Sumpter OKs posting DPW position, hiring temp. in clerk’s office

At its regular meeting April 9, the Sumpter Township Board of Trustees unanimously approved posting an opening for a DPW worker at the AFSCME-approved wage of $28.83 an hour and benefits.
Although it was to be posted until April 19, Trustee Matthew Oddy asked that it be posted until May 1 to give people time to apply.
In other business at the 44-minute combined workshop/regular meeting, the board:
• Approved front counter replacements in the Treasurer’s and Clerk’s offices. This was added to the agenda at the last minute and Township Manager Anthony Burdick apologized for the delay since the application to be on the agenda was submitted properly;
• Approved on a 6-1 vote the hiring of Kristina Stencel as a temporary, part-time clerk’s office assistant for up to 29 hours per week at an AFSCME-approved hourly rate of $16.04, effective April 10 to Nov. 15. Treasurer Bart Patterson cast the only no vote;
• Heard manager Burdick report that he and Finance Director Scott Holtz met with CWA to discuss rebuilding of the DPW. Burdick said there were a number of bells and whistles to help manage the process, especially with power use of the BS&A modules;
• Heard Supervisor Tim Bowman ask about how the planning commission approves use of property. He didn’t like the use approved by the township board at its last meeting for the building next to the restaurant/bar at the corner of Willis and Rawsonville roads. He said he thought something more like a 7/Eleven would be more suitable. Trustee Oddy and township attorney Rob Young explained to him that the planning commission only recommends and the township board makes the final decision. The commission’s decision is based on the zoning ordinance’s use or special use for that property;
• Heard Burdick detail refurbishing plans for the recycling and fuel areas. He said yellow paint, at almost $300 a gallon, will be used. He said he would like to earmark in $13,000 in Wayne County 2024-25 grant funds to be used for road improvements to Banotai Park. He also reported the DPW will be sprucing up the parks with trimming after the winter season and asphalt patching at township hall as a temporary fix. An Adrian firm, that Holtz knew, gave a very attractive quote for top-dressing all township parking lots, he said;
• Learned some of the Parks and Recreation people are struggling with health issues;
• Heard Public Safety Director/Police Chief Eric Luke report that three intersections are tied for two crashes each in the month of March: Harris/Martinsville, Rawsonville/Willis, and Judd/Rawsonville. Also, he said less than four weeks after first approaching CLEMIS, the fire department will be operating on CLEMIS no later than May 1. “We’re happy we’re going there,” he said;
• Heard Trustee Tim Rush say he is authorized by the National Weather Service and he will be teaching a Sky Warn class and anyone interested should contact him. He said Sumpter is the only municipality in Michigan that is Storm Ready certified;
• Heard Treasurer Patterson note that this is the day Mary Ban will be having her knee surgery. She usually speaks under the public comment part of the meeting and, “We miss you,” he said; and
• Heard Trustee Don LaPorte say he is recovered from his knee surgery and was back to work on Monday and will be back at the fire department ASAP.