The Blade
TEMPERANCE, Mich. — A former firefighter is suing Bedford Township, seeking to stop collection of a special assessment and payment of funds from it to the township’s two volunteer firefighters’ associations.
The ex-firefighter, Todd Bruning, was terminated a year ago as an at-will employee of the Bedford Township Fire Department, where he had been a firefighter for about 18 months. The owner of a Lambertville gun store, he was elected last month to the Bedford Public Schools Board of Education on a platform of holding down spending and opposing tax increases.
No reason was given for his termination from the fire department, but Mr. Bruning has said he was fired after he complained about wasteful spending. He referred questions about the lawsuit to his Adrian attorney, Philip Schaedler.
The lawsuit, filed in Monroe County Circuit Court, contends that the township receives no benefit from special assessment funds paid to the nonprofit Temperance and Lambertville firefighter associations and the contracts for this funding violate the Michigan Constitution. It also asserts that the special assessment was not adopted properly in 1991 and the township board, which does not control the particular use of the funds, is required by law to do so.
It asks the court to stop collection of the special assessment and funding of the contracts, and requests the awarding of attorney fees and costs and “such further relief as is just and equitable.”
Township officials had not seen the lawsuit on Monday. But at today’s 7 p.m. regular meeting, the board is to vote on terminating the contracts with the associations. It plans to find a different channel for the special assessment funds as part of a strategic plan for the fire department and has been studying the matter for a year or more. The next meeting on the fire department plan is scheduled for Dec. 9.
Mr. Schaedler said he knew nothing about today’s meeting and that the lawsuit was not timed to coincide with it. He said he couldn’t say whether the lawsuit would be dropped if the board terminated the contracts.
The special assessment, levied on all township properties, generates $117,000 per year, according to Paul Francis, the township treasurer. The assessment is for $9.75 per parcel annually.
Revenue from it is paid to the associations to cover the costs of janitorial work and minor maintenance at fire houses. Bedford also has a 1-mill levy for fire department operations. The board has budgeted $1,106,900 for total fire department spending in the current fiscal year, which ends June 30.
Talk swirled last year about corruption and theft in the fire department, and was further stoked by Mr. Bruning’s termination. A township investigation found numerous shortcomings in the department, including an ineffective command structure, but no corrupt practices.
A new fire chief, Rudy Ruiz, was hired in February and has earned high marks from board members for making changes, including a new emphasis on training and continuing education.
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