Politics & Government
West Bloomfield Officials Affirm Deputy Treasurer's Salary Cut
While township treasurer Teri Weingarden had the authority to hire Jared Maynard, trustees are authorized to set his salary.
Sparks flew at Monday's West Bloomfield Township board meeting, as treasurer Teri Weingarden defended changes made in her department and the hiring of deputy treasurer Jared Maynard.
At a July special meeting, five board members voted to slash Maynard's salary from more than $70,000 to $40,000 annually and removed his authority to conduct bank transactions. Officials were concerned that he had not undergone a criminal background check.
The board on Monday reaffirmed the salary reduction, after learning the July action was void, because a special meeting vote requires seven members to be in attendance.
Township attorney Derk Beckerleg said "if the treasurer offered a certain amount of money as a salary and it wasn't brought to the township board, that's a problem. You can't offer a binding salary until it is approved by the board."
In making the salary motion, trustee Diane Rosenfeld Swimmer read from a list of 17 allegations submitted to officials as part of their agenda packet, including:
- Provides no feedback or communication on any issue.
- Money is moved from one fund to another and from one account to another without providing a record in BSA software system
- Bullies and intimidates employees
- Tax distributions do not appear to have been recorded since July 15, 2013
Weingarden responded to all of the issues, citing communication problems with the Clerk's office, changes implemented based on Maynard's suggestions, and the loss of the department's cash manager.
"It's been a hard transition," she said. "Based on the conversation tonight, I think we'll go back to the way things were." She added she will not undo good changes that have been made in her department.
Weingarden and trustee Larry Brown said Maynard appears to have good relationships within his own department. Ureste said "numerous department heads" have been challenged by Maynard. "Last week was a firestorm like I've never seen," she said, adding that will be hard to overcome.
Township employee Jill Sosnowski said Maynard has been a "welcome addition" to the treasurer's office staff and is "making a lot of really good changes ... He's right there to help us when we need the help."
Weingarden voted against the salary cut, asking her colleagues to review the matter again after old procedures were restored. Economu said the reduction was not punitive, because Maynard would be receiving the same salary he received in his previous position as deputy treasurer for Harrison Township. She urged colleagues to follow her lead in bringing candidates for high-level jobs to interviews with the board.
Maynard did not speak on his own behalf.
Watch a cablecast of the meeting at civiccentertv.org.
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