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PAGE 2 ASSOCIATED NEWSPAPERS OF MICHIGAN November 29, 2018

INKSTER - WESTLAND

New building director

is named in Westland

Mayor William R. Wild has appointed last week. The
Keith Lussenden to serve as Westland contract allows
Building Director. McKenna
Lussenden is joining the City of employee Greg
Westland administration with more than Elliot, to serve
40 years of experience in the construc- as the city
tion industry. He was hired in March of planning direc-
2018 to serve as Westland Building and tor until a new
Planning supervisor after previously planning direc-
serving as the chief commercial building tor is appoint-
inspector for the City of Royal Oak. He ed.
also worked in the planning and devel- Elliot is an
opment department for the City of Ann American Keith Lussenden Special patrol
Arbor for nearly a decade after serving Institute Throughout the afternoon Nov. 20, Inkster police officers delivered Thanksgiving
in the department of building and safety Certified Planner with more than 20 turkeys to several families throughout the city. “This is what policing is all about,
for the City of Dearborn. years of planning experience. He has we certainly have a duty to protect but there is much more to our job than just
Lussenden is a State of Michigan worked as the principal planner for arresting the bad guys. We care about the people in our city and we will continue
Registered Code Official and Inspector McKenna Associates since 2015 and has to work hard at making sure our community knows we are there for them,” com-
in numerous categories, including experience in zoning administration, mented Inkster Chief of Police William Riley.
Building Official, Inspector Building, public administration, special assess-
Inspector Fire Protection System, ment districts, master planning, capital
Inspector Plumbing, Plan Reviewer improvement planning, code enforce-
Building, Plan Reviewer Fire Protection ment, real property law and construction
System and Plan Reviewer Plumbing. and housing code inspections.
“Mr. Lussenden has extensive build- Elliot possesses a Masters Degree of
ing experience with various municipali- Public Administration from Eastern
ties in Michigan,” commented Wild. “We Michigan University and a Juris Doctor
are fortunate to be able to welcome him Degree from Michigan State University
to the administrative team and look for- Law School. He is a member of the
ward to utilizing his skills and expertise American Planning Association, the
to ensure compliance and public safety Michigan Association of Planning, the
within our community.” State Bar of Michigan and the
“I am honored to have been selected Washtenaw County Bar Association.
by the mayor and unanimously con- “This contract with McKenna will
firmed by the city council to serve as allow us to conduct a thorough search for
Westland Building Director,” comment- a city planner without any temporary
ed Lussenden. “While any new position decrease in the department functionality Shop Wild. “Our city has so much to offer, with
comes with new challenges, I look for- or loss of services to our residents,” com- over 100 retail stores, including all the big
ward to working with the team to ensure mented Wild. box stores like Ashley`s Furniture, Art Van
the department is one that the residents “I look forward to providing my serv- FROM PAGE 1 and Best Buy along with over 60 restau-
and business owners in Westland can ices to the City of Westland as they con- rants including Anna`s House - with the
rely on and will be proud of.” duct their search for a new director of and there will be additional prizes given best brunch around. Westland makes it
Members of the Westland City Council planning,” commented Elliot. away, including the runner up prize of a easy to shop this holiday season with easy
also approved a six-month contract with “McKenna values our special relation- $1,000 spree at JCPenney. access from all major freeways and safe
Northville-based McKenna Associates ship it has established with Westland “We are proud of Westland Shopping convenient parking throughout the city.
for professional and technical planning and the entire team is available to assist Center and the entire Shop and Dine We really do have everything you want
advisory services during their meeting with this transition.” District,” commented Mayor William R. and everything you need,” Wild said.
Goodfellows donation request letter to former donors ask- Christmas. This season, 164 have been cover this year's expenses. I have always
The Westland Goodfellows send out a
believed in helping your own neighbor-
adopted, about 25 percent of the children we
ing them to continue their support of will serve this year. Once our recipient list is hood/community and this is an excellent
FROM PAGE 1 Westland families. Hatfield-Clear noted, formalized and before we actually hand out time of the year to do so,” added Hatfield-
“We had been sending all residents in Christmas, we coordinate our lists with the Clear.
on the Goodfellows special edition newspa- Westland this mailer, but due to extreme Wayne-Westland Salvation Army, St. Mary's Goodfellows assistance, in the form of
per day, which takes place on local streets. costs of the mailer itself, we limited the mail- in Wayne and St. Vincent de Paul inside of toys and food, is administered in varied
The Westland Goodfellows have adapted er to former donors this season. We do Sts. Simon and Jude Church. Unfortunately, ways, though school districts in some com-
to a city ordinance there banning street sales accept donations of money by our website we do find a few families on more than one munities. Collection boxes for donated toys
in that city, noted Heather Hatfield-Clear, co- using Paypal, www.westlandgoodfellows.org, of our lists. But between us all, we only serv- and food are often seen this time of year.
president. Safety concerns have changed or by mailing them to our office at 32150 ice the family one time.” Other Western Wayne County communi-
fundraising methods in Westland and other Dorsey St., Westland MI 48186. We have Hatfield-Clear is a graduate of Westland ties have Goodfellows volunteer groups
communities, too. done poker events as a fundraiser in the past John Glenn High School now living in Willis, working toward “No Child Without a
“I will soon be leaving that role and new too as a replacement to paper sales - which southwest of Belleville. She has a business Christmas.” Websites for these include:
leadership will be stepping in. I grew up in are just too risky for volunteers to do in the in Wayne. It's her 10th year as a Goodfellows Plymouth Goodfellows, www.plymouthgood-
Westland and have had a desire to give back street anymore.” volunteer. fellows.org; Canton Goodfellows, www.can-
locally for the success that I have had in my She added, “Our adopt a family program “Our 2018 Christmas season will see close tongoodfellows.org; City of Wayne
life. Christmas is a special time of year and is continuing to grow too. This is where a to 300 families we expect. Donations are Goodfellows, www.waynegoodfellows.org
it should always be made nice even if a fami- local business, church or family 'adopts' welcome and are truly needed as we do not and Romulus Goodfellows, with a link on
ly is struggling financially.” some of our children who need help at expect to fundraise enough this season to www.romulusgov.com, the city website.