Van Buren Township will spend $270,000 in hazard pay to reward the essential employees who worked the front-lines during the Corona virus pandemic.
In addition, the township will send protective face masks to every township resident in an effort to help curtail the spread of the virus which is at an all-time high across the country.
The decisions were made at the Dec. 15 meeting of the township board of trustees.
The hazard pay proposal was made by Township Supervisor Kevin McNamara who suggested a one-time payment of $500 for all township employees and a $1,500 payment for each member of the public safety department. He said the proposal was at the behest of himself, Treasurer Sharry Budd and Clerk Leon Wright. He suggested that with the current grants awarded for reimbursement of COVID expenses, the township could fund the expense.
The township will spend an additional $10,000 to mail medical face masks to township residents, adding that employees had obtained 45,000 masks at no cost from Wayne County. The $10,000 expense will cover postage, envelopes, and labels to deliver three masks to every residence in the township, including apartments and mobile home parks. The township will spend another $7,000 to have the Van Buren Township logo printed on the masks, McNamara told members of the board of trustees during the Zoom meeting. He said these were high-quality, double-woven masks.
Township tax records will be used to address the mailings.
