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January 5, 2023 ASSOCIATED NEWSPAPERS OF MICHIGAN PAGE 3

SUMPTER - WAYNE
SUMPTER - WAYNE

Trustees approve sale of township properties

The 9.32-acre of commercially which the property was marketed. Patterson and Supervisor Tim
zoned property adjacent to the Blue claimed at several previous ” Bowman voted in favor of the
former medical center on meetings that he had inquired The property was professionally appraised offer.
Sumpter Road has been sold to about purchasing the land but was Board members agreed to
Kurtis Myers for $65,000. told it was not for sale. Following twice at values of $75,000 and $78,000 respectively. Oddy's suggestion asking bidders
Myers was the only bid remain- sometimes heated discussion at to submit final sealed offers
ing for the land following the with- several meetings, trustees subse- including any contingencies to
drawal of a bid from Trustee Don quently listed the property for Trustee Matt Oddy was also June when the appraisals were township hall for a public open-
LaPorte. Bids for the land were sale with the professional real critical of the sale and the complete. He agreed that the ing. On the advice of township
submitted to the township estate company. November bid process. He sug- board members could reject all attorney Rob Young, the special
through the Moving the Mitten The property was professional- gested that LaPorte and Myers be offers and keep the land but that meeting to discuss the bids was
real estate agency. The accept- ly appraised twice at values of instructed to put their bids in a the offers from LaPorte and Myers set Dec. 19. During that meeting,
ance, during a special meeting $75,000 and $78,000 respectively. sealed envelope and submit them were 80 and 86-percent of the trustees accepted the bid from
Dec. 19, followed several months LaPorte submitted an offer in to township hall where they could appraised value, respectively. Myers.
of discussion and debate regard- November of $60,000 while Myers be opened during a public meet- “With inflation and everything LaPorte did not submit a final
ing the value of the property. submitted a bid of $55,000, ing. He also objected to the bid going on, we should take the offer for consideration.
During the Dec. 13 meeting, the explaining that his bid was low- prices offered, noting that the two money and run. Our goal was to The board members also
board members discussed an ered as one acre of the property appraisals, for which the town- sell. I say, go with the $65,000 and approved the sale last month of a
offer of $60,000 from LaPorte and was unusable. ship paid, were higher than either call it a day,” advised Trustee Tim 14.62 acre parcel on Martinsville
a “best and final offer” from Trustee Peggy Morgan told the bid submitted. Rush. He made a formal motion to Road. The trustees accepted an
Myers presented as “$5,000 above board members that the bidding “We sold the medical center accept the $65,000 Myers' offer offer of $95,000 from Clifton and
the best offer, not to exceed process was “confusing” and that and it's still there collecting dust,” which failed due to a tie vote of Heidi Whitehouse for the land
$67,500.” she was not in favor of the sale. Oddy told the trustees. the board members. LaPorte which had been appraised at
During year-long discussion She suggested the township keep Treasurer Bart Patterson dis- recused himself to avoid any con- $100,000 with a $5,000 real estate
regarding the sale of the property, the land until a more attractive agreed. He said he felt these were flict-of-interest implications while fee added. The purchase price
adjacent property owner Corey bid and use for the site might valid offers and that real estate Morgan, Oddy and Clerk Esther was estimated at $95 percent of
Blue protested the manner in arise. values had changed since last Hurst cast no votes. Rush, the appraised value, trustees said.
District classrooms to begin ALICE emergency drills

Students in the Wayne Westland will practice the classroom ALICE drill
Community Schools will be participating after being instructed by their teachers,
in safety drills beginning this month. in the same way they practice fire and
In a letter to parents, Superintendent tornado drills.
of Schools John Dignan explained that The staff and students will be notified
the district staff members have been when an ALICE drill will begin and
trained in ALICE (Alert/Lockdown/ teachers will instruct students to quietly
Inform/Counter/Evacuate) procedures listen to the adult(s) in the classroom or
which are implemented in the event of the announcements.
unauthorized individuals entering any During the drills, teachers will
school building. In January, he said, stu- remind students that there will be
dents would begin to transition from the options depending on the situation.
traditional shelter-in-place lockdown Students will practice barricading and
drills to ALICE drills. evacuating during each drill.
“ALICE training will equip our stu- “As with all of our drills, there will be
dents with knowledge of what they can an emphasis on listening to the adult(s)
do in an emergency. they are with so that students can react
“It will also demonstrate how to be appropriately,” Dignan continued.
aware of their surroundings, explain “We are providing this information in
their options, and reinforce that adults advance to strengthen your understand-
will support them,” Dignan said in his ing of what we share with students and
letter to parents. allow you to have conversations at Superintendent of Wayne Westland Community Schools John Dignan told parents
As part of the new protocols, students home,” the letter concluded. recently that all district classrooms would begin ALICE emergency safety drills.