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June 18 – 24, 2020 NEWS YOU CAN USE, NEWS YOU CAN TRUST 75¢

No. 25 www .associatednewspapers.net

THE BELLEVILLE Sumpter trustees OK lawsuit against treasurer
ENTERPRISE
ENTERPRISE
Members of the Sumpter
Vol. 135, No. 25 Township Board of Trustees ” who agreed with his research
that the treasurer has a statuto-
A new 1,000-gallon approved the preparation of Nobody is authorized but the treasurer ry duty to accept and process
pumper fire truck was legal action against current or someone directly supervised by the treasurer the payments.
recently delivered to Treasurer Kenneth Bednark at Bednark and his deputy
Sumpter Township and is a special meeting last week. to process these payments. insisted that the mail should go
now ready to serve safety The lawsuit requires to the clerk's office or the office
needs in the community. Bednark, or the township of the finance director to be
See page 3. deputy treasurer, to immediate- for months, according to mem- During the special meeting opened and or processed,
ly process and deposit pay- bers of the board. June 10 called specifically to Young said this was a violation
THE CANTON ments made to the township for Reportedly, Bednark has not discuss the situation, township of state statutes and contrary to
EAGLE water and sewer services or for been at his township hall office attorney Robert Young advised acceptable financial practices.
EAGLE
He said the township auditor
tax bills. The payments have
for several weeks, even prior to
the board members that the dis-
Vol. 73, No. 25 been accumulating for several the Coronavirus outbreak, and pute about the processing of the would not find this practice
weeks without action trustees has not attended multiple payments had not substantially acceptable and it could impact
Several hundred explained during the meeting board meetings, before and improved since he was first the validity of the upcoming
marchers of all ages and eth- and residents have called ask- since the pandemic, while still consulted about the conflict in township audit.
nicities have joined in the ing why their checks have not collecting his salary. In previous July of 2019. Young reminded Young told the board that it
ongoing marches throughout yet been cashed. Bednark and emails to the members of the the board members that he pre- is not acceptable for the finance
Canton Township in protest his deputy have refused to open board he has stated that the viously provided his own legal director or the clerk preparing
of racial injustice. the mail, any envelopes issue is lack of personnel and opinion regarding the statutory the invoices to then process the
See page 2 dropped in the box in front of that the “treasurer's office is not duties of the treasurer and had payments. He said such a pro-
township hall or any payments the water department's mail- consulted with the Michigan
hand delivered to township hall room.” Townships Association attorney See Lawsuit, page 3
THE INKSTER
LEDGER STAR
LEDGER STAR Sidewalk

Vol. 73, No. 25
Inkster officials have repair plan
urged residents to take
advantage of the upcoming
Household Hazardous Waste is delayed
Collection set for Aug. 8 this
year. There was no lack of par-
See page 4. ticipation in recent discus-
sion of the sidewalk repair
plan in Plymouth Township.
THE NORTHVILLE Dozens of township resi-
EAGLE
EAGLE dents participated in a recent
four-hour public hearing with
Vol. 20, No. 25 the members of the board of
A developer has proposed trustees to express their
a new $3.35 million three- opposition to the sidewalk
story building along North plan that requires residents
Center Street in downtown to pay for repairs to sidewalks
Northville with seven condos determined to be hazardous.
and retail space. In addition to those partic-
Welcome back than 100 residents also left
See page 6. ipating in the meeting, more

THE PLYMOUTH voice mail messages at town-
ship hall protesting the plan
EAGLE Restaurants, shops begin to revive in area and voicing their concerns
EAGLE
Vol. 20, No. 25 Restaurant patrons were application requires those expanded seating for reopen- about the costs of the pro-
homeowners.
to
gram
The Plymouth Kiwanis eager to enjoy the first days of streets be closed to traffic from ing the restaurants in May, in Members of the board subse-
Club members are sponsor- the relaxed quarantine orders sometime in June Oct. 31. anticipation of the lifting of the quently opted to postpone the
ing an Independence Day at newly-established expanded In Plymouth, the Downtown governor's stay at home orders. repair program for this year.
House Decorating Contest outdoor seating last week in Development Authority also In Canton Township, restau- Township Supervisor Kurt
and are offering a $1,000 top downtown Northville and organized expanded seating rants reopened, too, with limit- Heise said that the over-
prize. Plymouth. areas into streets to allow for ed capacity for indoor dining, whelming response prompt-
See page 6. In Northville, members of the reduced capacity of restau- exercising all prescribed safety ed the board members to
the city council unanimously rants now practicing the social measures to prevent the postpone the program, which
approved the “Reopening distancing restrictions with spread of COVID-19. allowed residents five-years
THE ROMULUS Downtown Special Event” at a seating reduced by 50 percent Northville DDA Director to pay for the repairs. The
ROMAN special online meeting June 5 at many locations. On Forest Lori Ward said House Bill 5781, program, which began prior
ROMAN
Vol. 135, No. 25 to help jump-start sales for Street, E.G. Nick's expanded if approved, would allow to the COVID-19 pandemic,
restaurants and retailers. The into parking spots in the front municipalities the ability to based the repairs on exami-
The Romulus Public businesses had been operating of the restaurant behind designate a “social district” nations of subdivision side-
Library began preparations at reduced capacity or closed portable barricades while sev- that contains a commons area walks by township engineers
Monday for reopening to the since mid-March due to the eral establishments on Main that may be used by the busi- who made determinations as
public as staff members COVID-19 pandemic. The DDA Street, including Compari's and nesses in the social district to to the safety of the walkways.
began reporting to the facili- submitted a special event Fiamma, also opened using serve alcohol for consumption Residents were then notified
ty reshelving and sorting application that creates a portions of the street as patio on site. The bill was amended by mail of any repairs of side-
books. pedestrian mall with expanded areas. Greek Islands Eatery is and sent to the Ways and walks on their property and
See page 4. outdoor seating for restaurants using an expanded area of the Means committee, she the estimated cost of the
and merchandise displays by Main Street sidewalk to accom- explained, and the 13 LCC repairs which were to be
retailers on North Center modate the necessary safety licensees in downtown completed by a contractor
THE WAYNE Street from Main to Dunlap precautions. Northville, many of them locat- hired by the township.
EAGLE
EAGLE and East Main between Hutton Plymouth City Commission That process will now be
Vol. 73, No. 25 and Center. The special event members approved the See Openings, page 6 delayed, officials said.
This is a standard munici-
A 17-year-old woman from
ple arrested and charged in Canton residents urge venue reopenings pal practice and is in place in
Wayne was one of three peo-
cities and townships through-
out the state. The sidewalk
the fatal shooting of a Novi Canton Township officials in several months due to COVID- the continued closure of the repairs are considered essen-
man last week. heard from supporters of base- 19 required safety precautions. facility was affecting local busi- tial due to the potential for
See page 5. ball, softball, LaCrosse and soc- The meeting took place at the nesses and that it was possible to lawsuits should pedestrians
cer along with the director of Village Theater and board adhere to social distancing while suffer injuries due to the
aspiring young thespians during trustees were socially-distant on using the fields. unsafe conditions of side-
THE WESTLAND a special meeting last week. the stage. He suggested a phased open- walks in the township.
EAGLE Several members of the com- Krafft and several other town- ing of the fields first to league The last such program in
EAGLE

Vol. 73, No. 25 munity made their displeasure ship residents urged the board play and then for children. He Plymouth Township took
place in 2016. The program
told the board members that the
members to reopen the softball
regarding the continued closure
Those wishing to sell mar- of the Canton Sports Center and and baseball fields in the town- Canton baseball teams have set for 2019 did not take place
ijuana in Westland have the Village Theater known to ship before the planned Aug. 1 been going to Ohio and Indiana due to the high cost submitted
until July 16 to submit a busi- members of the township board date. for tournaments, rather than by contractors bidding on the
ness application to the city during the meeting. Krafft asked the trustees to playing in the township. He work, officials said. The pro-
under new rules adopted by Dan Krafft spoke to the mem- prepare a plan for the reopening added that to date, none of those gram will resume next year,
officials. bers of the board during the first one of the largest ball field com- according to township
See page 5. in-person meeting of the board plexes in the state. He said that See Meeting, page 2 sources.

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