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November 29, 2012
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B
ELLEVILLE
- N
ORTHVILLE
Former police chief appeals demotion by council
Former Belleville Police Chief
Gene Taylor is fighting his demo-
tion to the rank of corporal as rec-
ommended by the city Civil Service
CommissionOct. 30.
The commission members,
Michael Loria, Roy Acho and Don
Bluhm, met Nov. 14 to consider
Taylor's appeal of that decision.
The former chief was represented
by attorney TomDiPietro, who told
the commission members that nei-
ther he nor Taylor had any docu-
mentation from the city regarding
the decision. City Manager Diana
Kollmeyer said that she would
have copies of all the paperwork
prepared forDiPietro.
Commission member Bluhm
also noted that he had seen no
paperwork on the issue until he
picked up his meeting packet that
night. "I have received no informa-
tion on any disciplinary action
against an employee," Bluhm said
at themeeting.
Taylor's attorney then requested
that commission chairman Loria
recuse himself from the proceed-
ings because his father serves on
the Belleville City Council which
ultimately followed the recommen-
dation of the commission and
demotedTaylor.
DiPietro further requested the
commission subpoena two witness-
es, Police Cpl. Todd Schrecengost,
whom he said he suspects was the
source of the initial charges, and
Fred Wanderwege, the owner of
theF&RAutomotive repair shop.
DiPietro said that he believes
charges of improper conduct were
made against Taylor in an effort to
force him from his job, due prima-
rily to his age. City attorney John
Hitchcock denied the allegation.
The charges stemmed, appar-
ently, from repair work Taylor had
done to a police vehicle owned by
the city at the F & R facility. He
assumed the financial responsibili-
ty for the repair work on the vehi-
cle personally and has been paying
$49 amonthon the debt.
DiPietro demanded to know
why it took the city a year and a
half to claim this conduct was inap-
propriate. He also questioned the
city requirement that Taylor see an
insurance doctor for an examina-
tion before allowing him to return
to work after Taylor had provided
proof that his own doctor had certi-
fied him fit for duty. He was also
cleared for duty by the city-
required physician. He had been
off work for about four months due
to anundisclosed illness.
The physical examination
requirements took more than six
weeks, DiPietro said, and were
inflicted on Taylor in an effort by
the city to force him to quit his job
or retire.
According to DiPietro, Taylor
submitted his doctor's approval for
him to return to work to the city on
Sept. 13 but was not contacted by
the city until Oct. 23.
Taylor returned to the force at
the lower rank of corporal, but his
seniority was rejected by the union
which represents those officers,
DiPietro said.
DiPietro suggested that requir-
ing a civil service employee to fol-
low the ruleswouldmerit a suspen-
sion, not a demotion in rank of this
type.
The commission agreed to issue
the requested subpoenas and will
meet again Dec. 11 to hear testimo-
ny in the appeal.
The Van Buren Public School District
needs a temporary board of education mem-
ber.
The current board will meet with interest-
ed applicants at 6 p.m. Dec. 6 to select a can-
didate to join the board for two meetings, a
brief vacancy created when Trustee Brenda
McClanahan resigned Nov. 7. Her resignation
left a vacancy that will be filled with the
newly elected board members, Kelly Owen
and Kathy Kovach will be sworn in to begin
their regular terms.
The board is required to fill a seat on the
body within 30 days of any vacancy.
McClanahan resigned her school board posi-
tion to assume her duties at Van Buren
Township trustee, a position towhich shewas
elected Nov. 6. She resigned prior to being
sworn intoher townshipposition onNov. 9.
If the school board does not choose a
trustee to complete McClanahan's term, the
Regional Education Service Agency (RESA)
will choose a temporary boardmember to fill
the seat.
Current board members urged the two
newly-elected school trustees to apply, so that
one of themmight be chosen to complete the
unexpired term.
The Northville Art House will get a new
roof although that may not be the end of the
problems facing the facility.
Members of the Northville City Council
agreed to finance the cost of the new roof for
the $18,500 project
The Art House is to repay the loan during
the coming year. The council members, how-
ever, did not agree to an operating agree-
ment with the Art House, allowing for the
possibility of moving it should the Northville
Post Office want the property for an expan-
sion.
The Art House is located on Cady Street
and the post office has a long-standing agree-
ment with the city that should expansion
take place, that site would be part of the par-
cel available. There has been no discussion
of any plan to expand the post office for
more than a decade, according to city
sources.
Councilwoman Nancy Darga, who serves
as the liaison to the Art House, said the Art
House board members were concerned
about the failure of the council to approve
an operating agreement, thereby leaving
them open to having to vacate the current
site and find a new location. She also said
the board members were concerned about
an extended payback of 12 years on the roof
repair loan and the future of the community
service.
The contract for the new roof was
approved, in part, members of the council
said, in an effort to get the work completed
before inclement weather.
The Art House property is owned by the
city andusedby the arts facility at no cost.
Temporary trustee sought
Art House roof OK’d, council
delays operating agreement
town Belleville, Operation Ameliorate will
have a booth near Fourth Street Square from3
p.m. through the end of the parade selling t-
shirts and bracelets commemorating Amelie's
struggle.
All revenues will go to the Strzalkowski
family to help offset the massive expenses
incurred in this struggle.
Online contributions can be made by
searching “operation ameliorate” on Google,
Facebook, or etsy.com, where more informa-
tion is also available. Other questions can be
answered by contacting organizers directly at
ameliorateamie2gmail.com.
Additionally, there has been a fund set up
through Chase Bank for anyone interested in
making financial donations to the family.
Folks wishing to do so simply need to go to any
Chase Bank branch and explain that they'd
like to donate to theStrzalkowski family.
Other donations are also being accepted by
check (payable to Jason Strzalkowski) at P.O.
Box 1554, Belleville, MI 48112.
Amalie Strzalkowski underwent brain sur-
gery and is now being treated with
chemotherapy for her rare cancer.