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No. 30
NEWS YOU CAN USE, NEWS YOU CAN TRUST
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July 24 – 30, 2014
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
The Wayne Westland
Professional Fire Fighters.
Local 1279 and U.S. 12
American Bar and Grill in
Wayne are seeking sponsors
for
Woehlke-Palooza
planned for August.
See page 5.
Fresh off the re-opening
of their largest park, officials
in the City of Romulus hope
to bring activity back to
Eugenio Fernandez Park off
Hearst Street.
See page 3.
Members of the Plymouth
Fife & Drum Corps, (PFDC)
accompanied the Kiwanis
Club of Plymouth during
their annual Peanut Day
weekend fundraiser this
spring.
See page 2
.
Area students who are
qualified have only until
Aug. 1 to apply for the five
openings in the International
Baccalaureate Diploma
Program at Northville High
School.
See page 2.
The Belleville Area
Council for the Arts has
elected new officers for the
2014-2016 term. The election
of the executive officers took
place earlier thismonth.
See page 2.
Vol. 129, No. 30
Vol. 67, No. 30
Vol. 67, No. 30
Vol. 14, No. 30
Vol. 129, No. 30
Vol. 67, No. 30
Vol. 67, No. 30
For home delivery of The Eagle call 734-467-1900.
Westland City Council
members unanimously
adopted the recently ratified
U.A.W. Local 174 union con-
tract for front line supervi-
sors during a regular meet-
ing thismonth.
See page 5.
A Rally on Ridge Road
has been set from 6-9 p.m.
next Tuesday, July 29, at the
Cherry Hill School area to
aid the Canton Farmers'
Market.
See page 4.
Vol. 14, No. 30
Former Inkster City
Councilman Anthony Greene
was sentenced to 18-months
probation and court costs in
Wayne County Circuit Court
last Friday.
See page 5.
Former Canton Township
Supervisor and current board
Trustee Thomas Yack filed a law-
suit last Friday in Wayne County
Circuit Court alleging that
Warren Evans, the leading candi-
date forWayne County Executive,
is ineligible to seek the office.
The suit has been assigned to
Circuit Court Judge Muriel
Hughes who is expected to hear
arguments on the merits of the
case today.
According to the lawsuit, filed
by Warren attorney John F.
Harrington representing Yack,
Evans is not qualified by state
law to appear as a candidate for
Wayne County Executive based
on MCL 168.191(1) and MCL
168.10 which require any candi-
date to be a “qualified elector” in
the county in which election is
sought on the filing deadline.
Evans has admitted that he did
not live in the county 30 days
prior to the filing deadline,
according to the complaint.
The office of Chief Executive
Officer for Wayne County was
created by the Home Rule
Charter for the County of Wayne.
That charter provides that the
qualifications for candidates for
Chief Executive Officer be gov-
erned by state law, rather than
county regulations. State law
requires that any candidate for
the office by a “qualified elector”
in the county in which election is
sought. A qualified elector must
have lived in the county for at
least 30 days, according to the
court filings.
Evans changed his residency
from his home in Salem
Township in Washtenaw County
on April 21, just prior to filing to
seek election as Wayne County
Executive, one day prior to the
deadline. Harrington submitted
copies of paperwork from both
Salem Township in Washtenaw
County and Wayne County prov-
ing the dates of the filings and
changes in primary residency for
Evans.
The suit names the Wayne
County Election Commission and
Wayne County Clerk Cathy
Garrett as defendants and seeks
both declaratory relief and a writ
of mandamus removing Evans'
name from the Aug. 5 ballot and
asks the court to order that “no
votes that are ostensibly cast for
him should be counted” in the
election.
The lawsuit also asks the court
to require the elections commis-
sion and Garrett to appear at the
evidentiary hearing today to
show cause as to why Evans
should not be removed from the
ballot and any votes cast for him
not counted.
Members of the Plymouth
Township Board of Trustees
were expected to vote Tuesday
on a new set of rules for the
conduct of the public at meet-
ings.
Critics of the proposed rules
have called the plan a blatant
attempt to censor two board
members who often do not vote
with the five-block majority and
an effort to restrict the public
from commenting on or ques-
tioning the actions of the board.
The agenda item was listed
as new “Rules for Conduct of
Meetings
and
General
Business,” and was strongly
criticized by several residents
who claim it is an effort to try to
silence vocal critics who have
launched a grassroots cam-
paign against the $350,000
amphitheater being construct-
ed inTownshipPark.
Township Clerk Nancy
Conzelman and Treasurer Ron
Edwards proposed the “set of
rules for conducting our meet-
ings” and said the changes “will
result in a much more efficient,
effective and productive gov-
erning body” in a formal motion
included in the board meeting
informationpacket.
The changes include eight
rules designed to restrict public
comment at the meetings and
specifically excuse any obliga-
tion or requirement for a
response or reply from the
board.
“Public comment by mem-
bers of the public is not
designed for interactive dia-
logue between the Board and
the public, but is designed for
members of the public to make
a public statement of position to
the Board to aid in the Board's
d e c i s i o n - m a k i n g …
Consequently, members of the
public shall make their state-
ment of position known to the
Board without an expectation
of a response…”
Trustees Bob Doroshewitz
and Chuck Curmi recently
spoke out at a public meeting
regarding the amphitheater,
hosted by the Plymouth
Concerned Citizens activist
group. Recent public com-
ments, petitions, lawn signs and
social media have chronicled
residents' concerns regarding
the 400-seat amphitheater and
band shell. Claims that town-
ship officials failed to ask
whether residents even want
the structure, literally being
built in their backyards, have
been repeatedly citedby critics.
Doroshewitz andCurmi have
been critical of several recent
financial decisions of the other
board members and often vote
in opposition to the remaining
five members. Both have
opposed the new “recreation
plan” in the township which
includes the amphitheater,
which the pair say is too expen-
sive and redundant considering
the number of such facilities
available in the area.
The proposed new rules also
call for trustees to refrain from
“engaging outside consultants
and/or legal counsel” without
permission from Township
SupervisorRichardReaume.
The vote on the new rules
was not available at press time.
”
A qualified elector must have
lived in the county for at least 30 days,
according to the court filings.
This Sunday, there will be
$25 million worth of machines
grandly displayed across the
grounds of the Inn at St. John's
inPlymouthTownship.
The Concours d'Elegance of
Americawill return toPlymouth
Township on Sunday, July 27
and display the "by invitation
only" world class automobiles
across more than 200 acres of
lush grounds. The showcase
automobiles compete for honors
during the show. Organizers said
that, “classic, rare and magnifi-
cent automobiles from across
the country and the world have
been invited to participate this
year.”
"The Concours d'Elegance of
America at St. John's offers visi-
tors an unparalleled experience
of elegance from another era
and a once in a lifetime oppor-
tunity to see so many valuable
and important automobiles at
one place and at one time. The
total field is valued at well over
$25million," organizers stated.
This world-class exhibition of
classic, rare and magnificent
automobiles will include 280
cars from 20 states. The exhibi-
tionwill include a celebration of
the 50th anniversary of the Ford
Mustang, vintage drag bikes
and, added this year, new super
cars.
As traditional dictates, the
classics of automotive design
will be on display along with jet-
age pickups, early motorcycles
and the cars of Oscar Davis,
alongwith some other surprises,
according to organizers of the
event.
“One of the exciting featured
classes this year will be the evo-
lution of the sports car. Entries
include many of the most beau-
tiful, heroic, and legendary
sports cars ever conceived, plus
some you might never have
heard of before,” organizers
said. For more information, visit
http://www.concoursusa.org.
Organizers said that this year
the event will feature an
unmatched range of innovative,
one-of-a-kind automobiles that
include everything from the
most famous European and
American race cars in history.
On display will be the 1919
Paige 6-66 Daytona Speedster
Prototype and the first Nash-
Healy Roadster, regarded by
many as the first true American
sports car.
A special exhibit of the
breakthrough "Forward Look"
automobiles of visionary design-
er Virgil Exner will be featured.
There will be Mode du
Concours Fashion Shows
throughout the event, matching
vintage fashions as part of the
presentation at the judges stand.
A portion of proceeds of the
Concours d'Elegance of America
at St. John's is designated for the
College for Creative Studies,
known for its pre-eminent auto-
motive design curriculum;
Hospice of Michigan; Leader
Dogs for the Blind and
Yatooma's Foundation for the
Kids.
This is the 36th year for the
world-class premier auto exhi-
bition which will be open to the
public from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
on Sunday. The Inn at St. John's
is located at 44045 Five Mile
Road in Plymouth Township.
Admission is $25 and includes
parking, shuttle and program
book.
The changes include
eight rules designed to restrict
public comment at the meetings...
”
Lawsuit challenges Evans’ eligibility
The automobile as art
Concours d’Elegance of America
opens to public this Sunday
Clerk and treasurer propose new meeting rules