Attorneys for Plymouth Township were
in court again last week in an effort to
appeal a ruling that returned the 323-acre,
$16millionDeHoCo property to the City of
Detroit.
In February, Wayne County Circuit
Court Chief Judge Robert Columbo Jr.
ruled that the land should be returned to
the City of Detroit as the legal owner and
that theWayneCounty tax foreclosure sale
of the land to Plymouth Township was
improper.
During a brief motion hearing before
Colombo on Friday, City of Detroit Deputy
Corporate Counsel Chuck Raimi told the
court the city had no basis to contest the
township appeal, but felt township attor-
neys improperly filed for the appeal by not
waiting until a final ruling.
Colombo was obviously agitated when
Plymouth Township General Counsel
Kevin Bennett insisted on arguing about
Columbo's February ruling. Colombo told
Bennett, “according to law the case has to
be final before it goes to the court of
appeals.” He allowed a one week exten-
sion for Bennett to file a response to the
City of Detroit motion for summary dispo-
sition. The issue will be back before
Colombo onMay 22.
“I could rule today, Mr. Bennett,”
Colombowarned.
“I respectfully disagree with the court's
ruling,”Bennett toldColombo.
Bennett claimed he was unaware that
his predecessor, township attorney
Timothy Cronin, had filed a claim against
the City of Detroit bankruptcy filing. The
claim would have returned $144,000 in
back taxes to the township in the event the
city won the bankruptcy case and retained
title to the disputed land.
“I guess I'm not going to be able to
change yourmind.”Bennett pressed on.
Colombo continued, “I'm not happy
with your performance-you think you're
doing a good job…?
Raimi described the situation as an
arcane issue.
“The case has to be final before you go
to the court of appeals; Bennett didn't
know,” Raimi said. “The case (the appeal)
is frivolous,” he added.
A
SSOCIATED
N
EWSPAPERS OF
M
ICHIGAN
P
AGE
2
May 14, 2015
N
ORTHVILLE
- P
LYMOUTH
Farm Fest
Maybury Farm offers special attractions
Student radio station auction is set for this Saturday
Township procedure in land decision appeal irks judge
A special day of activities is planned
during Farm Fest at Maybury Farm from
10 a.m. until 4 p.m. this Saturday, May 16.
Featured attractions include the new
baby animals, hayrides, games, garden
planting and watching the sheep and lla-
mas receive their annual haircuts. There
are many other activities planned, accord-
ing to Jessica Striegle, director of the
Northville Community Foundation which
oversees the operation of the interactive,
working farm that provides educational
opportunities to the public.
Striegle said that Farm Fest is the
favorite event at Maybury because it is the
kick-off to summer.
“There is just so much to see and
enjoy,” she said. “We've got lots of fun
activities and demos planned including a
building workshop with the Home Depot,
planting container gardens to take home
with the Country Garden Club, sheep and
llama shearing demos, a food workshop
with Taste: A Cook's Place, and a scav-
enger hunt for kids, and adults, too.”
Those who complete the scavenger
hunt will be entered in a drawing to win
four admission tickets to the Ann Arbor
HandsOnMuseum.
The events begin at 10 a.m. and aHome
Depot building workshop will begin. The
sheep shearing and ferrier demonstra-
tions will continue until noon while a chil-
dren's story time is scheduled for 11 a.m.
From 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. the Country
Garden Club of Northville will help chil-
dren with a free gardening activity that
they can take home. Llama shearing will
begin at noon and food demonstrations
with Mary Spencer from Taste: A Cook's
Placewill begin at 1 p.m.
There will be a second story time for
children at 2 p.m. while the other activi-
ties continue.
Striegle said that families can pack a
lunchandmake a day of it.
Admission is $4 per person and chil-
dren younger than 3 are admitted at no
cost. Maybury Farm members get $1 off
per admission. All events, other than
hayrides and refreshments are included
with the admission fee.
Sponsors of Farm Fest include
Community Financial Credit Union,
Meijer, Blackwell Ford, and Aisin World
Corp.
Maybury Farm is operated by the
Northville Community Foundation, a
501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The farm
is open to the public from 10 a.m. until 2
p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and from
10 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Saturdays and
Sundays, weather permitting. The farm is
located at 50165 Eight Mile Road in
Northville, 1-1/4 mile west of Beck Road,
1/2 mile west of Maybury State Park.
Enter at the Maybury Farm sign, do not
enter the State Park. Parking is free at
Maybury Farm. For more information,
visit
-
tion.org
or
/
maybury.farm.
Students from 88.1 The Park,
the district-owned radio station in
the Plymouth-Canton schools will
host the annual radio auction from
9 a.m. until 8 p.m. this Saturday,
May 16.
The Park will broadcast the
auction and listeners will be able
to call in and bid on items donated
by local businesses, with new
items available every half hour.
Items this year include aMackinac
Island Grand Hotel Gold Outing,
autographed memorabilia, restau-
rant gift cards and services from
many local businesses.
The auction generated $13,000
to help fund the radio station oper-
ations last year and this year the
students have set a $15,000 goal,
according to Station Manager Bill
Keith.
“We want to thank everyone
that has supported us over the
years. The auction has become
such a big part of our fundraising.
This is our biggest fundraiser and
we couldn't do it without the gen-
erous support of local businesses
and our listeners,”Keith said.
He added that there is still time
for businesses and residents to
donate items to help support the
station, which has been operating
for 43 years.
One alumni of the station is
Todd Chatman, who graduated
from Plymouth-Salem in 1983 and
is now the director of radio mar-
keting forFood for thePoor.
“WSDP set the course for my
gratifying 30 plus year career in
broadcasting. The practical,
hands-on experience I received
gave me an advantage in landing
my first paid radio job. Even if
your career goals don't include
broadcasting or media, the skills
you'll craft and WSDP will benefit
you the rest of your life. And it's
just a whole lot of fun, too,”
Chatman said.
Keith said the station is looking
for local businesses willing to dis-
play a poster to help publicize the
auction, along with half-hour spon-
sors and anyonewishing to donate.
Those interested can call (734) 416-
7732 or email bill.keith@
pccsk12.com.
Don Howard
Staff Writer
CITY OF ROMULUS
BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS
NOTICE OF A PUBLIC HEARING
D&G Building - Temporary Parking Lot - Northline/Harrison
Notice is hereby given that the City of Romulus will hold a public hearing at
7:00
p.m. on Wednesday, June 3, 2015
for the purpose of considering a request for
BZA-2015-009; D&G Building
for a temporary parking lot. The public hearing
will be held at the Romulus City Hall Council Chambers, 11111 Wayne Road,
Romulus MI 48174-1485.
The Board of Zoning Appeals has set the public hearing to consider a temporary use
request in accordance with the City of Romulus Zoning Ordinance as follows:
1.
Temporary Use
(Section 22.03(e)) to allow a temporary parking lot during the
construction of a building addition for Aerostar Manufacturing.
The subject property is located at the southeast corner of Northline and Harrison. DP
#80-097-99-0004-704. The property is zoned M-1, Light Industrial District. Copies
of the application are available for review at City Hall during regular business hours
(8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.)
All interested parties are encouraged to attend and will be given an opportunity to
comment on said request. Written comments may be submitted until 4:00 p.m., June
3, 2015 and should be addressed to Carol Maise, City Planner, Planning Department,
11111 Wayne Road, Romulus, MI 48174-1485.
Ellen Craig-Bragg, City Clerk
City of Romulus, Michigan
Publish: May 14, 2015
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