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No. 39
NEWS YOU CAN USE, NEWS YOU CAN TRUST
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October 3 – 9, 2013
w w w . a s s o c i a t e d n e w s p a p e r s . n e t
It was a big day Sept. 2 for
Hunter Kennedy of Wayne
who learned that the
International Music and
Entertainment Association
announced his song as one of
the 2013 nominees.
See page 5.
Ethel Lovette of Romulus
celebrated her 100th birthday
a bit early with a special cele-
bration Sept. 21 at Second
Grace United Methodist
Church inDetroit.
See page 2.
Nan Harrison Washburn,
conductor of the Michigan
Philharmonic in Plymouth
won the American Prize in
Conducting - Professional
OrchestraDivision.
See page 3.
Northville Board of
Education member Joseph
Hige, Jr., will step down at the
completion of his current four-
year term Dec. 31 leaving a
vacancy the board members
will fill by appointment.
See page 4.
The annual Cemetery
History Tour sponsored by the
Belleville Area Museum and
Historical Society will take
place at Tyler Cemetery this
year from3-7 p.m. Oct. 19.
See page 4.
Vol. 128, No. 39
Vol. 66, No. 39
Vol. 66, No. 39
Vol. 13, No. 39
Vol. 128, No. 39
Vol. 66, No. 39
Vol. 66, No. 39
Those on public assistance
are being urged to enroll their
children in school or face the
risk of losing all benefits. The
new requirement went into
effect Oct. 1
See page 5
.
For home delivery of The Eagle call 734-467-1900.
Former Superintendent of
the
Wayne
Westland
Community Schools Dennis
O'Neill, 78, died peacefully in
his sleep Sept. 23 at his Ft.
Myers, Fla. home.
See page 5.
Ghosts, goblins, and all
things spooky will be found at
the Canton Leisure Services
13th annual Trick or Treat
ParadeOct. 30.
See page 3.
Vol. 13, No. 39
Romulus voters will be asked to consider
three charter amendments that, according to city
auditors Plante and Moran, could lead to a sav-
ings for the city of $100,000 for every $400,000
that is spent during eachbudget year.
The proposals will appear on the Nov. 5 city
general election ballot. They call for changes to
the rules and limitations set in the original City
Charter adopted in 1970 on acquiring goods and
services and contracts in the city.
The ballot proposals are the first charter
amendments recommended to date by the
majority of City of Romulus Charter
Commission, which began the review of the City
Charter inMarch of 2012.
Members of the commission are Chairwoman
Alexandria Sanders, Co-Chair Ed Buczkowski,
Anton Chastang, Lnng Coleman, Margaret
Leduc, Susanne Oakley, Hulan Yates, Gordon
Silvey and Mark Wilhide. The commissioners,
appointed by the city council, are serving four-
year terms and are working in conjunction with
City ClerkEllenCraig-Bragg.
While reviewing the 43-year-old original char-
ter, the commission members realized there was
the immediate need to address the contract and
purchasing limitations of the document.
Ultimately, a majority of the commissioners
agreed upon the ballot language for the propos-
als and requested city council approval on July
22.
It was the consensus of the commissioners
that voter approval of the proposals would save
tax dollars and allow for themore efficient oper-
ation of the city. In addition to saving on time,
personnel and advertising costs, the charter
amendments would allow the city to participate
with other government agencies in cooperative
purchasing opportunities - something that is key
to the savings.
“The proposed changes would save tax dol-
lars and allow the city to operate more efficient-
See
Vote,
page 2
Canton Township Deputy
Police Chief Scott Hilden is lead-
ing an effort to open communica-
tions between residents and the
police department.
Officers are participating in a
new national program, Coffee
with a Cop which began last
week. Hilden said the program
allows officers to come together
with community members in an
informal setting to discuss com-
munity issues, build relation-
ships anddrink coffee.
The next sessions are planned
for 1-3 p.m. Oct. 5 at Village
Coffeehouse, 50166 Cherry Hill
Road and again from 9-11 a.m.
Oct. 18 at L. George's Coney
Island restaurant, 43711
MichiganAve.
Hilden noted in a press
release that, "Coffee with a Cop
provides a unique opportunity
for community members to ask
questions and learn more about
the department's work in
Canton's neighborhoods and
business districts."
The majority of contacts law
enforcement has with the public
happen during emergencies or
stressful situations. Those situa-
tions are not always the most
effective times for relationship
building. Coffee with a Cop
breaks down barriers and allows
for relaxed one-on-one interac-
tion, he added.
"We hope that community
members will feel comfortable to
ask questions, bring concerns, or
simply get to know our officers,"
Hilden said. "These interactions
are the foundation of community
partnerships."
Coffee with a Cop is a national
initiative supported by the
United States Department of
Justice. Similar events take place
across the country in an advoca-
cy effort for the practice of com-
munity policing through improv-
ing relationships between police
officers and community mem-
bers one cup of coffee at a time.
Pat Thomas celebrated 34 years
at the helm of the Plymouth
District Library during a retire-
ment reception honoring her last
month. The event was attended by
members of the library board of
trustees, the Friends of the
PlymouthDistrict Library, support-
ers and fellowemployees.
Thomas oversaw three major
construction makeovers in her
helmas administrator. The library
grew from a 6,000 square foot facil-
ity to the current 52,000 square foot
size. Thomas was hands-on for the
supervision of the 2007 addition.
“The general contractor gave me a
white hard-hat,” Thomas said. The
library currently serves more than
1,500 users daily from the three-
story structure onMainStreet.
“Pat has a lot to be proud of,”
said Library Trustee Jackie
George. “She has left a legacy and
we are in a stable funding position
because of her direction.”
The enrichment programs at
the library have been nationally
recognized for fostering cultural
creativity and community enter-
tainment. Thomas had a knack for
forging civic partnerships, institut-
ing stronger customer service and
presenting new technology as
showcased by the updated comput-
er laboratory, trustees said. Her
programming and support for
attracting teens to read more went
hand-in-hand to academic contri-
butions and success at the
Plymouth-Canton Educational
Park.
In 2006, under Thomas, the
PlymouthDistrict Library was spe-
cially recognized for its “Taking
Life in Stride” program. The out-
reach was designed to educate the
underserved population in the
community - “new” seniors
between the ages of 50 and 65 - and
positively address their concerns
and challenges tied to the aging
The proposed changes would
save tax dollars and allow the
city to operate more efficiently.
”
She has left a legacy and we are
in a stable funding position
because of her direction.
”
Sheila Keister got a little help from some
‘Friends’ last month when 86 volunteers
appeared at her Third Street home to help her
withmaintenance she has been unable to com-
plete onher own.
According toEdMcMurray, the founder and
organizer of theWayne Friends Project People
Helping People, about 51 of the volunteers this
year were from the Junior Reserve Officer
Training Corps at Wayne Memorial High
School. The group met, as they always do, at
the Wayne Community Center for breakfast
before setting out to transformKeister's home.
Keister has lived in the house her entire
life. Her parents originally bought the home
where she was raised and she then bought it
fromthem.
McMurray said the jobs at Keister's home
did not get completed in the one-day effort,
despite the number of volunteers and that
members of the group would be returning at
least twice to complete some of the tasks.
“One of the things we do as a group is give
the homeowner an album of photos from the
days work. Included in the album are before
and after shots. This will be presented to her
in the very near future,”McMurray said.
McMurray was recently honored for his
work with the Friends group with the
Diamond of the Community Award by the
Wayne Commission on Aging and Senior
Services.
The award is presented annually to a resi-
dent 70 or older who continues to volunteer
throughout the Wayne community. He was
nominatedby his sister.
McMurray currently works on the Wayne
Housing and Historical commissions and has
served on the Commission on Aging in the city
for about 8 years. He was a member of the
Centennial Commission in 1969 and worked as
a volunteer on two of the playscape community
builds. He also works at the polls for city and
school elections and serves on several commit-
tees atWetlandFreeMethodist Church.
McMurray is retired from Ford Motor Co
and said he used his experience with the UAW
Paint the Town program as somewhat of a
model for hisFriends project in the city.
McMurray said he would be making a final
report on the Friends project at the Oct. 1
Wayne City Council meeting along with, “an
announcement concerning future Friends
projects”
As theDiamond of the Community honoree,
McMurray was presented his award at a ban-
quet Sept. 17 at the Wayne Community Center
where he was awarded a plaque and a cash
honorarium. He will also be honored with a
formal resolution fromtheWayneCity Council.
Good deeds
Friends group repairs
Wayne senior’s home
Charter amendments on Romulus ballot
Retiring library director honored at reception
See
Library,
page 3
More than 86 volunteers appeared at a Third Street home in Wayne last month to help the
homeowner with maintenance she has been unable to complete on her own as part of the
Wayne Friends Project People Helping People. Friends founder Ed McMurray said volunteers
will be returning twice more this month to complete the work.
Canton ‘Coffee with a Cop’ program under way