Township Honors Firefighters, Renews Sewer Maintenance Contract

Nine firefighters were honored for lifesaving rescue work by the West Bloomfield Township board at its meeting Tuesday night in

Capt. Dan Dawe,  Lt. Rich Paul, Inspector Byron Turnquist and firefighter/advanced emergency medical technicians (FF/AEMT) Mike Wood, Rick Reed, Adam McFall, Michael Werner, Ryan Glashauser and Robert Cupp, were given plaques in commemoration of their work during calls Oct. 10 and Dec. 9, “where lives were saved as a direct result of their efforts,” according to a resolution the board passed unanimously.

The board and others at the meeting watched a video produced by from an awards ceremony March 24 by the Oakland County Medical Control Authority (OCMCA), where the men were honored by Steven McGraw, medical director of OCMCA.

Joshua Sherbin, 47, of Bloomfield Hills went into cardiac arrest Oct. 10 at and was saved after Jacob Lewkow, a Plum Market employee, administered CPR for four minutes until medical attention arrived. The rescue team treated Sherbin with an automated external defibrillator that restored his breathing and circulation. He was then taken to and has fully recovered.

“Being a 47-year-old with children, I look back and say it’s luck, but it’s not,” said McGraw. "It’s because of the systems we have in place." The board and others at Tuesday's meeting applauded his words.

Lewkow was not honored at the board meeting, but he also spoke on the video. “We all get caught up in our everyday grinds, but this helps us remember what is important," he said. "I can only imagine what it’s like for people who do this every day.”

The board also recognized those WBFD members involved in saving Gary Kraft, a West Bloomfield resident who suffered 100 percent blockage in one artery Dec. 9 after complaining of chest pains that day. The emergency team administered an EKG and transmitted him to Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, where surgery was conducted minutes after his arrival.

Board renews sewer contract services amid debate

The board renewed a three-year service agreement with Liqui-Force Services for sanity sewer maintenance agreement services, at a 5 percent reduction from the previous rate for the duration of the contract.

Liqui-Force, which performs all grouting, lining and heavy debris removal for sanitary sewer mains, has been utilized by the township since 2005, according to Water and Sewer Department director Ed Haapala.

“They do major, big blockages that we just don’t have the equipment or technology to do. They don’t have to excavate and cut off the flow of major roads,” Haapala said. “We asked them for a (reduction) in cost, and they graciously gave it to us.”

The contract, specifically for emergency maintainence projects, was renewed by a 4-3 vote after a debate regarding the national origin of Liqui-Force, which was the low bidder on the contract. Liqui-Force has offices in Romulus and has 18 salaried American workers, but its headquarters is in Ontario. Trustee Steven Kaplan pointed out that the trucks Liqui-Force utilizes bear Ontario license plates.  

“We should be hiring American corporations,” said Kaplan, who cast an opposing vote. Board Supervisor Michele Economou Ureste and Treasurer Teri Weingarden also voted against renewing the contract.

In other news from the meeting:

• The board recognized employees from the Water and Sewer Department for a merit award in excellence in engineering, received from the American Consulting Engineers Council. The award was given for a project completed in 2009 that ultimately saved the township approximately $7 million in Drinking Water Revolving Loan Fund monies, according to Clerk Catherine Shaughnessy.
• The board entered a closed session regarding pending litigation brought against Trustee Larry Brown by the township board and a lawsuit by West Bloomfield Township against T-Mobile.

Ronelle Grier contributed to this report.