Page 2 - eagle123021

PAGE 2 ASSOCIATED NEWSPAPERS OF MICHIGAN December 30, 2021

ROMULUS
ROMULUS

Taps

Veterans honored during

national wreath program

Romulus Memorial wreaths on headstones across
Cemetery was one of more than the country.
3,136 sites to honor veterans At Arlington National
with memorial flags during the Cemetery specifically, the
holiday season. Wreaths Across America pro-
Members of the Romulus gram saw 66 tractor trailers
Veteran of Foreign Wars (VFW) deliver 250,000 wreaths placed
9568 marked the graves of fallen by nearly 38,000 volunteers. This
servicemen and women on was the 30th year that veterans'
Saturday, Dec. 18 as part of the wreaths have been placed there,
national Wreaths Across a tradition started by Maine
America. Volunteers and specta- wreathmaker Morrill Worcester Members of the Romulus VFW and Mayor Bob McCraight participate in the national Wreaths Across
tors laid wreaths on the graves as a gift of thanks. Morrill once America program at Romulus cemetery.
of fallen heroes. again made the trek to Arlington
National Wreaths Across this year to place wreaths as he chord like it has and make such a small gesture of gratitude for military, and their families.
America Day remembered has each December since 1992. an impact. Me and my family the freedoms Americans enjoy. When each wreath is placed the
national heroes as each veter- “When I brought down those continued to be humbled by the For centuries, fresh evergreens servicemember's name is said
an's name was said aloud and 5,000 wreaths that first year, I support this program receives have been used as a symbol of out loud, ensuring their memory
more than 525 truckloads of just thought it was a way for me across the country.” honor and have served as a liv- lives on.
wreaths were delivered across to say thank you, for what we Each live, balsam wreath ing tribute renewed annually. For more information, visit
the country. More than 2 million have in this country,” said was a gift of respect and appre- Wreaths Across America www.wreathsacrossamerica.org.
volunteers, a third of whom Worcester, founder of Wreaths ciation, sponsored by an individ- believes the tradition repre- Next year's National Wreaths
were children, helped placed Across America. “I could have ual or organization and placed sents a living memorial that Across America Day will take
more than 2.4 million veterans' never imagined it would strike a on a headstone by volunteers as honors veterans, active-duty place on Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022.

Lawsuit ed in an effort to “comply with all board financial operations, and that he offered site claims that Edmondson “did not
provide any meaningful or concrete
no plan to fill the interim finance direc-
motions” and has violated the Open
Meetings Act by failing to provide the tor position. plan” to address the problems in the dis-
FROM PAGE 1 minutes to the public in a timely man- Hampton, and many residents, have trict business and financial operations,
ner. publicly criticized the board for hiring and that he offered no plan to fill the
Edmondson claims that during his 6- Pyles said Edmondson was placed on an interim superintendent at a higher interim finance director position.
week absence recovering from heart leave in an effort to enable an independ- daily rate of pay during what they Despite numerous efforts of three
surgery, the board members hired Dixon ent investigation into “the serious dys- describe as a “private meeting” before school board members to reinstate
Public Consulting to investigate district functional operation of the District's the vote to suspend Edmondson took Edmondson, the proposal has met with
finances. Shortly after his return to Business Office” and said those prob- place. Edmondson, in his lawsuit, claims adamant resistance from the four mem-
work, he claims, the board members lems “were not being addressed by the that the interim superintendent is less bers who present a united front in refus-
voted to place a formal letter of repri- superintendent.” qualified while being paid at a higher ing to consider a motion to reinstate
mand into his employee file accusing She also claimed in a posting on the rate and suggests the pay rate is based him. A recent board meeting failed to
him of failing to provide a key fob to district website that an auditor found on race. Edmonson is Black while the proceed as members could not agree to
Dixon employees or perform back- “14 serious Business/Financial Office interim superintendent is White. accept the agenda as presented.
ground checks on them and that he problems” last year of which “12 of those As a result of the school board mem- Residents continue to vigorously protest
engaged in “defiant behavior” toward 14 problems remain unresolved going bers conduct, he has “suffered signifi- and criticize board actions at meetings.
Pyles, among multiple other charges. into this year's audit.” She said that cant reputational harm within the close- Edmondson is seeking compensatory
Edmondson alleges that Evitts, as the Edmondson “did not provide any mean- knit community of Michigan educators,” and exemplary damages; attorney fees,
secretary of the board, did not provide ingful or concrete plan” to address the the suit alleges. costs and interest; and “other relief as
minutes of several meetings he request- problems in the district's business and The statement from the district web- this Court deems just and proper.”