March 19 2009 CANTON The Observer & Eccentric Newspapers Volume 34 Number 76 75 CENTS online at hometownlife.com Hospital food goes gourmet Food & wine, BIO. Connection Officials balk, consider smaller water rate increase BY TONY BRUSCATO would use $1 million of the cash Rohan Peters said. "I'd rather you OBSERVER STAFF WRITER WHAT DO YOU THINK? balance to pay for operations of the not raise the rates — period — but Which of the three water rate proposals system. if you have to, I wish you'd consider Calling all Ricky Nelson fans. Canton Township residents will presented by the township administer A third plan would drop the using $2 million because eventually The two sons of the late star will see a water and sewer rate hike this tlon do you favor? E-mail your opinion increase to 8 percent, with $2 mil• your cash fund will come back once be at the Village Theater at Cherry year, however it won't be a 20-per• to Editor Kurt Kuban at kkuban@home- lion taken from the cash balance. the economy turns." Hill on Friday, March 27, to pay cent increase proposed earlier by the In all the proposed rate hikes, the Trustee Syed Taj asked the admin• towniife.com or post a comment on our tribute to their father, who first administration. fixed charges to consumers would istration to consider raising rates Web site at www.hometpwnlife.com. broke hearts on the Ozzie and Reacting to concerns by residents not be increased. after peak usage in the summer to Harriet television show and later that 20 percent was too high in Nearly two dozen residents attend• save consumers money. However, went on to have a solid career as a tough economic times, the Board of and sewer rate hike increases, 16.9 ed the workshop meeting, and those Finance Director Rick Eva said musician. Trustees received three new recom• percent, assumes operating expenses who spoke implored trustees to keep delaying the rate hike past May "Ricky Nelson Remembered" mendations from the administration can be reduced by $700,000 with no the rate hike as low as possible. would just cause further financial will feature identical twins at Tuesday's workshop meeting. The reduction in the $11.8 million cash "We're digging into our reserves stress on an already taxed system. Matthew and Gunnar Nelson, . seven-member board is expected to balance in the water and sewer fund. to carry us through unemploy• "If you delay, you're just going rock stars in their own right, approve one of them next week. A second alternative would ment, layoffs... those who have jobs who will perform a 90-minute The highest of the proposed water increase rates by 12.5 percent, but are taking pay cuts to maintain it," Please see INCREASE, A3 concert that will include all of Ricky Nelson's hits interwoven with family films and outtakes from the Ozzie and Harriet show. They'll also tell behind- . the-scene stories that give great Deficits loom insight into what was happening as Ricky Nelson wrote many of his top hits, including Garden Party. The show, which begins at 7 as district eyes p.m. with a pre-show reception, will benefit the nonprofit bereave• ment outreach work of New Hope Center for Grief Support, and will kick off the New Hope Center for budget process Grief Support's 10th anniversary BY BRAD KADRICH year of providing grief support OBSERVER STAFF WRITER services to adults, teens and children through groups, individ• If the Plymouth-Canton school board ual support, seminars and other does nothing else and the numbers crunch resources. the way the district's financial team has Tickets to this tribute are $52 planned, there will be enough money to and can be bought online at www. cover the district's projected $2 million canton-mi.or/villagetheater or by deficit in 2009-10. calling ¢734) 394-5300. A portion It's the following year that really pres• of your ticket purchase is tax- ents problems. deductible. For more information As budget predictions sit now, the school about New Hope Center for Grief district faces a potential $7.4 million deficit Support, call (248) 348-0115 or in 2010-11, when it will have only about visit www.newhopecenter.net. $2.5 million in its fund equity. The num• : PHOTOS BY BILL BRESLER | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER bers take into account a foundation level Ariana Lehman, 9, reads "Morris and Boris" to Henry SeooK ana Aaron Sannioppo, Doth A years old, at St. Michael Christian —• the per-pupil amount of state funding — School in Canton. staying at a consistent $7,604 over the next two years. Gov. Jennifer Granholm has said the level will remain the same while the state gets projected revenue from President The Michigan Association of Barack Obama's stimulus package. Broadcasters Foundation named Reading guides Originally, administrators had expected Plymouth-Canton's WSDP the a $59 cut in state funding. And not every• high school station of the year one is convinced it still won't happen. at the Great Lakes Broadcasting "This is my fourth budget... and I don't Conference and Expo March 11 in St. Michael's older students lend a helping hand to younger peers think the state has met what it said it was Grand Rapids. Numerous WSDP going to do at this time of year," Trustee staffers also received individual BY TONY BRUSCATO ple that came." Steven Sneideman said. "I'm a little ner• awards, including Salem junior OBSERVER STAFF WRITER Karolynn O'Neil, education vous about them doing that again." Kurtis Roy, Canton sophomore . director at the school, said there The school board, which has made some Sean Fitzpatrick, and Plymouth Ten-year-old Stephanie are many advantages of kids $16 million in budget cuts over the last sophomore Derek Harbison. Paquette, a fourth-grader at reading to kids. eight years, is beginning the budget process WSDP is owned and oper• St. Michael Christian School in "Kids relate better to each for the 2009-10 school year. Superintendent ated by the Plymouth-Canton Canton, read for about a half other," said O'Neil. "Here's an Dr. Craig Fiegel and Jim Larso-Shidler, the Community Schools and is run hour to 4-year-old Alyssa Perko older child reading to them and it district's assistant superintendent for busi• by the students from the three Monday morning. encourages the younger children ness services, presented the initial budget high schools. The station will host March is Reading Month, and to become readers themselves. document for trustees to begin considering. a special concert on March 28 older students at the school — I've had first-graders who started The proposed budget calls for more than at the Gloria Logan Auditorium located in St. Michael Lutheran out not being able to read and $156 million in revenue, but also more than at Salem High School featuring Church on Sheldon Road, just all of a sudden they can read to $158 million in expenditures. Among the Telarc recording artist Keri Noble, south of Warren — spend time Justin Montague, 9, reads "A Chair For another child. Reading out loud is factors impacting the budget: $2.3 million with guests The Mean Reds and each week reading to younger stu• My Mother" to 5-year-old Sam McLean. fundamental to learning to read. in STEP increases and related costs and an Rachele Eve, who grew up in dents. On this particular day, the "When they can read indepen• 8-percent increase in health care costs. Plymouth. story Paquette chose to read was Perko, a preschooler at St. dently, all of a sudden the world Some have called for an end to the STEP All the profits from the show Amelia Bedelia's Funny Farm. Michael, was quick to relate what is wide open for them and they process — where teachers get an automatic will benefit WSDP. Tickets are "I like reading to them," said was happening to the popular get so excited," she said. "We want raise as they move through their contract $10 in advance, and $12 at the Paquette, who lives in Canton. "1 children's book character. them to enjoy reading and not be — but Fiegel warned the board it was a door. They can be ordered online like to ask them questions to see "She has a lot of things to. do afraid." contractual obligation. at www.88lTheEscape.com ¢$2.50 if they understand what I'm read• and they have a party at the end," "STEP increases are part of contracts," service charge). ing." she said. "There was a lot of peo• [email protected] | (313) 222-2637 he said. "You'd have to negotiate that out." Index APARTMENTS ...C3 AUTOMOTIVE ...C5 CAREER BUILDER ...C4 CROSSWORD'PUZZLE .. ..XI FILTER B8-9 FOOD S WINE ..BIO OBITUARIES ... B6 PUBLIC SAFETY ... A4 mvemence you expect* REAL ESTATE ... C2 SPORTS B1 STRICTLY BUSINESS .. ... B5 For Home Delivery call: (866) 887-2737 COMMUNITY BILL BRESLER I STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER GANNETT Irish eyes were smiling PLYMOUTH CANTON NORTHVILLE NOVI State Rep. Diane Slavens and her husband, Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Mark Slavens, marched in Sunday's St. Patrick's Day Parade in Detroit. The Canton couple were among the thousands of people to attend the annual event and take iCUA Y«ui icings. fe<ieidBy insuiwj to at IwU (150,000 sfitl basked by A\u full 6 63174 10007 8 advantage of the beautiful weather. The parade route was along Michigan Avenue through the Corktown neighborhood.