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PAGE 2 ASSOCIATED NEWSPAPERS OF MICHIGAN March 2, 2023

SUMPTER - ROMULUS
SUMPTER - ROMULUS

School board reinstates former superintendent

A standing ovation from a
packed meeting room wel- ”
comed Romulus Community In November, voters chose new school
Schools Superintendent
Benjamin Edmondson back to board members and did not reelect two
the job. of those who voted to terminate Edmondson.
Edmondson was formally
reinstated to his position as part
of a settlement agreement in a tentious and often raucous as board members who began
lawsuit he filed against the dis- students, parents, teachers and “pushing back on decisions
trict last September. His lawsuit community leaders protested within his discretion as superin-
was filed in response to his sus- and criticized both the consult- tendent, interfering with his
pension by previous members of ing firm and the actions of the ability to perform his job and
the board of education who sub- board. Edmondson’s lawsuit improve the school district, and
sequently placed him on indefi- charged violations of the causing multiple District admin-
nite leave. Immediately follow- Michigan Whistleblower istrators and employees to quit.”
ing Edmondson's return to work Protection Act and the Elliott- Edmondson, who is Black
following a six-week medical Larsen Civil Rights Act naming and holds both masters and doc-
leave as he recovered from the board members and the dis- toral degrees, became superin-
heart surgery last fall, he was trict. The board members retali- tendent in September of August
placed on administrative leave ated by placing him on “indefi- 2020. During his imposed indefi-
by the board members. During nite leave.” nite leave, he was replaced with
his medical leave, board mem- In his lawsuit, Edmondson a white person who was paid
bers hired Dixon Public claimed the “administrative more and had few qualifica-
Consulting to analyze district leave” came only days after he tions, the lawsuit alleged.
finances. The former board reported his concerns about In November, voters chose
members subsequently voted 4- potential violations of the new school board members and
3 Sept. 27 to place Edmondson Michigan Open Meetings Act to did not reelect two of those who Superintendent Benjamin Edmondson
on administrative leave as the the board members. He also voted to terminate Edmondson. included his reinstatement. The during the Feb. 13 meeting.
audit continued. claimed in the suit that he had The new board members current board members and a “We're ready to move our dis-
Board meetings following his been inundated by a “sustained approved the negotiated settle- crowded room of supporters trict forward,” board President
forced absence became con- campaign of harassment” from ment with Edmondson which welcomed Edmondson back Ursula Wester said.
Sumpter trustees approve purchase of police vehicle

Sumpter Township trustees that could be as much as $6,000 to requesting the vehicle early as
approved the $50,407 purchase of $8,000 and that GM could be the he anticipated one patrol car ”
a Ford Interceptor Utility vehicle same. Luke noted that the cur- would reach the maximum We believe its best to stick with the dealer
from Gorno Ford during the Feb. rent patrol cars travel about 100 mileage during this fiscal year that actually has the direct connection
14 meeting. to 120 miles a day. and he did not want to wait until
Public Safety Director/Police “It is 24 miles to make one lap the summer of 2024 to begin the to the way Ford does their fleet vehicles.
Chief Eric Luke explained that around the township,” he said. ordering procedure for a new
the procedures for purchasing He said the township should be vehicle.
police vehicles had changed sig- able to transfer installation of the He explained that the state been the dealership recognizing direct connection to the way
nificantly during the past few specialty equipment in the cur- bids a number of vehicles and a state pricing. Ford does their fleet vehicles,”
years. rent patrol car to the new vehi- great deal of equipment and then “We ran into some hiccups he said.
“We can no longer just walk in cle, “unless they make adjust- sets a price. Certain dealers with a vehicle that just came in, The purchase was unani-
and order a vehicle,” he told the ment or redesign the interior of around the state specialize in so after a long discussion, we mously approved with Trustee
board members. He noted that the vehicle.” municipal orders. Luke said the believe its best to stick with the Peggy Morgan absent from the
Ford is forecasting an increase Luke explained that he was local Ford dealership has never dealer that actually has the meeting.
Waste

FROM PAGE 1

bagged. I don't know how you do
that without contacting local offi-
cials so that we can number one,
know how to respond to our com-
munities, and two, to give advice
about what routes to take and
those sort of things,” Evans said
during a press conference last
Friday.
He added that Whitmer's office
also received sketchy and last-
minute information about the dis-
posal and that her staff was also
attempting to get more informa-
tion.
Substances moved to Michigan
include cancer-causing vinyl chlo-
ride, said U.S. Rep. Debbie
Dingell, D-Ann Arbor, during the
press conference.
“They told us there were five
trucks that came today from Ohio
that they have 99 percent water
and 1 percent vinyl chloride. And
that going forward all of it is on
pause and another site is likely to
be found,” she said. “Our job from
the governor on down, is to
ensure that everyone is safe and
that no one ever again blindsides
everybody the way they did on the
delivery of this material,” Dingell
added.
Evans said he believed the
quick reaction from local elected
officials played a part in the stop-
page of the hazardous transport.
“What I do know is that some
of this material is already at the
landfill. I'm understanding from
the EPA that some of that trans-
port will be shut down immedi-
ately and they are going to make
arrangements for some of that
material to go other places,”
Evans said.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine's
office released a statement Friday
noting that 4,832 cubic yards of
soil had already been excavated
from the ground and moved by
dump trucks to Michigan disposal
sites.
Federal EPA officials assumed
management of the site and dis-
posal Friday, and immediately
halted the shipments into
Michigan. Norfolk Southern has
been ordered by the federal
agency to fund the entire cleanup
and chemical release.