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EWSPAPERS OF
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ICHIGAN
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AGE
2
February 12, 2015
Recall group continues
petition signature drive
N
ORTHVILLE
- P
LYMOUTH
While Sandra Groth, a former
Plymouth Township deputy clerk and
township trustee candidate in 2012,
declined to disclose exactly howmany sig-
natures the Recall 4 group has currently
obtained on petitions, she doesn't hesitate
to repeat the comments she and others
haveheard fromtownship residents.
The group, comprising local homeown-
ers and business people, was organized
last October and is targeting Township
Supervisor Richard Reaume, Treasurer
Ron Edwards, Clerk Nancy Conzelman
and Trustee Kay Arnold for recall from
office.
The group said there were a myriad of
reasons the four should be removed from
office, but themost serious is the spending
priorities exhibited by the officials which,
the recall group contends, is not in the
best interest of the majority of residents.
The group cites the push by officials to
spend $1.9million on township park facili-
ties despite the public outcry and protests.
Recall supporters are critical of the
spending without offering residents the
opportunity to vote and point to this as
one example of the way citizens were not
being heard or respected.
Volunteers attempting to collect the
4,000 signatures required by Wayne
County on each recall petition have now
reachedmore than 100, Groth said. Recall
signs nowdot the township and volunteers
sport black buttons with the letters, Recall
4 on their purses and coat collars. The
groupmembers have set up neighborhood
petition signing stations and have been
working long hours to collect the required
signatures, she added.
Groth said many of the interviewed
residents have expressed concerns about
the overall financial stability of the town-
ship while others are more than willing to
give credit to some of the elected officials
for “…helping us get towherewe are.”
“But they don't seem as willing to just
accept what they are being told…they rec-
ognize there are real concerns with priori-
ties, investigations from the Department
of Justice, audit problems, citizen com-
plaints, lawsuits and the way that citizens
are treated by elected officials who are
paid to assist themandprovide a service.
Groth described the work as “a reward-
ing process” and said the group welcomes
help from all registered voters in the
township.
The group will bemanning signing sta-
tions at Denny's Restaurant on Ann Arbor
Road from 4-7 p.m. Feb. 14, 15, 21 and, 28
andMarch 7. Theywill also be available at
E.G. Nicks from noon until 5 p.m. Feb. 15
andFeb. 21.
of an outside financial firm to investigate
the financial claimof the township regard-
ing retirement liabilities.
After the dissolution of the joint com-
munity department, the City of Plymouth
partnered with the City of Northville to
provide services through an on-call fire
service. Township officials laid off more
than one-third of the department firefight-
ers and closed the fire station in the Lake
Pointe area. The township rehired some
full-time professional firefighters through
the use of a federal grant, limited to a two-
year period. This is the same federal fund-
ing rejected by Township Supervisor
Richard Reaume two years ago when the
layoffswereunderway.
Aging equipment, including dilapidat-
ed fire trucks which broke down on the
way to emergencies are in dire need of
replacement, according to officials. Two
new ambulances have been ordered and
are scheduled for delivery this month and
outdated and worn protective gear for
firefighters has been replaced. Two-way
radios have been brought up to the new
standards, allowing the firefighters, allow-
ing firefighters to communicate at the
scene of a blaze, a feature the outdated
equipment could no longer provide,
according to fire officials.
The city of Plymouth, with a population
of 9,022, currently has 15 officers, who
answered 8,957 calls in 2013. According to
city records, calls for service to the police
department have continued to rise steadi-
ly during the past seven years while
staffing has remained constant for the past
decade.
Plymouth Township, with a population
of 28,045, is served by 31 police officers,
according to literature produced by the
township.
he said. He said the weapon was a very
sharp fish knife usually kept in a drawer
wrapped in paper towels. He said he was
able to force the door closed, thwarting
the attack.
Plymouth Township Police Det. Brian
Rupard also testified during the hearing.
He said that texts between Sikorski and
Rivera from 12:09 through 12:23 a.m.
included a diagram of the neck and
instructions to make sure the victims
stoppedbreathing.
The brother's screams awoke the fami-
ly who immediately called police. Sikorski
and Rivera were arrested at his Detroit
home that morning, only hours after the
attempts on the two children.
Sikorski is being tried as an adult,
something her parents have protested,
claiming she was a victim of Rivera. They
also claim to have filed sexual predator
charges against him in attempts to break
up the relationship, something prosecu-
tors allegemay have provided amotive.
Bothare being heldwithout bond.
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Special tribute
The baseball team at Northville High Schools will bring the traveling Vietnam Wall
to the school grounds to celebrate Armed Forces Day, May 16. The traveling
exhibit, scheduled to be in Northville May 13-17, provides thousands of veterans
who have been unable to cope with the prospect of facing The Wall to find the
strength and courage to do so within their own communities, allowing the healing
process to begin, according to organizers of the exhibit. Monetary donations are
greatly needed to continue to fund this program, according to a flyer from the
school. Checks can be made payable to Northville High School Baseball with
Freedom Center on the memo line of the check. For more information, call Bill
Flohr at (248) 761-9694 or email info@precisionbaseballone.com