McNamara: ‘Pres. called to find out if we needed anything’

At the regular meeting of the Van Buren Township Board of Trustees on Feb. 21, township Supervisor Kevin McNamara praised the township police and fire officers who worked on the Feb. 16 train derailment.
He said they were last off the scene as the accident cleanup was completed.
Supervisor McNamara also said he got a call from the White House about the derailment.
“The President wants to know if you need anything,” he said he was told.
Trustee Donald Boynton, who lives in Country Walk subdivision near the derailment site, said his wife could feel the train go off the tracks.
In other business at the 16-minute meeting, the board:
• Approved the second (final) reading for the rezoning of 16.18 acres from R-1B – Single Family Residential to M-1 – Light Industrial near the southwest corner of Haggerty and Van Born roads for Ashley Capital. It is being used as a buffer and no buildings will be constructed on the property;
• Approved the new contract for AFSCME (American Federal of State, County and Municipal Employees) for 2023-26. The contract was discussed again by the board during a closed-door session before the regular meeting;
• Approved adjustment to the salaried scale compensation to reflect the AFSCME contract increase of 3% for 2023 implemented retroactive to Jan. 1;
• Approved the supervisor’s reappointments of Carol Bird and Mark Laginess to the Downtown Development Authority, with terms to expire March 9, 2027. Bird has served in the position for 23 years (with an attendance rate of 92%) and Laginess for 18 years (with an attendance rate of 90%);
• Approved the planning commission requested changes to its rules and regulations to include the Pledge of Allegiance in regular meetings following the call to order and to adjust protocols for election of officers to occur as the last new business item on the first regular meeting agenda in December, or when a vacancy occurs, with officers taking office at the next regular meeting following election;
• Heard Supervisor McNamara announce that the county’s reconstruction of Haggerty Road between Ecorse and Van Born is slated to start in July; and
• Heard Treasurer Sharry Budd announce that the township planning commission was canceled, along with the public meeting on the museum, because of the forecast for inclement weather the next day, Feb. 22.