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SSOCIATED
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EWSPAPERS OF
M
ICHIGAN
P
AGE
6
October 2, 2014
P
LYMOUTH
Amphitheater ‘delay’ question by resident
Supervisor’s home is on market
Despite public comments and
denials by township officials, it
appears the controversial
amphitheater project is moving
forward.
Township Supervisor Richard
Reaume and the majority of the
board members voted to place
the construction plans on hold
last month following public criti-
cism and protests from several
residents during board meetings.
One week after a recall petition
was filed by a grassroots citizen
activist group against Reaume,
Township
Clerk
Nancy
Conzelman, Treasurer Ron
Edwards and Trustee Kay
Arnold, Reaume said the
amphitheater project would be
postponed and included in the
reviewof the township recreation
and open space plan discussions
scheduled for next year.
At the meeting a week ago
Tuesday, however, attorney and
township resident Chris Hunter
pressed Reaume to explain why
the amphitheater project was
now a front and center feature on
the township website. Hunter
asked why the website was
recently updatedwith photos and
drawings prepared by the archi-
tect if the project was onhold.
Hunter asked Reaume to clar-
ify how he could feature informa-
tion on the website which seems
to indicate the amphitheater is
going forward.
Reaume countered that peo-
ple were asking him about it and
he wanted to inform the public,
saying he “posts the important
things people ask about.”
Hunter also asked the supervi-
sor why he would only include
information about the amphithe-
ater and not all of the other pro-
posed park projects, “because
this would certainly seem like
you were trying to slant any type
of survey,” Hunter said. Hunter
persisted and wanted to know
why the other park projects
including the pavilion and dog
park were not posted nor was the
recall effort.
“You do know about the
recall,”Hunter askedReaume.
“Isn't it more important to
inform the public about a recall,
which is going forward than to
inform the public about the
amphitheater which you tell the
public is not going forward?”
Hunter asked.
Reaume held up the clock on
his iPhone telling Hunter time
was up for questions.
The architectural firmBeckett
and Raeder was hired at a cost of
$29,800 to provide the amphithe-
ater designs which are posted on
thewebsite.
The hotly contested 300-seat
amphitheater and bandstand
project is part of a $2.5 million
capital improvement project
board members approved last
year. The township sold $1.9 mil-
lion in bonds to pay for themajor-
ity of the project.
“We are going to continue on
the recall and hold this board
accountable for their actions,”
Hunter said after themeeting.
Don Howard
Staff Writer
Despite his recent public
denials, it appears that
Plymouth Township Supervisor
Richard Reaume may be
preparing to leave the communi-
ty.
Last week, Keller Williams
Realty featured Reaume's home
on Waverly Drive on the compa-
ny website as a new listing. The
listing, with 40 accompanying
photos, shows most of the rooms
in the house to be vacant.
According to Zillow, the town-
ship home listed for sale Sept. 27
is priced at $225,000.
State of Florida records show
Reaume purchased property
there last month and secured a
mortgage for $153,000 in the age-
restricted retirement communi-
ty, Villages of Florida, north of
Orlando. Reaume will be 65 this
year. Restrictions prohibit the
use of the property as a rental,
time-share or second home,
although Reaume was granted a
rider on the mortgage docu-
ments allowing the second-home
designation on the property.
Homes in the nearby community
sell for $350,000 to $400,000.
Reaume denied rumors of
any early resignation earlier this
month when questioned after a
rancorous meeting of the town-
shipboard.
“Where did you hear that?”
Reaume said. “I don't know any-
thing about it.”
Township officials and
Reaume, in particular, have con-
tinuously come under fire in the
past two years about issues crit-
ics characterize as uncontrolled
spending and failure to listen to
the requests of the citizenry. This
summer, public backlash, peti-
tions, lawn signs and social
media publicized residents'
objections to a 400-seat planned
amphitheater and band shell set
for construction in the Plymouth
Township Park. Some say the
recall campaign launched by
upset residents over the
amphitheater and aimed to oust
four board members, including
the supervisor, could be the
impetus for the impending home
sale.
Reaume is also facing the
ongoing legal battle regarding
the land erroneously sold to
Plymouth Township in a Wayne
County foreclosure sale. The
township paid $606,150 in 2011
for two parcels of foreclosed
land totaling 323 acres sold by
WayneCounty.
Other issues plaguing
Reaume include the outstanding
issues following the decision to
disband a 17-year joint fire serv-
ices agreement with the City of
Plymouth in 2011.
Reaume and officials from
the city have allegedly been in
discussions in attempts to settle
that issue.
Reaume, who has served as
Plymouth Township Supervisor
for 10 years, did not return the
request for comment.
Don Howard
Staff Writer
Celebrated guest
Anton Harsch, chairman of Alfing Corp., second from left, arrived
from Germany last week to help celebrate the official arrival of
the 10th Annual Octoberfest at the Plymouth Township offices of
the corporation. The celebration featured entertainment by the
Eric Neubauer Ensemble, along with German beer, food, leder-
hosen and lots of authentic dance. Harsh was joined in the cele-
bration by his assistant, Irmgard Wiederspon, left, Manfred
Engerer, right in lederhosen, president of Alfing Corp. of
Plymouth and Wiederspon's daughter, Eva. Alfing is a supplier to
the automotive industry of production and assembly machines.
Photos by Dave Willett