Macomb board raises purchasing thresholds amid debate over supervisor authority and Open Meetings Act

Macomb Township trustees unanimously approved revisions to the township purchasing policy on Nov. 12 that raise dollar thresholds, add annual review tied to inflation and strengthen surplus property procedures, but trustees pressed staff and legal counsel about transparency and the scope of executive authority.

Janet from the finance department reviewed the proposed update to the purchasing policy (dated 04/20/2022), saying the revisions include revised purchasing dollar thresholds with an annual CPI‑linked review, clearer wording, and enhanced oversight of professional services not routinely competitively bid. "We took a look at all of the thresholds...one of the inputs was what our surrounding community is doing," she said.

Trustee Cusimano questioned whether increasing the supervisor's approval limit from $8,000 to $10,000 would reduce board oversight and asked whether that practice could conflict with the Open Meetings Act. Legal counsel responded directly, saying the board's vote to adopt the policy is what authorizes the supervisor's delegated spending limit and that adoption of the policy is sufficient under current law. "If the board votes on the policy and says we're gonna grant you this authority up to this amount, that's sufficient," counsel said.

Staff said purchases above the supervisor's threshold still require purchasing involvement and that any purchase over $10,000 will continue to come before the board. The board approved the purchasing policy updates by unanimous vote.

The board also discussed how the updated thresholds are meant to reflect inflation and reduce administrative burden on routine purchases; Janet said the policy will be reviewed annually to avoid large, infrequent adjustments.