By Tom Gilchrist
For The Advertiser
DAYTON TWP. — Dayton Township Trustee James Satchel refused to apologize Monday night for seeking documents related to township Board of Trustees’ travel costs and other expenses, although fellow Trustee Robert Steele urged Satchel to say he’s sorry.
“I don’t know if I was the only one last month who sat here and listened to (Satchel) pick on the clerk and the secretary about the bills for about 10 minutes,” Steele told the audience at Monday’s board meeting.
“And I think they have an apology coming,” Steele said. “Maybe I’m the only one who thought that — I don’t know.”
In response, Satchel said “I have a responsibility to look at and ask questions when it comes to finance.”
Satchel noted that “I was concerned about the amount of money being paid out for travel, and for other things that my fellow board members bring up each month and we vote on and we get paid for, but I saw no documents to that.”
Satchel said, at his request, township Clerk Stacy Phillips sent him Phillips’ and Treasurer Eleanor Kilmer’s “vendors’ and expense vouchers for travel and for other expenses for the month of October.”
Satchel said he hasn’t received the same documents related to expenses incurred by Supervisor Robert Cook, who also works as the township’s zoning administrator, blight enforcment officer and helps oversee road work in the township.
“Did you travel in October?” Satchel asked Cook.
“I travel all the time — sure,” Cook replied.
“Did you get reimbursed in October for travel?” Satchel asked.
“In October, yes,” Cook said.
“Stacy sent Eleanor’s (vouchers) and hers, but I haven’t seen yours,” Satchel said.
Cook stressed that Phillips has the documents relating to his expense reimbursement.
“A voucher is what (Phillips and Kilmer) sent me, but I haven’t seen yours,” Satchel told Cook. “I rest my case. Mr. Steele, I appreciate your feelings but I can’t in good conscience apologize to anybody for asking someone to fulfill their duties.”
In other action, the board agreed to add to the minutes from the board’s November meeting so the minutes list the prices of bids from two waste-disposal businesses. The board in November voted to increase the garbage-collection fee by $20 per year for each of the 1,055 households in the township.
The board approved a five-year contract with Waste Management of Michigan Inc., although Waste Management’s bid was higher than a bid from Diva Disposal.
The board added the bid prices to the November meeting minutes at the request of township resident Richard Seidler, who attended Monday’s meeting to say the bid prices “should be in the minutes.”
Township resident James McMinn asked Seidler why he didn’t make such a request at the November board meeting.
“If you want to know, make an inquiry,” McMinn told Seidler. “Ask. Then. You’re just wasting time now.”
“I’m not wasting any time,” Seidler responded. “Geez, Jim, grow up.”
“Don’t give me that ‘Grow up’ stuff, fella,” McMinn replied.
In other action on Monday, the board voted 4 to 1 to approve a bid from Stan Kloc of Deford to mow along roads in the township next summer. Satchel was the lone opponent. Kloc proposes to do the work for $2,995 while Seidler Farms submitted a bid for $3,950.
Richard Seidler, representing Seidler Farms, wrote in his bid that the Dayton Township board “has always maintained a hire-local philosophy,” adding “I am a local, lifelong resident who cares about how the township looks.” Seidler wrote that “I guarantee a better job and safer.”
A motion to award the mowing contract to Seidler Farms failed by a vote of 3 to 2, with Cook, Steele and Phillips opposing it. Satchel and Kilmer voted in favor of hiring Seidler.
The board then voted to approve hiring Kloc for the job.
The board meets again Jan. 6 at 7:30 p.m.