mmm ^^m ^^^mmmmm 'Wt Ponder the gift of music and ideas, Dl Homelbwn «'<lMmtfw»:^[l<iNM NU twflKK* Sunday December 14,1997 & Putting You In Touch With Your World A VOLUME 33 NUMBER 55 WESTLAND, MICHIGAN * 76 PAGES • http://observer-eccentric.com SEVENTY-FIVE CENTS O 1697 HomeTown Communication* Network, Inc. THE WEEK An entertaining evening Fire chief ^»1 IHH£^B# Holiday concert: A winter r concert, featuring the \ to retire Schoolcraft College Wind K Ensemble performing sea­ ,1 sonal works, will be at 7:30 p. m. today at Had- on Jan. 16 cliff Center, 1751 Radcliff Road in Garden City. • Westland fire Chief Michael Reddy con­ firmed Friday that he will retire Jan, 16. But he said he will remain deeply involved in his community and will likely seek a MONDAY Westland City Council seat in 1999. BY DARRELL CLEM Blood drive: Salem STAFF WRITER National Evangelical Westland fire Chief Michael Reddy, who Lutheran Church will fought tirelessly to bring new life-sayjng have a Red Cross blood medical rescue services to city residents,, confirmed Friday that he will retire Jan. 16. > drive 2-7:30p.rru at the But Reddy, 54, said he will remain deeply church, 32430 Attn Arbor involved in his community and will likely Trail, Westland. For .••'^i-^^^V^^ ---^.YV'ltV-. seek a Westland Gity Council seat in the information,, call (734) W&MM^M$£^ • • • •• next election, in lyyy. M??$$$$^£%%• • • * "I've been here my whole life, arid I plan on staying here," 278-2071. lSmi ttJKBKJv^^ •'<•-'• Reddy said. "I plan to stay active in the community." Reddy's decision to retire ends a 21 1/2-year career with the Westland Fire Department. He steadily rose through the White Christmas: The ranks, climbing from his firefighting job to claim the top job deadline for the guaran­ Of fire chief three years ago. • teed white Christmas • •* ; •',• contest is today. Children Please see CHIEF, M in kindergarten through fifth grade can enter Draw a poster of what •• Wilson School your house would look like covered in snow on Christmas Day. Entries development must be brought to the Bailey Recreation Center by today. plan criticized BY DIANE GALE ANDREASSI . .. , ,w Council meets: Westland SPECIAUWRITBR **** City Council meets at 7 A proposed residential development on the old Wilson Ele^ p.m. at Westland City mentary School site raised residential concerns on two heat­ Hall, Ford Road, west of ed issues during a Westland Planning Commission meeting STAFF PHOTOS BY BRTAN MITCHELL Tuesday. Wayne, in Westland. Residents worry that Sassafras Trails, a coveted wooded Sounds of the season: The West- area near the development, would be jeopardized. land Community Foundation host­ "Children will be climbing the fence and going into Sas­ ed a holiday classical concert safras Trails," according to area resident Beth Kunkle. "Can TUESDAY Wednesday at the new St. Con- you imagine what will go on with Sassafras Trails with this stantine and Helen Greek Ortho­ number of children going in there?" Fine art: The Livonia Arts Secondly, a newly formed group called Citizens for Good dox Church near the Hellenic Cul­ Government accused Planning Commissioner David James of Commission presents tural Center in Westland. Above, having a conflict of interest by also serving on the Wayne- mixed media works by the La Corda String Ensemble per­ Westland school board; (See related story.) Nancy Pitel at the Livo­ forms holiday selections. At right, The issues spring from a $500,000 purchase offer by Tod Kilroy of Westland places a toy Galaxy Builders for 13.5 acres that includes the Wilson Ele­ nia Civic Center Library, mentary School site and surrounding land east of Wildwood 32777 Five Mile Road. donation among other donations and south of Avondale Avenue. The parcel is owned by the under the Christmas tree. Admis­ Wayne-Westland School District. * Hours are 9 a.m. to 9p.m. sion was the donation of an Wilson Elementary School has been closed since the early Monday to Thursday, 9 unwrapped toy to be given to the 1980s and most of the building has been vacant since. children helped by the Westland "We lease it when we can," said Patricia Brand, assistant a.m. to 5p.m. Friday and superintendent of business services. "Right now there is a Saturday, and 1-5p.m. Salvation Army. Refreshments and child care (business) in it. It's a cash drain when you have a Sunday. hors d'oeuvres were also served at building and you don't have enrollment to subsidize it and a reception as part of the holiday you still have to heat it." program. The proposed development, Wildwood Manor Subdivision, would include 54 modest residential homes. THURSDAY However, residents who live near the planned development say it would diminish the -natural setting of the 52 acres in Surplus food: The city of Please see WILSON, A2 Westland will be having its surplus food program at the Dorsey Community Board of'education offers longtime teachers buyouts Center 10 a.m. to 2p.m. today. * BY DARRELL CLEM tral office staff and top-level cabinet years as educators climb the salary plan. Teachers could sign up during a STAFF WRITER members, although Slee said details ladder. 45-day period beginning Jan. 21, Slee Wayne-Westland school board mem­ aren't complete. ThiB is an economic decision that we said. bers are offering longtime teachers as School board members voted 7-0 believe is in the best interest of the dis­ But they have to meet certain crite­ INDEX much as $59,500 to leave their jobs. Monday night to approve what they trict," Slee said Monday, publicly ria. Officials estimate that 100 of the dis­ officially called an employee severance unveiling the plan. First, they have to have at least 10 trict's 840 teachers will accept early plan, amid hopes of replacing top-paid The plan resembles early buyouts years of Wayne-Westland service by 1 Obituaries JV6 educators with new teachers earning offered to employees in 1995, when 160 next June 30. H8 buyouts, although 563 qualify, Dan I Classified Index Slee, assistant superintendent of entry-level salaries. teachers and 20 administrators left the Of the 563 teachers who have 10 Real Estate HI employee services, said. The board stands to save about district. But the old plan carried a years of experience here, those vested H4 Early buyouts, officially termed $33,000 in the first year for every $64,000-per-employee price tag. with 30 years in the state retirement Crossword teacher it replaces, Slee said. Savings, School officials will require at least system can leave' next June with an Jobs employee severance plans, will also be J£l offered to building administrators,.cen­ would gradually diminish in coming 50 employees to proceed with the latest Home A Service " Please see BUYOUTS, A2 ^Autos • j Vf I Taste Bl LHeaUhNewsr^ i Cl School-based clinic to open I Arts & Leisure "15' J Sports & Recreation BY DARRELL.CLEM nizations, routine care, first-aid and health educa­ 7.E1 STAFF WRITER tion, in hopes that healthier students will have high­ Norwayne area children and their families will er attendance and perform bettor ix\ their class­ HOW TO REACH US Boon receive health services from a Lincoln Elemen­ rooms. „ tary School-based clinic in Westland. "Our focus is on keeping children well and their *It's going to be wonderful for this area," school sec­ families well," family nurse practitioner Sue Szurck Newsroom: 319-953*2104 retary Judy Gilliam Baid. said. Newsroom Fax: 313-591-7279 Nurses will staff the clinic four days a week from 9 , The clinic will begin acceptinjg patients in mid-Jan­ a.m. to 3 p.m., tentatively beginning Jan. 12. Other E-mail: newsroom 0 Monllne.com uary following a, joint effort by Wayne-Westland details are pending. Nlghillno/Sports: 313-9R3-2104 schools and OakWood Healthcare System. The clinic' will serve students and their families A doctor is expectedto be available one day a week Reader Comment Line: 313-953-2042 from Lincoln and Jefferson elementary attendance for several hours. [OTOWTOMlUlfUY Classified Advertising: 313-591*0900 areas, where many residents lack the health care . As a nursing practitioner, however, Szurek is Health talk: Ellie laroy, Lincoln Elemen- Display Advertising: 313-591-2300 coverage they need. , trained to perform physical exams, treat acute health iary School nurse, communicates to first- 'Home Delivery: ZiM^UiWi Medical staff will provido physicals, child immu­ • ;/••' .'.''',' • ' '.— Please BCO cUWc A2 graders with Rosy Goodhealth, a puppet. u-«***• .*:A2{W) The Observer & Eccentric/ SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1997 Clinic from page Al James' double problems such as infections and injuries, treat chronic diseases ' such as diabetes and high blood !i|§i pressure, prescribe medications roles questioned and provide prenatal care, ^^^•^a^a^ai m among other services. ; The clinic will stress ways of BY DIANE GALE ANDREA8SI Teresa Robbins, CGG , preventing health problems, in If:' nla^H SPECIAL WRITER spokeswoman, said the nature of addition to treating illness. t^B^B^BB I~:>-MS l G^M A community group is accus­ the positions poses a conflict: "To 1 "We need improved atten­ '.••• a^iVeVeVeVeVaH ing Westland Planning Commis­ try to serve these two masters ;•&•• during deliberation of this land dance, and we need improved • '•:•' '- .: ."•" sioner and Wayne-Westland health when the students are in •P^'^A^H school board member David use question inevitably results ' jschool," Lincoln principal Cyn­ James, of a conflict of interest for in a breach of duty as that thia Swift said. having both positions. phrase is used in the act, mak­ i^i^^H A letter from John D.