. -\ •••)*• - • '•*' J -.-. online tiometownlife.com September 25r 2008 75 cents WINNERS OF STATE AND NATIONAL AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE www.hometownlife.coni BY DARRELL CLEM OBSERVER STAFF WRITER In a troubled econ­ omy marked by rising expenses, Westland single mom Juanita Francis looks for frugal ways to spend quality time with BY DARRELL CLEM daughters Naomi, OBSERVER STAFF WRITER Trinity, Mijai and Ashe, ages 5 to 14. A potential strike by Wayne- 'She found it Westland teachers still looms Tuesday* as did hun­ amid an impasse in contract dreds of others who talks between bargaining teams gathered in Tattan representing the 850-member Park near Carlson union and school district offi­ and Ford for Mayor cials. William Wild's latest Despite the stalemate, district community gather­ Superintendent Greg Baracy ing. confirmed Monday during a "I think Westland school board meeting that "we're is one of the most negotiating." Barring a collapse phenomenal com­ of talks, three more bargaining FILE PHOTO munities around," * sessions are scheduled to occur Francis, a teacher at by early next week. On three separate occasions, the alternative educa­ "There has not been any prog­ including Monday evening, Wayne tion Tinkham Center, ress made," Wayne-Westland Westland teachers have gathered at said, adding that Education Association union the district's administrative offices Wild and hi.* admin­ President Nancy Strachan to protest the course of current istration "are keeping said Monday evening, as a contract talks. people connected and large crowd of placard-car­ grounded." rying teachers protested out­ If Francis had side school district offices on ing shortfalls to usher in cuts appeared in a tele­ Marquette. "It doesn't look good affecting teachers, "the people vised political as of right now." that really matter to our kids." commercial, Wild Strachan said teachers want Baracy pledged that the would certainly TOM HAWLEV[STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER contract talks resolved by Oct. district's bargaining team will have endorsed her 2. However, Baracy warned that continue to seek what be called message. He spon­ Westland Police School Resource Officer Dan Serrano demonstrates the Seqway personal transporter to John and a strike would be illegal, and he a fair contract within the finan­ sored his second Clare Mueller and son Peter, 7, during the Community Gathering at Tattan Park Tuesday evening. For more photos, said negotiations will continue cial constraints facing school park-based commu- ' see Page A2. unless either side ends the effort officials. However, he rejected "a nity gathering to give with a 24-hour notice. ton of inaccurate information" residents a chance play areas, got to pet in vehicle crashes, seemed like one big Ashe\ said the party "We feel that they haven't that officials say has been dis­ to mingle informally Westland police dog and they learned picnic — a message was bigger than made a concerted effort to be seminated to imply that money with his staff, ask Friday and gazed from Deputy Police endorsed by Deputy a celebration she at the bargaining table," Baracy has been misspent. questions and learn at a huge banner Chief Gary Sikorski Mayor Courtney attended near the said. Baracy and board President about issues ranging for Play Planet, a how a Taser gun Conover. end of her summer Strachan said teachers made Martha Pitsenbarger said rev­ from his environmen­ 25,000-square-foot, works. "This is about com­ camp program at the concessions in recent years and enues raised from an earlier, tally friendly Mission space-themed play ; Since the gather­ munity. It's about Interlochen Center that they cannot accept further voter-approved bond issue and a Green program to structure that will be ing occurred at din­ people getting to for the Arts, where setbacks in wages, health care sinking fund could only be used the city's vision for built in late October nertime, Wild's staff know their neigh­ she studied singing and class sizes. She said local for specific purposes like build­ sprucing up the Ford in Tattan Park. The served up 1,350 hot bors," she said. and painting. teacher salaries rank near the ing improvements — and not for Road commercial crowd watched as dogs to people who , Juanita Francis' "This is huge," she bottom in Wayne County. teacher salaries. corridor. firefighters demon­ said the gathering, oldest daughter, said. Under the last contract, which Board Vice President Skip Children bounced strated how they res­ made possible by Franklin Middle expired Aug. 25, salaries ranged Monit and Trustee William around in inflatable cue victims trapped local business donors, School eighth-grader dciem@fiQmetownIife;Com . from $34,409 for a new teacher Gabriel issued lengthy state­ with a bachelor's degree to ments Monday, criticizing $82,081 for a seasoned teacher rumors and saying the board with an education specialist is charged with looking out for degree. student interests. Baracy indicated that school "We answer to a higher officials aren't asking teachers authority. That authority is our to accept a pay cut or freeze, but kids and their parents," Monit BY DARRELL CLEM from MDEQ, Wayne County inches of clean soil and a geo- park, Wild indicated he still he conceded the two sides are at said. • OBSERVER STAFF WRITER and the city of Westland was textile barrier for an area that hopes that officials can con­ odds over a proposal to give the Gabriel called strike threats viewed as productive. officials hope to use as three vince MDEQ'to not require 13,000-student district more unnecessary and said he would A conceptual plan to "I thought it went really soccer fields for adults and the extensive barrier near flexibility to choose competitive hate to see negative bargain^ redevelop portions of lead- well," Westland Mayor five for youngsters. Friendship Pond, which would health insurance carriers. ing tactics damage relations contaminated Central City William Wild said. "I didn't "This was a very important essentially be used for leisure This week, many teachers between teachers and adminis­ Park has received a par­ see anything that we couldn't milestone in the process," activities. wore black clothing and "unity" trators. tially warm response from overcome." Assistant Wayne County Helmkamp cautioned that buttons to school in an attempt "Trash-talking isn't something the Michigan Department of The meeting at MDEQ's Executive Alan Helmkamp any conceptual plan will be to press their issues. They also we want to teach our children," Environmental Quality, but offices in Warren came two said. "They've said we're basi­ followed by a formal proposal, garnered support from several Gabriel said*. city and county officials con­ months after county and city cally on the right path." likely hundreds of pages, that parents who contended during As teachers protested outside . cede they will have to revise officials submitted a concep­ However, MDEQ has called will serve as ablueprint for Monday's school board meeting school district offices Monday; part of their proposal. tual plan to remediate and for similar measures beyond fixing the initial 15 acres of that too many students have Strachan indicated it's the "It's a good foundation," redevelop 15 acres along the the proposed soccer fields, in Central City Park. been placed in some classrooms. district officials — not teach­ MDEQ, project manager Beth eastern edge of Westland's an area where officials had The three levels of govern­ Baracy responded that ers — who have been unfair in Vens said Tuesday. "It's a good one-time recreation gem. The envisioned using a lesser bar­ ment could resume talks the district strives to quickly contract talks. She said teachers starting point." park was closed after it was rier for more passive activities within two weeks after revi­ address any overcrowding prob­ in recent years hive made con­ Although it's far too soon revealed in November 2006 like walking. Vens said the sions are made to the con- lems and ftiat "we're going to cessions that saved the district to pinpoint when part of the that the site, a former landfill, tougher requirements would ceptuatplan, officials said. honor the contract." $19 million, "and now they lOO-acre, fenced-off park, was contaminated. give officials more latitude for Referring to a formal propos- Parent Melissa O'Neil want more." could reopen, a Monday MDEQ officials appeared future park uses. implored school officials not to meeting involving officials receptive to plans to use 12 In yet another area of the Please see PARK, A3 allow problems like state fund- [email protected] I (734) 953-2110 1 © The Observer jt'Ai'm."™;'!!'; & Eccentric For Home Newspapers APARTMENTS C4 Delivery call: AUTOMOTIVE C7 Volume 44 We Beat Any Only at: The Corner of Ford &Merrtman CLASSIFIED C3-C9 (866)887-2737 Number 35 AT&T Wireless Offers in Garden City ^734-421-8000 CROSSWORD PUZZLE C3 • . =- sr&sn. FILTER 01 JOBS C7 OBITUARIES D8 OPINION A8 PINK 010 Coming Sunday: REAL ESTATE 03 .Women's hep tips SERVICE GUIDE C3 uiil-h riara Tnrrnp WWTOEII 5P0RTS CI tmn LIUI t| IUI i w Observer S. Eccentric [ Thursday, September 25,2008 A2 (W) LOCAL NEWS www.fiometownlife.com AROUND WESTLAND Historic baseball For an expanded version of Around spaghetti, salad and desert , Batter up. Local historians Westland, visit our online edition at for $6 as well as entertain­ are reminding baseball fans hometownlife.com and click on the ment. Dinner is being served to attend an old-fashioned Westland home page. • 4-7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 26. game using 1867 rules at 1 The Dyer Center is at 36745 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28, at Petticoat Ladies during an Marquette, east of Newburgh, Jaycee Park at Hunter and event scheduled for 7 p-m.