It’s usually a routin
e matter to appoint alternates to a Board of Review, but Dorr Township seems to specialize in the unusual.
Former Township Clerk Brian Boot was approved in a politically charged 4-3 vote of the board to one of the two alternates’ seats and Joshua Harrison was appointed by a 7-0 vote. Serving as regular Board of Review members are Eugene VanPutten, Connie Holbrook and Carolyn Sandel.
Four citizens applied for the alternates’ seats, including former Township Board member Patty Senneker and Denice Lawrence, a member of the Parks Commission.
Boot apparently was a controversial figure because he was unseated as clerk last August by Debbie Sewers. Sewers joined Trustees Terri Rios and John Tuinstra in opposing Boot’s appointment. The affirmative majority included Supervisor Jeff Miling, Treasurer Jim Martin and Trustees Dan Weber and Josh Otto.
Tuinstra said he preferred Senneker for the post because of her experience in real estate.
Miling insisted that Boot is a man of integrity who already has served the township well for four years.
The split in voting on the board also showed up later in Thursday’s meeting in a 5-2 vote to make maintenance worker Jared Simon’s pay more time over holiday situations. Martin said Simon works on Independence Day and was blowing snow on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Rios and Sewers indicated he should be paid in the same manner as anyone else as explanations for their “no” votes.
In other business at T
hursday evening’s meeting, the Dorr Township Board:
• Learned from Allegan County Resource and Recovery Director Ben Williams that the township’s surplus in the curbside recycling program is certain to be severely reduced by the end of this year and perhaps reflect a negative balance by the end of 2018.
Williams reported that the annual computer and electronics recycling event at the Harding’s Market parking lot in Wayland should once again be on the first Saturday in May, from 9 a.m. to noon.
• Was told by Fire Chief Gary Fordham that the fire department handled 166 calls in 2016, the largest number he can recall in one year since he’s been here. He said the number showed a 20% increase over 2015.
• Approved a request from Sewers to have the auditor from Siegfried & Crandall help with cash reconciliation.
“This should be done,” said Miling, “but this is not required, it’s recommended.
Martin echoed the sentiments, saying, “This is internal office stuff that has to be done.”
There was concern raised that the auditor’s visit would be expensive, but Sewers promised to keep the hours to a minimum.
