Press Release | Office of the Mayor | Mayor Appoints Two New Members to the Westland Historical Commission

For Immediate Release | Official Press Release

PRESS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

36300 Warren Road | Westland, Michigan | 48185

Office 734.467.3200 | Fax 724.721.2310

WWW.CITYOFWESTLAND.COM

Mayor Appoints Two New Members to the Westland Historical Commission

Westland, MI -- Mayor William R. Wild has filled two vacancies on the Westland Historical Commission with new members.

Michael McElhone has strong roots in metro-Detroit and has been educated in American History since childhood. He moved to Westland in 2002 and is currently an officer of the Detroit-Windsor Algonquin Historical Club which was established in 1934 to promote the shared local history between Windsor and Detroit.

"As I'm looking towards retiring in Westland within the next few years, I've devided I want and need to be more involved with local Westland history," commented McElhone.

The second new face to the Historical Commission is 45 year Westland resident, Dennis Bozyk. Bozyk is the Chair of the Department of History at Madonna University. His academic emphasis has been in the area of International History, but has recently discovered his interest for local and state history.

"Since the announcement of vacancies on the commission, I met with the president Jeff Koslowski," commented Bozyk. "He and I agree that I may be able to contribute to the Commission's effforts to recover the story of Westland and to share that story with our fellow citizens."

The Historical Commission is a nine-member board appointed by the Mayor. The Commission collects, maintains, and preserves any materials and documents relating the the history of Westland and Nankin Township. The Commission also operates the Helen C. Brown Historical Museum at 857 N. Wayne Road. The Commission meets on the last Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. at the Helen C. Brown Historical Museum.

"I could not be more thrilled to welcome these two gentlemen to the Westland Historical Commission," commented Mayor Wild. "Preserving and sharing the history of the City of Westland is crucial and these new members bring incredible experience and passion to the Commission."

For more information, contact Aubrey Berman, Administrative Secretary, at (734) 467-3200.

Westland, Michigan is the state's 10th largest municipality, with a population of over 84,000 people who exhibit a great deal of pride in their All-American City. Westland has a thriving business community along with beautiful residential areas. The citizens enjoy a wide array of amenities and a quality of life that is second to none.

In 2014, Westland was rated as one of 24/7 Wall Street's America's Best 50 Cities to Live, offering residents and visitors an ideal blend of single-family affordable homes, apartments and condominiums, great schools, and access to numerous outdoor activities. Public safety is delivered by full-service, professional law enforcement and firefighting personnel. Westland Police Department, whose motto is protect and serve, provides emergency dispatch services to four cities and over 100,000 residents; the Westland firefighters are licensed paramedics who responded to over 8,000 calls for service last year, about 85% being medical based. They never forget their mission of preserving life and property.

Westland is well-known as the premier destination for shopping and dining in Wayne County with hundreds of shops and restaurants anchored by the Westland Shopping Center, on of the country's original four regional malls.

Infinite opportunities are available in Westland for the recreation aficionado including, more than 40 parks and 1,500 acres of trails, a 9-hole golf course, hockey arena, athletic fields, playscapes, a Farmers and Artisans Market and more. One of Michigan's most environmentally friendly cities, Westland has a progressive curbside recycling program with one of the highest participation rates in the nation and the City is raising the bar for cultural experiences with the placement of public art throughout the City.

The City is served by two public school districts; Wayne-Westland Community Schools serving 12,000 youth was recently named one of the Best School in Michigan by WXYZ-TV and is the proud recipient of 14 Golden Apple and two Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards. Livonia Public Schools, educating nearly 15,000 students, is proud of their MEAP/MME scores that exceed state averages and the District has also earned Golden Apple and Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards.

The City provides competitive incentives for those who are interested in investing in Westland, making it one of the hottest investment markets in the region. Our Fast-Track to Business Team, which consists of key decision makers who work diligently on a development plan will "cut the red tape" and expedite the approval process for new business development.