Sumpter OKs budget of $8.49 million revenue, $9.56 million expenses

At its regular meeting on March 26, the Sumpter Township Board of Trustees unanimously approved its new budget for 2019-20 that has total revenues of $8.49 million and total expenses of $9.56 million.
The new fiscal year begins April 1.
The board also approved the township’s 2019-20 insurance renewal with Burnham & Flower, effective April 1, at a cost of $101,261. This includes the new addition of casualty and property terrorism coverage.
In other business at the March 26 meeting, the board:
• Unanimously voted to pay warrants of $103,484.62, minus the $3,024.59 check written to complete payment for the new board table that was yet to be installed. Treasurer Ken Bednark said it was not a good idea to pay for something before seeing it. Finance Director Scott Holtz said it was past practice to approve the payment and then release the check later. “I would rather have the board make that decision,” Bednark said. (Reportedly, the table was installed the next day and there were some problems.);
• Approved an additional payment of $23,415 for control panel disconnects for the Willis/Sumpter Road sewer lift station repair after Bednark questioned the extra payment and board discussion on how the cost of this project has grown and how the township conducts its bid process. “It was an open-ended bid and I questioned the hurry,” Trustee Don LaPorte said of the original bid. “It was an emergency then. I guess it’s still an emergency… I’m ashamed of myself for not voting no in the beginning.” Trustee Tim Rush said the township should build a simple lean-to over the equipment, that has been damaged by corrosive gases, to shield it from direct sunlight. Supervisor John Morgan warned board members against going against the engineering consultant and the head of the water department, who are experts. “I’m not questioning the way the job’s laid out,” Bednark said. “Why can’t they put their finger on what needs to be done?”;
• Approved the second reading and adopted the amended section to the township zoning ordinance to add yard waste and ice/snow/slush to what cannot be dumped or disposed of in public or private rights of way or road surfaces;
• Approved the second reading and adopted the amended section to the township zoning ordinance to add environment, drains, and public and private right of ways to places people cannot dump waste;
• Approved directing the clerk to mail a draft of the Master Plan to neighboring communities and major utility companies for review;
• Approved paying $556.40 to have DTE install a streetlight in the parking lot of the Sumpter Township Police Department;
• Amended the MERS defined-contributions plan to allow for additional employee contribution;
• Granted Collin Lynch and Laura Bratby leaves of absence until July 1, 2019, retroactive to March 1, 2019;
• Approved a recommendation from Parks and Recreation Commission to move Krystal Tackett from alternate member to full-time member;
• Approved a recommendation from Parks & Recreation Commission to change the rental fee for pavilions at Graham and Banotai parks from $50 to $100, starting immediately, due to rising maintenance costs;
• Approved the Feb. 6 minutes of a special, hour-long Parks and Recreation Commission board meeting to consider a donation for the Missoula Children’s Theater, which was to be in Sumpter in May. Fifteen people were listed as being present. The minutes said: “The commission took a vote and decided not to help. We were approached at the last minute for help with this matter. We voted it down on the ground that all our monies for the Sumpter Parks and Recreation Commission has already set their budget for the year and had nothing left to offer them.” The motion was by Jim Posegay, supported by Sharon Pokerwinski. All votes were no with one abstaining;
• Heard Trustee Don Swinson announce the annual Easter Egg Hunt for children will be at noon on Saturday, April 13, at Graham Park. He said Parks and Recreation Commission is looking for volunteers to help to clean up Banotai Park on April 27 and Graham Park on May 4. “We have a ton of mulch coming for the playscapes,” said Trustee Swinson. He also said they are in the process of getting a swing set to hold a wheelchair for both parks, paid for by Wayne County;
• Heard Trustee Matthew Oddy say the planning commission is requesting pictures of Sumpter Township scenes to add to the Master Plan booklet. He said the pictures need to be in digital format. A request for the pictures will go out over Comcast, channel 12;
• Heard Trustee Tim Rush say he and Public Safety Director/Police Chief Eric Luke are working on the Storm Ready program with an application to the National Weather Service. He said part of this is the Sky Warn program that will begin with a 3-4 hour class which is open to the public. The Storm Ready program will enhance the township’s emergency management and lower insurance rating, especially flood insurance, Trustee Rush said;
• Heard Trustee Don LaPorte say that the National Incident Management (NIMS) training is coming for board members. He said completing the 6-8 hours of training helps with grant availability from the state and federal governments. Sumpter fire fighter Jaime Goode is the instructor;
• Heard resident Adrian Slaughter ask the definition of “warrants” and Supervisor Morgan replied, “Those are the bills we owe.” Then she asked township attorney Rob Young if he was employed by the supervisor’s office or the board and Young said it was the board. She asked Young if he had a contract and he said he didn’t but by continuing to provide services he works at the pleasure of the board. He has worked for the township about 30 years and he did have a contract at one time, he said. He listed the kinds of services he provides. When Slaughter asked if he represented employees and he said only when related to their jobs. “I don’t represent them as private citizens,” Young said;
• Heard former Treasurer Peggy Morgan ask if someone has a legal license to carry a gun can they have a medical marijuana card? Chief Luke said that is a grey area. He said Michigan may become a no-permit-needed state. He said those against marijuana are losing the battle and the marijuana is winning. He said police officers are licensed by the state and don’t need a concealed carry permit. He said officers don’t have medical marijuana cards. Later, he said he wanted to make sure that was not an allegation … to make sure there was no misunderstanding and Morgan said it was not an allegation. Morgan also asked about pensions and Young said they don’t have the answers to the pension problems yet;
• Heard Zeola Walker note that not one person of color works in township hall, with elected Supervisor Morgan an exception. She said everyone working at the township hall is a European American. “I’ve been here 44 years and have seen just one person of color here,” Walker said. Bednark said he recently had to hire a part-time clerk and he had 12 applications and none was a person of color. “I embrace diversity. I welcome that,” he said, adding he cannot answer why no one of color applied. Supervisor Morgan said 30-40 years ago he had total control over hiring and he had the same concerns. He said they developed a written test with math, reading, and overall ability for a clerical-type job. “We had 25 people take the tests and we interviewed the top eight. No person of color was in the top eight. How do you fix that? We did a lot of work to get people of color,” Morgan said;
• Heard Mary Sherwood say she has always been proud of Sumpter Township because of its diversity and there’s always a person of color on the board;
• Heard Eric Partridge say he found, through a Freedom of Information Act request, that the cost of the new board table has gone up by $2,800 for the addition of granite. He said the cost of the table now is at $9,400, close to the $10,000 limit. He wanted to know how the granite got added to the contract. “Did you vote on this? Talk among yourselves?” he asked the board. Supervisor Morgan replied, “I’m not going to get in a pissing match with you.” He said, “The lady in back knows.” But when he looked to the back of the room he noted that now she’s not here. He referred to Deputy Supervisor Karen Armatis who, as Partridge stood up to talk, reportedly stepped into the back break room and closed the door.
Absent from the meeting was Clerk Esther Hurst.