Deputy supervisor budget issue prompts Dorr debate

Dorr Township Trustee Chandler Stanton took Supervisor Jeff Miling to task Thursday evening for overspending on the budget for deputy supervisor.

Stanton, during a budget review discussion, asked why the township is $7,774 over budget in paying Jim Martin, former township treasurer, for his duties in trying to reconcile budget issues.

Miling said Martin has been working extra time to try to fix longtime problems that have existed even before he came treasurer.

But then Stanton asked why the township is paying extra dollars to the same person who wasn’t able to reconcile the differences.

Miling said bringing in an outside auditor would cost a lot more money than handling the issue in house. Martin makes $20 an hour while the auditor is paid $150 an hour. He added that the township is not missing any money, it’s just that it has been put in the wrong place.

For example, Stanton suggested that Martin’s extra work hours should have been budgeted under the treasurer’s office instead of the supervisor’s.

But he commented, “He’s the deputy supervisor, not the treasurer.”

Trustee John Tuinstra asked, however, that if the problems have existed for 10 years, “Why didn’t the auditor find this years ago?”

Miling said the nature of the trouble is that it is small figures in large numbers.

The supervisor promised that as the 2023-24 budget looms at the end of March, it is marked by a “clean slate” and suggested Martin’s work is the reason.

Clerk Debbie Sewers suggested that Martin’s compensation will be significantly lower after the next budget is adopted.

Miling gave a couple of examples of budget issues that can’t be anticipated.

He noted the clerks’ office budget was overrun by increases in mail/stamps because of new rules for mail-in ballots and he said the fire department had cost overruns for diesel fuel, but still was within its overall budget.

At the end of the discussion, the board agreed to have a budget workshop at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, one week before the regular meeting next month.

In other business Thursday night, the board:

• Was told by Tuinstra that the local Ambulance Board plans to ask for an additional $9,000 for the next year. The township paid $27,400 in 2021-22. Ambulance officials said they want to raise some money ahead of time before buying ambulances.
• Agreed to pay the deputy clerk overtime on Election Day when she puts in more than 10 hours of work.
• Approved the hiring of Jacob Hansen as a new probationary firefighter after he was recommended by Chief Gary Fordham.
• Learned that next year’s gravel road program by the Allegan County Road Commission will take in 138th Avenue between 12th and 18th streets and 21st Street between 138th and 140th avenues.
• Was told by Fordham that the fire department handled 225 calls in 2022, nearly 40 fewer than the previous year, but he said, “The days of under 200 calls a year are gone… We continue to be busy.”
• Learned that the Planning Commission earlier this month was approached about allowing solar farms, but no action was taken.