Sumpter DPW Director Danci resigns as of Aug. 6

John Danci, 36, of Romulus who has served as Sumpter Township Director of the Public Works Department since Oct. 4, 2021, has resigned as of Aug. 6.
His resignation was accepted with regrets at the July 23 regular meeting of the Sumpter Township Board of Trustees.
The board also approved posting and publishing a help-wanted ad to fill that position.
Danci was hired in 2021 at a salary of $72,000 to replace DPW Director Kenneth Kunka who resigned after more than eight years of service at a salary of more than $70,000, with perks putting his total compensation at $92,854.
The list of Sumpter salaries for 2023 shows Danci at $77,009.72, with a total of $104,318.65 total compensation including health benefits and other perks.
Before coming to Sumpter, Danci had worked for the City of Romulus since September 2015, most recently as a water/sewer crew leader (as needed) and water/sewer crew operator.
Before that he worked for Arbor Valley Tree Services in Ann Arbor, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and Ann Arbor Pioneer High School as head freshman/junior varsity baseball coach.
He earned a bachelor of science in Biomechanics, Exercise Physiology & Motor Control from the University of Michigan in December 2009. He also was a licensed realtor and carried S1 and F5 Water Operator licenses from Michigan EGLE (Environment, Great Lakes & Energy).
The reason for his resignation was not discussed at the meeting, but others said he had an offer from Dearborn that was too good to refuse.
In other business at the 38-minute, July 22 meeting, the board:
• Approved with regrets the resignations of fire fighters Ayden Roupe, effective June 23, and Christopher Zweng, effective July 8;
• Approved posting a help-wanted notice for hiring a temporary DPW worker for a part-time position up to 29 hours weekly at $23.33 per hour for 90 days from the date of assignment;
• Approved posting and accepting bids for the police department restroom floors and south wall windows replacements;
• Approved purchase of 20 yards of mulch for Banotai Park Playscape at a total cost of $585, using federal ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds;
• Approved budget amendments for the first quarter of fiscal year 2024-25, which included increased interest funds, increased property insurance costs, and an ARPA fund amount;
• Tabled approval of the Utility Billing Policy & Procedures until the next meeting so board members could study its 49 pages before voting on it;
• Heard Zeola Walker ask for statements from board members who are political candidates in the Aug. 6 primary election as to why she should vote for them. Township attorney Rob Young pointed out this was not a political forum and such statements are inappropriate;
• Heard John Honey, who is candidate for trustee, say from the audience that he would come to her doorstep to talk with her. He said fixing Banotai Park takes people to do the work rather than spending taxpayer money. He said with volunteers they might be able to have a turkey shoot or a fair;
• Heard Ovidiu Suciu, who is running for trustee, say that he didn’t know they were working on the park and how would the township residents know that help was needed? He has equipment and he would have helped, he said. He said he came from the communist country of Romania and at 18 years of age walked halfway across Europe to get to the United States. He said many people were blessed to be born here. He said over there, they do something for the people only when there is an election, and he is disappointed to find it’s the same here. He said a candidate promises the people cake, but once a candidate gets behind the desk, he takes the whole cake and gives people the crumbs;
• Heard Trustee Tim Rush say they mentioned the park project at a board meeting in plenty of time and it was also put on the township website so people will know;
• Heard Mary Ban say the ditches along the roads are filled with tall greenery, which obstructs driveways and intersections, making it very unsafe. She said last year the county only mowed in November and she asked if the township could put some pressure on the county. Treasurer Bart Patterson said there has been a letter in the water bills the last three times telling people the best way to get results is to have multiple people calling the county, rather than the township calling. Ban also asked about the upgraded doors to the community center and Patterson said they are currently interviewing bidders;
• Heard Trustee Don LaPorte say people should call the County Commission District 11 candidates to ask what they will do for Sumpter about road maintenance. Current commissioner Al Haidous is not running for reelection;
• Heard Finance Director Scott Holtz report that the landfill royalty check was $185,816.66 for the month of June, which is down 7.8% from a year ago;
• Heard Treasurer Patterson say that the increase in interest from investments is more than the loss in royalties, so it more than makes up for it;
• Heard Trustee Matthew Oddy add to John Honey’s comment on the necessity for people to get out and get involved. He said post-COVID it’s been hard to get Parks & Rec established again; and
• Heard LaPorte say fire fighter Dave Baron offered to help LaPorte with the work he planned at the park and then Baron went ahead and got all the work done himself. He called LaPorte to tell him the work was done as LaPorte was on his way to the park with his tractor. LaPorte also explained the two fire fighter resignations, saying a lot of people want to serve but when they are on more than one fire department there comes a time when they have to choose.