When the Van Buren Township Board of Trustees approved the $17.4 million budget for 2018 on Tuesday, it paved the way for a shuffling of jobs in the building, planning, water and sewer departments.
The structure of those departments was reconfigured, promoting Matthew Best, who had been deputy director of planning and economic development, into director of them all, with a raise of $14,000, boosting his pay to $81,000.
According to reports, Best was going to look elsewhere for a better-paying job and Supervisor McNamara wanted him to stay. At Monday’s work/study session, McNamara said Best showed him a spreadsheet of his personal expenses and that’s how the $14,000 figure was decided.
McNamara said Water and Sewer Director Taylor and Building and Economic Development Director Akers came to him with the suggested reallocation of duties.
Trustee Sherry Frazier pointed out Akers and Taylor will have jobs taken away from them and given to Best, but their pays will remain the same. Best will oversee both of them and make more money. That didn’t set well.
The vote was 4-3 to pass the new personal services agreements for Best, Taylor, and Akers, with Trustees Frazier, White, and Miller voting no and Trustee Martin, Treasurer Budd, Clerk Wright, and McNamara voting yes. The same split came on a vote to buy a $25,103.16 truck for Judy Fields to drive to do building inspections.
McNamara has his four votes.
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2 Comments
Weather
The first responsibility of a Township Trustee is fiduciary of the Township funds. Or, to put the term simply, protect the money the residents pay the Township for services. Frazier, Miller and White are standing up to this duty. Trustee Miller offered an excellent suggestion to help in this issue with the $14k pay increase in wages, but this was rejected. by the Supervisor.
During the Monday Work Study, the pickup truck was discussed at length. The 2018 Ford F-150 XL Extended Cab Picku[ was thought to be over kill by Trustees Miller Frazier and White. We thought we has reached an agreement by all the Board would purchase a base work truck, regular cab and 8 foot bed. Lo and Behold, when the Board Meeting was opened, the Agenda read the truck to be the XL Extended Cab model. a strong discussion took place, and Trustees Frazier, Miller and White were out voted on the purchase. We are taking a lot of heat on the issues mentioned, but we are strong and can handle whatever comes across the table.
I will personally take a lot of heat for making this post in the Independent, BUT, along with Frazier and Miller, we will vote on what our we think is in the best interests of our van Buren Townshp residents This is our responsibility.
Paul D. White
Van Buren Township Trustee
The 3 Trustees as stated above have met their responsibility with courage and determination. It seems as though the 3 full time elected do not want to include the trustees in some of their decision making processes which shows a communication disconnect. The 3 Trustees seemed like they were blind-sided by the issue with the truck. “You have your 4 votes”? Sounds familiar. Good job Frazier, Miller and White.