Sumpter Twp. board removes job for Karen Armatis from agenda

After raucous exchanges and board members yelling at each other at its workshop and regular meeting Nov. 10, the Sumpter Township Board of Trustees voted unanimously to accept an agenda without a new part-time position for Karen Armatis and without upgrading a treasurer’s clerk to full time.
The last-minute item to give a contracted position to outgoing Deputy Supervisor Karen Armatis was proposed by Clerk Esther Hurst, who said she needed help in the clerk’s department for six months on a part-time basis of 16-20 hours per week, or as needed. Start date was to be Nov. 23 with specific dates and times to be determined by the clerk. Pay would be $27 per hour without benefits.
This item was added to the agenda by Hurst at 11:15 a.m., Nov. 9, the day before the regular meeting. Sumpter rules call for agenda items to be in the clerk’s office by 4 p.m. the Thursday before the scheduled meeting, which would have been Nov. 5.
The line on the agenda item saying it had been reviewed by Finance Director Elle Cole was blank.
Armatis will no longer have her position as deputy supervisor since Supervisor John Morgan lost reelection in the Nov. 3 general election.
Another last-minute agenda item presented by outgoing Treasurer Kenneth Bednark was to approve Erica Campbell’s status change in AFSCME Local 1882.14 from part-time Treasurer’s Clerk to full-time Treasurer’s Clerk effective Nov. 20. It was signed as reviewed by Finance Director Elle Cole.
This agenda item was in the clerk’s office at 11:35 a.m., Nov. 9.
Employees Anna Winter and Roxanne Bardell spoke against the Armatis contract, saying it might be in violation of the township’s union contract. “Let’s hire union personnel if a person is needed,” Winter said, noting Cole had said there was a hiring freeze. Bardell said she has worked for the township for 27 years and she doesn’t get $27 an hour.
“The people spoke,” Winter said referring to the election of Tim Bowman as supervisor. “Why are you circumventing this?”
Attorney Rob Young said Hurst has a need and asked for help. It is not union work, he said, referring to Hurst’s written statement about Armatis being able to bring historical knowledge to the township.
“Esther asked for it, hear from her,” Young said.
Supervisor John Morgan cut in with: “Management has rights.”
Young said Hurst said she has two new elected officials to help.
“Accept it at her word or not,” Young said.
Trustee Matthew Oddy said Armatis had been on loans to different departments over the years and she has been the township’s point person on the Futernick lawsuit.
Hurst verbally attacked Winter on how she wouldn’t take in tax money in the clerk’s office, though she did it in the treasurer’s office. Hurst said Winter said she was a team player. Hurst scoffed at that.
“I have a statement. I will read it,” said Treasurer Bednark.
“No, you won’t,” Supervisor Morgan replied.
“I will … I’m entitled to read this…” Bednark continued and Trustee Oddy talked loudly over him.
“I want to speak,” Bednark said.
Newly elected Trustee Peggy Morgan stepped to the microphone to say the election is over and, “Let’s work together as people elected to our jobs.”
She said she agreed with the union and called the Armatis contract “union-busting.”
“Give her a contract,” Peggy Morgan said.
“That’s what I want,” Hurst said. “A contract.”
“This is a new position made up … a piss-poor excuse,” Peggy Morgan said. “People no longer want John Morgan and they don’t want her and it’s being rammed down our throats… Why not keep the request until Nov. 24 and take it up with the new board?”
Trustee Oddy asked Hurst to tell what happened when Bednark came in to meet with her along with Bowman and his son.
“Ken told me everyone he’s going to fire,” Hurst replied, adding he said he would cut the cancer out and get rid of it.
Hurst said she doesn’t know things about the Futernick lawsuit and they could just lose the lawsuits.
“She was told employees are cancers and listed their names,” Oddy continued.
“Why have Bednark speak for him?” Hurst said.
Peggy Morgan said that Armatis was not here today, “Her health failed or something.” She started to say more, but Oddy said the supervisor decides who speaks and she left the podium.
“You cannot say who you are going to fire,” Oddy insisted, noting that could bring a law suit. He said Bowman and his son announced this.
“Mr. Bowman did not say this,” Hurst corrected Oddy.
“You have mischaracterized my statement,” Bednark said. “I was hoping this board meeting would be a celebration … But, Esther, you had to piss in the punchbowl. You, John, and your deputy both need to go.”
There was hearty applause from the audience.
Bednark said those incumbents on the board need to work with the new board members or there will be four years of self-created hell.
Bednark recalled that the auditors said two people can run the clerk’s office and Hurst had Maria Beaudrie working side by side with her daughter.
“Who the hell wants Karen Armatis’ help?” Bednark asked. “Nobody wants her … You’re just trying to coddle Karen Armatis and give her a place to go.
“Mr. Morgan, people are looking for change … Please, let this township heal,” Bednark said, adding Hurst is giving false information and dodging union bargaining.
“It’s not a position!” Hurst called out.
“It’s a sweetheart deal to her friend,” Bednark replied.
Bednark said in 2003 Karen Armatis was recalled and sent out of the township. He said John Morgan brought her back to the community and she had a part-time job in the township that went to full-time. She has been Morgan’s sidekick for 25-30 years.
Bednark said it was cronyism and if other board members don’t work together it could end up the same as in 2003.
“Sounds like a threat to me,” Hurst said.
“You do not need Karen Armatis,” Bednark said, asking Hurst to remove it from the agenda.
“I’ll remove my item if you remove yours,” Hurst said and Bednark replied, “You got it.” The audience applauded.
Oddy supported Hurst’s right to ask for help and he said Bednark was badmouthing Armatis again. He said when the chips were down, Bednark accepted help from Armatis.
“There’s another side to every single story,” Oddy said.
“I’m completely disgusted with what I’m seeing tonight,” said Trustee Tim Rush as he began to make a statement. A female in the audience called out, “Shut your mouth!”
At that point, Supervisor Morgan closed the work-study session and called for a 15-minute break.
When the regular meeting started Hurst removed her agenda item and Bednark’s agenda item from the agenda.
In other business at the Nov. 10 meeting, which was held in the crowded board room with little social-distancing and some people not wearing masks, the board:
• Approved closing the township from Dec. 24 through Jan. 3, with employees using vacation or personal days. Dec. 30 will be used as a floating holiday;
• Approved a FLYGT pump from Kennedy Industries at a cost of $20,479. This is for the lift station in the Sumpter / Willis area. It’s 17 years old. The board was told the new pump will not eliminate the odors;
• Approved Resolution 2020-14, adoption of the Wayne County Hazard Mitigation Plan;
• Approved Supervisor Morgan’s appointment of John Honey to the planning commission with a term to expire Nov. 9, 2023. He takes the seat vacated by Jim Clark who was elected township treasurer;
• Approved Daniel Frost’s return from personal leave back to the fire department effective immediately;
• Approved MERS defined contributions under deadline for five documents, as recommended by attorney Young;
• Heard Clerk Hurst announce the swearing in of board members and their deputies will be at 6 p.m., Nov. 19, in the gymnasium at the community center;
• Heard Oddy apologize “if I misquoted Bowman.” He said he wants to start off on the right foot with the new supervisor; and
• Heard Kathie Steigerwald ask for donations to Toys for Tots. She also asked about the clear-cutting of trees in the 100 acres south of Harris and west of Haggerty. She said the neighbors are concerned and nobody seems to know what’s going on. She asked if there was a tree ordinance and Young said there was but he hasn’t looked at it in years. Oddy said he would speak to the planning commission about it, but the planning commission meeting that week was canceled.