After considering various options, the Howell City Council is proceeding with costly repairs to the east wall of city hall. Engineers with Hubbell Roth & Clark previously discovered that the east wall is physically moving away from the building. Additional investigation revealed structural concerns and cracking with the north and south walls. Council members agree that a new building would be nice but itâs not financially feasible and looked at a number of repair options during Monday nightâs meeting before voting to proceed with the least costly and least disruptive. That option secures the east wall and addresses immediate structural concerns but also involves additional tie-ins with the south wall and continued monitoring to address some issues noticed there. Members voiced reservations with some of the other options that would have displaced city staff and tenants, noting the cost of relocation could be significant. Members also had concerns about âbudget creepâ with some of the other solutions presented. City Manager Shea Charles tells WHMI staff will now begin working on design plans with engineers and bring something back to council for final approval. Estimated repair costs are just under $300,000 and the projected construction time frame would be three to four months, depending on the weather and other variables. Council has not yet made a decision as to how to fund the repairs but could either issue debt, utilize cash reserves or a combination of both. Council has already been discussing the possibility of issuing capital improvement bonds, which would prevent the general fund from taking such a big hit. (JM)
Council Approves Nearly $300K to Fix Structural Issues at Howell City Hall Council Approves Nearly $300K to Fix Structural Issues at Howell City Hall
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Howell School Board Hires New SuperintendentHowell School Board Hires New Superintendent
After the final interview with Terry Barker, superintendent of Mishawaka, Indiana, the Howell Board of Education made its decision to hire a superintendent. All but one member of the Howell Board of Education agreed with the decision to negotiate a contract with Erin MacGregor, currently serving as assistant superintendent of teaching and learning at Plymouth Canton Schools. The board said they were looking for longevity in the district and a focus on instruction, but Trustee Deb McCormick said she was looking for someone with superintendent experience. She also was concerned that during his interview MacGregor couldnât answer key financial questions to her satisfaction. McCormick wasnât swayed by the other board members or search consultant Dr. Marlene Davis who offered reassurances that he is a strong candidate and will do well. McCormick said although she couldnât support hiring him, she would support him as superintendent. Negotiations will begin with a salary of $160,000 and a start date of July 1st. Negotiations are expected to be complete by the June 8th meeting, when the contract will be signed. Board president Mike Yenshaw says once the contract is signed the transition process will begin. He said interim superintendent Jeremy Hughes has done a good job keeping the district running smoothly, and knows he will work with MacGregor to make the new superintendent's transition smooth. Davis encouraged the board in their decision, telling them that MacGregor is a âbona fide star in the making,â and they should consider themselves fortunate to get him.
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Volunteers Sought To Represent Kids In Family Court SystemVolunteers Sought To Represent Kids In Family Court System
Residents who wish to become directly involved in the countyâs family court system will have that opportunity through a program run by LACASA Center. The Court Appointed Special Advocate program is now accepting applications for its summer volunteer training. CASA volunteers are specially trained to serve as advocates for children from Livingston County who are in the foster care system or the family court system. The 30-hour training program involves a combination of in-person classroom sessions and online course work. Training begins on Thursday, June 4th, and runs through June 25th. Upon completion of the training program, volunteers are appointed to the CASA program by a Livingston County Family Court judge. CASA volunteers represent children who cannot return home because it is not safe. These volunteers collaborate with attorneys and the foster care system, write evaluations, issue recommendations, and advocate for the best interest of the child they serve in all court proceedings. To Register, contact Sara Applegate, CASA Program Director at 517-548-1350 x 225 or e-mail her at; sapplegate@lacasacenter.org (JK)
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Fowlerville Man Bound Over For Trial On Exposure ChargesFowlerville Man Bound Over For Trial On Exposure Charges
A Fowlerville man has been bound over for trial on charges that he exposed himself in Oakland County. 38-year-old Ryan Daniel Daves is charged with aggravated indecent exposure by a sexually delinquent person. He recently waived his preliminary exam in Oakland Countyâs 48th District Court. An arraignment is set in Oakland County Circuit Court on Tuesday, May 26th. Daves was arrested last month by Bloomfield Township Police after a woman said she was able to snap photos of Daves as he âtried to get her attention by making sexual gesturesâ in his SUV on Telegraph Road, near Maple, on April 18th. After the photos and a description of the suspect were released to the media, tips began flooding in from Wayne, Oakland, and Livingston counties. Investigators following up on the tips were able to locate and arrest Daves. He is currently free on a $10,000 bond, but is required to wear a GPS tether. (JK)
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Plans For New Sidewalk Near Hartland High School On HoldPlans For New Sidewalk Near Hartland High School On Hold
Plans to put in a new sidewalk near Hartland High School have been put on hold. At a regular meeting of the Hartland Township Board of Trustees, members agreed to shelve discussion of a new Dunham Road sidewalk until next month. The Board agreed that the new sidewalk would be a benefit to students, but couldnât readily justify the approximate $80,000 it would cost. Some of the problems with the current plan are that the sidewalk wouldnât end at an intersection and would dip into an area that has low sight distance in the south. The Livingston County Road Commission also has inquired about an engineering plan, as the proposed path faces potential elevation, utility, and wetland challenges. The Board will revisit plans for the new sidewalk at a meeting next month, when they can discuss it within the context of other projects. (MK)
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Tyrone Board Approves Three-Year Public Safety AssessmentTyrone Board Approves Three-Year Public Safety Assessment
The Tyrone Township Board has approved an extension of its public safety special assessment for the next three years. That fee, leveled against all parcels in the township, pays for fire coverage from the three surrounding departments as well as dedicated patrols from the Livingston County Sheriffâs Department. An increase to that assessment was offered to voters in November, including an increased rate, longer term, and the ability for the township to increase the assessment by 10% if necessary. Voters turned down that proposal, and with the current assessment due to expire in March of 2016 the township board decided to pass an extension as a board action rather than take the issue back to voters. The assessment approved last night keeps the rates constant, but will only last from April of next year to March of 2019. It also includes a fee for multi-use sites, like trailer parks and strip malls, with smaller additional fees for each use on those sites. A handful of residents attended the meeting to level criticism at the board, saying it should have sent the assessment back to voters for approval rather than taking matters into its own hands. Residents also criticized the structure of the new multi-use fee as unfair, pointing out that a normal home pays $150 per year while a trailer park home is charged about $20 per year. Officials said trailer park homes previously paid nothing, and they believed this was as much as they could get from those developments without being challenged in a tax tribunal. Other residents said they never saw the sheriffâs deputies patrolling certain parts of the township and only got responses from the Michigan State Police. Those residents were invited to review the deputyâs patrol log online. (TD)
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Group Alleges Area Lawmaker "Tramples Local Control" w/ VoteGroup Alleges Area Lawmaker "Tramples Local Control" w/ Vote
A liberal advocacy group is targeting an area lawmaker who it alleges praised local control in the past but trampled it Tuesday. Republican Representative Joe Graves of Argentine Township this week chaired a committee hearing regarding House Bill 4052, known as the Death Star bill as it aims to prevent local communities from regulating the relationship between employees and employers through measures such as establishing a minimum wage higher than the state's or mandating paid sick leave. The House Commerce and Trade Committee hearing was interrupted several times by protesters but the bill passed, with Graves voting in favor. Graves said he had worked to address some of the concerns and argued that the bill was not as broad as was being claimed, adding that regulating wages and benefits was not the role of local communities. The Republican-controlled House approved the bill 57-52 Wednesday, with several Republicans joining minority Democrats in voting against the bill. Democrats offered more than a dozen amendments that failed without a vote. Progress Michigan calls the legislation a far-reaching attempt to strip local communities of the ability to manage their own affairs by enacting local minimum wage laws, community benefits ordinances and paid sick leave laws. The group is alleging that Graves had a completely opposite opinion on local control in 2013, when he sponsored House Bill 4147 that would have given local units of government more control of taxation issues. It passed the state House but later died in the Senate. Officials with Progress Michigan referred to Gravesâ opinion of local control then versus now as âthe height of hypocrisyâ. (JM/JK)
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Mill Street Closed Thursday & Friday For Fenton Streetscape WorkMill Street Closed Thursday & Friday For Fenton Streetscape Work
The City of Fenton is announcing updated road closures as part of the Fenton Streetscape project. As mentioned earlier, intermittent lane closures are occurring on Mill Street. Assistant City Manager Michael Burns says both Thursday and Friday, Mill Street will be closed at LeRoy so the service leads from the new water main can be connected to buildings in that area. There will still be access to the Post Office. However, Burns cautions that motorists going to the Post Office should allow for additional time in getting to that destination. (JM)
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Green Oak Township Honors Retiring Fire ChiefGreen Oak Township Honors Retiring Fire Chief
The Green Oak Township Board of Trustees honored a retiring fire chief last night. At its regular meeting of the board, a resolution of recognition and gratitude was read to Fire Chief William Steele. Steele has served in that position since coming to Green Oak Township in 2001. The chief was praised by the board for his ability to stay current with ever changing standards of fire protection while completing many educational classes from the National Fire Academy and the Department of Homeland Security. He was also instrumental in establishing the full time fire department in Green Oak, offering residents 24/7 service for faster response time on fire and emergency calls. Steele told WHMI that he was proud of the dedicated team of men and women who work and serve the Green Oak Township community. Steele will be succeeded by Deputy Chief Kevin Gentry, a 22-year department veteran, following his last day on May 29th. (MK)
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AAA Travel Projections Favorable For Memorial Day Weekend AAA Travel Projections Favorable For Memorial Day Weekend
Gas prices are down and the economy is up, marking a win-win situation for holiday travelers according to AAA Michigan. Memorial Day weekend is typically a driving holiday and AAA Michigan is projecting that more than a million Michiganders will be hitting the road. Spokeswoman Susan Hiltz tells WHMI gas prices have increased this week across Michigan, averaging $2.62. However, Hiltz says the good news is thatâs $1.13 less than last year. Hiltz also noted that AAA is forecasting the highest travel volume for the holiday in eight years since 2007, which she says is really a testament to the economy picking up and gas prices coming down from last year. With over one million motorists expected to be traveling by vehicle in Michigan this weekend, Hiltz says itâs also a call to action for everyone to be more cautious and careful, buckle up and eliminate distractions including cell phone use. (JM)
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Rumors Of Threat Against Pinckney High Found To Be A HoaxRumors Of Threat Against Pinckney High Found To Be A Hoax
Administrators for Pinckney Community Schools are reassuring parents and students that a rumored threat of violence at Pinckney High School was a hoax. The district became aware late Tuesday night that rumors were circulating through the student body and on social media that a specific student would be taking violent action in Pinckney High on Friday. Superintendent Rick Todd says the district launched into a thorough investigation of the claims with the help of the Hamburg Township Police, and they found no evidence that the threats were actually made. He says the district contacted the student who was at the center of the rumors. He cooperated with investigators, and no evidence of any threat was found. Other students were also interviewed to trace the path of the rumor through the school. Todd says everyone worked together to resolve this issue. A letter has been sent out to parents in the district explaining what the situation was, how the district responded to it, and the results of the investigation carried out by staff and police. (TD)
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Hartland Plans Activities For 80th Memorial Day CelebrationHartland Plans Activities For 80th Memorial Day Celebration
This will be the 80th year of formal Memorial Day observances in Hartland, and the community has a variety of activities planned. The event will begin at the Hartland Cemetery on Sunday night, when a memorial ceremony inspired by Native American practices will take place. The festivities on Monday begin with a pancake breakfast at Village Elementary, which will run from 7am to 11am. The Hartland High School field house will host 5k and 10k runs and a 3k walk beginning at 8am. Services are planned around the village later in the morning, including at the Parshallville Cemetery and the Mill Pond. Roads in the downtown will close intermittently between 8am and 9am to accommodate the runs, then stay closed from 10am to noon for the rest of the festivities. The biggest attraction to the downtown, the annual parade, will begin at noon and is being staged from the Ore Creek Middle School Parking lot. Volunteers will be available to direct visitors to parking areas once the roads close. Hartland began its formal Memorial Day observances in 1935 with a small ceremony in the cemetery. The parade, which remains the biggest attraction, began following the Korean War. (TD)
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MDOT To Lift Restrictions At Many Road Work Sites For Holiday TravelMDOT To Lift Restrictions At Many Road Work Sites For Holiday Travel
The Michigan Department of Transportation is lifting road restrictions around construction projects for the Memorial Day weekend, but motorists should not plan on seeing any changes in Livingston County. AAA Michigan estimates that 1.1 million Michigan residents will take to the roads this weekend, which marks the unofficial start of summer for many people. To help alleviate the increase in traffic, MDOT is removing lane and speed restrictions on about two-thirds of its construction projects around the state. This will begin at 3pm on Friday and last through 6am on Tuesday to give motorists a chance to get home after the Memorial Day holiday. However, MDOT Spokeswoman Kari Arend tells WHMI there will not be any major change to Livingston County roads. MDOTâs biggest local project, the interchange work on I-96 and US-23, has all traffic lanes open on both highways, a traffic shift in place, and speeds reduced to 60 miles per hour. Arend says all of these restrictions will remain in place over the weekend, and encourages drivers to slow down in the work zone. MDOT posts up-to-date traffic information online, and a link to that information can be found through the link below. (TD)
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Methodist Pastors Will Unite In Marriage While Maintaining Separate Congregations Methodist Pastors Will Unite In Marriage While Maintaining Separate Congregations
While two local pastors will be uniting in matrimony, their respective congregations will remain separate. The Pastor of Howellâs First United Methodist Church, George Lewis, has been a widower for nearly ten years. But several years ago he met a woman who intrigued him and after a while they began dating. Finally last September, he asked her to be his wife. But what makes the coupleâs story so interesting is that the woman he plans to unite with in wedlock is Pastor Sherry Parker of Brightonâs First United Methodist Church. Lewis and Parker say that while they never hid their relationship, they did try to be discreet when dating. But once they decided to be man and wife, they also had to think about their respective congregations. "We had to decide whether it was going to be a little tiny celebration or a really large celebration and Father Dave Howell at St. Mary Magdalen (Church in Brighton Township) helped us with that decision when at a collegial meeting of clergy he leaned over to me and said, 'If you want to use our church, you can.' We decided...that we wanted both of our congregations to celebrate and be joyful with us." Adding in family and friends to that list, the couple sent out more than 800 invitations for the July nuptials, which Lewis says means their wedding will be somewhat different than most. "We're going to have the service and our idea of the reception will be just an opportunity for all these people to talk together. Light refreshments and none of the usual reception stuff." When asked if that meant the garter dance would be out, both Lewis and Parker laughed, with Parker saying, "That is way, way out." The couple says they do literally practice what they preach and so because they require premarital counseling for those marriages they preside over, they have also undertaken that responsibility. Both Lewis and Parker say while they will become one through marriage, they will maintain their positions within their congregations. You can hear their complete interview through the link below. (JK)
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Authorities Identify Howell Man Found Dead in Parking Lot Authorities Identify Howell Man Found Dead in Parking Lot
Authorities have confirmed the identity of a Howell man whose body was discovered inside of a running vehicle in the parking lot of a store in Blackman Township. The Blackman-Leoni Township Department of Public Safety has identified the victim as 50-year-old Fred John Ogle. The department told WHMI that final autopsy reports have not yet been received but preliminary investigation points to natural causes. Ogleâs body was discovered in the parking lot of the Kmart store on East Michigan Avenue. An employee called police at around 7:30am Tuesday after finding the victim unconscious inside of a running vehicle, where he may have been all night before being discovered. Police noted Ogle had been in the store late Monday night. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities have said the death is not considered suspicious as the victim had a lengthy medical history. (JM)
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Yellow Curbs On Main Street In Downtown Brighton Being RepaintedYellow Curbs On Main Street In Downtown Brighton Being Repainted
Routine maintenance work will be performed in the City of Brighton this weekend that could result in some minor traffic inconveniences. The cityâs contractor will be repainting the yellow curbs on Main Street from the railroad tracks to East Street during the early morning hours beginning at midnight this Saturday and Sunday, May 23rd and May 24th. The routine maintenance is needed to provide improved visibility for vehicular parking regulation and control. The city cautions that some traffic inconveniences could occur at those locations while the work is taking place. (JM)
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Lawmakers Honor Veterans & Fallen Soldiers During Ceremony & Luncheon Lawmakers Honor Veterans & Fallen Soldiers During Ceremony & Luncheon
Local lawmakers welcomed veterans from their districts for a luncheon following the Michigan Senateâs 21st Annual Memorial Day Service. During the Senateâs Memorial Day Service, lawmakers honored soldiers from their districts who died within the past year. Families who lost loved ones were also recognized by the Senate. The luncheon is held as a token of appreciation for veterans in the community. Senator Joe Hune commented that while Memorial Day is the time to honor servicemen and women who have lost their lives protecting the nationâs freedoms, it is important they pay tribute and honor veterans, as well as those who are still serving today. Hune, a Hamburg Township Republican, said it was an honor to have Military Veteran Louis Vancuyl as his guest. State Representative Hank Vaupel of Handy Township was also on hand. The Michigan Senate held its first Memorial Day Service at the initiative of former U.S. Congressman Mike Rogers, who was then a state senator. (JM)
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Howell School Board Rejects Fiani For LESA BoardHowell School Board Rejects Fiani For LESA Board
In a contentious vote, the Howell School Board decided to vote for incumbent Julie Hill in the upcoming election for the Livingston Educational Service Agency Board of Education. At a meeting this month, the Howell Board had to choose a representative to the election meeting and designate which of the two candidates will get the districtâs vote: Hill or former Brighton School Board President Nick Fiani. The election will be held in June, and every district sends one delegate to cast a single vote for its chosen candidate. If no majority is reached, the delegate can vote however he or she chooses in the second round of voting. The Howell board named Greg Gilligan as the delegate, but there was some debate about which of the two candidates would get their vote. Moloney told the board that he had gotten an email from someone using a Hartland Schools email address in support of Hill, which he thought was inappropriate, so he wanted to vote for Fiani. Other board members said they did not want to hold Hill accountable for the actions of her supporters, and defended her past performance on the LESA board. Further, Trustee Stacy Pasini said there has always been an unwritten agreement that the five school districts in Livingston County would each have one seat on the board. Some board members felt that electing Fiani to the seat traditionally used to represent Hartlandâs interests would disrupt the balance of the board. In the end, the board voted 4-to-3 in favor of Hill, with Moloney, Deborah McCormick, and Board President Mike Yenshaw casting votes for Fiani. In January, Fiani said he stepped down from the Brighton School Board specifically to seek the LESA seat. Before joining LESA, Hill served on the Hartland School Board for 15 years. (TD)
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Upgrades Proposed For Brighton's 2nd St. InfrastructureUpgrades Proposed For Brighton's 2nd St. Infrastructure
The Brighton City Council heard a presentation Thursday night on proposed improvements to the Second St. infrastructure, in line with a companyâs plans to construct a new senior assisted living facility. City Engineer Gary Markstrom of Tetra Tech told council that the improvements to Second St. would cost $2 million. He also told council that a more expensive option under consideration would add decorative lighting, new and wider sidewalks, trees and other enhancements for an extra $600,000. Of the cost for the basic project, about $1 million would be for such items as new pavement, while the below-ground aspect would entail installation of larger-capacity sewer and water mains. Although the infrastructure work is already needed on North Second, the driving force behind the effort to expedite the project is the Granger Groupâs plans for a $20 million senior assisted living facility. The complex is be located on the east side of Second St., next to the Mill Pond. Plans are for 104 living units on the first and second floors, with the third floor devoted entirely to housing for dementia care. Grangerâs partner in the project is âThriveâ of Atlanta, Ga., which is to provide day-to-day management of the facility. The city will have to go through a bonding process in order to finance the improvements necessary for the project to come to fruition. Granger hopes to start construction this fall, with completion in one year. (TT)
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Lyon Township Sheriff's Substation Newest Rx Drug Drop-Off SiteLyon Township Sheriff's Substation Newest Rx Drug Drop-Off Site
The Lyon Township substation has become the latest Oakland County Sheriffâs Department location to get a prescription drug drop-off point. Getting old and unused prescription drugs out of homes and away from children has become a focus for law enforcement agencies and organizations trying to fight substance abuse. They believe that abusing prescription drugs and painkillers eventually progresses to abusing street narcotics, particularly among young people. To combat this, the Oakland County Sheriffâs Office has hosted Operation Medicine Cabinet, which establishes locations where residents can drop off their unused drugs no-questions-asked for disposal in an environmentally friendly way. As part of a new push to increase the programâs presence, the Lyon Township substation has joined other locations around Oakland County in hosting an Operation Medicine Cabinet drop-off site. Other locations, such as the Pontiac Patrol Services station, have gotten drop-off-points in the past month as well. Right now, 13 Sheriffâs Office locations as well as 19 police stations and public safety departments around Oakland have drop-off sites. The same prescription drug drop-off service is provided in Livingston County and around Michigan by the Big Red Barrel Program, which to date has 42 barrels installed and has disposed of more than one ton of prescription medications. (TD)
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