Proposed deputy supervisor choice splits Sumpter Township trustees
Sumpter Township trustees were expected to vote again Tuesday on the proposed appointment of Supervisor Tim Bowman’s son as deputy township supervisor.
The proposal by Bowman to name his son for the annual $8,200 part time job was rejected by members of the board by a 3-3 vote during the July 14 meeting. Following the failure of his motion appointing his son to the position, Bowman abruptly left the meeting throwing his meeting paperwork to the floor and expressing his displeasure with the vote.
Trustee Tim Rush, a long-time member of the board, chaired the remainder of the meeting. Rush formerly served as deputy supervisor but resigned from the position. While Rush did vote in favor of the motion, he said in a later interview he realized the appointment of Bowman’s son was controversial in the township.
Trustee Matthew Oddy was opposed to the appointment and the practice of officials’ naming family members to township jobs noting during the meeting that the optics of such appointments were not favorable. He said past appointments of spouses, children or family members were not a good image for the township.
“I’m not a proponent of nepotism,” he said
This was the second effort by Bowman to secure a township position for his son, T.J. Bowman. In May, T.J. Bowman applied for a job as a part-time township ordinance inspector. Members of the township hiring committee noted that in that capacity, Bowman, operator of West Branch Building, would be in a position of authority over contractors working in the township, including work by some of his business competitors and possibly his own company. A hiring committee member cautioned the board members at the time that the appointment would be a conflict of interest.
Subsequently, trustees approved hiring another candidate during the May 26 meeting. Bowman criticized that vote and publicly stated at the meeting that the board had “discriminated” against his son, officials said.
The duties of the deputy supervisor are described as “statutory” with a limited scope of duties and authority. During extended discussion of the proposed appointment during the meeting this month, Bowman said he wanted his son to “do more” and suggested the job be retitled as “Deputy Supervisor Plus.” Oddy said his concern was that designation and assignment of additional municipal duties could result in the younger Bowman becoming an employee of the township. In that capacity, Oddy said, the position would not be answerable to the supervisor but would be directed by the board of trustees.
Bowman’s motion failed on a 3-3 vote, and in response Bowman loudly announced he was through with the meeting, threw his pen and paperwork to the floor and angrily left the meeting room. Rush chaired the remainder of the meeting during which several agenda items were approved and discussed. Bowman reportedly later returned to the meeting room as the board went into closed session to discuss legal matters with the township attorney.
Oddy said that his objections were based on the lack of a detailed job description of the expected hours and scope of duties of the deputy supervisor, along with a discussion of benefits and pay “before the board approved paying someone $8,200 per year for a position that isn’t full-time.”
Trustee James Frazier voted in favor of the proposed hiring along with Bowman and Rush. In the excused absence of Treasurer Bart Patterson, the motion failed on a tie vote with Oddy, Clerk Don LaPorte and Trustee John Henry casting no votes.
The item was on the agenda for the meeting Tuesday.
