A
SSOCIATED
N
EWSPAPERS OF
M
ICHIGAN
P
AGE
5
November 17, 2016
B
ELLEVILLE
- W
AYNE
- W
ESTLAND
Wayne receives $100,000
grant for ball fields repair
Marijuana zoning considered
Veterans’ meals available
TheCity ofWayne is $100,000 closer to
a sports complex thanks to a $100,000
grant from the Michigan Economic
Development Corp.
State Rep, Robert Kosowski (D-
Westland) presented the state check for
$100,000 to city officials recently.
“I am proud that I was able to bring
home this money to my district,”
Kosowski said. “By working across the
aisle in a bi-partisan manner, residents
in my district will benefit from having
improvements done to our parks and
recreationdepartment.”
The funds are a special legislative
grant designated for a sports complex in
the city. Wayne officials met with repre-
sentatives of the Wayne Baseball
Association earlier this year when the
grant was initially announced by the
state to discuss the best use of the fund-
ing. The money will be used, officials
said, for improvements at the Forest and
Waltz ball fields.
Officials said that the fields have fall-
en into disrepair and renovations and
upgrades are necessary to continue to
bring tournaments to the city. Specific
improvements will be recommended by
an engineering firm to be hired by the
city to determine the necessary
improvements at the field. The engi-
neering contract will be a bid process,
officials said. Kosowski said that he is
aware that the fields need new dirt,
fencing and dugouts and a total revamp
of the area is probably necessary.
“I look forward to seeing the projects
as they unfold,” Kosowski, the former
parks and recreation director for the
City ofWestland, said. “One of the great-
est things about being a legislator is
being able to have a direct impact on
your constituents' lives. Hopefully the
residents of Wayne will enjoy these
improvements to our recreational
areas.”
Currently, the Wayne Baseball
Association oversees organized baseball
for youths throughadults at the fields.
Belleville City Council members
agreed only to put revising current zon-
ing for medical marijuana dispensaries
on a "followup" list.
At a recent meeting, attorney Steve
Hitchcock made a presentation to the
council members suggesting that remov-
ing the special zoning in the city requir-
ing the dispensaries to be located in an
industrial district. Hitchcock explained
the intricacies of new the Medical
Marijuana Facilities Licensing Act
approved by the state Legislature in
September.
The legislation has been signed by
Gov. Rick Snyder and will become effec-
tive Dec. 20. Licenses will not be avail-
able for one year following that effective
date, Hitchcock said.
Hitchcock said the council could
remove the current zoning requirements
and not have specific zoning for marijua-
na dispensaries in the city.
He noted that the new state legisla-
tion dramatically changes the rules for
marijuana in the state and is considered
a step toward legalization of recreational
marijuana in Michigan. He added that
he expects that issue to appear on an
upcoming ballot.
Belleville Mayor Kerreen Conley told
Hitchcock that city officials would take
some action on the issue after they had
the opportunity to hear from residents at
a public meeting. She said the meeting
and action would take place within the
next year and placed the issue on the
council follow-up list.
Members of the Wayne-Ford Civic
League will be partnering with Mayor
William Wild and State Rep. Robert
Kosowski to help local veterans inneed on
Thanksgiving. The partnership will work
to ensure veterans in need have a
Thanksgivingmeal.
Vic Barra, president of the Wayne-Ford
Civic League, Wild and Kosowski will be
providing frozen turkeys, along with
mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, cranber-
ry sauce and choice of corn or green
beans to veterans in need for their
Thanksgiving dinner. Westland Veterans
should callWild's office at (734) 467-3200 or
Kosowski's office (517) 373-2576, to register
for the groceries through Monday, Nov. 21.
The turkeys will be distributed from 2-6
p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 22.
“As a veteran, I was proud to begin this
tradition with Mayor Wild and State
Representative Kosowski 3 years ago,”
commented Barra. “To see it grow as
more veterans become aware of the effort
is extremely rewarding and I appreciate
the continued support of our local elected
officials tohelp our veterans inneed.”
“This is the third year that we have
partnered on this cause that is very impor-
tant to us,” commented Kosowski. “We
want to ensure that every veteran in our
district has everything they need for a
delicious Thanksgiving meal to show our
thanks for their service.”
Whatever you think, Think Bigger.
That was the challenge posed to stu-
dents at Franklin and Stevenson mid-
dle schools recently during the Young
Inventors Contest.
Wayne-Westland Community
Schools partnered with AlphaUSA to
sponsor the Young Inventors Contest,
an effort to inspire young people to
develop a passion for building things.
Middle school students who are in the
Education Technology classes at
Franklin and Stevenson were invited
to the inaugural program, which fea-
tured keynote speaker FCA Engineer
David Bailey, the engineer for the
DodgeViper.
After the presentation, the viper
was shown to the students as an exam-
ple of what can be created when you
"think bigger."
As part of the project, students will
think of something they want to create
and present the concept to their
teacher. Teachers will select five final-
ists fromeach school and the top final-
ists will be invited to the Young
Inventors Showcase in January at
Schoolcraft College. Students will
explain their invention to an audi-
ence.
For more information on the con-
test, contact Kim Mandrelle at
Kim Mandrelle in the Dodge Viper with Stevenson Middle School students.
Students meet Viper engineer
