Sumpter board directs clerk to spend unknown amount on properties

Sumpter Township attorney Rob Young, who did not have a place on the June 24 agenda, interrupted the agenda to discuss properties that will be available for the township to buy.
He said a list of properties will be made available by Wayne County on July 1 and he didn’t want Sumpter to miss out on buying three of them. The list will contain properties that have reverted to the county for non-payment of taxes, he said.
Young read the parcel numbers of the three pieces of property they should buy without further explanation.
He asked board members to pass a motion for the clerk to respond to the county on the three parcels and they can formally be purchased at the next regular township board meeting. He said he didn’t want to wait too long after the properties were announced and risk losing out on them.
Before voting on the motion that was proposed aside from agenda items, board members asked how much the purchase will be.
Young said he didn’t know the cost and it will be whatever the tax not paid is — somewhere between $20,000 and $25,000, he thought. He said if the township then decides to sell the property, it will get more than its money back.
He said the purchases will “improve the surrounding area” for township residents.
Without any motion to add a new item to the agenda, the board unanimously passed the motion requested by the attorney. Absent and excused from the meeting were Clerk Don LaPorte and Treasurer Bart Patterson.
In other business at the 34-minute meeting, the board:
• Heard a report from financial director Julie Campbell, noting the royalty payment from the landfill was $197,950.18 in May, which was $7,000 more than last year at this time. She said the original general fund budget with revenues, expenses, and how much has been spent so far is available. “We’re fine and not running over budget,” she said. She said there hasn’t been a budget for Parks and Recreation as far as March, because it wasn’t active, but she will produce that now. She said township revenue is exceeding expenses by $1.3 million. She also said some MEDC and ARPA funds have been moved around and now needs to be audited;
• Heard Director of Public Works Ron Tabor give a report on water and sewer matters. He said there was $75,000 in delinquencies for June and shut offs are scheduled for property owners who owe more than $200 each billing period. He said water hydrants will be painted with aerosol cans because paint brushes get too sloppy. They will be able to stay away from the fittings. He said the annual water report required by the Environmental Protection Agency is available on the township website;
• Heard Township Manager Ken Marten explain that Zach Goodhart with Michigan Lake and Pond had an emergency and was unable to attend this meeting for his presentation. It has been rescheduled for July 22. Marten said Goodhart will talk about removing invasive vegetation from Sherwood Pond in Banotai Park;
• Heard Marten also say retired township manager Anthony Burdick’s final payout will be on the July 8 agenda and there will be active-shooter training July 10 at township hall. He also announced the district library would like to use an outdoor area for some library programs and he’d like to see them use the property. He also said the board has his written report for the rest of the information given and there’s no reason for him to read it to them;
• Heard Rush remind everyone that July 4 is the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and added that’s why he’s dressed so patriotically;
• Approved using remaining ARPA funds to pay for a portion of the HVAC system purchased from Dynamic Energy Solutions. It originally was allocated as ARPA but was paid out of Capital Projects per the board agenda item. They will use about $17,000, depending on interest accrued in ARPA investment. Trustee Matt Oddy said originally $37,000 was approved;
• Approved retroactively extending the hiring of Wyatt Behrendt as a seasonal, part-time DPW worker effective April 7 trough July 7 at the AFSCME rate of $23.33 per hour up to 29 hours per week. The contract requires hiring in 90-day terms so this will be back on the agenda at the next meeting to approve his work into September. This is needed for grass cutting;
• Approved a recommendation by Parks and Recreation for a budget not to exceed $700 for the garden at Banotai Park for repairs, plants, and marking the boundary to the site. Funds will be paid out of General Fund/Parks and Recreation;
• Approved a budget requested by Parks and Recreation not to exceeed $2,000 for Family Fun Day expenses. Funds will be paid out of General Fund/Parks and Recreation;
• Approved issuing a request for a proposal for protective epoxy floor coating in the fire house bays and gear room;
• Approved renewing CableCast support with CTI effective July 11, 2025 until July 10, 2026 at a cost of $960;
• Heard resident Kay Harris ask the board to consider buying drones for the police and fire departments, given drones are helping with fighting the forest fires in several states and Canada. She noted police also could find seniors who lost their way in the woods and suspects who escape from arrest. The drones would help the fire department fight fires. She was told the police have a drone. She asked them to buy a drone for the fire department; and
• Heard Zeola Walker mention the new play equipment in Graham Park and asked if any board members ever try to sit in that park, which is full of mosquitoes. Trustee Oddy chastised her for being rude in her question and said he had been in the park. She said they should spray to make it tolerable. Walker also said Wayne County should clean the ditches which are full of slimy-looking water. She said it’s been more than five years since the county cleaned ditches. Trustee Rush said they learned it has actually been 25 years. Trustee Rush said they have been having issues with beavers in Banotai Park. He said they clean up the beaver structures and the beavers build them back up again.