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A
SSOCIATED
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EWSPAPERS OF
M
ICHIGAN
P
AGE
4
October 24, 2013
There is a simple concept behind
the three charter amendments on
the November ballot in the City of
Romulus: these changes need to be
made in order to increase efficiency
and reduce costs.
The three charter amendments
seek to address the amount the city
can spend on public improvement
projects, purchase of materials and
on contracts without requiring a
sealed bid process and city council
approval. The goal is to update
those limits to current standards-
they were set in 1970-and allow the
city more flexibility in the future by
placing them under the city pur-
chasing ordinance, which can be
amended by a super majority coun-
cil vote rather than a charter revi-
sion.
Currently, the city must seek
sealed bids on public improvement
projects greater than $5,000, if they
purchase more than $750 in materi-
als, tools or other products, or if they
enter into a contract for more than
$1,000. Those figures were reason-
able in 1970, but they don't get you
very far in 2013. It slows down the
government process and increases
costs, too.
The city auditing firm indicated
that, due to the manpower and cost
of putting together bid specifications
and advertising them, the city
spends as much as $1.25 for every
$1. That sounds like a bit of a stretch,
but the bottom line is that it is an
outdated policy and these are rea-
sonableways to address the issue.
Voters should approve the three
charter amendments on the city bal-
lot on Nov. 5. And remember, due to
the length of the city ballot-with
elections for mayor, treasurer, clerk
and all city council candidates-two
of those questions will be found on
the back of the ballot.
We support all three of the
Charter Amendment questions in
Romulus and urge voters to cast a
YES vote.
United Way says thanks
To the editor;
Plymouth Community United
Way is thankful to the community
and local businesses for supporting
their Back-to-School Supplies
Drive. The effort drew help from
Hella Corp. of Plymouth; Philips
Automotive Group, Farmington
Hills; Chelsea Rhone, LLC, Ann
Arbor;
Canton
Christian
Fellowship;
HealthSource
Chiropractic & Wellness; The Inn
at St. John's Golf Course; Walmart
store #5761 and its patrons, and
Wayne County as well as over 40
individuals who dropped off dona-
tions.
It's not unusual for low-income
students to come to class without a
pencil or pen to write, according to
a local school teacher. Thanks to
the community, Plymouth
CommunityUnitedWaywas able to
help less-fortunate children return
to school ready to learn.
Nearly 100 backpacks filledwith
supplies went to St. Mary's
Outreach in Wayne; Plymouth-
Canton Community Schools
Clothing Bank, First Step,
Northville Youth Assistance, St.
Vincent de Paul at Plymouth and
Canton churches, The Salvation
Army Plymouth Corps, and other
outreach organizations. Items that
were bulk, used or extra were
donated to St. Joseph Catholic
School in Wayne and First Step.
New socks and underwear were
distributed aswell.
For more information on how
PCUW is helping the community,
visit www.plymouthunitedway.org.
PlymouthCommunity
UnitedWay
Food pantry needs help
To the editor;
Northville Civic Concern is look-
ing for help in filling our empty
shelves. We do not have enough
food available for the upcoming
distribution dates. This is definite-
ly a critical situation. Our client
numbers are increasing as our
donations are decreasing. We cur-
rently service over 170 Northville
households, many with school age
children.
You can help us by bringing non-
expired canned or boxed food to
Northville Civic Concern's office
located in the Highland Lakes
Shopping Plaza on Seven Mile
Road between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
on any Monday, Wednesday or
Friday. During other hours, items
can be dropped off at Cassel's
Restaurant or World Wide
Alterations also located in
Highland Lakes Shopping Plaza. If
you are in the downtown area, food
donations are accepted at Genitti's
Restaurant, The UPS Store, Great
Harvest Bread Company, and
NorthvilleCityHall.
We are in desperate need of
fruit and canned tuna. For more
information you may call (248)344-
1033 on Monday, Wednesday, or
Friday.
Meijer at Eight Mile Road and
Haggerty has designatedNorthville
Civic Concern as the local food
pantry in the current Simply Give
campaign. You can make a $10
donation to us at their registers.
Look for the informational displays
near the checkout area.
We thank you in advance for any
help you can giveus at this time.
Northville Civic Concern
Resident blasts officials
To the editor;
I visited the Plymouth Township
Park today and could not believe
my eyes; the wooden barrier poles
from the parking lot have been
removed.
Every passing day we become
more suspicious of the four
trustees that voted for the "pro-
posed" improvements which have
not yet been approved as pre-
scribedby state law.
The bonds were passed by the
four but final vote on the projects
have not been approved. I may be
wrong because it appears the four
approved everything behind closed
doors before the April 23 meeting.
Are they are disregarding proce-
dure with their display of arro-
gance?
Last week the same four board
members proudly displayed their
pictures on posters of the unap-
proved projects declaring they
were making the township better.
They gave huge raises to the politi-
cal insiders who contributed heavi-
ly to them in the last election.
These are the same people that
voted against the conflict of interest
policy which would have required
them to report the gifts from ven-
dors.
Should they be required to
report gifts fromvendors?
The wasteful spending moves
ahead of schedule without
approvals while we endanger our
citizens by gutting the fire depart-
ment.
The four people are Reaume,
Edwards, Conzelmen andArnold.
Duane Zantop, Sr.
PlymouthTownship
We would strongly urge anyone who voted for the current
office-holders in Plymouth Township to watch the tape of a
special meeting which took place Tuesday, Oct. 15. Themeet-
ing tapes are usually available on the township website for
the public.
We will not, however, be surprised, if these tapes do not
make it to the internet after all.We almost expect some “tech-
nical problems” or other difficulties may keep this latest
exercise in arrogance and demagoguery from public view.
We cannot imagine that most of the members of the board of
trustees would want this to be seen by anybody, much less
anyonewhohas the ability to vote or launcha recall effort.
The conduct exhibited by Township Supervisor Richard
Reaume and Treasurer Ron Edwards was beyond despica-
ble and lowered rudeness to a new level of disgust. They
were aided, of course, by Township Clerk Nancy Conzelman
who was apparently channeling some Saturday Night Live
character with statements so bizarre they bordered on comic.
That foolishness provided the only level of comic relief, how-
ever, as this group heckled Township Fire Chief Mark
Wendel with sarcasm, insults, misinformation and discour-
tesy seldomseen outside an effort at extraordinary rendition.
At one point, Edwards could be seen actually laughing at
Wendel's attempts to present a report trustees had been
requesting formonths.
It was an ugly, unpleasant and hostile environment in
whichWendel attempted to explain the danger township res-
idents and firefighters face in light of the board approved
“restructuring” of the fire department. Wendel brought
reports, research and corroborating documents to support
his presentation which should have taken about 20 minutes
or so. It stretched on to just over 90 minutes because of the
constant sarcastic interruptions, ridicule, misstatements of
fact and even a few legitimate questions from the board
members.
This special meeting was called quickly and no agenda
item announcing Wendel's long-awaited report was to be
found, which may have accounted for the total citizen audi-
ence of four people. Perhaps this rude, contemptuous, churl-
ish conduct might have been contained if there had been a
fewmoremembers of the voting public aswitnesses.
No matter which side of the fire department issue seems
the most tenable, no matter where sentiments and opinions
lie about the decisions made, the conduct to which Wendel
was subjected is unconscionable. The discourtesy, crudity,
boorishness and effrontery displayed by the administration
of Plymouth Township toward a department leader, in a pub-
lic forum, were nothing short of shameful.
Mark Wendel remains an employee of Plymouth
Township and as such has certain expectations of his
employer. While township officials certainly have the right to
question his report, to inquire about the data he used and to
ask how he arrived at specific conclusions, they do not have
the right to humiliate and disparage him publicly and treat
himas any less than the professional he is.
He has a right, and some would argue a responsibility, in
the performance of his job to inform the members of the
board and the administration of the actual status of his
department and the dangerous consequences of the deci-
sions they havemade, despitehis advice and counsel.
He also has a right, under the law, to be treated with com-
mon courtesy and respect. A clear definition of “hostilework-
ing environment” is certainly obvious in viewing the record-
ing of this meeting during which Wendel revealed the esca-
lating jeopardy evident inPlymouthTownship today.
One might even conclude that his mistreatment at the
hands of his employers was a result of this “whistle blowing.”
No one, in any profession, should be treated or expected to
endure the disdain, impudence and disrespect evidenced by
elected officials during this meeting, particularly when the
target of their bullying is attempting to conscientiously per-
formthe job forwhich theywere employed.
Officials in Plymouth Township could easily be soon refer-
ring toWendel not as “chief” but rather “plaintiff.”
One might even conclude that his
mistreatment at the hands of his employers
was a result of this “whistle blowing.”
”
Officials continue to display adolescent arrogance
YES vote
is urged
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