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May 6 – 12, 2021 NEWS YOU CAN USE, NEWS YOU CAN TRUST 75¢

No. 18 www .associatednewspapers.net

THE BELLEVILLE Canton establishes police oversight subcommittee
ENTERPRISE
ENTERPRISE
Julie Brown
Vol. 136, No. 18 Special Writer
Members of the Sumpter
Board of Trustees are facing A newly formed group will
a $3 million decision after oversee the Canton Police
being told it could cost Department.
$27,500 to replace the doors “How do you essentially
at township hall. police the police? It comes
See page 3. down to legitimacy. You need
public trust,” said Chad Baugh,
Canton director of police serv-
THE CANTON ices during the regular meeting
EAGLE of the board of trustees last
EAGLE
week.
Vol. 74, No. 18 To that end, he said, the
Canton Police Department in
The B.L.O.C.K. Youth &
Teen Center, the Canton cen- collaboration with the Canton
Coalition
Inclusive
for
ter for tweens and teens ages Communities (CCIC) has devel-
11 to 17, is celebrating the oped a new initiative called the
20th anniversary this year.
Police Transparency and voice as it relates to police who will provide annual step in strengthening our
Guidance Subcommittee. This service,” said Baugh. “As we reports with possible recom- police and community partner-
See page 7.
group will operate as a sub- deploy some of the best police mendations to the police chief. ship,” said Township
committee out of the CCIC, and officers in our state, we are at These reports and recommen- Supervisor Anne Marie
THE INKSTER be tasked with examining the same time increasing our dations will be reviewed with Graham-Hudak. “The new
LEDGER STAR police misconduct investiga- transparency and developing the township supervisor and committee will not replace any
LEDGER STAR
board of trustees, and the chief
another mechanism to find
tions, with an emphasis on
of the current policy processes
Vol. 74, No. 18 complaints regarding use of solutions and build a stronger will address any strategic pro- we have in place, but instead
force, false arrest and com- bond with our citizens,” Baugh gramming needs to meet the increase transparency and
New reports indicate that
State Representative Jewell plaints alleging racial profiling added. service expectations of the commitment to our residents,”
The committee will be citi-
added.
or bias-based policing.
Graham-Hudak
Canton community.
Jones (D-Inkster) and a “This committee will help zen-led, consisting of five “We are proud to say that
woman passenger both were express a community-driven diverse members of the CCIC Canton is taking a proactive See Police, page 7
partially undressed when
police approached his Sumpter Township Fire Chief contract terminated by trustees
crashed SUV.
See page 6.
Members of the Sumpter ing earlier, which Armatis
Township Board of Trustees ter- ” opted to have in public,
THE NORTHVILLE minated the contract of Fire Januszyk commented that
EAGLE
EAGLE Chief Joe Januszyk during the You documented “someone knew about this for
April 27 meeting.
14 months and sat on it. They
Vol. 210, No. 18 Township Supervisor Tim somebody committing are as guilty as she is.”
Andrew Krenz was offi- Bowman made the motion for At the hearing last week,
cially sworn into office April the termination based on con- payroll fraud. however, Januszyk explained
27 as the newest member of cerns regarding Januszyk's job That oversight that he had been on a fire call
the Northville City Council. performance during the past 14 was your responsibility. for the previous 8 1/2 hours and
See page 8. months and comments the chief had not eaten which, he said,
made during a hearing two for a diabetic results. like him-
weeks ago concerning the per- self, in low blood sugar and
THE PLYMOUTH formance of fire department makes one “loopy.” He said that
EAGLE
EAGLE employee Colleen Armatis. he now understood from Luke
Januszyk, like Armatis, opted for
that the person who brought the
Vol. 21, No. 18 a public hearing regarding any had been fraudulently complet- complaint forward had not
disciplinary action. The board ing time cards and taking double been keeping it confidential for
More than 3,000 individu-
als received the COVID-19 voted to terminate Januszyk pay for time she was doing any length of time and that he Chief Joe Januszyk
had misunderstood the situa-
administrative work at township
with Trustee Peggy Morgan and
vaccine at the Plymouth Treasurer Jim Clark casting the hall and then being called out tion. department.
Cultural Center in March two no votes. The termination on fire calls. “I have no problem with that “You made comments at the
and April, according to city was specified as “without Union regulations require person. I assumed it was 14 meeting that the person who
records. cause” allowing Januszyk seven that an employee being paid months. I have no problem with came forward was just as guilty
See page 8.
days notice and then 30 days full hourly deduct those hours from the whistleblower,” Januszyk as she (Armatis) was. Those are
pay. that pay scale when called to a told the board members. your words. For 14 months you
THE ROMULUS During the public discussion, fire and be paid for the call, not Bowman, however, remained had oversight and put your
ROMAN Januszyk said he understood collect both the hourly and the unconvinced. name on the payroll reports. You
ROMAN
“I do not think you were
Vol. 136, No. 18 that the issue was comments he per call fee. Armatis was on the doing your job for the last 14 documented somebody commit-
made about the whistleblower
ting payroll fraud. That over-
union negotiating team which
The man who posted a during the Armatis hearing. In agreed to that new contract pro- months,” he said. sight was your responsibility,”
Snapchat video of his dead that instance, a protected source cedure. Armatis was terminated His opinion was seconded by LaPorte said.
father's corpse and called had informed Public Safety by the board members by the Trustee Don LaPorte, a long-
911 in Romulus to report the Director Eric Luke that Armatis same 5-2 vote. During that hear- time supporter of the fire See Chief, page 2
fatal shooting has been
released on bond. See page 6. 4 electric vehicle charging stations planned in Westland

Drivers can now get a charge well as the city Mission: Green
in Westland. initiative, members of the com-
THE WAYNE Four level 2 electric vehicle munity expressed the desire for
EAGLE charging stations will be a practical plan to replace car-
EAGLE
Vol. 74, No. 18 installed on city-owned proper- bon-based fuel consumption.
Proposed locations for the
ty for public use following
More than 130 volunteers approval of a contract with new charging stations include
participated in the April 24 Greenspot by members of the Westland City Hall, the
Clean Up Day in Wayne. city council during the April 5 Westland Public Library and the
Rotary Club members who meeting. Friendship Senior Center.
helped organized the event Greenspot, an award-winning Initial installation locations are
sent a special note of gratitude leader in electric vehicle charg- subject to change, officials cau-
to those who helped collect ing station development, instal- tioned.
trash from around the city. lation and management, based Under this new agreement,
See page 4. out of Jersey City, NJ. has been Greenspot will install, own and
developing e-Mobility Hubs in maintain the four charging sta-
cities and private developments tions and will engage DTE
THE WESTLAND throughout the United States directly to install independent
EAGLE and Internationally since 2014, meters for electric usage at each
EAGLE

Vol. 74, No. 18 according to the company web- site location. Greenspot will be
site.
responsible for all costs.
Westland police have a The contract is among efforts “In addition to being a no-
new partner in efforts to pro- outlined in the 2017 Westland cost initiative for the city,
vide stronger, more immedi- Master Plan, which identified Westland will also receive 5 per-
ate resources to victims of advancing green practices as cent of the annual revenues gen-
domestic violence. one of the primary goals for the
See page 5. future. Along with that goal, as See Stations, page 5

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