Sumpter Twp. holds first Zoom meeting for special session

The Sumpter Township Board of Trustees held its first-ever Zoom meeting on Dec. 15 and passed 17 motions, with 10 having one or more no votes.
The most controversial motion was to reduce the deputy supervisor position, most recently held full-time by Karen Armatis, to a position less than 20 hours a week with the yearly pay of $8,406 and no benefits of any kind.
The vote was 5-2 with Supervisor Tim Bowman and Trustee Peggy Morgan voting no.
Supervisor Bowman had appointed former Treasurer Ken Bednark as his deputy supervisor and Bednard has been sworn in.
Trustee Morgan asked if the board was doing this because of who the deputy supervisor was. She said she saw no justification for this and it was “ridiculous.”
She said Supervisor Bowman has a full-time job, as many supervisors in the past have had, and, “This is about the person and not the position.” She said this is ridiculous pay and they are not allowing him to work the way they’ve always allowed deputy supervisors to work.
“Very selfish,” she said, adding it was not for the benefit of the community.
Trustee Don LaPorte said he was in support of the half-time deputy supervisor and never was in support of a full-time deputy supervisor.
As to the pay, it’s the same as an elected trustee is paid and, “nothing to sneeze at,” he said.
Trustee Morgan referred to an email LaPorte had sent out about no benefits for the deputy supervisor. She said attorney Rob Young had crafted it so deputies get the same benefits as the union workers were able to get.
“It’s not about the deputy position, but who it is,” Trustee Morgan insisted, referring to Bednark who was very outspoken as a board member.
Trustee Morgan said the former deputy supervisor, Karen Armatis, was paid $32 an hour.
“Our supervisor is going to need this deputy,” Trustee Morgan said. “You are short-changing the supervisor. He has a full-time job as others had in the past.”
She asked the board to table this item and take a good look at the proposal.
She suggested they give Bednark the same wage as Toni Clark with benefits if he needs it. She said they should let him get the benefits the union people receive and let him work the hours the supervisor needs him to and have the supervisor sign the hours to submit to payroll.
Supervisor Bowman then read a statement saying he is new to this position and he’s requesting a deputy who can assist him and he needs a full-time deputy with normal pay and benefits for this position.
The motion for a part-time deputy supervisor was made by Trustee LaPorte and seconded by Trustee Tim Rush and passed 5-2.
In other business at the one-hour-and-37-minute virtual meeting the board:
• Passed, on a 6-1 vote, approval of the 2021 board meeting schedule with both the workshop and the board meetings scheduled to begin at 6 p.m., so the business could go on without waiting for the regular meeting to begin at 6:30 p.m., as in the past. Voting no was Trustee Peggy Morgan, who wanted to keep the old schedule of a 6 p.m. workshop, then a break, and then the 6:30 p.m. board meeting;
• Passed, on a 5-2 vote, approval for the deputy clerk position to be full time at 40 hours a week with overtime as approved by the township clerk with pay of $25.08 hourly, with annual increases approved by the board and benefits equal to AFSME employees, but no medical reimbursement. Voting no were Supervisor Bowman and Trustee Morgan;
• Passed on a 5-2 vote, approval of a pay raise for Deputy Clerk Anthony Burdick from $25.08 to $27.08 to correct the scheduled increases that were missed since his appointment in May 2018. There is no back pay on this, said Clerk Esther Hurst. Voting no were Supervisor Bowman and Trustee Morgan;
• Passed, on a 6-1 vote, the position of deputy treasurer to be full time, allocating 40 hours a week with overtime as approved by the treasurer with pay of $25.08 per hour with annual increases as approved by the board and benefits equal to AFSME employees, except no medical reimbursement. Voting no was Trustee Morgan;
• Approved unanimously the opening of the treasurer’s office for the residents to pay their taxes at the township hall on Thursday, Dec. 31, extending regular office hours until 7:30 p.m.
• Approved unanimously the cancellation of all township credit cards with the exception of the supervisor, clerk, treasurer, police chief, and fire chief in compliance with the township credit card policy. Trustee Morgan asked who else had credit cards and there was no answer. Clerk Esther Hurst said all credit cards are cancelled and new ones are issued for the new administration;
• Unanimously approved all outstanding warrants to a date of Dec. 31 and close of business;
• Unanimously approved changing the supervision of the water department clerk from the finance director to the treasurer;
• Unanimously approved freezing all capital expenditures as of Dec. 15. Trustee Matt Oddy, who apparently prepared the agenda item, took off the additional “non-essential expenditures” part of his wording after attorney Young said he didn’t know what that meant. Trustee Oddy said he wanted the board to be prudent and not spend capital money until next year. Financial Director Cole added, “We need to step up consciousness about our expenditures … and the purchasing policy requiring three quotes… Next year we will know better about revenue sharing”;
• Passed, on a 6-1, vote reaffirmation that all purchasing, reallocation and/or removal of any township furnishing, equipment, and/or assets must have township board approval prior to the specific purchase, reallocation, or removal. Voting no was Trustee Morgan;
• Passed, on a 4-3 vote, approval to change the locks on the three township doors for security purposes. Voting no were Supervisor Bowman, Treasurer James Clark, and Trustee Morgan. Trustee Morgan said a trustee said he wanted an audit of the keys because the supervisor had given a key to employee Roxanne Bardell, who has had keys in the past. “This became a big deal,” Trustee Morgan said, with the trustee claiming a security breech. She said she feels it is a waste of money. She said the last supervisor did not want Bardell to have the key, but this supervisor is taking responsibility. “The police chief is aware she has a key and code,” Trustee Morgan said. “Any use would track to her, with Supervisor Bowman taking responsibility… It’s ridiculous.” Trustee Oddy said Clerk Hurst said it’s been eight or nine years since the building was rekeyed. “It’s prudent to have an audit … And have the board set a policy on how the new keys can be distributed.” Clerk Hurst said the key was returned to her by Bardell and, “It was a key from the hardware store. She returned what she had.” Supervisor Bowman said he didn’t know the key was made at the local hardware store. “I understand the security thing … It’s a big thing. I know I gave that key to that person without knowing the recourse… I don’t know the politics … I’m asking you to give me a break on this,” he said, saying he didn’t know you could give keys to some not others;
• Passed, on a 6-1 vote, reaffirmation that the clerk’s office will have sole responsibility to secure and issue all township hall keys and security codes at the direction and approval of the township board. Voting no was Trustee Morgan;
• Passed on a 6-1 vote the updating of the first sentence in section 6 of the finance director’s contract to read: “The employee’s duties shall be determined by the township board from time to time and as directed by the township clerk on a daily basis.”… “The township supervisor and/or township treasurer shall have supervision of the employee for those matters undertaken by the employee which are statutorily required by law for each office.” Voting no was Trustee Morgan, who said she understood the supervisor would like the finance director under his office, as it was with Supervisor John Morgan. “This is undermining our supervisor and how he would like to run his office… It’s not let’s work together for the residents of Sumpter Township.” Supervisor Bowman said he’s been in office for less than a month and he doesn’t know “who should be here or there … I need to get my feet wet. I need to learn what’s right or wrong … It’s like 360 degrees here, with things coming from every direction … I was working fine [with the finance director]. We communicate well and I thought we were getting things done.” Trustee Morgan said Cole, Scott Holtz and Jim Glahn were all under the supervisor and there was no problem then”;
• Passed, on a 5-2 vote, the updating of the first sentence in section 6 of the Human Resource Director’s contract to read, “The employee’s duties shall be determined by the township board from time to time and as directed by the township clerk on a daily basis.”… “The township supervisor and/or township treasurer shall have supervision of the employee for those matters undertaken by the employee which are statutorily required by law for each office.” Voting no were Supervisor Bowman and Trustee Morgan;
• Approved unanimously virtual meetings policies and procedures;
• Unanimously approved accepting the Belleville Rotary Club’s placement at no cost of a bench outside at the library media center. Trustee Morgan was allowed to add this item to the agenda that had been prepared after Clerk Hurst objected and attorney Young said it could be done if the board approved;
• Unanimously approved prior warrants paid of $239,031.54 and warrants on hand for payment of $92,670.57. Trustee Rush pointed out that a $1,300 laptop now in the supervisor’s office was purchased by the treasurer. Finance Director Michelle Cole said it’s in the right budget now;
• Heard Trustee Rush read a letter from 34th District Court Judge David Parrott as Judge Parrott’s “judicial career ends” after 18 years on the bench. Judge Parrott had been involved in numerous community projects and Judge Parrott said if there is anything he can do for Sumpter, he would be glad to do it. Trustee Morgan gave a thank you to Judge Parrott and the generous things he has done for the community and suggested a round of applause and board members applauded;
• Heard Trustee Morgan say she hopes the board can come together in the new year and, “Any animosity towards me can be put aside before we leave tonight”;
• Heard Trustee Matt Oddy congratulate the board on its first virtual meeting and recognized that Judge Parrott’s replacement Lisa Martin has been in the audience of that night’s virtual meeting. “We hopefully will have her working down in Sumpter Township as we did with Judge Parrott,” Trustee Oddy said; and
• Heard township attorney Young say Judge Parrott has been on the bench many years and, “Dave Parrott is one of the smartest judges I’ve served in front of. And, welcome to Judge Martin.”