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August 1, 2013
R
OMULUS
Former city director now leads ‘Aerotropolis’
New charter amendments will appear on ballot
City OKs purchase of land to add to closed park
Tim Keyes, the former director
of economic development for the
City of Romulus, has been named
as the new Chief Executive Officer
of the Aerotroplis project, now
renamedVantagePort.
Keyes, who was the economic
development director in Romulus
for 12 years prior to his resignation
last spring, is more than familiar
with the project. As part of his role
in Romulus, where Detroit
Metropolitan Airport is located, he
was aware of all the facets and
development plans for the project.
Verna McDaniel, the chair of
the Aerotropolis Development
Corp, which oversees the project,
said that the group was “very
pleased to have a highly qualified
CEO dedicated to leading our
efforts.” She added that Keyes'
familiarity with the project would
allow him to jump-start the initia-
tive and re-energize the efforts to
make the project a reality.
The aerotropolis is a collection
of transportation-dependent busi-
nesses that cluster around a major
transit hub, like Metro airport, to
facilitate trade and the creation of
jobs. The project has been nur-
tured by area communities for sev-
eral years.
Keyes said that the project
could include warehouse and
transit businesses, commercial
activity and other businesses as
well.
“I look at this at a much differ-
ent level than just logistics,” Keyes
said. “It's in the true sense an air-
port city. There are different
opportunities in different areas.
We have to develop a master plan
for the region.”
Wayne County Executive Bob
Ficano, with whomKeyes traveled
to Asia on a trade mission, said he
was pleased to see Keyes in the
job.
“I am happy to see someone
who has been involved in the proj-
ect since day one be named CEO. I
have no doubt that Tim will be
able to jump right in,” Ficano said.
He added that the aerotropolis
project is a major driver of eco-
nomic development throughout
the county and in the state.
Proposed amendments to the
Romulus City Charter are
designed to update the purchas-
ing process, streamline the bid-
ding process and, ultimately, save
the citymoney.
Members of the city council
approved the language for three
proposed charter amendments
last Monday night along with the
first reading of a new purchasing
ordinance that will provide guid-
ance to future councils and the
city administration. The proposed
charter amendments will be on
theNovember ballot.
“The people are the ones that
will ultimately decide whether
the charter will be changed or
not,” said Councilman William
Crova.
Adopted in 1972, the city char-
ter currently stipulates that city
contracts for public improve-
ments that cost more than $5,000
must be sent out for sealed bids. It
also requires that the city seek
sealed bids for any expense over
$750 and that any expense of
$1,000 or more requires council
approval.
The three proposed charter
amendments eliminates those
limits and allows the council to
set newoneswitha 2/3 vote.
Crova said that the city audit-
ing firm, Plante/Moran, estimated
that the additional expenses
involved in the bidding process
cost as much as $100,000 every
year and updating the charter
could help the city save that much
annually.
“I think it's time for us to make
adjustments and look at savings,”
saidCrova.
“This is a great savings for the
city,” added Councilman John
Barden. “I think everyone should
speak up on this and try to get
these charter amendments
passed. It's very important to save
money for the city.”
Councilwoman Celeste Roscoe
said she had initially been in
favor of a complete re-working of
the city charter, but changed her
mind when informed of how com-
plicated that would be. She said
reducing the potential changes to
three separate questions made
more sense.
“It's not all or nothing, you'll be
able to pick and chose which you
want done,” she said.
The purchasing ordinance was
written to establish standards of
purchasing goods and services for
the city.
“I've had the opportunity to sit
here for 18 years and I never real-
ized we didn't have a written poli-
cy,” Crova said.
“I think it's very important to
have awrittenpolicy.”
Elmer JohnsonPark inRomulus
is still closed, but it just got a little
bigger.
City council members voted 5-2
last week to purchase an adjacent
piece of property from the Wayne
County tax foreclosure list to
improve access to the park andpro-
vide another entrance once the city
is able to reopen it.
"You buy property when it's
available sometimes, with long-
range plans for future develop-
ment,” said Councilman William
Crova. “At this particular point in
time we've got our parks closed, but
therewill be a day that they'll be up
and functional. I think this is a good
idea.”
The city paid about $8,359 for
the land, which is less than 2 acres
and includes access toOzgoStreet.
Councilwomen Celeste Roscoe
and Eva Webb voted against the
purchase, saying the money should
be set aside to ensure the parks
could re-open.
“I think we have to open up the
parks we have, first, before we add
additional land or property to the
park areas that we have,” said
Roscoe. “We're always being told
that it's going to be very hard to find
the money to open these parks
back up-well, I see $8,359 where we
can get started.”
Added Webb: “My question is:
How will we maintain this parcel,
when we can't maintain what is
already there?”
City parks have been closed for
two years due to budget con-
straints.
Councilman William Wadsworth
said he understood the concerns
about the additional maintenance,
but said it made sense to buy the
property since it was available.
“I guess we do have to plan for
the future and buy property that
will eventually be part of Elmer
Johnson Park when it gets
repaired,” said Wadsworth. “If we
can buy property and eventually
turn it into a park, I'min favor of it.”