assets from $1 million to $40 million. In
1989, the board established the Margaret
Dunning Scholarship Fund to honor her
contributions toPlymouth.
She was awarded a full scholarship to
the University of Michigan when she was
80 and said she would return to study
business.
Mrs. Dunning was also famous across
the country for her love of antique and
collectable automobiles and was a regu-
lar driver at theWoodwardDreamCruise
and the Michigan Concours d'Elegance.
Her ability to care for her automobiles
including changing the oil and spark
plugs was admired and envied by many
classic automotive experts.
She exhibited her perfectly restored
1930 Packard 740 Roadster in auto shows
across the country including the
California Concours d'Elegance where
she chattedwithEdsel Ford II andHenry
Ford III about her recollections of Henry
Ford, who was a neighbor of her family
during her childhood.
State Rep. Kurt Heise lamented the
passage of Mrs.Dunning and said her loss
is one that will be deeply felt by the
Plymouth community and many in
SoutheastMichigan.
“Margaret Dunning was an institution
all herself,” said Heise, R-Plymouth
Township. “Even before coming to
Plymouth, I knewher name andwhat she
meant to the people in our town. She is
irreplaceable, and she will be missed by
all who knewher.”
Heise said he often looked to Ms.
Dunning as an example on how to be a
better public servant.
“She never stopped listening, helping,
contributing,” Heise said, “To call her a
model citizen would be a gross under-
statement. She embodied the spirit, inde-
pendence, determination and productivi-
ty of the Plymouth community. Even with
her passing, her zest for life lives on with
the countless on whom she had a pro-
found impact, includingmyself. I amhon-
ored tohave knownher.”
Ms. Dunning was also remembered by
former Plymouth Crier newspaper pub-
lisherW. EdWendover.
“Margaret Dunningwas one of a kind,”
he said.
“I'm thankful to have learned so much
from her while we served on the credit
union board for many years and I
enjoyedher friendship,” he said.
“One of Plymouth, Michigan's finest
moments was when our group went to
Plymouth, England for the swearing in of
the new Lord Mayor of Plymouth. There
was a formal dinner, silver settings, Royal
Marine Band playing for the 400-500 folks
in theGuildHall…
“Margaret held sway during the din-
ner with two members of Parliament, the
Lord Mayor, publisher of the Plymouth,
England newspaper and others about the
economic relations between US/Britain,
etc. She was the belle of the ball.”
Wendover said.
Final arrangements for Ms. Dunning
have been entrusted to the Schrader-
Howell Funeral Home, 280 S. Main St. in
Plymouth but were not available at press
time.
A
SSOCIATED
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EWSPAPERS OF
M
ICHIGAN
P
AGE
6
May 21, 2015
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ORTHVILLE
- P
LYMOUTH
City of Northville to request road millage
Public funds for ‘invitation only’ party prompts questions
Voters in the City of Northville
will have an extra issue on the
Aug. 4 primary ballot.
Last week, members of the city
council unanimously approved
ballot language requesting a 2.25
mill levy dedicated to repair and
improve streets, drainage and
sidewalks in the city. If approved
by voters, the cost to the average
homeowner in Northville will be
about $270 per year, based on a
home assessed at $120,000 or with
a market value of about $240,000.
The question was prompted, in
part, officials said by voters' rejec-
tion earlier this month of the
state proposal increasing the
sales tax to repair all state roads
andbridges.
Northville residents currently
pay a millage approved by voters
in 1997 for streets, drainage and
sidewalk improvements and
maintenance. This dedicated
millage is expected to bring in
$584,000 in 2017. Plans are to use
$368,000 of that revenue to
improve streets, drainage and
sidewalks while $25,000 will be
used for the annual crack sealing
program. Another $35,000 is ear-
marked for the sidewalk repair
and replacement program and
$156,000 will be spent for local
and major street maintenance
and operations.
The current estimate for need-
ed street improvements is
$1,337,000, which would be fund-
ed by revenue from the 2.25 mills
on the August ballot, if voters
approve the tax. The ballot lan-
guage reads: “Shall the limitation
on the amount of taxes which
may be imposed on taxable prop-
erty in the City of Northville,
Counties of Wayne and Oakland,
Michigan be increased by 2.25
mills ($2.25 per thousand dollars
of taxable value) for a period of
fifteen (15) years, 2016 through
2030, as newadditional millage in
excess of the limitation imposed
by Michigan Compiled Laws sec-
tion 211.34d, to partially restore
City Charter millage authoriza-
tion previously approved by the
electors as reduced by operation
of the Headlee amendment, to
provide funds for general operat-
ing purposes? It is estimated that
2.25 mills would raise approxi-
mately $753,000 when first levied
in 2016.”
Letters sent to businesses in
Plymouth Township earlier this
month soliciting donations for
the annual Fourth of July picnic,
fireworks and private party have
prompted questions from resi-
dents about the propriety of
using township funds to pay for
what has become an invitation-
only celebration, separate from
the public event.
Treasurer Ron Edwards
spearheads and organizes the
celebration which includes a
public fireworks display and pic-
nic along with a far more
upscale celebration open only to
contributors and invited guests.
The solicitation letters
request that donors make their
checks payable to Plymouth
Township, suggesting that the
contributions are public funds.
If so, residents are asking,
why is the private party hosted
by Edwards restricted to invited-
only guests? This year, it is esti-
mated that about 700 guests will
be invited to the pre-fireworks
display event at the Hilltop Golf
Course clubhouse on July 3,
where beer, wine and food will
be served.
The solicitation letter and
invitation list obtained from
Plymouth Township through a
Freedom of Information Act
(FOIA) request detailed poten-
tial donors, referred to as
“prominent citizens or corpora-
tions” and set the minimum con-
tribution level for the holiday
fireworks party at $1,000. One
township official called the party
“the hottest ticket in town.”
According to the letter, the
designated Silver sponsors who
donate $1,000 will receive six
VIP passes for the pre-show
party, premium parking and
seating. Gold designated donors
who contribute $3,000 will
receive 20 passes and those who
donate $5,000 and are named as
Platinum donors will receive 36
passes.
The instructions are clear in
the letter, directing donors to
make checks payable to Charter
Township of Plymouth. The let-
ter ends with a typewritten,
“Sincerely, Board of Trustees.”
Rich Robinson, executive
director of the Michigan
Campaign Finance Network in
Lansing said he was “stumped,”
when asked about the impropri-
ety or legality of using of public
funds to finance a private party.
“You're talking about an appreci-
ation party?...”I'm stumped,”
Robinson said in a telephone
interview on Monday. “That's a
really interesting question.”
Auditors from Plante Moran
have previously stated that the
annual township picnic and fire-
works is a township event,
adding that donations can be
earmarked for that purpose, but
if the township solicits and col-
lects funds for the event the con-
tributions are under the same
restrictions as all other public
funds, which would indicate that
the pre-fireworks party should
be open to the public. Township
attorney Kevin Bennett did not
return calls seeking comment on
the question.
Trustee BobDoroshewitz said
he agrees with the auditor that
the event is an official township
celebration. Doroshewitz and his
family members were actively
involved as volunteers with the
event before he resigned from
any and all duties connected
with the celebration following a
disagreement with Edwards
regarding accounting proce-
dures. “It's my understanding
from Plante Moran that this is a
township event,” Doroshewitz
confirmed in a recent phone
interview.
Perturbed long-time township
resident Sue Socca said she
thought $1,000 donor limit for the
fireworks party was “too high”
and felt that regardless of the
amount of money contributed,
the party should be open to all
donors.
“If you donate money, you
should be invited. Period,” Socca
said.
Critics claim that contribu-
tions to the event are integral to
doing business with the town-
ship.
One source close to the situa-
tion but leery of reprisals said
that Edwards failed to renew the
contract for the maintenance of
the police vehicles from an
established local auto dealership
and moved the work to a com-
petitor who donates to the fire-
works event. Another informed
local businessman and contribu-
tor who also wished to remain
anonymous for fear of retribu-
tion said that this was sympto-
matic of the manner in which
business is often done in the
township.
Documentation from the 4th
of July event last year indicates
that Edwards collected $65,000
for the event and that $40,000
was spent on the fireworks dis-
play inMcClumphaPark.
Bill Carter, 75, has lived in the
township for 25 years and said
he's “trying to be objective”
about the treasurer's private 4th
of July party.
“Donating to the picnic is one
thing, but to receive favors for
your donation is a whole differ-
ent story,” Carter said.
“You're bordering on
favoritism, I don't think there
should be a party for the
donors... all the money collected
should go to the community.”
Dunning
FROM PAGE 1
Don Howard
Staff Writer
