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A $5 per hour increase in fees prompted
members of the Wayne Westland
Community Schools Board of Education to
consider newprimary legal representation.
Members of the board refused to
approve the designated list of attorneys dur-
ing the organizationalmeeting lastmonth.
Trustee Sally Madison expressed her
concern regarding an hourly rate increase
by the Clark Hill legal firm. The rate was
increased from $225 to $230 per hour effec-
tive Jan. 1, and the boardwas notified of the
increase bymail in June.
Attorneys from Clark Hill said in the let-
ter that the firm had not raised school rates
since January of 2009 and “we believe it is
appropriate to modestly increase our rates
for the 2014-2015 school year.” The attor-
neys also noted that the current rates
include steep discounts from the standard
rates of the firms, amounting to 35 to 50 per-
cent. They noted that this $230 an hour rate
is further discounted by $10 from the usual
rates the firm charges schools, “Because
our firm services the district's financing
needs.”
Clark Hill is one of four legal firms uti-
lized by the district which also used Lusk
andAlterson, Thrun andKelley-Cawthorne.
Clark Hill has served as general counsel for
the district since 2012, replacing Lusk and
Albertson, the firm that had served in the
general counsel capacity for more than two
decades.
All three of the other firms contacted by
the district administration confirmed that
there would be no rate increase this year,
apparently prompting Madison's concern.
Board Vice-President Frederick Weaver
called the rate increase “unconscionable.”
The school district paid Clark Hill
$109,517 in the 2012-2013 school year and
$99,308 in 2013-2014.
Kelley Cawthorne, which handled gov-
ernmental and legislative affairs for the dis-
trict was paid $32,000 for each of the past
two years; Thurn was paid only $200 for
work on elections in 2012-2013; Lusk and
Albertson, the firm that handles matters
dealing with special education, student dis-
cipline and board policy, was paid $7,656 in
2012-2013 and $5,857 in 2013-2014.
Superintendent of Schools Michele
Harmalawas asked to bring a newproposal
for designated legal representation to the
board members this month after Madison,
Weaver, Melandie Hines and Treasurer
ShawnaWalker voted no on approval of the
proposed list.
Weaver suggested that the general coun-
sel duties be transferred to the Lusk and
Albertson firm.
“They have served us well in the past,”
he said.
A
SSOCIATED
N
EWSPAPERS OF
M
ICHIGAN
P
AGE
4
February 12, 2015
PLANNING COMMISSION
CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF CANTON
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF CANTON, WAYNE
COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to Michigan Public Act 110 of 2006, of the State of Michigan, as amended, and pur-
suant to the Zoning Ordinance of the Charter Township of Canton that the Planning Commission of the Charter Township of
Canton will hold a Public Hearing on Monday, March 2, 2015, in the
First Floor Meeting Room of the Canton Township
Administration Building, 1150 S. Canton Center Road at 7:00 p.m.
on the following proposed amendment to the Zoning
Ordinance:
ANTIOCH SENIOR HOUSING PLANNED DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT (PDD) -(PRELIMINARY PLAN)-
CONSIDER
REQUEST TO ESTABLISH A PDD AS PERMITTED IN SECTION 27.04 OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE ON PART OF
PARCEL NOS. 108 99 0001 706. Property is located north of Michigan Avenue and east of Sheldon Road.
Written comments addressed to the Planning Commission should be received at the Canton Township Administration Building,
1150 Canton Center S. prior to Thursday, February 26, 2015 in order to be included in the materials submitted for review.
SEE ATTACHED MAP
Greg Greene, Chairman
Publish: Newspaper-
February 12, 2015
EC021215-1065 2.5 x 8.562
PLANNING COMMISSION
CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF CANTON
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF CANTON, WAYNE
COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN pursuant to Michigan Public Act 110 of 2006, of the State of Michigan, as amended, and pur-
suant to the Zoning Ordinance of the Charter Township of Canton that the Planning Commission of the Charter Township of
Canton will hold a Public Hearing on Monday, March 2, 2015, in the
First Floor Meeting Room of the Canton Township
Administration Building, 1150 S. Canton Center Road at 7:00 p.m.
on the following proposed amendment to the Zoning
Ordinance:
WESTBURY ESTATES PLANNED DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT (PDD) -(FINAL PLAN)
- CONSIDER REQUEST TO
ESTABLISH A PDD AS PERMITTED IN SECTION 27.04 OF THE ZONING ORDINANCE INCLUSIVE OF PARCEL
NO(S). 017 99 0001 713 AND 017 99 0001 723. Property is located south of Joy Road and west of Beck Road.
Written comments addressed to the Planning Commission should be received at the Canton Township Administration Building,
1150 Canton Center S. prior to Thursday, February 26, 2015 in order to be included in the materials submitted for review.
SEE ATTACHED MAP
Greg Greene, Chairman
Publish: Newspaper-
February 12, 2015
EC021215-1068 2.5 x 8.494
CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF CANTON
NOTICE TO PUBLIC
BOARD OF REVIEWAPPOINTMENTS
Notice is hereby given by the undersigned, Terry G. Bennett, Clerk of the Charter Township of Canton, County of Wayne, State
of Michigan to all residents of the Charter Township of Canton: that all persons protesting their assessment must complete peti-
tions prior to appearing before the Board. A personal appearance is not required. All petitions must be received in the Assessor's
office by March 12, 2015 at 12:00 p.m.
The Board of Review will be held in the Canton Township Hall on the first floor, at 1150 S. Canton Center Road. Entry into the
building can be accessed through the front doors of Township Hall. Please come prepared, as an eight (8) minute limit before
the Board will be strictly adhered to.
The following is the schedule for March Board of Review.
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Organizational Meeting - 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
(No Appointments)
Monday, March 9, 2015
Hearings from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
(Appointments Only)
Tuesday, March 10, 2015
Hearings from 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
(Appointments Only)
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Hearings from 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
(Appointments Only)
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Hearings from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
(Appointments Only)
Please be advised that on Tuesday March 10 after 4:30 p.m. and Wednesday, March 11 after 4:30 p.m. entry to the building can
only be accessed through the front entrance of the Township Hall.
If you have any questions regarding the March Board of Review, you may call Jamie Rohraff, Secretary to the Board of Review
(734) 394-5111.
TERRY G. BENNETT, CLERK
Charter Township of Canton Township
EC021215-1068 2.5 x 4.413
CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF CANTON
ACCESS TO PUBLIC MEETINGS
The Charter Township of Canton will provide necessary, reasonable auxiliary aids and services to individuals with disabilities at
the meeting/hearing upon a two week notice to the Charter Township of Canton. These services include signers for the hearing
impaired and audio tapes of printed materials being considered at the meeting. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary
aids or services should contact the Charter Township of Canton by writing or calling the following:
Gwyn Belcher, ADA Coordinator
Charter Township of Canton, 1150 S. Canton Center Road
Canton, MI 48188
(734) 394-5260
Published: February 12, 2015
EC021215-1062 2.5 x 1.557
CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF CANTON
INVITATION TO BID
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Charter Township of Canton, 1150 Canton Center S, Canton, Michigan will accept
sealed bids at the Office of the Clerk up to 3:00 p.m. Thursday, February 26, 2015 for the following:
BUS TRANSPORTATION SERVICES
Bids may be picked up at the Finance and Budget Department, on our website at www.canton-mi.org, or you may contact Mike
Sheppard at: 734/394-5225. All bids must be submitted in a sealed envelope clearly marked with the proposal name, company
name, address and telephone number and date and time of bid opening. The Township reserves the right to accept or reject any
or all proposals. The Township does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age or disability
in employment or the provision of services.
TERRY G. BENNETT, CLERK
Publish 2/12/2015
EC021215-1058 2.5 x 2.062
W
AYNE
- W
ESTLAND
Wayne budget deficit grows by $150,000
Rate hike prompts review of district legal firm
Despite the continued and
ongoing discussion and efforts of
members of the city council to
cut expenses, the budget deficit
Wayne has grown by more than
$150,000.
The budget deficit, cited at
$500,000 after numerous staffing
and expense reductions now
stands at about $656,000, accord-
ing to Tim McCurley of Plante
Moran, an outside auditing firm
hired to help city officials bal-
ance the budget.
McCurley, a former finance
director in both the City ofWayne
and Westland, told the council
members that they had based
their budget projections on the
approval of a Public Act 345 mill-
age which did not happen.
Without the $1.85 that millage
would have generated, the city
had revenue of $14.8 million and
approved $16.7 in spending.
The cuts and reductions coun-
cil members have already
approved, such as $100,000 in the
city manager and police depart-
ment, helped offset some of the
deficit as did an additional
$40,000 inEMS runs and an addi-
tional $110,000 in tax revenue,
McCurley explained during a
council study session last week.
Cuts to staffing in the fire
department resulted in overtime
costs for the 12 remaining fire-
fighters, now doing the job of the
former staff of 16. McCurley told
the council members that the
provisions in the union contract
has a five-firefighter minimum
manning
provision-which
accounted for the overtime costs.
“Twelve firefighters are not
enough to cover sick days, vaca-
tions and days off,” he told coun-
cilmembers.
McCurley told the officials
that without a finance director
and other key managers it would
be difficult to analyze the cost of
overtime as compared to hiring
more staff because legacy costs
and other benefits need to be fac-
tored into the comparisons.
McCurley also noted that
while there was a savings in the
police department budget with
some staff reductions, the court
fines and fees received by the
citywere also reduced.
“You're down four officers
fromthe budget,”McCurley said.
McCurley also suggested that
the utility costs at the community
center did not decrease as the
entire facilitywas not closed.
He added that finding funding
to cover deficit spending on a
one-time basis does not address
the basic deficits in the budget.
He said that he would continue
to work on the budget analysis to
determine what could be done to
reduce expenses in the city.
“It takes time. It will help you
with next year,” he told the coun-
cilmembers.