Sumpter approves using $35,000 in federal funds to relocate recycling

At the Aug. 8 meeting of the Sumpter Township Board of Trustees, the board approved, on a 4-2 vote, allocating not to exceed $35,000 in federal ARPA funds for the relocation and construction of the township recycling center close to the road with cameras for surveillance.
Supervisor Tim Bowman and Trustee Don LaPorte voted no. Trustee LaPorte wanted other options than having it up near the road where people can drop stuff off around it and have it become unsightly. He also thought the residents should be surveyed to see if they wanted to pay for roadside pickup for recycling.
In other business at the Aug. 8 meeting, the board:
• Approved unanimously the $38,000 quote of Air Doctor to replace the rooftop air conditioning unit that cools the east end of the township community center. The project needs a gas pipeline installed to that area and that price was not included. AirDoctor gave a $4,500 quote to repair the present unit, but could give no guarantee how long that would work. This unit would cool the main east hallway and classrooms, the senior lounge, and the food kitchen and could be relocated in the future if plans for the building changes. It was pointed out the community center is the township’s cooling center. Treasurer Patterson said they may need a bigger gas meter and it has been his experience it could be a year’s wait for that;
• Approved having Cari Ford do a water rate study;
• Heard a resident, who identified herself as Christine, say she moved to the the township in 2021 and she was amazed that the township didn’t pick up recycling. She said she’s never lived in a community that didn’t have recycling pickup. She said it’s very inconvenient to drive anywhere else to drop off recycling and she doesn’t want to live in the Wild Wild West;
• Heard Sharon Pokerwinski say that Trustees Rush and Oddy did good cooking at the recent Family Fun Day. She said it is getting difficult to get volunteers for Parks and Recreation. Ways to advertise for new volunteers were discussed;
• Heard Trustee Matthew Oddy say there has been a 20% increase in township residents in the last two years and they need to get the new residents interested in coming in to be volunteers with their new ideas. Trustee Tim Rush agreed. He said they were looking at a downsized version of the annual Turkey Shoot and hope to get the festival to come back;
• Heard Trustee LaPorte say maybe they should have a chili cookoff with fire department members against others to try and get people together. He said they need to think outside the box. He said the festival’s demolition derby always had people filling the stands. He said the new people are coming from downriver; and
• Went into a brief closed-door session to get an update on the Michigan Association of Fire Fighters union negotiations and then came back into public session to vote to continue negotiations as discussed in the closed session. Trustee LaPorte was recused from the discussion and the vote because he is a fire fighter.