Raisin board spars, makes agenda items a contentious issue

The Monday Raisin Township Board of Trustees meeting was one of contention and heated discussions as board members worked through the, originally, 15-item agenda, with approval of the agenda being one of several points of debate throughout the meeting.Public comment opened with township resident Jimmy Colburn speaking on an email he received from Township Supervisor Jay Cavanaugh.“I have received an email from the township supervisor that my work with the RPC [Raisin’s Planning Commission] is completed,” Colburn said, adding that he would like to continue serving for the township and “I do not know why the township supervisor had not ever talked to me or communicated his displeasure with the job I’ve done so far.”Colburn said he has served on the planning commission for over 15 years.When the board got to the planning commission report presented by trustee Larry Crittenden, the trustee called the board’s attention to planning commission policy that stated members can be removed by the supervisor after a hearing and approval by the township board. “Mr. Crittenden, if I can interrupt you for just a moment,” Cavanaugh said. “We have policy that any information that is brought to us, has to be brought to us within the packet and this information was just dropped here on us. So it’s not appropriate to bring this information —”“I am bringing this information as a planning commission report and I have that right,” Crittenden interrupted. Cavanaugh reiterated that board policy was designed to give everybody a chance to look over material before a meeting. “This isn’t your right to bring this up right now,” the supervisor added. “I would have read it if you’d sent it three days ago. If you’d sent it by Friday I would have read it, but I just got it tonight.” Crittenden countered saying some items placed on the agenda by Cavanaugh for discussion had no supporting information provided, suggesting they should be stricken from the meeting. For clarification, trustee Debra Brousseau asked if those who received the email saying their services were no longer needed should attend the Tuesday planning commission meeting. Cavanaugh said yes, saying terms expire at the end of December. When the board got to the approval of the agenda, Crittenden asked if item 10.4, Response To Local Newspaper By Board Concerning Recall Petition, could be removed from the night’s agenda. Cavanaugh explained he had put the item on the agenda because communication with the board and the supervisor has been “impossible.”“This is an item that the board produced to the newspapers as the board and I felt it needed to be discussed why the board was somehow discussing these items,” Cavanaugh said. “I suggest that you read the definition of a public meeting in the Open Meetings Act,” Crittenden said. “We did not meet as a board. We gathered as six individuals named in a recall petition with similar wording. We did not discuss any township affairs. We simply wrote a press release and released it to the papers.” The trustee added that a tape recording was made as evidence to what transpired when the members met. Trustee Tom Hawkins then made a point of order.“We have a motion on the floor to remove this as an agenda item, with a second and now we’re actually using and debating this as if we’re at that point in the agenda,” Hawkins said. “I think that’s out of order. We should be discussing this as an agenda item seeing it’s being moved to have it removed.”“Well, actually, every motion has a discussion,” Cavanaugh said. “If it doesn’t meet your purpose, okay, I understand that, but there must always be a discussion when there’s a motion.”Brousseau then asked why the item was on the agenda. “The discussion is on whether or not it should remain an agenda item,” township attorney David Lacasse said. “The discussion should not be the substance of the agenda item.”Jay was the only board member to vote no for the removal of the agenda item. Crittenden then moved to remove 10.8 Harassment Allegation from the agenda as well, asking if there was a written allegation. Cavanaugh deferred to the attorney, but Crittenden spoke instead.“If it’s written, send it to the attorney,” Crittenden said. “If it’s not written, the person who feels they have been harassed has the right to request a special meeting — let me finish please…”“Mr. Crit-. Mr. Crittenden. Mr. Crittenden, I’m going to interrupt you again because just as Mr. [Tom] Hawkins has the right to call point of order, I have the ability to call order and you’re again discussing something that would be discussed when we reach that.” Lacasse cautioned discussing the substance of the allegation in an open meeting. “We apparently don’t know anything about this again,” said Brousseau. “So it’s kind of hard to have it on here to discuss when we don’t have a predisposition as what this is even about or in regards to. This is not a place to throw up harassment allegations when we the board, like you [Cavanaugh] said, should have things in advance. I have not heard about this ‘til this moment.”Crittenden moved to table the item. Cavanaugh said that in the past instances when harassment allegations were made, which he noted have been three so far this year, the board has been asked to investigate it. Township Clerk and trustee Betty Holdridge said that prior to the last investigation an email was sent to the board about the allegations. “How about we just leave it on there and let this person have their day in court,” Cavanaugh said. Hawkins asked if the allegation had gone through the grievance procedure, which Township Supt. replied that it has gone through two of three steps so far. After the board voted to remove the item from the agenda, with Cavanaugh the only dissenting vote, Crittenden moved to remove agenda item 10.10 Board Of Trustees Meeting Prayer Assignment asking if the board had any information on the item. “I have nothing in writing and didn’t receive anything in the last two days,” Crittenden added.“You don’t need anything in writing,” Cavanaugh countered. “You’re only going to get something in writing when you need something in writing.”“Don’t play games.”“What game? What game am I playing? You don’t need anything in writing. I think the game that’s being played perhaps is that everything that I put on the agenda, you’re trying to have the board remove.”“Put something on that’s township business and we’ll act on it—”“It is township business.”“10.4 was not township business.”“I disagree.”“10.8 —”“Most certainly is.” Crittenden then readdressed the harassment allegation, saying if the party wants a hearing the board should have a special meeting.“Mr. Crittenden, again, you’re talking about something that has already been removed,” Cavanaugh said. “Don’t pick on me.”“I’m not picking on you. I’m pointing out policies. There are procedures that we are supposed to be following here, which you’re not following, sir.”Crittenden asked why there was no information on it and Cavanaugh said no information was available to be provided. “Then I vote that we remove it,” Crittenden said.“Of course you do,” Cavanaugh said with a chuckle. Brousseau then asked if Cavanaugh could elaborate on what the item was about.“No,” the supervisor responded. “Why don’t we see if we have a second, okay? Then we will discuss it and then we will discuss whether it should be removed or not.”Trustee and Township Treasurer Kami Johnson said that on June 9 the board adopted a policy requiring information be provided in the agenda packet two days prior to the meeting and that if information was not included, the item could be tabled at the request of one board member. “That’s if there’s documents. There’s no documents. There’s no documents, okay. Look, there’s no documents,” Cavanaugh said, adding that the policy was adopted so board members could have time to be properly informed on agenda items. “There are no documents. There’s no documents. If we can get to this you will find out there’s really no documents.” The motion did not receive a second, with the board approving the agenda 6-1 with Cavanaugh voting no. Board appointments were moved to a special meeting to be held on Monday, Dec. 15, at 10 a.m.