COMSTOCK TWP. Mich. (WOOD) — A motion that would have limited the number of people who could contact the Comstock Township attorney failed.

The vote comes as new members take their roles on the board — including a new supervisor who previously sued the township. 

The resolution was one of the first items on the table for the new Comstock Township Board of Trustees during Monday’s meeting. 

The motion would have limited the people who could work with the township attorney down to only the township supervisor, superintendent and clerk.

Supervisor Ben Martin said it was all about improving how the township operates.  

“If we want to get this township to grow and stay on track, obviously we need to manage costs and we also need to manage efficiencies on how we conduct our business and that’s why I am here, to conduct business,” he said ahead of the meeting. 

The motion by Martin comes after he sued the township in 2023 because his business, Soil Friends, was cited for a barn officials said was built without a permit and other licensing violations in 2022. That federal lawsuit was dismissed this September, which the farm appealed in October.

“That had no implications on this whatsoever. I am the township supervisor now. And I make decisions to move this township forward to grow our business and work with our residents to be transparent and that’s a simple order of business,” Martin told News 8. 

While some on the board supported the motion, others brought concerns that it would actually slow township work and limit the powers of trustee.

“To me, it undermines the four trustees on the board to be able to freely communicate with the attorney whatever the issue is,” said Trustee Bob Pratt.

Martin told the board that the motion did not intend to limit their duties but was to improve workflow and cut costs.

The township attorney said under current procedures, members of the planning department, code enforcement and the clerk work with her and other attorneys regularly. However, she said some townships have procedures that limit which employees and officials have contact with legal counsel. 

The township superintendent mentioned not seeing major spending on legal matters.

Despite a suggestion to amend the motion to include trustees, the vote failed.