No. 49
NEWS YOU CAN USE, NEWS YOU CAN TRUST
75¢
December 3 – 9, 2015
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
More than 150 residents
in Wayne and Westland
enjoyed a Thanksgiving
turkey and trimmings pro-
vided by HYPE Athletics
andAsHC.
See page 5.
Northville School District
officials have responded
quickly to a suspected case
of viral meningitis reported
at Winchester Elementary
School.
See page 2.
The 2015 Winter Fest in
downtown Belleville will
begin tomorrow with the
opening of the ice rink in
Fourth Street Square from
noonuntil 4 p.m.
See page 4.
Vol. 130, No. 49
Vol. 68, No. 49
Vol. 68, No. 49
Vol. 15, No. 49
Students in the culinary
arts program at Romulus
High School baked 50 holi-
day pies for the annual sen-
iors luncheon.
See page 5.
Vol. 130, No. 49
Vol. 68, No. 49
Vol. 68, No. 49
For home delivery of The Eagle call 734-467-1900.
Westland Police officers
Joseph Reardon and
Michael Stechly recently
completed a week-long
training on Mental Health
First Aid.
See page 3.
The
176-member
P l y m o u t h - C a n t o n
Educational Park Marching
Band was crowned Flight 1
state champions at Ford
Field recently.
See page 2.
Vol. 15, No. 24
Two newly-renovated
homes in Inkster will be
given away to deserving fam-
ilies this winter by the Heat
and Warmth Fund (THAW),
in partnership with Wayne
County.
See page 4.
A 350 acre development locat-
ed between two landfills may
soon be part of the Plymouth
Township water and sewer sys-
tem, prompting concerns from
two members of the board of
trustees.
Last week, members of the
board of trustees approved a
$60,000 feasibility study to deter-
mine the effects of selling excess
Plymouth Township water and
sewer capacity to Salem
Township where a controversial
350 acre development located
south of M-14 between Napier
and Godfredson roads. The land
was purchased by Schostak
Development, a commercial real
estate development company
based in Livonia, from Johnson
Controls in 2013.
The land is adjacent to
Plymouth Township and
informed sources claim that the
groundwater at the site is threat-
ened by the proximity to the
active Veolia ES Landfill and the
now-capped Salem Township
landfill. Both are listed by the
Michigan Department of
Environmental Quality (MDEQ)
as sites of known or suspected
groundwater contamination.
Salem Township residents
waged a two-year court battle to
prevent the development and
placed the issue on a referen-
dum ballot in 2012 which was
later ruled invalid by the
Washtenaw Circuit Court based
on the time allotted for collect-
ing petition signatures, allowing
Scholstak to proceed with the
proposed development, which
includes 56 townhouse-style con-
dominiums, 207 detached condo-
miniums and 295 single-family
lots.
Salem Township Supervisor
Gary Whittaker initially said he
was in favor of the Schostak proj-
ect but hooking up and piping
water from the Detroit Water
and Sewage Department or the
Ypsilanti Community Utility
Authority could cost upward of
$20million.
“While I am in favor of this
development, it will increase the
number of homes and residents
Children who use the Canton
Library will receive a $848,300
gift following the holiday season,
although they may have to wait
until spring to enjoy it.
The Children's Library will be
closed in early January for reno-
vations which will continue until
April in the 10,500 square foot
section of the facility dedicated
to children's books, games, audio-
visualmaterials andpuppets.
Those services will be moved
temporarily to the east end of the
library building so they will
remain accessible during the
planned renovation. Some chil-
dren's programming will be
moved to the community room.
Some children's materials, how-
ever, will not be available and
patrons may have to look at
library facilities in neighboring
communities, a spokesperson
noted.
Planned renovations and
changes include the move of all
computers to a central location
and the installation of more elec-
trical outlets for patrons to
access for using laptops and
other electrical devices.
The area for older children
will be redesigned to offer better
study areas and the help desk
will also be relocated to a more
central area, closer to the com-
puters. The play area will be ren-
ovated including the removal of a
wall to improve the overall
design of the children's library
and a redesign of the restrooms
will include the addition of a
drinking fountain in the chil-
dren's area.
Furniture and carpeting will
be replaced and the Purple
Room will be renovated using a
$15,000 donation from Friends of
the Canton Public Library,
including improved audio visual
equipment.
Patrons will be able to check
out materials independently
using a self service area where a
printer, copier and scanner will
be available. The librarywill also
addmore iPads for children's use
along with an early literacy sta-
tionwith computers.
More information is available
at
Donors are asked to drop
off new hats, mittens, gloves,
scarves, blankets, and socks
at Plymouth Community
UnitedWay.
See page 2.
See
Water,
page 2
For the 15th year, the
Plymouth Noon Rotary Club
has taken time to honor the
outstanding public safety offi-
cers in the community.
Last Friday, the club hosted
the honorees from the
Plymouth and Plymouth
Township fire and police
departments and the Huron
Valley Ambulance first
responders, along with the
department chiefs at a lunch-
eon in their honor.
Chosen for the second time
as Police Officer of the Year in
the City of Plymouth was Lt.
Jamie Grabowski. Grabowski,
an 18-year veteran of the
department, also earned the
honor in 2000, the first year of
theRotary program.
Police Chief Al Cox noted
Grabowski's exemplary han-
dling and management of the
department during his
absence this year while
attending the FBI training
school.
“He is truly a pillar of the
department,” Cox said. “He's
very knowledgeable, he's very
committed. He's a great advis-
er to me. He really cares
about the department.”
Alan Prieur, a Northville
fire inspector and Plymouth
Township firefighter James
Harrell were named as the
firefighters of the year.
Bradley Cioma was honored
as the Plymouth Township
police officer of the year and
Sam Forche of Huron Valley
Ambulance was chosen as the
paramedic of the year.
The Rotary Club goal is to
recognize “the best of the best
who serve our community”
according
to
Awards
Committee Chairman Dan
Amos.
Forche, a senior paramedic
at HVA, was praised for his
care of a woman in labor who
was about to deliver her child.
“Sam is a shining example
of what a paramedic should
be,” said Paul Hood, HVA's
vice president for eastern
operations.
Prieur, a 4-year veteran of
the
Northville
fire
Department, performs safety
regulation compliance inspec-
tions and leads the Plymouth
efforts in planning inspections
of commercial properties in
the city. Northville Fire Chief
Steve Ott said that Prieur, a
former Detroit emergency
medical technician, also
works full time for Fire
Systems ofMichigan.
Plymouth Township Fire
Chief Dan Phillips said that
Harrell, a firefighter and
paramedic, “goes the extra
mile.
“Jimis a friend to all andhe
creates a positive atmosphere
at the station,” Phillips said.
Cioma, has been a town-
ship officer for 5 years and
was selected for the honor
“because of what he does
every day and how he gets the
job done on a day-in and day-
out basis,” Chief Tom
Tiderington said. “Brad does
an outstanding job,” the chief
said. “What he does out there
is really a teameffort.”
Plymouth Township City
Manager Paul Sincock, along-
time Rotary Club member,
acted as the emcee at the
awards presentation and each
of the honorees was awarded
a plaque fromthe group.
I really don't think we should
be in the business of providing
water to Salem Township...
”
Sale of water prompts trustees’ ire
Some children's materials, however,
will not be available and patrons may
have to look at library facilities in neighboring
communities, a spokesperson noted.
”
Canton Children’s Library upgrades are planned
Don Howard
Staff Writer
Honored
Plymouth Rotary Club awards annual Officers of the Year titles
Plymouth Officers of the Year included, seated, from left, Lt. Jamie Grabowski of the City of Plymouth, Plymouth Township firefighter
James Harrell, EMT Sam Forche, Northville Fire Inspector Alan Prieu and Plymouth Township Police Ofc. Bradley Cioma. Standing
are, from left, Plymouth Police Chief Al Cox, Plymouth Township Fire Chief Dan Phillips, Huron Valley Ambulance Vice President Paul
Hood, Northville Fire Chief Steve Ott and Plymouth Township Police Chief Tom Tiderington.
Photo by Dave Willett
