Sumpter Township Trustees have not reconsidered their position on the appointment of T.J. Bowman as the assistant supervisor to his father, Supervisor Tim Bowman.
The controversial appointment has been an issue since July 14 when Bowman initially announced his intent to name his son as his assistant at a salary of $8,200 annually. His motion failed by a 3-3 tie vote in the absence of Treasurer Bart Patterson prompting Bowman to abruptly leave the ongoing meeting. The item was again considered at the July 28 meeting when Trustees Matt Oddy and Tim Rush along with Patterson questioned the propriety of the appointment.
During discussion of the proposed hiring during the July 28 meeting several residents, along with Oddy and Patterson questioned the appearance of “nepotism” and stated their opposition to the hiring. Patterson told Bowman and the other board members the hiring was misguided considering the current issues facing the township and that it was in direct conflict with Bowman’s stated promises as he campaigned for election.
In response, Bowman removed the item from the agenda and announced he would arbitrarily appoint his son and have him sworn in without board approval. While Bowman is allowed by the township charter to appoint an assistant supervisor, board members control approval of any payment for the position. Bowman made the appointment and T. J. Bowman was sworn in as assistant supervisor on July 30. In that capacity, the younger Bowman has access to personnel records, legal briefings and closed session meetings of the trustees.
At the Aug. 11 meeting, Patterson said his position on the issue had not changed and a local resident questioned the younger Bowman’s qualifications during the public comment segment of the meeting. Patterson said he did not understand why the issue was back before the board as an agenda item for the third time. Bowman subsequently removed the item from the meeting agenda, avoiding another vote on the question.
This was the third attempt by Bowman to secure township employment for his son. The township did not hire the younger Bowman for a previous part-time position in the township DPW, and he was disqualified as a candidate for the township ordinance officer position following a determination by the township hiring committee that his hiring would be a conflict of interest considering his employment at his father’s construction company which does work for the township.
The salary issue followed the naming of hiring committee members to interview and participate in the hiring selection for three vacant positions in the township: township manager, finance director, and human resources/finance assistant. Following discussion, board trustees named Clerk Don LaPorte, Patterson and Oddy as the hiring committee for the finance and human resources position. The entire board will consider candidates for the township manager and finance director positions.
