April 13, 2020 Your News source for All Livonia. All the time. All ways positive.
 
FridayMusings was happy to stand 20 feet away from
Louise Weller
after delivering my last available sign
supporting and thanking our frontline fighters.
Thanks Bob Modes and Geno Grabinski of the print house for these signs.
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| Ballot proposal set to appear on the August or November ballot. Commissioner Marecki raises concerns. |
 FridayMusings has been following the story about the Wayne Kids Win! petition initiative proposing a new 1 mill tax for after school programs for Wayne County children. When we last reported on January 17, this proposal had been kept off the March 10 Presidential Primary ballot. On February 21 the Clerk's office completed the canvass of about 88,000 petition signatures that had been submitted, and determined that by a slim 132 signature margin (with almost 53,000 valid signatures needed), there were sufficient signatures for the proposal to move forward.
Under the process required by the Wayne County Charter, the petition was forwarded to the Wayne County Commission for its review and consideration. The proposal for the new tax and implementing Ordinance is on the County Commission's agenda tomorrow, April 14. By law, the Commission must either adopt or reject it, without changes.
 Commissioner Terry Marecki, Chair of the Commission's Committee on Public Services, has helped lead the opposition to adopting this proposal and placing this new tax on the ballot. "Our legal, fiscal and policy staff reports have identified that this proposal is in violation of the law in numerous ways, and it also presents many public policy concerns," Marecki explained. " Besides, with so many people struggling, this is not the time for any new tax. I expect that this proposal will be soundly rejected."
Under Governor Whitmer's order, the County Commission, like other governmental bodies, is conducting its meetings remotely by ZOOM. The public can join the meeting tomorrow at 10 am by visiting https://zoom.us/j/8599664354 and the meeting identification number is 859 966 4353.
On Wednesday FridayMusings will have a full report on the County Commission's meeting, and what comes next with this still evolving story.
Who is behind this ballot initiative?
A number of heavy weights are supporting the Wayne Kids Win! including City of Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan,
Wayne County Executive Warren Evans,
DTE Energy President & CEO Jerry Norcia,
Taylor Federation of Teachers President Linda Moore,
Former State Representative Thomas F. Stallworth III are some of the heavy hitters supporting Wayne Kids Win.
Funding was mostly provided by DTE and Quicken Rock Holdings, who each came to the table with $200,000. The Wayne Kids Win! committee then paid nearly $500,000 to a Grand Rapids company to collect enough signatures to try and obtain a spot initially on the March Presidential election ballot. With not enough time to certify all the signatures they missed that ballot opportunity. Now with the signatures confirmed they are looking at being placed on either the August or November ballot.
You can count on FridayMusings to keep you up to date on issues that will affect our hometown Livonia.
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| Livonia has four school Trustees up for election. Let's keep them working for us. |
This typewriter has never appreciated the move of school board elections to the same date as our vote for President one time and for Governor another time. It is impossible to run for a non-paying school board position and have to reach 30-40 thousand residents without spending $20,000 in a contested election.
We have four outstanding Trustees running for re-election this year. Dan Centers, Tammy Bonifield, Crystal Frank and Karen Bradford. There is a good chemistry with our present board and I see no reason to turn any of these four out of office. When we have a good thing going let's keep it.
    That being said I wish that the state would get out of the business of telling local districts what to do. This empowers our superintendent more than ever before. I come from a tradition where more power resides with the school board. Not anymore. We again are fortunate to have a quality superintendent who works in concert with the current board. So yes, I come back to the need to maintain chemistry by re-electing the four members seeking re-election.
And that being said I do wish there was a way to encourage some who are on the side lines to take a more direct look at one day running for school board. Michael Testa, Kellie Heppner Dummer, Robb Drzewicki are three that come to mind immediately.
How did Musings come to the decision to endorse four incumbents? Chemistry has already been mentioned. To develop that line of thought it was easy to follow a trail of community involvement, participation, and availability. Very few events in Livonia take place where you do not see Dan Centers, Tammy Bonfield, Crystal Frank or Karen Bradford. Though their community involvement they help define the personality of a youthful, engaged community leader. A definition of a community that identifies with a brand of youthful involvement. Not just age but rather the forward looking vision that takes us down a path that envisions a future for our community that has engagement with hometown issues and most importantly with hometown solutions.
It may be early as the election is not until November but Livonia is well served by these four members of the Board of Education
and I see no reason to turn them out.
Re-elect Dan Centers, Tammy Bonifield, Crystal Frank and Karen Bradford.
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| Earth's great treasures lies in human personality and that surely defines Livonia |
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Musings follows Our Arts
Livonia Civic Chorus Sings for you
A different song each issue
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Just like many of you, the 72 volunteer members of the Livonia Civic Chorus are Staying Home to Stay Safe, but they
are continuing to SING!
The Livonia Civic Chorus' vision is to enrich the musical experiences for their members and the cultural life of our
community.
To achieve this vision during the COVID-19 crisis, they want to provide you music for your enjoyment
and get our community singing-along!
How about YOU? Let's all Sing a Song!
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Musings follows the 2020 elections
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None have been certified by Board of Canvassers
Donald J. Trump (I) (R)
Democratic Candidate has yet to be determined
United States Senate
Gary Peters (D-I)
Bob Carr (R)
John James (R)
United States House of Representatives
Haley Stevens (D-I)
Endorsed by:
Michigan Education Association
Kerry Bentivolio (R)
Whitney Williams (R)
Endorsed by:
Eric Esshaki (R)
Michigan House of Representatives
Laurie Pohutsky (D-I)
Endorsed by:
Sierra Club
SEIU
Planned Parenthood Advocates of Michigan
Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters & Millwrights
Congresswoman Haley Stevens
Martha Ptashnik (R)
Endorsed by:
City Council President Kathleen McIntyre
Wayne County Commissioner
Terry Marecki (R-I)
Schoolcraft College Trustee
Brian Broderick (I)
Joan Gebhardt (I)
Terry Gilligan (I)
Livonia Board of Education
Dan Centers
Karen Bradford
Tammy Bonifield
Crystal Frank
Clarenceville Board of Education
Matt Boettcher
Brenda Uren
Shari Krazel
Jeffrey Bunker
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| Musings follows Livonia Happenings |
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April in Livonia
April is cancelled. Go directly to May
Every night M-F @ 7:00 check him out
Every Tuesday @ 12:00 - 12:00
April 20 @ 6:30 -- 7:30
Representative Laurie Pohutsky
Virtual Coffee Hour
Join her online:
Join her over the phone: (605) 475-4818
Access Code: 748496#
May in Livonia
May is cancelled go directly to
June for what's happening
If things change look for the events here
June in Livonia
June 6 @ 9:00 -- 4:00
St. Colette's 4th Annual Custom
& Classic Car Show
Free to Spectators with plenty of
Food ,beverages , D. J. , 50 / 50
drawings and Prize Raffles..
July in Livonia
July 25 @ 9:00 -- 2:00
Touch-a-Truck sponsored by Rotary AM Club
August in Livonia
August 16 @ 3:00
September in Livonia
Bob Bennett Memorial Golf Outing
Date to be determined
September 13 @ 12:00
October in Livonia
October 1 @ 7:00
Presenting Sponsor:
Dan MacIver
Financial & Portfolio Advisors
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Mayor Maureen Miller Brosnan situation update April 11th
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Proud sponsor of the Detroit Red Wings v Livonia All-stars coming to town Aug 16, 3:00.
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| Dan MacIver wants to share a bit of Livonia history |
| Congresswoman Haley Stevens wants to talk with you |
On Monday, April 13th at 6:30 pm, Congresswoman Haley Stevens (MI-11) will host a tele-town hall discussion for constituents of Michigan's 11th District to discuss the Coronavirus.
To join our conversation, call complete the form at Stevens.House.Gov/Live and we will call you before the event starts. (Please note that you must sign up a minimum of 1 hour before the event's start time to be included.) You can also come back to Stevens.House.Gov/Live to listen in online.
I have a comprehensive guide on my website full of resources, frequently asked questions, and more. See the guide at https://stevens.house.gov/coronavirus
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| ARC is working to support people with disabilities |
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FridayMusings is passing along the information of another necessary community group working to help others. ARC NW is continuing to support people with disabilities and their families using phone, email, webinars, and Zoom video chats so direct care workers and bills are getting paid, benefits are being monitored, and resources are being given out to families in need.
They are also launching a drive to collect sanitizing supplies for the people they serve called Arc NW SOS Drive (supplies of safety).
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Residential Yard Waste pick up put on hold
Yard Waste facility to stay open for residential drop off |
 FridayMusings wants to share from our Livonia Community that starting Monday, April 13, Green For Life (GFL), Livonia's contracted service provider for curbside garbage, recycling and yard waste pick up, will be temporarily suspending only its curbside yard waste services, in order to protect the health and safety of its employees. Curbside garbage and recycling collection services will continue.
In the meantime, the City of Livonia is extending the operating hours of the yar
d waste facility at 32500 Glendale (east of Farmington Road) to accept yard waste from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday (starting the week of April 13). Residents, with proper identification, may bring their yard waste in approved bags and deposit it themselves. Those who choose to use the yard waste facility should be prepared to abide by social distancing and wear a mask.
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After cruising through Facebook and smiling at Alan Helmkamp family pictures, laughing at the masks made by Patrice Smith, Karen Sanborn's siblings pix and Robert Johnson's concert in his home studio I started seeing so many negative postings about the closings of businesses. 
I moved along looking at some of the street art when I ran across Michelle Kees and her family out in the drive way making the art they were working on look as easy as 1.2.3. It made me forget all about the negative thoughts and enjoy just knowing that I am staying home, nice and safe while living vicariously through the family outings of people like Michelle Kees. 
