to township hall, and this is the second year; and
• Heard Trustee Morgan ask about Forgotten Harvest. Cole said she doesn’t know the start date but it will be on Mondays from 2 to 5 p.m. They are still working at getting volunteers, she said.