QUOTE "Questioning is no£ the mode of conversa­ 25* tion among gentlemen." per vopy —Samuel Johnson W ^tttetftb ONE HUNDRED-SEVENTEENTH YEAR—No. 6 CHELSEA, MICHIGAN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 8, 1987 20 Pages This Week Board of Commissioners Will Study Legality ft Jh f v^cissiviy - ~ JLJ9VM.J. I Washtenaw County Board of Com­ meeting, had several of his supportive In 1964, Thomas contends, the state missioners has authorized the county neighbors in the audience. illegally transferred the deed restric­ attorney to verify allegations made by "It did look like his study was tions to another piece of property. 1 a Waterloo Rd. man that Cassidy thorough," said. commissioner Ellis Thomas also says the land is not Lake Technical School was establish­ Pratt, who represents the western covered by the standard 30-year i ed illegally in 1943. Washtenaw area. statute of limitations because the land The board, at a public working ses­ "We just want to verify the ac­ was to be used for public purposes and i sion last Thursday afternoon, agreed curacy. This case will be pursued fur­ was a gift from the federal govern­ that the case compiled by J. William ther, but to what degree, I don't ment. Thomas and his wife, Sandra, merited know." further study by the board. Thomas, The board of commissioners will ? who lives at 17980 Waterloo Rd., about Both Thomas and Pratt expressed consider what to do next after a mile from the prison, wants the surprise that no one from the Guenzel's report, expected to be later board to ask the state to close the Michigan Department of Corrections this month. A working session of the •>! Ways and Means Committee, which V prison and turn the land over to the attended the meeting. *I Department of Natural Resources. decides expenditures, is planned for THE OWNERS OF THIS PROPERTY, Robert and them to build qn additional apartment building behind this "Maybe they don't want to show later this month. According to Pratt, ' / Audrey Penskar, are suing the Chelsea Zoning Board of building on W. Middle St. "I was real pleased," Thomas said.. their hand," Pratt said. that's when Guenzel's report will be Appeals for denying a variance request that would allow "I didn't know what to expect going' considered in the case. in. what type of support I'd have from Thomas, an associate professor of commissioners in other parts of the public health at tne University of "Several commissioners told me county. They were unanimous in giv­ Michigan, compiled his case over a that they are not optimistic that the ing the go ahead to the county at- two-year period, mainly by studying state will be forthcoming and that minutes of meetings of the Depart­ Penskars Suing Village luiiicy (DUU \iuviu.vi) IU apciiu muc tv ultimately a law suit will be verify the legal case." ment of Corrections. necessary," Thomas said. Thomas, who gave a lengthy According to Thomas, in 1943 when "I hope that won't be necessary, presentation of his case during the the Cassidy Lake land was deeded to especially when they see the potential the state by the U.S. Department of political cost of trying to fight this." Over Denial of Variance Harold Allen the Interior the state ignored the deed restrictions when it established a Thomas said that in the last 10 days A Chelsea-area couple is suing the to believe the variance would be Although he publicly supported the Jp 1J*(* WOl*K.S prison. Those restrictions said the he has received a letter from State YiliSgH Ul »_'Ii*JI??t;« Ml WHilci-iu/ii iriin land had to be used for recreation or Rep. Gary Owen saying that his infor- second variance request; Satter­ TT\o$i/»rt V»no KrtA** t»iT»T*orl /MT/>»* tf\ Ai- a zoning variance request that was The suit contends that the board of thwaite did not vote after Stephanie conservation purposes. The deed also iltflfrivii 1«C4»9 MVVU VU1 ll^M. VT V*X ttl/ £M.*~ turned down by the Zoning Board of appeals either did not seek an opinion Kanten's motion. said the land would revert to the in­ torney General Frank J. Kelley. In Show liazzies terior department if the restrictions addition, he says, State Rep. Appeals June 18. from the Village Planning Commis­ Finally, the suit maintains that Sat­ Enthusiastic approval of the July Robert and Audrey Penskar, 4380 sion, as village law requires, or did terthwaite publicly misrepresented were violated for more than three Margaret O'Connor has promised him 4th fireworks display which lit the years. she will follow up on the case. He has Musbach Rd., in a suit filed June 24 in not make the commission's recom­ the Thams land when he referred to it Chelsea skies Saturday evening at the Washtenaw County Circuit Court, mendation public. in his reasoning for denying the Pen­ also gotten indication that the infor­ say the village did not follow its own dark brought comments such as "the mation has been supplied to the In addition, the suit says, that skar request. The suit says that Sat­ best ever." f wlVTIf Flwtvd Senate Appropriation? Comrniti66: rules in regards to variance requests. because the board granted a variance terthwaite said the Thams land was Hundreds of people and children, In addition, the suit alleges that on July 16, 1985 to Jack Thams to '12 or 13 feet' short of the 150-foot sat "all over" outside the Chelsea similar neighboring property, at one allow the construction of an eight-unit width requirement when actually it is Community Fairgrounds. Board President Man Escapes time owned by Village President apartment building at 682 W. Middle nearly 41 feet short along the southern Haroid Alien, president of the Jerry Satterthwaite, was granted a St. (Thams' property was also too border. Lloyd Grau was elected president of Camp Waterloo similar variance. narrow), the action discriminated Chelsea Community Fireworks, Inc., the Chelsea School Board for 1987-88 The suit calls the board's actions as against the Penskars. The village has 21 days, until July fired the entire fireworks while in action taken Monday night. Grau is A 54-year-old inmate at Camp 15, to respond to the complaint. Charlie Pick, owner of Colonial a long-time member of the board and Waterloo was reported missing from "arbitrary, capricious, discrim­ The suit points out that Thams' pro­ Fireworks of Ypsilanti assisted with the medium security prison on Mon­ inatory," and a violation of the perty was previously owned by Satter­ Neither Village Manager Fritz is extremely active in the Chelsea Weber; or Assistant Village Manager set in. community. day, July 6. law. thwaite. According io uneisea police, Ken­ The Penskars were seeking a Thams originally asked for a Lee Fahitner would comment on the A total of 547 shells, some 10 inches, Grau takes over for Art Dils, whose case. were used in making the display over term expired this year. Dils decided neth Cockeral, a white man, 5'6", 220 variance that would allow them to variance when Satterthwaite owned twice the size of last year. The special pounds with gray hair, and a bullet construct "sin apartment building the property, but was turned down. "I didn't look at it that closely," not to seek re-election. .-. ., -..— J j_ i~:~ _:—i-i 1--._„ .„_.. —_.:-s,v ~ finale consisted of 3(3HJ shelis. Wl'UllU 111 11AO Algiit jviiww, i'l'uo ijCi *^*«o c* behind the two-unit building they However, the request was granted Weber said, Other board officers eiectea mauu- already own at 648-650 W. Middle St. about a year later, after he bought the Allen was asked what had made ed Ann Comeau, vice-president, Joe 10 to 20 year sentence. "I just took it over to Pete (Flintoft, him work so hard to continue the As of press time, Cockeral was The variance is necessary because property from Satterthwaite. the village attorney)." Redding, secretary, and Ron Satter­ the lot is not wide enough. Law re­ tradition of a fireworks display on thwaite, treasurer. reportedly still at large. quires a width of 150 feet. The Pen­ July 4 for Chelsea area residents and skar lot is just over 132 feet at its friends. His reply was that "People widest point. More Condos Planned who live in the United States take AfterGlow Will Follow On April 24, village council voted to freedom for granted and the display change the zoning on the property of fireworks on July 4 is a happy tradi­ from two family to multiple family tion to keep reminding us of our good Opening Night Show of housing. Northeast ofLanewood fortune." However, the Zoning Board of Ap­ Allen also wanted to please his nine- peals (village council members make Bob Daniels, owner of Chelsea the project calls for 38 units in 2,3 and year-old daughter Autumn. CAPs 'The Music Man' Lumber Co. and developer of 4-unit buildings. Most of the buildings Allen has been working for 1987s up the zoning board, with Satter­ Chelsea Area Players are holding All theatre tickets are reserved and thwaite as its chairman) denied the Lanewood Subdivision, plans to enter would have three units. The units 200-year national celebration since the Chelsea's bout with condominium would range in size from 1,050 to 1,500 signing to use the Community Fair­ an AfterGlow again this year follow­ those wishing to attend are encourag­ variance request last month.