HOLIDAY LIGHTS; VISIT THE WAYNE LIKE US ON FACEBOOK COUNTY LIGHTFEST THROUGH DEC 31 HOMETOWNLIFE.COM WAYNE-WESTLAND A GANNETT COMPANY TRACK SANTA ONLINES * . SEE DETAILS ON PAGE A3. ' THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2013 • hometownlife.com I City changes retirement benefits for new hires By LeAnne Rogers In January, Wild said he fined contribution retirement million over the life of the raises for in the Appointed staff Writer will ask the council to meet plan — the municipal equiv­ em ployee. O fficials and Mayoi^’s Pay and find a way to address the alent of a 401k plan. The city “The numbers start to get Plan,” said Wild, adding that Elected and appointed unfunded liabilities. would contribute to the plan amazing with these two pay increases are tie-barred to Westland officials will have On Monday, the council on a 2-to-l ma^tch for partici- changes as we move forward,” the police command officers changes in their retirement approved plans for new hires ating employees with a Wild said. “We want to get contract which will be negoti­ benefits aimed at reducing the appointed and elected employ­ 12,500 annu^ maximiun cap. tiiose same concessions from ated in January. city’s future legacy costs. ees that will eliminate retiree If the employee doesn’t all our employee groups. Council President James “I think Westland has come health care. Instead the city contribute to the retirement We’re starting at the top.” Godbout handed th^ meeting a long way and we’re on a will provide a $2,000 annual plan, the city would not be As approved, the plans gavel to President ijro Teqi good financial footing,’’ West- contribution to a health care obligated to make any match. affect the department direc­ Adam Hammons to ^ake mo­ land Mayor Mi^am Wild said. savings account. tors, mayor’s staff, city clerk tions regarding the pay plans. “We are still facing $236 mil­ Instead of a defined benefit M illions saved and deputy appointed or elect­ “The mayor is to receive lion in unfunded retiree liabil­ pension, going forward em­ Under this scenario. Wild ed after Jan. 1. itie s.” ployees be offered a de­ said the city would save $4.8 “There are no proposed See BENEFITS, Page A2 Bufora retires as Westicind DPS! director j By LeAnne Rogers staff Writer It’s likely that Kevin Bu­ ford will be answermg Ms telephone a lot less often now that he has retired as West- land Department of Public Services director. “Twenty four/seven you could get e hold of him. It’s al­ ways, ‘Sure, we’ll get that done.’ % u’ll be greatly missed,” West- land Council President James The Rev. Teodor Petrutiu proudly shows the certificates of naturalization after he and his wife Roxana took the oath of citizenship, Godbout said. Buford PHOTOS BY TOM BEAUDOIN D uring Bu­ ford’s last council Meeting, other council members shared similar comments ioting they had Buford on spe^d dM and Priest becom es U.S. citizen how frequently they spoke with him about concerns or questions. “Kevm has been our right- hand man at DPS snow, before congregation water events, water main breaks,” Westland Mayor Wil- B y LeA nne Rogers SeeBUFigD.PageAZ staff Writer Taking the Oath of Alle­ giance to become an Amer­ ican citizen Sunday, the Rev. Wayne city Teodor Petrutiu shared that milestone with Ms congrega­ tion at Sts. Constantine and manager Helen Greek Orthodox Church. “Taking the oath in front search to / of the parish community. I think it was a special touch,” said Petrutiu, who was contii^ue joined by Ms wife Roxana in becoming U.S. citizens. “It By LeAnne Rpgers was a tribute not just to me staff Writer and my wife but to all the immigrants who built their It looks like Wayne Depart­ homes and the church.” ment of Public Works Director Parish priest at Sts. Con­ Ramzi El-Gharib will be wear­ stantine and Helen in West- ing two hats for awhile longer. land since 2007, Petrutiu and The council intepiewed Roxana, whose has the title two potential candidates for presbytera as the priest’s the vacant city manager posi­ wife, are both natives of tion Saturday. Council mem­ Romania. The couple came bers decided neither was a to the United States in 1998 good fit and will revisit the when Petrutiu served in a search after the holidays. Romanian Orthodox parish That means El-Gharib will in Cleveland. continue serving as acting city In 2001, Petrutiu was manager. The council is look­ accepted in the Greek Or­ ing into getting soriie addition­ thodox Archdiocese, where al help with the upcoming he served as deacon to the budget preparation as the city Metropolitan and Registrar faces a $2 million deficit. of the Metropolis.of Detroit. “I know the caliber of can­ Petrutiu served in that role didates applying was disap­ until being appointed to pointing,” said William Cos­ serve the Sts. Constantine tick, a retired city jnanager and Helen parish. working as a consi^tant on the , “Most of the people here city manager search. “It’s not (Sts. Constantine and Helen) Wayne. A lot of managers are are immigrants or descend­ looking to leave MicMgan for ants of immigrant,” Petrutiu places without the financial Federal Judge Sean Cox administers the oath of citizenship. issues hMe.” See cmZEN, Page A2 See SEARCH, Page A2 O bserver & E ccentric © The Observer & Eccentric INDEX hometownnfe.com iTA Volume 49 • Number 61 B u sin ess........................ ..AS H om es....................... ..... B11 S e rvice s....... , ............ .B11 A GANNETT COMPANY II Crossword Puzzle... .B IO Jo b s ............................ ..... BIO Sp o rts...........,............ ...B1 6 Entertainment......... ... B6 O b itu a rie s .............. ........ B5 .B11 P R IC E ; $1 Home Delivery; (866) 887-2737 | Return Address; 29725 Hudson Dr, Novi Ml 48377 F o o d .............................. ...B 8 O p in io n ................... .... A ID A2 (W) 0 & E Media | Thursday, December 19,2013 L O C A L N E W S hom etownlife.com Salvation Army shortfall hits Wayne-Westland By Jujie Brown the comparable day last Wayne-Westland in the “That’s the hope,” said Terminal. For $5, you can time,” said Rose, adding staff Writer year. memo line) are welcome Rose, noting bell-ringers sing your heart out. he’s grateful for Ford “So that’s a big dip,” at 2300 S. Palmer, W est- out at West&nd Shopping “T liey can sin g as Motor Co. and other vol­ Capt. Derek Rose, Rose saidlbesday. “We land, MI 48186. Center, Kroger and m uch as they want, good unteers helping out. corps officer for the had a rough tim e.” The later Thanks­ Kmart. “We do Imow and bad,” Rose said. “It “It’s been a great sea­ Wayne-Westland Salva­ This year’s totals as of giving this year and Westland has not failed ju st has to b e a joyful son so far,” said R ose, tion Army, is hoping Monday are $130,000 for shorter shopping season us in the p a st We’re just noise.” adding that bell-ringers some generous foU» will the R ed K ettle, ju st over have affected donations. asking for that continu­ Wa3me-W estland has will be out through Sat­ support the Red K ettle $12,000 for m a il The “We had a couple o f ing support.” collected about $5,000 urday, and again Monday and m ail appeals this goals this year are cold days as well as some Givers from Wajme, from that four-day ka­ and Tliesday before Christm as. $195,000 for Red Kettles rain,” R ose said. Rom ulus, N ew Boston raoke effo rt in the past, Christmas. The Salvation On Monday, R ose said and $25,000 for mail. Tlie local fundraising and Inkster also support but anticipates less with Army takes Sundays off the corps w as about Bell-ringers will take goals have been m et the Christmas funckais- it being two days. from bell-ringing, both as to the Streets 9 a.m . to S sin ce R ose and w ife Capt. ing. Throughout this week, a day o f w orship and to total to date, in part due p.m. this coming Sat­ Joanna Rose arrived in The Wayne-Westland food and toys are being allow the busy staff to be to last weekend’s snow­ urday, Dec. 21, at Ford 2008, as w ell as before corps w in host “Sing for distributed to more th ^ w ith fam ily and friends. storm which kept shop­ and Wayne roads and that. He hopes local resi­ a Cause” from 11 a jn . to 6 300 needy families at the The coips can be pers away. Saturday, Wayne and Warren roads. dents w ill again reach p.m; W ednesday and corps office on Venoy reached at 734-722-3660. about $3,400 was raised, Checks payable to the into their pockets and Thimsday, Dec. 18-19, at south of Palmer. com pared to about $9,000 Salvation Arm y (w ith purses. M etro A lp o r t’s D elta “It’s going to be a busy [email protected] cils don’t give that back BENEFITS in the future. I don’t see that happening. A lot of Continued from Page A1 communities and busi­ nesses have taken that the same benefits in step.” retirement as the ap­ These aren’t the first pointed officials,” he changes to the retire­ said.