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EWSPAPERS OF
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ICHIGAN
P
AGE
6
August 1, 2013
Letters
Time, it appears, seriously
alters the perspective of elected
officials regarding acceptable lev-
els of public safety service.
For example, a few years ago
when Plymouth city and township
shared fire services, the city offi-
cials expressed their displeasure
publicly after learning one of the
three Plymouth Township fire sta-
tions was closed for 90 minutes
due to a staffing shortage. City
Mayor Dan Dwyer publicly com-
plained at a meeting of the city
commission and expressed his
“concern” about the safety of city
residents.
“During a special public meeting
with Fire Chief Randy Maycock,
commissioners requested they be
informed immediately of any fire-
house closures after it was discov-
ered that a fire station in the citywas
closed at least three times between
Christmas
of
2005
and
Independence Day 2006 without
their knowledge due to insufficient
staff levels.
“Six people were scheduled to
work and only four showed up,”
said Dwyer, who was informed by
City Manger Paul Sincock after he
received an email from Plymouth
Township Supervisor Richard
Reaume announcing the closure.
“Could something have hap-
pened? Of course,” said Reaume.
“We would have responded with our
other fire stations,” he added.
Reaume said there were no emer-
gency calls during the 90-minute clo-
sure and the department was pre-
pared to respond, despite being
understaffed.
Dwyer said the recent closing on
Sunday is proof that a problem “still
exists.”
(
Plymouth Journal
, October,
2007)
Obviously, the definition of
understaffed has changed marked-
ly since that time. Back then, the
Plymouth Township Community
Fire Department had 28 full-time
firefighters-paramedics to serve
both the city and the township, and
officials complained about the risk
to the safety of residents when
staffing was reduced or any of the
fire stations closed for any amount
of time.
It appears they have changed
their standards markedly as today,
there are only two stations operat-
ing in Plymouth Township and sta-
tion closures take place routinely
without any public comment,
much less criticism or overt con-
cern for the safety of the public.
Now, the city has a volunteer
fire department with about 10
members and there is no joint
agreement with the township. The
City of Plymouth now relies on
these volunteers and the on-call
The older I get, the more things
amazeme.
Stuff I used to simply take for
granted all of a sudden seems
somehow magical and inexplica-
ble, like that 8-ball thingie that
knows all the answers to the most
pressing questions in life.
What has amazed me most
recently is the sure fire path to
intellectual genius that many local
folks seem to have found. Really, I
should have thought of this sooner
and I wouldn't have had towaste all
my time reading stupid books and
attending those boring classes.
These folks can even outsmart the
8-ball.
The key to intellectual superior-
ity, I am now convinced, is getting
elected to office. Really, it is.
Otherwise, how did all these cho-
sen officials becomeMensamateri-
al almost overnight?
Seriously, it seems all these folks
have to do is get enough votes to sit
on the city council, township board
or drain commission, and they
automatically become much, much
smarter than the very people who
put them there. That has to be it,
right? There must be some magi-
cal, IQ growth hormone that kicks
in during the oath of office. How
can we possibly account for their
conduct otherwise?
Before my snarkiness gets me in
too much trouble, let me say that
this phenomenon isn't infallible.
There are some local communities
where it hasn't worked and the
elected officials remain the same
folks they were prior to their
anointments, but I figure maybe its
just a matter of time. They are sure
to get the full dose of “spidey
sense” soon and become as all-
knowing and powerful as so many
of their fellowofficials.
I don't fully understand what it
can be other than election that
morphs these people into thinking
they areKen Jennings.
It usually takes about sixmonths
or so, and the guy who wanted to
change the community for the bet-
ter, who wanted to work for the vot-
ers, who had new ideas to help
move the community forward
while he was out trying to get votes,
sits at the meetings with an arro-
gance unknown
to any but
Genghis Khan
or Idi Amin,
agreeing with the very people he
opposedduring his campaign.
Yeah, OK, so that can happen, I
guess. There is an ingrained envi-
ronment in most municipal admin-
istrations that these “civilians” sim-
ply don't understand, don't have the
brains to understand and really
aren't worth the valuable time of
those in office to try and help
understand the real background on
issues, actions or decisions. After
all, if these administrators weren't
smarter than the average bear, they
wouldn't have attained these lofty
offices, right?
That's an example of the kind of
analytical thinking I'm talking
about.
The recent closure of the Inkster Public Schools by the
state has been an emotionally charged situation throughout
the area.
While proponents of the legislation that allowed state offi-
cials to dissolve the district claim that this is the only viable
way to protect the students and ensure their education, dis-
trict parents, officials, employees and residents are confused,
critical and full of concern. We can't say we blame them.
Closing an entire district means the loss of about 140 jobs and
it is a devastating injury to the community as awhole.
We do know, however, that the state would never have
taken such a drastic and shuddering action without a great
deal of research into the real situation in the school district
which had reported a nearly $16 million deficit and $800,000
in arrears that had to be paid if the schools were to reopen in
the fall. Those at the state level took this action seriously, it
was not frivolous and it certainlywas not without due process
and thought.
It was also not without deep regret.
We cannot help but hear the words of Robert Gaines III,
the man who leads Educate Inkster, a group dedicated to
attempting to improve and save the schools. Gaines was not
hesitant in putting the responsibility for the loss of the dis-
trict squarely on the shoulders of all the parents and resi-
dents who did nothing for many years, allowing the school
board and school leaders to act withautonomy.
“It was our fault, the residents. We simply didn't hold the
feet of our school board members to the fire on so many
issues,” Gaines said in a recent interview, before the
announcement of the closurewas official.
We couldn't agree more. If an issue of personal impact
arose, Inkster parents would appear at board meetings, but
the usual apathy allowed for the metastasizing of an environ-
ment of entitlement and exclusion. There simply was no one
watching.
Now, we are well aware that the public elects boardmem-
bers, and others, to act on their behalf andmake decisions in
their best interest. It is arguable that these folks should not
have to be supervisedby the very peoplewho elected them.
We do understand that. We also understand the devastat-
ing results.
In Inkster, the board members and officials continued
policies and procedures that so severely damaged the district
it could no longer perform the primary function of educating
children. The declining tax base in the community and sub-
sequent loss of revenue to fund the schools required spend-
ing cuts that simplywere not made, or were not made quickly
enough. One board member was so outraged at the conduct
of his peers, he resigned, taking his concerns about the lack
of financial responsibility and economic failures in the
Inkster district to the regional education services. Obviously,
hewas too late.
That regional district has now divided The Inkster Public
Schools among four neighboring districts, two of them also
operating at a deficit. The plan of the Regional Educational
Service Agency came within days of the official announce-
ment of the dissolution of the district and appears well
thought out and thorough. The impact on the other districts
cannot be predicted as Inkster is the first district to be
impactedby the newstate law.
We hope the plan can be smoothly implemented and be
the solution to the serious problem of school funding in the
state. We also hope parents in Inkster find a way to become
involved and informed about whichever district assumes the
responsibility for educating their children.
Apathy was one of many factors in the loss of the Inkster
Public Schools.
We can't afford to let it happen again.
Now, we are well aware that the public elects
board members, and others, to act on their behalf
and make decisions in their best interest.
”
Many to blame for closure of school district
What a
difference
time makes
I don't fully understand what it
can be other than election that morphs
these people into thinking they are Ken Jennings.
”
The secret to brilliance must be election
Charity needs donations
Northville Civic Concern would
like to thank families in the
Northville Schools for their contin-
ued support. It is because of this
support that we are able to provide
food and other temporary services
to over 190 clients and their fami-
lies.
We are asking you to remember
us during the summer break
because hunger does not take a
"vacation". Donations of non-
expired groceries can be dropped
off at the Civic Concern office at
43261 W. Seven Mile in the
Highland Lakes Shopping Plaza
between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on
Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
During other times, donations may
be left at Cassel's Restaurant or at
Worldwide Alterations also in the
Highland Lakes Shopping Plaza.
In addition, donations are accept-
ed at the UPS Store, Genitti's, and
The Great Harvest Bread
Company in Downtown Northville.
You may also drop off donations at
NorthvilleCityHall.
The Meijer store at Eight Mile
Road and Haggerty began the
"Simply Give Program" benefitting
Northville Civic Concern on July
28. Look for the display boards
near the registers. Any donations
made through this campaign, are
forwarded to us. The Meijer
Corporationwillmatchdonations.
We accept gas gift cards and
monetary donations as well.
See
Smart
, page 7
See
Letters
, page 7
See
Attitudes
, page 7