There was only one item on the March 20 agenda for the Van Buren Township Board of Trustee’s work/study session: “Discussion on Township Employee Travel and Training.”
But that discussion turned into an argument with board members talking over each other and shouting.
“I have the power to table this,” said a frustrated Supervisor Kevin McNamara 40 minutes into the meeting and Treasurer Sharry Budd made the motion to table, with Trustee Reggie Miller seconding. The vote was 6-1, with Trustee Paul White voting no.
Then, Miller said she didn’t mean “table,” but “postpone” and so the motion was amended to be “postpone” and it passed 6-1, with Trustee White voting no.
Trustee Miller had said earlier she would like the topic tabled for three months down the line.
But, before the vote to postpone, Clerk Leon Wright said, “We should talk about it” and Supervisor McNamara told him no, not then. After the vote, McNamara took comments from the board and Clerk Wright talked.
“I thank Trustee Miller for postponing,” he began. “You talk about a person at one meeting and then have a change in policy at the next meeting.
“What planet are you coming from? Mars?” Wright said. “You’re attacking a fellow board member.”
“Then don’t ask us to pay for your passport,” replied Trustee Sherry Frazier.
“Finger pointing and attacks are going on here … Shame on us,” said Trustee Miller.
“This is not the way to consider a policy,” Wright said. “You don’t have the right to mandate another elected official.”
“You’re chastising me,” said Trustee White, who had written the proposed travel policy that was to be discussed at that meeting and then was postponed.
Then everyone started talking at once and Supervisor McNamara quieted them down forcefully.
Trustee Kevin Martin changed the subject to ask about line items paid on that week’s voucher list and his questions were answered. Supervisor McNamara said he learned to read the voucher list before the work/study session after what had happened two weeks earlier when Wright’s requested reimbursement for a $110 international passport was questioned.
Then Wright’s trip to Montreal was questioned. Wright was at a conference and not present at the March 6 and 7 meetings.
At the end of the March 20 meeting, Trustee White questioned Deputy Clerk Joanne Montgomery’s reimbursement for a conference, pointing out she and Wright each drove to the same conference and, “It cost $800 for two individuals to go to the same conference.”
Wright said he would explain: Montgomery was going on to another conference after the first one, so they drove separately.
Wright said he wanted to point out that the International Institute of Municipal Clerks that was meeting in Montreal was not an international group, but had corporate offices in California. He said it does cover clerks in Canada and the United Kingdom. Wright said he has to have X amount of educational points to achieve the Master Clerk’s designation he is seeking.
When asked if that could be done on line, he said it could but you only get half the credits that way.
The meeting started with Trustee White outlining the new Employee Travel and Training policy he wrote after researching the policies other governmental units had. He set up a template where everything goes through the township supervisor.
Trustee Miller suggested the board go back and tell the public “how we got here.”
She said at the last board meeting the board decided to consider changes to the policy on travel and training. She said it had to do with having a culture of trust for the community. She said board members should be open-minded and be good listeners.
“I don’t want to create stress for any board members,” Trustee Miller said.
“March 6 opened a dialogue,” said Clerk Wright, referring to the work/study session he missed. “Nobody contacted me … They want a working relationship with me, but talk about me, without me. I got a telephone call from the supervisor and I told him what to do…”
The board removed Wright’s request for reimbursement for his passport, at his request.
“The supervisor said four people had an issue with the reimbursement,” Wright continued. “I thought it was over. I watched the cable recording of the meeting … It was a direct attack on me … in public, at a board meeting … Insinuating I was into something unlawful … I’ve never done anything unlawful.
“This defamed my character … I have a serious issue right now … Look at yourself at the meeting and what you say before we discuss this further.
“We have to stop these ‘I got you’ moments … I look at it as a defamation of character … and I have to plea to my constituents …”
“I never attacked you,” Trustee Miller said. “I’m sorry” [if you felt attacked].
“Look at the tape,” Wright replied.
“I came in to see you on several occasions,” said Trustee Frazier.
“You’ve never been in my office,” Wright said.
“I was in your office Friday, but you weren’t there,” Frazier said.
McNamara again made board members stop talking over each other.
“Our travel policy says no out-of-state travel and international travel is not in the policy,” Frazier said.
McNamara said out-of-state travel must be approved by the three full-time elected officials and this trip to Montreal was signed off on by Supervisor Linda Combs, Treasurer Sharry Budd, and Clerk Wright.
Board members then argued over who had the floor.
After more arguing, Wright said he would address his constituents on cable TV the next night, on Tuesday, March 21.
On Tuesday, under non-agenda items at the end of the meeting, Clerk Wright read a statement to his “constituents.” He also said he wanted to apologize to the board for the previous day’s work/study session.
He began by addressing his fellow board of trustees: “I would like to add how disappointed I am in a couple of my trustee fellow board members in which unfair comments were made in lack of my presence and most importantly without conversation with me.
“Not only were the comments unwarranted, but could be considered a defamation of character. I learned at a previous educational session that it’s the responsibility of the directors to educate the board and the board’s responsibility to educate the public of the business of the township.
“In regards to my request for reimbursement of a passport was simply because I paid to get the process started out of my pocket and felt that because I was acting in the duty of my position as Clerk that I was acting properly to be reimbursed.
“Never did I think of the personal benefit it may have for future travel because I simply have no plans of traveling abroad other than this instance. The passport could have been asked to be turned in to HR after my trip, if it was thought it would be used personally …”
Wright said board members quoted the attorney at the Michigan Township Association and, “… let it be known the MTA is only an advisory council. I have taken the time to get an opinion from our township attorney…”
He had presented to fellow board members a short attorney opinion dated March 15 from township attorney Patrick McCauley that said a registration fee, lodging and travel for attendance at useful public informational or educational workshops and seminars is a lawful expenditure.
It also said there is no case law to cite on the passport question. McCauley said, “… the passport is your personal property which may be used for the next 10 years to potentially assist in your personal travel … However, it is my further opinion that any claim or allegation that you in any way acted unlawfully is completely unwarranted and unsupported.”
“Hopefully, this is the end of it,” Wright said.
But Trustee Miller said she would be reading a statement, as well, noting when she heard of the passport, she thought Wright was starting up a service for people to get passports, since they had talked about that before.
She said Treasurer Budd said he needed a passport to travel abroad and she called the MTA and was told public dollars should not be spent for private ID.
“I passed that on,” Miller said. “If you felt that was an attack, I’m sorry.”
She said Trustee Frazier asked why Wright didn’t research this and Supervisor McNamara said, “Leon’s not here to answer. End of story. He said we could fine-tune the policy.”
Miller said international travel is not addressed in the board policy, but the board does not allow out-of-state travel. She said the MTA said that the international travel should have come up for approval of the full board.
Miller said later that the three full-time elected officials were out of their jurisdiction last year when they approved the international trip for May under a new board.
“Bringing forth a stronger travel policy … Tough conversations are unavoidable … I do not feel I attacked him … Leon has high integrity, I also have the right to ask questions,” she said, adding any appearance of secrecy is inappropriate and board members have been making decisions. “We need to keep the dialogue open…”
Miller said it is noble that Clerk Wright is attempting to get accredited. She said she received accreditation from the Michigan Political Leadership program and went on a $12,000 scholarship she received. She said she spent $2,000 out of her own pocket for travel and never thought of asking the taxpayers to pay for that.
Miller said she went over every frame in the recording of the March 7 meeting and she didn’t see the attacks Wright saw.
She also said the MTA said you cannot prepay mileage. She explained you can create a per-diem rate and if it’s more the receipts can be presented.
Miller said she just got this attorney opinion Wright sought and she doesn’t agree with some of what McCauley said.
Trustee White said he had a problem with three officials approving this travel five months in advance of the trip. He said the trustees have the responsibility of fiduciary decisions and the entire board should have voted on it.
“I didn’t know anything about it until I saw the voucher list,” Trustee White said.
White said he wrote a travel policy and, “I’m somewhat of a tightwad.” He said the township shouldn’t spend money on something that benefits officials personally. He said the public money is to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the community.
“There’s nothing wrong with what we signed off on,” said Treasurer Budd. “We don’t encourage out-of-state travel … Leon wanted to go to Montreal … We didn’t sign off on anything else.”
She said the current policy was passed when Paul White was supervisor and she has no problem with fine-tuning it.
“Everything in the policy was followed to a T,” Wright said.
At the March 6 meeting, Budd also said that her deputy treasurer Sean Bellingham signed off on the prepayment for the passport.
Wright said the Association of Wayne County Clerks gave him $600 to go to Montreal.
“I have nothing to hide,” Wright said. “Just ask me. Ask me!”
Trustee Frazier said when she went through the voucher list and saw the passport, she thought it was inappropriate. She also questioned how many times Wright has been absent from the board meetings.
“I’m not for board members to go to international travel … I don’t think we should be paying for passports or travel … Trustee Miller paid her own way,” Frazier said.
Miller started to speak and Frazier said she wasn’t done. She said White had put together talking points for the board travel policy and international travel, missing board meetings, and other things.
“Are you done?” Supervisor McNamara asked. “I thought you were done.”
“Excuse me for breathing,” Frazier said. “It’s ridiculous. Clerk Wright got a township attorney opinion and that’s at least $600 worth of work.
“I’m all for everyone getting education and training, but you can’t expect township citizens to pay for everything for the treasurer, supervisor and clerk.
“The new President will be cutting money to townships,” Frazier said. “It’s imperative to look after taxpayers’ money.”
After more discussion, Miller said, “Maybe we need to create a code of conduct for the board.”
“Clerk Wright could have just said, ‘I made a mistake’ and that would have ended it,” Frazier said.
When Frazier asked about Wright’s plane fare to Montreal, Budd said it hasn’t been on a voucher list for approval yet.
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Let’s be proud that we have a Clerk that wants to attend additional training and educational classes. The insignificant amount of money for the passport was rightfully withdrawn by Mr. Wright so it was not necessary to draw attention to it during his absence. The trustees have a right to question it and request a meeting to revise the travel policy but please do not do this at the expense of the reputation of our Clerk.
Agreed. I believe the cliques have formed. The Supervisor has drank Budd’s kool-aid. I had high hopes for the new regime but I am already disappointed in the situations that have taken place. They act like children without discipline.
The supervisor defended Leon when he was not there to defend himself so he deserves credit for that and also he has applied for grants that are being used for the betterment of our community.