Van Buren Township hires Nicole Gerhart for Director of Recreation

Nicole Gerhart was hired as Van Buren Township’s Director of Recreation at the township board’s regular meeting on June 4.
Human Resources Director Nicole Sumpter told the board that Gerhart has over 22 years of aquatics and recreation experience and possesses several professional certifications and parks and recreations affiliations.
Director Sumpter said Gerhart is vice president of the Northeast Parks and Recreation Association.
The township’s new community center opens for a public celebration on June 24.
In other business at the 25-minute meeting on June 4, the board:
• Approved Fishbeck engineers to provide CCTV Sewer Inspection Design and Administration for the township sewer system at a cost of $49,600;
• Approved the Sanitary Sewer Inspection Year 4 change order with Advance Underground at a cost of $100,849.10, adding to it Haggerty subdivision, which has some of the oldest sanitary main in the system, and Harmony Lane sub, which has had capacity issues during heavy rain events. VBT staff will clean/flush the system ahead of the contractor, with mains larger than 24” being cleaned by the contractor;
• Approved an agreement for community development block grant (CDBG) funds of up to $320,000 project expenses from Wayne County to fill gaps in the sidewalk network on the north side of Tyler Road from Morton Taylor to Haggerty roads;
• Approved the first reading of an ordinance to amend the zoning ordinance to provide language clarifying signage provisions for the Belleville Road and Sumpter Road Mixed-Use Districts, as recommended by the planning commission;
• Approved the first reading of an ordinance to rezone property from AG-Agricultural and Estate to SMRU-Sumpter Mixed-Use District to make way for the Tractor Supply business at the corner of of Hull and Sumpter roads, as recommended by the planning commission; and
• Heard candidate for 34th District Court Judge Todd Barron say he has been an attorney for 28 years and he running to fill the vacancy of being left by the retirement Judge Tina Brooks Green.
Township Clerk Leon Wright chaired the meeting in the absence of Supervisor Kevin McNamara.