Roger Mayfield, who has been a police officer in Sumpter Township since 1994, left the police department as of March 22.
Mayfield, who suffers from a medical condition, is seeking retirement through the Michigan Employment Retirement System and the township agreed to supply whatever documents necessary to help him with MERS.
At the March 22 meeting of the Sumpter Township Board of Trustees, negotiations continued in a back office between Mayfield’s attorney and Sumpter Township attorney Rob Young.
Finally, after much going back and forth by the attorneys during the meeting and delays in addressing an agenda item on “Separation of Employment for Roger Mayfield,” the final t’s were crossed and the document was ready.
The board unanimously accepted the retirement and the separation agreement.
Attorney Young explained that Roger and his wife Sherry Mayfield, with their attorney, had submitted a retirement request. He said Mayfield suffered from a medical condition, with his health deteriorating over the years.
“Because of problems with his neck, he is not able to do his job as a police officer,” Young said, adding that Mayfield has made a big contribution to Sumpter Township over the years.
He said that Mayfield and Lt. Eric Luke were hired the same day. The two have known each other all their lives.
At one point, the Sumpter community put on a fund raiser to help the Mayfields with their medical bills.
Mayfield got up to speak. “I’ve loved the contribution I made to Sumpter Township over the past 17 years.”
He said with his 10 operations, he has contracted an incurable blood disease and an incurable bone disease and his health will only go down from here.
Young said Mayfield’s insurance through the township will continue until the end of June.
“There is no job available for Roger, given his medical condition,” Young said.
Mayfield was initially reluctant to seek retirement, but after a lengthy closed-door session on March 8, between Mayfield and his attorney and the township board and its attorney, apparently he reconsidered and the document was ready to be fine-tuned during the March 22 meeting.
In other business at the March 22 meeting, the board:
• Approved the second reading and adoption of the Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority’s ordinance amendment on water supply and sewage disposal, an update required by the state;
• Approved on a 6-1 vote with Clerk Clarence Hoffman voting no, the lay-off of Senior Coordinator Denise Droulliard;
• Approved a new, non-refundable charge of $50 for rental of pavilions at Graham and Banotai parks, starting immediately. Trustee Peggy Morgan asked that the money stay with the Parks & Recreation Dept. and the issue will be returned to Parks & Rec for discussion;
• Approved advertising for bids for re-blacktopping the basketball courts at Graham Park, paid out of the Wayne County Parks grant;
• Approved advertising for bids for installation of two drinking fountains at Graham Park paid out of the Wayne County Parks grant;
• Approved re-bidding a one-inch water tap for the drinking fountains at Graham Park, paid out of the Wayne County Parks grant;
• Approved advertising for bids for grass-cutting for seniors who qualify, paid out of Community Development Block Grant funds;
• Approved obtaining a liquor license for beer and wine for the Sumpter Country Fest on Memorial Day week end;
• Heard Trustee Alan Bates repeat that the padding under the play equipment needs to be put in place as soon as possible this spring. He said bare concrete is showing which opens the township to liability and claims of negligence;
• Heard Trustee Bill Hamm announce that a new pump for the grass truck was needed at an estimated cost of $3,500, but Chief Powell and Fire Fighter Sliwa rebuilt the old pump and saved the township that money;
• Heard Mary Ban ask why the township is asking voters to approve 1 additional mill for police operations on May 3, since the tax can’t be collected until December. She suggested they wait until the August or November elections. Trustee Linda Kennedy said if voters approve now, it will demonstrate stability to the state, and the township will be able to plan on the extra funds coming;
• Heard Ban ask about the Bemis/Elwell sewer project, noting the first principal payment on the bonds will be for $125,000 in November. She wanted to know why Elwell Elementary School hasn’t hooked up, as hoped. Supervisor Johnny Vawters said the board was told all the houses on Bemis would hook into the sewer, but only about 10 did. “If we had known, we would have made a different decision,” Vawters said. Trustee Morgan pointed out that the trailer park is hooked up and owner Bruce Knight kept his word;
• Heard resident Karen Mickens demand to know what she can tell senior citizens who want to know why they should vote for the millage. After a lengthy reply by attorney Young, Mickens said she wanted a short, one-sentence reason to give them;
• Heard Belleville Area District Library Board member Michael Boelter invite everyone to a 9 a.m. workshop session at the library on April 30 to discuss building a new library. “We apologize our regular meeting is the same night as yours,” Boelter said, noting that the second Tuesday is the only night all the members could come. “We were hoping you could change,” Trustee Morgan said; and
• Heard Crystal Harris ask for use of the PNA Hall on May 14, just before Sumpter Fest, for a fund raiser for the Progressive League. The hall reservations will be checked.