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Ethics Policy and Purchasing Policy Violations Complaints Filed Against Supervisor Bill Sutherland and Clerk Jeff Oswalt
When the Norvell Township Board passes ordinances and resolutions, it's expected that Norvell Residents adhere to them. If residents don’t, there are consequences. Shouldn’t the policies that the Board passes be adhered to by the Board as well? And if the Board does not follow their own policies, shouldn’t there be consequences?
Ethics Policy Violation Complaints and Purchasing Policy Complaints were filed against Supervisor Bill Sutherland and Clerk Jeff Oswalt on February 14, 2024 at the Norvell Township Board Meeting by former Trustee Matt Dame.
| Norvell Township Ethics Policy | Norvell Township Purchasing Policy and Procedures |
Complaint Background
Supervisor Sutherland authorized the spending of $1,472 in legal fees without Board approval. The Norvell Township Purchasing Policy and Procedures states that any purchases of $501-$5,000 must be approved by the Board.
Clerk Oswalt’s handwritten note on the copy of Norvell's legal counsel invoice states, “Planning Comm Matt Dame”. It’s clear that Clerk Oswalt is complicit in this unauthorized inquiry. Clerk Oswalt stated at a Board meeting that Matt Dame was the reason for the legal inquiry.
The Description of Services in the invoice state:
-
- REMOVAL FROM OFFICE
- REVISE MEMORANDUM RE: REMOVAL FROM OFFICE
- REMOVAL OF PC MEMBR FROM OFFICE
- REVISIONS TO MEM ON REMOVAL OF PC MEMBER
Dame was completely unaware of this deliberate attempt by the Supervisor and Clerk to remove him as Board Rep. to the Planning Commission (PC), not to mention elected office. Neither Sutherland nor Oswalt brought a need to have a legal inquiry into these matters to any Board meeting. Were other Board members aware of this covert operation?
What were other options the Supervisor could have pursued?
- Call Trustee Dame and alert him to any issue regarding the Planning Commission. This may have been the most prudent course of action, especially in light of Dame’s resignation as Board Rep. to the planning commission in March, 2023.
- Readily available information regarding the legal topics mentioned in the invoice can be found through a simple Google search at no cost to the township. Michigan Compiled Law (MCL) and Michigan Planning and Enabling Act provides answers to these questions.
- Bring the issue to the Board and follow the Purchasing Policy to get Board approval before incurring legal expenses over $500.
- Contact the Michigan Townships Association (MTA) to see what they know about the issues. The MTA is a widely used resource for townships across Michigan. Township personnel and elected officials have unlimited access to ask questions included with the annual fee. The MTA has former attorneys on staff to assist with simple legal questions such as these.
- Sutherland and Oswalt could have hired an attorney out of their own pockets to get these questions answered.
But instead, the Supervisor and Clerk chose to violate township policy, operate in the shadows, and spend taxpayer’s resources without consent of the Board. By most anyone's standards, that’s unethical.
After Dame resigned as Board Rep. to the PC in March, Trustee Drew Haystead was appointed by the Board to replace Dame as Board Rep. to the Planning Commission. Shortly after Haystead’s appointment, the PC Chair, Katrina Reamer resigned from the Planning Commission. Her replacement as Chair, Jamie Stevens resigned from the PC shortly after Ms. Reamer. Apparently, Clerk Oswalt’s assertion that PC Members had an issue with Dame, was unfounded. At a Board meeting, Dame asked who the disgruntled PC members where, Sutherland and Oswalt wouldn’t disclose any names.
Excerpt from the Norvell Township Purchasing Policy and Procedures
Supervisor Sutherland Deceives the People of Norvell about Primary Road Repair Costs
Supervisor Sutherland stated in his “From the supervisor’s desk” article that appeared in the Brooklyn Exponent, that the cost of primary road repair was split with the Jackson County Department of Transportation 70/30. That’s 70% paid by the township and 30% paid by JCDOT. That simply isn’t true. Maintenance of primary roads are 100% the responsibility of JCDDOT. When Supervisor Sutherland was informed of his public error, he refused to correct the public record. Supervisor Sutherland was more content in lying to the public than admitting he was wrong. That is not the leadership the people of Norvell Township deserve.
Article posted with permission of the Brooklyn Exponent
The Supervisor was incorrect as Angela N. Kline, Managing Director / Director of Engineering of the Jackson County Department of Transportation points out in an email to Dame.
Read both complaints in their entirety here:
| Complaints Against Supervisor Sutherland | Complaints Against Clerk Oswalt |
NorvellTimes.com will update this article as new information becomes available.
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