Sumpter Twp. considers changing logo, signage for new brand

Sumpter Township board members listened to a presentation by Jim Niestroy of Johnson Sign in Ypsilanti at their regular meeting June 10.
Niestroy said he could work with a township committee that could be set up on changing the logo and signage and producing a new brand for the township.
He said he drove around the township before attending the meeting and saw the sign at township hall was “delapitated and worn out” and other signs at the township borders were worn out, too.
He said the committee could decide whether to include the present tag line in the logo. No action was taken on the report.
In other business at the 22-minute meeting, the board:
• Bowed during an invocation by Pastor Jim Humble of Metro Baptist Church at the beginning of the meeting who said he never before had prayed over a municipal body like this;
• Received and filed all the reports from the supervisor, attorney, police/ordinance, building, and fire department without hearing the reports;
• Heard a brief report from new township manager Ken Marten, who said he gave them a written report a week earlier and there is no need to read that to them. He also said he met the previous Friday with 15 representatives of communities and the Wayne County Department of Public Works gave a list of work planned, including asphalt resurfacing of a part of Clark Road and grading of various Sumpter Roads. He said there was no dialog and was strictly informational. Clerk Don LaPorte asked him to check into any plans for paving Judd Road between Sumpter and Rawsonville roads;
• Approved the reappointment of Richard Pokerwinski to the planning commission with a term to expire July 23, 2028;
• Approved retaining PFM (Public Financial Management, Inc.) as a board consultant for going out for bonds for water main repairs. Marten said PFM is coming up with an update on costs and will revise the 2021 estimates to 2025 costs;
• Approved, on a 6-1 vote, posting a help-wanted ad for a full-time DPW laborer union position, per the AFSCME contract, with an amendment in wording about experience needed causing Clerk LaPorte to vote no;
• Approved listing decommissioned Fire Department Engine 41 for auction on the Garage Emergency Equipment online auction site;
• Heard Trustee Tim Rush report that Family Fun Day is being planned for noon to 3 p.m. on July 19 at Graham Park and the previous weekend’s Fishing Derby was a big success with 80 to 90 people attending;
• Heard Anita Honey say the Fishing Derby was great and she thanked the township board for bringing new life to Parks and Recreation; and
• Heard Kay Harris ask about statements made at the last meeting about Sumpter Road. She asked the supervisor if he had a vision for Sumpter Road. Supervisor Tim Bowman said they usually don’t answer questions during citizen comment, but he will. He said he would like to see Sumpter Road developed with businesses along it. He said all Sumpter has now for businesses are restaurant/bars and restaurants with gas.