New generator for emergency center still not installed in Sumpter

At the regular meeting of the Sumpter Township Board of Trustees on March 14, Deputy Supervisor/Treasurer Karen Armatis explained why the new generator for the community center, paid for with federal funds and delivered about nine months ago, is still not installed.
Armatis said DTE said the township needed a bigger meter and gas line and that now has been ordered. But, DTE has been tied up with all the power outages from the March 8 windstorm.
She said the supervisor’s office has been in contact with Van Buren Township Supervisor Kevin McNamara about a Warming Center set up at Belleville High School and Sumpter citizens were alerted to that.
She said some of the seniors were taken into private homes when they lost electrical power and temperatures plunged.
Fire Chief Joseph Januszyk said fire fighters did about 25 well-being checks, mostly on seniors. They also made about 10 runs during the storm. Police Chief Eric Luke said police officers also checked on residents.
Armatis said the township hall lost phone service during the storm and was out until earlier that day, March 14.
“We always pull together,” Armatis said of the rural community.
“The employees did well dealing with generators and phones and people,” said Trustee Matthew Oddy. The police and fire departments and township hall have working generators.
“An employee took in a couple of seniors and wishes to remain anonymous,” said Treasurer Peggy Morgan, who was chairing the meeting in the absence of Supervisor John Morgan and Clerk Clarence Hoffman.
Supervisor Morgan was reportedly held up by the storm as he returned home from vacation and Clerk Hoffman was home with his ill wife.
“I’m glad we’re building relations back up to Van Buren Township,” Trustee Oddy said.
Later in the meeting, during public comment, Deb Callison, pointed out the township had the generator for almost a year and asked, “Now DTE has to put in a gas line?” She said when the League of Women Voters held the candidates’ forum the generator was there in the community center, almost nine months ago. [The Sumpter candidates’ forum was held June 22.] Armatis said the generator was paid for with Community Development Block Grant funds which takes a lot of paperwork and “had to go through their process.”
Callison asked if the warranty on the generator is from the time of delivery or from the time it starts running, and she was told they would check.
Township attorney Rob Young agreed: “Absolutely, it’s been too long.”
“I thought they did get to use it and the seniors enjoyed it” after the storm, Callison said, but then found out she was wrong.
Ronald Barrington Robinson thanked the police and fire departments for their work during the storm. He noted DTE coordinated Warming Centers at Lincoln High School and in Monroe, in addition to the center at BHS.
In other business at the March 14 meeting, the board:
• Approved the Grievance Procedure Policy for ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) complaints, which eventually goes to the township board;
• Heard attorney Young give updates on MDEQ litigation which resulted in changes to the state discharge permit regulations. He said the MDEQ rules could have been financially draining to the community. The discharge permit due April 1 has been prepared by Hennessey Engineers. Young also reported that the new ordinance officer has been up and running and works well with people. He said compliance, not prosecution, is the goal;
• Heard Treasurer Morgan complain that the township newsletters haven’t been mailed out yet although they were finished the third week of February. She said some events, such as the dog clinic, promoted in the newsletter have passed. Deputy Clerk Janet Hoffman said she just came back from vacation, but she will find out what happened; and
• Heard Trustee Oddy announce that Armatis has prepared a list of properties owned by the township and the board will look whether to get closed bids or an auction house to get rid of them.
The board went into closed-door session to hear an update from attorney Young on AFSCME negotiations and to hear an update on the Po lawsuit from the defense attorney.