I HIGHLAND PARK - Stat­
ing that she" ha received
numerous questioas in the past
fewweeb about ysheJw not
publicly expressed her leeliags
bout hether a county jail
•
should be built in bet city, High­
land Park Mayor Martha G.
Scott se the coUDCil a letter
stati her position.
-Scott stated that IDOl'C infor­
mali . required before the
community can make ·0 in­
formed decisioa·.
She noted she had estab-
lished a Jail Facility T Force,
Dear Frien d ResideDts
of HighlaDd Park:
I would Iikc to reSpood to
scYeral inquiries �om resideDts
have asked about pos-
sible construction of a 00I'J'e0-
tional facility in Highland Park.
I In re�chio& th· matter, I
spoke ith Deputy Wlyne
County Exeaative Michael E.
Duggan and elvin J. Hol­
lowell, Jr., A ssistet County Ex­
eeative for Administration and
it appears ere are some long
term benefits to the community
that d win the site selec:tion.
The faeility i revenue rais­
ing. 1'1m would be the first time
in Michigan history that a
government eatity h p id
taxes. There ould be ap­
proximately 500,000 to 600,000
dollars a year ill property taxes
and in addi . bo t 75,000
dollars geaer ed fro e loy-
t i co .
The eorrectieoeal facility
will be a 2 ory .. 2 mez-
zanine levels, . 840 beds for
misdem d fe of
less than 0 year. Tber'efore, it
will not house pre-trial defen­
dants nor those convicted of
serious crime. The average
stay is three months.
. The correcti 1 f cility will
ta e appoximately 0 years to
compl te creatin construction
j s and permanent jobs in­
c1udm nurse clef s and up-
ar 200 heriffs positi ns.
Althougb the county cannot
limit employment to Highland
Par k residents, funding will be
set aside for job traiDing of
Highland Parkers. nus is im­
portant because Sheliff Ficaoo
noted that deputy sheriffs posi­
tions now require 15 college
credit hours.
Strong police visability and
presence uld be apparent to
the community.
Site selectioD· critical, The
county would probably reject
renovation of the Detroit
Receiving Hos pita I and
Westland's Eloise Hospital be­
cause it is not economically cost
effective and not structurally
possible .. Cost is important to
the county because it will pay all
construction and operating
cost
J ails have been built in
Gree town, Livojri and
Northville and are situated such
t they have not hindered the
economical and social develop­
ment d the growth of the c0m­
munity.
Wayne Couaty wiD not build
a court 01' other city buildings,
b the option of the city, the
city may use its annual revenues
generated by e correctional
facility to secure bonds to build
such buildings.
The end of arch is the
deadline so e need to come
together as a civic body and
decide if the proposal is in the
best interest of Highland Park.
David Stephen Poin
Editors Note: Points was run­
ner-up in the Democratic
Primary race for Stale Rep. Etnel
Terrell's seal in 1987.
composed of commUDity d
business leaders, to iDvestipte a
"what a jail would mean to this
city .•
The T Force _ uld COIl-
suit county officials -who would
have ... detailed specifications
regarding • jail uld
look like· and cities arOUDd e
COUDtry who had •. built·
thei comm .. •
- The mayor tated she would
co ider such queatioDs :
tIa jail' ICalIJ1lY
system would be stroDg eaough
to prevent escapes by aiminals.
- Whether a jail would
cause property val es to go
down ·and be depressed further
than they already are.·
- Whether the city might be
seen a ·dumping ground and
"labeled Jail City .•
Scott argued tha unless the
public was educated on the
. ue, the public hearings which
the couacil i scheduling would
become ·a shouting match"
deciding only ether the jail's
supporters or opponents ·can
be the most vocal,"
Scott Warned the city would"
f ce a situ lion ere -we are
fighting each other, neighbor
against neighbor.·
The mayor pro _ ised to
provide citizens with the facts
"either through my Task Force
or directly through my office" so
that citizens ·can make an in­
formed, intelligent decision.·
At the meeting Council­
man Ouistine Franklin cbaJ-
1enged the views in the yor's
letter, stating that if the council
approves e jail "we will have
somethiDg to say to it
100 like and how it's run.· ai .
City plans UPdatJ of el ctrical co
I
for the ordinance t
law. -
If e law passes,
provisions in each ocument
conform to city ch ter, the
1987 edition of the ational
Electri31 Code as ended by
the at onal Fire P otection
Associa n will e el ctri-
HIGHLAND PARK - The
Highland Park City Council
romp ted the first rea� on
amendments to building and
housing codes of the city to
make them conform with new
national electrical codes.
Several m re readings in dif­
ferent meetings are necessary
-.l I
CIW plan a
S nor Ce er;
nt pubUc
, input