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No. 48
NEWS YOU CAN USE, NEWS YOU CAN TRUST 75¢ December 1 – 7, 2011
w w w . a s s o c i a t e d n e w s p a p e r s . n e t
The Wayne Ripple Effect is
planning the Season of Lights
throughout downtown and
needs volunteers for a variety
of dutiesDec. 6 and 9.
See page 4.
CodyChamberlain and fel-
lowmembers of Boy Scout
Troop 872 have been recog-
nizedbyRomulus officials for
refurbishing the gardens out-
side theRomulus Senior
Center.
See page 5.
When Mayor Dave Bing lit
the 60-foot holiday tree in
downtown Detroit last week,
members of the Michigan
Philharmonic were on hand to
provide musical entertain-
ment.
See page 3.
First Friday at the
Northville Art House will take
on a special glow from 6-9 p.m.
tomorrow during the tradition-
al Candlelight ArtWalk.
See page 5.
The Festival of Holiday
Trees is now under way at the
BellevilleAreaMuseumwhich
has been turned into a Winter
Wonderland.
See page 5.
Vol. 126, No. 48
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Vol. 64, No. 48
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Vol. 11, No. 48
Vol. 126, No. 48
Vol. 64, No. 48
Vol. 64, No. 48
County Executive Robert
Ficano donated 10 turkeys last
week to the League of
Christian Women in Inkster.
The turkeys were paid for with
donations from Wayne County
employees.
See page 4.
For home delivery of The Eagle call 734-467-1900.
Mayor William R. Wild was
honored by Habitat for
Humanity of WesternWayne at
its Ninth Anniversary Gala last
month.
See page 4.
Plymouth Township officials
were not ordered by the Circuit
Court to place a dedicated millage
to support fire department servic-
es on theFebruary ballot.
The Citizens Action Group of
Plymouth Township had peti-
tioned the court seeking the ballot
question and an injunction to stop
the layoffs and proposed cuts to
fire services in the municipality.
The arguments were heard by
Wayne County Circuit Court Judge
Michael Sapala, who denied the
group's request saying that he did
not have enough evidence to prove
that the required 10 percent of
landowners had signed petitions
seeking themillage vote.
The group submittedmore than
3,500 signatures to the board sev-
eral weeks ago, but township offi-
cials questioned or disallowed
many of them for various reasons
including disputed ownership of
the property and, in one case,
claiming a condominium owner
did not actually own the land on
which the residential unit was
built.
“I need credible evidence con-
cluding that we have 10 percent of
owners. I don't have that,” Sapala
said in dismissing the citizens
group case.
Marvin Stempien, a retired cir-
cuit court judge, argued against
township attorney Tim Cronin
before Sapala. Following the
judge's ruling, Stempien said that
the group would get the evidence
the judge required and be back in
court as soon as possible.
The group has argued that the
failure of the township officials to
put the question on the ballot is a
violation of MCL 41.801 and that
the board members have unlaw-
Canton Police Department
officials have ordered increased
patrols at local shopping centers
and stores throughDec. 24.
In addition to regular patrols,
police officers will utilize bicy-
cles and semi-marked patrol cars
to maintain high visibility in
parking lots and store fronts in an
attempt to deter criminal activity.
Shoppers are reminded to stay
alert while in stores and parking
lots. "It's easy to get distracted
while shopping during the holi-
days," said Special Services Lt.
ToddMutchler. "To decrease your
odds of becoming a victim, you
should be aware of your sur-
roundings and your belongings at
all times," he added.
Mutchler offered some basic
safety precautions for shoppers
throughout the area, including:
• Coordinate shopping trips
with a friend. Never park in an
unlit area, nomatter howconven-
ient it is.
• Don't leave your purse unat-
tended in a shopping cart.
• Lock your packages and bags
in your vehicle's trunk. Keep your
doors locked and windows
closed.
• Avoid carrying large
amounts of cash. Pay for purchas-
es with a check, credit or debit
cardwhenpossible.
• To discourage purse snatch-
ers, don't overburden yourself
with packages. Make several
smaller trips back to your vehi-
cle.
• Be extra careful with purses
and wallets. Avoid carrying a
purse if possible, and keep your
wallet in an inside jacket pocket.
• Teach children to go to a
store clerk or security guard to
ask for help if they become sepa-
rated from you. They should
never go to the parking lot alone.
• If you feel you're being fol-
lowed or watched in a parking
lot, go back inside the store and
ask for security.
Additional holiday safety tips
are available on the Canton
Police Department website at
www.cantonpublicsafety.org.
See Court, page 2
Canton Township resident
Carla O'Malley was honored
recently for her philanthropic
career as executive director
and president of the Oakwood
HealthcareFoundation.
See page 3.
I need credible evidence
concluding that we have
10 percent of owners. I don't have that.
”
Canton increases police patrols at malls
With the threat of a state audi-
tor and review team looming, offi-
cials in the City of Inkster were
forced to lay off 20 percent of the
police force thisweek.
Mayor Hilliard Hampton said
that despite the numbers, the lay-
offs and reorganization should not
impact response time or the num-
ber of police onpatrol in the city.
“We had officers assigned to
task forces and other programs we
were able to eliminate and put
officers back on the street,” he
said.
Hampton said he was forced to
recommend the layoffs by the
budget deficit the city is facing,
estimated at about $2million.
Newly reelected Councilman
Marcus Hendricks said he and the
council members felt they had no
choice but to approve the action
in light of the financial problems
facing the city.
“This is part of a deficit reduc-
tionplan. We are facing a deficit of
about $2 to $3 million,” Hendricks
said.
The councilman said that the
deficit fluctuates as financial
department employees continue
to examine the records. Former
City Manager Ann Capela, who
resigned her position last month,
wrote to the state citing the failure
of the city to pay certain obliga-
tions while the city was attempt-
ing to negotiate an emergency
loan from the state, Hampton con-
firmed. Former City Treasurer
Peter Dobrzeniecki resigned last
spring and has been replaced by
Mark Stuhldreher.
According to Hendricks, a
review team from the state would
be a precursor to a state-appoint-
ed financial manager in the city,
something he said the council and
administration are attempting to
avoid.
“We need all our police offi-
cers,” he said. “We are losing good
people. We have to make the hard
choices or someone else comes in
andmakes themfor us.”
Hampton said the deficit was
new territory for him and the
administration as the city has
always operated with a surplus or
fund balance, something that was
amatter of pride for him.
“In July, we received notice of
charge backs from the county and
it became clear that our fund bal-
ancewas not based on real dollars
but on property and other items,”
he said. “That really took us by
surprise.”
“The reduction in state rev-
enue sharing is also crucial,”
Hampton said. “Ours is a city that
Judge rules against fire petition drive
This is part of a deficit reduction plan.
We are facing a deficit of about $2 to $3 million.
”
Inkster lays off 20% of police force
See Layoffs, page 2