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No. 17
NEWS YOU CAN USE, NEWS YOU CAN TRUST
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April 24 – 30, 2014
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 City
Council have eliminated three
positions with the combined
Wayne
Westland
Fire
Department.
See page 2.
One of Romulus Mayor
LeRoy D. Burcroff's goals of
expanding the proactive
Neighborhood Watch pro-
grams throughout the city is
underway.
See page 3.
The 5th Annual Michigan
Philharmonic Travel Group
Cruise will be to majestic
Alaska fromAug. 4-16 and tick-
ets are now on sale for the 5th
Annual CruiseRaffle.
See page 4.
Fire Chief Jim Allen who
leads the department that
serves the City of Northville
and the City of Plymouth is
stepping down this summer
after ahalf century of service.
See page 5.
Russell Dore will speak
about BillyDurant, the historic
founder of General Motors
beginning at 1 p.m. April 30 at
the September Days Senior
Center.
See page 4.
Vol. 129, No. 17
Vol. 67, No. 17
Vol. 67, No. 17
Vol. 14, No. 17
Vol. 129, No. 17
Vol. 67, No. 17
Vol. 67, No. 17
For home delivery of The Eagle call 734-467-1900.
Westland launched a new
city website April 7 which
includes a crime map to keep
residents informed of criminal
activity in their neighborhood.
See page 2.
Volunteers can help make a
difference in their community
this Saturday from 8 a.m. until
5 p.m. to help provide repairs
to needy seniors' homes in
Canton.
See page 4.
Vol. 14, No. 17
A court hearing scheduled for
next month will determine
whether Plymouth Township offi-
cials have been violating a consent
agreement with a local developer
formore than a decade andwhat, if
any, the financial consequences
shouldbe.
Deborah Whyman, a Canton
attorney, spoke to the members of
the Plymouth Township Board of
Trustees during their regularmeet-
ing last week about the upcoming
court hearing before Circuit Court
Judge Brian Sullivan. Whyman, a
member of Citizens for
Accountable Government, a watch-
dog group interested in “govern-
ment accountability, advocating for
the taxpayer and exposing
instances of government excess,”
told the board members that the
lawsuit alleges the township has
acted in bad faith and requests
financial sanctions.
“Those sanctionswill impact the
taxpayers,” she said. “This lawsuit
runs the risk of costing the taxpay-
ers hundreds of thousands of dol-
lars.”
The legal action was taken on
behalf of Plymouth/Haggerty
Associates, LLC, the owner of
Plymouth Towne Center on Ann
Arbor Road, west of Haggerty
Road. Current tenants in the devel-
opment include CVS drug store,
Grand Traverse Pie Co., a Leo's
Coney Island and an Xfinity store.
One of the largest tenants in the
development was to have been LA
Fitness, but 11 years after signing a
consent agreement, township offi-
cials have failed to approve the LA
Fitness plans, according to court
filings.
Whyman suggested to the board
members during their meeting last
week that this was a concern to her
group because it appears “a pri-
vately-funded fitness facility may
be obstructed in order tomake way
This lawsuit runs the risk of costing
the taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars.
”
See
Lawsuit,
page 4
Watchdog group cautions Plymouth Township
State Rep. David Knezek
(D-Dearborn Heights) recently
introduced legislation that
would prevent retroactive
water charges.
See page 2.
Romulus, Taylor and Wayne-Westland
schools will each receive state funding to
help with expenses in absorbing students
fromthe former Inkster School District.
The newly enacted state supplemental
appropriation bill includes roughly $1M
each for the Taylor and Romulus school dis-
tricts, as well as $500,000 for the Wayne-
Westlanddistrict
The bill, House Bill 4295-now Public Act
(PA) 116 of 2014- officially became law when
it was filed with the Secretary of State last
week. The State of Michigan dissolved the
Inkster School District last year, sending stu-
dents to four surrounding school districts:
Taylor, Romulus, Wayne-Westland and
Westwood. In addition to students, Wayne-
Westland, Romulus and Taylor schools
received buildings formerly owned by the
Inkster School District, many of which were
in states of severe disrepair.
According to StateRep. Douglas Geiss, (D-
Taylor) who introduced and supported the
legislation, one Inkster building received by
the Taylor schools had a tree growing out of
the roof.
“The Taylor andRomulus School Districts
openly welcomed the new students they
received from Inkster and have gone above
and beyond in efforts to make these students
feel comfortable in their new places of edu-
cation,” saidGeiss, “However, the acquisition
of vacant buildings in severe disrepair from
Inkster placed an unreasonable and unde-
served financial burden upon surrounding
districts. Costs associated with the receipt of
buildings such as these must never be
allowed to divert funds away from a school
district's primary mission of educating stu-
dents.”
Geiss had repeatedly shared the plight of
his local school districts with his colleagues
in Lansing since the Inkster schools were
dissolved in July of last year, seeking to miti-
gate any negative effects experienced by stu-
dents, parents, and surrounding communi-
ties.
“Since last summer I have worked to help
my colleagues in both parties to understand
the situation inTaylor andRomulus after the
Inkster schools' dissolution, and most all
agreed that neighboring communities should
not be left holding the bill if a school district
is dissolved. I am pleased that we were able
to work together and find a solution that will
help the schools in my community recoup
the unforeseen maintenance costs they have
incurred. This appropriation guarantees that
students from Taylor, Romulus, and Inkster
will be able to focus on their educations
without shouldering an additional financial
burden for which they are not responsible.”
Geiss concluded.
A disbarred Van Buren
Township attorney was expected
to appear for arraignment in
Wayne County Circuit Court his
week on charges he took more
than $11million fromclients.
Thomas White, 46, is charged
in two separate cases with a total
of 20 felony offenses. One case,
filed last September, alleges that
White committed five felonies
against a Belleville widow and
her late husband. In that case,
according to by theWayne County
Prosecutor's office, White was
hired by the senior citizens in
2006 to resolve a dispute regard-
ing a land contract. When the
issue was resolved about a year
later, prosecutors allege that
White did not inform the clients
of the settlement, forged the
woman's signature on a check for
more than $70,000 and used the
money personally.
In that case, White faces one
count of uttering and publishing,
one count of larceny by conver-
sion of an amount over $20,000,
one count of embezzling $20,000
or more and two counts of identi-
ty theft. If convicted, White faces
a maximum 34 years in prison on
these charges.
In the second case, White is
accused of one count of conduct-
ing a criminal enterprise, 15
counts of embezzlement, two
counts of identity theft, one count
eachof larceny by conversion and
uttering andpublishing.
The Michigan Attorney
Discipline Board disbarred
White last July, after the first
charges surfaced, and ordered
him to pay $333,605 in restitution.
White filed for bankruptcy the
day after the ruling.
Since then, many more clients
have come forward to complain
about White's conduct, according
to published reports.
Wayne County Assistant
Prosecutor Daniel J. Williams
told several other victims who
appeared at White's preliminary
court examination on some
charges in 34thDistrict Court ear-
lier thismonth that they would be
allowed to speak at White's trial,
should one be scheduled and, if
he is found guilty, at his sentenc-
ing hearing.
White was represented at the
district court preliminary exami-
nation by Michael Vincent who
asked Chief Judge Tina Brooks-
Green to waive the probably
cause hearings. Green granted
the request and continued
White's personal recognizance
bond.
Canton Township will once
again focus a week-long spotlight
on the arts and culture during the
4th annual Canton Acts of Culture
Week. This special week, present-
ed by the Canton Commission for
Culture, Arts and Heritage, will
begin on Saturday, April 26 and
continue through Saturday, May 3,
at various community locations.
Some of the many goals of
Canton's Acts of Culture Week,
which is sponsored Meijer of
Canton and Atchinson Ford,
include showcasing community
cultural resources and partner-
ships and celebrating diverse cul-
ture offerings.
In celebration of the arts, a vari-
ety of events have beenplanned by
the Canton Commission for
Culture, Arts, and Heritage,
including:
The Michigan Philharmonic
performance featuring composer
and narrator Andre Myers. This is
a festive concert that will enter-
tain, and educate the entire family
planned for 7:30 p.m. May 3 at The
Village Theater at Cherry Hill.
Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for
seniors and $5 for youth and can
be purchased online at
www.michiganphil.org or by
phone by contacting the Michigan
Philharmonic at (734) 451-2112.
“Beauty BeyondNature,” a free
glassworks and photography exhi-
State funds go to districts with Inkster students
Disbarred attorney faces multiple felony charges
Canton begins annual Acts of Culture week events
Reason to smile
Liz Ramsey, left, of Plymouth is all
smiles after she accepted the keys
to her new 2014 Cadillac from Brian
Caspersen, general manager at Don
Massey Cadillac of Plymouth. Beth
Stewart, executive director of the
Michigan Philharmonic also had rea-
son to smile. All those who purchas-
es season tickets to the Michigan
Philharmonic concerts were entered
into a drawing to win the 2-year
lease and Ramsey was the lucky
winner. Ramsey and her husband,
Bill, right, said they would be arriving
at the concerts this year in style.
Photo by Dave Willett
See
Week,
page 4