A
SSOCIATED
N
EWSPAPERS OF
M
ICHIGAN
P
AGE
5
September 28, 2017
I
NKSTER
- W
AYNE
Recall petitions OK’d against 4 officials
Inkster Legends begins holiday raffle sales
State legislator criticizes civil service decision
Language on recall petitions
against Wayne City Councilman
Christopher
Sanders,
Councilman Ryan Gabriel,
Mayor Pro-tem Anthony Miller
and Mayor Susan Rowe were
unanimously approved by mem-
bers of the Wayne County
Elections Commission last
Wednesday.
The petitions were presented
for approval of language to the
commission members by Bob
Boertje. This was the second
effort to have the petitions for
recall approved. The first such
petitions were rejected for
unclear languageAug. 30.
These petitions, according to
recall supporter Ron Roberts, a
long-time city resident, were
based on the vote of each of the
four to extend city council terms
by one year onOct. 18, 2016.
“The language is very clear,”
Roberts said.
Boertje, however, said that he
was still waiting to learn if anoth-
er hearing was necessary to
determine the accuracy or fact in
the petitions.
“I don't know if there is anoth-
er hearing to see if the language
is true or false,” he said. “I do
knowwe are on the right track.”
Roberts added that he was
confident that the required 1,300
signatures could be obtained on
the recall petitions within 60
days of the first signature. “We
have a lot of volunteers willing to
helpwith this effort,” he said.
Rowe, who was out of state
last week, said, “This is democra-
cy and these are the rights of the
citizens. I will just keep moving
forward and being the mayor I
have been.”
The petition language
approval followed on the heels of
two raucous city council meet-
ings during the past weeks.
During both meetings, resident
Mark Blackwell refused to
acknowledge the 3-minute rule
for citizens' comments and con-
tinued speaking over the insis-
tent gaveling of Rowe. At the
meeting two weeks ago, Rowe
asked that a police officer
remove Blackwell and then tem-
porarily recessed the meeting.
Again Tuesday evening, when
Blackwell insisted on his right to
speak at length despite Rowe's
reminders of the time limits,
Rowe was forced to recess the
meeting twice, although some
council members refused to
leave the council chambers.
Rowe eventually reconvened the
meeting and told Blackwell to
continue his prolonged account
regarding citizens' right to be
heard.
Residents at the meeting also
questioned the removal of an
item placed on the agenda by
Miller suggesting the termination
of City Manager Lisa Nocerini.
That item was removed from the
agenda early in the meeting.
Also of concern to residents was
a report from the city attorney
regarding the implementation of
the ward system in the city, a
move approved by voters but
never adopted. Following a spe-
cial meeting two weeks ago
regarding the issue, the council
referred the issue to the city
attorney for a report. The report
was accepted and filed with no
discussion Tuesday, residents
voiced their objections.
State Rep. Jewell Jones (D-
Inkster) had some harsh words
of criticism regarding a decision
of the Michigan Civil Service
Commission earlier thismonth.
Members of the commission
adopted new rules that severely
limit Michigan civil service
workers' ability to negotiate job
protections such as seniority,
recall rights and the ability to
negotiate grievances.
“I am extremely disappoint-
ed in the Civil Service
Commission's action to strip
state employees of the right to
bargain over such issues as
overtime, seniority andmore.
“An efficient and well-func-
tioning state government
depends on experienced, dedi-
cated employees. By its vote, the
Civil Service Commission is
telling those employees that
they are not worthy of certain
bargaining rights despite the
invaluable service they provide
their neighbors, their communi-
ty and their state. Many of those
employees will likely feel more
valued elsewhere and take their
training and experience to
another employer, leading to
higher turnover and reduced
quality of service,” Jones said in
a prepared statement.
State government now has
the power to override clauses in
union contracts with state
employees in times of financial
emergencies and department
managers have control as to the
reassignment of state employ-
ees following layoffs and over-
time.
Hundreds of state workers
protested the decision when the
Michigan Civil Service
Commission voted 3-1 to adopt
the new rules during a meeting
inLansing last week.
“This was the wrong deci-
sion, and the citizens of
Michigan are going to pay the
price,” Jones concluded.
It may still be September, but
the Inkster Legends are already
planning
their
Annual
ChristmasGiveaway.
The annual raffle funds holi-
day groceries and gifts for 100
less fortunate Inkster families.
“We just completed our 20th
anniversary of the Inkster
Legends Free Basketball Camp
last month and now the stage is
set for our next event,” noted
DirectorFredSmiley.
This year the annual raffle
will include a grand prize of two
tickets to see the Houston
Rockets vs. theDetroit Pistons at
Little Caesar’s Arena Jan. 6,
2018. First prize is a weekend
stay at the Sheraton Hotel with
breakfast and second prize will
be four tickets to The Henry
Ford museum. Third prize is a
birthday party blast for 15 peo-
ple at the Romulus Athletic
Center and fourth prize is two
racks of lamb from Fairway
meats in Detroit. Fifth prize is a
one-day weekend stay at the
Marriott Hotel and sixth prize is
a Garmin GPS Navigation sys-
tem. Seventh, Eighth and Ninth
prizes are dinner for two at
Urban Soul, dinner for two at
They Say and dinner for two at
Red Lobster. Bonus prize this
year is a $25 gift certificate at
Famous Ford Garage restaurant
in Dearborn and the bonus
grand prize is a family package
for four people to see the world-
famous Harlem Globetrotters at
LittleCaesar’s Arena.
Tickets for the raffle of all
these prizes is a $10 donation
and winners need not be pres-
ent to win, Smiley said. “All pro-
ceeds from the raffle go to the
ChristmasGiveaway.”
The drawing for the raffle
will take place at 6 p.m. Dec. 13
at the Sheraton Hotel in
Romulus.
“This fundraiser will really
help in our efforts to provide 100
families in Inkster with a great
Christmas,” Smiley said. “We
also accept donations and to
donate or for more information
go to
and click on contact us.”
For raffle tickets contact
Smiley at (734) 890-2478, Daniel
Orr (313) 715-6700 or Larry
Spencer (313) 520-8144.
