Sumpter Treasurer Bednark decides to stick with Vern Morse

Vernon Morse, who retired from the Van Buren Township clerk’s office after 20 years of service, was appointed Sumpter Township deputy treasurer in September after the original deputy moved out of state and the new deputy was fired after a few days.
At that time, Township Treasurer Peggy Morgan needed a new deputy and Morse was available to take the job. It was during tax season and a lot of people waited until the last minute to pay their taxes so there was a lot of work to do.
And, Treasurer Morgan was ill and took time off at the advice of her doctor. There was a lot of upheaval at the township hall and Morse resigned. Later, he returned to help out because they needed him.
Treasurer Morgan, who had lost her bid to retain her appointed position, was replaced in the Nov. 6 election by political newcomer Ken Bednark as the new treasurer.
At the Nov. 27 meeting of the Sumpter Township Board of Trustees, recently sworn-in Treasurer Bednark assured the public that in spite of all the problems, “the lights are on in the treasurer’s office and we are functioning.”
He said it was his intention to do a search for the best person for the deputy position and he found, “We have the most qualified person in Vern Morse.” He said as far as his credentials and education, Morse was the best.
“I’m proud to have him on board,” Bednark said.
He said Deputy Supervisor Karen Armatis, a former longtime deputy treasurer, is helping to assist in the training process. He said Armatis is not bonded, but this is not required for training.
“We’re looking forward to doing good things for the public,” Bednark said, adding they are looking at automating the procedures.
Then Morse took to the podium and made a statement.
“When I was asked to come back, I felt I was able to make a difference,” Morse said, adding that he had started bonding with the public. “I had an undone job. The problems we had, we were fixing them. Ken and I had quite a few discussions. It was a lot of work at first. Karen is available, so that I can get all the training I need.
“I appreciate Ken for giving me this chance,” Morse said. “I look forward to serving this board and this community.”
In other business at the Nov. 27 meeting, the board:
• Approved the appointment of Vernon Morse to the deputy treasurer’s position, at a pay of $25.08 per hour;
• Approved the appointment of Dawn Hadyniak to the deputy clerk position at a pay of $25.33 per hour. Hadyniak has served as the deputy clerk since Clerk Esther Hurst’s appointment earlier this year. Now, Hurst has been elected clerk;
• Approved the meeting schedules for 2019 for the board of trustees and planning commission;
• Heard Clerk Hurst announce that Karen Mickens is leading a pajama drive to get new nightwear for all the residents at Cedar Woods Assisted Living on the South I-94 Service Drive in Van Buren Township. She said they still are in need of women’s sizes medium and large. At 1 p.m. on Dec. 5 and 6 they will be wrapping the pajamas and volunteers are invited to help;
• Heard Clerk Hurst announce that the Senior Christmas Party will be held at noon Tuesday, Dec. 11, and the Children’s Christmas Party at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 12;
• Heard attorney Rob Young announce that he will draft the required ordinance for the next meeting on Dec. 11 in case the board wants to opt out of allowing recreational marijuana dispensaries and grow businesses within the township limits. He said he will not be present for that meeting, but he’ll prepare the ordinance and the board can pass it or not. He said it takes two meetings to pass an ordinance. He said he thinks the township has time to opt out, since the state rules are not in place yet. He said if the township opts out, it can always opt in if it changes its mind at a later date. He said now is a good time to opt out and he is making no recommendation. It is purely a board decision, he said. He said the opting out ordinance would be to not allow commercial growing and dispensaries. The personal use is not in question because now that is “carved in stone,” he said. Clerk Hurst asked if the township does not opt out and does nothing, “could dispensaries show up in our community?” Attorney Young said, yes, they could;
• Heard Ban report that the roads are deplorable and people thinking of moving to the township come down those roads and change their minds about coming. She complained about how Wayne County cares for its roads. She also pointed out that the federal government still says marijuana is illegal. She said medical marijuana can now be delivered to users and she asked if recreational marijuana will be delivered, as well;
• Heard Jay Bardell say that at the Nov. 13 meeting that couldn’t be held, he asked the supervisor when was the last time the board couldn’t meet because it didn’t have a quorum and the deputy supervisor said the supervisor didn’t have to answer because it wasn’t in a meeting. Supervisor John Morgan told Bardell that he couldn’t answer because he doesn’t know when there was a meeting without a quorum in the past; and
• Heard Bardell say that in the Independent there were two times when Young made accusations about his wife Roxanne Bardell, who works at the township, being a thief. Young said he never called Roxanne a thief or anyone else. He said he said she came into the treasurer’s office from the clerk’s office to help and she was not bonded and shouldn’t be working in there. He told Bardell to bring in the stories, if he has them, but they are lies and innuendoes. Bardell read from the paper about Young saying he was going to retire but had to stay on to take care of “Po and Bardell.” Young agreed he was going to retire but he wanted to defend the police department and the guys who put their lives on the line. “I was talking about you, Jay,” Young said, adding in court he heard Bardell talking with Po about what equipment Bardell would get from Po after Po got it back from police. Young then mentioned the “car pool team,” obviously referring to the circuit court session in downtown Detroit when the Independent asked for a ride from Bardell and Robinson. Young said he had lots of negative things he could say about the Independent. Young mentioned an argument and Bardell asked if he was referring to, “When Toth said he didn’t come to my house and he did?” referring to Detective/Sgt. John Toth, who shouted at Bardell in the circuit court hallway causing a deputy sheriff to complain. After the meeting adjourned, Young came down from the board table, where he sits, and followed Bardell to the door, haranguing him until he left the building.