Sumpter Twp. Board approves site plan for FMAR project

The long-delayed approval from Sumpter Township for an addition to the no-kill animal rescue kennels on Arkona Road came from the township board at its regular meeting on Sept. 26.
The board voted unanimously to accept the planning commission’s recommendation to approve special land use for an animal shelter and also the site plan for additional kennels for Friends of Michigan Animals Rescue.
The approval included the following conditions:
• Combine the three parcels into one after the terms of the financial loan to purchase the property has been met;
• The gravel parking lot may remain and won’t have to have a hard surface;
• A white vinyl fence will be added along the property boundary for additional buffer in front of a dense tree line;
• Clarify the number of spaces for parking; and
• Stay compliant with the Master Plan.
FMAR has been operating at the site for more than 18 years and was recently asked by the township to get the special land-use approval for a rescue kennel.
Permission to construct a minor addition to the kennels was requested from the township a year ago. The township is limiting FMAR to holding a maximum of 25 dogs.
At the end of the meeting, Gary Edwards, who lives behind FMAR in the rural area, voiced concern about whether the rescue will comply with the conditions. He said that evening he could hear the dogs barking and he believes it will have an effect on the value of his property once he goes to sell it. He asked for a concrete wall to be put up to buffer the sound.
After he voiced his concerns, he said, “Government at this level is pure. Thank you for letting me speak.”
In other business at the Sept. 26 meeting, the board:
• Approved hiring Scott A. Holtz as township finance director starting Oct. 16 at a salary of $60,000 to replace Jim Glahn, CPA, who is retiring. Township attorney Rob Young will generate the contract;
• Approved the Fraternal Order of Police Contract that had been ratified a few hours earlier, as reported by township attorney Rob Young. He said they have reduced the multiplier to 2.0 for pensions for new hires. The contract runs through March 31, 2022;
• Heard Trustee Matthew Oddy recommend starting a marijuana committee to put together a recommendation on the new marijuana law that goes into effect at the end of the year. He said he read in the Independent that Van Buren Township had such a committee that recommended opting out of the new law. Supervisor John Morgan said he will appoint a committee of five or seven and announce the names at the next meeting. Young said he got a call from a planner in VBT and they said they were looking at the rules which aren’t quite in place. Young said, “It’s like playing a football game and not knowing the rules … and it’s unknown if the revenue actually will be there”;
• Tabled a recommendation from the auditors to increase rubbish pickup costs to $25.50 per quarter;
• Waived a fee for use of the community center gym for the Sumpter Senior Craft Show on Saturday, Nov. 4;
• Waived a fee for use of the community center on Nov. 23, so Karen Mickens and Lettie Sanders can hold a “Thankful Day” meal free of charge for those who otherwise would not have a Thanksgiving meal;
• Approved the purchase of BS&A software for the township business license at a cost of $5,920;
• Removed from the agenda a proposal to purchase BS&A software for the township animal license program at a cost of $5,570;
• Approved a Coin Acceptance Policy that specifies the township will not accept more than 25 loose coins in payment of any debts or obligations owed the township. Sumpter will accept rolls of pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters as long as they are wrapped in coin wrappers and contain the customer’s name, address, and telephone number on each wrapper. This policy was enacted after a resident brought in a large number of loose coins to pay taxes;
• Approved Supervisor John Morgan’s recommendation to appoint Maria Beaudrie as a member of the Zoning Board of Appeals to replace Jennifer Massel with a term to expire March 11, 2018;
• Approved appointments of Mark and Dawn Argo to the Parks and Recreation Commission as alternates, following a background check;
• Approved going out for bids to repair siding, gutters, and windows on the Parks and Recreation building in Grant Park. The project will be paid for with a grant from Wayne County’s parks tax; and
• Heard Trustee Don LaPorte report that the 55-gallon drums on the property at the northwest corner of Willis and Sumpter roads are being used by the State of Michigan for taking soil samples. He said that parcel is a Superfund Site because it was a gas station 50 years ago. He said the state is mo