p I ^ » .f £ • Volume 18 Number 82 . Thursday, April 7, 1983 " . Westland. Michigan - -• •.<•«.' . 48 P,ad,es • . Twenty-five cerr~. • •• %\ (\- .$& • 7&iv$v to avert crisi• • s frr. —]Uj«iiiiiiiTTTtrTr*r*iTTry?tr ; T! ' ' ' J g 1 1 ^'lg-yrfiT'"M 'F '"'L_Jj'a <v 1 * on By Sandra Armbruster about $313,000, according to Kunkel. editor Pickering said that the city was told . .'•.-. •.- . BlLt8RESLER/slalf photographer the state would be releasing the money Streets remain unpaved in areas of Westland, which is involved in a . state Supreme Court. The city, however, would like to reach a set- A payment of state revenue is ex- that had been withheld anyway, and if paving suit that recently" was accepted for consideration by the tlement in the case. • , pected to insure that Westland city em- it-didn't do that in time, at leasVenough ployees won't have to face payless pay money would be sent so the city could days later this month. meet its payroll. 4 . The cash crisis occurred when the Responding to criticism that the city" state withheld payment of $800,000"due was in a cash crisis, Pickering admit- City hopes for settlement of suit the city in revenue sharing and sales ted, There is some criticism on the tax funds. Because of the crisis, the timing. We did play it closely, closer By MaryKlemic tion to-file their briefs to the> Supreme city faced the possibility of not meeting than we had anticipated. staff writer ^Hopefully we can talk to the litigants, or Court. ' its payroll on April 22 and May 6, "But there were two things we had to this thing will never get resolved/ - The homeowners had sought an in- Now Mayor Charles Pickering and show.the governor and his finance peo- A battle by a. group of bpmeowners junction against the paving in Wayne' Ken Kunkel, from the city's auditing ple: First, that we faced a payless pay- to prevent the paving of their residen- . — Henry Lundquist, director County Circuit Court, which ruled in firm of Plante & Moran, say that the day, and second, that we had exhausted' tial streets is headed for the state Su- T December 1980 that the Michigan Tax 'state expects to deliver money owed all other possibilities of transferring preme Court. _. Department of public service Tribun9l had jurisdiction in the matter. the city in time to meet its April 22 money," Pickering continued. Attorneys representing the city and payroll. "Now we've scraped up enough mon- the WesUand group have been notified violation of constitutional rights," Matz the paved roads. A rate of 127.75'per c, A JUDGE for the tribunal ruled six "There have been efforts to try to ey for this (Friday's) payroll. There has » that the court will hear arguments on said. - front foot was approved by the council. ^months later that the panel lacked ju: scare city employees. I want to make it been nofinancial mismanagement." the case as part of a companion law- Matz estimated it would be at least .. A few dollars more could buy a bet- risdjetion over the appeal because the clear that (payless paydays) isn't the suit. The case will be paired with a suit several months before the Supreme ter project, Matz said. He said the pro- group filed its protest' there more than case," said Mayor Charles Pickering. R OF the city council disa- . involving paving improvements in the Court would hear the case. In the posed project was designed in Arizona 30 days after special assessment rolls Pickering admitted, however, that gree on that last point. city of Lansing. meantime, city officials are hopeful and was unsuitable for the high water were approved. •the city has had to scramble to meet Council President Thomas Artley The Westland lawsuit,. brought by that the suit can be settled out of court. table and severe frost found in West- The 30-day limit didn't give the the April 22 payroll and that vouchers said last week that the emergency re- nine residents in 1980, seeks to preyent Hank Lundqujst, director of the city's land- homeowners time to determine what, if are being, paid as money becomes quest was made to the state only after paving in an area bounded by Glen- . department of public service, said that •"There was*a road expert that ,said any/damage would be done by the pav- available. he had talked with Kunkel, who.in turn ..wood, Cherry Hill, Schuman and Carl- there have been some meetings on the this,wouldn't hold up, that the asphalt ingj or whether or not ft Would increase The council Monday night also ap- talked with city finance director Larry. son. ..'."' *. proposal- ' - isn't thick enough," he said. "You'd property values, according to Matz. - proved an application to the Michigan Williams, . ; . The paving work wrfs to have in- "It seems there might be something need at least four or six inches. r^* When you have this_type of situa-. Municipal .Finance Commission, re- According to council member Kent volved turning over the.existing gravel that will get the suit .put of court," he "People-don't want to, pay for this Hion, you need time to get your experts questing perrr|isslon--rto borrow $1,8 Herbert, a former finance director in roadbed and. smoothing it out, then said. "There may be ah offer to do. ;typeof paving that isn't going to hold in place," Matz said. "This Is a rather million against futore tax revenue. thfe city, the council had feared that the ; • ^ . pouring a three-inch topping of asphalt. more of a type of paving than we could ' up." ;.: :..„.;.• •:, ..,.•;,,;,, ..- r unusual situation.?.-. ,'...- •*: city would be unable to meet Friday's •; Additional s.ub-base material may have _ do with thicker roads how that prices . Matz said :he; Is drafting a brief,, The group then "took Its case to the „••'•• THE PROMISE of revenue was payroll. - ' . ';• •-•• been needed in some areas. •••••',- are better. • ; which must be submitted In a. booklet Court of-Appeals, which last year af- ^rnade by the state after KunkeVmade' • Councllnian Charles Griffin said that . t "We hope to talk to the UUgahts, oth- form. Attorneys on both sides haye 90 firmed the tribunal's ruling and refused ^ an .; emergency request for about THE HOMEOWNERS contend : enjvlse the thing will never get' re- days from the Feb. 18 date of notifica- a rehearfng.f. $625,000. Each payroll amounts to Please turn to Page 2 V the paying;, as proposed by the city, is solved." unsuitable for the area. They believe if would hurt rather than. Improve their ' THE\PAVING project was to have property values, according to their at-, been financed by bonds. The interest torney, William Matz.^ • and face value, of the bonds was to have • reuse "When a paving pro'gram doesn't en- been paid off by an eight-year special hance the value of the property, it's in assessment on property that fronts on By Sandra Armbrueter editor \ Vacant buildings on the grounds ot Wayne County General may be replaced with new developments Police nab suspects under a plan of-cooperation between the city-of WesUand and Wayne County. " . The city council Monday rtight approved a $1,500 preliminary study of how the area can be rede- in robbery of eatery veloped. The study will be paid for with federal community development money that had been set heard a commotion and saw someone : By MaryKlemic aside for planning purposes , - . staffwrlter • V in a blue parka, with the hood over his head and a blue ski mask covering his Mayor Charles.Pickering said that the piari could face, coming toward him.' ' "eliminate an eyesore and JJut (new development) Twolnkster teen-agers were arrest- ori the city's tax roles." : ' • ; The masked man was holding a yel- ed by police Saturday following a rob- ' While Pickering had originally thought the area bery at a McDonald's at 5235 S. Merri- low. bag that was. partially covering Tma¥nTWestland~ ~ -., •; . rtobe~a".blue~stee1gun. ~~ •4* Police said the gunman told the man- proximity to the county hospital, he said that the Laymort"Lamar Sales, 19,;was.ar- study will examine other alternatives as'welh Pick-; raigned Monday before 18th- District ager, "This js a Holdup. Go get the mon- ey." The manager started handing him ering said that included in the study will be both •':" Court Judge Thomas Smith on a charge sides of Michigan Avenue. ; - ; • of armed robbery. He faces a pretrial rolls of coins and-bills from a /safe ; when the robber;told him to "bring it; examination April 11. A : 16-year-oid AFTER VIEWING results of the preliminary Inkster resident was placed in the v all vp front."--;. •; • - ; - : study io,al;<;ftupcll study~session, members will be - -;_ • youth Home iri Detroit. ^- " : The.gunmah followed, the.manager ; ;;., to the front counter area, where a sec- asked to consider Approval pi.a.detailed plan for, . ; The McDonald's'manager .told police the area', that plan is expected to cost $30,000 to' ; that he was at the.rear of the restau- ond man, wearing purple pants and a rant shortly before 11:30 a:m. when he purplet jacket, ordered an employee to $40,000 and again would be paid for with federal ; '; dump, money *from 'the cash register CDfunds. •'.••.••:'. ;;. ;.. ';- : v v ..'•••'•'.';> .• The request for the^it^dy comes from Wayne into a' bag. Police said the hooded man : started putting money from the safe County officials." ;'\ - ; ^ ; - what's inside into the yellow bag.