Sumpter selects low-bidder Mr. Sealcoat to reseal, restripe parking lots

The Sumpter Township Board of Trustees at its regular meeting July 14 selected low-bidder Mr. Sealcoat to reseal and restripe four township parking lots.
The lots being redone are at the township hall, water department, and the police and fire departments.
Mr. Sealcoat’s total bid was $6,210. The only other bid was from Gatex for $10,925.
In other business at the July 14 meeting, the board:
• Approved signing the water contract with Detroit Water and Sewer which has been leased to the Great Lakes Water Authority. Township attorney Rob Young reported rates are targeted to increase no more than 4% and the bonds are assigned to the authority without the full faith and credit of the taxpayers;
• Approved advertising for back-up driver with commercial license for the Senior Center for Aug. 10-14 for transportation during Senior Olympics;
• Approved the proposed $9,386 contract with SMART for the 2016 fiscal year;
• Accepted, with regret, the resignations of fire fighters Christopher Scott and Jennifer Scott;
• Approved the Senior Alliance’s 2016 Annual Implementation Plan for Aging Services;
• Approved donating $1,400 to the Eagle Scout project at the recycling center. The scout held at least one fund raiser and still needed money to buy materials for the shelter he is building;
• Approved the appointment of Trustee Matthew Oddy to be board liaison to the Zoning Board of Appeals;
• Discussed reinstating the township newsletter which used to be sent out every three months and featured information for the residents from all the departments. It was stopped when the budget was tightened up. “People miss it,” said Trustee Morgan. Supervisor Morgan said the majority of the people don’t come to the board meetings and were kept informed by the newsletter. Supervisor Morgan said the board doesn’t need to vote on reinstating it. Deputy Treasurer Karen Armatis said they had sent out 4,000 copies and the postage was the most expensive part of the project;
• Heard Mary Sherwood announce that former Trustee Barney Ban is healing from open-heart surgery in Glacier Hills rehab;
• Heard Doug Kowalski from the Moose Lodge announce the July 18 party at the Moose to celebrate one year in Sumpter. He announced a car show coming up in August, a Halloween party for kids and adults in October, a veterans’ party in November, and a children’s Christmas party in December;
• Heard Trustee Peggy Morgan tell the Moose members that one of the township residents has a problem with getting over a door sill when the lodge is being used as a voting precinct and she’s not alone. She suggested Clerk Clarence Hoffman bring in a ramp to be used only for voting days. “We inherited the condition,” said Moose administrator Robert Coutts. Trustee Morgan suggested the clerk work it out with the Moose. Virginia Belinski said she works at that precinct and when she walks in she has found it really dirty with sticky floors. The door is propped open and the cold blows in which causes the heat to kick on, she said;
• Discussed the welcome police presence at Banotai Park. Police Chief Jim Pierce said recently there was a problem with a guy walking on the beach and in the water with a dog, and another young man was fishing on the beach. He talked to both and the young man was turned over to his father. Chief Pierce said he goes to the park about 3-4 times a day and stays 15-20 minutes each time. Trustee Morgan said it is good to see how clean people are keeping the park and Supervisor Morgan said Treasurer Alan Bates does a lot of work at the park; and
• Went into closed-door session to discuss updates on the fire department union contract. Trustee Bill Hamm recused himself from deliberations since he is a paid-per-call fire fighter.