John Morgan is new Sumpter Township Supervisor

By Rosemary K. Otzman
Independent Editor
At its Nov. 25 meeting, the Sumpter Township Board of Trustees accepted the resignation letter of Supervisor Johnny Vawters, with regrets, and then unanimously named Treasurer John Morgan as the new supervisor.
Treasurer Morgan had been serving as Acting Supervisor since the vacancy occurred.
Since the Treasurer’s position was now vacant, the board voted unanimously to make Trustee Alan Bates the new Treasurer.
Since a trustee position was now vacant, the board voted, on a split vote, to make planning commission member Matthew Oddy the new township trustee.
All these positions are until the next election in 2016.
Supervisor Vawters’ letter was short:
“Due to medical circumstances, I will be unable to continue my position as Supervisor to the Township of Sumpter.
“Effective Nov. 20, 2014, I hereby resign as Supervisor of the Township of Sumpter. I would like to thank all the citizens of Sumpter Township, township employees, and fellow Township Board members for allowing me to serve the last 10 years as Supervisor. It has been my honor.
“Let me extend my good wishes to all and future success.
“Sincerely, Johnny Vawters.”
It has been more than a year that Vawters has been off the job following a stroke.
Township attorney Rob Young led the board through the legal steps they had to take since Vawters’ resignation was effective immediately. He said the township had a set number of days to put a supervisor in place or the state would do it.
“I think we all think a lot of Johnny Vawters,” said Treasurer Morgan. “He served the township well and unfortunately he got sick. We appreciate all he did.”
Treasurer Morgan appointed Trustee Peggy Morgan to head up a committee to put together an event to honor Vawters.
In tears, Trustee Peggy Morgan made a motion to make John Morgan supervisor for the balance of the existing term, adding that when Morgan is sworn in he must resign as Treasurer.
Attorney Young offered “congratulations or condolences” to John Morgan on his new position, moving the board forward to fill the Treasurer’s job.
Clerk Clarence Hoffmann made a motion to make Trustee Alan Bates the new Treasurer and Trustee Peggy Morgan seconded the motion. John Morgan abstained because the attorney told him, by law, he could not vote on his replacement.
Then, Clerk Hoffmann made the motion to appoint Matthew Oddy as trustee, with Trustee Don Swinson seconding the motion. Attorney Young advised Bates he could not vote on his replacement.
A roll-call vote was taken with three voting yes and two moving no. Motion passed.
In favor were Swinson, Hoffman, and John Morgan. Voting no were Peggy Morgan and Trustee Bill Hamm.
“A couple of things,” said Peggy Morgan, explaining her vote. “First of all, I feel we had seven people interested in the post.
“I am a Democrat and always will be a Democrat and will not vote for a Republican to serve on the board with me,” Morgan said, referring to Oddy.
Trustee Hamm said Oddy is a very intelligent man.
“I am a Democrat,” Hamm continued. “The public put me in as a Democrat and I cannot go with a Republican on the slate.”
Bates spoke in favor of Oddy.
“I know him. His parents were Democrats,” Bates said. “Joan (his mother who served as Sumpter Clerk) ran as a Democrat. How they figure he’s a Republican, I don’t know.”
Bates said of Peggy Morgan and Hamm, “These two Democrats were not supported by the 15th District. I’m for the best person for the township.”
“Ask him,” Trustee Swinson said of Oddy and the new Supervisor Morgan cut off all the arguing.
“I’m sure you are offended,” said Supervisor Morgan to Trustee Peggy Morgan and then he let her respond.
She gestured to have Hamm speak first.
“The reason we think Mr. Oddy is a Republican is because Mr. Bates told me that,” Hamm said.
Bates said he never said that.
Trustee Morgan explained that when a candidate is being interviewed by a Democratic steering committee they ask you if you would allow unions into your township and she said yes. They ask you if you would support a Republican and she said no.
Then, Supervisor Morgan welcomed Matthew Oddy to the board, saying he has gone from a little boy he knew to a highly qualified, grown man willing to serve his township.
“Thank you for appointing me,” Oddy said when given an opportunity to speak. “I was appointed to the planning commission by a Democratic supervisor and I come from a long line of Democrats in my family.”
Supervisor Morgan said to Trustee Morgan, “I hope you and Bill know you have a right to your opinion.”
Trustee Morgan replied that she will work with Oddy. After the meeting, Trustee Hamm, too, said he would work with Oddy.
But, they said, when the next election comes, there will be a problem with Oddy being on a Democratic slate if he is a Republican.
During the open-floor section of the meeting, Mary Ban congratulated Oddy and said it makes no difference whether you have an R or D or I after your name.
“It’s integrity, loyalty to the township … and adding to the township’s quality of governingship. Quality is what counts,” Ban said.
The three new officers were sworn in by Clerk Hoffman at the township employees’ annual Thanksgiving meal the next day. A ceremonial swearing-in may possibly take place at the final meeting of the year on Dec. 9 before the camera for viewing on cable TV.
In other business at the Nov. 25 meeting, the board:
• Set a public hearing during the regular 6:30 p.m. board meeting on Dec. 9 to hear a report from township attorney Young on alleged violations of the special exception use granted for the Sumpter Roller Rink, 19750 Sumpter Road. The owners can give their side and then the board can decide whether to revoke the special use for events other than roller skating. Young said a series of incidents involving the police have happened and these threats to the health, safety and welfare of the township is what the board doesn’t want in its township;
• Approved correcting the warrant amount approved at the Oct. 28 meeting to $127,121.60;
• Approved signing the SMART contract for specialized services for the 2015 fiscal year;
• Approved the Sumpter board meeting dates and the planning commission meeting dates for 2015;
• Approved selling the building department’s 2000 Ranger to Deputy Fire Chief Rick Brown. No sales price was announced. Trustee Hamm, board liaison to the building department, said he had asked to have the truck go out for auction, but at the last minute someone changed it to a straight sale. Hamm said he did not know the amount paid;
• Approved adoption of the 2012 Michigan Building Codes;
• Appointed Joseph Wilson to the Senior Advisory Board to replace Kenneth Stewart who has moved out of Sumpter;
• Approved a one-year leave of absence for fire fighter Anthony Spitznagel;
• Approved termination of probationary fire fighter Stacy Hayes on a 5-1 vote, with Hoffman voting no. Attorney Young said it was not a termination for cause, but was recommended by the fire chief;
• Approved the resignation of Josh Talbert from the fire department;
• Approved the appointment of Brenda Bukis to the Board of Review to replace Sandra Todd;
• Approved the purchase of $5,350 worth of fire hose from West Shore Fire, Inc. The request was for 10 100-foot lengths of yellow rubber-covered hose with Storz couplings;
• Approved the purchase of 10 sets of fire department turn-out gear for $22,740 from West Shore Fire, Inc.;
• Approved the purchase of a 2015 Ford F-250 4×4 Styleside pick-up with snow plow package for no more than $30,000 from Atchinson Ford for the building department. Trustee Swinson abstained on the vote since he works for Atchinson and worked on the sale;
• Approved a resolution authorizing the fire department to apply for a grant through the Michigan Township Participating Plan Risk Reduction Grant Program;
• Approved the following reappointments to Parks and Recreation with terms to expire October 2017: Kim Toms, Holly Swinson, Sharon Pokerwinski, Richard Pokerwinski, Mary Grant and Virginia Belinski;
• Heard Ban question the legality of the district library agreement. Attorney Young said he has been looking at options for the township. He said since the .7 mill operating funds were adopted by the voters in the three communities, the district library was in place. “They can build, remodel, do nothing at all,” he said. “The board controls it all.” He said if they want to build something or remodel, the board must come to the voters for funds; and
• Heard an announcement that the Senior Citizen Christmas lunch will be at 1 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 16, at the Community Center. Membership is $8 for residents and $9 for non-residents. A charge of $5 will be levied if a person comes without a dish to pass. Also, the free Children’s Christmas Party will be at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 17, at the Community Center with sign-up in the clerk’s office by Dec. 11 so there can be presents for all.