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LOOK FOR MONEY-SAVING COUPONS INSIDE TODAY'S NEWSPAPER WAYNE-WESTLAND A GANNETT COMPANY Famie film seeks to inspire, inform w om en SUNDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2014 • hometownlife.com COMMUNITY LIFE, B5 What it takes Questions surface about to form a fire western Wayne fire authority authority By LeAnne Rogers Staff Writer By LeAnne Rogers Staff Writer Under state law, establishing an independent fire authority he councils repre­ requires an intergovernmental senting the three agreement approved by all of potential members of the participating city councils. a proposed western If that happens, an authority Wayne fire authority board would be appointed by are willing to hear more in­ the council to oversee the fire formation, but whether the authority. Here is other in­ idea will move forward re­ formation provided at recent mains to be seen. study sessions: In Westland, council mem­ The proposal for the Wayne- bers were concerned about Westland Fire Authority calls partnering with financially for Westland, Wayne and Ink­ challenged communities — ster to approve the inter-local Wayne has a growing deficit government agreement to es­ and Inkster is emerging from tablish the authority in Novem­ a financial consent agree­ ber, followed by appointment of ment with the state. Wayne an authority board. The goal is currently has only 12 fire­ a millage vote in May with the fighters; Inkster has nine. authority in operation in July. For Wayne, there are con­ As proposed, each city cerns about being a junior would appoint a member to a partner in the authority. The three-person board with proposal has weighted voting weighted voting based on fac­ by the authority board based tors, including population den­ on population and financial sity and financial contribution. contribution, both of which Some issues would require a are significantly larger for super-majority vote. Westland. Calling for a larger board And that doesn’t address similar to the Nankin Transit the ability of any of the com­ Commission, Wayne Council munities to get the needed member James Hawley called m illage — a proposal that for two representatives per would be put forward by an community. “Weighted voting authority board — approved would be a non-starter for me,” by voters. BILL BRE5LER | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER he commented. Construction workers set roof trusses on the new Ralph Savini Fire Station on Central City Parkway and Nankin However, weighted voting is Approved by district Boulevard. The facility will replace the current fire state at Ford Road and Carlson. a strong requirement for West- An issue raised at the fire land, said Westland Councilman authority presentations in Dewey Reeves, who serves on Wayne and Westland is that bers — Wayne and Inkster officials would be looking at New hires in the fire depart­ the council committee meeting voters in a single community would be expected to bring reducing the general oper­ ment would no longer be city on the authority. can’t veto a millage to fund a their firefighter staffing to 18 ating millage to offset the fire employees and would receive Under an authority, each fire authority. If an authority firefighters each. millage and not raise taxes. their pay and benefits from city would continue to own its is formed and a millage is Westland is also currently That would be a decision the authority. buildings and be responsible placed before voters, under at the 54-firefighter mini­ for each city council, said “I would only go for this if for any debt payments. In state law it would be ap­ mum staffing level. Through Michael Swartz of Plante it is cost-neutral to us and Wayne, that would include proved by a majority of the the authority, Wayne Mayor Moran, which is doing the makes business sense,” West- payments on a fire engine, fire authority district, not A1 Haidous said his city financial analysis for the land Mayor W illiam Wild ladder truck and fire station. individual cities. would pay for 18 firefighters proposed authority. said. “The authority has to be Westland is currently build­ That’s because a fire au­ but get service from 100 fire ­ “Do you utilize the savings our way out of legacy costs. ing a new fire station on Cen­ thority would be a new sep­ fighters and pay less. for other services or roll back They can handle pensions in a tral City Parkway, funded arate entity independent of “The authority is really a the millage? Police, roads and different way. It’s our only through a Tax Increment F i­ the individual cities, West- shell until the millage is every facet of your budget is way to have a cap on the 345 nance Authority. land City Attorney James passed. The authority would being shrunk,” Swartz told (police-fire pension) millage.” Each city would be respon­ Fausone said. not take over responsibilities the Wayne Council. “The au­ Wayne will have the fire sible for retirement costs for “You’re looking at it from a until the funding is in place,” thority takes the cost struc­ authority as an agenda item their existing firefighters but proprietary standpoint (as a Fausone said. “The cities ture for the fire department open for public comment at new hires would be authority city), not a district,” Westland have millage caps and can’t out of the budget. It lets each their Oct. 21 meeting. employees. That means the Council President James seek the millage.” council decide on the millage “I’ve never seen elected cities wouldn’t be responsible Godbout said. “It’s like Wayne Approving an authority and cost structure. It could be officials shy away from mak­ for those legacy costs. County and all the voters in before getting voter approval a big opportunity on the bud­ ing a decision,” Wayne Mayor As a separate entity from the county. This would be the for the required operating get.” A1 Haidous said. “Business as the cities, a fire authority same with a (fire authority) millage is putting the cart usual is not working. The would not be subject to an district.” before horse, Westland Coun­ Current savings revenue is not there and we emergency financial manager. The impetus for the fire cilman Bill Johnson said. Through the current have to find ways to do more If an authority is formed but authority concept is to en­ Along with Councilwoman merged Westland and Wayne with less. We need to protect the operating millage isn’t ap­ hance services and save the Christine Bryant, Johnson fire departments, cost sav­ vital services.” proved by voters, it would dis­ communities money. I f voters was vocal in opposing a fire ings have been realized al­ solve. If millage is approved, a approved the dedicated fire authority. ready, but for Westland the [email protected] city could withdraw, but the m illage — 6.24 m ills or 4.65 If voters approved a fire authority could also provide a 734-883-9039 millage would continue to be mills are the proposed num­ authority millage, Westland way to address legacy costs. Twitter: @LRogersObserver levied until it expired. Westland officials quickly respond Garden City man charged in sports betting ring investigation to rumor voiced by resident By LeAnne Rogers Staff Writer By LeAnne Rogers Maravaso’s the city’s police and fire pen­ Staff Writer Italian Grille in sions, including personal at­ Three men are facing May 2013. tacks against Wayne-Westland charges, including operating a There was a full house Mon­ Woehlke died of Fire Chief Michael Reddy. continuing criminal enter­ day as the Westland City Coun­ asphyxia and “Unfortunately, I ’m not able prise, over their alleged par­ cil held its first meeting in the smoke inhala­ to temper my comments. Mr. ticipation in an illegal sports Abick Barnes new city hall. tion after being Rock is a hater of the police betting operation. Amidst all the positive com­ Wild trapped in the department and fire depart­ It’s allegedly the same ments about the new building, burning build­ ment,” Reddy said. “He be­ multi-county betting ring that facing three things turned ugly as resident ing. An investigation deter­ rates myself, my family, the was headed by a Westland counts of the Burke Rock attacked Westland mined the fire was an arson police and fire departments. couple who entered guilty same crime. Mayor William Wild regarding and that Woehlke’s death was a He has gone to an all-time low.” pleas in connection with the Not guilty the 2013 death of Wayne-West- homicide. Reddy added that the death operation in early 2014. pleas were land Firefighter Brian “When he (Rock) makes of a firefighter has nothing to Appearing Thursday in entered for all Woehlke. accusations based on rumors do with labor contract negotia­ Westland 18th District Court three men at Known for making personal and innuendos, it never fails to tions. The Westland firefight­ for a preliminary examination Cram blet their arraign­ attacks on Wild, Rock said he amaze me how low he will go,” ers’ contract expired June 30. were George Abick, 64, of ments. was sharing a rumor that West- Wild said. “I won’t mention his Michigan State Police took Garden City, Sean Barnes, 42, According to the com­ land firefighters couldn’t come name in the same breath as over the arson/homicide in­ of Novi and John Cramblet, plaint, the defendants were forward out of fear for their Brian Woehlke.” vestigation one year ago at the 45, of Detroit. involved in a sports betting jobs or ongoing contract nego­ In fact, Wild had at one time request of Westland Police A ll three men were ring operated by Westland tiations.

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