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The Charter Township of Northville is a vibrant, safe and attractive community. The perfect place to live, work and play! This new e-newsletter is another way for you to stay connected to what's happening in your community! | |
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Township Police Team to Take its First Polar Plunge
The Northville Township Police Department is a brave bunch. Five officers and a sergeant, calling themselves the Frosty Heroes, have volunteered to plunge into the frigid waters of Belleville Lake Feb. 17.
The chilly adventure, the 2024 Polar Plunge, is to raise both awareness and funding for Special Olympics Michigan.
This marks the first time the Township Police Department has a team participating in this annual event. For several of the officers, their involvement is personal.
Community Service Officer Andrew Domzalski, who is the captain of the Frosty Heroes, immediately signed up and asked other officers to join him. He has two nephews with special needs and he wanted to honor his late stepfather, who volunteered a lot of his time with the Special Olympics.
“My hope is to raise as much money as possible for this organization and to bring awareness related to special needs,” Officer Domzalski said.
Back in his college days, Sgt. Derek Brighton was a volunteer coach for the Special Olympics and that led to attending the Summer Games in Columbus, Ohio, where
he was assigned an athlete to chaperone.
“The Special Olympics have always been an interest of mine,” said Sgt. Brighton, who is leading the team in fundraising. With his wife’s connections, UAW Local 600 donated $1,000 in his name for the Special Olympics. Other friends, family and coworkers have also supported this endeavor.
He hopes the 15-minute ice baths he used to take after every practice playing college football will be good preparation for the Polar Plunge. “Because I’m going to be in and out, I should be OK,” he said.
Officer Emily Key is the team’s only veteran of the Polar Plunge. She last enthusiastically jumped in when she was 17 and in high school. She did it to honor her older brother, who has autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy and is nonverbal. Through the years, he’s played basketball, golf and bowling for the Special Olympics.
“I’m a huge supporter or the Special Olympics. I love it. I’ve gone to several Special Olympics events. I’ve volunteered. And it means so much to my brother. It's something I'm really passionate about and love to partake in, so when this fundraising event with the Department came up, I was super excited to be a part of it.”
Rounding out the team are Officers Andrew Prieskorn and Shawn Urbano. Officer Roger Khattar had to withdraw from participation.
“I just hope that we can go out there, have some fun, raise as much money as possible for the Special Olympics and, you know, get to meet some of the athletes and really interact with them and engage them,” Officer Key said.
Her brother will be there to cheer her on. “He is my motivation,” she said.
For more details or to support the Frosty Heroes, visit https://ntwp.org/polarplunge24.
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Public Safety Team Gets Schooled by a Dietitian Student
Staying fit and healthy isn’t just a New Year’s resolution for the public safety team at Northville Township; it’s a daily pursuit.
That’s why both the Northville Township Police Department and Northville Township Fire Department welcomed in the fall Madonna University grad student Alyssa Benvenuti, who is studying to be a registered dietitian.
As part of her internship, Benvenuti partook in two 12-hour ride-alongs to understand the nuances police officers and firefighters undergo on a daily basis because of their high stress and physically demanding jobs.
“Proper hydration and eating habits can help them stay fueled for their shifts,” Benvenuti said. It also plays a part in preventing injuries to the body and helping the mind with stress, she added.
Benvenuti returned about a week later to each department to present a detailed course in what constitutes a healthy diet with micro and macro nutrition information.
“We discussed gut health, good fats versus bad fats, and how much protein to consume,” said Fire Battalion Chief Jason Hendrian. “One interesting thing to note was her encouragement of consuming carbohydrates. Because of the nature of our job, we shouldn’t be afraid to consume carbs as long as it’s within reason and the right kind of carbs. Even the occasional cookie shouldn’t be something we worry about since we burn a lot of calories and are active.”
Fuels the Detroit Tigers
Benvenuti is an expert in healthy snacks. She assisted her Madonna preceptor, Maureen Stoecklein, who oversees nutrition for the Detroit Tigers, by preparing protein-rich snacks for the pro baseball players all last season. The goal was to improve their performance.
“What we eat can have a direct impact on our bodies and on our brain,” she said, a lesson the Fire Department received after she observed some members indulging in Lucky Charms for breakfast.
While a lot of the Police Department already eats healthy, “Her presentation
covered some good tips and reminders on some easy things that our staff can do to help them with their health and wellness and gave them some things to consider when they are making meal or snack choices,” said Lt. Patrick Reinke.
They were encouraged to add more color to their diet, specifically with fruits and vegetable choices.
Also, packing meals for a 12-hour shift requires more forethought and more options. She recommended burrito bowls, homemade wraps, leftovers from the night before and pasta dishes, in addition to fruits and vegetables.
“I just give police, police officers and firefighters so much credit for what they do every day,” said Benvenuti. “They're putting ourselves and their lives on the line to help other people.”
And she’s happy to help fuel them for this important work.
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Northville Parks & Recreation Extends Hours, Renovates NCC, Plans Upcoming Events
To better serve your fitness and recreation needs, the Recreation Center at Hillside (RCH) and Northville Community Center (NCC) have extended their hours to 8 am-4:30 pm. You’re able to stop by in person for program and event registrations, dog park memberships and more.
Add a trip to the Northville Community Center, at 303 West Main Street, on your itinerary. Pop in to see the renovations. You’ll notice some new paint, a mounted television and resurfaced stage and gym floors. The comfy furniture is expected to be delivered in late February.
NCC is home to our Senior Services programs. Some of the upcoming events include:
- Valentine’s Day Luncheon Feb. 14 from 11:30 am-1:30 pm. Register by Feb. 7.
- NCC Lunch Crew Feb. 20 from 11:30 am-12:30 pm. Register by Feb. 13.
- Kookies & Karaoke Feb. 20 from 1-3 pm. Cookies and refreshments provided.
- Luck O’ The Irish Luncheon March 6 from 11 am-1:30 pm. Register by Feb. 27.
For more information on the classes and programs, visit Senior Services.
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Township Website Offers Accessibility Features
Have you checked out the Northville Township website lately? It’s more accessible than ever. If you need larger text, more spacing between words, a higher contrast and the like, you can customize the website to your specific reading needs.
To access this customization menu, click the maroon-and-white stick figure in a circle in the top right corner of the web page. Choose from 15 different settings.
Happy easy reading!
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Grant Wins Propel Northville Township Forward
Northville Township prides itself on being a good steward of your tax dollars. In spring 2022, we welcomed a part-time grants manager to work with key personnel to pursue grant funding from public and private resources. These funds allow us to provide a benefit to our residents without having to fund it on our own or use it to only pay a small portion of it.
In 2023, Northville Township won 16 grants totaling $460,015. Some of the awards include:
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A $300,000 development grant from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Grant to create an asphalt regional pathway along Seven Mile Road to connect the Northville Recreation Area of Hines Park, the Hines Park Trail, the I-275 Metro Trail and Legacy Park.
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A $1,000 Leland Gayheart Fire Prevention Grant, which is given to one fire department in the state whose innovative efforts have a far-reaching impact on prevention and fire safety. Northville Township Fire Department won for its Kindergarten Fire and Life Safety Program, which we conduct annually in partnership with Northville Public Schools (NPS). In 2023 alone, the week-long instruction reached 368 kindergarten students in 17 classes at six elementary schools.
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More than $19,964 in grants to fund 10 training and professional development programs from Michigan Municipal Risk Management Authority, a self-insurance pool that helps governments minimize risk.
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An $18,000 grant from Help America Vote Act (HAVA) Election Security Funding to enhance technology and make certain election security improvements.
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A $108,551 federal grant. For the third straight year, Northville Township Police Department won it to cover the entire cost of having a behavioral clinician embedded at the station, also helping the Northville Township Fire Department and the Police departments of the cities of Northville and Plymouth. The clinician assists first responders on calls involving a mental health crisis or behavioral emergencies.
The grant includes a full-time salary, fringe benefits, mileage reimbursement, corporate insurance and indirect expenses.
This project was supported by Bryne JAG# 15PBJA-22-GG-00642-MUMU awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justic Programs, U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), and administered by the Michigan State Police (MSP). Points of view or opinions contained within this document do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the MSP or DOJ.
“Grant seeking is one of the strategies we use to ensure that we are improving the quality of life of our residents while being mindful of saving money,” said Finance & Budget Director Wendy Hillman. “We are grateful to all the grantors for helping us serve our community.”
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Clerk’s Office Extends Hours for Early Election Voting and Absent Voter Applications
There are some new election key dates you should know about for 2024.
- The first election of the year is the Presidential Primary Election Tuesday, Feb. 27. Like all elections, the polls will be open 7 am-8 pm that day.
- We have nine new days of early voting, too. They take place at Township Hall Saturday, Feb. 17- Sunday, Feb. 25 from 8 am-4 pm.
- The Clerk’s Office will have additional hours Saturday, Feb. 24. It’s open from 7 am-3 pm for election purposes only.
- Absent voter ballots and applications are available now at the Clerk’s Office or online at www.michigan.gov/vote. To return them, secure ballot boxes are located in the lobby at the Police Station, in the lobby at Township Hall and in the Drive-Thru at Township Hall. If mailing, the ballot must be received by Feb. 27.
- The last day to request an absentee voter ballot by mail is Feb. 23. The deadline to request one in-person is Feb. 26 between 8 am-4 pm. In this case, you are required to vote your ballot at the Clerk’s Office; the law states a voter is not permitted to leave the office with the ballot.
For questions or concerns about your registration, absent voting or Election Day, contact your Clerk’s Office at (248) 348-5825, clerk@twp.northville.mi.us or stop by the second floor.
Northville Township Hall is at 44405 Six Mile at Sheldon roads.
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Northville Youth Network Offers Free Wellness Programs for Youth and Training for Adults
Once a month, Northville Youth Network offers free engaging activities to support the healthy development of the minds, bodies and spirits of our kids.
The Wellness Wednesday offerings this spring include:
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Feb. 7: Yoga & Sound Bath for teens, 7:30-8:30 pm: A restorative yoga flow is capped off with a sound bath from multiple instruments to promote rest and relaxation with the help of Bridget Drzewicki of Mindful Moments MI.
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Feb 28: Kids Yoga for littles, 6-6:45 pm: Breathe, move and rest with Miss Katie from Down Pup Yoga.
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March 6: Self Care and Relaxation for teens, 4:30-5:30 pm: Share different methods to take care of ourselves during stressful times through yoga and mindfulness. We will make scented eye pillows. Presented by Bridget Drzewicki of Mindful Moments MI
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March 13: Be Body Kind for teens, 7-8 pm: Body image can be challenging. Learn tips to improve your relationship with your body, especially on the tough days. Presented by Kristie Wyler of McCaskill Family Services.
To assist adults who regularly have contact with local adolescents (ages 12-18), NYN is hosting Youth Mental First Aid March 16 from 8 am-4 pm at Northville Township Hall. Learn how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders in youth.
For more information and register for these programs, please visit NorthvilleYouthNetwork.org.
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Win One of Four Ring Video Doorbells March 4
You seek safety tips. You want to reduce the risk of crime in your neighborhood. You want to build a strong relationship with your local law enforcement. Learn all of these and more at the Partners in Your Safety meeting Monday, March 4 at 6 pm at the Northville Township Police Department, 41600 Six Mile Road.
By attending, you may win one of four Ring Video Doorbells available as a giveaway. You’ll be a valued partner in our community’s safety. You’ll also learn more about the various roles key members play in keeping you safe.
Come meet:
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Officer Kristen Romac, an expert in training and professional standards
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Det. Justin Norlock, a Digital Forensics Examiner who is involved with the Michigan State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program
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Officer Michael Brown, who assists your children daily as a School Resource Officer
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Officer Andrew Domzalski, our Community Service Officer, who visits groups throughout the region to assist with law enforcement community relations. He’s also Max’s handler and best friend.
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Max, our therapy dog and chief comforter. He’s a Goldendoodle.
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Susan O’Brien, our embedded behavioral health clinician who helps folks with mental wellness or addiction assistance
A question-and-answer session rounds out the evening. You’ll leave empowered and more aware of the issues impacting your own neighborhood.
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Yard Waste Collection Resumes in March
All of those sticks and twigs that dropped over the winter may be carted away next month. Yard waste collection resumes the week of March 18.
Yard waste includes:
- Garden debris
- Leaves
- Lawn cuttings
- Shrubs
- Tree trimming/pruning waste
Avoid these items, which are NOT considered yard waste:
- Dirt
- Sod
- Large stumps
- Sand
- Gravel
- Animal feces
- Dead animals
Use biodegradable (kraft) yard waste bags or 32-35 gallon plastic and metal containers marked “yard waste.” The weight limit on the containers is 50 pounds, and biodegradable bags depend on manufacturer’s recommended capacity.
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