Sumpter Twp. board approves paving all municipal parking lots

At its regular meeting on Aug. 13, the Sumpter Township Board of Trustees voted unanimously to spend $241,900 in ARPA funds for Midwest Pavement of Milford to pave municipal parking areas. This was the lowest of three qualified bidders.
This includes asphalting parking areas at the community center and police station, library media center/DPW office, and main campus. The millings are to be used at the parks. The cost includes bumper blocks and striping. ARPA funds are from the federal American Rescue Plan Act to help local communities recover after COVID. Sumpter received $984,000 in ARPA funds.
Trustee Peggy Morgan was absent and excused from the meeting.
In other business, the board:
• Removed from the agenda approval of the Utility Billing Policy and Procedures without explanation;
• Approved the ordinance text amendment to Division 10 – rates and charges, section 25-185, changing the word “May” to “November.” Also changed was line item five to say “supervisor” instead of superintendent. This concerns putting unpaid water and sewage service fees on the property tax. The previous language was used when Sumpter only had one tax bill. Now there are two tax bills and assessments are placed on the winter bill;
• Approved the TNT Tree Service low bid of $14,500 to remove trees and brush and trim about 45 trees throughout Banotai Park using ARPA funds;
• Approved the proposal from C&S Construction for the community center door replacements in the amount of $29,500 in ARPA funds. The board approved adding $5,000 to the original request of $24,500 to fix the outside handicap access, deciding the indoor doors should be fixed as well;
• Approved outfitting the fire department replacement vehicle Rescue 13 by Herkimer Services at a total cost of $8,765;
• Approved the final invoice of $45,050 from ARPA funds to Outdoor Amenities for putting up the cemetery fence and gate, as well as some vegetation removal and pruning, plus spreading of many yards of gravel and upgrading the gates. Board members praised the great work done by Outdoor Amenities business owner Eric Partridge on the project;
• Appointed Scott Holtz, Eric Luke, Karen Armatis and two board members to an interview committee for DPW Director candidates. Supervisor Tim Bowman said he wanted to be on the committee and so did Treasurer Bart Patterson, so they were approved, along with Deputy Treasurer Erica Campbell and input from former director John Danci;
• Approved spending $585 to buy an additional 20 yards of mulch to refresh the Banotai Park playscape, using ARPA funds. Trustee Tim Rush said volunteers will be welcome to help spread the mulch, and eat the pizza they order, but did not give the time or date of the project;
• Approved the replacement AT&T agreement of four service lines at an annual cost of about $4,500, effective Sept. 1 for three years. With the new billing, Sumpter will pay about $369.48 per month, saving the township about $1,816.96 per month and $21,803.52 per year. The study of the lines and the new agreement was worked out by Malissa Paquette; and
• Heard township manager Tony Burdick give a report, including the floating dock will be installed the week of Aug. 19; Carleton Farms has reduced hours to 9-3 five days a week, with no Saturdays, starting in mid September; 45% of the residents will have been visited by the WCA sketching project by the end of the season; he proposes pushing the fall newsletter to winter and making it mostly digital with some printed; he will come back to the board with a recommendation on the township hall roof, which is leaking into the treasurer’s office. He also invited those with complaints to visit or call him.