VBT Board approves hiring Kristopher Schlutow for key job

At its regular meeting on July 2, the Van Buren Township Board of Trustees voted unanimously to hire Kristopher Schlutow and approve his personal services agreement as superintendent of building and grounds. His annual salary is $62,128.
Matthew Best, director of public services, said an extensive search was done and there were more than 100 applicants for the position. He said the field was whittled down to 10 and then to five and then Schlutow was selected to be the new superintendent of building and grounds.
Best said Schlutow has 14 years of experience in the public sector, starting in Bloomfield Township’s Department of Public Works. His last position was in water services for the Wayne County Airport Authority for both Metro and Willow Run airports.
Best said Schlutow carries a S-1 Water Distribution System Operators License, the highest, and has successfully completed the Michigan Public Services Institute. He has a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts and Science from Western Michigan University, majoring in political science.
“Welcome. Glad to have you,” said Trustee Reggie Miller.
Trustee Sherry Frazier welcomed Schlutow, but said she had concern with the process of how the township hires.
“We’re on a slippery slope” if we allow someone to start working before the board hires him. “We should review the policy and maybe it has to be tweaked.”
She referred to the discussion at the July 1 board work/study session that disclosed Schlutow was already on the job, wearing an employee identification, before board members even met him or voted on his personal services agreement.
At the time, Supervisor Kevin McNamara said the township needed him now. Clerk Leon Wright said Public Services Director Matthew Best needed to go on vacation. Best stated he was on vacation and needed to come back to the meeting for this. He also attended the July 2 meeting from vacation.
Schlutow replaces former building and grounds superintendent Jeff Fondaw.
He indicated at the meeting that he knew he would have to trim his beard, since that evening the board approved a new policy that facial hair on employees has to be not more than ½-inch long.
In other business at the one-hour-and 25-minute meeting, the board:
• Approved the award to the township of $55,000 from the Detroit Wayne Mental Health Authority for the Summer Youth Job Initiative, dubbed the R.E.A.L. program, now in its third year. (R.E.A.L. stands for Revealing Exceptionally Amazing Leaders.) Human Resources Director Nicole Sumpter, who has developed the program and is running it, said they are having a STEM focus this year (science, technology, engineering, and math). Trustee Frazier commended Director Sumpter for giving this opportunity to students and to Supervisor McNamara for getting the grant. “Kids love it,” said Clerk Wright. “It’s training kids to be adults.” Trustee Miller pointed out Sumpter was able to add two more positions to the program this year. “We get to go to Cobo Hall and our people stand out,” said Sumpter. “When we walk in, they know who we are”;
• Approved updates to the policy and procedure manual in the areas of keeping a drug free work environment, the dress code, and use of social media;
• Approved, on a 6-1 vote, a change order to the painting and flooring project in the multi-purpose room, recreation desk, and waiting area to include township hall-wide painting and flooring. Trustee Paul White voted no. Cross Renovations, the general contractor, gave a base bid for painting at $69,350 and the base bid for flooring at $109,663 for the new work. An alternate to put a VBT logo in the floor of the front entrance at a cost of $6,000 was rejected by the board;
• Unanimously approved selection of low bidder Davenport Brothers Construction Co, Inc., for the design/build renovation of the board room at township hall. Davenport bid $97,000 and Cross Renovations bid $125,000. Best said the board room has been the same since 1996. “This room is where the magic happens,” he said referring to local government. “It is time for the government to look as good as we feel.” Plans include removing and replacing the carpet and wall finishes, ceiling pads and lights, installing a new closet, painting all the doors, walls, and frames, and protecting the VBT logo on the wall. The board may decide later to use the logo in a different way, smaller with the township name. An alternate proposal to demolish the present board table and to provide a new board table at an additional cost of $28,000 was rejected by the board;
• Heard Sheila Green, representing Walden Woods subdivision, explain that 4/5ths of her subdivision does not have street lights. Supervisor McNamara said he has a solution, but it will need a board vote by the homeowners’ association. He said he will explain the process to her later;
• Heard Ashley Shukait, who put together the Community Resource Guide featured on the township website, say at the beginning of the meeting that the township should look for ways to point out the good things people in the township are doing, like the Benches for Belleville project that is inspiring young people to recycle. McNamara said they have their new magazine Van Buren Today that will be doing this. Trustee Miller said the board should bring good things out, instead of having the end of the board meetings so contentious. “We should talk about good things and people should let the board know so the board can spotlight them.” Trustee Frazier said she agrees the board should be grateful for everything good and promote it, “… but I do not agree with Trustee Miller … Everybody has their own perspective on things … a variety of information to offer … That’s what we need to offer,” she said, and Supervisor McNamara shut down her remarks to go on with the meeting; and
• Heard Trustee Miller say at the very end of the meeting that the idea of spotlighting community members, as suggested by Shukait at the beginning of the meeting, would be a good way to end the board meetings on a positive note. Trustee White said there are seven different people sitting at the board table and no way will they always agree. “We should try to leave on a happy basis,” he agreed. “It could be our goal. We should work together on all the important things for our residents.”