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EWSPAPERS OF
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ICHIGAN
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AGE
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November 27, 2013
CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF CANTON
ACCESS TO PUBLIC MEETINGS
The Charter Township of Canton will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such as signers for the hearing impaired
and audio tapes of printed materials being considered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities at the meeting/hearing upon two
weeks notice to the Charter Township of Canton. Individuals with disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the
Charter Township of Canton by writing or calling the following:
Gwyn Belcher, ADA Coordinator
Charter Township of Canton, 1150 S. Canton Center Road
Canton, MI 48188
(734) 394-5260
Published: November 27, 2013
EC112713-0846 2.5 x 1.557
N
ORTHVILLE
- P
LYMOUTH
Ann Kalass has been appointed
to the Northville Board of
Education to serve a one-year term
left open by Joseph Hige, Jr., who
will step down Dec. 31 at the com-
pletion of his current four-year
term. Hige has opted not to serve
the additional one-year extension
of his term that is the result of a
change in Michigan election laws
that went into effect in 2012.
Kalass, a district resident for
more than 10 years, was selected by
members of the board of education
from seven residents who submit-
ted applications indicating their
interest in being considered for the
appointment. All seven were inter-
viewed during a special board
meeting last month. A second
round of interviews was conducted
with the top two candidates Nov. 12
and Kalass was named to the post
that same evening.
Kalass will assume her new
duties on Jan. 1, and serve until
Dec. 31, 2014. She may then choose
to seek election to a four-year term
on the board in the next regular
school election onNov. 4, 2014.
“On behalf of my fellow board
members, I want to welcome Ann
Kalass and let her know that we
look forward to working with her,”
said Northville Board of Education
President Ken Roth. “It is hearten-
ing to see so many qualified indi-
viduals willing to step up and serve
the school district and the commu-
nity. I encourage each of them - as
well as all members of the
Northville school district commu-
nity - to look for opportunities to
give of their time and talents to
ensure the best possible learning
experience for all Northville
Public Schools' students.”
For the past six years, Kalass
has served as Chief Executive
Officer of Starfish Family Services,
a private, nonprofit agency serving
vulnerable children and families
across metropolitan Detroit. As
CEO, she is responsible for strate-
gic planning, fund development,
board development, fiscal manage-
ment, and program and organiza-
tional development for the $20 mil-
lion agency. Prior to joining
Starfish, Kalassworked for 13 years
in a variety of marketing and sales
executive positions at Ford Motor
Co. At Ford, she ran Lincoln-
Mercury's largest sales region in
the country and oversaw the brand
marketing communications with a
$400million annual budget.
In 2012, Kalass was elected to
the Oakwood Healthcare System
Board and also serves on the
Oakwood Quality Committee. In
addition, she recently served on
the executive committee of the
Great Start Collaborative -Wayne, a
collaborative designed to engage
the entire community in a coordi-
nated system of services and
resources for families and children
throughage 5.
Kalass earned her bachelor of
arts from the University of
Pennsylvania and her masters in
Business Administration from the
Tuck School at Dartmouth College.
In 2009, she received a certificate
from the Harvard Business
School's Strategic Perspectives on
Nonprofit Leadership program.
Kalass and her husband, Scott,
have two daughters, Natalie, who is
a freshman, and Katie, who is a
junior atNorthvilleHighSchool.
“I'm truly excited by this oppor-
tunity and significant responsibility
to serve our community and our
children through my appointment
to the Northville Board of
Education,” Kalass said. “Our fami-
ly has had an outstanding experi-
ence with the Northville schools,
and I look forward to supporting
the district in achieving its ambi-
tious goals of academic excellence
andpersonal growth for all.”
In addition to this appointment,
plans are currently under way to
honor Hige for his four-years of
dedicated service at the Dec. 10,
regular board meeting, said
Northville Superintendent Mary
KayGallagher.
“I want to take this opportunity
on behalf of the entire Northville
school community to express our
thanks to Joe for his wisdom and
dedication to Northville's young
people over these past four years,”
Gallagher said. “We wish him well
in whatever the future holds and
know that he will continue to be an
advocate for our schools and our
community.”
That new electric meter that DTE is
installingmay not be such a bright idea, after
all.
Michigan Stop Smart Meters, a statewide
group opposed to the new meters that elec-
tric, gas and water providers are installing in
homes has expressed concerns about the
impact of the new meters on personal priva-
cy, healthandbudgets.
The group is hosting a free showing of a
newmovie, Take Back Your Power, at 11 a.m.
Dec. 7 at the Plymouth District Library, 223
South Main St. in Plymouth. The meeting is
free and open to the public.
The film dramatizes the efforts of corpo-
rate utilities and governments around the
world to replace electricity, gas and water
meters with new-generation smart meters
that include surveillance capabilities, using
billions in taxpayer funds. The film looks at
the cost to human rights, finances, security
and health of the meters and includes
insights from government representatives,
whistle-blowers, lawyers, doctors and envi-
ronmentalists.
Following the film there will be a discus-
sion and a question and answer period. The
film will focus on the electric grid and smart
electric gas and water meters being installed
in twomillion southeasternMichiganhomes.
The meeting is scheduled to continue
until 2 p.m.
Smart Meters topic of film
“There are few communities and govern-
ments that have sailed through the 2008 reces-
sion unscathed,” said Abbo. “Wayne County
continues to have challenges and I'm excited
for the opportunity to bring my private and
public sector experience to the table.”
Abbo replaces Carla Sledge who retired
Oct. 1 after 20 years with Wayne County gov-
ernment.
Wayne County Commissioners Shannon
Price of Canton and Laura Cox of Livonia
commend the appointment of Abbo.
“I enjoyed working with Mark when he
served as the Northville supervisor, and I am
thrilled to have the opportunity to work with
himonce again as we try to fixWayne County's
financial difficulties, said Commissioner
Laura Cox, chair of the Ways and Means
Committee. “His vision and determination
will serve the countywell.”
“Mark Abbo is an excellent choice to serve
as the next CFO for Wayne County,” added
Commissioner Shannon Price. “As the former
supervisor of Northville Township, Mark has
a proven record of thinking outside the box,
consolidating services, and building a sub-
stantial fundbalance.”
own kids and how devastating it would be if
theywere in that situation”Farhat said.
Police Chief Al Cox commended the sense
of empathy that officers have for the public in
situations like these.
Northville Plymouth Firefighter Bob
Wieland joined the department in 2010 and
works at the Plymouth station. He retired
from the Plymouth Township Fire
Department in 2009 where he had worked
since 1978. While there he earned his ambu-
lance attendant license and his EMT and
paramedic licenses. He retired fromhis job at
AT&T in 2002.
Northville Fire Chief Jim Allen praised
Weiland's work ethic and his continued enthu-
siasm.
“Bob is always eager to be of help and
ready to respond when the tones go off,” Allen
said. “He approaches each task with enthusi-
asmanddignity.”
Weiland said that he has always just want-
ed to be of help to his community.
Scott Bernhardt of Huron Valley
Ambulance was named the Paramedic of the
Year. He began working with Huron Valley
Ambulance following his graduation from
Schoolcraft College in 2008.
Paul Hood of Huron Valley Ambulance
said that Bernhardt was a shining example of
what a paramedic should be. Hood read let-
ters from patients Bernhardt served to
demonstrate the impact he has had on
patients he has helpedduring the year.
“Scott shows service above self (the Rotary
Club motto) every day, a trait that cannot be
taught,”Hood said.
Bernhardt, with his wife and two young
children in attendance said he was surprised
and excited about the honor.
“When you have critical patients and there
are good outcomes, that's the best feeling,” he
said.
County
FROM PAGE 1
Honors
FROM PAGE 1
New trustee named to Northville School Board
Ann Kalass