Sumpter Board OKs 1st reading of Provisionary Center ordinance

At its regular meeting March 10, the Sumpter Township Board of Trustees unanimously approved the first reading of a Provisionary Center Zoning Ordinance to control medical marijuana distribution in the township.
The second, final reading of the ordinance will be at an upcoming meeting and township attorney Rob Young said there will be some revisions in the four-page document.
The ordinance said it is to regulate the locations and operations of medical marijuana provisionary centers to promote and protect the public health, safety and welfare of the residents of Sumpter Township.
Work on the ordinance began last summer with an exhaustive effort by Police Detective John Toth, attorney Young and the planning consultant. Officials knew a bill was before the legislature to set up rules for provisionary centers, but the township wanted to be ready with its own rules if the state didn’t proceed.
The year ended without the state taking action, so the township pushed ahead.
The new ordinance was passed by the planning commission and sent on to the township board, where a committee to review and revise it was set up.
As part of his police report at the meeting, Chief James Pierce said from now on he will be adding a report on medical marijuana caregiver license applications. He said there are four renewals and six pending licenses for a total of ten in the works. Currently there are seven caregivers, he said.
In other business at the March 10 meeting, the board:
• Approved the Alliance of Downriver Watersheds 2015 Budget and Bylaws;
• Set a hearing for the 2015-16 fiscal year budget for 5 p.m., March 24, before the regular meeting of the board;
• Approved RHI, Inc. to replace the roof on the fairgrounds pavilion for $28,695, the majority of the cost being paid by the Wayne County Parks Grant;
• Approved the fire department’s purchase of an “I Am Responding for Dispatch” with a five-year contract at a cost not to exceed $850 with installation. Fire calls to fire fighters will come by way of text messages on their smart phones and the fire fighters will respond. A monitor will be in the fire station naming those responding to the fire and at dispatch in Huron Township. Trustee Peggy Morgan, liaison to the fire department, said a group is going to Huron Township dispatch to discuss this program with them;
• Approved multi-department training for fire fighters June through August;
• Heard Supervisor John Morgan say blight is all-pervasive in Sumpter Township, but a 10-year problem at one site is finally solved. He said ordinance officer Randy Lynch worked so hard on it and it was one of the worst problems Sumpter had. “If you see Mr. Lynch, tell him thank you,” Supervisor Morgan said;
• Heard Trustee Bill Hamm say the cars on Willis Road have been cleared up completely and you can thank the ordinance officer for monitoring the situation. “And, the business owner who did what he said he would do,” Supervisor Morgan added;
• Heard Virginia Belinski announce a class she is teaching, beginning March 19 at 11 a.m. at the Community Center Gym. It will be six sessions in Fall-Prevention Clinics and students will be learning how to fall safely. There is no cost this time, but a book for $15 is important. She said six are signed up and 12 is the maximum. Those interested may call Mary Ann Watson at the Senior Center, (734) 461-9373; and
• Heard Mary Ban warn that it’s time for the roads to thaw out and get hard to pass. She said she hopes the county will stay on top of the deteriorating roads. Ban said Van Buren Township needs to call the county about the stretch of Sumpter Road between Bemis and Hull because there is a gap in the middle that in some places is six inches wide. “Van Buren Township doesn’t seem to know that pothole heaven could be dangerous,” Ban said.