Trustee Joe introduced a third item: proposed updates to the township purchasing and bidding policy (policy 4.8). Managers had provided recommended edits and trustees discussed thresholds, required quotes, and ways to preserve transparency while allowing managers to complete necessary purchases.

Nut graf: Trustees generally supported updating the purchasing policy to reflect current pricing and procurement practices but split on whether to add an additional mandatory review step before bids are issued; the board directed staff to prepare a reorganized, clearer draft (drawing on a Macomb Township example) and to add language addressing split purchases and a board-waiver provision for quote requirements.

Discussion highlights: Trustees noted the revised policy removes verbal quotes and leans on written quotes for transparency. The draft requires three written quotes for goods/services costing more than $2,500 and less than $10,000, with provisions for sole-source situations. Trustees asked that the policy explicitly state that the township board may waive the three-quote requirement in specific circumstances to avoid the appearance of ad hoc exceptions. Trustee Kevin raised concerns about "split purchases" (breaking a larger purchase into smaller transactions to avoid approval thresholds) and asked that language preventing that practice be added; he used a hypothetical: buying voting machines in $4,000 monthly increments to avoid a $12,000 approval threshold.

Several trustees and staff recommended reorganizing the policy into a clearer chart (who can approve at which thresholds, when sealed bids required, and required documentation), and requested that Derek and Trustee Vicky (named in the discussion) collaborate on a rewritten draft. Teresa said that some older practices previously routed bids and purchase documentation through the treasurer and finance director for review before posting; several trustees asked staff to restore or clarify that step in the updated procedures.

Decision steps: Derek offered to draft changes incorporating the board's directions and to present a redraft in the packet for the Oct. 13 meeting so trustees have time to digest before a possible vote at a subsequent meeting. Trustees also asked staff to include explicit anti-splitting language and a statement about how unbudgeted purchases will be handled (budget amendment or fund balance). No vote to adopt changes was taken at the study session.

Ending: The board instructed staff to produce a reorganized, user-friendly revision of policy 4.8 to include split-purchase prohibition language, a clear approval-chart and an explicit process for waivers and budgeting for unbudgeted items; the redraft will be included in the packet for Oct. 13 for review ahead of a later vote.