Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Suspect arrested in stalking of state and city official

    Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy has charged Christopher Dean Baldwin, 40, of Flushing, in connection with stalking Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and her wife, Plymouth City Commissioner Alanna Maguire.  
    On March 5, 2024, at approximately 8:34 a.m., Plymouth police officers were dispatched to Attorney General Nessel’s family home in Plymouth for reports of a man sitting on her front porch. Upon arrival, officers came in contact with the defendant.

It is alleged that Baldwin rang the doorbell of Nessel and Maguire’s home, before sitting on their front porch. Baldwin was arrested at the scene without incident by officers from the City of Plymouth Police Department. It is alleged that Baldwin had 

attempted unsolicited contact with Nessel on a prior occasion. 

Baldwin came to a March 4 meeting where Plymouth City 

Commissioner Alanna Maguire was in attendance. 

Baldwin has been charged with two counts of misdemeanor stalking. 

“The Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office will always take any and all threats against public officials very seriously. This simply will not be tolerated. Unfortunately, in today’s climate threats to elected and other officials have become normalized. Not by the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, ever,” said Worthy.  

    Baldwin was arraigned last week in 35th District Court before Judge Michael Gerou and given a $100,000/10 percent bond with a GPS tether. He is also ordered to have no contact with the victims, no controlled substances or alcohol, and to surrender all firearms. A pre-trial is scheduled for March 15, before Judge James Plakas. 



Team Effort

 Miracle League and Team USA join to fund field project

By Ashley Willet


Miracle League of Plymouth and USA hockey representatives teamed up Feb.28 in an effort to fund a new baseball field in Plymouth.

The National Development Hockey League donated $3 from every ticket sold during the game last month to Miracle League. During the hockey game, Miracle League officials hosted a silent auction with baskets sponsored by The Home Depot of Farmington Hills, Busch’s of Plymouth 

Township, Hyatt Hotels, Painting with a Twist and even the Detroit Tigers. 

A special guest at the game was Buzz Schneider, who was on the 1980 USA hockey team that defeated the Soviet Union. Schneider’s son starred in the 2004 movie Miracle portraying his father.  The movie, based on the 1980 hockey team, starred Kurt Russell, Patricia Clarkson, and Nathan West.  Schneider did a “meet and greet” with the audience members at the game. The National Development hockey team hosted an open skate with the team members following the game as part of the fundraising effort.

Funds from this event and others will be used for the resurfacing project at Bilike Field. In partnership with 

Playground Equipment Services and Shaw Construction, Miracle League members hope to resurface the turf with an ADA-Compliant surface. Miracle League has raised $180,764 so far toward the $225,000 project.

For more information, go to www.miracleleagueofplymouth.com/resurfacingproject or contact 

Stacey@miracleleagueofplymouth.com.

Wayne council hires new city manager


    Wayne City Council members have chosen Diane Webb as the new city manager.

    Webb was selected by a four to three vote of the councilmembers with Mayor John Rhaesa, Mayor Pro Tem Alfred Brock and Councilman Donal Quarles casting the dissenting votes.

    Webb told the councilmembers she was looking forward to the new position and that she planned to meet with each of them.

Currently, Webb is the township supervisor in Redford Township. She has served elected terms on the Garden City Council and the Wayne County Commission.

    “I think you’ll do great,” Rhaesa said to Webb during the Dec. 19 meeting. “I want the council to be working with the city manager. Our job is to make you successful and our community successful.”

Despite his negative vote, Rhaesa told Webb he thought she would “do great.”.

Councilmembers expressed their gratitude to Wayne Police Chief Ryan Strong, who’s been interim manager since the abrupt resignation of former city Manager Lisa Nocerini. Strong was one of four final candidates under consideration for the job.

“I’m very excited about the opportunity to work with you and move this 

community forward,” Webb said.

    Final candidates for the job, in addition to Webb and Strong, were Mohamed Ayoub and Ken Marten.

    Webb will replace Lisa Nocerini, who abruptly resigned in August to take a city manager job near Grand Rapids. Nocerini is a named defendant in an ongoing federal case brought by Mark Blackwell, a city critic who claims Nocerini and other city officials violated his First Amendment rights and falsely accused him of a misdemeanor during a police chief hiring process in 2019.

Multiple council members and city department heads openly supported Strong for the position. He has been serving as interim city manager since Nocerini resigned. He has been with the police department for more than 20 years.

    
“I’m excited to see what the City of Wayne can do with a city manager from 

outside who gives us a breath of fresh air,” Councilman Mathew Mullholland said.

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Community mourns death of Craig Welkenbach


 The death last week of Craig Welkenbach is being mourned throughout the area.

Mr. Welkenbach, who served as the City of Westland Community Media Director, died March 2. He celebrated his 59th birthday Feb. 18. A beloved figure at events throughout the community, he was a popular and highly respected member of the city administration. 

    Mr. Welkenbach began his professional career with Continental Cable in Dearborn Heights prior to joining the City of Westland where he led the community media department for more than 25 years, garnering numerous accolades for his exceptional work in video production.

    Memories and tributes to Mr. Welkenbach filled social media sites as news of his death spread in the community. Westland Mayor Michael Londeau expressed his deep sorrow at Mr. Welkenbach’s death.

    “Craig was known and loved by many. He was at every event and function in Westland and greeted you with his infectious smile. He had a way of making everyone feel comfortable and important. It didn’t matter if you were a congressman, or a young child raising money for their basketball team, Craig made you feel heard and accepted,” Londeau posted. 

    “He loved to talk about sports, politics, movies, music, TV, and family. Movie quotes and song lyrics were often cited in the office, and it was common to take some time to watch a show at lunch or rehash last night’s reality TV show over coffee. Craig was very proud of the work he did, but he would never say it himself. He always put his team first. They were much more than staff to him, it was an extension of his family. 

    “We are all better for having known Craig and the world is a sadder place today with him not in it. We draw solace in the fact that his pain from cancer is gone while our pain and grief is just beginning,” Londeau concluded.  

    In addition to his professional endeavors, Mr. Welkenbach enjoyed a passion for movies and cherished moments spent up north relaxing or golfing with friends. An avid sports enthusiast, Mr. Welkenbach also had a deep love for animals. His greatest source of happiness, however, was the treasured time he spent with his family, friends recalled.

    Mr. Welkenbach was known for his quick wit and ability to find humor in any situation, along with his quick comebacks and infectious smile. Friends said his presence will be dearly missed by all who knew him.    

    Westland City Clerk Richard LeBlanc recalled his long friendship with Mr. Welkenbach in a social media post.

    Craig was a friend, a professional, and a loving family man. It's not fair that after battling cancer for half of his life that he has been snatched away.

    “We met when I was a member of the Cable Commission in the 1980s He was a behind the scenes guy, and never wanted the limelight. But he deserved it.

    “Our world has lost some of its luster,“ LeBlanc posted.

     WDIV meteorologist and former Westland resident Ashlee Baracy credited Mr. Welkenbach for career advice he gave her early in her career. 

    “He was the one who saw my potential long before I could see it in myself,” she posted. “Craig Welkenbach took a risk on me by giving me my first TV gig. He was the one who also said I should be a meteorologist when it wasn’t even on my ‘radar’ and felt so far out of reach. He was truly the foundation to this career and I wouldn’t be where I am today without him. I can only hope he knows that I’ll forever be grateful. But more importantly, he was a genuine friend,” she said.

    Among Mr. Welkenbach’s survivors are his devoted wife, Elizabeth "Beth" Welkenbach; his loving son David (Kristen) Welkenbach; his stepdaughters Hannah and Molly Pummill, and his adored grandson Lincoln Welkenbach. He was a cherished brother to Mary (Duane) Lamb, Karen Wells, Jim (Lorri) Welkenbach, Scott (Aranya) Welkenbach, and the late Brian Welkenbach. Craig is also survived by his mother-in-law, Carol (the late Pete) Borgelt; brother-in-law Steve Borgelt and many nieces and nephews, along with a host of dear friends and associates.

    A visitation to honor the life and career of Mr. Welkenbach is planned for 1 until 8 p.m. tomorrow, March 8 at L.J. Griffin Funeral Home, located at 7707 Middlebelt Road (South of Ann Arbor Trail), with a time of family sharing from 6 until 7 p.m.

Friends of Unity of Plymouth volunteers are ‘Miracle’ workers

Members of one Plymouth church believe in ‘miracles’ as they volunteer to help bring them about each month. 

The nondenominational  Friends of Unity of Plymouth members volunteer with the Miracle League of Plymouth monthly. This month, church members helped at the end of winter bowling event organized by Miracle League leaders. 

Miracle League of Plymouth is a local non-profit organization that allows special needs children to participate in sports despite the obstacles many have to overcome. This winter, Miracle League offered swimming, basketball and bowling. Friends of Unity members each paired up with a child with special needs to cheer them on as they rolled bowling balls down the lanes. The volunteers spent time with the youngsters which allowed parents and caregivers a break in the daily routine. Volunteers noted that the activities allow them to interact with the special needs children which is often the key to changing their life perspective about those with different needs. 

Friends of Unity the Rev. Kathy Harwood Long said being involved in Miracle League has sparked something in her. Interacting with the children one on one and getting to know the children’s interests and behaviors is very rewarding, she said. Harwood said volunteering regularly as a Friends of Unity ‘buddy’ people in the community care about them. Many local residents are unaware that there are children in the area who have certain different abilities, but who still just want to be kids, she added. 

Friends of Unity member Georgia Monroe said that seeing a child who would not normally able to bowl ‘blows her mind’. She explained that the independence of special needs children is surprising.  As a buddy, volunteers are on hand to encourage and cheer the children on. Some children will approach their buddy for a ‘high five’ while others keep to themselves. Still others might celebrate knocking down a few bowling pins with an impromptu dance.

Friends of Unity members hope to continue to volunteer each season, Harwood said. The next event planned is baseball season starting Apr. 30. For more information about Miracle League of Plymouth volunteering, visit www.miracleleagueofplymouth.com

 

Thursday, February 29, 2024

Northville Township receives top AAA bond rating


  Standard & Poor’s maintains Northville Township’s bond rating as AAA. This is the highest assigned rating and indicates that the Township has excellent creditworthiness, healthy reserves and prudent financial management that ensures the capacity to repay investors. “The designation qualifies the Township for the best interest rates when borrowing to fund long-term projects, like the new public services building on 15 acres of Legacy Park, the former state psychiatric hospital on Seven Mile Road,” said Northville Township Treasurer Jason Rhines. Northville Township plans to use its AAA bond rating to secure a low-interest rate for the $15 million bonds it plans to sell in late February. The proceeds will be used to partially finance the construction of the Essential Services Complex (ESC) at Legacy Park. 

The ESC will provide a second fire station, which is needed to reduce response times to the northeast quadrant of the community, as well as a new state-of-the-art police headquarters. Additionally, the ESC will be home to a new facility for the Department of Public Works and a Northville Parks & Recreation building, which will provide restrooms for residents near a trailhead to Legacy Park. The total project is expected to be completed in the spring of 2025. “This facility is important to the Board of Trustees because we value the health and safety of our residents,” said Northville Township Supervisor Mark J. Abbo. “It will lead to better response times from the Fire Department, our Police Department, and even our Public Works professionals, particularly our Water & Sewer team. That translates to providing better service to the community.” Not only has Northville Township received the coveted AAA bond rating, but has also been repeatedly recognized by the Government Finance Officers Association for its budget and financial plan, most recently for its 2023 budget. It’s in the top 2% of Michigan for its excellence in budgeting. “This AAA bond rating speaks to Northville Township’s mindfulness of being careful with every public dollar,” said Supervisor Abbo. “We are excited about Northville Township’s future and the improved service delivery the Essential Services Complex will provide our wonderful  community.”

Voters approve school district bond millage request

  Voters in the Plymouth Canton Community Schools district overwhelmingly approved the operating millage renewal proposal last Tuesday.  Preliminary results showed that 20,413 voters, or 71 percent of the votes cast, were in favor of the renewal while 8,151, or 29 percent, voted no on the question. The millage renewal was included on the Feb. 27 presidential primary ballot. The millage is a non-homestead renewal levied only on businesses and rental properties and homeowners are not subject to the tax. According to the district website, the millage renewal supports school safety officers, teachers, school nurses, counselors, social workers, bus drivers, and other staff members. The millage renewal will not increase taxes paid by homeowners but will continue the current levy against businesses and rental properties. Officials said all funds from the operating millage renewal will be required to undergo an annual, independent audit and be documented at www.pccsk12.com.

World wide

 Members of the Plymouth Noon Rotary Club participated in the Sun Never Sets in Rotary Program which commemorates the 119 years of the club with a continual 24-hour meeting from clubs around the world. Clubs from various countries around the world are elected to televise their 1-hour meeting showcasing their projects to symbolize the global reach of Rotary. This was the second year the Plymouth club was selected to 
participate as the representative of Rotary District 6400.

Spotlight players present Frozen Jr at The Village Theater at Cherry Hill


 Opening night for the Spotlight Players production of “Frozen Jr.” is set to take place on Thursday, March 7 at 7:30 p.m., as this family-friendly adaption of the 2013 Disney animated film, and Tony-award-nominated 2018 Broadway production comes to The Village Theater at Cherry Hill. Additional evening performances will be held on the Main Stage on Friday, March 8, and Saturday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m. Matinee shows will also be held on Saturday, March 9, and Sunday, March 10 at 3 p.m. Join Anna, Elsa, and all of your favorite characters as they embark on an epic, ice-filled journey of self-discovery, camaraderie, and the real meaning of true love. Adapted for young performers, this musical includes favorite Frozen songs such as “Love Is an Open Door,” “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?,” and “Let It Go,” as well as wonderful new songs from the Broadway production. With its empowering message of love and understanding, Frozen JR. is sure to melt your heart!Director Nicci Dreyer brings this fairy tale adventure to life with a magnificent cast of sixty-five featuring Noah Lee as Anna, Bella Reyes as Elsa, Christian Johnson as Kristoff, Grace Monty as Olaf, Sydney Raupp as Sven, Knight Emerson as Hans, Christian Moore as Weselton, and Roland Toole as Oaken. There will also be a special Saturday Night performance where Caleigh Hogan will be Anna, Alison James will be Elsa, Isaac Reyes will be Kristoff, Owen Porter will be Hans, Lily Najera will be Olaf and more! Frozen Jr.’s book is written by Jennifer Lee and the Music/Lyrics were written by songwriting duo Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. Tickets to these performances are $16-18.  Purchase your tickets online today at www.cantonvillagetheater.org or by calling the Village Theater Box Office at 734/394-5300. Tickets can also be purchased at The Village Theater Box Office one hour prior to show time. The Village Theater at Cherry Hill, located at 50400 Cherry Hill Road, Canton, MI 48187, is a regional center for the arts that offers the magic of live theatre, soul-stirring music, the thrill of dance, and the enjoyment of fine art exhibitions and events, in addition to providing a home for several cultural organizations and community groups.

For more information about this Spotlight Player’s Production, 

visit www.cantonvillagetheater.org, or call 734-394-5300.

Sweet Treat

Maple syrup tours set to begin at Maybury Farm in Northville

Maple Syrup Tours at Maybury Farm will be held 

weekends in March, on Saturdays and Sundays, from March 2 – March 30. Tours start at 12:30 p.m. and run each half hour with the last tour at 4 p.m. To schedule a private Maple Syrup Tour for groups of 15 or more at 11:30 a.m. each Saturday and Sunday, please call 248-374-0200 and press 2.
    The tour begins with a tractor-drawn wagon ride out to the Sugar Bush. You then take a short walk into the woods to learn about the maple trees, how to tap them, and then how to collect the sap. Some people like to taste the sap straight from the tree. Your next stop is the Sugar Shack, where you watch how the sap is converted into delicious maple syrup and get a taste.

After the tour, head over to Maybury Farm’s General Store, where hot drinks and snacks are available to purchase, as well as Pure Michigan Maple Syrup and other maple products. Guests will receive a recipe for cooking with maple syrup. Before or after your tour, walk around the farm and view the animals. This is a fun and educational experience for all ages and a great activity to enjoy with family and friends.

Maple Syrup Tours costs $11 per person, and children under two get free admission. View Maybury Farm’s website for more information.

Maybury Farm is operated by the Northville Community Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Maybury Farm is a working farm with a mission to connect the community to animals and agriculture through hands-on experiences that are both engaging and educational. Maybury Farm is open to the public Tuesday-Sunday beginning April 7. The Farm offers Farm Tours, Storytime, Farm Camp, unique events, birthday parties, and a fall Corn Maze. Maybury Farm is located at 50165 8 Mile Rd in 
Northville. It is 1-1/4 mile west of Beck Road on 8 Mile, one-half mile west of Maybury State Park. Enter at the Maybury Farm sign.

Romulus voters reduce monthly council meetings from 3 to 2

  Romulus City Council members will have a lighter meeting schedule beginning July 1 of next year.A ballot proposal to amend the city charter provisions reducing the number of monthly meetings from three to two each month was approved by a nearly 2 to 1 margin by voters on Tuesday. The question was the only local issue on the Feb. 27 presidential primary ballot.Voters approved the change with 2.082 yes votes or 62.65 percent of the ballots cast while no votes totaled 1,241 or 37.35 percent of the votes recorded. The totals were the unofficial results provided by the office of the city clerk. Of the total 3,323 votes cast, 100 were by early voters while 1.071 were cast on Election Day. Absentee voters totaled 2,152 on the question according to information from the clerk’s office.The amendment becomes effective July 1, 2024.Romulus voters selected Joe Biden as the top Democratic presidential candidate with 1,813 votes and Donald Trump as the Republican candidate with 1,007 votes. Biden received 84,96 percent of the Democratic votes while Trump was the choice of 82,81 percent of Republican primary election voters. There were  2,134 votes cast on the Democratic ballot and 1,12 votes on the Republican primary election ballot.

Flying High

 Plymouth Township Trustee John C. Stewart was a speaker at a recent meeting of Boy Scouts at Plymouth First United Methodist Church last week. Stewart and  former Eagle Scouts including John Stephen Tims II and Assistant Scoutmaster Wade Myers celebrated the anniversary of their individual awards of the Eagle Scout honors. Myers earned his Eagle Scout designation in 1984 and both Tims and Stewart marked the 60 year anniversary of their achievement in February of 1964.

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

Whoa!

Township trustees reject plan for Northville racetrack

In a decisive series of events, members of the 

Plymouth Township Board of Trustees shut down negotiations with Northville Downs to relocate a horseracing gambling track into the township. During a meeting Jan.23, board 

member voted unanimously to rescind negotiations of the Planned Unit Development (PUD) of Northville Downs, followed by unanimous votes from the Planning Commission on the 29th to both rescind the PUD and to deny the contract’s extension. On Feb. 6, board members formally denied the Planned Unit Development (PUD) contract and 

development plan, according to a prepared statement from officials at the Economic Development Responsibility Alliance (EDRA).

Residents of Plymouth Township have been raising concerns regarding the gambling facility at town meetings regularly for nearly a year; more than 1,300 have signed a grassro
ots petition to “Stop the Racetrack”. 

During the initial Jan. 23 meeting, Township Supervisor Kurt Heise accused Northville Downs’ owners of operating in “bad faith”. Heise referred to the breakdown in negotiations over the community benefit agreement, in which he and the board sought to offset community opposition to the project with $5M in funding for community recreation. “We did some hard bargaining with them and we demanded a lot from them and they rejected it,” Heise reportedly said. 

Attorneys representing Northville Downs accused the township board members of making “illegal requests for extra money” in mid January.  Trustee John Stewart and Treasurer Bob Doroshewitz both acknowledged that the project wasn’t a good fit for the community.

  During the Jan. 23 meeting, residents expressed concern regarding the initial dealings with Northville Downs, and warned they would continue to be vigilant. During public comments, resident Mary Ann Adams admitted the experience had left her “saddled with pessimism…(about) how this 

development came to our community, pessimism about our local officials having residents’ best interests top of mind, and 

pessimism about acting in good faith with residents.”

Resident Rena Ban scolded the board members: “Opposition to the project has continually grown, and has been made known to you in many different ways, including letting you know at almost every meeting for almost a year. The mishandling of the project has broken community trust, and highlighted the very valid concerns about their board, and the desire and need to have transparency, and accountability…I hope this vote means you have been listening.”

Northville Downs’ attorney has stated publicly that they are considering their legal options, but no legal action has been taken to date. However, residents aren’t convinced the fight is over yet. Meijer sued Plymouth Township last August for denying a special land use to build a large retail store and gas station, and late last month, Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Brian 

Sullivan ruled in favor of Meijer, allowing the development.

    “We have continued to state publicly that this gambling facility is not welcome in our community,” said Adams, “and we will continue to monitor legislative activity and to lobby for changes in the outdated laws which put any Michigan community at risk for this type of gambling facility.” 

As Northville Downs current location is now closed permanently, this may be the end of the harness horse racing gambling industry in Michigan.

“A dying, harmful business is not what the community wants for the future of their township, and I hope that you’ve heard that,” 

Ban told the b members.

“Live horse races account for less than 4 percent of wagers at this facility,” 

observed Adams, “ however it is still an industry with decades of decline and 

controversy. This gambling facility contravenes our master plan…Northville Downs holds accountability for thinking it was okay to force itself onto our community without assessing overall residential sentiment–frankly business 101.”


Romulus City Clerk explains cemetery

 

Romulus City Clerk Ellen Craig Bragg issued a statement last week regarding the early spring cleanup of the Romulus Memorial Cemetery.  Her statement, which was posted on social media and the city website, explained the situation which unfortunately resulted in the disposal of some mementos and items from some graves. 

At Craig-Bragg’s request, her letter to residents regarding the situation follows.

Last week, there was an unscheduled cleanup of wreaths and grave blankets in the Romulus Memorial Cemetery. In an attempt to take advantage of the nice weather, a few members of the Cemetery Board of Trustees cleaned the cemetery in preparation for the Spring 

season. Though their intentions were good-natured, they did not comply with the posted cemetery cleanup deadline of March 15. 

Unfortunately, the City Administration was unaware of the cleanup until after it was finished.

It is entirely understandable why many residents are concerned and upset. The City has forwarded those concerns to the Cemetery Board of Trustees Chairperson, who has expressed sincere remorse and takes full responsibility for any dismay they may have inadvertently caused.

On behalf of the Cemetery Board of Trustees, the City would like to apologize to the residents and families impacted by the cleanup. Please rest assured that this matter has not been taken lightly, and steps have been implemented to ensure this does not happen again.

It is important to note that the Cemetery Board of Trustees is a board comprised of residents who volunteer their time to attend to and beautify the cemetery in respect of the many loved ones buried therein. The City appreciates the board’s many years of hard work and attentiveness in maintaining the Romulus Memorial Cemetery.

The Cemetery Board of Trustees meets on the 4th Tuesday of every month at 4:30 pm in the Romulus City Hall Council Chambers. Due to the election on February 27, the next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, February 28.

If there are any concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to contact the City Clerk’s Office at (734) 942.7540.

 Ellen L. Craig-Bragg, City Clerk

Romulus Cemetery Sexton

Canton pilot crashes near South Lyon


A Canton Township pilot crashed his small plane 4 miles from the South Lyon airport last week.

The pilot, a resident of Canton, was traveling from Detroit to Saint Louis on a night cargo flight. The unnamed pilot informed the ATC that both engines failed. He was directed to the small airport. Because it was a night flight, he had no visual clues causing him to lose control, stalling and crashing just southwest of South Lyon, 4 miles from the airport. The Beachcraft C-45 Expediter, impacted trees before his destination at the private airstrip near Brighton Road and Eight Mile Road in Green Oak Township, Michigan. 

    
The pilot was not injured, however, the aircraft received substantial damage. The pilot reported to local police that he was coming in for a landing when a gust of wind caused the plane to roll to the left, where the wing clipped a tree branch forcing the plane into the trees. He was not injured and able to climb down from where the plane was “stuck” making it to the ground. 

He was the only person inside the plane. The seasoned aviator has over 5,000 flying hours, 3169 of them on the same style as the Beechcraft C-45 

Expeditor. The Bureau of Aircraft Accident Archives reported the probable causes were the following; Double engine failure in flight caused by fuel 

exhaustion, mismanagement of fuel, improper in-flight decisions, fuel exhaustion, improper level off, inadequate pre-flight preparation, complete engine failure, forced landing off airport, vectored to alternate airport due to low fuel, both engines failed before field in sight.

    The Aviation Safety Network concurred.

Federal recovery assistance available for flood damage


Home and business owners in nine Michigan counties are now eligible for federal assistance to help recover from damages caused by severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding that occurred on Aug. 24-26, 2023.

  The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced on Feb. 8, 2024, that President Joe Biden approved Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration in Eaton, Ingham, Ionia, Kent, Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, and Wayne counties. The declaration now opens the application process for 60 days for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Individual Assistance (IA) for affected residents.

  This FEMA assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of these disasters. 

  “This federal assistance that is so greatly appreciated will certainly be put to good use helping those impacted by these devasting storms that not only affected residents and businesses in the Canton community but also touched so many lives in nine counties throughout the state,” said Anne Marie Graham-Hudak, Canton Township supervisor. “With so much damage in our community, Canton township staff and my office have worked tirelessly to ensure that affected individuals have access to all available resources to assist their recovery from these unprecedented storms.”

  On Aug. 23-24, 2023, residents and businesses in Wayne County and Canton Township, specifically, experienced storm-related damages from flooding, tornadoes, and straight-line winds that caused significant financial losses, for which Graham-Hudak  applied for a State of Emergency with Canton  Emergency Manager William Hayes and the Michigan State Police.

“We know that a lot of property damage occurred as a result of these natural disasters and Canton officials look forward to working with our federal partners to see that affected individuals can receive any available assistance after experiencing the effects of these major storms,” stated Hayes..

  Federal officials now say that residents and business owners who sustained losses in these designated areas can begin applying for assistance at www.DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362), or by using the FEMA App, which is available to use and download for free for both Android and iOS systems and can be downloaded on Google Play and from the Apple App Store.

  Anyone using a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service, or others, can give FEMA the number for that service.  The deadline to apply for federal assistance is April 7, 2024.

  Local Disaster Recovery Centers will be set up for applicants requiring in-person assistance from a FEMA representative and location information will be shared once details are finalized. For additional information, visit www.cantonmi.gov.

Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Voters to decide school millage renewal question I Feb. 27

The Non-Homestead millage renewal, covers operating 

revenue that impacts the Plymouth-Canton school district over the next 20 years. Last renewed in 2014, this is a request to continue funding what has been in place since 1994. The source of funding only impacts local 

businesses, second homes, commercial, industrial and non resident properties.  The proposal does not apply to private residences’ or raise taxes.

The millage represents the Plymouth-Canton Schools’ (P-CCS) general budget by $33.5 million dollars.  

Considered one of the best school districts in the State with 16,200 enrolled students, the funds are used for 

support staff, social workers, counselors, nurses, safety officers and teachers.  It is important to note that if the 

millage is not approved, the funds will not be covered by the State of Michigan.  

Local businesses will maintain the same rate as before.  The breakdown is that the district is able to levy 18 mills on Non-Homestead property through the 2023-24 school year.  

Renewed, the millage would stay at the same rate.   

Which means for a property value at $200,00 the tax cost would be  $3,600.  Superintendent of Plymouth-Canton 

Community Schools, (Recipient of the 2023 Superintendent of the Year Award), Dr. Monica Merritt, spoke at the 

Plymouth Rotary Luncheon on Friday Feb 9 to clarify any possible confusion concerning the millage.  “This is a renewal,

when I say renewal, it is not a tax increase or a new ask.  It is for businesses, commercial properties and second homes.”  She continued, “What does this support in Plymouth-Canton?  We always hear about our teachers who are a treasure trove of talent...we have over 1100 teachers in Plymouth/Canton and want to support our dynamic 

educators.”Voting in January, the Plymouth Community Chamber of Commerce, stated by letter, that the board of 

directors supports the millage renewal. The Chamber’s mission is to continue supporting economic growth to best serve the citizens of the Plymouth Community. For more information on the grant go to: PCCSK12.com