Belleville gets offer from couple who wants to pray for them, help

At its regular meeting on Monday the Belleville City Council was addressed by a couple who lives in Waterford Township and works in the Van Buren Public Schools.
Raynard Anderson said he has worked in security at Belleville High School for three years and his wife Toni has worked in security at McBride Middle School for three years. He said people may recognize him because he takes tickets at school athletic events.
He said he has started a male mentorship program, Man Up, at BHS for borderline students. He said he teaches you’re a student first before being an athlete.
“We’re drawn to this community to serve,” he said, noting they are looking for a home in this area.
“Are there any needs of the city council we could pray for?” he asked. “We’re here to serve.”
He said they have been chaplains for the Detroit Police Department for many years and he also coaches freshman basketball at BHS.
He said columnist Mitch Albom did a couple of stories about what they did in Detroit.
Councilman Tom Fielder, who knows the couple from his substitute teaching in the schools, asked if the fire department needed a chaplain.
Fire Chief Brian Loranger said his department does have chaplains they can call on when needed.
“We need to put you in touch with a real estate agent who knows where the Belleville City border lines are,” Councilman Fielder joked.
No council member suggested anything they could pray about to help.
In other business at the 20-minute regular meeting, the council:
• Approved the request of Egan’s Pub to have a bar for Dec. 5-8 Winterfest at the Fourth Street Square serving the Ladies Night Out Shopping on the Thursday of that week, the late-night movie on Friday, and the band for 21 and over on Saturday. Jennifer Winter said for two of the events they would serve inside the pub and have a blocked off area for the drinks to be taken outside;
• Approved the mayor’s appointment of Kelly McWilliams to the Downtown Development Authority with no term announced;
• Heard Mayor Kerreen Conley announce she had received the official letter of resignation from the city manager with a final date of Feb. 3. Mayor Conley also announced the new Community Pantry put outside of the Clement Insurance agency at 354 Main St. People may take free food if needed, she said;
• Heard DPW Director Rick Rutherford say the seawall repairs have been completed and the restoration and erecting of the fence are coming;
• Approved accounts payable of $254,377.47 and the following purchases in excess of $500: to C&R Lakeside Landscape, $98,333 as the final payment per the contract for the seawall replacement; to Wolverine Freightliner, $5,780.96 for dump truck brake repair; to SMART, $5,767.20 for bus repair from the Senior Transportation budget; and to E-Kit Training, $750 for police officer training;
• Heard Ken Voigt announce from the audience the Belleville Area Council for the Arts annual art show at the BYC on Nov. 1-3. He said applications are still available; and
• Heard City Manager Diana Kollmeyer remind everyone that volunteers are needed to help place flags on the graves of veterans at Hillside Cemetery beginning at 8:30 this Saturday morning.