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6-11-2026 1:31am
MLIVE: Jim Marion Steps Down as Supervisor, Tom Hammond Takes Role
Longtime Saline Township Supervisor Jim Marion has resigned, Mlive reported. He'll be replaced by Trustee Tom Hammond, who was appointed the board, as the
Beth Boulter, a long-time police dispatcher, has been appointed to be the Township Treasurer. She fills the job left vacant by former Treasurer Jennifer Zink, who resigned last month after receiving threats.
The changes take place as residents seek to recall township leaders for their decision, on the advice of attorneys, to approve a consent judgment allowing the data center to move forward.
More News from Saline
- Saline Police Leadership Recognize Officer Who Showed Demonstrated Calm Under Pressure Officer Bauer received the Meritorious Service Award for guiding a young girl with autism out of traffic and getting her home safely.
- Rec Center Budget Amendment Draws Pointed Criticism at Council Table Council approved the 11th-hour amendment after a lengthy and pointed discussion.
Replies
Ali McDonald
Neighbor
6-11-2026 8:39am
Very sad the blowback at individuals who just about volunteer their time (they are paid next to nothing) for the Township. Blowback far too often from people who do not take any active role in the Township AND, more importantly, do not even take the time to educate themselves on facts as to why things ended up where they did. Just don't like the outcome so the Supervisor and Trustees must be bad people, right? Just as Trustees and Counsels in other areas do not want the development that is coming, they undertake the due diligence including consulting with attorneys, and ultimately make an informed decision even though THEY themselves do not like what will result from that decision. Don't want the data center, think what the legislators in Lansing and Governor did with tax cuts to incentivize these to come to Michigan is next to criminal. Those folks who put the target on Michigan we blame. We have nothing but sympathy for local folks like Saline Twp Trustees who have to deal with the outcomes of those horrific decisions by Michigan's elected officials in Lansing. Ultimately, with these experienced, knowledgeable folks leaving the Board, Saline Twp. simply suffers another loss to the data center.
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Tom Paine
Neighbor
6-12-2026 8:54pm
No one’s saying these aren’t nice people. But, Change is good. The township could probably use a fresh perspective from the next generation of residents. Nice or not, they failed the residents; not one single resident wants this data center except the people who sold the land. When you fail 99.99% of the people you represent, it’s time to step aside. Maybe there’s nothing they could’ve done but they didn’t tap the appropriate resources to at least know that the decisions they were making tied their hands.
Ali McDonald
Neighbor
6-13-2026 7:18am
Respectfully disagree. They did consult with attorneys and experts and understood as is sadly the case that fighting it would only result in costly litigation that drained the Township financial resources only to come to the same result.
Tom Paine
Neighbor
6-13-2026 9:27am
You are incorrect and you seem to be unclear as to how this went down from the beginning. One of the few tools the residents have is a referendum. A referendum was never introduced for the residents to vote on. Why? Because the township chose to deny/reject the initial application, so developer was then entitled to file suit, leading to a court-ordered consent judgment. The board informed residents that because the project progressed through a court-mandated settlement rather than a standard legislative approval process, the legal pathway to force a ballot referendum was closed. Even if a referendum was initiated, perhaps it still would have been defeated. But the path the board chose completely removed the residents and their voters from this entire equation. I don’t think it was malicious, but it was certainly negligent. Had they sought COMPETENT legal counsel from the get go, they may have held off on voting to reject the proposal so the referendum could have been introduced. They were outmaneuvered, but again, COMPETENT legal counsel would have been able to play this out for them before it happened. They failed the people procedurally speaking, at a minimum. It’s a new world we live in and we need a board and legal guidance to keep up with the new world
Ali McDonald
Neighbor
6-14-2026 6:59am
Certainly would have been an interesting path. Have you actually researched referendums and all of the procedural requirements, etc.? Doing so might give some additional thought on the possibilities of that avenue.
