Editorial: Clerk Wright’s 48111 action now impacting Sumpter

Late last year, Clerk Leon Wright took official action to have the addresses of those in Van Buren Township changed from Belleville 48111 to Van Buren Township 48111. Since then people have been confused about the changes, especially those in Sumpter Township who are used to having their mail addressed Belleville 48111.
Now, several in Sumpter are getting their mail addressed as Van Buren Township 48111 — and they don’t like it.
Mary Ban addressed the VBT Board of Trustees on Tuesday, expressing her frustrations. She brought along pieces of mail she and her husband got with the Van Buren Township address change, when they actually live in Sumpter.
Clerk Wright said the addresses he gave to the director of address management were correct and he’ll make sure Ban’s address goes back to Belleville.
Ban said she checked with officials from the City of Belleville and Sumpter Township and they said VBT never informed them of their Van Buren Township 48111 address change.
Wright said he changed the addresses because it was part of a strategic plan developed in 2014, but three of the newer board members never heard of the plan, let alone endorsed it. Trustee Frazier said his move was not an official action of this board. In fact, Wright told the board after he made the change.
“Change is always hard,” Wright said.