Township Violated Open Meetings Act When it Bought Fire Truck Prior to Board Meeting
Breaking the Open Meetings Act and the Uniform Budgeting and Accounting Act
The Township Board approved buying a 34-year old fire truck from “Auction services” for $8,010 at its Nov 13, 2023 meeting. The truck, Supervisor Van Zee said, was already in the Township’s fire barn next to Township Hall. It all seemed pre-decided prior to the meeting. In a rambling narrative VanZee stated he began bidding on it online for personal use on his farm, and won the highest bid. The invoice is in his name, he said. Later Van Zee told two residents he was reimbursed personally for the truck. However, the Board did not authorize a payment to Van Zee. The public had no opportunity to review the purchase. And the Board asked no questions.
It turns out the Board didn’t have to, because they had already paid for it twelve days prior. The Township had already cut a check to Sheridan Realty and Auction Services on November 1 without a Board vote for its purchase. We’ve now seen the invoice and check stub. The invoice was indeed made out to Van Zee, at his home address, but “tax exempt.” This City of Mason fire truck was sold according to the Sheridan auction website on Oct 31 and had to be picked up on Nov 2. Apparently Van Zee went down there with the Township check illegally authorized by Julie Collard and Kristin Baranski, (whose initials appear on the stub) and paid with Township funds prior to any vote. Breaking the Open Meetings Act and other state laws. The truck is not equipped to fight fires. It lacks hoses, tools, and air packs, costly items estimated at $80,000. Why, then, was it purchased? The Township has no fire department; it purchases fire services from Charlevoix Township. Van Zee stated at the November meeting: “It’s not going to hurt anything, being over in our fire barn” and “We have no idea what we’re going to do with this. We know that we have it here in reserve. We have no intentions of starting our own fire department.” And it would help heat the fire barn, he said. What was the real reason? Van Zee divulged later he wants to use it as a “negotiating tool.” Unfortunately this is a boondoggle —and an illegal one—by a Board that is not knowledgeable about professional requirements. Fire vehicles should be selected by fire departments. The Township must sell this old vehicle. Let the pros handle our fire service.
