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SSOCIATED
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EWSPAPERS OF
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ICHIGAN
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AGE
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December 12, 2013
I
NKSTER
- W
AYNE
- W
ESTLAND
Wayne-Westland fire chief to oversee Inkster
Wayne Westland Fire Chief
Michael Reddy is going to be even
busier during the next few months
as he adds the administrative
duties at the Inkster Fire
Department tohis schedule.
As a preliminary step tomerging
the 13-man Inkster department
with the combinedWayne-Westland
service, Reddy will be managing
both departments to assess the fea-
sibility of a three-city department.
Reddy, retired from Westland as
chief, nowworks as an outside con-
tractor providing management
services to the Wayne-Westland
department. Both the Wayne and
Westland city council members
approved the agreement which
Inkster council members OK'd in
November. Having Reddy manage
the Inkster department prior to the
merger is the same process utilized
prior to combining the Wayne and
Westland fire departments, which
officials said is working well for
both communities.
The City of Inkster is currently
subject to a financial consent
decree and debt elimination plan
with the State of Michigan, a step
initiated to avoid an emergency
financial manager, prompting a
request from Councilwoman Susan
Rowe for regular financial reports
from Reddy regarding the situa-
tion.
In Wayne, the layoff of several
firefighters was proposed as one of
the steps in attempting to balance
the current $2 million budget
deficit. The Wayne force could be
reduced to 12 through layoffs and
budget cuts while the Westland
staff would remain at 54, according
to officials.
The new arrangement will con-
tinue only until July 1, the start of
the next fiscal year for the munici-
palities. A decision about the merg-
er is expected at that time, after
Reddy has had time to evaluate the
situation. If the merger does not
take place, Inkster will need to hire
a fire chief.
“The beauty of this is that we'll
see if they need to be redeployed,
see the number of runs they do,
their downtime and a sense of their
call volume,” Reddy told the coun-
cil “In a short time, I'll have infor-
mation coming back to the council.
Officials have indicated that ten-
tative plans for a Western Wayne
Fire Department have been dis-
cussed and thismerger could facili-
tate such an operation. That
department would include Wayne-
Westland, Garden City and Inkster,
which already share dispatch serv-
ices. Officials said it appears to be
the best way to offer enhanced
services to the community in a
more cost efficient environment.
Equipment compatibility and
other expenses inherent in such a
merger could be facilitated with
state grants, Reddy said, as hap-
pened with Wayne and Westland
which qualified for about $800,000
in funding for equipment and sig-
nage.
Reddy said he expected the
Inkster merger might qualify for as
muchas $400,000 in state funding.
‘Project Warm’ now under way
Library to host art workshop for teens
Project Warm, a coat drive organized by
the Michigan Metro Chapter of the Top
Ladies of Distinction, Inc. is seeking new
and gently used clean coats and jackets of
all sizes, for both children and adults.
The collection will also accept new hats,
gloves, scarves and socks in all sizes. "any-
thing that will help keep people warm this
winter," noted DeArtris Richardson, project
chairperson of the effort.
There are drop off boxes for the coast in
Inkster City Hall at 26215 Trowbridge,
where coats and other items can be
dropped off between 8:30-11:30 a.m. and 1-4
p.m. Monday through Thursday. City Hall is
closed on Friday. Items can be dropped off
at the Inkster Fire Department, 27717
Michigan Ave. or the Inkster Police
Department, 27301 S. River Park Dr. at any
time as the stations are open 24 hours, 7
days eachweek.
"We will also be happy to take monetary
donations," Richardson said. Checks should
be made out to TLOD, Michigan Metro
Chapter, P.O. Box 353, Inkster, MI 48141.
The coasts, jackets, scarves, gloves and
socks will be distributed to those who need
them from noon until 2 p.m. Dec. 21 at the
Booker Dozier Recreation Complex, 2025
Middlebelt Road in Inkster.
For more information about the Project
Warm effort, contact Richardson at (734)
595-6593 or Committee Chairperson
ErnestineWilliams (313) 790-0841.
The Leanna Hicks Inkster Public
Library will host a Black History
Moments on Canvas workshop for teens
from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. this Saturday,
Dec. 14. Teens 13-19 can create a piece of
art to enter in the McDonald's Celebrates
Black History Moments on Canvas com-
petition.
For more information contact eh
Leanna Hicks Inkster Public Library at
(313) 563-2822 or email Angela Scott at
ascot@inksterlibrary.org.
Turkey time
Westland Mayor Bill Wild, center, UAW Vice President Jimmy Settles and Councilman
Bill Johnson handed out more than 200 turkeys to families from Norwayne at the
Dorsey Center in Westland from last week, just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday.
“The UAW applauds the city's efforts to revitalize the neighborhood hardest hit by the
recent recession and are glad to give back to families that are in the greatest need this
holiday season, said Settles. Built 60 years ago for workers in the willow run bomber
plant, Norwayne just received historical status from the sates. “We are grateful for Mr.
Settles' generosity this Thanksgiving as he comes to Westland in a charitable spirit to
help a neighborhood in most need,” said Wild. “Norwayne is Westland's oldest neigh-
borhood and has the city's highest unemployment rate.”