THOU SERVICE REMEMBERING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE, A3 STLAND A GANNETT COMPANY ARVER COOKING WITH SOY FOOD, B12 THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2015 • hometownlife.com Budget proposes closing Wayne Community Center By LeAnne Rogers pact on city revenues has been cost of $2.6 million. The annual S ta ff W r ite r a more than 40 percent drop in bond debt service is nearly property values since 2009. $644,000. A balanced budget for the Property taxes are the city’s “The biggest thing in the 2015-16 fiscal year that in­ main revenue source. budget is closing the communi­ cludes closing the Wayne Com­ With the community cen­ ty center and with that the munity Center has been sub­ ter’s ice arena and aquatic budget is $1.6 million short,” mitted to the city council. center already closed, shutting said City Manager David Mur- Council members accepted the building would reduce the phy. budget but requested alternate parks and recreation budget The city has been financial­ proposals, including one keep­ by $300,000 in operational ly surviving using various ing the community center costs. The budget includes reserve funds but only the open. The proposed budget, minimum utilities for main­ Other Postemployment Em­ with $14.7 million in revenues, taining parks and ball fields ployee Benefit Trust remains. will be discussed at two study and the closed community Those funds can only be used sessions at 7 p.m. Thursday, center. to cover retiree health care May 7, and Tuesday, May 12. and would be used to pay the The city went into the bud­ 'Biggest thing in budget' expected $1.9 million tab in get process with a projected Opened in 1974, the commu­ 2015-16. That would nearly SUBMITTED $2-3 million deficit for the nity center was built at a cost exhaust the fund but relieve The ice rink and aquatic center are already closed, and the proposed upcoming fiscal year which of $1.9 million. The aquatic 2015-16 budget is recommending the Wayne Community Center be shut begins July 1. The largest im­ center was built in 1996 at a See BUDGET, Page A2 down completely. Sawed-off shotgun results in charges By LeAnne Rogers Staff W riter A Wayne man is facing weapons charges after police, checking on his welfare, found he had a sawed-off shotgun and ammunition. An employee at Transitional Health Services, 34330 Van Born, called police about 7:45 p.m. April 18 after becoming concerned about a man in a field north of the business. The man had been last seen walking east on Glover. The employee said after calling police that she had walked over to the field and found a gun. Once officers arrived, she took them to a JOHN HEIDER | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER sawed-off shotgun that was The 2015 Life in Go! spring expo was held inside Schoolcraft's VisTaTech Center. unloaded in the field. An officer walked on Glov­ er and reported seeing a man matching the description pro­ vided by the caller walking towards him. The man told the officer the HUNDREDS STOP BY sawed-off shotgun belonged to him. He said the gun, given to him by his brother, had a dam­ aged barrel and he sawed it off to make it functional. O&E’S SPRING EXPO Feeling unwell, the man said he had set the shotgun By David Veselenak allow someone in a wheelchair to access Observer & Eccentric Spring Expo Mon­ down in the field, walked to a S ta ff W r ite r the tub. A ballroom dancing instructor, day at Schoolcraft College’s VisTaTech nearby home and sat on the Gornick said there are several people Center in Livonia. Dozens of booths and porch. Now that he was feel­ Spotting new ideas at Monday’s she knows who might be interested in several speakers offered advice in ing better, the man said he was Spring Expo is just what Plymouth an idea like that. many areas, including new technology returning to the retrieve the Township resident Kathie Gornick was “I come every year,” Gornick said. “I in pain relief, financial advice for re­ gun. Officers reported con­ looking to do. want to see anything that’s new.” tirement planning, Alzheimers and fiscating the gun and four Gornick was especially interested in Gornick was one of hundreds of 12-gauge shotgun shells. one company’s bathtub designed to people who attended the 12th annual See EXPO, Page A2 See SHOTGUN, Page A2 Westland City Council approves new businesses, expansions By LeAnne Rogers addition on the opment. a 5,000-square foot unit that is also approved for a proposed S ta ff W r ite r southwest cor­ “I’m glad to bring this for­ part of a 20,000-square foot body art studio to be located at ner of the build­ ward. It will provide more multi-tenant industrial build­ 1939 N. Wayne Road, south of A site plan allowing con­ ing. The addi­ / •.. \ revenue in the DDA District,” ing. Ford. struction of additional seating tion will be built said Westland Planning/Build- The business does work “This is another new busi­ at a Westland restaurant were into an existing ing Director Bruce Thompson. including hot rod restoration, ness. It will fill the last vacant among expanding or new busi­ landscaped “The additional space will fit parts fabrication and sheet spot in the Westland Town ness plans receiving approval area. Thompson seamlessly on the building.” metal fabrication. Asked about Center,” said Thompson. “It’ a by the Westland City Council. Located in » Council approved a spe­ possible outside storage, busi­ compatible use (with nearby Texas Roadhouse, located the city’s Down­ cial land use for Mad Professor ness, owner Christopher Chy- businesses). It is also located in on Ford west of Central City town Development Authority Customs and Hot Rods, to be try said his work wasn’t the the DDA.” Parkway, received approval to District, the restaurant is located at 5747 Executive Dr. type that would be left outside. construct a 840-square foot zoned as a Planned Unit Devel­ The business will be located in » A special land use was See NEW, Page A2 O bserver & E ccentric © The Observer & Eccentric INDEX hometownllfe.com MEDIA Volume 50 • Number 99 Business....................A11 Homes..........................B7 Services........................B7 A GANNETT COMPANY Crossword Puzzle......B8 Jobs.............................. B7 Sports..........................B1 53174 10C Entertainment......... B11 Obituaries................B10 W heels.......................B9 PRICE: $1 Home Delivery: (866) 887-2737 | Return Address: 29725 Hudson Dr., Novi Ml 48377 Food......................... B12 O pinion ...................A12 A nniversary Cele C o m m u n it y W in an iPad m ini! Fin a n c ia l Visit our Livonia office at 34000 W. 7 Mile Road right here right for you now through April 30 to enter. www.cfcu.org (877) 937-2328 No purchase necessary, so stop in today! Must be 18 years of age to qualify. One entry per person. One winner will be chosen from entries received. Winner will be notified via phone. Odds of winning depend upon number of entries received. Community Financial board members, team members and immediate family are not eligible. No cash value. iPad mini™ is a registered trademark of Apple. Federally insured by NCUA. i£r Equal Housing Lender. ©2015 Community Financial A2 (W) 0 & E Media | Thursday, April 30, 2015 LOCAL NEWS hometownlife.com acquiring the land en­ *;%pf thing,” she said. “The NEW ables him to acquire EXPO ladies love iyjgfe needed room. First-time'^prendees Continued from Page A1 “With Texas Road­ Continued from Page A1 . Phyllis Clanpy’of Com- house and the other * .jmerce Townlhip and H Owner Scott Kneesh- businesses approved, dementia caring, as well Lf^nia Wjfflkient Mary •' aw had operated his we are seeing growth as many other topics. Wiebe cajn? and walked business for five years and more of it,” said One of those booths out with a bag full of at Northland Center and Council President was for the Visual Arts goodies collected fijqpi l was forced to relocate James Godbout. “We Association of Livonia. the vendors. ” when the mall in South- are very fortunate. Monday was the group’s '"“ft’s basically what I field closed recently. Other cities are not first Spring Expo, said thought it would be,” » Council approved a seeing the redevel­ Livonia resident Dorothy Wiebe said. land division to split a opment and new busi­ Amberger. She said sev­ She said while some of 2.27-acre parcel adding nesses that we are see­ eral people showed in­ the information available land to Foundry Prod­ ing.” terest in possibly starting was not as relevant to ucts Inc., 6000 N. Hix. Godbout noted the a hobby like painting. her, she said she could The parcel being divid­ hard work by Thomp­ Given that many peo­ see how many of the ed is to the west or rear son and Economic De­ ple at the expo were topics, including the pain of the business. velopment Director retired, Amberger said management informa­ Owner William Lori Fodale on retaining there was no better audi­ tion, could be helpful. Brown said that the and attracting busi­ ence to attract to a class JOHN HEIDER | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER The event attracted vacant land wasn’t be­ nesses. at their facility at Five Erin Hill-Brody (right) of Managed Rehabilitation Consultants attendees from more ing utilized. The found­ Mile and Newburgh. hands out literature for her business at the spring expo. than a half-hour away. ry business has a lot of [email protected] “These are people who One of those people was trucks coming in on a 734-883-9039 have time who might Tom Mazur, who drove daily basis, he said, so Twitter: @LRogersObserver want to start..