Sumpter Township Residents Have Spoken:
Bart Patterson has been elected as the Treasurer of Sumpter Township.
Sheena Barnes
Failed Democratic Candidate for Treasurer of Sumpter Township, MI
Read Follow-Up Article Below: Candidate’s explicit phone call is posted online (Published October 20, 2022)
Read NEWEST Article Below: Treasurer suggests club withdraw endorsement (Published October 27, 2022)
Below is the prepared statement referred to in the article:
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Sumpter Township 2022 Election
On November 8th 2022, Sumpter Township residents like you can decide for themselves if Sheena Barnes is the type of person that you trust and deserve to represent you as Treasurer of Sumpter Township.
If not, vote for Republican candidate Bart Patterson for Sumpter Township Treasurer.
“The act of voting is one opportunity for us to remember that our whole way of life is predicated on the capacity of ordinary people to judge carefully and well.”
Dr. Alan Keyes, Former United States Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs
Recent News Articles & Updates
Published by The Eagle, Associate News Papers – Thursday, September 1, 2022
Threats to Sumpter supervisor investigated
An obscenity-laced threat of violence sent to Sumpter Township Supervisor Tim Bowman by a political candidate has been referred to the police department for investigation.
Sheena Barnes, 62, the democratic candidate for township treasurer, sent the explicit and racial epithet filled threat to Bowman last week and it was automatically recorded.
After hearing the recording, which includes physical threats against Bowman and his wife, he referred the recording to the police department, citing harassment, intimidation and the stated physical threat. (listen to it here)
Sumpter Township Police Chief Eric Luke confirmed that there is currently an investigation of a complaint filed by the supervisor against a local resident but said the department would have no comment at this stage of the investigation. The findings, Luke said, would be sent on to the prosecutor’s office for a determination of charges in the matter.
Bowman said he suspected, from the timing and content of the harangue, that Barnes may have been responding to a recent effort of township officials to ensure that all businesses were compliant with local ordinances. He said that several business owners, including Barnes, were sent letters reminding them that all township businesses were required to obtain a permit.
Bowman said he believes that Barnes may have felt she was being singled out for the request for compliance, although her Sumpter Road barbeque business has not been licensed since 2018, according to township records.
Barnes has operated the barbeque business from a trailer on her property for about 35 years. She is a lifelong resident of the township and was previously unsuccessful in separate bids for election as a trustee and township clerk. She was appointed to a trustee position in 2018 and served a partial term on the township board.
The majority of the content of Barnes’ message to Bowman, provided to The Eagle, is vulgar and includes racial slurs and an explicitly violent threat against both him and his wife along with multiple sexual references.
In a prepared statement, Bowman said he suspects that the verbal assault may have also been prompted by legal action he has threatened against Township Trustee Peggy Morgan, “a close friend of Sheena Barnes.”
Bowman said the provocative and epithet-riddled nature of the message prompted his report to the police. He said he was shocked by the vulgarity of the language used by Barnes, along with her racial epithets, sexual references and threats of physical violence.
Luke said he anticipated the police investigation would take about a week.
Barnes did not respond to requests for comment by press time.
https://associatednewspaperstheeagle.blogspot.com/2022/09/threats-to-sumpter-supervisor.html
Published by The Eagle, Associate News Papers – Thursday, October 20, 2022
Candidate’s explicit phone call is posted online
An obscenity-laden recording of a phone call made to Sumpter Township Supervisor Tim Bowman by a current candidate for treasurer has been posted on public websites.
The call, made to Bowman by Sheena Barnes, the democratic candidate for treasurer, contains highly explicit, vulgar language including multiple racial epithets. In the recording, Barnes also physically threatens Bowman and his family members. (listen to it here)
In light of the incendiary language and emotionally charged content of the recording, Bowman referred the call to the Sumpter Police Department for investigation and possible criminal action, citing harassment and intimidation along with the overt physical threat. At last report, the findings in the police investigation and interview with Barnes regarding the content of the recording had been referred to another agency for review.
Barnes, 62, is opposed by 26-year township resident Bart Patterson, a republican. Patterson denied any involvement in the posting of the contentious recording. He said that while he had heard about the phone call to Bowman, he had never heard the entire recording.
A disclaimer on the site notes that no candidate or group authorized or approved the posting of the recording.
Barnes published criticism of current treasurer Vincent Warren falsely claiming that he has not provided reports during township board of trustee meetings has also been challenged by township officials. Warren and his staff have significantly reduced the delinquencies in water department payments during his time in office and that achievement has been reported and discussed during public meetings, they noted. Warren was appointed in June of 2021 to fill the incomplete term following the death of Treasurer James Clark.
Other township officials disputed Barnes’ published claims of misspending, citing a recent independent financial audit of township finances performed by Rana Emmons, a CPA with Post, Smythe Lutz and Zeal. During her report to the board members in August, Emmons told the trustees that the audit was “unmodified” meaning the report was an accurate audit of revenue and expenditures for the fiscal year ending March 31. The auditor gave the township “top marks” for financial management.
Barnes is facing other questions regarding permits and licenses for her food business which she operates from her Sumpter Road property. According to documents provided through a Freedom of Information Act request, both Wayne and Washtenaw Health Department inspectors have found health violations at her business. Requests for further information regarding the violations and Barnes’ current food handling licensing were not available at press time. The business was also in violation of Sumpter Township ordinances requiring a business permit at the time of Barnes’ phone call to Bowman.
Bowman said he suspected Barnes’ call may have been in response to a notice requiring compliance sent to all township businesses without proper permits. He denied that Barnes had been in any way singled out for the compliance notice.
Barnes has operated the business for 35 years and is a graduate of Airport High School and has attended Wayne County Community College. She is a member of the Belleville Area Council for the Arts, Southwestern Democratic Club, and Belleville Lake Fest. Previously, she has unsuccessfully sought election to terms as a trustee and as township clerk although she was appointed and served a partial term on the board of trustees. She said she is seeking office to “to make a difference to the stagnated board of trustees and be the eyes and ears and voice of the people.”
Patterson has owned his own construction and remodeling business for 30 years and previously sought election to the board as clerk and as a trustee in the early 2000s. He said he is active with his church where he is involved with the children’s ministry and is a CPR/First Aid/AED instructor for the Red Cross. He said his goal as treasurer would be to ensure the continued fiscal responsibility in the township while providing “excellent services, recreational opportunities, and improved standard of living.” He added that another priority is “funding for the current and future needs of the public safety department.”
The two are competing for a partial term which will end in November of 2023.
https://associatednewspaperstheeagle.blogspot.com/2022/10/candidates-explicit-phone-call-is.html
Published by The Eagle, Associate News Papers – Thursday, October 27, 2022
Treasurer suggests club withdraw endorsement
The maelstrom surrounding Sumpter Township candidate for treasurer Sheena Barnes continued last week as current Treasurer Vincent Warren suggested members of the Southwestern Wayne Democratic Club board withdraw any endorsement of her candidacy.
Barnes has admitted to police investigators that she made a heated phone call to Township Supervisor Tim Bowman. That obscenity-laced and racially explicit recorded call has been referred by the township police to another agency following an investigation and interview with Barnes. The call contains vulgar language and a physical threat to Bowman. The obscene language and hysteria of the call could only be treated as a threat, Bowman said. (listen to it here)
The latest incident is a formal letter Warren sent to the officers of the Democratic Club for their review and states, “I recently had the opportunity to review a voice message that was deposited on an elected official’s voicemail. This voicemail unfortunately was deposited by the democratic candidate for treasurer in Sumpter Township.
“Section 2:11 of the Michigan Democratic bylaws details endorsement and censure regarding members of this party. This candidate in my opinion has represented the democratic party with inhumane, distasteful, racial, and threatening verbal expression. The Southwestern Wayne Democratic Club has endorsed this candidate for public office. It is my hope that the SWDC for this local area respond swiftly to separate from this type of behavior.
“As a member of Democratic party, it is my hope that the officers will look past obvious personal relationships and act swiftly to voice this unacceptable behavior and administer appropriate response,” Warren concludes.
Warren has also been the target of Barnes’ criticism in her campaign for election. She has disregarded the top marks the township received on a recent independent financial audit which disproves her claims of financial irresponsibility on the part of the board members.
Bowman said the motive for the phone call may have been a letter sent to Barnes requesting that she bring permits and licensing for her business up to date. Other township officials have also expressed concern about additional health violations and lack of county health department permits at Barnes’ barbeque business.
A recent website was posted in which the obscene language in the call can be heard. Barnes’ opponent, Bart Patterson, has denied any involvement or knowledge of the website.
Patterson is endorsed by all but one current member of the township board of trustees.
https://associatednewspaperstheeagle.blogspot.com/2022/10/treasurer-suggests-club-withdraw.html
Not paid for or authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.
Created by Rob L.
Peggy is next (((2024)))