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The only full time detective in the Inkster
Police Department admits he is frustrated
with the lack of witness cooperation in the
recent shootings in the city.
"The public needs to start getting involved. I
understand that if they are not shot or it's not
their family member, they just don't want to
say anything. However, people need to remem-
ber that bullets have no names and if their
family member were to get shot, they would
want someone to come forward,” said Inkster
DetectiveAnthonyDelgreco.
Delgreco was frustrated with the lack of
cooperation police received in several recent
shootings. In one of those, at about 9:40 p.m.
July 29, a 28-year-oldman confined to a wheel-
chair was found shot to death in his apart-
ment.
This was the 13th homicide in Inkster this
year, compared to 12 for the entire year in
2012, Delgreco said.
“There were four people shot on July 25
and another person shot on July 27, although
that was an accidental shooting,” Delgreco
said.
Delgreco has been on the Inkster Police
Department for 19 years and has been a detec-
tive for 15. He is now the only full-time detec-
tive and has been for the past year and a half,
he said.
The lack of personnel makes the involve-
ment of the community even more important
in all crimes, but the increase in shootings and
homicides in the city will not dissipate,
Delgreco said, unless the community takes
action.
“Back in 1999, when I was promoted, we
had seven detectives plus two domestic vio-
lence officers plus two supervisors. Now, we
have one full-time detective, me, and three
detectives who are on the road in uniform
answering citizen calls for aid,” he said.
“We just don't have a lot of time to work
these cases, especially since two of these guys
are onmidnights.”
Despite the staffing shortages, Delgreco
said that of the 13 homicides, only seven
remain open investigations. Delgreco said that
when a shooting occurs and four people are
injured, the reports list the incident as one
shooting, which is somewhatmisleading.
Delgreco said that in three homicides this
year, witnesses came forward and told police
what happened. Because of their involvement,
arrestsweremade and the guiltywent to jail.
“It does work when people get involved.
Inkster is not a big city and everybody knows
what goes on,”Delgreco said.
He also cautioned the public that should
they have only been with the person who com-
mitted a homicide or shooting, they can also
be charged with the crime. He said that not
actually doing the shooting is not a defense.
“We just need the help of the public to pro-
tect them and the city,” Delgreco said. “If they
helpus, we canhelp them.”
To provide help, call the Inkster police at
(313) 565-9856 or Crimestoppers at 1-800
SPEAKUP.
Crimestoppers does offer cash rewards
leading to arrests and accepts confidential
information.
A
SSOCIATED
N
EWSPAPERS OF
M
ICHIGAN
P
AGE
2
August 15, 2013
CITY OF ROMULUS
BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS
NOTICE OF A PUBLIC HEARING
9920 WAYNE ROAD
TACO BELL
Pursuant to Michigan Public Act 12 of 2008 (amended Public Act 110 of 2006, The City and Village Zoning
Act), notice is hereby given that the City of Romulus will hold a public hearing at
7:00 p.m. on Wednesday,
September 4, 2013
for the purpose of considering a variance request. 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 variance from the City of Romulus Sign
Ordinance as follows:
1. A variance to Section 29-7 to allow for three (3) additional wall signs for a total of four (4) signs with
a total square footage of fifty six (56) square feet.
The subject property is located on 9920 Wayne Road. DP#82-80-065-99-0049-005. Copies of the application are
available for review at City Hall during regular business hours.
All interested parties are encouraged to attend and will be given an opportunity to comment on said request.
Written comments may be submitted until 12:00 noon, Wednesday, August 7, 2013 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: August 15, 2013
CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF CANTON
ACCESS TO PUBLIC MEETINGS
The Charter Township of Canton will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired
and audio tapes of printed materials being considered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon two
weeks notice to the Charter Township of Canton. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the
Charter Township of Canton by writing or calling the following:
Gwyn Belcher, ADA Coordinator
Charter Township of Canton, 1150 S. Canton Center Road
Canton, MI 48188
(734) 394-5260
Published: August 15, 2013
EC081513-0796 2.5 x 1.557
“Iwishhimwell.”
Councilman Lorne “Skip”Monit had noth-
ing but praise for the job English has done
during his time as citymanger.
“I've always felt that he was very open and
flexible to new ways of doing things and was
always very responsive and knowledgeable. I
thinkwe all relied onhis expertise.
“I think he deserves to be praised for his
work on the fire merger withWestland which
is an asset to both cities,”Monit said.
“He's been a dedicated, loyal employee of
the city for many years and I wish him the
best.”
Haidous went on to say that he felt that the
divided city council in place now made
English's job more difficult. He said that
while he and English were trying to protect
vital public services, he perceives a lack of
fiscal responsibility on the council.
“I think the council should be worried
about the $2 million deficit we are facing and
protecting public safety. I think they need to
prioritize public safety.”
Haidous said that he had suggested the
city use the services of the Michigan
Municipal League to do a national search to
publicize the city manager job. “They will
narrow the applicants down to no more than
five or six for us to interview and consider,”
Haidous said.
He added that the council members have
not yet acted on his suggestion to use the
Michigan Municipal League to recruit a new
citymanger.
English said hewas looking forward to see
what his futuremight be.
“We'll seewhat happens,”English said.
“I've tried to stay focused on the job and
leave the politics alone,” he added. “Until
Dec. 27, I'll be on the job as the citymanager.”
Van Buren Township will purchase a 7.45
acre parcel of land from the Wayne County
Treasurer's for the amount of back taxes owed
on the property.
The township, or any other municipality,
has the first option to purchase foreclosed
property from Wayne County during tax sales,
when the county takes ownership in lieu of
taxes owed on property. The county submits a
list of such foreclosed properties to the local
municipalities before the sale of the land.
Members of theVanBurenTownshipBoard
of Trustees voted last month, 6-1, to pay
$9,214.41 in back taxes on 7.45 acres of vacant
land at 15080 Elwell Road, just south of the
railroad andHull Road.
Board members said the land might be a
good location for a new fire hall, should the
need arise in the future, but agreed to leave
the site as vacant land for the present time.
Conditions of the purchase include the
requirement that the township return any
funds in excess of the minimum bid and all
costs incurred to the delinquent tax property
sales proceeds account, should the property be
sold in the future.
Wayne officials continue to struggle with
the looming financial crisis in the city.
At a recent meeting, Finance Director
James Ghedotte once again explained the
serious deficit the city is facing to members
of the city council. Ghedotte was careful to
note that the current crisis cannot be blamed
on decisions made in the past regarding
expenses or the current cost of pension and
retireehealth care.
“Sound decisions weremade at the time,”
Ghedotte said, “no one expected at 43 per-
cent drop in revenues.”
It is the drop in tax revenue, he advised
the councilmembers, that has placed the city
in the current situation. Without a tax
increase or more budget cuts, Wayne is fac-
ing a funding deficit. Ghedotte told the board
that if nothing changes, he estimates that the
city will be out of money in July or August of
2014.
The council members have placed a
request for 7mill tax on theNov. 5 ballot, ask-
ing voters to approve up to that amount that
will be used to pay police and fire retirement
costs for 10 years. Currently, those costs come
fromthe general fund.
City Manager Robert English told the
council members that if the millage is not
approved by voters, the legacy costs will have
to be cut fromthe budget.
Since 2009, when the city collected $22.2
million in revenue, the figure has dropped to
$16.9million for 2013-14, Ghedotte said.
“He said that the city had been cutting the
budget and has reduced city staffing from
171 workers in 2006 to the current 88 city
employees.
“That's about half the employees we had,”
he said. “We've tried to cut the budget to bal-
ance it.We've been economical.”
Ghedotte displayed a chart showing the
27.58 percent of the $16.8 million general
fund budget is spent on pension and retiree
health care.
“We are handcuffed with so many dollars
going to legacy costs. Promises were made to
past employees. The pension costs chart is
the opposite of the revenue graphs. It keeps
going up,” he told the council.
Another budget meeting was scheduled
by the council.
English
FROM PAGE 1
I
NKSTER
- W
AYNE
- W
ESTLAND
Police detective urges public to help
Van Buren buys property
Wayne officials predict
$2 million budget deficit
Winners
Winners of the Westland Civitans annual scholarships this year were Aaron
McClendon, left, Erica Wilson and Steven White. Winner Izabella Birsanescu could not
be present at the presentation dinner June 21 because of previous commitments. The
Civitans is an international organization which primarily deals with aid for the physically
and mentally challenged citizens of the community. Students were awarded the schol-
arships based on need, grade point averages and a personal essay.