Finance Director unexpectedly resigns in Sumpter Township

The sudden resignation of Finance Director Scott Holtz was accepted, with regrets, by the Sumpter Township Board of Trustees at its regular meeting April 23.
Holtz gave one-week’s written notice and said his last day would be April 30.
Holtz has taken a position with Lenawee County in an office a few blocks from his home in Adrian.
Former Treasurer Peggy Morgan said she is so happy Holtz is leaving. She said he messed up the retirement benefits she still has not been able to collect and he kept postponing things that needed to be done.
She addressed present Treasurer Ken Bednark saying, “It’s amazing it only took you three weeks to figure everything out,” she said of issues Holtz reported aimed at destroying confidence in both her and his treasurer’s office.
In other business at the April 23 meeting, the board:
• Approved having the firm of Post, Smythe, Lutz and Ziel do the finance director’s job until a new director is hired. The firm was set to begin the annual audit of township funds in a few weeks and attorney Rob Young said he would look into whether the firm will be able to help out and audit its own work;
• Approved having Post, Smyth, Lutz and Ziel review the operation of the treasurer’s office, as recommended by Holtz. Supervisor John Morgan alleged there were six things not being done in the treasurer’s office. He said emails listing the six items were sent to board members, but Treasurer Bednark said he got no email and neither did his staff. Treasurer Bednark said if these problems are true, they will work on it;
• Granted a personal/medical leave of absence to Fire Lt. Richard Sliwa, retroactive to April 11 and extending until Oct. 1;
• Approved the Parks and Recreation Commission request to acquire all licenses associated with the Sumpter Country Festival on behalf of Sumpter Township, including the Liquor Control Commission license for this one event;
• Approved Great Lakes Fireworks, LLC, to provide the fireworks display during the 2019 Sumpter Country Festival on May 26, with a rain date of May 27;
• Accepted the removal of Sharon and Richard Pokerwinski from alternate positions and putting them back to full-time positions with the Parks and Recreation Commission, with Sharon returned to the executive position of commission secretary;
• Approved the low quote of Olson Construction to construct a wall and install double doors between the Police Department lobby and Community Center hallway at a cost of $2,850. Other quotes were: Tittle Construction at $3,500 and Davenport Brothers Construction, $7,500;
• Approved the request of Deputy Supervisor Karen Armatis to attend the Advanced Michigan Municipal Treasurers Association Institute May 19-22 in Mt. Pleasant at a cost not to exceed $565. When asked why she was going to a treasurers’ conference when she no longer is deputy treasurer, Supervisor Morgan said she doesn’t want to lose her certifications. Also, he said, she helps him with the budget;
• Approved the request to send new Deputy Treasurer Wendy Snook to MMTA Basic Institute Treasurer’s training from April 28 until May 3 in Mt. Pleasant at a cost not to exceed $1,300;
• Approved the purchase and installation of a Hamilton 145-DB night envelope / drop box by Security Corporation at a proposed full cost of $4,155.70;
• Approved paying warrants totaling $132,860.02 plus $1,662.28 deposit to Security Corporation for the night envelope / drop box;
• Heard Clerk Esther Hurst attack Treasurer Bednark for not having a township credit card and Bednark said that was because it would reflect on his personal credit. He said his department is shopping banks to get the best and least-expensive service for the township. Clerk Hurst agreed the township needs to shop banks;
• Heard Trustee Tim Rush asked if Bednark is going to be in the treasurer’s office to make sure the office has what it needs when the deputy is away on training. Bednark replied, “You don’t know what we need … I will fill in as needed.” Clerk Hurst said, “I don’t understand why you don’t ask Karen Armatis to help … You’re not a stand-alone office.” Bednark replied that if she knew how Armatis treated the people in his office, she would understand. “You bully everybody,” Clerk Hurst responded;
• Heard former Treasurer Peggy Morgan report that $8,000 was spent in her office, to help with problems not $25,000 as alleged, and she worked with Holtz on other issues. She said Holtz wanted to reflect that the treasurer was not doing the job when she was treasurer and now he’s doing the same with Bednark. “Frankly, I had issues with Karen, as well,” Peggy Morgan said, noting Armatis tried to paint a picture that the treasurer’s office wasn’t working well. Supervisor Morgan defended his Deputy Armatis, saying, she was not painting any picture. But Peggy Morgan said Armatis was, “part of your patsy.” Sharon Pokerwinski spoke out against Bednark and Bednark said, “You are very misinformed,” explaining how she was wrong. Peggy Morgan said she could have saved the township $140,000 by going to Comerica bank, but Supervisor Morgan said to put her off. Bednark said there were many times Holtz said he would do something for the treasurer’s office and then didn’t. Deputy Snook said Holtz didn’t give her guidance on what she had to do. Both Hurst and Pokerwinski said he should ask Armatis for help since she has ten years of experience;
• Heard Julia Slaughterbeck ask about recycling. Supervisor Morgan told her the cost is so high, recycling is on the way out. He said Republic can always go back if it becomes economical. Attorney Young said he knows there are times when the recyclables are put into the landfill because recycling doesn’t work right now economically. “Should we bother or not?” Slaughterbeck asked. Clerk Hurst said the bins are still being taken to the recycling area and picked up by Republic;
• Heard Donald Basham thank the board for passing an ordinance against grass clippings on the road. He said May is Motorcyclist Awareness Month and wet grass clippings are like ice. He previously had told the board about his friend who was riding a motorcycle, hit a patch of wet grass, and was decapitated by a sign in the Irish Hills. He asked for the Sumpter ordinance and got it. He said he was interviewed on television and was in the Detroit Free Press, as well. He introduced a representative of the Milan chapter of ABATE (American Bikers Aiming Toward Education), who said they will be selling signs that say “Look Twice, Save a Life” for $10 each at the corner of Willis and Sumpter roads on May 4. He said children should be trained while riding in cars to watch out for bikers, so they will remember that as adult drivers;
• Heard Sharon Pokerwinski say J.C. Honey came to one of the Parks & Recreation Commission meetings and his friend went out and fixed the dock at Sherwood Pond. She said Honey has done a lot of work out there. She explained that the secretary who took over for her in Parks & Recreation lost her parents in a matter of months and is having a hard time. That’s why she’s taking over the secretary position again. She also complained about Bednark, saying all the negativity on this board is coming from one officer. She also said Armatis should go to the treasurer’s office and do what needs to be done. She said she was in on a conference call to the state complaining about Bednark and she also complained to the county. Pokerwinski said the township is paying interest because money hasn’t been transferred. Deputy Treasurer Snook said she spoke with two people at the county who confirmed Sumpter has not been charged any penalties and she said she would confirm that in the morning. She said she has gone to Holtz and asked for assistance and she got none.