Sumpter seeks to repeal marijuana provisionary center amendment

The Sumpter Township Board of Trustees took to heart its attorney’s recommendation to repeal the provisionary center zoning ordinance enacted in 2015.
Attorney Rob Young said the procedure is to send the request to the planning commission, which will hold a public hearing and make a recommendation to the board.
At its regular board meeting June 13, Young said the ordinance is obsolete and the licensing part doesn’t even exist in the township any more, since under new laws all licensing is in Lansing.
He referred to the Michigan Medical Marijuana Facilities Licensing Act (MMFLA), approved by the state in September.
He said in March 2015 in anticipation of further changes to the Medical Marijuana Act by the state, the township passed the ordinance. Now, Sumpter has to figure out the proper action.
Young said the Michigan Township Association recommends clearing out ordinances pertaining to medical marijuana zoning on provisionary centers.
He said the township may decide not to opt into MMFLA changes for provisionary centers.
He said Van Buren Township and Canton are opting out of the provisionary center changes. Municipalities to the east may opt in, he said.
Although the issue was not on the agenda for action, the board voted to refer the ordinance to the planning commission, asking it to consider repealing of the provisionary center zoning ordinance enacted in 2015.
Trustee Matthew Oddy said caregivers are not a part of the provisionary centers and caregivers’ growing is approved by the state.
Trustee Oddy said if the township opts into the centers in the future, it can get a new ordinance.
In other action at the June 13 meeting, the board:
• Approved purchase of a 2017 Ford F-250 Regular Cab 4×4 pick up truck at a cost not to exceed $30,000 from Atchinson Ford in Van Buren Township, with Trustee Don Swinson abstaining because he works at Atchinson and worked on the quote;
• Approved the fire fighters using Station #1 for their annual chicken broil on Sept. 10 at noon;
• Approved hiring new paid-per-call fire fighters Laura Bratby and Bradley Hollister, pending results of their physicals;
• Approved the bid of Absolute Heating and Cooling, Inc., to replace the inoperative old furnace system in the octagon building at 23465 Sumpter Road (future site of a library) at a cost not to exceed $3,000. The warranty is for 10 years. The air conditioning unit also will be assessed. The cost will be taken out of the general fund and they will find out later if they can use the money in the present library account or get money from the district library budget. The board also agreed to hire Hennessey Engineers to conduct a survey and title search on the property;
• Heard attorney Young and Deputy Treasurer/Supervisor Karen Armatis tell about the problems with the U.S. Post Office in Belleville in getting water bills delivered in a timely manner. Some bills are never delivered at all. Young said the township is working with the residents who didn’t get bills and the treasurer’s office is trying to work it all out. Young said he is not trying to be critical of the Post Office;
• Amended the agenda to add a closed session to get a short update on negotiations on the Fraternal Order of Police union contract;
• Heard Fire Chief Joe Januszyk invite the public to watch the Survival Flight land on the fairgrounds at 7 p.m., June 21. They will be training police and fire fighters;
• Heard Supervisor John Morgan thank Trustee Don LaPorte, who is also a fire fighter, for teaching cardio pulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation skills to all the employees in two classes, which included the new 2015 updates and CPR with a barrier mask;
• Heard Supervisor Morgan announce the conversion to LED for all light poles is now complete;
• Approved $229,712.88 in warrants;
• Heard praise for all the volunteers that pitched in to put on the annual Sumpter Country Fest;
• Heard Mary Ban compliment Jim and Joanne Posegay for the picture boards that show Sumpter is “still country.” She said the pictures are a tribute to “what we’re all about” and the “country theme really came forth.” The picture boards will be on display in the township hall for several weeks;
• Heard Armatis say they are waiting to see if President Trump is going to cut Community Development Block Grant funds before moving forward to put in the planned automatic back door for handicapped access to the building; and
• When Ban asked if they could use Clerk Clarence Hoffman’s idea to build a new library building on the property the township owns next to township hall, attorney Young said, “It doesn’t work! The octagon building is good for the plan.”