Sumpter Twp. board approves Karen Armatis as new deputy clerk

At its regular meeting on July 26 the Sumpter Township Board of Trustees voted 6-1 to approve the appointment of Karen Armatis to the deputy clerk position at the proposed pay of $26.41 per hour, effective Aug. 3.
Trustee Peggy Morgan voted no.
Armatis replaces Anthony Burdick who has been named township manager.
In other business, the board:
• Accepted the resignation of probationary fire fighter Ronald Jeffries effective July 7;
• Appointed Financial Director Scott Holtz as the officer delegate to represent Sumpter Township at the 2022 Municipal Employees’ Retirement System (MERS) meeting Sept. 26-27, in Grand Traverse Resort;
• Approved on a 6-1 vote the second-highest bid and proposal of Roberto Sanchez for the property identified as #820810108-99-0006-001 Martinsville Road for the reconfirmed bid of $55,000. He wants to build a horse farm. The original highest bidder withdrew from purchase consideration. Bids were submitted last December. Trustee Morgan cast the only no vote. She had asked why they could do this after voting to have township properties sold by a Realtor. She was told this purchase was in the works and was never a part of the ones being sold by the Realtor;
• Approved having the newsletter committee begin the process of gathering articles from all departments of the township for the purpose of publishing the fall/winter edition of the township newsletter. It is expected to be published near the end of August;
• Heard Clerk Esther Hurst announce that the township-wide garage sales will be Aug. 26-28 and no permits are required. She also announced that Wayne County Senior program will serve hot lunches at 11:15 a.m. on Mondays and Tuesday at the senior center. Call (734) 461-1186 or (734) 461-9373 to reserve your lunch. Commodities are being distributed for those eligible on the third Thursdays of the month from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Also, seniors will be attending a Tigers game at the end of August and those interested should call for information;
• Heard resident Ronald Barrington Robinson say during public comment that at the July 12 meeting he wanted to make a comment and was denied. He said his First Amendment rights were violated. He demanded the whole board resign, including the attorney and the public safety director. He said he is filing a civil right violation. He then left the meeting. Trustee Morgan said she wanted to apologize. “I did not agree with that … ALL the residents have a right to speak.” Trustee Matthew Oddy said Robinson attempted to speak over the board, was called out of order, and he doesn’t apologize;
• Heard resident Sharon Pokerwinski, administrator of the township parks, say she wants to continue with the county grants for Banotai Park. She said since the dock they were going to repair was torn down, the county gave her two weeks to restate what she wants to do with the grant. She said she was informed that grilles at the park needed replacing. She said she is also working on another grant and she hates to see the grant money go away;
• Heard Trustee Rush announce an Aug. 27 back-to-school event and an Oct. 15 food affair planned by the Parks and Recreation Commission;
• Heard Trustee Oddy again complain at length about the Independent, especially for publishing letters he doesn’t agree with, most recently one from Robinson. “He has a right to his opinion,” Trustee Morgan said of Robinson;
• Allowed resident Mary Ban to speak at the end of the meeting because she was late. She had questions on the museum and whether they are going to get comfortable chairs for the meeting. She also said her church, River of Life on Sumpter Road in Van Buren Township, will be holding its 20-year celebration Aug. 12-14. On Friday there will be programs and prayers and on Saturday they will give away gas cards and food cards and have food vendors available, with fireworks; and
• Allowed resident Eric Partridge to speak at the end of the meeting, as well. He had bid on replacing the fence at the fairgrounds and he asked the status of the bids. Township Manager/Deputy Clerk Burdick said there now are other considerations and a written explanation will be sent out to the bidders by mail.
Workshop session
Before the regular meeting, Manager Burdick gave an overview of Supervisor Bowman’s vision for Banotai Park improvements, including increasing the size of the pond by five acres, re-sloping the pond, and restructuring of the roadways in the park. There is no cost consideration yet, he said. Burdick said this “reclamation” is one of the projects they are drawing up and scoping out and it will take some time. He said at the next board meeting they hope to have a gentleman present who has been involved in such projects from start to finish.
He also said timing is critical since the Parks and Recreation Master plan expired in December and it is needed for grant funds to be available.