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December 27, 2012
B
ELLEVILLE
- C
ANTON
School board votes to demolish Elwell
Elwell Elementary School will
be razed despite the questions of
two members of the Van Buren
Board of Education.
The 5-2 decision to demolish the
school at an estimated cost of
$200,000 came at theDec. 11 school
boardmeeting.
Trustees Sherry Frazier and
Scott Russell cast the two dissent-
ing votes on the question. Both said
they wanted more information
before agreeing to the expense and
the demolition of the school build-
ing.
Russell suggested a possible
sale of the property while Frazier
requested the board approve an
appraisal of the site and an
appraisal of the other vacant build-
ing on Sumpter Road which for-
merly housed district vocational
classes.
Both the Elwell and Haggerty
buildings were closed due to
declining enrollment.
District surveys indicate that
the decline in student numbers
make it unlikely that the Elwell
building will be needed in the
future.
The district currently pays
about $15,000- to $25,000 annually
to maintain utilities at the two
buildings.
Superintendent of Schools
Michael Van Tassel expressed his
concern about Russell's suggestion
of selling the Elwell building, not-
ing that a charter school could pur-
chase and use the facility, drawing
students and state funding from
the district.
Moving the Early Childhood
Development Center into the
Haggerty School building will
allow for an expansion of
resources for that program, Van
Tassel said. Additionally the build-
ing will house the over-18 transi-
tion program for special education
students, saving the district about
$27,000 nowbeing paid toRomulus
as tuition for three students. Other
over 18 students are attending
classes at Belleville High School.
School administrators have said
that program at Haggerty could
attract students from other dis-
tricts.
The possibility of using Elwell
as a site for a new district library
was rejected as the building is too
far from the center of the library
service area to be the main branch
and not far enough into Sumpter
Township to be an ancillary loca-
tion.
No time frame for the demoli-
tionwas discussed.
for the payment of 10 percent of health care
premiums by the employees and an employ-
ee contribution to the prescription card cov-
erage.
The contract also requires that the fire
inspectionbe certified at levels one and two.
There were other operational changes
including a change in the grievance proce-
dure. Fire department employees are now
prohibited from wearing fire department
uniforms or insignia during any political
activity or at any public forum.
Fire fighters will 15 years of service
receive 25 vacation days, three personal days
and the same 13 holidays other township
employees receive.
All members of the department, with the
exception of Fire Chief DanBesson, are cov-
eredby the newunionpact.
Canton Township Police Lt. Todd
Mutchler has been selected the new director
of public safety. He will replace Patrick
Nemecek who will retire at the end of the
month.
Mutchler has worked his way up through
the ranks to this top position, starting as a
patrol officer hired by Canton in 1988. He
earned both his bachelor's degree in
Criminal Justice and master's degree in
Interdisciplinary Technology from Eastern
Michigan University. He is also a graduate of
theEMUPoliceStaff andCommandSchool.
Throughout his career, Mutchler has been
active in the depart-
ment, working sever-
al special assign-
ments including his
time as detective
bureau supervisor
and member of the Western-Wayne Special
Operations Team. He has also initiated and
participated on numerous committees, most
notably assembling the Response to Hate
Crimes Coalition, a collaborative effort of
non-traditional partners working together to
respond to and prevent hate crimes in the
township.
suite at FordField.
Savagewas also given a gift card for a new
washer and dryer by a nearby store owner
and a couple fromClarkston who read about
the plight of the family brought Savage a
$500 gas card and will pay her utility bills for
the next sixmonths.
“I am overwhelmed with the outpouring
of support for my family in this very chal-
lenging time. I will always have a special
place in my heart for all of those who have
supported us,” Savage said in an earlier
interview.
Dave Ebner, the owner of Real BarBQ
where the event took place said hewasmore
than happy to have been a part of the effort
tohelp the family.
“We live in a community which cares
greatly about others and there is no greater
privilege than helping those who are in
need. Joanne Savage and her family are
wonderful people and on behalf of Real
BarBQ, we pray for Joanne's full recovery,”
Ebner said.
Help
FROM PAGE 1
Contract
FROM PAGE 1
Canton Township names
new public safety director
Rubbish pick ups delayed
Todd Mutchler
The holidays have changed the sched-
ule forwaste pickup inCantonTownship.
Canton Waste Recycling has adjusted
the pick up schedule to accommodate the
holidays and the pick ups scheduled for
Dec. 24, Dec. 25 were not made. Pickups
slated for Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 will not be
completed those days either. Crews will
be performing curbside pickups on a two-
day delay cycle both weeks with crews
picking up curbside refuse Wednesday
throughSaturday.
Canton Waste Recycling will resume
the regular schedule onMonday, Jan. 7.
Curb-side pick-up of natural Christmas
trees will only be available from Jan. 2-10
Residents should place the undecorated
tree at the curb by 6:30 a.m. on their regu-
lar trash day. All tree stands, lights, orna-
ments and any other decorative material
must be removed. After Jan.10, trees will
no longer be accepted at the curb by
CantonWasteRecycling.
All refuse, recycling and yard waste
must be placed at the curb by 6:30 a.m. to
ensure pick-up.