W IN TICKETS: 'BRING IT ON - THE MUSICAL,' GO TO HOMETOWNLIFE.COM TO ENTER CANTON GANNETT COMPANY 'M IS L E D ' Jonathan Stanley recalls his Detroit roots in new film ENTERTAINMENT, B5 THURSDAY, MARCH 20, 2014 • hometownlife.com Water rates to rise; Detroit gets flak battled D etroit Water and be slammed as DWSD wres­ every three-month billing “I t h in k Township officials Sewerage Department. tles with infrastructure ex­ period w ill pay quarterly bills It signals Canton's firs t rate penses and legacy costs. o f $358 - or just over $1,400 a th e y ’re a bemoan increase hike since 2011 after the town­ Township Treasurer Melis­ year. b u n c h o f ship board fo r the last two sa McLaughlin indicated sim i­ To be sure, Canton rate By Darrell Clem years chose to absorb cost lar concerns about long-term hikes are fa r less than in­ incompetent Sta« Writer increases imposed by DWSD, rate hikes. creases that topped 20 percent bo o b s w h o which came under attack from “ I think we could be looking in 2008, when township o ffi­ A united Canton Tbwnship TVustee John Anthony. at some very d ifficu lt things cials passed DWSD costs onto d o n ’t h a v e a c lu e to Board o f Trustees reached a " I think they’re a bunch of down the road o f which we consumers and added local w hat’s going on. ” consensus Hiesday night to incompetent boobs who don't w ill have no control," she said. charges to align revenues with raise water-sewer rates 5.6 have a clue to what's going Under the new rate plan, a expenses and boost the water- JOHN ANTHONY percent starting May 1, amid on,” he said, adding he fears typical Canton household us­ Canton trustee, on the Detroit Water scathing criticism of the em­ suburban communities could ing 32,282 gallons of water See WATER. Page A2 and Sewerage Department Student loss drives school budget deficit A dramatic drop in enroU- ment is d riving the $5.3 m il­ lion de ficit Plymouth-Canton Community Schools adminis­ trators are facing as they begin their budget work for the 2014-15 school year. Facing increasing compe­ tition from charter schools - there's a charter high school opening in Canton in Septem­ ber - and other private schools, enrollment projec­ tions fo r Plymouth-Canton don’t look good as the dis­ trict's budget committee Library Director Eva Davis cuts the ceremonial ribbon with help from Supervisor Phil LaJoy, Clerk Terry Bennett library trustees and others. begins forging a budget it expects to adopt by June 1. The d istrict expects to lose nearly 600 students before the 2014-15 school year be­ gins. ANEW “Student loss is a m ajor drive r” in the budget deficit, Brodie Killian, the district’s deputy superintendent for business and operations, CHAPTER acknowledged after the Board o f Education’s firs t budget workshop Hiesday. Canton celebrates 'beautiful' library renovation In his presentation to the board Hiesday, K illia n said the d istrict expects to lose smiling library Director Eva 404 general-education stu­ Davis was flanked by ap­ dents and another 29 special- plauding library supporters Librarian Amy Lee (left) and technical processing supervisor Gale education students. Charter A celebratory mood filled who marveled over the Forster talk shop at the new central desk area, photos by bill bresler i the Canton Public Library as schools, he said, are expected $361,733 renovation project. STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER to snatch another 150 stu­ local officials and patrons “ I feel great about it," Da­ dents. Wednesday afternoon form al­ vis said. “ I feel that the li­ remodeled library and the main entrance, new car­ The losses w ill drop Ply­ ly unveiled the second-biggest brary is friendlier and the summed up his feelings in two peting and flooring, a stream­ renovation since the building mouth-Canton's enrollment to atmosphere is more open.” words: “ It's beautiful." lined business center with 17,205, its lowest level in opened in 1988. Canton Chamber of Com­ Indeed, patrons embraced copiers, printers and a fax years. W ith an expected Using a huge pair o f scis­ merce President Thomas changes that led to a circular $7,422 per-student foundation sors to cut a red ribbon, a Paden glanced around the checkout and help desk near See LIBRARY, Page A2 allowance, the district stands to lose nearly $4.5 m illion in state funding. There are also some esti­ mated savings in the initial budget. For instance, the ‘Sunshine’ laws: Canton handles hundreds of requests d istrict estimates about 20 teachers w ill retire this year, closed home on the mar­ township's website, Seeking 'trust' bringing some $600,000 in ket needs to know if the www.canton-mi.org, to savings. Based on the poten­ property has any ordi­ become more transpar­ “I believe we are extremely tial student loss, adminis­ An attorney seeks a copy of nance violations. ent. There, residents transparent,” Supervisor Phil trators also expect to cut a police car video after a Can­ Canton Township can see how their tax LaJoy said. "The budget is back by some 21 teachers, ton m otorist is accused of government handles dollars are being spent, online, the bills we pay are which would save roughly driving drunk. hundreds of Freedom of read Canton’s ethics online. To me, it's very impor­ $1.6 m illion. A Canton couple pores over Information Act re- Bei ett policy, pore over crime tant that there's a trust when Still, as administrators documents to determine the quests every year, from statistics and see which we're doing the people’s work begin th eir budget work, owner o f a home that has be­ the mundane to the serious. companies are receiving bids and doing it w ith integrity. We estimated revenues stand at come a neighborhood eyesore. It's an indication local folks fo r work. They can read legal respect that. Everything we some $145.8 m illion, while A lawyer requests a police take seriously their rig h t to notices, research ordinances do, we try to do it in an open projected expenses are at report to review felony gun know. and even learn of government way." charges against a client. Canton officials say they job openings. See DEFICIT, Page A2 A bank hoping to put a fore­ have used sources such as the See FOIA, Page A2 O b s e r v e r & E c c e n t r ic I ©the observers Eccentric INDEX ■ ‘ “■"M EDIA [ Volume 39 • Number 78 Business ................ A8 Homes ......... B9 Services ....................B9 Crossword Puzzle ...BIO Jobs ............. ... B10 Sports ....................... B1 Entertainment .........B5 Obituaries.... B7 Wheels .....................B9 Home Delivery: (866) 887-2737 | Return Address: 29725 Hudson Dr., Novi Ml 48377 Food.......................B6 Opinion ....... C o m m u n i t y F i n a n c i a l rig h t here rig h t fo r you www.cfcu.org ^ ■ § Iv y ffLr, Jjrfir-, (877)937-2328 •The 1 74% APR assumes 20% down, an excellent credit score and includes a .25% rate discount when payments are automatically deducted from a Community Financial checking account Rates vary and depend on individual credit history and other factors including: loan amount and term. Rates as of 3/3/20)4 and subject to change. Federally insured by NCUA. Q Equal Housing Lender. ©2014 Community Financial La-Z-Boy store taking shape on Ford Road By Darrell Clem Road site due to other plans to address Ford Staff Writer tenants in the area, Can­ Road tra ffic congestion ton’s continued devel­ appear ready to begin in La-Z-Boy’s new furni­ opment and its housing coming months, w ith the ture store in Canton, now market growth, Helle­ paving of Lotz between under construction on buyck said. Ford and Cherry H ill Ford Road west of Lilley, La-Z-Boy's construc­ and, later, the widening is expected to open by tion in Canton occurs as o f Ford along a stretch late July or early August, township Supervisor Phil near Haggerty. a company spokeswoman LaJoy, during his State of Steven Schafer, presi­ confirmed. the Township address in dent o f Farmington Hills- Canton's store marks early March, said the based Schafer Devel­ La-Z-Boy's return to community is witnessing opment, said the La-Z- metro Detroit that start­ an increase in economic Boy store is expected to ed last year with new activity. create several jobs. stores in Sterling La-Z-Boy, under con­ Hellebuyck said com; Heights, Novi and TVoy, struction across from pany officials believe the said Amy Hellebuyck, Outback Steakhouse, Canton store w ill be sucj manager of brand mar­ won site plan approval cessful, based on its keting and public rela­ last September from the location and the number tions. Canton Tbwnship Board o f customers drawn to % La-Z-Boy has retooled _____________________ t * r u - ■ o f Trustees. The project the new stores in Ster-1* and begun a new expan­ Construction has begun on the new La-Z-Boy store in Canton, on Ford Road west of Lilley. comes as a new 70-home ling Heights, Novi and sion after older stores, BILL BRESLER | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER subdivision is planned TVoy. including one near Ford behind the store, though "Consumers are re- •.