Sumpter Board OKs agreement with FMAR to care for stray dogs

Pete and Marcie LaFramboise of Friends of Michigan Animals Rescue were present at the June 25 meeting of the Sumpter Township Board of Trustees as the board unanimously approved a one-year agreement for FMAR to care for the township’s stray dogs.
FMAR is a no-kill shelter on Arkona Road in Sumpter Township.
At the June 11 township board meeting, Public Safety Director/Police Chief Eric Luke said currently sworn police officers were checking on the dogs in the township’s kennel at 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. and cleaning up the “poo.” The dogs had no companionship, he said.
He said the present budget for the shelter is $3,000 for utilities and $2,600 for cleaning supplies. When checking other options, he found that the City of Romulus charges $650 a month ($7,800 a year) for the service, whether they bring any dogs or not.
Van Buren Township uses Romulus to care for its stray dogs.
In the agreement with FMAR, Sumpter would pay $40 a dog for the five days required for the state mandatory hold and then FMAR will try to adopt them out. He said FMAR now has a state-of-the-art facility and they have plans to put a veterinarian in there, as well.
In the agreement, that renews itself each year unless cancelled by either side, FMAR will designate a two-lane dog run/kennel area for use by the township where dogs the township delivers will be kept.
The township police will have access to the shelter and will have one key (or code) to the shelter’s outer door and access to the facility. Sumpter agrees not to access any other area of the facility unless specifically allowed to do so in writing and for specific purposes only.
Before entering the shelter, police should attempt to contact FMAR to say they will be entering. Once inside, police shall record all access to the facility by completing a sign in / sign out form. Sumpter will provide FMAR with whatever information it has on the dog.
In the event Sumpter houses a dog impounded under the township’s Dangerous Dog Ordinance while the court case is proceeding, Sumpter agrees to pay FMAR an amount of $40 per week for the period the dog is housed at the shelter.
Any dispute arising out of this agreement shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the Wayne County Circuit Court or the 34th District Court.
In other business at the June 25 meeting, the board:
• Tabled a request by Treasurer Ken Bednark to apply the terms and conditions of the AFSME bargaining agreement to the current part-time treasurer’s clerk. A motion was passed to pay Erica Campbell for hours worked over 20 for the next two weeks;
• Approved the recommendation of Hennessey Engineers to award the fire hall drain repair project to G.V. Cement of Brownstown Township in the amount of $81,126.40 plus a 10% contingency, for a total of $89,126.40. Only one bid came in;
• Tabled Resolution #2019-09, Sumpter Township Purchasing and Bid Policy;
• Accepted the immediate resignation of Vincent Tocco from the fire department;
• Approved paying Guardian Alarm $675 for an intrusion alarm for Fire Station #2 and a monthly rate of $58.95;
• Approved the Park Grant Funding Agreement with Wayne County for Banotai Park and Graham Park for fiscal year 2018-19;
• Heard Clerk Esther Hurst announce that Maryann Watson received the “Helping Hand Award” from Wayne County Senior Services. She also reported 12 Sumpter Seniors attended Older Michiganians Day in Lansing, 30 seniors went to Shipshewana with Bianco transportation services, and 17 seniors rode the new bus to Wayne County Senior picnic on June 22. She also encouraged everyone to support the Feed the Homeless project put on by the Senior Quilters. July 31 is the deadline for donations and Aug. 13 is the day they plan to take 100 pizzas and distribute them to the homeless;
• Heard Trustee Tim Rush invite the public to a 1-1/2-hour Skywarn training session at 5:30 p.m., Friday, July 26, at the fire station. Trustee Rush will be the trainer. Those interested may call the clerk’s office to be put on the list so they will know how many to plan for;
• Heard Ron Traskos give an update on his firm’s work in the treasurer’s and financial director offices. He said it was recommended his firm not do the audit for the 2018-19 fiscal year and the township put out a request for proposals. He recommended a two-year package. He said his firm will make sure everything is ready for the auditors and so they will have a “true audit.” Treasurer Bednark said there had been three treasurers, five deputies, and two deaths related to his office over the past few years, a lot of people in and out a “revolving door.” Traskos said they had expected to have a new financial director by now. “It was messy, but we cleaned things up,” Traskos said of the financial records;
• Heard Water Billing Clerk Anna Winter explain the steps that lead to shutting off a customer’s water for non-payment of their water bill. She said they have worked out a procedure and put in on paper, which hadn’t been done in the past. Bednark said it is in the first draft, but board members could look at the draft. He said there is $400,000 out there in water bill arrears and they are working to solve this problem. Water customers who need help can set up a payment plan and seek other help. Winter said there are 50 people on payment plans right now;
• Heard Trustee Matthew Oddy say people are calling him complaining about the noise of air traffic over the township. They were supposed to be taking off higher, Oddy said. He suggested they circulate petition to approach the airport on this. Resident Mary Ban said the FAA held a meeting on the changes a year and a half ago in Sumpter and she’s sure the township has a contact number on the issue;
• Heard Don Basham report that in the last three weeks people have died in Ohio and Illinois in motorcycle accidents because of slipping on wet grass clippings in the roadway. He said he is trying to educate people in the community about the dangers of grass clippings in the roadways and to point out Sumpter has a new law on this. He said he has sold more than 100 signs that say “Look Twice, Save a Life” and all the sign money will be sent to the families of the seven killed in New Hampshire when a truck hit a procession of motorcyclists;
• Heard Mary Ban complain about the terrible visibility at road crossings, especially on Elwell and Harris and Elwell and Willis. She called it a dangerous situation for the public and said if the county won’t do it, maybe the township DPW could help out. She also praised the work of the fire department when she fell in her son’s kitchen and couldn’t get up. They came rapidly, got her up, and sat her in a chair. Ban also pointed out the damaged Welcome to Sumpter Township sign that needs to be replaced at the corner of Bemis and Rawsonville;
• Heard Andrew Slovik thank Karen Woodington in the supervisor’s office for getting the county to come out to work on his road. “My road is as smooth as silk today,” he said. Slovik questioned the resale inspections, saying some nearby communities have the inspection and some don’t. “We already have a certificate of occupancy, no reason to make it so stringent,” he said. Slovik said he has been in real estate since 1997 and he has a builder’s license. “Any sale not cash has three inspections already,” and this is turning into a nanny state. He said he came in earlier that day and had a debate on the issue with Supervisor John Morgan, Deputy Supervisor Karen Armatis, the planner and Woodington. He said when attorney Rob Young walked in they turned and walked away into the supervisor’s office and closed the door. “I was perplexed. I was shut down and ignored,” Slovik said. “You’re not a rabble rouser,” said Supervisor Morgan. “You’re a nice guy. The attorney and I had an appointment. We had talked already for 15-20 minutes.” Morgan said the planner was the one who had the specific information on his issue. “You could have said, Andy, good to see you… It left a bitter taste,” Slovik said. “… It hurt my feelings.” Morgan said, “I gave you time … If you were offended, I apologize”;
• Heard Adrian Slaughter tell of the rifle shots in her neighborhood in the early morning hours of June 13. She heard a person screaming. She said some of the street lights aren’t working and maybe getting those fixed would help. Lt. Pat Gannon said the police department is investigating. Slaughter gave copies of the state laws and township ordinances on discharging firearms in the township along with possession of firearm while intoxicated; and
• Heard Sharon Pokerwinski say her husband has lived in Sumpter all his life and she for 53 years and they never heard gunshots like in the last six years. She said people have been complaining on Facebook about how dirty Banotai Park is. She went out to check and found only one of the 30 people present at the park were from Sumpter. She suggested permits for Sumpter residents and if you’re not from Sumpter you pay a fee. Then they can go out for bids for someone to handle the parks. She said she and her husband come out four times a week to mow the lawn and weed whack, but they can’t do that every week and there’s not enough on the Parks and Recreation Commission to do that. “I need to know what we can do,” she said. She also said four wheelers are being allowed on the roads without licenses and the vehicles circling down the road raises the dust which is bad for those who are having breathing problems. She said she can’t let her husband go outside because he has pneumonia.