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June 11, 2015
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W
AYNE
- W
ESTLAND
Consultant named interim Wayne City Manager
Free health screenings offered
Westland City Council members
have adopted a balanced 2015-16
fiscal year budget of $60,306,109
with no increase in millage rates
and a budget that projected a
budget surplus of more than $5
million.
The budget includes the hiring
of three new firefighters while the
contentious contract extension for
Wayne-Westland Fire Chief
Michael Reddy, Jr. was tabled.
The budget surplus reflects 9
percent of general fund expendi-
tures, inching closer to the recom-
mended range of 15-20 percent,
said Mayor William Wild. The
multi-year balanced budget with
financial forecasting for the next
four years includes a positive fund
balance of more than $5million for
eachof those years.
Taxable valuations of property
within the city have increased 1.65
percent, Wild said, which will
result in $460,000 innewrevenue.
Wild had previously told coun-
cil members in a study session that
the hiring of the firefighters was
financially dependent on the
extension of Reddy's contract. He
stated that the savings from having
an outside contractor chief serving
two communities would provide
the necessary revenue to hire fire-
fighters if the city did not receive a
federal SAFER grant. He said the
current arrangement saves
Westland $207,000 annually.
Reddy is paid $64,000 annually
from Westland and $50,000 from
Wayne for the job which includes
no employee benefits. Reddy does
receive health care as part of his
retirement package fromWestland.
His current contract with the two
communities will expire in 2017
and the proposed extension would
have that agreement end in 2020,
adding three years to his contract.
A proposed $15,000 annual raise
was eliminated from the contract
after concerns were raised by the
firefighters union and some coun-
cilmembers.
Revenues for the city are antici-
pated to increase to about 2 per-
cent more than the current fiscal
year budget due to a projected
increase in new home permits and
additional rental revenue is also
expectedwith a full year operation
of Tattan Park, the Farmer's
Marketplace, city hall banquet
rooms and the Jefferson Barns
building rentals. Another source of
revenue included in the budget
projections is the sale of a cellular
tower expected to generate
$650,000 and the restructuring of
rescue run fees from the fire
department that is anticipated to
generate an additional $280,000 in
revenue,Wild said.
He added that the city had been
forced to lower the number of fire-
fighters and police officers to bal-
ance the budget. He said the city
needed to be careful not to fall
back into deficit spending.
“We figured out how to add four
police officers, which is one per
shift,” Wild said. “There is a sort of
fairness in adding three firefight-
ers, which is one per shift.”
Key expenditures in the 2015-16
General Fund Budget include ren-
ovations to the police department
and ice arena, new ice arena
equipment, the purchase of a fire
rescue vehicle, and a new tree
truck and chipper for use in the
department of public service and
$1 million for local road improve-
ments.
Wild said that the unfunded
pension liability facing the city,
members of the council approved
an additional $500,000 contribution
into the MERS pension plan for
general employees. Council mem-
bers also agreed to finance $50,000
for refurbishment of city parks, he
said.
“For the past nine years, city
council has been proactive in
working with my administration.
We have tightened the belt when
needed yet we have also worked to
address essential capital improve-
ments, remain mindful of legacy
costs, and most importantly, to con-
tinue providing high quality
municipal services,” Wild said.
“The city has a stable bond rating,
continued investment and rein-
vestment by the private sector, ris-
ing property values and a modest
fund balance or 'rainy day' fund,”
Wild continued.
“City council deserves credit for
never losing sight of our fiduciary
responsibilities and that Westland
residents, taxpayers and business
owners reside in Westland for the
quality of life and excellent service
we strive to provide each and
every day,” concludedWild.
In amove that apparently sur-
prised some members of the city
council, a contract for an interim
city manager was approved last
week.
Lisa Nocerini of the Nocerini
Strategy Group, currently under
contract with the city for special-
ized services, was appointed to
fill the vacancy created when
David Murphy left Wayne to
become the city manager in
Farmington last month.
Interviews for five of the 15 can-
didates who have expressed an
interest in the job were sched-
uled for last Saturdaymorning.
The proposal to name
Nocerini was approved with
council members Susan Rowe
and Al Damitio casting no votes.
Rowe said she had some specific
problems with the manner in
which the appointment was han-
dled.
“We're voting on a contract
with a interim city manager.
How and when was it authorized
for this to be drawn up?” said
Rowe. “My problem is with the
process. There should have been
a council meeting to sit and dis-
cuss this before it is on the agen-
da with a contract attached. I
never received information on
that.”
Mayor James Hawley
responded that phone messages
had been left for Rowe at all the
telephone numbers he had for
her. He said he did not receive
any return call. Rowe disputed
his contention and said she did
not receive anymessages.
Four council members, John
Rhaesa, David James, Anthony
Miller and Skip Monit, were in
favor of the contract with
Nocerini who will be paid
through her consulting firm at
the current rate of $4,000 per
month. The four expressed their
confidence in her work during
the meeting, proposed her
appointment and supported the
motion to name her as interim
citymanager.
Rowe and Damitio supported
the appointment of Police Chief
AlanMaciag as interimmanager,
a post he had filled prior to the
hiring of Murphy and made a
motion to make that appoint-
ment official.
“We've had the chief fill in in
the past. He can step up to the
plate. He has the experience and
knowledge to work with the staff
and department heads,” said
Rowe.
Rhaesa,
pushing
for
Nocerini's appointment, said he
felt Maciag would to a great job
but that he was overburdened as
the chief. He added that
Nocerini also had the experi-
ence as she had been in several
meetings including those regard-
ing a proposal to privatize the
community center. He asked
Rowe and Damitio to withdraw
themotion to nameMaciag.
When they refused, the
motion to appoint Maciag was
defeated by a 4-2 vote, the same
four council members voting to
approve the appointment of
Nocerini.
Nocerini said that she was
willing to step in to help the city.
She said she was asked if as part
of her consultancy contract she
would fill in as city manager
while other candidates were
interviewed.
City council deserves credit for never losing
sight of our fiduciary responsibilities...
”
Westland adopts balanced $60 million budget
The City of Wayne Senior Services and
Oakwood Healthcare will offer free heart
health screening from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Wednesday, June 24. Evaluation of blood
pressure, cholesterol, Glucose and stroke
risk assessment will be offered. No fasting
is necessary.
Results will be available during the
event. Patients must be 18 years of age or
older.
No appointment is necessary. The
screenings will take place at the Wayne
Community Center, 4635 Howe Road in
Wayne.
