Trustee Sherry Frazier was home sick and Clerk Leon Wright was at the MMRMA conference on Tuesday when the Van Buren Township Board of Trustees tried to pass two pricey projects.
The board needs to have a majority of the seven members – four votes – to pass a motion. Since Trustees Reggie Miller and Paul White voted no, only three votes were ayes, so both motions failed.
One motion was to approve a $132,000 low bid from Davenport Brothers Construction for entryway work for the township hall. It amounted to $6,000 per column for 21 posts at the doorways to four entryways. The painting of the undersides of the metal roofs at the entries was included in the price.
The other 3-2 vote on a motion that failed was for the landscaping for the township hall. This was for $133,092.15 by low bidder Crooked Tree Nursery of Owosso. This work was to be coordinated with the column work and be completed by June.
Russell Design, who designed the DDA’s Splash Pad/Quirk Park project, designed the landscaping. Crooked Tree outbid local landscapers Gonczy and Randy Brown because Crooked Tree grows its own trees and gave low prices for top soil, as well.
Supervisor Kevin McNamara accepted the reality of the 3-2 votes and the meeting went on. You can be sure the votes will be retaken when they have a full board and the projects will continue. It’s the end of the overall township hall renovations and they’ll get it done.
Editor’s Note: When the Independent was printed for this week, VBT Supervisor Kevin McNamara contacted the Independent to tell us he got an attorney’s opinion and could accept a majority of those present to pass the motions, rather than a majority of those on the board. He said the motions are now considered passed.