Raisin Twp. seeks full-time superintendent

At the Raisin Township Board of Trustees meeting Monday, April 13, the board voted 6-0 for the creation of a five-person committee to not only create a job description for the superintendent position currently filled by Supt. Jim Palmer, but also begin the search for a possible replacement for 2016. Trustee Dale Mitchell and Palmer were both absent from the meeting. On May 12, 2014, the board voted to appoint Palmer as superintendent for six months. His term was extended through 2015 on October 13 on a 6-1 vote. “My whole point of this is it takes time,” said trustee Tom Hawkins who made the motion. “We’ve seen this in the past and here we are in April and it will take probably two, three, four weeks to establish a committee. It’s probably going to take two months or so to come up with a job description. We’re looking at implications for the 2016 budget not 2015; but to get the process going and not wait until the last minute.”“So Mr. Palmer is still seen as an interim and not as a permanent [appointment],” said Raisin Township Supervisor Jay Cavanaugh. “That was my understanding in 2014 when we voted it [Palmer] through 2015,” responded Hawkins.“I think it’s a good idea,” said trustee Debra Brousseau. “I mean, we have to do something and our time is kind of up. It is a long process.”The board also unanimously voted on the preliminary approval of Sutton Place West, a subdivision located at the corner of Sutton Road and Green Highway. The subdivision was originally approved in 2005, but went into foreclosure. It is now owned by MacKenzie Company based in Grand Ledge. The approval will allow the new owner to begin the platting process, of which there will be 110 plats, down from the original 113 due to the necessary increase in size of the detention basins in the subdivision as ordered by the Lenawee County Drain Commission. Ron Clark, a representative of MacKenzie Company, said that currently there is no builder contracted yet, but the preliminary approval would begin that process. Budget committee member Russ Mead gave the board of trustees an overview of the financial quarterly report ending March 31. Mead said there are four budgets the committee is watching closely. One such budget is the revenue generated from the special assessment district for dedicated road repairs. It was estimated that approximately $330,000 would be generated, but so far, the township has only earned $294,000 — a $36,000 difference. It was suggested some of the lost revenue could have gone to the county as delinquent tax payments. The three other budgets need further investigation, according to Mead. They include assessor costs, the police department and attorney fees, though Raisin Township Attorney David Lacasse said the discrepancy in the attorney budget was likely due to the $3,000 retaining fee paid to his firm at the beginning of the year and that it would likely level out as the year goes on.In other business, the board: • Approved the hiring of an additional firefighter, former Adrian Township Fire Capt. Bob Ryan• Scheduled a meeting for Tuesday, April 21, at 6:30 p.m. at the Raisin Community Center between the board and the township’s road committee to discuss future road projects • Appointed Kenneth Kendall and James Dailey to the township’s grievance committee on a 5-1 vote with Cavanaugh dissenting• Approved an ordinance amendment for agricultural tourism• Heard an update on sexual harassment training from Brousseau that only four park committee members have to complete the training • Approved a charitable gaming license for Tecumseh Area Little League • Approved an amendment for the township’s no insurance ordinance so it now complies with state statute • Referred increasing the park budget and the consideration of wage increases for two employees to the budget committee for evaluation• Tabled a policies agenda item until the next regular board meeting

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