Sumpter Board puts Michele Roman on 30 days unpaid suspension

On a 6-1 vote, the Sumpter Township Board of Trustees put employee Michele Roman on a disciplinary unpaid suspension for 30 days effective immediately. Voting no was Clerk Clarence Hoffman.
The special meeting of the board for this decision was held at 6 p.m. Oct. 5.
Roman asked for the hearing on her potential disciplinary action to be held in closed session. The vote was then in open session.
First a motion was made by Trustee Peggy Morgan to terminate Michele Roman effective immediately. That failed for lack of support.
Then, a motion was made by Treasurer Alan Bates, supported by Trustee Don LaPorte, for a 30-day unpaid suspension effective immediately, which passed 6-1.
The suspension is based on Article VIII of the applicable AFSCME collective bargaining agreement, but no further details were available.
Also at the Oct. 5 meeting, the board first went into a one-hour-and-53-minute closed-door session to discuss an attorney-client privileged letter pertaining to the proposed discipline and exempt from disclosure under the Open Meetings Act.
The total meeting lasted two hours and 13 minutes.