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April 10, 2014
R
OMULUS
New ‘host’ agreement will bring cash to city
Former detectives sentenced to serve probation
A new agreement with the
Environmental Quality (EQ)
Company in Romulus will bring in
thousands of dollars of additional
revenue to the city.
Council members voted last
week to enter into a new Host
Community Agreement with the
company that will allow it to han-
dle non-hazardous materials at its
facility off VanBornRoad.
“It's a whole new look to an
opportunity for our community,”
saidMayor LeroyBurcroff.
The company sought permis-
sion to handle non-hazardous
materials at its Rail Transfer
Facility (RTF) in Romulus, trans-
ferring the material from incom-
ing rail cars to trucks that would
then take thematerials to either of
its sites in Detroit or Van Buren
Township. The facility has trans-
ferred hazardous materials that
way since 1998, but the transfer of
non-hazardous materials requires
additional approvals fromboth the
city and fromWayneCounty.
“It's not something we can cur-
rently do,” said Kerry Durnen,
project representative forEQ.
The non-hazardous waste could
be anything from soil or river sedi-
ment from environmental
cleanups, debris from building
demolition sites or dirt contami-
nated with bug or weed spray. The
facility will not handle trash, said
Durnen, who added that was
spelled out in thehost agreement.
The type of hazardous waste
handled by the facility before
included soil and debris from
brownfield redevelopment sites
and other types of industrial clean
ups. That waste is transferred safe-
ly from rail to truck, then shipped
to eitherDetroit where it is treated
or VanBuren Townshipwhere it is
treated and dumped in a special-
ized land fill.
Durnen said the request to han-
dle non-hazardous waste was due
to customer demand. EQ has
expanded geographically, he said,
employing 1,200 workers at 28
locations across the country,
including 424 in Wayne County
and 25 in Romulus. The agree-
ment will allow customers to take
advantage of cheaper rail-shipping
rates, he said.
In exchange, EQ will pay the
City of Romulus a flat up front fee
of $50,000 that will be earmarked
for community projects. The city
will also receive $.25 for every ton
of material transferred at the facil-
ity, which could bring in as much
as $25,000 annually.
“Environmental remediation
projects are difficult to predict,”
he said. “You never know which
ones are going to occur, and which
year, and exactly how many tons
they're going to generate but we
think in a good year it'll be 100,000
tons.”
Burcroff said the funds would
be deposited in a special fund,
where they would be used to pay
for community enhancements at
parks or for other special projects
the city otherwise wouldn't be able
to fund.
“They're not just going into the
general fund and add to the fund
balance,” he said. “ I think there
are a lot of great benefits the city
can pick up on by using those
funds. It's going to allow us to do
great things in the community.”
The host agreement also spells
out a change in the truck routes.
Now, trucks leave the facility, trav-
el along Van Born Road to Wayne
Road and access the freeway from
there-a route that takes them in
front of Romulus High School. The
new agreement stipulates that the
trucks will take Van Born to
Merriman, instead, and access I-94
that way.
“It's a win-win situation,” said
Council President JohnBarden.
Wayne County Circuit Court
Judge Michael Hathaway sentenced
two former Romulus Police
Detectives to terms of probation last
week.
Former Romulus Police detec-
tives Larry Droege and Jeremy
Channells were among seven indi-
viduals charged following an investi-
gation into corruption in the
Romulus PoliceDepartment.
A separate jury found Sandra St.
Andre, the wife of former police
chief Michael St. Andre, guilty of
conspiring in a criminal enterprise,
receiving and concealing stolen
property and filing false income tax
returns Jan. 27. She was sentenced
to 7-20 years in prison and is expect-
ed to be required to make restitu-
tion.
Channells will serve 3 years pro-
bation after being found guilty of two
counts of misconduct in office and
neglect of duty by a juryMarch 14.
Droege was sentenced to 18
months probation for misconduct in
office and neglect of duty after being
convictedby the same jury.
Bothwere sentencedMarch 31.
The charges stemmed from a 3-
year investigation into corruption in
the Romulus Police Department by
the FBI, the Michigan State Police
and the office of the Wayne County
Prosecutor.
Prosecutors allege that former
chief St. Andre directed an investiga-
tion into violations of Michigan
Liquor Control Commission laws
regarding prostitution and narcotics
trafficking at bars in Romulus and
Southgate. No results of the investi-
gation were submitted to the Wayne
CountyProsecutor'sOffice.
The former chief and detectives
were accused of engaging in solicita-
tion of prostitutes for personal grati-
fication, embezzlement of City of
Romulus funds, filing false police
reports, neglect of duty and miscon-
duct in office. St. Andre is also
accused of filing false income tax
returns.
St. Andre and three other detec-
tives, Richard Allan Balzer, Richard
Bruce Landry and Donald Ralph
Hopkins are scheduled for trial
beginning July 7 in Wayne County
Circuit Court.
‘Eggs’tra special
Egg hunt, breakfast planned
Sweet treat
Both kindergarten classes at Wick Elementary were treated to a pancake breakfast
sponsored by the Romulus Board of Education and Chartwells Food Services recent-
ly. All smiles after preparing and serving the meal are (left to right) back row, Wick prin-
cipal ShaVonna Johnson, Interim School Superintendent Marjie McAnally, Food
Service Director Kathy Norred and school board memberThomas Kuderick. A few of
the kindergarten students enjoying their meal are, front row (left to right) John Hill, Asia
Wilson, Aubrey Smith, Madisyn Franklin, Taha Kandji and Annie Anderson.
Children 12 and younger are invited to
participate in the annual Easter Egg Hunt at
noon Saturday, April 12, outside Romulus
WesleyanChurch, 37300GoddardRoad.
The event is free and is presented by the
Romulus Downtown Development Authority
(DDA), the Pumpkin Festival Committee and
RomulusWesleyanChurch.
Children will be divided into four age cat-
egories to hunt for Easter eggs containing
prizes: 3 and younger; 4- and 5-year-olds; 6 to
8; and 9 to 12. There will be lots of prizes, so
participants should arrive early to register.
The Easter Bunny will be present. Photos
with the Easter Bunny will be $2 each. All
proceeds benefit the Romulus Pumpkin
Festival and the community.
A pancake breakfast served by Romulus
Boy Scout Troop 872 will take place prior to
the Easter Egg Hunt from 9 to 11:30 a.m.
Saturday, April 12, at the Romulus
Progressive Club Hall, just across the street
from Romulus Wesleyan Church at Five
Points.
For more information, to volunteer to
help or to provide sponsorship with the
Easter EggHunt, please call (734) 955-4531 or
(734) 941-1511.
Special guest
As a part of the celebration of March as Reading Month, Senator Hoon-Yung
Hopgood recently stopped by Wick Elementary to read to both classes of third
graders. Hopgood also donated the hardcover book "A Pirate's Quest" to the Wick
library during his visit. Dressed as their favorite storybook characters are, from left,
Autumn Turner, Wick principal ShaVonna Johnson Elisah Searcy, Teodor Timoficiuc
and Hopgood.
100th Birthday to be celebrated
Lee Jackson will celebrate his 100th
birthday this Saturdaywith a special din-
ner at 6 p.m. at the Coleman Community
Center, 35351BeverlyRoad inRomulus.
Jackson was born in Kirnwood, MO
April 6, 1914.
Hemoved toDetroit in 1944 towork at
Great Lakes Steel where he was
employeduntil he retired in 1976.
Among those on hand to help Jackson
celebrate will be his granddaughter,
FannieGreer of Texas.