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November 1, 2018 ASSOCIATED NEWSPAPERS OF MICHIGAN PAGE 5

PLYMOUTH

Township seeking public safety millage OK

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Plymouth Township voters If approved, homeowners tion. He said he was aware of two
will decide whether to fund the would see a tax increase of $1.20 Clinton told the board of trustees that this millage officers currently seeking work
replacement of a nearly 30-year- for every $1.000 of taxable value, with other departments that offer
old fire truck and bring police which is usually half of the mar- is the bare minimum amount necessary to keep more attractive pay and benefits.
department staffing up to the lev- ket value of the property. As an the township “going in the right direction.” Tiderington said his depart-
els recommended as adequate example, the owner of a $300,000 ment must constantly repair and
by the International Association home would see an annual replace vehicles and the life of a
of Chiefs of Police with a millage increase of about $180. squad car is only two to three
question on the Nov. 6 ballot. According to township offi- three front-line vehicles, one fire ing the township purchase a years as they are in constant
The millage question, asking cials, there are only 21 firefight- truck is almost 30-years-old and needed pumper truck, but the service and on the road.
for 1.2 mills for 16 years will be ers serving the community, three the other is nearly 27-years old other truck and a 13-year-old Treasurer Mark Clinton sug-
on the Plymouth Township Nov. 6 fewer than the minimum recom- and the equipment needs ambulance need replaced. gested the millage explaining
ballot. The millage, if approved mended staffing. A federal grant upgrading to provide basic serv- Police Chief Tom Tiderington that during the recession, prop-
will generate $2.1 million for the will allow the hiring of three fire- ice to the community. Parts for agreed with Phillips about erty tax revenue in the township
first year, allowing the township fighters, although Fire Chief Dan the vehicles are no longer made, recruiting officers. His police fell by about 20 percent.
to replace antiquated equip- Phillips noted that he has lost Phillips said. force currently consists of only 29 Clinton told the board of
ment, maintain the facilities, pay three firefighters recently to The township does not have a officers, 20-30 fewer than the rec- trustees that this millage is the
retirement obligations and communities that offer better tower truck which allows fire- ommended staffing of 50-60 rec- bare minimum amount neces-
increase staffing to adequate lev- pay and benefits. fighters to reach the upper floors ommended by public safety sary to keep the township “going
els. Phillips added that of the of buildings. A state grant is help- experts for the township popula- in the right direction.”
‘Murder He Wrote’

Former publisher releases 2nd in series of novels

W. Edward Wendover, the for- book of The Michigan murder mystery, Murder By newspaper for 26 years from an
mer publisher of The Plymouth- Prepositional Murders is “101 Lansing Kool-Aid, begins with office on Penniman Street, said.
Canton Community Crier, admits percent alternative facts (lies).” the fatal stabbing of the Michigan “Several dozen former and
that everything in his second Wendover said this second Speaker of the House in the current Michigan politicians, lob-
Capitol Dome. Next, the Speaker byists, staffers, press corps mem-
Heir apparent is found dead in bers and friends will be sur-
his office at the House Office prised to see their names actual-
Building. ly used in this historical fiction,”
While the Michigan State Wendover said. “It's all a fun
Police are racing to solve the two spoof-based on State House The book also includes a sam-
deaths, a well-meaning anony- shenanigans and voters' oft-quot- pling of the third book in the
mous House staffer (known only ed desire to kill the knuckle- series, Murder of Crows, which
as “Reply All”) keeps blasting out heads in their Legislature.” begins with a murderous discov-
new clues, beating the police at As in the first book in the mur- ery detailed by a fictional
every turn. der series, this novel contains 34 Cadillac newspaper.
An attack on the term limited recipes mixed with the clues. It The e-book, Murder by
next-in-line for the Speaker's job also features, Wendover claims, Lansing Kool-Aid, Wendover
sets Lansing in a tizzy, as the plot the most unique cause of death said, is now available on Amazon
progresses. in the last 138,326 published Kindle.
“Buy the book and LOL,” English-language murder mys- The former publisher and his
Wendover, a former chief of staff teries. wife, Sally, now reside in Cadillac
at the Michigan House who pub- The recipe, Wendover said, is but have recently been on a
Ed and Sally Wendover lished the local Plymouth Canton included. motor tour across the country.