Three Compensation Votes That Ignored What Families Could Afford.

For most families, there is no budget margin left. Every new cost hurts.

Yet in the fall of 2025 — while residents were being hit with higher taxes, high sewer bills, and a steady stream of new charges from township board decisions — the Oshtemo Township Board made a series of compensation decisions driven not by financial necessity, but by emotion, disregard for resident impact, and internal pressure from colleagues.

This recall exists because of an ongoing pattern of lack of fiduciary responsibility — the duty Board members swore an oath to uphold. That oath was to protect taxpayers, not put their paychecks and emotions first.

Vote #1: On August 26, 2025 Pay Scales Were Inflated — Then Maxed Out

The meeting opened with the admission that once again agenda packets had changed last minute, diminishing proper time for review by the public and board members, this has become a continued pattern at township meetings, backed by the township attorney as he didn't believe it violates the Open Meetings Act. The push back for not having information in time to review was quickly dismissed by the Supervisor. However, Trustees Ford and Sikora made it clear their minds were already made up so it didn't matter to them.

Trustee Chapman explained — clearly several times, including at the previous meeting when the data was first presented — that the compensation data from the outside agency was flawed because it relied on cities and municipalities with far larger tax bases.

“Flawed data leads to flawed results.” - Trustee Chapman

Other trustees also openly dismissed the concern, stating that it didn’t matter if the data was skewed because they had paid for that data and needed to just trust it. Trustee Cole and Clerk Farmer even implied the Board should blindly trust any professional the township pays.

At the new pay scale suggested by the outside agency most staff were at 70-75% of the scale. Several employees were already making close to six figures at the township office.

Only two board members questioned why this was being rushed in the third quarter of a budget and found it inappropriate to add this last minute.

The vote that followed was not driven by an emergency.

It was not driven by new data.

It was driven by emotion.

After pushback and some requests to compromise at 90% as previously discussed, Supervisor Bell added that:

• Staff were watching from home

• Morale mattered

• The Board needed to be “professional”

But Supervisor Bell made her reasoning clear:

“I have to work with these people.” - Supervisor Bell

That emotional appeal escalated the decision as Supervisor Bell changed the motion to move all employees to 100% of the new pay bands effective immediately.

And This Happened:

• Mid-budget

• With no emergency need

• With no employee retention crisis

The Impact for Residents

• $102,826 in unbudgeted compensation added in 9/1/2025

• $411,000+ every year going forward that must be budgeted

• Permanent, compounding costs tied to COLA and benefits

• Less flexibility in future budgets

• More pressure for future taxes, levies, and fees

Oshtemo residents have to pay for this emotional decision — forever.

Vote #2 on November 10, 2025 Where Benefits Were Buffered While Residents Absorbed Inflation

A few meetings after the compensation jump, the Board approved the 2026 Employee Benefit Package.

On paper, the benefits may look “standard” — for high-tax-base government jobs.

For residents, the contrast was painful.

What Township Employees Received

• Employer-funded HSAs and HRAs

• 80% Medicare reimbursement for eligible employees and spouses

• $3,600 annual retiree health contribution

• Continued retirement, insurance, and disability benefits

• Employer-funded dependent care reimbursement

What Residents Were Dealing With

• Rising insurance premiums

• Higher deductibles

• Higher out-of-pocket costs

• New tax levies

• Mandatory sewer connections

• Little to no employer offset

• No safety net

When families are choosing between groceries, prescriptions, and home repairs, watching their local government vote to shield itself from inflation — right after approving large raises — feels like a slap in the face.

Vote #3 on November 25, 2025 Officials Then Raised Their Own Pay

After:

1. Inflating the pay structure

2. Locking in permanent payroll growth

3. Protecting benefits from inflation

The Oshtemo Township Board approved increases to its own compensation, effective January 1, 2026.

This didn’t need to be dramatic to matter.

When officials raise their own pay after reshaping compensation and benefits — while residents are hurting — trust breaks.

The Pattern Is the Proof

No single vote caused the push to recall Oshtemo township board members.

The pattern did.

• Continually spending more while residents are stretched thin

• Locking in permanent obligations during economic pressure

• Ignoring fiduciary warnings

• Treating household pain as secondary

And here’s the part that makes action urgent:

There Are No Term Limits

If nothing changes, residents face three more years of this same decision-making.

Three more years of:

• Permanent spending growth

• Higher budget pressure

• More tax increases

• Less relief

Oshtemo Families cannot afford that.

Bottom Line - It's time to Recall Oshtemo Township Board Members

When everything costs more, government must show restraint.

Current Oshtemo Township Board members have made it clear — they it will not.

That’s why residents are standing up now. Join your neighbors and Sign the Recall Petitions - see our homepage or contact us for a signing location near you.

All meetings referenced above can be watched at: https://publicmedianet.org/gavel-to-gavel/oshtemo-township/