Donald LaPorte, Jr., a Sumpter Township fire fighter, has been hired by the City of Farmington as a public safety officer.
He is certified as an Emergency Medical Technician and fire fighter and was to graduate from the police academy on Nov. 17. He was to start his first 12-hour shift as a public safety officer on Nov. 18.
At the Nov. 10 meeting of the Sumpter Township Board of Trustees, the board approved a leave of absence from the fire department for LaPorte.
His father, Donald LaPorte, gave the fire department report at the meeting and explained that Farmington wants his son to concentrate on his public safety officer duties now. Maybe, in the future, it will be possible for him to return to being a paid-per-call fire fighter in Sumpter.
And, the board also approved, with regrets, the resignation of Police Officer Joshua Scaglione, who has been hired as a full-time officer in the Westland Police Department.
In other business at the Nov. 10 meeting, the board:
• Heard LaPorte say he is public safety officer for the fire department and he wanted to give a report. He said the fire department appreciates the help of the police department and just the previous week a couple officers helped fire fighters put out a grass fire. He said recently three trainers from the Saginaw tri-township fire department gave two, four-hour fire fighter safety classes, “Everyone Goes Home.” One of the recommendations was to carry baby wipes in the fire truck so the carcinogens in the air from fires can be wiped off the fire fighters’ arms and necks which decreases the cancer risk by 51%;
• Heard a presentation from Scott Virgo on the new Kiwanis Club being organized for the tri-community. The organizational meeting was set for 6:30 p.m., Nov. 18, at the Belleville Area Chamber of Commerce office. Virgo said the club’s focus is working with children and they “change the world by working with children, one child at a time”;
• Unanimously approved Clerk Clarence Hoffman’s request to keep his daughter, Janet Hoffman, on as an employee for training as deputy clerk since Deputy Clerk Esther Hurst is going to retire in February and he plans to appoint Janet to the position. Janet has been filling in for Hurst during her absenses following several surgeries, starting last December;
• Approved meeting dates for the township board and planning commission for 2016;
• Was informed the annual, free Christmas Party for children will be held at 6 p.m., Dec. 16, at the Community Center. Parents should register children at the supervisor’s office by Dec. 4, so they will know how many gifts to get;
• Heard former Trustee Tim Rush volunteer to be on the committee being formed by Trustee Don Swinson to get solar power for the police department and community center. He said he has solar power at his house and he cut his electric bill from $250 to $30 a month. Trustee Swinson said, “Welcome aboard”; and
• Heard Mary Ban say that the furnace was out at the community center and although it is fixed now, she asked if they could replace the boiler which is old. Clerk Hoffman said the solar committee is working on getting energy for the community center and police department. Ban also said when she went to vote at the Moose Lodge she noticed that the doorway work was a big improvement, but the floor needs washing. She said when the township owned the PNA Hall it kept the floor spotless and waxed. She said if the Moose doesn’t pay the balloon payment on the mortgage in the future, the township will get the building back and, “We want it in tip-top shape.”