Sumpter OKs moving slaughterhouses to special land use in Industrial zoning

At the Nov. 26 meeting of the Sumpter Township Board of Trustees, the board unanimously approved the planning commission’s recommendation to remove slaughterhouses as a special land use in the Agricultural zoning district and make it a special land use in the General Industrial District.
Township attorney Rob Young got up to speak from the audience where he said he now sits since the new clerk changed the rules.
Young said he left the resolution the board was being asked to approve at his office by mistake. He said he will bring the resolution to the clerk’s office so it can be published in the appropriate way. It would be in effect 30 days after publication, he said.
In other business at the 31-minute meeting, the board:
• Approved the recommendation from the planning commission for text amendments to Section 3.3, Special Land Uses, which gives the township board final approval on Special Land Uses;
• Removed from the agenda consideration of the bid submitted by Brutsche Concrete Products for a 40-niche columbarium for $16,098.43, and the bid submitted by Universal Home Works for the columbarian foundation and courtyard pad, with no price given, with both paid with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds or other available funds;
• Approved the Nov. 19 recommendation from the Parks & Recreation Committee to appoint, pending final background checks, James Savich as chairman, Mary Ann Rowland as co-chair, Nicole VanAssche as treasurer, and Anita Honey as secretary. It was announced longtime members had stepped down and Richard Pokerwinski had back surgery Nov. 25. Trustee Tim Rush said there were 14 people at the meeting, the most he’s seen in a long time. He said COVID had put a damper on activities in the township and they want to do things, with Trustee Honey wanting to head up Bingo. The next meeting of the committee was set for Dec. 9, Trustee Rush said;
• Approved sending the Fire Department’s 2009 Ford Rescue Truck to Insurance Auto Auction;
• Approved the amended Western Wayne County Police Mutual Aid Agreement, dated Oct. 28, and adopted Resolution 2024-19;
• Approved payout of the final benefits bank time for former financial director Scott Holtz in the amount of $5,789.75;
• Approved paying C&S Construction for the completed community center doors with ADA-assist replacements at a total cost of $29,500, paid with federal ARPA funds or other available funds;
• Approved paying $39,800 to Diversified Excavating for the completed township parks, roadways, and lots, paid with ARPA funds or other available funds;
• Approved paying PPM Landscape $22,600 for the completed Graham Park forestry project, paid with ARPA funds or other available funds;
• Approved paying CRG Electric $4,860.75 for emergency response and repair on election day, Nov. 5, and Nov. 6 at the community center. It was reported the main line to the service utility box was fried and that was caused by non-compliant bulbs in the whole gym;
• Approved the updated planning and zoning fee schedule;
• Approved the township board and planning commission meeting dates for 2025;
• Heard township manager Anthony Burdick report the search for a DPW director is going well and they have a candidate, and a part-time seasonal DPW worker will be in place after Jan. 1. The DPW worker who was injured and out on workman’s compensation will have an update on whether the worker will be able to come back. He also reported at the Dec. 10 meeting the board will be asked to approve the benefits care package for 2025. He said the township has over-obliged ARPA funds by more than $38,400, so it is eligible to receive the total $984,000 from the federal government;
• Heard Treasurer Bart Patterson say the highest interest the township received ever had been $67,000, but this year it has been $800,000. He also noted that the township no longer has a cemetery committee and asked Burdick to find a way to continue on with all the work that has been done at Martinsville Cemetery. He referred to the resignation of the financial director and the loss of the former deputy clerk, who made up the committee; and
• Heard resident Mary Ban welcome new trustees Frazier and Honey and asked the board members to listen to the constituents who have elected them. She said she looks forward to a great four years.