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SSOCIATED
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EWSPAPERS OF
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ICHIGAN
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November 5, 2015
N
ORTHVILLE
- P
LYMOUTH
A Plymouth manufacturing
firm alleged to be depositing
objectionable industrial waste-
water into the township sanitary
sewer system is taking exception
after receiving a cease and desist
warning fromtownship officials.
ViolaHoldings, doing business
as VersaTrans, a manufacturer of
custom-printed heat transfers
located on Keel Street, received
a warning letter in late
September stating they are vio-
lating the township Sewer Use
Ordinance and ordered to imme-
diately stop and submit a correc-
tive actionplan.
The Sept. 28, letter signed by
Plymouth Township Attorney
Kevin Bennett, said VersaTrans
would be liable for any expense,
loss or damage and could face
criminal prosecution if compli-
ance was not made within 10
days.
The warning letter referenc-
ing an inspection by Western
Township Utilities Authority
(WTUA)
and
Ypsilanti
Community Utilities Authority
(YCUA) completed on Aug. 19,
2015 and said, “…the facility con-
tinues to discharge prohibitive
substances to the Township's san-
itary sewer system.”
VersaTrans' attorney, Daniel
Dalton, said he is very concerned
that township officials believe his
client is discharging prohibited
materials into the sewer system
and would like to know specifi-
cally what is wrong so correc-
tions canbemade.
“This letter is very extraordi-
nary,” said Dalton who referred
to “unanswered phone messages
and a response letter,” he for left
for Bennett asking for further
information about the problem.
VersaTrans representatives
recently accused Township
Treasurer Ron Edwards of
unfairly withholding final pay-
ments from the Wayne County
Land Bank TURBO tax rebate
program. Spokesperson Jared
Rodriquez said a long-overdue
check dated Oct. 7 was mailed to
VersaTrans from Wayne County
following a public complaint.
“YCUA tested two weeks ago
and everything was fine, then
they tested again and confirmed
everything isOK,”Dalton said.
In a written response to the
township, Dalton referenced dif-
ferences in the results of the
YCUA monitoring conducted on
Aug. 19-20 and those alleged by
Bennett. The result letter sent
directly to VersaTrans dated
Sept. 17, found no problem,
Dalton said, other than a request
that VersaTrans apply for a
wastewater discharge permit.
The YCUA inspectors noted that
the facility “Exerts a high oxygen
demand.”
A copy of the YCUA letter
obtained by The Eagle shows a
finding of elevated levels of
Biological Oxygen Demand
(BOD) and Chemical Oxygen
Demand (COD) and says the
process wastewater from the
VersaTrans facility has “…a
potential for solids deposition
that could result in obstruction of
flow.”
Dalton acknowledged the high
oxygen demand, but explained
that report does not find an ille-
gal discharge of materials as
claimedby the township.
The inspection performed by
the YCUA confirms that nothing
prohibited is being discharged. If
the Township believes that my
client is discharging prohibited
materials, or that the Township
has performed additional tests
and has separate data with
respect to any discharge issues,
please send them to my attention
immediately. Once we evaluate
the same, we will be in better
position to respond and remedy
any claims that the Township
may have.”
Don Howard
Staff Writer
Northville Home Tour nears
Believe it or not, it's almost that time of
year again.
Tickets are now on sale for the Holiday
Home Tour presented by the Northville
Community Foundation. This year, the
tour will take place from 10 a.m. until 4
p.m. Nov. 13 and 14.
Again this year, five gorgeous homes
have been selected to be decorated for the
holidays, explained Foundation Executive
Director Jessica Striegle. "The style of
each home is different and there is some-
thing for every taste. This year, the tour is
an exceptional blend of traditional,
woodsy, cozy andVictorian," she said.
"Each home is beautiful on its own but
with our talented team of decorators the
homes come to life with ideas on top of
ideas for decorating your home for the
holidays," Striegle added.
Tickets for the Holiday Home Tour are
$25 in advance and $30 the day of the
event. Tickets are on sale nowat Haven in
Northville, Gardenviews, or theNorthville
Chamber of Commerce. Tickets may also
be purchased on Visa or MasterCard by
calling (248) 374-0200. Tickets are limited
and the tour does sell out each year,
Striegle cautioned.
Proceeds from the Holiday Home Tour
help fund the work of the Northville
Community Foundation in the community
including holiday gifts for senior citizens
confined to assisted living facilities, grants
for nonprofits and community programs,
scholarships for students, coordinating the
Northville Independence Day Parade and
operations atMayburyFarm.
The
Northville
Community
Foundation, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organi-
zation. For more information, visit
.
was persuaded to allow public comment,
limited to 30 seconds for each resident.
Doroshewitz had suggested the
appointment of the fifth-place finisher in
the 2012 primary election, Jennifer Mann.
He suggested her appointment would
bring some diversity of opinion to the
board and would provide representation
to a greater cross section of the township.
His suggestion found no support from
the other boardmembers.
“I don't think the board's dynamic will
change with this,” Doroshewitz said of
Mann's appointment. I don't feel good
about it now,” he said.
Edwards, who was historically aligned
with Mann, argued with Doroshewitz that
he (Mann) was the best choice.
“He has the knowledge of what the
township is doing, OK? Our business is
between us here,” Edwards said, suggest-
ing that public input was inappropriate.
In 2004, Mann, then serving as trustee,
headed an advisory committee to build a
new $12 million Township Hall and fire
station, training facility and living quar-
ters. By a 4-3 vote, despite residents' strong
protests, board members approved the
purchase of the 9-acre property from a
local car dealer for the new township
facility.
At that time, Mann defended the deci-
sion to proceed without putting the issue
in front of voters. He cited other projects
he was involved with without voter
approval, including a new fire station, the
DPW building and a $100 million sewer
facility. “Eachwas built without a vote,” he
said in 2004. Mann claimed there was a
need for more space, saying the facilities
didn't reflect, “the pride we take in our
community…”
Mann publicly referred to a citizens'
petition effort with 4,000 signatures as
“frivolous” when residents wanted a vote
on a 1-mill dedicated tax to fund the fire
department. The board members refused
to acknowledge the petitions and were
subsequently forced to place the issue on
a ballot by a Circuit Court decision.
Rather than the 1-mill petitioners request-
ed, however, the boardmembers hiked the
millage ballot question to 10 mills, a legal
maneuver to ensure the defeat of the
question.
In another major business matter that
involvedMann, attorneys representing the
township filed for the reconsideration last
June in the Michigan Court of Appeals
seeking to overturn a lower court decision
that ordered the township to return 190
acres of land, part of a 323-acre parcel for-
merly known as the Detroit House of
Corrections, to the city. The land dispute
has been in court since the Detroit bank-
ruptcy filing in 2013.
In August 2011, the board agreed to an
Installment Purchase Agreement, drafted
by Mann on Miller Canfield letterhead, to
purchase the former DeHoCo prison
property for $606,150. Mann abstained
from voting on the purchase agreement,
“to avoid the appearance of impropriety.”
Trustee
FROM PAGE 1
YCUA tested two weeks ago
and everything was fine, then
they tested again and confirmed
everything is OK.
”
Manufacturer cries ‘foul’ in sewer warning
