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December 15 – 21, 2022 NEWS YOU CAN USE, NEWS YOU CAN TRUST 75¢

No. 49 www .associatednewspapers.net

Plymouth commissioners consider paid parking

Visiting downtown Plymouth businesses were against the
Vol. 137, No. 49 may soon come with a parking plan which could drive cus-
Plans for the renovation fee. tomers to nearby Canton or
and redesign of Banotai Park Members of the Plymouth Northville to shop or dine. She
in Sumpter Township are City Commission voted 5-2 to said she felt the paid parking
moving forward following a pursue a plan to implement a would be a detriment to the
5-2 vote of the members of paid parking system during character of downtown
the board of trustees. their regular meeting Nov. 21. Plymouth.
See page 3. Commissioners Alanna Mayor Nick Muroz, however,
Maguire and Linda Filipczak explained that funding to main-
cast the no votes on the proposal tain the current parking was not
and voiced their concerns adequate from current property
regarding the impact of paid taxes from local business.
parking on businesses in the Commission member Marques
Vol. 75, No. 49 community. Thomey cited a recent report deck. could have free parking for
Members of the Canton Maguire said the proposal which found costs to maintain A plan to allow free parking employees, while another would
Township Fire Department could be costly for employees at the central parking deck for the on some city streets and paid not.
teamed up with Meijer again local businesses or volunteers at next 20 years would be $3.1 mil- parking on others met with criti- No final decision on the plan
this year to host the annual the historical museum, many of lion. Several commissioners cism from those in attendance at was made and the commission-
Shop with a Firefighter whom are low-income or on a agreed that the current city the meeting. One business ers' review of the study will be
event. fixed income. funding is not sufficient to owner said such a system would discussed prior to any further
See page 2. Filipczak noted that local repair and maintain the parking be harmful as one business implementation.
Community mourns death of beloved area veterinarian

The death of Dr. John cine at Michigan State as a jun- tary work. His family said he
Hermann in a vehicle accident ior where he completed the would always send one of his
Vol. 75, No. 49 changed the lives of many area eight-year course in six years. team to receive the award to
City of Inkster officials residents who continue to He then began his career with avoid publicity.
want to hear what residents mourn his loss. the Kershaw Animal Hospital Dr. Hermann had a deep,
of the community would like Dr. Hermann, 53, an Inkster before opening the mobile clin- intrinsic love of animals, his
to see as recreational oppor- resident, was killed in Van ic with his long-time assistant, family said, and was once
tunities. Buren Township Dec. 4 when Heather Doud, and 28 employ- caught with baby chicks he had
See page 6. his vehicle crossed the center ees. hatched in his bedroom. He
line and struck another car. Dr. For more than 30 years, Dr. studied to become a stockbro-
Hermann owned a mobile vet Hermann's mobile veterinary ker in his time away from his
clinic based in Westland. He van practiced throughout the veterinary practice and eventu-
traveled throughout the area area, often visiting Tractor ally turned into real estate and
making "house calls" providing Supply, pet stores and pet home rentals, buying homes in
Vol. 22, No. 49 care to beloved pets and ani- grooming facilities to offer low- his community. Dr. Hermann
The newest members of mals. A 1993 graduate of the cost medical help for animals. was also an avid gardener and
the Northville Township Michigan State University He treated both domestic pets won several blue ribbons from
Fire Department, along with College of Veterinary Medicine, and farm animals and was the Snipes Garden Center for
a few of the oldest, recently he often said the mobile clinic well-known to many small his vegetables. The side lot of Dr. John Hermann
attended special training helped him reach and help as farmers in the area. Dr. his Inkster home became a veg-
recently. many people as possible. Hermann was generous with etable garden, and he pur- and laugh were contagious.
See page 5. Dr. Hermann was born in his time and donations and chased a lot across the street to Among his survivors are his
Royal Oak on June 14,1969 and treated animals at the enlarge his garden. He gave the parents, John and Barbara
his family moved to Romulus, Trenton, Woodhaven, vegetables to friends and Hermann of Yardley, PA; his
Pennsylvania in 1981. After his Taylor and Trenton shelters. neighbors who repaid him with brothers, Dr. Jeffrey Hermann,
graduation with honors from He participated in 4H, rescue samples of the canned pro- Hummelstown, PA and
Holy Ghost Preparatory School animals and community pet duce. Michael Hermann (Maria) of
in Bensalem, PA he entered vaccination drives, earning him His family said Dr.
Vol. 22, No. 49
the veterinary school of medi- countless awards for his volun- Hermann's gregarious nature See Death, page 6
The annual remembrance
in the Dec. 7 attack at Pearl Northville library discontinues charges for late returns
of those who lost their lives
Harbor took place in The Northville District Libraries Annual Report, “It's hard to tell how many was a logical step, the librarians
Plymouth Township last Library no longer charges late which is published by the long overdue items are out agreed. If patrons could not
week. or overdue fees for nearly the Library of Michigan, had the there,” said Maria Williams, visit the library to return their
See page 3. entire collection of items. number up to 173 - nearly triple assistant library director. “After items, how could they possibly
Members of the board of what it was before the COVID- they're gone for a long time, we pay fines? When libraries
trustees voted in favor of a fine- 19 pandemic began, when many remove them from the catalog. reopened, keeping fines sus-
free service model at their public libraries suspended the But sometimes lost items show pended seemed like an easy
October meeting and the no fee collection of fines, she added. up in donations to the Friends way to reduce the need for a
policy began last month. All Eliminating overdue fines of the Library. Or when people potentially risky face-to-face
Vol. 137, No. 49
previously accrued overdue does not mean that materials clean out their basements. Or interaction. It also made things
Several Romulus homes fines will also be waived, can be checked out indefinitely, move houses. No matter how a little easier for patrons and
will receive a visit from city library officials said. however, and patrons who lose long they've been gone, we're staff members during an abnor-
employees during the next “By taking this step, the or damage materials they've always happy to have the items mally difficult time.
few weeks in an effort to Northville District Library will borrowed will still be responsi- - and our patrons - come back. “It turned out to be a great
determine the quality of resi- remain in line with trends in ble for replacement fees. Most We waive lost item fees if the accidental experiment in going
dential water service. modern public library service items from the library collec- item is returned in good fine-free,” said Williams.
See page 4. and become even more wel- tion automatically renew twice shape.” “Patrons did not treat their
coming and convenient for all as long as there are no holds, In March of 2020 when pub- library items differently and
members of the community to but if they're not returned in a lic libraries across the state keep them forever just because
use,” said Library Director timely manner patrons will be closed during the early days of
Laura Mancini. “Anyone who asked to pay a lost item fee. the pandemic, suspending fines See Library, page 5
has stopped visiting the library
Vol. 75, No. 49 due to an accumulation of over-
A recount of votes request- due fines, or who has been
ed by losing city council candi- holding on to overdue items for
a very long time, is encouraged
date Phillip Wagner was com- to return to the Northville
pleted last week with no sig- District Library.”
nificant change in totals. Research has shown that
See page 4.
going fine-free eliminates barri-
ers to library usage and encour-
ages people to return borrowed
materials they previously kept
in order to avoid paying fines,
Mancini said. The trend has
Vol. 75, No. 49 been increasing in Michigan for
Westland police have several years. In early 2020 the
arrested the suspected driv- Detroit Free Press reported
er who seriously injured a that more than 60 Michigan
15-year-old John Glenn High libraries were phasing out the
School student in a hit and practice of collecting late fines
run accident. for overdue books and materi-
See page 6. als. In 2022 the Michigan Public

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