www.hometowiilife.coni ^- wis fbE k4-tj.O'rW CONTEST filtr Play online and win! wtiMmmmmmzsmmW' 75 cents WINNERS OF STATE AND NATIONAL AWARD&OF EXCELLENCE www.hometownlife.com serve on helping people stay in their homes BY DARRELL. CLEM STAFF WRITER What do you think about Amid a foreclosure crisis that this story? *f has cost hundreds of Westland Comment online a / residents their homes, Mayor hometownlife.corr William Wild announced Monday he will form a task e-mail your respoi. , force to help educate hom­ to [email protected] -' ~ eowners on the brink of losing their houses. "We're going to see what Courtney Conover, Purchasing exactly we can do at the local Director Jade Smith, Planning level to help these folks," he Commissioner Adam said, unveiling his plan during Hammons and two representa­ a Westland City Council meet­ tives who hadn't been named ing. — one from the city council The six-member task force and one from the local cham­ will be charged with devising ber of commerce. ways to educate homeowners In another development, about resources that may be Wild said his administration accessible to them as they try will use a one-year home sales to avoid foreclosure. study, rather than the typical PHOTOS BY TOM HAWLEY | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER "Early recognition of the two-year formula, as the asses­ Sande Godbout watches as her husband, James, is sworn in to a new four-year term on the City Council by 18th District Judge C. Charles Bokos during problem is the key to preven­ sor's office prepares the 2008 the city's inaugural ceremony Monday. tion," Wild said. "It is impera­ assessments. The one-year tive that our residents who are analysis could provide some tax facing foreclosure have access relief amid severely declining to resources that may help property values. prevent them from losing their Councilman Charles homes." Pickering earlier had voiced BY DARRELL CLEM Wild's decision to form a task support for a one-year study, STAFF WRITER force came after he attended a saying "a lot of our residents November foreclosure summit are suffering." He told Wild Veteran city leader James Godbout hosted by Detroit and orga­ that he appreciated the effort. clinched the Westland City Council's top nized by the U.S. Conference of "I'm looking forward to the post Monday night, ascending to the pres­ Mayors. At that time, Westland results of it," Pickering said. idency in a sweeping vote by his council already had reported 424 Administration officials cau­ colleagues. mortgage-related foreclosures tioned that the one-year study "I'm excited about it," he said about for 2007- can only focus on home sales winning the spot that had eluded him in Westland Assessor James and not on houses that are cur­ past attempts. Elrod will chair the city's rently on the market. Godbout, replacing Councilman task force. Other members Charles Pickering as president, was will include Deputy Mayor dclemihometowniife.com I (734) 953-2110 tapped for the post as he started his eighth year on council. After presiding over his first meeting, Godbout said his top goals will be pushing for a cleanup plan for contaminated Central City Park, seeking a viable curbside recycling pro­ gram and maintaining a healthy city budget. Godbout's rise to the council presi­ of pregnant girlfriend dency followed years of community service that included his involvement BY DARRELL CLEM Thursday. The woman called in the former Wayne-Westland YMCA, STAFF WRITER 9-1-1 for help and was taken the Westland Condominium Directors to St. Mary Mercy Hospital in Association, the Westland Community . A pregnant Westland Livonia, where she was later Foundation and the city's recycling Clerk's office employee Tina Stanke, soon to be the deputy clerk, pins a corsage onto City Clerk woman has lost her baby after released. Eileen DeHart before DeHart took the oath of office. In the background is newly chosen Westland she was beaten and kicked A couple of other people Please see COUNCIL, A3 City Council President James Godbout. by her boyfriend inside her were inside the apartment Woodland Villa apartment when the incident happened, near Warren and Central City authorities said. Parkway, police said. Jarrett turned himself in The attack on the 19-year- to police Sunday and was old expectant mother led to charged Wednesday with earns top firefighter honor criminal charges Wednesday assaulting a pregnant woman against 24-year-old Daniel and intentionally causing a BYOARRELLCLEM ing his employment," Adams works in the fire prevention Reed Jarrett II of Wayne, miscarriage. If convicted, he STAFF WRITER Fire Chief Michael Reddy division and is a licensed fire inspector who had been attending col­ could face penalties ranging said. "Not only has he and investigator. He also is a member of a lege out of state, police Sgt. up to life in prison. Westland Fire Capt. John Adams con­ performed his job in an mayoral task force and has been involved Michael Harhold said. Jarrett was ordered jailed sistently goes beyond the call of duty, outstanding manner, but in such events as Turn Off The Violence Jarrett, described as the by Westland 18th District whether he's raising money to help needy he has also found the night. father, is accused of assault­ Judge C. Charles Bokos in children at Christmas or teaching senior time to belong to and He has helped with emergency man­ ing the woman after an argu­ lieu of a $50,000 cash bond. citizens how to best escape a burning participate in a number agement planning for St. Damian School ment escalated over whether The defendant is scheduled building. of organizations." and was involved in setting up an evacu­ she should have had an abor­ for a Jan. 17 preliminary He has worked tirelessly to make For his efforts, Adams ation plan for Scottsdale Apartments, tion, Harhold said. hearing that will determine Westland a better city since he was hired has become the new Fire Officer of the Reddy said. According to statements whether he should stand trial by the city in 1993. Year, earning a prestigious award given Adams has worked with companies made to police, Jarrett in Wayne County Circuit "Capt. Adams has proven to be a great annually to an employee who most con­ like Weyerhaeuser Inc. to ensure regula- knocked the victim to the Court. asset to the Westland Fire Department tributes to the department's improve­ floor, beat her and kicked and has accomplished many tasks dur­ ment. Piease see ADAMS, A2 her shortly after 7 P-m. last [email protected] I (734) 953-2110 D The Observer & Eccentric INDEX For Home Newspapers j£»s APARTMENTS C3 in Health Delivery call: AUTOMOTIVE C7 Volume 43 (866) 887-2737 Pet Supply CROSSWORD PUZZLE C8 Number 65 HOMETOWNLIFE D1 -r-y I JOBS CIO Yfoere your pets are our first priority OBITUARIES A6 Carrying Food and Supplies for OPINION A10 --- - i . PINK 04 Dogs, Cats, Birds, Hamsters, with Lot LOT) on i I Reptiles, Fish, Rabbits and more! ExDin.Jan 24 2W8J REAL ESTATE C3 Find relief for your aching SERVICE GUIDE C6 Open Mon.-Fri. 11 am-7 pm; Sat 9 am-5:30 pm; Sun, 10 am-2 pm neck and back online SPORTS B1 6841 Middlebelt • S. of Warren 734-266-8063 Observer S Eccentric j Thursday, January 10,2008 A2 (W) LOCAL NEWS www.hometownlife.com Treat for tenants: Rental costs cut at Holliday Park BYDARRELLCLEM Holliday Park has a waiting from a house to stocks to insur­ STAFF WRITER list of 147 residents hoping to ance policies. , move in, Suchy said, but anyone The co-op recently spent $1.4 Residents of a housing co-op who's interested may pick up an million to replace vinyl siding on Westland's north side will pay application from a mailbox out­ on all units, but it still expects less monthly rent this year, as a side the clubhouse's front door, to have $2.5 million in cash governing board moves closer to just off Wayne Roa<k reserves by the end of this year, paying off the development's 40- The co-op has a clear set of Suchy said. All Holliday Park year mortgage in May. guidelines for residents moving residents in 2009 are scheduled Monthly rent will drop in. to receive new furnaces. $31-$34 at Holliday Park A worker has to have an The community plans to have Townhouses on Wayne Road annual income of $21,840 or a party in May to celebrate pay­ PHOTOS BY-TOM HOFFMEYERI STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER south of Joy, a 694-unit complex more to qualify for a smaller ing off its 40-year mortgage. Emerson Middle School eighth-grader Sarah Brunner rehearses the opening scene with her classmates for an where residents will now pay 589-square-foot, one-bedroom "We're an older community, upcoming production of 'Outside Looking In/ a play the students wrote about teen issues. $231 to $338 a month to live, townhouse, or $35,360 for a but it's well-kept," Suchy said. said Gene Suchy, the board's larger 1,058-square-foot, three- "We're very proud of our com­ treasurer. The tab includes heat bedroom unit, Suchy said. munity. There's a lot to be proud and maintenance. Nonworkers, which range of." "Our mortgage will be paid from retirees to the disabled Residents take pride by vol­ off in May, and this is allowing receiving Social Security ben­ unteering to help with such ser­ us to reduce our rent," he said.