White Pigeon Twp. residents address board amidst recall claims

WHITE PIGEON – White Pigeon Township Board members urged their constituents to get more involved in local government if they are unhappy with their current representatives.

The five-member board held a special meeting last week to discuss claims against them and an attempted recall.

Nearly a dozen audience members addressed the board before its members took their turn to express an opinion on the matter. Trustee Vince Schroen said local elected officials don’t get involved in government for fame or fortune.

“We’re doing it because we love our community … we’re trying to protect it for you, for us, for our families, for our grandchildren,” Schroen said.

Schroen recalled the 10 years he spent as a member of the White Pigeon Community Association, with obligations including organizing White Pigeon Days community festival. He said the association begged the community for volunteers to aid the few putting the work into the festival.

“We had nada, not one, so for two years we didn’t have a festival,” Schroen said. “It’s the same with everything else, you have one volunteer and five people telling you what you’re doing wrong instead of educating themselves … all they want to do is complain that we’re doing it wrong. If you don’t like what we’re doing, run for office … if you don’t like the job I’m doing, run against me.”

Schroen said he stands behind Don Gloy and Gloy’s 30-plus years of involvement in local government. He denounced the accusations included in the recall petitions, saying the claims are “not worth anybody’s time.”

Recall petitioners Anita Casada and Gayle Van Singel alleged Pletcher, Tefft and Schroen approved the township’s 2023-24 fiscal year budget without first making it available for public inspection prior to a June 6 public hearing.

Opposite accounts of the claim were cited at the Aug. 3 meeting. Pletcher indicated she had the proposed 2023-24 fiscal-year budget available well before the due date, providing copies for township board members and an additional copy for public inspection on May 18.

Pletcher further said Casada visited the township office June 1 and reviewed the budget, while Paige Willis at the township’s June 6 meeting asked to look at the proposed budget.

Township attorney Lance Thornton said he witnessed Willis being handed a copy of the proposed budget.

“Thus, the accusations regarding the budget not being available are false,” Pletcher wrote in a statement read by Thornton. “I believe that the effort to recall the entire township board and the recall supporters’ misuse of FOIA is an absolute waste of time and taxpayer money.”

Don Gloy, who has served as township supervisor for 34 years, said he is proud of his work and reputation with the township, and will let his accomplishments as supervisor speak to the level of his integrity and credibility.

In her petition against Don Gloy, Casada indicated he failed last year to pursue American Rescue Plan Act funds being offered by St. Joseph County.  “Supervisor Gloy did not submit an application and White Pigeon Township was excluded from receiving any of the funds,” she wrote.

The county had allocated $1 million of the $11.8 million it received through ARPA toward local municipalities and agencies.

Thornton said Gloy applied for and did receive ARPA funds, albeit directly from the federal government. In addition, Thornton said reporting requirements set up by the county weren’t established at the time applications were due.

Regarding her recall petition against Trudy Gloy, Casada stated her effort is based on ethics. Casada made reference to a real estate transaction by Trudy Gloy in July 2022, when she apparently purchased a vacant residential lot in White Pigeon Township and built a self-storage facility, according to Casada.

Nearly a dozen audience members addressed the board. Many bemoaned the amount of money the entire issue is costing the township in legal fees.

Bev Spires took a neutral stance on the issue, encouraging those who have a problem with the board to challenge them in the August 2024 primary election.

“People need to start coming to meetings, asking questions and running for office,” Spires said. “Start paying attention, run for office and you have to (plan) ahead of time … but if you don’t, then we have no right to criticize these people for the way they’re doing it.”

Spires said not until Thornton’s statement moments earlier, she had never heard Gloy state the village did, in fact, receive ARPA funds. Also, Spires said both Trudy and Don Gloy should have abstained from the vote to amend the township ordinance regarding the storage building.

“You were in the process of purchasing land to build an outside building (and) that would have ended this whole discussion,” Spires said. “For the other three (board members), I have to beg to differ that that budget was handed to Paige at that (June 6) meeting. I was at that meeting, I heard them ask for it and it was not given to them during that meeting. I think it was given to them after the meeting, after the vote.”

Township resident Brian Dressler acknowledged serving on any governmental board, regardless of at what level, is a thankless task. A margin of error for mistakes should be expected, however.

“I have a hard time believing that Don, Trudy and any other of these board members would purposely go out of their way to shyster any of you,” he said. “As much as they’ve been involved in our community and the time they’ve donated and spent doing what they do … when the rest of us aren’t willing to stand up and do it ourselves.”

Resident Barb Pancoast wondered what would happen if the five were, in fact, recalled.

“Who the hell’s going to run the township?” she wondered. “If you’ve got a complaint, then step up, and run and change it. Otherwise, shut up.”

Wrapping up public comment, Casada said she has been coming to township meetings for more than a year. Over that time, she said she has been the recipient of personal attacks by Don Gloy.

“It’s things like that, and the way they vote, the way they won’t share, the way they’re not transparent, we just believe that things are being hidden,” Casada said. “Maybe it is time for new people to be in. But everyone here needs to know they need to show up, stand up and be counted because this is what happens when you let your community go unchecked.”

This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: White Pigeon Twp. residents address board amidst recall claims