Sumpter Township Supervisor John Morgan was thanked and lauded by several members of the board of trustees at one his final meeting earlier this month.
Morgan was defeated in his bid for reelection to the post by Tim Bowman, who was sworn into office Nov. 22, along with the other elected board members.
Township Clerk Esther Hurst told the crowded board chambers that she wanted to thank Morgan for his years of service. She noted that Morgan has spent 42 years in public service in the township and was first appointed to serve as a trustee in 1978 before being appointed and then elected as supervisor.
Hurst listed the many accomplishments in the township under Morgan's leadership including bringing drinking water to all residents, the expansion of the sewer system in the township and the billings in the water department.
While these were only a few of the accomplishments during Morgan's tenure, she said the main accomplishment was his “honesty and integrity.”
“Sumpter is better for having you here,” she said.” I wish you a happy retirement. You are going to be missed.”
Her sentiments were seconded by township attorney Rob Young who took the opportunity to thank Morgan publicly for his years of service to the township. “I know there is a sense of accomplishment,” Young said. “I knew that in all our dealings whatever decisions John made, in his heart and soul, he knew them to be true.”
Morgan is retired from the Romulus Community Schools where he worked until 1997. He earned his bachelor of science in education degree from Eastern Michigan University and his master's degree in educational leadership from the same college. A veteran of the U.S. Army, he was first elected as a township trustee in 1978 and served in that office until he was appointed as township treasurer in 1982. He was elected to that office where he served from 1984 until 2012. When former Supervisor Johnny Vawters resigned in 2014, Morgan was appointed to fill the supervisor's position and he was elected to the top township job in 2016.
Praise and thanks for Morgan's service came from other members of the board who thanked him for his dedication and service.
“I want to thank all the people in Sumpter for allowing me to serve for 42 years,” he said. “This township is good country living, something we have preserved. I just want to thank you all again.”
