No. 11
NEWS YOU CAN USE, NEWS YOU CAN TRUST
75¢
March 12 – 18, 2015
w w w . a s s o c i a t e d n e w s p a p e r s . n e t
Members of the Wayne
Rotary Club went back to
school last month as they dis-
tributeddictionaries to third-
grade students at Roosevelt,
Taft-Galloway, Hoover, St.
Joseph, St. Michael and St.
Mary schools.
See page 4.
The Romulus Public
Library has some special
programs available during
the month of March, accord-
ing to Library Director Patty
Braden.
See page 5.
Plymouth Township will
spend $219,275 to upgrade
the financial management
software at the administra-
tion building, approved by a
6-1 vote of the board of
trustees.
See page 2.
One of the rites of spring
is about to begin at Maybury
Farm in Northville with the
annual Maple Syrup Tours
which will continue through
March 29.
See page 2
.
Mac Butler, 17, of
Belleville officially signed
his letter of intent to play
soccer with Tiffin University
in Ohio Feb. 4 during nation-
al signing day.
See page 3.
Vol. 130, No. 11
Vol. 68, No. 11
Vol. 68, No. 11
Vol. 15, No. 11
Vol. 130, No. 11
Vol. 68, No. 11
Vol. 68, No. 11
For home delivery of The Eagle call 734-467-1900.
Debra Peck has been
appointed as the newbudget
director for the City of
Westland by Mayor William
Wild who said she has a
wealth of financial experi-
ence.
See page 4.
Registration for 2015
Canton Leisure Services
summer camp programs will
begin in person and online
Saturday, March 14, at the
Camp Fair at the Summit on
thePark.
See page 3.
Vol. 15, No. 11
A jury deliberated for
only three hours last
Thursday before finding two
men charged with the execu-
tion-style death of a 2-year-
old Inkster child guilty on all
counts.
See page 5.
In an “Administration Update” last
month, Plymouth City Manager Paul
Sincock targeted the Plymouth Township
Police Department dispatch operation as
“…having a difficult time in processing calls
for service in a timelymanner.”
His critical assessment was addressed to
members of the Northville Plymouth Fire
Advisory Board, made up of elected and
appointed officials from Northville and
Plymouth. The board was established to
oversee the current Plymouth and
Northville joint fire department following
the 2010 dissolution of the Plymouth
Community Fire Department which includ-
edboth the city and township of Plymouth.
Dispatch of critical emergency calls for
police and fire services in the City of
Plymouth is still handled by Plymouth
Townshipdispatchoperations.
In his memo, Sincock said an Inter-City-
County Management Association (ICMA)
report showed the response to 911 calls in
the City of Plymouth was taking nearly two
minutes before on-call firefighters were
actually dispatched, which exceeds national
standards set by the National Fire
Protection Association. ICMA is a
Washington D.C. based think-tank manage-
ment association that specializes in consult-
ing in public safety and performance meas-
urement.
Plymouth Township Police Chief Tom
Tiderington said he takes exception to
Sincock's claim that there is any delay or
problem with the current dispatch opera-
tion.
He saidhe is proud of the performance of
the dispatch center and his 11 full-time civil-
ian employees who are Police Service Aides
(PSAs) and his communications supervisor,
Lt. JohnBrothers.
Brothers said 99 percent of the thousands
of emergent calls the department processes
are dispatched within seconds by radio,
computer and tone-out on pagers, He said
he prepares a monthly report in which
”
Don't drive a wedge where
a wedge isn't needed.
Emergency dispatch times criticized by official
Whistle blower lawsuit continues in Van Buren
Circuit Court Judge David Allen last
week denied Van Buren Township attor-
neys' motion for a stay of proceedings and
a motion to adjourn in a Whistleblower
lawsuit filed by Fire Captain Anthony
Karver.
The township attorneys indicated they
will also be filing an appeal of Allen's earli-
er denial of amotion to dismiss the case.
Allen adjourned the Case Evaluation
from March 17 to sometime in May and
discovery timewas extended toApril 30.
The Whistleblower lawsuit was filed
against Van Buren Township on behalf of
Karver who alleges that he was fired last
March after threatening to publicize the
misconduct of Van Buren Township Police
Lt. Kenneth Floro, the highest paid town-
ship employee. Floro was paid $214,579.66
by the township last year,
Attorney Richard G. Convertino, who
represents Karver, called Floro's wages
“bloated andunjustifiable.”
In his lawsuit, Karver claims he was
fired March 10, 2014 because he threat-
ened to report Floro's misconduct on the
job. He alleges that Floro, who was being
paid $96,247.31 as a police lieutenant and
another $71,049.49 in wages at a time-and-
a-half blended rate from the fire depart-
ment, repeatedly left his on-duty shifts at
the fire station for hours at a time for per-
sonal business. Floro also received an
additional $48,282.95 in benefits, according
to figures Convertino cited.
Karver claims he informed both Fire
Chief Daniel Besson and Public Safety
Director Gregory Laurain that he had
proof that Floro continually and regularly
left the fire station, in his personal vehicle,
for several hours on a regular basis,
despite being warned that he was being
derelict in his duties and putting the safety
of township residents at risk.
The lawsuit, which also names Besson,
Supervisor Linda Combs, Laurain and
Fire Department Battalion Chief/Fire
Marshall DavidMcInally, claims that Floro
was paid a “blended rate” or the hourly
See
Times,
page 2
Fight For Air
Teams compete to earn
funds for lung association
While not many fear being in need of a
firefighter at the top of a 70-story building,
if the situation occurs, Canton firefighter
Maureen Stoecklein will probably get
there first.
Stoecklein, carrying 70 pounds of turn
out gear, finished the Fight For Air climb
organized by the American Lung
Association, faster than any other woman
participating last Sunday.
Stoecklein was a member of the eight-
man team from Canton Township who
entered the Firefighters Challenge portion
of the event which is timed and recorded.
Also participating in the event which
drew hundreds of participants, was a local
team from Romulus who fought their way
up all 1,035 stairs at the Detroit
Renaissance Center to finish the event
which was a fundraiser for the national
charity.
Some ran, many walked and the Canton
firefighters, in full turn out gear, fought
their way to the top of the building. To par-
ticipate, every climber was required to pay
a $100 entry fee, which went directly to
American Lung Association efforts to pro-
mote the fight against chronic lung disease.
Many of the teams also collected pledges
for donations fromsupporters.
The team from Romulus climbed in
support of their friend and coworker
Linda McNeil. Three of the Romulus team
members work withMcNeil at the city and
were joined by McNeil's brother and three
friends. McNeil had finished the climb the
past two years but was unable to partici-
pate this year as she is battling cancer.
McNeil was able to meet each of her sup-
port team at the finish of the climb where
she presented them with their completion
medals.
“Although I was unable to do the climb
this year it was truly heartwarming that
family, friends and co-workers decided to
do the climb in my honor. Keep in mind
that some of them had never done the
climb before and
had little to no
training for it.
Even more heart-
warming was the
fact that I was
allowed to present
my team with their
medals as they
crossed the finish
line. It is my hope
to be in remission
next year and that I
will be able to par-
ticipate in the
climb with my
team,” McNeil
said.
Merrie Druyor has participated in the
climb with McNeil since they started two
years ago.
“It's been amazing to see how our team
and support has grown every year. Our
motto is 'RomTown Strong' and even
though we did the climb in Linda's honor
this year, it's important to know that we are
fighting for all of thosewith lung issues; my
own grandfather battled with emphysema,
so I climb for himaswell,”Druyor said.
The Canton team participated in the
Firefighter Challenge division of the event
for the first time this year. The firefighters
raised $2,415 for the American Lung
Association, and Stoecklein earned first
place among all female firefighters with
her recorded time of 13.49 minutes.
Stoecklein was also 33rd among all finish-
ers in the race. The average time for all the
Canton teammemberswas 24minutes.
Romulus Mayor LeRoy Burcroff
expressed his gratitude to the team from
his community.
“I'm proud of our employees for all they
do to support one another, and our commu-
nity. This event was just onemore example
of the compassion and dedication that
comes fromour team.”
The Canton team said they are looking
forward to next year when they plan to
improve both their finishing times and
contribution amounts.
To donate to the American Lung
Association visit
The Canton Township firefighter Fight For Air team included, back row, left to right,
Duane Lowe, Nick Lombardi, Maureen Stoecklein, Chris Stoecklein and Kevin
Henderson. In the bottom row, from left, are Ryan Molina, Jim Henderson and Brian
Switzer.
Members of the Romulus Fight For Air team included, back row
from left, Dawn Denison, Merrie Druyor, Ron Witten, Linda McNeil,
Joanne Jensen and Paulette Matlock, In the front row are Robert
McCraight and Larry Lindenmuth.
See
Lawsuit,
page 3
”
The township claims that Karver
was terminated based on his failure
to pass the Fire Inspector II test.
Don Howard
Staff Writer
