1 l o m e T o w n COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK U j m o u t h ( m m m t Your hometown newspaper serving Plymouth and Plymouth Township for 116 years 75C Volume 116 Number 39 Plymouth Michigan ©2002 HomeTown Communications Network™ J u l i e t s Firefighters get new contract There s still time to BY BRAD KADRICH Keen McCarthy never got negotiations president, were available for comment ship resisted, claiming such a provision enter our Lessons St a f f w r it e r going on a new deal Steve Mann beat Though the township got other con would negate the hiring of three new m Love" contest bkadrich@oe bomecomm.net her m the 2000 election, then got nego cessions (staffing on individual rigs, firefighters, which has been approved Just describe your After a year of negotiations and near­ tiations going shortly after taking trading birthdays off to having Martin “That would take us backward,” idea of a ly two years after the old contract office m January 2001 Luther King day off), the medical co­ Mann said “We’re adding staffing, but romantic evening expired, Plymouth Township reached pays were the biggest improvement for if we’re allowing more people off, it for two in 100 agreement with its firefighters on a “We’re very pleased to reach an the township defeats the purpose of hiring three new words or less The new, three year deal that saw conces­ agreement,” Mann said “I think it’s a firefighters ” winner receives sions on both sides of the table fair agreement, it keeps the firemen m “Medical benefits are the big cost for In addition to the pay raises, fire­ a night out Firefighters got a retroactive 4-per­ line with comparable communities, and us, and that’s where we’ve got to start fighters got other concessions The on the town __ cent pay raise for 2000, and 3 5-percent it has benefits for both sides We con­ saving some money,” Mann said township will now provide health bene­ Friday Feb 8 hikes m 2001 and 2002, while the tinue to have a good working relation­ Firefighters had wanted some fits to eligible family members of that includes two Red Wmg tickets dinner township got them to concede to ship with our firefighters, and we’re staffing changes For instance, they retirees, although the retiree will have for two at Cafe Cortina limousine service changes in medical co-pays m the new happy to have settled ” currently can have two men (one on to pay for them candy and flowers agreement Neither Jim Haar, who presided over personal time, the other on vacation) at And the cap for longevity pay (annu­ To enter you must be at least 18 years The old contract expired March 31, the negotiations for the firefighters’ a given time Firefighters wanted to al money paid for each year of service) old and very romantic We must receive 2000, but former supervisor Kathleen union, nor Chris Mack, the new union increase that to three, but the town- was raised to $2,100 your entry by Jan 25 The winner will be announced Jan 31 Send entries to Cathy Young Lessons in Love Contest Image, Observer Newspapers 36251 Schoolcraft Livonia Ml 48150 phone (734) 953 2155 fax (734) 953 2232 e-mail cyoung@oe homecomni net charter among priorities for city ' B y T o n y B r u s c a t o I 1 1 Geared up: H elp p la n STAFF WRITER | 1 / your route for visiting the [email protected] Upgrading the city’s infrastructure, a North American Interna­ complete charter review, and improv­ tional Auto Show with ing the image of Plymouth are among this special section that the top priorities developed during a goal-setting session Monday night by features some of the vehi­ city commissioners cles m this year's event. Elected officials, along with depart­ ment heads, employees and members of the public, participated m a 3 5 hour session m which a consultant helped condense nearly 50 initial ideas into six achievable goals for the commission to Diamond cut: Ice carvers tackle this year from around metro STAFF PHOTO BY BRYAN MITCHELL “After what we saw going on during On the job: Former Plymouth Township police chief Carl Berry watches over the Cobo Center, the election, it was very encouraging to Detroit are polishing up see everybody come together and talk their skills m preparation where hehe heads up security for the North American International Auto Show about priorities for the city, and put for the 20th annual Ply­ them down on paper I thought it was very positive,” said Matt Cardwell, who mouth International Ice lives on Mill Street in Old Village “I Sculpture Spectacular A l l s e c u r e think there’s definitely a commitment n ext w eek. /B 1 to improving the public spaces in the city “I would have like to have seen more F orm er ch ief heads auto show security force outward support for Old Village, but we’ve been given assurances by the “We pretty much had our plan m Visitors to the Detroit auto show, commission that it’s a priority for Galloping in: Get ready to b y T o n y B r u s c a t o place by the first of September,” said which is expected to draw nearly them, and we’re going to hold them to S t a ff Wr it e r Berry “But, then, Sept 11 came and [email protected] 800,000 people, will notice a dramati­ that,” he said gallop, get ready to run - changed everything Security for the cally more visible law enforcement Former Plymouth Township police Listed as the top six priorities for the the Chinese New Year auto show is dramatically different presence city commission chief Carl Berry consulted the past now than it was prior to that time “Last year there was no security at 2002, which begins Feb. three years with a private security ■ Infrastructure — Improvements in “On Dec 12 we had a summit with the entrance doors during the day, the city’s streets, water and sewer pro­ 12, rings in the Year of company, developing security mea­ 20 federal, state and local agencies to people just came and went as they sures at the North American Interna­ gram the Horse./C± figure out exactly what we needed to wanted,” said Berry “This year we ■ Charter review — A complete tional Auto Show m Cobo Center So, do, and who would be responsible for have security around the doors 24 when he was approached to become review of the city charter what,” he added “We also met with hours a day, armed and unarmed We ■ Public relations and image build­ the auto show’s top security consul­ the emergency management people have certain dates for flyovers by the INDEX tant, coordinating all the private and ing — Communication with citizens to from Wayne County and the city of U S Coast Guard improve interest m boards and com­ public law enforcement agencies, Detroit, which had never been done “When people come to the show Apartm ents/E7 H o m e T o w n missions, as well as improving the Berry was ready for the challenge before, to determine how we will react At H om e/Cl L i f e / C 5 Not once, but twice if something happens ” Please see BERRY, A2 P lease see GOALS, A2 Autom otive/F8 J o b s / F 3 C lassified /E,F 0bituaries/A 4-5 C lassified Opim ons/A6 l n d e x / E 4 Real £state/E4 D eveloper finalizes Carving out a niche Crossw ord/E5 Service G uide/F7 Entertainm ent/Bl S p o r t s / D l W ilcox property sale BY TONY BRUSCATO the Plymouth community * S t a ff W r it e r Schrader said the foundation [email protected] is currently working to develop The estate known as the a mission statement, and set up Wilcox property in downtown general guidelines to address Plymouth has officially been future requests for grants He sold to developers who are plan­ said that should be completed ning a multi-million condomini­ within the next several months um project on the site The Wilcox Foundation, thus Wilcox Foundation trustee far, is best known for respond­ Win Schrader said the founda­ ing to hundreds of petition sig­ tion and D&P Ventures official­ natures and spending $35,000 ly closed on the deal Dec 28 to move a 150-year-old copper The 2 5-acre parcel sold for beach tree, which would have $1 75 million, which will be been destroyed during construc­ added to other funds already m tion of the condo project The the trust, giving the foundation foundation will spend another more than $3 million $10,000 for a three-year after “Our intent is to distribute care program for the tree the interest earned on the prin­ Meanwhile, the foundation ciple each year, within the scope has already earmarked tens of directed by the trust docu­ thousands of dollars for educa­ STAFF PHOTO BY BRYAN MITCHELL ments,” said Schrader “The tional programs Schrader said Ice queen: Elizabeth Lee of Novi practices ice carving as part of a class money will be used to provide last year the Wilcox Foundation outside the Plymouth Arts Council Building The PCAC, along with educational benefit to students handed out $35,000 m scholar­ Henry Ford Community College, put on the class last week, just m time who live within the boundaries ship money as part of an essay for the Plymouth International Ice Sculpture Spectacular, which starts of the Plymouth-Canton school contest for high school students district We will also fund pro­ Wednesday, Jan 16.