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June 18, 2020 ASSOCIATED NEWSPAPERS OF MICHIGAN PAGE 3

SUMPTER
SUMPTER

Big deal

New fire truck is delivered to Sumpter Township

Sometimes, you just get lucky.
That was the reaction of Sumpter
Township Fire Chief Joseph Januszyk
when he received a phone call this spring,
just before business closures due to the
coronavirus pandemic.
Januszyk was shopping for a new fire
truck for the township, which had budget-
ed for the expense, but when the pandem-
ic closed down manufacturing plants,
including those building fire engines
across the country, he expected the town-
ship might continue to wait for the pur-
chase.
“I got a phone call from the manufac-
turer's representative who told me that he
had the last chassis to roll off the line
available,” Januszyk said. “I said yes and I
ran down there real quick.”
The purchase had already been
approved and budgeted by members of
the township board of trustees, who were
well aware that the current 20-year-old
fire truck needed retrofitting and updat-
ing if it could be re-certified. That,
Januszyk said, can be an expensive propo-
sition. Sumpter Township Fire Chief Joseph Januszyk welcomed the delivery of the new 1,000 gallon, Class A engine fire truck last week.
Januszyk has been a firefighter for 43 Photo by Doug Willett
years and became chief in Sumpter and was then sent out for lettering and The pandemic has not slowed the calls equipment, vehicles and gear used when
Township in September of 2012. He said graphics. It is now operational and can be the township department has been receiv- they complete a call.
he has seen a great deal in those four used by the 21 paid on-call fire fighters, ing, another factor in his desire to ensure “We have a lot of precautions in place,”
decades, including a few new and not-so- Januszyk said. The new truck will also the new truck was purchased. Januszyk Januszyk, said of emergency medical runs.
new fire trucks. have an impact on local property insur- said that the department is still respond- “We are still responding to a lot of calls,
The 1,000-gallon pumper truck, a Class ance rates, he noted, more up to date fire ing to 60 to 80 calls a month and COVID-19 but right now, we have two guys in the
A engine, which cost the township an esti- equipment in a community usually results has made the firefighters even more cau- truck responding until the situation can be
mated $297,000 was delivered last week in lower rates for property owners. tious about sanitizing and cleaning all the evaluated.”

Lawsuit tributes them to the appropriate town- processing of the payments by the trea- added that the lawsuit would go forward.
ship offices. The deputy treasurer has
surer's office if he had not done so by
Bednark then responded that the
been returning the unopened envelopes Friday, June 12. deputy treasurer and the clerk in the
FROM PAGE 1 to the clerk's office, where they are date According to township officials, treasurer's office were instructed to begin
stamped again, she said. Hurst said there Bednark responded to Young by email processing water billing payments start-
cedure was a marked deficiency in con- was now a “huge stack” of envelopes that last Friday stating, “Present open ing Monday.
trol and could allow for the “ability to have not been opened or processed and envelopes to the treasurer's office and the “While there is a disagreement about
manipulate” records. that the clerk's office had received payments will be processed. Young coun- who is legally required to open the water
“Nobody is authorized but the treasur- numerous inquiries from residents about tered that the board instruction is clear department mail, I think it is in the best
er or someone directly supervised by the why their checks had not been cashed. and that opening the envelopes is part of interest of the township to comply,”
treasurer to process these payments. It is The envelopes, trustees agreed, could the treasurer's statutory duties. Young Bednark responded.
the statutory duty, by law, of the treasurer contain “a substantial amount of money.”
to process and deposit these payments,” Board members unanimously agreed
Young emphatically stated to the board to two motions, the first instructing MINUTES OF THE REGULAR ROMULUS CITY COUNCIL MEETING
May 26, 2020
members. Bednark, his deputy clerk or treasurer's MEETING HELD ELECTRONICALLY – VIA ZOOM TELECONFERENCING
Bednark and his deputy have refused office personnel to, within 24 hours, begin Meeting called to order at 7:30 p.m. by Mayor Pro Tem, John Barden.
to open or process any envelopes performing the statutory duty of opening Pledge of Allegiance – Led by Councilman William Wadsworth
addressed to the township, instead send- the envelopes and processing the pay- The council meeting was held in accordance to Governor Whitmer’s Executive Order 2020-48, (1) (a),
ing them to the clerk's office or to the ments for deposit. that a meeting of a public body may be held electronically, by telephone or video conferencing, in a man-
ner in which both the general public and the members of the public body may participate by electronic
clerk in the water and sewer department. The board members also unanimously means.
The deputy treasurer has refused to open approved a second motion authorizing Roll Call
the payment envelopes both verbally and Young to immediately begin to prepare Present: Kathy Abdo, John Barden, Celeste Roscoe, Tina Talley, William Wadsworth, Eva Webb, Virginia
Williams
in email, Young said. legal documents, affidavits and other evi- Absent / Excused: None
Township Clerk Esther Hurst dence and to employ an outside law firm Administrative Officials in Attendance:
explained that mail addressed to the to handle litigation seeking a writ of man- Leroy Burcroff, Mayor
Ellen L. Craig-Bragg, Clerk
township is received and sorted by her damus from the Third Circuit Court Stacy Paige, Treasurer
deputy clerk who then date stamps the requiring Bednark to comply with the 1. Agenda
envelopes as they are received and dis- state statutes requiring the opening and A. Moved by Kathy Abdo, seconded by Virginia Williams for the Approval of Agenda.
Roll Call Vote: Ayes - Abdo, Barden, Roscoe, Talley, Wadsworth, Webb, Williams
Nays - None
Motion Carried Unanimously
2. Minutes
A. Res. # 20-123 Moved by William Wadsworth, seconded by Kathy Abdo for Approval of the
Minutes from the Regular Council Meeting held on 5/11/2020.
Roll Call Vote: Ayes - Abdo, Barden, Roscoe, Talley, Wadsworth, Webb, Williams
Nays - None
Motion Carried Unanimously
3. Petitioner - None
4. Chairperson’s Report, John Barden, Mayor Pro-Tem
A. Moved by Eva Webb, seconded by Tina Talley to Accept the Chairperson’s Report
Roll Call Vote: Ayes - Abdo, Barden, Roscoe, Talley, Wadsworth, Webb, Williams
Nays - None
Motion Carried Unanimously
5. Mayor’s Report – LeRoy D. Burcroff, Mayor
A. Res. # 20-124 Moved by Celeste Roscoe, seconded by William Wadsworth to approve the
Renewal of the Cell Tower Lease Agreement located, 6900 Wayne Road.
Roll Call Vote: Ayes - Abdo, Barden, Roscoe, Talley, Wadsworth, Webb
Nays - Williams
Motion Carried.
B. Res. # 20-125 Moved by William Wadsworth, seconded by Eva Webb to approve the Bureau of Justice
Assistance (BJA) Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding Program Grant Award to the City of
Romulus in the amount of $47,550.00.
Roll Call Vote: Ayes - Abdo, Barden, Roscoe, Talley, Wadsworth, Webb, Williams
Nays - None
Motion Carried Unanimously
C. Res. # 20-126 Moved by Eva Webb, seconded by Celeste Roscoe to approve Introduction of Budget
Amendment 19/20-18 Public Safety Fund to recognize anticipated revenues to be received from the Bureau
of Justice Assistance (BJA) Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding Program to the City of
Romulus, for the “Romulus Police Department COVID Response Plan” combating the spread of COVID-
19.
Roll Call Vote: Ayes - Abdo, Barden, Roscoe, Talley, Wadsworth, Webb, Williams
Nays - None
Motion Carried Unanimously
6. Clerk’s Report – Ellen L. Craig-Bragg, Clerk
7. Treasurer’s Report – Stacy Paige, Treasurer
8. Public Comment - None
9. Unfinished Business
10. New Business
11. Warrant
A. Res. # 20-127 Moved by Kathy Abdo, seconded by Virginia Williams for Approval of Warrant
#:20-10 for checks presented in the amount of $ 1,086,668.38
Roll Call Vote: Ayes - Abdo, Barden, Roscoe, Talley, Wadsworth, Webb, Williams
Nays - None
Motion Carried Unanimously
12. Communication
Councilwoman Talley reminded everyone of the 2020 Census.
Councilwoman Williams reminded everyone that the Forgotten Harvest food distribution will be on June
2nd at RHS starting at 12noon and on June 3rd at Cory Elementary School starting at 10am. In addition,
any Romulus resident in need of masks and/or gloves can call 734-673-8396.
Councilwoman Webb reminded the community to stay safe, wear their mask, pray, and remember the first
responders.
Councilman Barden reiterated the importance of completing the 2020 Census survey.
13. Adjournment
Moved by William Wadsworth, seconded by Eva Webb for Adjournment.
Roll Call Vote: Ayes - Abdo, Barden, Roscoe, Talley, Wadsworth, Webb, Williams
Nays - None
Motion Carried Unanimously
Meeting adjourned at 8:08 pm.
I, Ellen L. Craig-Bragg, Clerk for the City of Romulus, Michigan do hereby certify the foregoing to be a true
copy of the minutes of the regular meeting of the Romulus City Council held on May 26, 2020.
Ellen L. Craig-Bragg,
City Clerk City of Romulus, Michigan RM0502 - 061820 2.5 x 10.617