Sumpter uses ARPA funds on police dept., township hall roof

At its regular meeting Sept. 24, the Sumpter Township Board of Trustees voted unanimously to use federal ARPA funds to replace the south side windows and restroom floors in the police department and to replace the roof at township hall.
ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds have been allocated to help communities recover from the COVID pandemic. Sumpter was allotted $984,000.
The board:
• Approved a proposal of re-obligation of ARPA funds and targeted projects;
• Approve the bid by EMU Global Services to replace the police department’s south side windows at a cost of $18,350, with ARPA funds or other available funds, if required;
• Approved the sole bid by Concrete Floor Treatment to replace the police department restroom floors at a cost of $13,952, paid with ARPA funds or other available funds, if required; and
• Approved to post and publish an invitation to bid for the township hall roof replacement, paid with ARPA funds or other available funds, if required.
In other business at the one hour and 25 minute meeting, the board also:
• Removed from the agenda without explanation an agenda item to approve an amendment to the Finance Director’s and Township Accountant’s contracts to report to the township board and an amenda item to define payroll duties are under the Clerk’s office supervision and overseen by the Finance Director;
• Added to the agenda and approved accepting the sole bid of $39,800 from Diversified Excavating for the Graham Park and Banotai Park interior roadways and parking lot, saving $10,000 by using campus parking lot millings;
• Heard Finance Director Scott Holtz report that the royalty check from the landfill just arrived and it is $196,000, 5% down for the year. Also, because of the federal interest rate cuts, the township interest earnings will slide downward;
• Heard Township Manager Anthony Burdick report the HVAC unit for the community center is not in yet and the vendor will return the downpayment it has if it doesn’t arrive soon. The delay had been attributed to a supply chain issue, but he has looked into other possible vendors. He reported on several other pending projects and that they have had a second interview with a possible replacement for the DPW Director vacancy;
• Heard Jamie Good of the fire department report he went to the state and worked with MI Prevention on getting smoke detectors for seniors and he got 76 smoke detectors and 25 CO detectors and will get an unlimited supply after those run out;
• Heard Mary Ban thank Fire Chief Brown and Mr. Sliwa for helping her when she was at the community center and couldn’t stand or sit without excruciating pain. She was taken to the hospital and wanted to compliment the township’s emergency squads. She also thanked Maryann Watson for bringing her car back home for her. Ban again pointed out there is too much uncut brush along the roadways and also dead trees hanging over Sumpter Road in Van Buren Township;
• Approved accepting the fuel tank refresh quote from Chapp & Bushey Oil Company at a total cost of $3,915.65;
• Approved Rachel Scott of the DPW to attend the MRWA (Michigan Rural Water Association) S3 and S4 training at a cost not to exceed $650;
• Approved Resolution 2024-08 opposing toxic waste being sent to the VanBuren Township Republic Waste landfill , adding that the township strongly disapproves of disposing of out of state toxic waste in Wayne County; and
• Went into a 43-minute closed-door session at the end of the meeting to consider its attorney’s opinion pertaining to Republic Landfill and attorney’s opinion pertaining to a pending audit. After the board came out of closed door session, it voted to direct the attorney to proceed as directed in closed session, with no details given.