No. 50
NEWS YOU CAN USE, NEWS YOU CAN TRUST
75¢
December 15 – 21, 2016
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
A new "state of the art"
storage facility will be con-
structed in Wayne on a 3.2
acre parcel of city-owned
land just east of the current
police station on Michigan
Avenue.
See page 4.
A concept plan for a pro-
posed development at Five
Mile and Beck roads was
approved by members of the
Northville Township Board
of Trustees last week.
See page 2.
Vol. 131, No. 50
Vol. 69, No. 50
Vol. 69, No. 50
Vol. 16, No. 50
Romulus
Memorial
Cemetery will be part of the
national Say Their Names
project this Saturday, an
effort to remember veterans
who are interred in the city.
See page 5.
Vol. 131, No. 50
Vol. 69, No. 50
Vol. 69, No. 50
For home delivery of The Eagle call 734-467-1900.
A single suspect is being
sought by police and thought
to be responsible for several
store robberies in the
Westland area during the
past weeks.
See page 4.
The sentencing of two
Livonia residents to prison
for supplying the drugs that
killed a Canton Township
man have brought ameasure
of peace tohismother.
See page 3.
Vol. 16, No. 50
One hundred families in
Inkster will have a brighter
holiday again this year,
thanks to the efforts of the
Basketball Legends of
Inkster.
See page 5.
Members of the Plymouth
Township Board of Trustees
were expected to approve
the finalized audit due June
30 at the regular meeting
Tuesday.
See page 3.
Low scores on the
Michigan Student Test of
Educational Progress (M-
STEP) in the Van Buren
Public Schools district were
discussed at the recent
school boardmeeting.
See page 3.
Healthcare benefits for about
250 city retirees have been deci-
mated by Wayne officials who
approved the payment of indi-
vidual “stipends” rather than
the current retirement health
care premiums paid directly to
the insurance provider.
Currently, the city pays 70
percent of retirees' health insur-
ance premiums to Priority
Health. That will end in January
when the stipend plan becomes
effective. The new plan, accord-
ing to officials, will save the
cash-strapped community about
$805,065 annually. The city con-
tinues to fight a budget deficit of
more than $1.5 million and has
been informed by financial
auditors that Wayne will run out
ofmoney at the end of next year.
The 4-3 vote during the meet-
ing last week effectively voided
the retirement agreements with
employees from the fire, police,
DPW, clerical and even adminis-
trative departments. Retirees
are expected to use the stipend
to purchase health insurance
individually, a measure which
several retirees at the meeting
reminded officials was a viola-
tion of their negotiated union
contracts.
Under the newly-adopted
plan, retirees 65 and older will
receive $110 per month to pay
for health insurance while those
younger than 65 and single, will
receive $175 monthly. Couples
will be allocated $400 for health
insurance and a family will
receive $485.
Tempers and emotions ran
high at the meeting during
which
several
retirees
expressed their criticism of the
plan. Former Fire Chief Mel
Moore told the officials that this
action showed no consideration
for the contract he signed with
the city and asked Mayor Susan
Rowe what plans are in place if
it is impossible to find health
care premiums at the stipend
amount.
Rowe responded that there
would be “people” at city hall to
offer advice and direction to the
retirees for finding plans in the
openmarket.
“You are reaching a decision
affectingmy life,”Moore said.
“We are making a decision to
keep the doors of the City of
Wayne open,” respondedRowe.
“We have been assured you
will find health care,” Rowe
said. “We are not going into
bankruptcy, we aren't getting a
financial manager. The state
says we are not broke enough so
wehave to keepmaking cuts.”
Union President Tim
Reynolds told the council mem-
bers and officials that they had
disgraced the city “and every-
body who wore the uniform and
all those who sat in those seats
See
Stipend,
page 4
We are not going into bankruptcy,
we aren't getting a financial manager.
The state says we are not broke
enough so we have to keep making cuts.
”
Extended holiday
Annual Ice Festival follows
celebration of New Year
The holiday season has
been extended into the New
Year in downtown Plymouth as
plans for the 35th Annual Ice
Festival Jan. 6-8 are well under
way.
James Geitzen, president of
JAG Entertainment, the com-
pany that organizes the event
each year, spoke tomembers of
the noon Plymouth Rotary
Club last week, reminding
them that the Ice Festival will
closely follow the New Year's
Day celebration in 2017. More
than 100,000 people have visit-
ed the event in years past, he
said, and this year with the
help of corporate sponsors like
Ford Motor Co., Genysis Credit
Union, Blue Care Network,
Fox 2News and 93.9 TheRiver,
the festival will include even
more attractions.
“This is an important event
for downtown Plymouth,” he
said. “This brings people into
businesses during these winter
months which can be slow.
Many times it is these cus-
tomers that help keep mer-
chants going until spring,” he
added.
This year's event will bring
back fan-favorite activities like
the Ice Playground, Fire and
Ice Towers and the Dueling
Chain Saws Competition. New
attractions include the Winter
Wonderland Michigan Market
andhorse-drawn carriages.
This year, small Michigan
merchants from throughout
the state will be displaying
their unique goods and wear-
ables to festival attendees at a
market on Forest Avenue
between Ann Arbor Trail and
Wing Street.
Geitzen told theRotary Club
members that all the favorite
attractions would return,
including the cutting of the ice
ribbon, officially opening the
event on Friday night in
Kellogg Park. Opening cere-
monies begin at 7 p.m. immedi-
ately followed by a live ice-
carving demonstration spon-
sored by IHA. Once the live ice
carving is completed, there
will be music with the IHA
entertainment DJ that night
and again on Saturday
evening.
“And the Fire and Ice
Towers will be back. These are
chimneys we build of ice, fill
with wood and burn on Friday
andSaturday night,” he said.
The annual Collegiate Ice
Carving Competition present-
ed by Genysis Credit Union is a
tradition at the event, Geitzen
said and this year there will be
two carving competitions for
various Michigan colleges and
universities.
“Many folks don't realize
that these students are in the
culinary arts program and
many ice carvers are chefs.
Having the ability to produce
these beautiful ice carvings
sets these students apart and
often helps them get a job,” he
said.
He said another real benefit
of the festival is getting chil-
dren out of the house and into
physical activity, something
that isn't easy during thewinter
months.
“Again this year, families
can enjoy learning how to ski
together at the Blue Care
Network Cross-Country Skiing
Zone presented by Sun and
Wayne reduces retiree health benefits
See
Ice,
page 6
The legacy of Marvin Gans
can be found throughout the
Northville community.
Through more than three
decades on the Northville
Township Planning Commis-
sion, more than 20 years as a
township trustee and through
organizations like the Friends of
Northville
Parks
and
Recreation, Mr. Gans was a tire-
less advocate who worked to
improvehis community.
“Marv spent decades work-
ing for us and representing the
community in every sense of the
word,” said Township Treasurer
Marjorie Banner, who served
withhimfor 16 years.
Mr. Gans passed away Dec. 2
at the age of 84. More than 200
friends and elected officials
joined his family Saturday to
celebrate his life, achievements
and many positive things he left
behind.
Born in New York City, Mr.
Gans earned a bachelor's
degree in physical education
from Hunter College, then a
Master's Degree in Physical
Education and Administration
from theUniversity of Michigan.
He studied abroad on a
Fulbright Teacher Exchange
before earning a Ph. D in
Physical Education and
Recreational Administration
and Facility Design from the
University of Utah.
He served as the director of
athletics at Schoolcraft College
and, later, assistant dean of Arts
and Sciences and assistant dean
of continuing education services
beforehis retirement in 2003.
He essentially constructed
the athletic program at the col-
lege from nothing. He designed
the facilities that are still in use
See
Gans,
page 2
Marv spent decades
working for us and representing
the community in every sense of the word.
”
Service remembers Trustee Marvin Gans
James Geitzen
Photos by David Willett
