Council Files Suit to Halt
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Second CI•••• Motter at tho 2Sc Per Copy POlt OWce at Detroit, Michigan GROSSE POINTE, MICHIGAN, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 1981 $10 POI Yea, 38 Pages-Three Sections-Plus Insert -----------------------------------------------_._------._---_._----------- ------------ - -----~----------- _._._ .._----- GP District Court team Council Files takes shape Suit to Halt By Gregory Jakub f'1 Grosse Pointe city officals have ap. pointed three of the five representa- tives who will form a team to ham. lTroup Home mer out the details of the new Grosse Pointe District Court scheduled to start January 1982, By Susan McDonald court of appcals, Council members Lloyd Semple of Grosse Pointe Park filed suit "The (cases) are not encouraging." the Farms, Patricia Graham of the in Wayne County Circuit Court said Councilman Douglas Graham, Shores, and Frederick Lovelace of early this week to st::JP plans to "But we have no other recourse but the Woods will participate in Dis- open a group home for retarded to pursue this with all due vigor," trict Court work sessions instigated adults at 1030 Bedford Road, The by State Sen, John Kelly who plans A HANDFUL OF Bedford Road to introduce legislation to form the .'. suit names homeowner Dr, An- residents were at the council's Mon. court, The Park and City have yet to drew Barrer and officers of Com- day meeting to find out what the city appoint members to the District munity Administrative Services, is doing to stop the home, Several Court team which has no work sched- ,- ", •••• ,. of' , .......... Inc" home administrators, and neighbors have opposed the state's ule yet. claims the group home is in vio- plans to locate the retarded on their N ....... lation of the city's residential block bccause they fear it will de- IT WAS A YEAR ago that law- press their property values and de. Pholo by Tom Greenwood z:.;ning laws, makers and the Pointes attempted to The proposed group home at 1030 Bedford. tract from the family atmosphere, convert the present five municipal Park Counci) members heartily en- courts to one or two district courts dorsed the legal action at a Monday "The residents of Bedford obvi- to put the Pointes in line with court meeting, despite the fact that similar ously don't want this," said Council. conversions throughout the state, attempts to stop home placements by man John Prost. "They don't like the other communities have failed, City idea of this profit making business in That effort produced legislation Woods budget outlook brighter the middle of their neighborhood." that eventually expired when. the Attorney Herold McClure Deason said three cases based on local zoning or- cities failed to work out the difficult By Gregory Jakub capital improvement fund ordered by has also increased because more The state department of mental question of how many District Court dinances (as the Park's) have failed Petersen last Ocober, That move was cases have bc:en brought to court, and one case is currently pending in (Continued on Page 4.\) judges will be needed to handle the Five weeks ago, "lay-offs" and expected to put the fund under budg. he added, Pointes' caseload and whatever cases "cutbacks" were the buzzwords et by $11,613, if the spending freeze are transfered from the dissolution around Grosse Pointe Woods is maintained until the end of the Other factors helping the budget of Detroit's Common Pleas Court in city offices where officials were fiscal year, Petersen said. are reducing overtime by city em. September, projecting a $77,801 deficit in the ployes and a relatively mild winter In the revenue column, Petersen II'hich didn't strain salt supplies, Pe. Tax rebel The Pointes face the same tough city's 1980-81 budget. said $120,000 in expected federal rev- tersen said, questions of financing and locating the District Court this time and are Today, City Manager Chester Pe. enue sharing funds will actually to- tersen says that spending freezes and tal about $140,000, The extra $20,000 Thi) Woods' budget problems start. vs. state, approaching them with apprehension ed when officials predicted a $70,930 and enthusiasm, an unexpected $20,000 increase in will help offset the $23,310 the city federal revenue sharing funds could lost when Gov, William l\Iilliken. cut. deficit in the Public Saf(;ty Depart- Grosse Pointe Park officials see produce a $16,000 budget surplus by back state revenue sharing funds in men's $2.16 million budget and a round one the new court as a revenue generat. the' fiscal year's end on June 31. November, $98,070 deficit in Public Works $1.68 ing prospect and are looking at the million budget, Petersen said, By Gregory Jakub possibility of modifying their present THE APPARENT financial turn- Some of the city's short-term in, Increases in workmen's compensa- Grosse Pointe Farms business- court room to house a District Court. around, according to Petersen, is the vestments han' also generated more tion insurance rates and numerous According to a report by Park City result of a combination of factors revenue than expected because in- man Stuart Crane was dealt a starting with a freeze on spending terest rates have remained high, Pe- sidewalk and water main repairs setback last week in his efforts (Continu,d on Page SA) from the city's $150,516 contingentl tersen said, Income from traffic fines caused the over.spent budgets, he to have a jury decide whether said, the state illegally searched his PETERSEN SAID the city expect. home last December, when .~. ed a $35,000 to $45,000 refund' from Wayne County Circuit Court Charter draftil1~g .begins. workmen's compensation insurance in judges referred Crane's cases to March but has "been advised it won't the Court of Claims in Lansing, be that much," The insurance com- pany is holding $60,000 pending the Crane a self-styled tax protesler outcolUe of one claim by the Public and Con~titutional scholar, said he will Stuart Crane Lawmaker says watell those county cuts Safety Department, Petersen said, appeal the ruling sinc:e the Court of Claims would not provide his cases (Continued on Page 7A) Attorney General spokesman explain- By Joanne Gouleche County to be eventually governed by no one there to steer the ship," Hertel be tried by jury. ing that the Court of Claims in Lans- an elected county executive or an ap- said, State officials raided Crane's home ing ha, juri,didilln oyer suil.'i in State Sen. John Hertel (D- po:nted administrative officer, which on Cloverly in December attempting which the state is the defendant. Harper Woods) advised the is the crucial difference between .the Hertel said he was saddened by the to confiscate part of the $275,000 in Wayne County Charter Commis- two charter:;, ' lack of participation by citizens dur- Inside , CrJnc maintains that his cases ing the public forums, evident by last Business ., .. ,' .. , .. ,.," _, , , ,9B back taxes which the state says he should be heard by a Circuit Court sion last week not to swing the The charters could go back to Classified " .. , ..... , ... " .. ', 4C owes. Crane maintains the raid ille- axe too harshly in the next few week's turnout at Austin. Hertel said jur)' of his peers as provided by the voters this November for approval. thzrz is a "crisis in terms of ~he Edit'Jrials ., .. ,", .. ,., . , . , , ,14.A gally netted $150,000 worth of his ConstitLltion, months when it begins drafting Letters to Editor ",.".,'" ,14A currency and property and that state At the Austin Center meeting last governed" and that "ap3thy is making a charter to reorganize the na- progress," Obituaries ., _ . , . , , . , , ,12A officials slandered him when they "The whole thing boils down to the tion's third largest county. week, Hertel urged the commission Pointer of Interest .. ,', .. , .12B announced the raid to the press, Stale of :'I[ichigan doesn't want. to go to look at the county program-by. Prime Time... .. ,., _, ,8A before a jury and we say wc will," First District Commissioner Gattorn, Crane said the ~Iarch 6 circuit court Hertel said it's "fashionable" to cut program in determining where servo Sports ., .. "., ..... " .. ,.,., 13C Crane said, ices could be cut, in favor of an elected executive. said actions on two of his cases and sim- back on government services, .but it her colleagues will begin drafting Society., ,.,','.,.,.,',.,' .1-7B may not be the cure for a cashless ilar actions on Feb, 20 were just the Crane say., he plans to appcal the charter language later this month and • /, story on the :\'eighborhood county that affeets over 2,666,000 "There should not be a meat axe first in a serics of motions and coun • c:rcllit court actions to transfer his approach to the county, but rather a will come up with a tentati\'e charter people living in Wayne, Club's approach to youth athletics termotions he expects to be filed ill ca,e;; and will appcal to the State and scalpel approach," Hertel said, "You somet:me in May, Gattorn currently can be found on Page lC, Also, the complicated legal battle, fed~ral Supreme CourLs if necessary. s;~s on .a committee responsible for "It's very fashionable to cut back have to be carefLlI where to cut." GI")sse Pointe's nl'l\'cst sports star outlining the job description for the Crane's four suits were "basically "The ca"e is a1Jl'e and well," Crane on government, but it's not always i, jJroLbl and pictured 011 Page Ie, Hertel said it would be too much, new county executivc.