BERTRAND TOWNSHIP — The cloud of discord and controversy surrounding Bertrand Township continues to grow.

Berrien County Sheriff Paul Bailey confirmed Thursday that officers are investigating whether Township Supervisor John Mefford and Trustee Dick Haigh violated the Michigan Open Meetings Act by not giving public notice for a special meeting last week. The Open Meetings Act requires municipalities to post notice, including the date, time and place, 18 hours in advance of a special meeting.

Township Clerk Jane Lano said Haigh and Mefford were the only two board members at the meeting March 30, where they interviewed five candidates for the open treasurer position. Lano said she didn’t even know about the meeting until after it took place.

Lano notified Berrien County Prosecutor Art Cotter of the alleged violation last week. He turned it over to the sheriff’s department to investigate the matter.

Bailey said it could be a week or two before the results of the investigation are made known.

Haigh confirmed that he and Mefford met and did interview candidates last week. He admitted that they did not post notice but said it was not a violation of the law because it was not an official board meeting.

“It was not an illegal meeting. There was no quorum and no decision was made,” he said.

Haigh also said Lano knew about the meeting.

“Jane knew about it full well,” he said. “She is in the township hall all the time. For her to claim that she did not know about it, how gullible do you think we are?”

Lano said Zelmer showed up for the meeting but left before it began because he “realized something was wrong.”

Lano said she has talked with those who were interviewed by Haigh and Mefford, and they said most of the questions centered on their views on the Southeast Berrien County Landfill. The potential sale of the landfill, owned by five municipalities including Bertrand, has been a point of controversy among public officials.

Both Haigh and Mefford support retaining the facility.

Haigh admitted that the majority of the questions were about the landfill.

“That’s the case because that’s the biggest issue facing all the municipalities,” he said. “It involves a lot of people in the whole area.”

Lano disagrees, arguing “there are a lot more issues than just the landfill.”

Another special meeting to interview the candidates has been scheduled for today at 3 p.m. Proper notice was given this time, according to Lano.

Haigh said that it is his hope that the board can appoint a new treasurer at the meeting.

The investigation comes in the midst of a swirl of other controversy at the township.

Mefford, Haigh and Zelmer, are on the May 3 recall election ballot. Former township treasurer Linda Layher also was targeted for recall but resigned last month.

Lano was also targeted in a separate recall effort but it stalled out at the county clarity hearing. Since then, new recall language against Lano has been submitted to the county.

Supervisor arrested

In other township news, Mefford was arrested last week for allegedly writing bad checks, according to the sheriff.

He wrote seven bad checks totaling $2,660 to the same Buchanan man.

Mefford could not be reached Thursday for comment.

Haigh said he paid Mefford’s $500 bond.

Haigh also argued that the alleged offense “has nothing to do with township business” and he believes Mefford’s “trouble is promoted by our township clerk, who has had it in for John Mefford the last two years.”

Lano said the environment at the township office, given all the controversy, has been “unpleasant.”

“But work is being done. The details of day-to-day work are accomplished and being done well,” she said.