Page 6 - eagle021722

PAGE 6 ASSOCIATED NEWSPAPERS OF MICHIGAN February 17, 2022

INKSTER - SUMPTER
INKSTER - SUMPTER

Inkster dedicates sign to 80s ‘Funkateers’ group

A raging blizzard and freezing tempera-
tures didn't impact the warm welcome
received by The Funkateers in Inkster ear-
lier this month.
The official sign welcoming motorists to
the community now includes the designa-
tion as Home of the Funkateers which
members of the 80s dance group helped
dedicate during the snowstorm two weeks
ago.
Three members of the original dance
group, Michael Kelly, Ed Miller and Tony
Warren were on hand at the official dedica-
tion of the sign. The Funkateers are noted
for changing the landscape of dance in the
1980s from their first appearance at an
Inkster High School talent show.
After the talent show, the group was
immediately booked to perform their Three members of the 80s Funkateers group were on hand for the dedication of an Inkster city sign honoring their achievements.
unique dance style at a hall in Detroit and
collected their first paycheck for their base. One original member of the group, The three said they wanted to express
dancing routines. “It was beautiful to have a dance that we De'Amon “Cricket” Ellerson, has died and their gratitude to Inkster officials for
“It was so amazing that we made $500 at made up, and it was the same dance as our two others, Tony Lacey and Jeffery Healey adding them to the city welcoming sign,
19 years of age. And he (the booking agent) group name,” said Miller. “The Funkateer were unavailable for the official dedication particularly Mayor Patrick Wimberley for
said he wanted to manage us, so that start- was just a different dance, leg movements, of the sign. leading the effort to recognize them.
ed the ascent right there,” Kelly said. The all this stuff like that.” “We were always told we were ahead of “It feels so good. I can't even describe it
group subsequently made multiple appear- “It was kind of like a culture that our time,” Warren said. “We brought a in words, to just be immortalized. We're so
ances on Detroit television and on other evolved right here from Inkster,” said unique style, and we paved a lane that was- honored, so humbled, so unbelievably
dance shows and developed a large fan Warren. n't there before we got there.” blessed,” Kelly said.
Path Trustees OK added employee for clerk’s office

FROM PAGE 1 Members of the Sumpter Township requested employee. provide some help. He added, however,
Board of Trustees approved the posting of Board members differed in their that there was not an election every year
want to,” he said. a clerical job in the clerk's office by a 5-1 assessment and opinions regarding the and that in the past, the clerk had utilized
Trustee Matt Oddy inquired if the pro- vote during the Feb. 8 meeting. assignment of both payroll and payables employees from other departments during
posed trail would involve Van Buren The approval came after extensive dis- along with election experience and assis- elections.
Township and the City of Belleville. cussion of the exact duties of the proposed tance to the clerk as part of the position. “I do whatever it takes to make it hap-
“The suggested pathway shows going employee and the hours of work neces- During the extensive discussion of the pen,” Hurst responded. “I don't want to
up there so I just wondered,” he said. sary to provide the relief needed in situation, Deputy Clerk Anthony Burdick put this off.” She suggested that the issue
LaPorte said there was an email Township Clerk Esther Hurst's office. explained the current staffing situation of the return of the full-time employee to
address created to answer questions. He Hurst told the board members that she felt noting that there is an election looming work could be dealt with when and if it
said the account has been turned over to she was being “held hostage” in the cur- and that there are matters that must be happened but that her office needed
the DPW to monitor and manage and that rent situation with one full-time employee attended to in a timely manner. Burdick immediate relief from the workload.
the email address would be posted on the off on long-term disability leave and also explained the increased need for The trustees approved the posting that
city web page. upcoming election duties responsibilities. staffing as the contract with ADP to handle Hurst requested for an employee to han-
“This is conceptual. The county did not “My staff is overworked,” she said, township payroll has taken more in-house dle “responsibilities of payroll/accounts
want to go any further without us approv- explaining that she did not want to put the employee time rather than the fewer payable clerk/election specialist and
ing the ideology of it tonight,” he said. hiring of help in her department off any hours anticipated. clerk's office assistant reporting to the
The motion to accept the concept was longer. The issue was tabled at the last Trustee Matt Oddy acknowledged the clerk's office.”
approved by a 5-1 vote with Supervisor meeting of the board when Hurst was staffing situation in Hurst's department Trustee Peggy Morgan cast the lone dis-
Tim Bowman excused and Trustee Peggy excused. Trustees said at that meeting and during the last meeting urged board senting vote. Supervisor Tim Bowman was
Morgan casting the no vote. they wanted her input on the duties of the members to hire a temporary employee to excused from the meeting.