omelbwn COMMUNICATIONS N B T W O R ,K UDestlanft (Dbseruer the Your hdmetown newspaper serving Westland for 36 years Thursday, June 29, 2000 hometownnewspapers.net 75C Volume 36 Number 8 Westland, Michigan O2000 HomeTown Communications Network"* IN THE PAPER Taxpayers may foot legal bill TODAY City council discussion's on hold for having expenses. on the agenda," Griffin said, adding taxpayers pay for a $5,000 legal bill related to Griffin and colleagues David Cox, that he will revive the proposal when Open Meetings Act violation allegations. David James and Sharon Scott came asked by his colleagues. Griffin said under fire for allegations that they it's possible that*a vote could be Fest fun: The Westland Council members disagree on whether tax­ decided privately, in violation of the delayed until September. ; Summer Festival kicks off payers should pick up the tab. Open Meetings Act, to fire former City That scenario would push the issue today and runs through BY DARRELL CLEM public officials against lawsuits an<L Clerk Patricia Gibbons on Jan. 18. past the Aug. 8 election primary in STAFF Warren allegations. 40F* They denied breaking any laws, and which Anderson and Scott are facing Tuesday, July 4. There dclein^oe-honsecomns.net Otherwise, he said, elected offtciare \a Wayne County Prosecutor's Office each other for the Democratic nomina­ will be rides, entertain­ Taxpayers may have to pay a $5,000 could lose their homes, vehicles and investigation - sought by Anderson tion to the 18th District state House ment, a parade at 10 a.m. legal tab that four Westland City other personal possessions, ending up and Councilman Richard LeBlanc - seat, .'••';'.'. Council members rah up while fighting "paupers" and discouraging potential found no wrongdoing. •In an unusual twist, the winner will Saturday, fireworks at A proposal to have taxpayers pay the face Gibbons - the lone Republican allegations of Open Meetings Act viola­ office-seekers from public life! wa dusk on Tuesday, the . tions. But Councilman Glenn Anderson combined $5,000 legal tab * pulled candidate - in the Nov. 7 general elec­ Fourth of July, and more. Council President Charles uTravn called it"preposterous" that Griffin from the council's June 19 meeting tion. Griffin defended the proposal and said and three colleagues may vote to give agenda. ^ The event will be in the city dollars should be used to defend th emselves $1,250 each, for legal "I don't know when it's coming back '•..••'• • ' Please sec BILL, A3 Central City Park area. For more, please see the schedule, page A6, Hello, Lowe's! Will it be HOMETOWN LIFE Mayor Home sweet home: Con­ struction will begin in July on a Habitat for Humanity house thanks BY DARRELL CLEM STAFF WRITEH to a donation from dclem9oe.homecomm.net UPS./B1 Police'Chief Emer>' Price confirmed Tuesday that he will likely try to become Westlahd's next mayor. Price, 59, said he will seek a one-year AT HOME appointment if Mayor Robert Thomas this year wins a Wayne County Com­ Outdoor setting: Furnish­ mission race and leaves his city job a year early. ings for the patio or back Price also confirmed that he expects yard are as stylish as to campaign for a four-year mayoral post in 2001 unless Thomas seeks re­ those for the interior./DX election. "I would not run against him," Price said. • ENTERTAINMENT Price became the third local official to announce a likely bid for Thomas' ;cb. C:^:::! n^^tc'' °'""1'" r'j^-^u; Festive Fourtn: Celebrate and Richard I^eBlanc also have indicat­ a patriotic Fourth of July ed they will campaign to become with the Detroit Sympho­ srtAtt Pm/WB m Tu* HA»U> mayor. Big moment: Ed Watkins of Westland, store manager at Price is a 33-year Westland Police ny Orchestra and the Lowe's, will open the store 6 a.m. this Saturday with the Department employee who has been Jazz Ambassadors of the help of his colleagues. Above with Watkins are the appli­ chief for eight years. U.S. Army Field Band at -I think I've proven myself." he .said, ances and in the background is the furniture area At citing his managerial, and administra­ Greenfield Village. Fire­ right, carts are ready to roll at Lowe's Saturday and tive skills, works will be beyond. An additional grand opening is set for 6 a.m. "The department has come a long Tuesday, July 4. For more, please see page A4. way in the last eight years - certainly included/El not all because of me. bui sitting in this seat sets the tone and direction," Price said. Price said his.political ambitions won't interfere with'.his police chief REAL ESTATE duties. "Right now I have this job to do. and Leaving home: There are that's my priority," he said. ways parents can help . A mayoral bid would mark Price's first try for public office. He has Jived children adjust to moving Louie in Westland since 1968. to a new home./FX I".*M i.vi'-'ii'ji r<! >• "This city means a lot to me, and 1 Want to see it continue moving in a positive direction," Price said. He cited working with local schools INDEX and the business community as priori­ ties he would like to address as West- Apartments/03 Hometown land mayor. At Home/0 Life/Bl • Price said he will seek a mayoral Automotive/J3 Jobs/06 Classified/F.OJ Obituaries/Afi " ~ Please see PH1CE, A3 Classified 0pimons/A12-13 index/FS Real Estate/Fl Crossward/F7 Service Guide/J2 Miss Westland Entertainment/El Sports/Ct Westland police officer is IwHaaBSP^' '' '-..'.':'. '-!••••••••••••• BY DARRELL CLEM - could send him to prison for 15 years. He is free I'I^HE' _•)••••••••••••• STAfrWBrrcB on a $25,000 pergonal bond Homrimvn ('lii^inYcl' detom9oeJbtoineconun.net Jaworski had been on a paid suspension from his . A Westland police officer accused of sexually job after he was charged April 7 but was fired this ' --w aiHiftii ' ^HHHIIIIH WOKK! molesting an 18-year-old woman during a traffic month following an internal investigation. Price stop has been fired from his job, Chief Emery Price said. HK'T^liiii^ ' ..-«-«-«-«-• said. "He can apply to come back if he's found not "tgot a lot of calls for Steven Jaworski, 34, was fired from his $48,114- guilty,11 Price said. my can The first person a-year position on June 8, following a police depart­ Jaworski's union, the Westland Police Officers •••^^^^^'^•••••^^^^^•••••••KSI^aaaffi^aBBBBBk •••••••••••••^^^••••••••••••••i who came to see it, ment internal investigation into allegations he Association, has filed a grievance challenging his ^^^^^^^^^^^^8^^^^^^^^1^^^^^^^9^^^^^,^^^^19^^^^--^^^^^^^ molested the Westland woman early March 24. firing. ^HBfT^WPSHP'"^^^^^^'^ '^W bought it!" Jaworski, charged with third- and fourth-degree However, Price said the two sides have agreed to ^^^•p^KjflUpl--:7-, \ ''- -¾ criminal sexual conduct, faces a Nov. 1 trial in delay grievance proceedings until the criminal case ••••••••••••••••••H;- •»•••••••••••••••••)"*£: iVV % • : .*>t£!d —T.B. front of Wayne County Circuit Judge Richard has been resolved in court. Hathaway. Birmingham Jaworski has denied Allegations that - if proved TFcan e see Wfctt.AS Place your <"»<! today! 1 M ' ' 1 734 591 0900 School funding a waiting game ^*K STAFF f*Hon> M' Ti»M Hlhhtl N Wayne-Wcstiand educators are awaiting word on Pt—» •— rdtttd itory, pag» AS school funding from the state for 2000-01 and The Winner: Samantha Snabts gets crowned Miss Westland Satuniav night beyond. for the next year and $400 for the year after The total per pupil for the upcoming school year "] think if* a fair increase across the board,* said at Westland Center She will reign over will be $6,417 if approved by the governor, said Martin, adding it doesn't address the lost miltage the Westland Summer FrsJtrat. uhich Gary Martin, assistant superintendent for business m Wayne Westland following Proposal A's enact begins todax ami runs through next Vu<-s and finance. ment in 1##4 ' day, July 4.- For morr, plrosr sh'f •putW A1-+ That's about a $300 increase," Martin »aid The Martin and others are unsure Gov John Englrr of today's Observer. legislation would provide increaflefl of some $300 will approve the state aid'art «s» pn»w*r«ted 0 63174 10011 5 To place ,i classified nd: 734-591-0900 Nowsroom: 731-953 2104 Home Delivery: 734-591-0500 f* a*fc! 77M? Observer & Eccentric/ THURSDAY, JUNE 29, 2000 (W)A2 V* Recall dispute surfaces at Pestlanft (Dteenrer post office site An Westland 4»»«»4*i* Br DABRELL CLEM * ing other tangles on Wayne-Westland school in good faith" in ordering recall workers to STAT* wants district land. leave. Susan Rostek, dclemfew.homecomin.net Some accused Scott of helping to orches­ Quinn released a summary of temporary Publisher Westland post office authorities have trate the post office action. rules stemming from the still-pending law­ (734)953-2100 reversed a decision that forced recall work­ "She thinks she can do it with the federal suit. „ srOsiek@oe. homecomm.net ers to take their petition drive against Coun- government, too, but it won't work," recall For now, citizens may stand on post office cilwoman Sharon Scott off of federal govern­ worker Georgia Becker said. property and solicit signatures for polls, sur­ ment property. Scott conceded that she was inside the post veys and petitions such as the one proposed Postmaster Chuck Quinji ended a one- office for a bulk mail permit for her 18th Dis­ by recall workers. afternoon ban last Friday by notifying recall trict state House bid, but she denied asking However, a ban remains intact for certain .workers that they could resume seeking peti­ 'postal authorities to boot recall workers from other petition drives, such as efforts to get a Hugh Gallagher, tion signatures outside the post office on the property.