Sumpter Township Supervisor Tim Bowman addressed his outrage at allegations of racism and misconduct leveled at him by a trustee following a meeting June 23.
At the June 28 meeting, Bowman stated that he felt he was verbally attacked by Trustee Peggy Morgan immediately after a meeting the previous week. He said she shouted and was “yelling at the top of her voice” at him following that earlier meeting and had, in fact, accused him of racist conduct.
According to several witness accounts, the confrontation took place immediately following the special meeting June 23 when Morgan accused Bowman, Deputy Supervisor/Trustee Tim Rush and township attorney Rob Young of actions unfair to Nelson Po, one of her campaign and political supporters.
Her comments were apparently prompted by discussion during the meeting of an effort by a developer to circumvent full-board consideration of a proposed industrial complex on property owned by Po.The attempt by the developer to offer blandishments for support of the project was disclosed by Trustee Matt Oddy during the special meeting June 23.
Immediately following adjournment of that meeting, witnesses said Morgan angrily confronted her fellow board members and the township attorney claiming they were critical of the development because the owner of the land on which the project is proposed is Po who grew up in the Philippines. She accused the officials of bias due to Po's Filipino history and said criticism of the developers during the meeting was racially motivated. She was reportedly under the erroneous impression that Po was present at the meeting with the developers.
At the June 28 meeting, Bowman demanded that Morgan explain just what she was accusing him of doing. “Is this a payback to Mr. Po, is that what this is all about?” He said he was “very disappointed” in Morgan's comments and false claims of racism. He said her allegations were “insulting” and completely misplaced.
“That (Morgan's claim) is not true. It is just a crazy allegation,” he said in a later interview. “My son-in-law is Filipino, my granddaughter is half Filipino.” Bowman said a criticism of him based on racism could not be farther from accurate in light of his deep regard for his family. “I am not a racist and there is no basis whatsoever for her claims,” he said.
Rush, too, denied any claim of racism and was critical of the developer's attempt to circumvent correct procedure in presenting the project to the entire board.
“We cut it (the meeting) off and told them to appear before the whole board at the meeting of the 28th,” Rush said, “and they did not take advantage of that opportunity. I believe they were trying to hoodwink us and they were actually lying to us. But that they didn't take the opportunity on the 28th, well no more needs to be said."
Oddy explained that he was attempting to ensure that the entire board and the public were aware of the meeting with the developers and curtail any false information regarding the situation. Oddy asked to speak during the public comment section of the agenda during the June 23 meeting. He also asked that the 3-minute rule be suspended so that he might fully explain his concerns with the recent meeting with the unnamed developer.
He explained to the board members that he had been asked to attend a meeting at township hall with a developer planning a large industrial complex. Oddy said he recognized the project and knew from past discussions that the plan was not financially viable without the inclusion of a retail marijuana dispensary. He said he sent an email to the individuals proposing the meeting explaining that if the plans to be discussed included the marijuana facility, it was “a waste of time.”
Assurances led him, Young and Rush to attend the meeting at Sumpter Township Hall wherein it became very clear immediately, Oddy said, that the project was still financially contingent on the marijuana facility. He said he repeatedly told the developers that the township board had not opted into the Michigan Marijuana Facilities Licensing Act (MMFLA). Without the approval and application from the local governing unit, licenses to distribute marijuana from a dispensary or facility are denied by the state.
Oddy said the developers told him they were looking for support for the project and brought their attorney, a contractor, and a professional ordinance writer with them in attempts to secure favor for the project. The developers also indicated the township could receive $250,000 in tax revenue should the project be approved but admitted that it “does not work without the marijuana,” Oddy said.
Oddy, Rush and Young said the meeting was immediately ended and the developers informed that this was a decision of the full board. Oddy and Rush reiterated that they invited the developers to appear at the June 28 meeting to present the project plans.
Morgan, however, defended the developers and suggested that the board “reach out to them” in an effort to have the project presented to the board. She also suggested the board members reconsider their refusal to opt into the MMFLA and claimed that people in the township wanted local marijuana facilities and that development would go to nearby communities who allow the substance. She suggested the township fund a survey of residents on the question of marijuana sales and distribution in the township. She demanded the phone number of the developers saying she would make an effort to reach them.
“You believe we should opt in (to MMFLA) and the only way that happens if it's brought before the entire board and the entire board gets to hear the presentation,” Young told Morgan. “There is a right way to do this but what isn't the right way is to try to schedule a meeting with a few board members and try to present other carrots or inducements as to what would be good for the township,” Young said.
While the board members took no action on the information presented during the June 23 meeting, the issue was again the topic of contentious discussion at the June 28 meeting when Morgan insisted the board was acting with prejudice against Po, repeatedly claiming board members were only “doing it” because Po was involved. (See related story, page 1.)
Oddy said in a later interview, “Mr. Po was not at the meeting. We have been told numerous times by this developer that they are buying the property from him but that he is not involved in the development.”
