Sumpter Twp. Board approves six new Tasers for police department

At its regular meeting on May 23, the Sumpter Township Board of Trustees approved purchase of six new Taser X26P units for the police department at a cost of
Public Safety Director/Police Chief Eric Luke said the current units were purchased in 2016 and one was recently sent in for repair and subsequently deemed unrepairable due to its age.
“I expect other to follow in short order,” he wrote into a memo to the board.
In other business, the board:
• Approved the updated Township Manager position description;
• Approved the Wayne County Parks Grant 2022-23 expenditures of up to $13,000 lighting along the road throughout all of Banotai Park. The cost includes $4,800 DTE cost for an electrical service drop at the Wear Road entrance, $4,100 DPW site preparation for fotters and lighting install, and $3,100 for lighting fixtures. The lights are mainly for public safety teams;
• Heard that Martinsville Cemetery is being cleaned up for Memorial Day. It was noted the words “perpetual care” is on the paperwork for every lot they sell and they haven’t done a lot in that regard. Workers from the 34th District Court were there recently and picked up a ton of leaves and a bunch of branches and a local tree service ground them up as a service;
• Was reminded that the Council of Western Wayne will be meeting at the Sumpter Township Hall on June 9;
• Heard Jo Gardner thank Eric Partridge for the many hours he spent leveling the ground for the shed provided by the DPW for their Butterfly Garden in Banotai Park. She asked when the dock was going to be installed because she doesn’t like to fish from the shore. Township Manager Anthony Burdick said it wouldn’t be this year, but perhaps next spring or early summer. She asked if they are going to stock fish again and if they check the quality of the water for swimmers. She pointed out the poor attendance for the two work days set to clean the parks and said they need a parks person who knows what is needed. She said three years ago, Home Depot was going to send a crew to help at the park, but the date was changed at the last minute which was a problem. She said since she’s been working at the park, there are double the amount of autumn olives, an invasive species; and
• Heard resident Mary Ban compliment the township for the beautiful flowers in planters around township hall. She also said she is one of the volunteers who have been meeting at Van Buren Township to help set a direction for the museum that has been closed for more than three years. She also spoke of her support of paving Judd Road to Rawsonville and said everyone is welcome to the Bible Study group which meets on Tuesday mornings at the community center.
Supervisor Tim Bowman was absent and Trustee Tim Rush chaired the meeting.