Birmingham/Bloomfield

PLACES TO EAT: 200 RESTAURANTS • GERAK: SOCIAL LIGHTS 99

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B L O O M F I E L D

DECEMBER 2017

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OAKLAND CONFIDENTIAL POLITICAL NEWS AND GOSSIP

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Hope spring water’s eternal Although industry officials and some in the science field say that aquifer water can be replenished, others express concern that heavy withdrawal by the bottling industry will have serious impact on underground and surface waters.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

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When allegations of sexual assault of two school girls at a private party in Oakland Township were lodged with police, one would think that their prep school community would step forward to help police authorities, but instead a wall of silence has been erected.

OAKLAND CONFIDENTIAL

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Andy Levin’s name enters top spot speculation; Elissa Slotkin outraises congressman; Mike Bishop election rule violations; Lawrence staffer suspended on harassment charges; plus more.

CRIME LOCATOR

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A recap of select categories of crime occurring in the past month in Birmingham, Bloomfield Township and Bloomfield Hills, presented in map format.

MUNICIPAL

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City ends debate on downtown leasing; Hampton Inn proposed; cold reception for third art show; tenant recruiting firm hired; township financial advisory firms chosen; plus more.

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SOCIAL LIGHTS

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Society reporter Sally Gerak provides the latest news from the society and non-profit circuit as she covers recent major events.

ENDNOTE

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Our concerns about the rules that are finally being written, nine years after voter approval, to regulate the medical marijuana business in Michigan. And our thoughts on the land swap between the Bloomfield Hills Schools district and a developer.

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Brad Oleshansky Alyssa Giannetti Ele Bardha Ann Marsh Jackson Partrich

PUBLISHER David Hohendorf NEWS EDITOR Lisa Brody NEWS STAFF/CONTRIBUTORS Hillary Brody | Dana Casadei | Kevin Elliott | Sally Gerak Austen Hohendorf | Lisa Rose Hook | Bill Seklar Judith Harris Solomon | Joyce Wiswell | Julie Yolles PHOTOGRAPHY/CONTRIBUTORS Jean Lannen | Laurie Tennent Laurie Tennent Studio VIDEO PRODUCTION/CONTRIBUTOR Garrett Hohendorf Giant Slayer ADVERTISING DIRECTOR David Hohendorf ADVERTISING SALES Mark Grablowski GRAPHICS/IT MANAGER Chris Grammer OFFICE 124 W. Maple Birmingham MI 48009 248.792.6464 DISTRIBUTION/SUBSCRIPTIONS Mailed monthly at no charge to most homes in Birmingham, Bloomfield Township and Bloomfield Hills. Additional free copies distributed at high foot-traffic locations in downtown Birmingham.

For those not receiving a free mail copy, paid subscriptions are available for a $12 annual charge. To secure a paid subscription, go to our website (downtownpublications.com) and click on “subscriptions” in the top index and place your order online or scan the QR Code here.

INCOMING/READER FEEDBACK We welcome feedback on both our publication and general issues of concern in the Birmingham/Bloomfield community. The traditional “letters to the editor” in Downtown are published in our Incoming section and can include written letters or electronic communication.

Opinions can be sent via e-mail to news@downtownpublications.com or mailed to Downtown Publications, 124 W. Maple Road, Birmingham MI 48009.

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FROM THE PUBLISHER ver the coming days and weeks it will be interesting to see if what I call the wall of silence will prevail in the possible criminal case of sexual assault at a party of prep school students that occurred in late October at a private residence in Oakland Township, or whether students on their own, or at the urging of their parents, will finally help law enforcement authorities sort through the complaints filed by two female students.

O

As of this writing when were are getting ready to release our December issue of Downtown newsmagazine to the printer, here is what we know: On October 28, according to conflicting accounts, somewhere between 50 and 130 students, mostly from Cranbrook Schools, showed up at a private residence in Oakland Township for a party organized by two female students of the school, one of whom was the daughter of the owner of the home.

The father of one of the student “hosts” was present and other parents had reportedly phoned in advance of the party to make sure that adult supervision would be present – pretty standard procedure when minors are attending a party.

Evidently there were reports of drinking at the party, no big surprise whether school officials and parents want to hear it or not.

The day after the party, one female student appeared at the Oakland County Sheriff substation in Oakland Township to file a complaint that she had been sexually assaulted at the party. A day later, a second girl filed a similar complaint at the sheriff’s substation.

Law enforcement officials have the name of a male senior at Cranbrook as a “person of interest” in the case but then investigators ran into the wall of silence.

The male student, we are led to believe, has “lawyered up” and won’t talk to police officials investigating the sex assault complaints.

We are told by sources that the homeowner/parent whose house was the site of the party has declined to talk to police officials.

Further, we hear that the site of the party was cleaned up, basically removing any chance that authorities could confirm first hand that alcohol was present at the party or if anyone may have altered drinks with drugs as part of the alleged sexual assaults.

A couple of sources have said they heard that one of the students at the party began texting other students asking everyone to keep a lid on details of the party and, if questioned, to stay with the corporate line that the parent present at the party had everything under control and nothing of note happened at the gathering.

On the flip side, we are told school officials have instructed faculty, members of the administration and various governing boards to refrain from discussing the party and related sexual assault charges.

A classic case of circling the wagons.

So what we now have is two teenage girls, ages 16 and 17, who had

the courage to seek police authorities for purposes of filing complaints that they had been sexually assaulted, but it would appear no one else is willing to come forward to support them or, frankly, refute the charges, which basically leaves the male student hanging out to dry also.

A sad state of affairs all around, and one that sends a clear message in this case and future ones that females should think twice before reporting sexual assaults and cooperating with law enforcement lest one wants to risk finding themselves isolated and ostracized in the school community.

Over at the Cranbrook Schools campus in Bloomfield Hills, we hear school officials have been interviewing students and compiling reports about the event but I suspect no one will rush to supply this information to law enforcement authorities, in part because of concerns over student privacy and the concern over the possible impact on the school’s reputation, even though the alleged sexual assaults happened at a private residence, not at the school. The only response anyone receives is that Cranbrook will have no comment until the sheriff’s investigation is complete but that cannot happen unless the Cranbrook community cooperates – a classic Catch 22 situation.

The reputation of the school and that of the student/parent community at this or any pubic/private school is not served well by continued silence on allegations of sexual assault.

One would hope that Cranbrook students who attended the party, including we are told at least a few whose parents are connected to Cranbrook in one fashion or another, would see the importance of coming forward to share what they know with the Oakland County Sheriff’s office. Failing that, parents who know their child attended the party should insist that their student do the right thing and help sort through exactly what took place at the party by contacting law enforcement.

As a parent, I understand the natural inclination to shield your children from possible problems. It is one of your legitimate roles. But I would suggest the role of a parent also includes providing important life lessons, in this case showing that involvement is essential, especially since law enforcement officials have already announced that anyone who comes forward will not be charged with underage drinking at the party. They are also accepting completely anonymous tips at the township substation (248.652.4671) or at a hotline (800.SPEAK.UP).

Remember – this is not a case of just underage drinking but a much more serious case of possible sexual assault.

I know first hand the quality of education provided at Cranbrook and the dedication of the administration and teaching staff, and I understand the sense of community that develops at this or any school. So I am counting on the student community, and if need be their parents, to step up and demonstrate the values that are held by many at the school. This lesson can do nothing but strengthen the reputation of Cranbrook and it’s one that will reverberate well beyond the confines of the campus in Bloomfield Hills.

David Hohendorf Publisher DavidHohendorf@DowntownPublications.com

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INCOMING Digital political advertising I thoroughly agreed with David Hohendorf’s article in the (November) Downtown newsmagazine.

Our last election was a sham and it's shocking that so few are outraged and concerned about our democracy being hijacked. The $1.00 disclosure and disclaimer requirement for traditional media should also apply to all forms of digital (political) advertising.

This is important to all Americans regardless of their political persuasions.

Thank you for informing others on what everyone needs to know.

Pam Price Rochester Hills

SPLC not great source I agree with you that it appears that hate groups (November/ Downtown), however defined, seem to be on the rise. Some of that apparent increase in numbers and activity may be the result of more extensive coverage in the media but this country does seem to have lost, to a great extent, the capacity to disagree without being “disagreeable” and committing acts of verbal and physical violence.

That said, I find it curious that you based your article on SPLC (Southern Poverty Law Center) information when that organization can be considered to be a hate group itself based on its own definition. One example was its listing of The Family Research Council as a hate group when that group simply expressed its views of marriage and took other politically incorrect positions on current issues. They have been very careful to avoid any expression of support for anything other than reasoned and even-handed debate over the serious issues that seem to divide us these days. They have never, to my knowledge,

SPEAK OUT We welcome your opinion on issues facing the Birmingham/Bloomfield communities.

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Although we do not have a fixed maximum length for letters sent to us, we recommend a maximum length of 175-200 words. We also reserve the right to edit letters for length if necessary.

Opinions can be sent via e-mail to news@downtownpublications.com or mailed to Downtown Publications, 124 West Maple Road, Birmingham MI 48009.

“attacked or maligned an entire class of people” for mutable or immutable characteristics. If the SPLC has evidence of such an attack, as opposed to merely a statement of an opposing opinion, I will stand corrected.

If simply expressing an opinion contrary to what the SPLC believes is correct makes a hate group, our country is in even more serious danger that I thought. It is also interesting to note that the Department of Defense, the Department of Justice, and the FBI have all distanced themselves from the SPLC recently because of its biased and distorted view of what defines a hate group.

Thank you for your coverage of this very sensitive and important topic but I believe that a broader and more balanced presentation of the issue would have better served your readers and perhaps might have even contributed to a better understanding of the opposing positions and perceptions of each respective “other side.”

Richard Boyse Oakland Township

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OAKLAND CONFIDENTIAL Oakland Confidential is a periodic column of political gossip/news, gathered both on and off-the-record by staff members at Downtown newsmagazine.

We welcome possible items for this column which can be emailed to: OaklndConfidential@DowntownPublications.com. All sources are kept strictly confidential. The gossip column can be viewed at OaklandConfidential.com.

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SEARCHING FOR A SEAT: The Democratic field for governor in 2018 may be getting bigger. Andy Levin of Bloomfield Township confirmed he is definitely looking at jumping into the race in which fellow Democrat Gretchen Whitmer is currently leading. “It’s true I’ve been on a serious exploration of looking at the governor’s race, and I will make a decision very soon,” he said. As for his father, Rep. Sander Levin’s long held 9th District congressional seat, rumors are circulating that the 86-year-old may step down, but Andy said, “My dad is in his seat. Every day my dad continues to serve is a great day. He is my role model. But that is LEVIN something I would consider. I live in the 9th. The 9th symbolizes the flip from Obama, and the diversity of the country, in Macomb County.” Levin has a solid background in both the public and private sector, having worked as a deputy in the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor and Economic Growth and created Michigan’s “No Worker Left Behind” initiative to train unemployed individuals for new jobs during the Great Recession. He has built Lean & Green Machine, an energy finance marketplace to help property owners finance energy efficiently. “I’m an entrepreneur with a start up, but when November 2016 came, I had to turn back to public service. Whatever I do, I will focus on that.”

IT’S THE THOUGHT: “We must lead by example in our own offices by instituting mandatory sexual harassment prevention and response training now,” Southfield Democratic Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence said in a November 3 letter to members of the U.S. House of Representatives, urging them to adopt mandatory sexual harassment training for their offices. Four days later, three women who worked as former aides to Lawrence told POLITICO the congresswoman kept her chief of staff, Dwayne Duron Marshall, on her payroll despite receiving multiple complaints from the women about alleged inappropriate LAWRENCE comments and physical contact toward them. Lawrence, who subsequently put Marshall on leave pending an investigation, told the website she had no knowledge of any sexual harassment in her office, despite claims by the women that they had made it clear they didn’t feel comfortable around the former chief of staff. Lawrence is a former sexual harassment complaint investigator for the federal government. On Thursday, November 16, Lawrence said in statement that she accepted Marshall’s resignation and will move forward with an investigation focused on the current and future climate of the workplace environment. “Validating an environment of zero tolerance for harassment of any kind is a high priority of mine,” she said.

8-BALL: We don’t know if Congressman Mike Bishop (R-Rochester, Rochester Hills) is getting worried about challenger Elissa Slotkin (D-Holly), but between her pedigree and her first reported fundraising report, we sure would be if we were him. Slotkin, who had a stellar career in the CIA and Defense Department, including serving three tours of duty in Baghdad where she was a Middle East analyst for the CIA, and later was the Acting Secretary of Defense for Russia, Middle East, Europe and Africa, raised $460,939 between July 1 and September 30, compared to SLOTKIN Bishop, who raised $365,616 in the same time period. Even more favorably for Slotkin, of the dollars raised, more than $433,000 came from individuals, while a majority of Bishop’s – $240,203 – came from political action committees, or PACs. While the district has been reliably Republican for years, The Cook Political Report, recently changed its projection from ‘likely Republican’ to ‘lean Republican.’ They point out the pluses for Slotkin, while noting she has just moved back to Michigan and has yet to registered to vote in the state as a potential liability.

FEE-VOLITY: Speaking of PAC money, a Livingston County Democratic Party official has filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission (FEC) over the alleged failure for a political action committee associated with Bishop to file any financial disclosure reports, according to The Detroit DOWNTOWN

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News. The complaint was filed by the Democratic party’s county chairperson, and comes just weeks after the paper reported the Rochester Republican failed to file any such reports associated with his leadership committee, Making Bold Initiatives + Solutions To Help America (M-BISH PAC). Federal records show campaign finance reports were filed by the committee on November 4, a day after The Detroit News reported on the issue. Craig Mauger, executive director of the Michigan Campaign Finance Network, said late filings aren’t uncommon. “It’s not unusual, BISHOP but there are varying degrees of how bad the mistakes are,” he said. Earlier this year, the organization issued a report noting that at least 50 percent of state lawmakers paid fees for failure to comply with Michigan’s reporting requirements. Those fees totaled $97,000 in recent years.

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HORSE RACE: Next year’s election is 11 months away, but pundits are beginning to handicap the odds of those who are running in the 11th District congressional race, currently held by Republican Dave Trott of Birmingham. The district, which includes Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Rochester Hills, Troy, western Oakland County and parts of Wayne County, has attracted an assortment of seasoned politicians and neophytes on both sides of the aisle.

Based on the current field, some Republicans are saying it could become a two-man race on their side between Plymouth HEISE Township supervisor Kurt Heise and state Rep. Klint Kesto (West Bloomfield), dismissing oil heiress Lena Epstein of Bloomfield Hills and perennial candidate Rocky Raczkowski (Troy) as not having a chance in the primary. Heise has a long record as conservative lawmaker, and Kesto is the first Chaldean to be elected to the state House, a point of pride in the Chaldean community. “I haven’t heard anything good about Lena, other than from her about all the money she’s raising,” said one prominent Republican, “and it’s all a loan from herself.” Of the $956,591 Epstein raised in the last quarter, $615,000 was self-funded.

LESSONS LEARNED: In early October, Rep. Tim Kelly (R-Saginaw) was nominated by President Trump as Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical and Adult Education under Education Secretary Betsy DeVos of Grand Rapids. Couple of problems. Kelly, who is the chair of Michigan’s House Education Reform Committee, not only approved a resolution to get rid of the state Board of Education, but has a blog where he’s written about things like putting all Muslims on a no-fly list; that money really shouldn’t be spent on women going into things like science or engineering – “Studies point to data that indicate men and women simply have different tastes when it comes to to areas of study,” as if it was about choosing between steaks and sushi; and that Head Start is a waste of money. “Why should we continue to pay for this failure?” he wrote. Trump has pulled Kelly’s nomination, so he will just impact us Michiganders, at least until his final term ends in 2018. As for his opinions, Kelly said in May that he and DeVos both believe in universal choice, and the federal position would help some students avoid debt by having technical training instead of getting four-year college degrees. DeVos has had no comment.

TSL: About $114,000 in political campaign donations has been used by state Senator Jim Marleau (R-Bloomfield Township, Lake Orion, Clarkston) to pay off credit card debt since 2011, according to recent news reports, for things like clothes and meals at McDonald’s. But here’s the rub. State law prohibits elected officials from using campaign funds to pay for personal expenses. Campaign finance records filed with the Michigan Secretary of State indicate Marleau had been notified of the issue for years. In August, the state sent a notice to Marleau’s committee – which is basically him, as he’s listed as the committee’s treasurer – stating that an amended statement must be filed by September 13 or state law “requires MARLEAU this office to refer this matter to the Attorney General.” Political consultant Denise DeCook, a senior director at Sterling Corporation, said she is working with Marleau’s office and professional accountants on the matter. “We haven’t gotten anything back yet, but they are plowing through the information,” she said. DeCook said it’s fairly common for issues to arise when a campaign uses an internal worker or volunteer to handle campaign finance reporting, rather than a professional bookkeeper or accountant.

Hmm. Marleau is a former township treasurer and retired small business owner. downtownpublications.com

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Brad Oleshansky he now-defunct Pontiac division of General Motors stopped producing vehicles in 2009, but the car is still king at M1 Concourse facility located at the company's former industrial grounds in the city that share's the brand's name.

"I'm a car guy. I grew up around old cars, and my dad was into cars and customizing cars in our garage," said Birmingham resident Brad Oleshansky, CEO of M1 Concourse, an 87-acre playground for car enthusiasts that includes private garages, a 1.5-mile performance track and a private motorsports club. "I had a career as an entertainment lawyer in Los Angeles for 12 years, then had a marketing firm and sold that and worked for a public company. I wasn't enjoying it, and I always dreamed of creating a place for car guys to hang out."

When General Motors filed for Chapter 11 reorganization in 2009, Oleshansky saw his chance to convert the company's idle facility on Woodward near South Boulevard into something new.

With several others vying for the auto property, Oleshansky spent more than a year garnering the support of the city, Oakland County and the state.

"You can't just buy the land, you have to pitch the government on your idea. I was kind of an underdog â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a lot of people wanted the property," he said.

Oleshansky also had to raise the funds for the project, as he said no banks would loan him the money. Developing a plan to sell private garages at the facility, Oleshansky said he pre-sold about 80 properties before ever breaking ground on the project, which finally commenced in 2015. Today, he has sold 170 properties, generating about $42 million in sales.

Catering to high-end car enthusiasts, the private garages sell between $150,000 to more than $1 million, and come with connected space that can be utilized for office, lounge, shop or other purposes. While the garages aren't permitted as residential homes or condominiums, they function as secondary offices, entertainment spaces or a glorified man-cave, of sorts.

"A lot of these garages are man-caves or corporate places for entertainment. Because we are close to everything, people use them more than anyone would think," Oleshansky said. "We have all sorts of people, from big-name auto executives to average Joe's that used to work at Ford. The garages are fairly expensive, but you could have a guy who is a billionaire next to four buddies who share a garage."

In addition to the garages, the M1 Concourse features a performance car track, skid pad and outdoor event area, which hosts private and public events throughout the year. Oleshansky said corporate sponsorships have also allowed for driving schools and other events he had never thought of holding. Plans also include building the largest corporate events center in the county, and adding retail tenants and a restaurant.

Oleshansky credits the timing of the industry trends as one of the main contributors to the business's success. However, he said it's metro Detroit's car culture that ultimately gave the idea wheels.

"I had a guy here visiting from LA, and people that don't live here don't understand Detroit. He said there are more Ferraris and Teslas here than in Beverly Hills, (California)," Oleshansky said. "I said, 'Here, if they have a car, they are a car guy. In Los Angeles, people have cars because they have money.' Here, they are true car people. It's a different mentality, and why we have had a lot of success."

T

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Photo: Laurie Tennent

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SPRING WATER CONCERNS ABOUT HEAVY WITHDRAWAL FROM AQUIFERS

BY LISA BRODY

ichiganders take pride in being the Great Lakes State, with our shores surrounded

by Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, Lake Superior and Lake Erie, along with Lake St. Clair and with thousands of inland lakes, rivers and streams in the interior of the state. In total, the Great Lakes account for 84 percent of North America’s surface fresh water and 21 percent of the world’s supply of surface fresh water, and some are concerned that our state is a natural target for others who want to take water from the Great Lakes Basin, although state officials years ago took great pains, with neighboring states and Canada, to codify protections.

Environmentalists and naturists, however, also are becoming increasingly concerned that inland lakes, streams and underground supplies will dry up and not be available for future generations if large-scale users, including the bottled water industry, continue to grow and flourish here.

In 2016, for the first time, bottled water outsold all other packaged beverages in the United States, with sales reaching $16 billion – up nearly 10 percent from 2015, according to Beverage Marketing Corp.

But the bottled water industry is just one large scale user of Michigan’s natural spring water, along with agriculture and manufacturing industry, all of which take millions of gallons of water out of underground aquifers through wells, in exchange for a minimal $200 annual permit fee. But the volume bottlers consume each year pales in comparison to agriculture and manufacturing uses, according to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), which says water bottlers are only responsible for one percent of total water usage. Companies such as Absopure and Nestle, which pumps millions of gallons of water from wells in northwestern Michigan land it owns for its Ice Mountain brand of bottle water, pay nothing more than any basic municipal customer would for the water itself – leaving environmentalists and others to question the privatizing of a public resource as well as whether aquifers and streams will go dry.

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NESTLE OWNS THE LAND IT HAS ITS WELLS ON, AND AT LEAST IN MICHIGAN THE GROUNDWATER BELOW BELONGS TO THE COMPANY.

The controversy escalated recently because Nestle Waters North America, which has a number of bottled waters and beverages in its portfolio, including Ice Mountain from Michigan’s groundwater; Acqua Panna; Arrowhead; Deer Park; Poland Spring; Perrier; San Pellegrino; Zephyrhills; and Ozarka; currently pumps more than 130 million gallons of water a year from Evart, Michigan, and areas nearby, in the northwestern part of the lower peninsula. In the last year the Nestle company has been seeking a permit from the Michigan DEQ to allow them to increase their capacity by up to 60 percent more. Some water experts contend that natural recharge from rain and snowfall are replenishing whatever is being removed by Nestle, while others disagree, pointing to dry streams and dying trout as a byproduct of the bottled water operations here.

Is the Great Lake State in danger of going dry? Definitely not. And overall, neither are aquifers. But concerns remain.

“Spring water is bottled from very small, fragile water bodies, where even a small amount can have a large environmental impact,” said Wayne State University law professor Noah Hall, who also runs the Great Lakes Environmental Law Center. “It can devastate the trout population of a spring, while it will not change the Great Lakes.

The environmental impact on a small scale is very much up for debate – how well is the law working versus protecting vulnerable streams from excessive water pumping.”

Representatives from the bottled water industry contend that it is in their best interest to protect the environment, having made large investments in the state, as well as providing jobs and infrastructure.

“Businesses that set up bottling facilities are extremely concerned about making sure their water sources will be available for many, many years,” said Jill Culora, vice president of communications, International Bottled Water Association. “To that end, they take steps such as buying and protecting the land area surrounding the water source and facility, monitoring and measuring water use and withdrawals, and reducing the amount of water used in production. In many cases, state or local governments set limitations on water withdrawals to protect the sources. Compared to other industries, bottled water uses a very small amount of water – just .011 percent of all water used in the United States and .02 percent of all groundwater used. In addition, bottled water uses less water than any other packaged beverage to produce.”

“People don’t realize how much water there is, and how much recharge there is,” said hydrologist Lou Vittorio of Earth Resources, which has done research for Nestle, although none on the company’s projects in Michigan. “Users of these wells are interested in having their sources sustainable. They don’t want to dry up their source because they’ve put in an investment. They don’t want to dry up their plant and not have it available for their use.

“A one-liter bottle of water takes 1.3 liters of water to make, versus other products which take much more water, like beer, soda and beef,” Vittorio said.

“Nestlé Waters North America has a deep commitment to Michigan, its people and the natural resources we share. We have made a long-term investment in Michigan and take great care to operate in a responsible and sustainable way to protect our shared water sources and the surrounding environment. For over 15 years, we have proudly created jobs and supported community needs, while managing our operations to ensure long-term sustainability,” said

Arlene Anderson-Vincent, Natural Resource Manager, Ice Mountain in Michigan. “Nestlé Waters North America’s pending application before the MDEQ is based on over 15 years of extensive studies and regular monitoring of groundwater, surface water and the local ecosystem. We are confident in the expertise of the professional scientists – both from inside and outside the company – who collect and evaluate the data. In support of our application, we have provided an unprecedented amount of data to the state of Michigan. We have over 100 environmental monitoring sites and have conducted numerous scientific assessments near the White Pine Springs well.

This monitoring network confirms that our water use is managed for long-term sustainability. Rainfall and snowmelt recharges the aquifer every year at a rate higher than our proposed withdrawal, meaning that we’re taking out less than what nature is putting back in.”

Colura from the bottled water group concurred. “People often don’t realize that water is a renewable resource. Groundwater is recharged from rain and snow, and volumes vary from state to state.”

The position of industry spokespersons is reaffirmed by Jim Spink, supervisor of Liberty Township west of Jackson, who said water withdrawals by Absopure in the area have never impacted the surface waters of Clarklake “going north to Jackson or west to Lansing.

There’s no sustainable impact in my opinion to the (Grand) River, to the township, or to the flow. The amount they withdraw a day is much less than an agricultural well withdraws a day. We don’t have any complaint with Absopure. They’re been a good corporate neighbor.

Most people don’t know they’re there. Here, we don’t see an impact.”

He said he understands Absopure withdraws approximately 10 semi trucks worth of groundwater a day, “and there are 10,000 gallons in a semi, so that’s 100,000 gallons a day. I’m a farmer, and the rate of capacity of my irrigation well, I draw about 1.1 million gallons a day.

But I have recharge.”

He pointed out that in the area, “it’s very porous down to the aquifer because it’s very gravelly.”

In northwest Michigan, Evart City Manager Zackary Szakacs did not return repeated request for comment, but in the past has said that Nestle’s purchase of water keeps costs low for the 2,000 residents of the city, who have a median income of $19,000, and that it’s a good partnership for the town. The city is paid approximately $250,000 a year in water fees. When Nestle moved its operation to Mecosta County in 2000, state and local officials gave them a $13 million, onetime tax break.

While Nestle’s permit request initially appeared like it would receive a rubber stamp approval, growing backlash over Nestle’s push to pump increasingly more water out of Michigan has prompted greater review and public hearings by the DEQ. Since it was announced last year that the DEQ was ready to sign off on a 67 percent capacity increase on the high volume well Nestle owns in Osceola County, the DEQ has received well upwards of 14,000 comments, most of which oppose the increased water extraction.

Included in the debate has been concern about water depletion, Nestle taking the water for “free” – because they only pay a $200 permit fee – and that they then sell the water at a profit.

Ileene Anderson, a senior scientist with the Center for Biological Diversity in California, said that Nestle does not pay for water in California when pumping for its Arrowhead brand water in the San Bernardino Mountains either, an area which has experienced drought

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IN 2016, THERE WERE 472 REQUESTS FOR LARGE QUANTITY WITHDRAWALS, MOST FOR AGRICULTURE AND MANUFACTURING.

the last several years. Maine, where Nestle gets its Poland Spring water, is among a few states that does charge a small amount for extracting groundwater for bottling. But the Center for Biological Diversity said it does not know of any national organization or database which tracks states efforts – or lack of – to charge for groundwater extraction, regardless of how precious a resource it is.

Michigan, New York, California, and several other states have what are known as “reasonable use” laws, meaning property owners can extract water from wells as long as it doesn’t affect other wells or the aquifer systems. And it is important to note that Nestle owns the land it has its wells on, and at least in Michigan the groundwater below belongs to them.

“It’s part of the property rights in all of the state, in rural areas. The groundwater is considered part of your property. It’s how farmers are able to put in irrigation wells,” explained Nick Schroenk, law professor at Wayne State University and director of Transnational Environmental Law Center. “So Nestle owns that property. They can pay this permitting fee and the electrical costs to get water out of the ground. The only exception is you can’t use groundwater to the point where it is detrimental to neighboring property owners. If I use so much groundwater that I harm a neighbor’s well, or divert so much water from a stream, so they get less water from it, that’s an issue.

That’s why the DEQ has been undergoing a review to see if there’s an adverse impact to natural resources. That’s how the legal framework is set up.”

In California, Nestle has long paid the U.S. Forest Service an annual rate of $524 to extract about 30 million gallons, even during droughts.

“This became very important to us with the ongoing drought and its impact to Strawberry Creek,” Anderson said. “Nestle has been diverting so much water, the creek is going dry and endangering native species. There are puddles where the creek was – there’s no actual water flow. It’s stress to the fish. It wasn’t even originally Nestle that had the permit, but a prior company which Nestle bought, and they’re operating under an old permit which had expired in the 1980s. We believe they shouldn’t be operating in 2017 on a permit that expired in 1988.”

She noted they filed a federal lawsuit to prevent Nestle’s operation, which they lost. “We’re appealing it now.”

Water-rich Michigan is different, at least on the surface. But below ground, the water is as valuable as gold to miners.

Michigan Citizens for Water Conservation, which led a group that sued Nestle and prevailed in 2003, and then finally settled with the multinational corporation in 2009, with Nestle agreeing to reduce pumping from 400 gallons a minute to 218 gallons per minute, with certain restrictions in spring and summer, and residents hoping there would be less environmental impact.

Now, they are going after Nestle again, with a decision expected in mid-November after this issue of Downtown went to press. Nestle’s Anderson-Vincent said, “Nestlé Waters filed an appeal so that an independent judge would review a local administrative zoning board’s decision. We have raised questions and concerns about the administrative process that we believe deserves a fair and impartial hearing. This is in reference to our request for a permit to build a small, 12-foot by 22-foot building, designed to house a booster pump.

The pump would increase pressure along a pipeline to transport

additional water. Because we firmly believe the plan we proposed met the township’s site plan and special land use standards, we are asking the circuit court to review our request. We are sensitive to local government's incurrence of legal expenses in this appeal, and that is why we offered to delay this action, but that offer was unfortunately refused. Nestlé Waters has worked to be a good neighbor to Osceola Township for over 15 years. We value our relationships with township residents and community leaders, and always strive to create shared value within the communities where we operate.”

“It’s a national issue, but Nestle is operating locally,” Wayne State’s Hall noted. “There have been similar concerns and fights all over the country. Nestle is everywhere, and they’re using a playbook.

How it plays out in one state sets a precedent elsewhere – and Nestle likes the withdrawal laws in Michigan.”

A question remains, how much water extraction is too much water?

“In general terms, there’s not broad concern about aquifer depletion or over-taxing our resources. We’re a water-rich state. It’s why a lot of industries want to locate here,” noted Andrew LeBaron, environmental quality analyst with Michigan DEQ. In 2016, LeBaron said, there were 472 requests for large quantity withdrawals, although not all were approved. Of those, a majority were from agricultural concerns, which use very large quantities of water for irrigation purposes, and for manufacturing in the state, for all sorts of purposes, including in the automotive industry.

Of those 472 requests, 80 were for approved water bottlers. “Most of those are customers of some municipal water system,” LeBaron said.

As for bottlers of spring water, the numbers show that they are minor in comparison, with Nestle with nine wells, including four wells at one site; Absopure, which is headquartered in Plymouth, has four wells in Jackson County; Millbrook Water Company, a small bottler with one well located in Mecosta County, near where Nestle owns its land and wells; White Cloud Natural Spring Water, in Newago County, also has one well; and Shay Water Co., in Saginaw, has one.

“The threshold in the law is that if they are pumping less than 1.5 million gallons a year, they just have to check a box on the reporting form and they don’t have to indicate how much they are pumping,” LeBaron said. “It can really be the size of the wells and how much they pump from them more than the number of the wells.”

Howard Reeves, a research hydrologist with the United States Geological Survey (USGS), agreed with LeBaron’s assessment that Michigan’s water is generally secure. “There have been questions raised on both sides. Some say there is not conservation and enough protective measures being taken, holding things up, and on the other side, some say they’re too conservative. But yes, as to protecting groundwater and aquifers, while there are challenges, overall, I think so.”

He said a 2008 state review process by USGS was intended to be proactive, “to prevent any adverse impact from any high capacity well, which we define is more than 70 gallons a minute for at least a 30-day period.”

Primary high capacity well users are municipalities, industry, agricultural users, and water bottlers, Reeves said.

“We define an adverse impact as what is defined by the

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SPRING WATER COMES FROM AQUIFERS – UNDERGROUND LAYERS OF ROCK SATURATED WITH WATER FROM NATURAL SOURCES.

Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which is how the ecology would be changed by the impact on the flow for an area, but not on every stream’s reach,” he explained, noting there are about 6,000 little catch basins stationed around the state that are looked at. “We look at the flow leaving that little catchment. What happens is, you might have a few streams meeting up to join a larger stream. One small stream may be impacted (by water extraction), but the whole stream area has a level of protection.”

Reeves explained the concept behind the assessment and legislation that was passed by the Michigan legislature in 2008 was the idea is that “you can’t protect everything from all impact, because any development will have some impact on groundwater. You’re looking to have protection to the system as a whole while looking at various areas of the whole state.”

Reeves believes overall, groundwater and aquifers are being protected.

“Are there challenges? Yes, I think so. But overall, it is proactive,” he said, “because it watches how much water can be removed from an area. People are working around the state to help determine how much can be removed from certain areas, to see if the removal from certain wells is impacting the stream flow.”

Spring water comes from aquifers, which are underground layers of rock which are saturated with water from natural sources that can be brought to the surface through natural springs or by pumping. The groundwater that is contained in aquifers is considered one of the most important sources of water on earth, and according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), about 30 percent of the liquid freshwater we have across the globe is groundwater. The remainder is found at the surface in streams, lakes, rivers and wetlands. A majority of the world’s freshwater – about 69 percent, according to NOAA, is locked away in glaciers and ice caps.

Much of the drinking water society depends upon is contained in shallow aquifers which are accessed through wells. Water in an aquifer can be held beneath the earth’s surface for centuries; hydrologists estimate that there is water in some aquifers that could be more than 10,000 years old. Other water in aquifers is weeks, or months, old, having been refreshed by recent rainfall. But there is a limit as to how deep drilling into an aquifer’s well can go, noted USGS hydrologist Steven Phillips, because the deeper you drill, the saltier the liquid becomes.

“Groundwater can be very, very deep, but eventually it’s a brine,” Phillips said. “For freshwater, the depths are limited.”

In addition, he cautioned, once an aquifer is contaminated, it’s extremely difficult to remediate. Hence the necessity to watch groundwater contamination from fertilizers and other contaminants.

In Michigan, hydrologists say there is an added benefit with aquifers because the ground is very permeable, permitting water to flow easily through it to underground aquifers. According to Idaho Museum of Natural History, aquifers must be both permeable and porous and “include such rock types as sandstone, conglomerate, fractured limestone and unconsolidated sand and gravel. In order for a well to be produced, it must be drilled into an aquifer. Rocks such as granite and schist are generally poor aquifers because they have a very low porosity. A well is a hole drilled into the ground to penetrate an aquifer, (and) normally such water must be pumped to the surface. If water is pumped from a well faster than it is replenished, the water table is

lowered and the well may go dry.” Areas with heavy clay ground have poor aquifers and groundwater because it is difficult for the water to travel through.

They explain that groundwater is so clean because aquifers are natural filters that trap sediment and other particles, such as bacteria, and provide natural purification of the ground water flowing through them, similar to how a coffee filter works as coffee is being brewed.

The same works in reverse, as the areas are “recharged” with rainwater and snowfall, replenishing the aquifers.

“Are we in danger of depleting our aquifers? Absolutely,” said Liz Kirkwood, executive director of For Love of Water (FLOW), an advocacy group in Traverse City whose mission is to protect the common waters of the Great Lakes Basin through public trust solutions, disagreeing with state experts. “So many of the issues of the last several decades are coming up now because of Nestle, Flint (lead and water contamination), Detroit (water shut offs), Oakland County (the 48-inch main collapse). We are at a moment that is abundantly clear that states don’t have a good handle on groundwater extraction. There is a shared vision that we must have clear, safe drinking water.”

Besides ensuring that groundwater is not contaminated, FLOW works against what they consider is the privatization of public water, water equity and depletion of groundwater. They were instrumental in challenging the bottled water industry – notably Nestle – and worked to get the Great Lakes Law established in 2006 in Michigan, also known as the water withdrawal law, which regulates large quantity water withdrawals.

According to the 2006 law, “large quantity withdrawals” are any withdrawals greater than 100,000 gallons a day averaged over a 30-day period. Every large quantity withdrawal must be registered with the MDEQ, and then permitted, unless it is for agricultural purposes, and then it must be registered and permitted by the Michigan Departure of Agriculture.

Volumes of the large quantity withdrawals must be reported to MDEQ by April 1 of each year on a specific form, with an annual $200 reporting fee. The bill is designed to “prohibit a new or increased large quantity withdrawal from causing an ‘adverse resource impact.’ An adverse resource impact is defined as impairing the lake or stream’s ability to support its characteristic fish population. Taking too much water from a stream will change the flow depth, velocity and temperature of the stream and hence the types of fish expected to be found there.”

Initially, the bill only applied to streams with trout, but in 2008, it prohibited adverse resource impact to all lakes and streams.

The bill also required a permit for certain new or increased large quantity withdrawals of greater than two million gallons per day, of which there is a $2,000 permit fee, unless they are a local unit of government.

The law specifically stated, “A new permit is required for a water bottling operation that uses a new or increased large quantity withdrawal of more than 250,000 gallons per day. This permit can only be granted if the withdrawal would not cause an adverse resource impact, the use is reasonable under traditional Michigan water law, riparian rights are protected, and the water bottler undertakes activities to address the hydrologic impact of the withdrawal.”

The law developed a water withdrawal assessment process that determines the impact of a specific withdrawal on river systems by

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THERE’S A LOOPHOLE IN THE 2006 LAW THAT ALLOWS CONTAINERS OF 5.7 GALLONS OR LESS TO LEAVE THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.

calculating the effect of the stream flow reduction on fish populations.

In 2008, to strengthen the law, it was amended to expand the permit system as well as to create an assessment process to determine whether a proposed withdrawal could create an adverse resource impact to river systems in Michigan. It required permits for all new and increased withdrawals over two million gallons per day for any source, including the Great Lakes, inland lakes and rivers, and groundwater. The law permitted the withdrawals only if they met specific standards, and do not violate public or private rights and limitations imposed by Michigan water law or other common law duties, and require public notification of any water withdrawal application, as well as a public comment period of at least 45 days.

For bottle water withdrawals, the bill lowered the threshold for permits for bottled water withdrawals to 200,000 gallons per day. It also changed its assessment of a “large quantity withdrawal” as a withdrawal of over 100,000 gallons per day averaged over a 30-day period, stating that withdrawals of that size are prohibited from streams, rivers or groundwater because it causes an adverse resource impact.

“There’s a loophole in the 2006 law, that while they technically can’t divert water from the Great Lakes, it allows containers of 5.7 gallons or less to leave the state,” Kirkwood said, which she pointed out is how the bottled water industry gets around the law and removes water from Michigan.

“There is a rush to the water near the area of bottle water withdrawals, and concerns to wetlands and streamflow in small springs can have major detrimental effects to the area near where the pumps are located,” said Transnational Environmental Law Center’s Schroenk. “But there are also impacts to neighboring ecosystems when you remove water from springs, because it affects areas downstream, when you think about the amount of water being removed – there’s the impact to rivers, wildlife, nature, fish. When we compare the amount of water Nestle is bottling out of the Great Lakes, it’s a drop in the bucket.

But that’s not an accurate assessment, because it’s the impact to the local watershed we’re most concerned about.

Reeves from USGS said they go out and measure the rivers all over the state, “and we can determine how much came from runoff or groundwater flow. There are a couple hundred stations around the state... We estimate the flow of the rivers over time and look at the long record. Scientists then determine how much is from runoff or baseflow.

Usually with a well, the numbers sound large, but compared to most rivers and streams, it’s a pretty small number. It gets people worked up because the numbers get so big, that they’re pumping a million gallons a day. But a million gallons a day is only 1.8 cubic feet a second. Even modest size streams are tens to hundreds of cubic feet per second.

“We’re trying to track the potential impact of the number of wells going, and as you add more and more, there is a greater impact,” Reeves noted. “We’re looking for the cumulative impactive of many wells.”

“My hunch is there has been so much public interest going to the DEQ on this Nestle permit increase – if they were just going to increase the permitting, they may increase it, but perhaps not the full 400 million gallons Nestle is requesting, because Nestle can’t prove that there will not be some negative impact to that local watershed. It’s a significant loss to that ecosystem,” Schroenk continued.

Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner Jim Nash, a water environmentalist, said that wells drilled into one area have a huge impact on wells farther away. “They’re (water bottlers) taking such large withdrawals that it spreads and pulls from other wells,” he said. “It affects the whole ecosystem. It may be limited by geography, but it can have an effect.”

Schroenk said scientists and environmentalists are less concerned about the quantity bottlers like Nestle are removing per day, than the quality, “because for example, municipal systems like Great Lakes Water Authority are permitted to withdraw how many millions of gallons of water a day. It doesn’t matter if it’s General Motors (withdrawing water) to build car parts, municipal customers, or Pepsi to bottle water, it’s the impact.”

Unlike Nestle, which around the country withdraws natural spring water from groundwater and sells it in bottled water, PepsiCo and Coca Cola use municipal water – yes, basic tap water from local water systems, which is then further purified, bottled and sold, in Pepsi’s case as Aquafina, and in Coke’s, as Dasani. Charging money for what people can pour from their sinks. Locally, they bottle municipal water from the Great Lakes Water Authority – good old Detroit tap water.

Which raises another issue which troubles those opposed to water bottling: the commodification of public water by private entities.

“The $200 permit fee, sure it’s a problem, but what’s not clear is the solution,” Professor Hall said, noting that an increase could open the door to greater commodification. “We have to be careful how we raise money on water. We don’t want to budget on the stewardship for water from permitting of water use – at least not without more checks and balances on the permitting process. In legal precedence, there’s greater distrust in permitting of water, because water does not belong to the government – it belongs to the public. It’s part of the public rust. It’s not capable of being owned. The government’s role is as a trustee. So, even for a big whopping fee, the government can’t ‘sell’ it.”

The latest battle from activists is now water equity, protecting water because it is a public right. FLOW’s Kirkwood said they have been working with state legislators, with House Bill 5133 introduced in October 2017 by state Rep. Peter Lucido (R-Shelby Township), that would levy an excise tax of five cents per gallon on the production of bottled water and would provide for the collection and administration of the tax, penalties, with monies raised being used for infrastructure improvements in the state. It is currently with the Natural Resources committee.

“It’s not just protecting water in natural pristine watersheds, it’s protecting people’s drinking water in major metropolitan areas,” Kirkwood said. “Our perspective is through the public trust lens. It means holding state leaders accountable so the municipal infrastructure is kept public and the reason that matters is we have seen when municipal infrastructure systems have become privatized, water rates and problems have increased for citizens.”

“If they take oil out of the ground, they have to pay for it. They should have to pay for our water,” said Oakland County’s Nash. “If it’s our resources, they should have to pay for it. In Michigan, we’re looking for revenues. They’re taking it without paying for it. I think that’s unfair.”

“We tax other beverages – liquor, beer, and wine. If you include water bottlers, I think it’s appropriate to consider. It’s a fee on their business,” Schroenk said. “Water as a commodity raises all sorts of ethical issues because we need water to live.”

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FACES Alyssa Giannetti hen Alyssa Giannetti was a junior at Andover High School, she was cast as Christine Daaé in their production of “The Phantom of the Opera.” Now, barely six years later, she’s part of the first national tour of the sequel, “Love Never Dies,” which premiered in Detroit at the Fisher Theater this fall.

"To have it premiering in America for the first time in my hometown is just amazing,” said Giannetti.

“Love Never Dies” – which follows the characters of the Andrew Lloyd Webber mega-hit 10 years later – is Giannetti’s first professional role. She’s a swing, which means she’s covering all the female ensemble roles, and is the understudy for Christine Daaé, the character that changed the trajectory of her life in high school.

Having grown up singing in choirs, and raised on megamusicals like Phantom, Giannetti was also really involved in sports, especially swimming. During her junior year at Andover she found out she would be the swim team captain her senior year – but then she was cast in Phantom.

After playing Christine – which Giannetti said changed her life – she quit the swim team, started applying to music schools, and was cast as Belle in “Beauty and the Beast” during her senior year. From there she went to Northwestern University and studied vocal performance, focusing on musical theater and opera. During her last year at Northwestern she participated in their showcase, where she landed an agent. She had originally planned on attending grad school after Northwestern, but decided to take a chance on musical theater. She didn’t want this to be one of those moments where she found herself wishing she had done it years from now. So she moved to New York.

Once in NYC, she found herself going to open-call auditions at four or five in the morning and waiting around all day to hopefully be seen. Giannetti said that Andover – which she described as a really competitive but supportive school – helped her be prepared to work that hard.

“It’s crazy how much the places where you live and who you are with really shapes who you become,” she said. “I’m very thankful for the upbringing I had.”

Her “Love Never Dies” audition was on one of those very early mornings in fact. Giannetti said she went to their opencall last February during a very snowy day, where she was seen quickly. Then a month later she got a callback, followed by eight more, before getting the official offer to join the company. Now she’s touring all over the country, which also includes stops in Boston, where she’ll get to celebrate her brother’s 21st birthday, and see friends and family in Dallas next summer when the show performs at the same venue she saw her first musical at.

“It’s not supposed to happen this way...that you go on a national tour, the first national tour of a major show, meeting Andrew Lloyd Webber, this is not normal,” she laughed. “It’s so surreal.”

Since this experience is still so new and surreal for Giannetti she’s not looking too far ahead in the future for what comes next. She’s just trying to process every single moment of what’s happening.

“It’s really a special, really unbelievable time in my life to be sharing this amazing show,” Giannetti said. “It’s unlike anything I could’ve ever dreamed of. I’m just absolutely thankful.”

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Story: Dana Casadei

Photo: Laurie Tennent

A GOLD RUSH PAINTED GREEN BIG BUSINESS V THE LITTLE GUY OVER MEDICAL MARIJUANA

BY KEVIN ELLIOTT

D

ecember 15, 2017 marks the official start of Michigan's green gold rush, as the Bureau of Medical Marijuana Regulation begins accepting licensee applications from prospectors looking to enter what is expected to be a billion-dollar industry.

But requirements still being hashed out in midNovember by state regulators have some concerned that those who have already staked a claim in the medical marijuana field will be left out of the state's regulated marketplace.

With the exception of certified caregivers, who are limited to growing a maximum of 12 plants per patient with a maximum of five patients, those hoping to get into the medical marijuana business will need to obtain a license from LARA, Michiganâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. Those licenses fall into five categories: growers, who grow, cultivate cure and package medical marijuana for sale; processors, who purchase marijuana from growers and extract the active drugs from the plant for use in making marijuana-infused products, such as edibles, oils and tinctures; provisioning centers, which purchase and may sell medical marijuana and marijuana-infused products; secure transporters, which are the only ones who may transport medical marijuana between growers, sellers and processors; and safety compliance centers, or laboratories that test marijuana for contaminants and drug levels.

The new licenses and framework of the state's regulation system were established under Michigan's Medical Marijuana Facilities Act, which was approved by the legislature and governor in 2016. The law also calls for the creation of a five-member Medical Marijuana Licensing Board, which is responsible for implementing and administering the new act, including licensing, regulating and enforcing the licensing and regulation system. Operating within LARA, the act requires the board to write rules regarding license requirements, license fees, assessments and other criteria for determining the issuance of licenses. The board is also responsible for reviewing applications and issuing licenses, after December 15.

Under the facilities act, the five members of the state's Medical Marijuana Licensing Board, as well as members of their family, are prohibited from being on a board of a licensee or having financial interest in a licensee or applicant. Members must also disclose any legal or beneficial interests in real property that may be directly or indirectly involved with marijuana operations. Those disclosures must be filed with the governor's office, which isn't subject to Freedom Of Information Act requests. The governor's office spokeswoman said the office doesn't release financial disclosures from board members to the public, instead referring requests to LARA. Under the act, all members of the board must be residents of Michigan, with no more than three being members of the same political party. One — board chair Rick Johnson — is appointed from three nominees submitted by the Senate Majority Leader; one — David LaMontaine — appointed from three nominees submitted by the Speaker of the House. The governor appoints the board chair and the three additional members: Nichole Cover, of Mattawan, a licensed pharmacist and healthcare supervisor for Walgreens who also serves as chair of the state's Board of Pharmacy; retired Michigan State Police Sergeant Donald Bailey, of Traverse City; and Vivian Pickard, of Bloomfield Hills, CEO of the Pickard Group consulting firm and former director of public policy for General Motors, and former president of the General Motors Foundation.

LaMontaine, of Monroe, is a business agent and executive board member for the Police Officers' Association of Michigan.

Johnson, of LeRoy, who serves as the board's chair, manages Common Cents Farm and served in the state legislature, including four years as Speaker of the House.

Johnson, who also spent a decade as a registered lobbyist in Lansing, came under scrutiny in October when the Michigan Campaign Finance Network revealed one of Johnson's former clients is considering pursuing a license from the board he chairs. The story also said Johnson filed financial disclosure information required under the law after being appointed to the board.

The board is currently working to complete and publish emergency rules for license applicants to follow, with final rules expected to be crafted in the following year. Meanwhile, state lawmakers and local municipalities are scrambling to enact additional oversight to shape the state's medical marijuana marketplace. This after medical marijuana was overwhelmingly approved by Michigan voters on a statewide ballot proposal in November 2008. egislators in 2016 approved three bills, including the Medical Marijuana Facilities Act, which created the framework for the state's licensing and regulation system that will allow licensed growers and dispensaries, as well as require testing for all medical marijuana for levels of active ingredients, as well as contaminants such as pesticides. The act also allows for the processing and sale of marijuana for edible products, oils and other marijuana-infused items, as well as requires the secure transport of marijuana and marijuana-infused items.

Another bill that was passed in conjunction with the Facilities Act allows for the creation, sale and regulation of marijuana-infused items, and provides a retroactive criminal defense for those convicted of violating the state's law, which didn't previously address marijuanainfused items. The third bill created the state's marijuana tracking system, which is required to track all medical marijuana sales and operations, from seed to sale to the patient.

Under the Medical Marijuana Facilities Act, LARA has until December 15 to begin accepting applications for medical marijuana license facilities. Temporary emergency rules are expected to be released by late November, as LARA's Bureau of Medical Marijuana Regulation has issued a series of advisories detailing proposed rules.

Attorney and marijuana activist Matthew Abel, who founded the Detroit-based law firm Cannabis Counsel, PLC, and serves as executive director for Michigan's National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), said the proposed regulations have received a lot of push back from those hoping to enter the new marketplace. That includes

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both caregivers and small business entrepreneurs, as well as big business interests with millions to invest.

"The people who are the trailblazers in this will probably be left out," Abel said, referring to dispensaries and caregivers who currently support the state's 240,000-plus medical marijuana patients. nder state law and the regulations being formed, caregivers are only permitted to sell medical marijuana to a certified patient who has listed them as their official caregiver. That means caregivers can't legally sell marijuana to dispensaries or random patients. Further, dispensaries currently operating without a state license must acquire a license by June 15, 2018 or shut down. Those dispensaries that continue to operate past the June 15 deadline will risk having their license denied by the state.

Applicants seeking any of the five license categories from the state will be required to undergo thorough background checks, which include a review of their criminal, business and financial history. The state also said it is imposing capitalization requirements from applicants, which includes the sources and total amount of the capitalization to operate and maintain the proposed marijuana facility.

In order to be granted a medical marijuana facility license, applicants will be required to demonstrate capitalization amounts of: $300,000 for processors; $300,000 for a provisioning center; $200,000 for a secure transporter; and $200,000 for a safety compliance facility. Grower licenses are divided into three classes: Class A licenses, which permit up to 500 plants, require $150,000 in demonstrated capitalization; Class B licenses, which permit up to 1,000 plants, require $300,000 in demonstrated capitalization; and Class C licenses, which permit up to 1,500 plants, require $500,000 in demonstrated capitalization.

The capitalization requirements are part of the proposed regulations being formed by LARA, and are not specifically included in the state's Medical Marijuana Facilities Act, which was passed in 2016.

"The state law has no capitalization requirement and some think there shouldn't be one at all," Abel said. "On one hand, you have to have enough money to pay the electric bill, but if I want to fall flat on my face, there are a lot of other businesses that fall flat on their face.

"Some people think they are trying to squeeze out the little guy. I think $500,000 for a 1,500-plant grow seems a little inordinate. Anyone who applies for a license has to give an estimate of gross annual revenue, and to do that you have to write a business plan. I'm not sure if that plan has to be released, but they should anticipate costs for the year. Anyone who goes into it would be foolish if they didn't have an idea to do that, so in a lot of ways the requirements are unnecessary. Yes, they need that much money, but that ought to be up to me to figure it out."

On November 8, LARA's Bureau of Medical Marijuana Regulation issued an advisory saying the licensing board may consider a variety of sources of capitalization, such as 401k accounts, certificates of deposit (CDs) and other common investments to count toward capitalization requirements. At least 25 percent of an applicants' capitalization must be in liquid assets, or be easily converted into cash.

"Capitalization standards are an important part of the regulatory structure that will help ensure both business stability and safe, reliable access to medical marijuana for patients," said Andrew Brisbow, the bureau's director. "These requirements were developed after researching other Michigan industries and best practices from states with medical marijuana regulations."

While most states that regulate medical marijuana facilities have at least some sort of financial review as part of the application process, some, such as Arizona, Connecticut and Nevada, require between $150,000 and $2 million in assets.

In addition to capitalization requirements, licensees will need to pony up tens of thousands of dollars for license fees and annual assessments to the state, as well as local licensing fees where they plan to locate. A non-refundable state application fee estimated to be between $4,000 and $8,000 will be required before an application is processed. That fee is intended to offset costs for LARA and state police for investigative services conducting background checks. An annual regulatory

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assessment is also due prior to the issuance of each license and may vary depending on the number of licenses anticipated to be issued.

Under the law, the assessments must provide at least $500,000 annually to LARA for substance abuse disorder programs, in addition to five percent of the cost of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for substance abuse-related expenses. While assessment amounts weren't finalized prior to publication, LARA said Class A licenses are capped at $10,000, with Class B and C assessments expected to be between $10,000 and $57,000.

Additional state-originated costs to licensees include a three-percent tax on each provisioning center's gross retail or receipts; the actual cost of investigations and processing that exceeds the application fees; and late renewal fees, if applicable. hile some small businesses hopefuls may be unable to meet the financial requirements set by the state, those with considerable funds at their disposal have additional options. For instance, LARA in its advisories has said it will allow for stacking and co-location of some licenses in a single facility, meaning a licensee may apply and be granted licenses for more than one type of activity. For instance, an applicant may apply for and be approved to co-locate a growing operation, processing center for producing oils and edibles, and a dispensary to sell all of the products at a single location. Further, growers are able to "stack" multiple Class C licenses at one location, allowing for multi-million dollar, "mega grow" facilities by stacking Class C licenses that allow for a maximum of 1,500 plants each.

While LARA has issued advisory bulletins on specifics of the regulations, there are emergency regulations that are expected to be issued in late November, and are still subject to change. Meanwhile, lawmakers seeking to address issues themselves are working to push changes through the legislature.

"They aren't showing us any drafts, they are just showing us trial balloons," said Abel. "They will be out in mid-November, and will be extended for six months. That gives the legislature time to go through the formal rule-making process. The whole process takes months, so there's not time for them to pass those (before the December 15 deadline). The emergency rules only need to be signed off by the governor. There will be permanent rules later."

Representative Jim Runestad (R-White Lake) has sponsored a bill in the state house that would place limitations on grower licenses to restrict the stacking of licenses at one single location to prevent "mega grow" operations. "I'm concerned about giant grow operations that could consume the whole industry and blot out the competition,” Runestad said. "Those who want mega grows think it’s the best for capitalism. But do we want a few billionaires or millionaires with a monopoly?"

Runestad said having a mix of both large and small grow operations is a good business model that could provide more competition and more options for patients. Unlimited licenses, he said, could lead to a monopoly which has the potential to snuff out small businesses, allowing super grows to control the market, raise prices and control policy.

"The very large operations are going to basically run off the smaller operators – that's the nature of it," he said.

Runestad said he may be open to more than one Class C grower license at one location but fewer than what he said would be considered a mega grow operation. He said he plans to meet with stakeholders to discern what an appropriate number of licenses at one location may be. Additionally, he said some questioned whether LARA should limit the total number of licenses it issues.

The bill, which was introduced on October 26, is currently being reviewed in the House Judiciary Committee, which is chaired by Runestad. "The testimony today was that 70 percent of these businesses will fail, and the primary reason is overproduction. There are other concern of producers sending it out to other states, or the people not making it going into the illicit market. I will take a look at whether

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capping makes sense or leaving it limitless," Runestad said. "It's not a federally legal product, so it's different than other businesses where an open market would dictate what's best. I think it does require the scrutiny of the legislature to make the best decision."

Another bill still working its way through the legislature is House Bill 5144, sponsored by West Bloomfield Republican Klint Kesto, who sponsored one of three bills that created the Medical Marijuana Facilities Act and created the state's Marijuana Tracking System Act. Kesto's new bill, introduced in October, seeks to revise the Facilities Act. Those revisions include protections for certified public accountants and financial institutions from certain civil and criminal penalties; allow certain transfers of marijuana to be done without a secure transporter; revises information a municipality must provide to the state if it adopts ordinances allowing medical marijuana facilities; and allows information provided by a municipality to LARA to be subject to Freedom of Information Act requests.

Kesto's bill has support from the Michigan Responsibility Council, which represents potential grower licensees, and the Michigan Cannabis Development Association, which represents businesses in the medical marijuana field, and is one of the organizations that worked to have the Facilities Act created to address the failings of the state's original medical marijuana law.

In November of 2008, about 63 percent of Michigan voters approved a statewide ballot proposal making marijuana legal for medical purposes. The following year, the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act was enacted, making marijuana legal to those with an approved card issued by the state. To obtain marijuana, patients were permitted to either grow their own or find a certified caregiver to grow it for them.

Caregivers are allowed to grow 12 plants per patient, with a maximum of six patients, including themselves.

The "caregiver system" – as it is dubbed in some of the other 29 states in the country where medical marijuana is legal – led to several problems, including the challenge for some patients to find a caregiver.

Today, there are more than 240,000 card-carrying patients in Michigan who are supposed to rely on about 30,000 caregivers, according to LARA. That means that even if all caregivers were connected to individual patients and all had growing operations, there would still be a shortage of caregivers for patients.

To fill the gap, some have taken to opening dispensaries with the consent of local municipalities. Since the original medical marijuana act was passed, there have been at least 18 Michigan Court of Appeals hearings and eight different state Supreme Court rulings. The state has ultimately ruled that medical marijuana dispensaries aren't legally permitted under current state law, leading some law enforcement agencies and prosecutors, such as those in Oakland County, to crack down and close dispensaries. Still, others, such as the city of Detroit and many other local municipalities, have allowed them to operate.

Under the new law, a medical marijuana facility can only be located in a municipality that has ordinances that have expressly authorized the establishment of those facilities. Municipalities that choose to opt out may simply forego passing any ordinance and refuse such facilities by default. nder the act, the state's Medical Marijuana Excise Fund would receive all money collected under the threepercent tax on provisioning centers' gross retail income, as well as any fees, fines and charges imposed other than licensing fees, annual assessments and local fees.

Money in the funds would be apportioned, with 25 percent going to local municipalities where marijuana facilities are located; 30 percent to counties where facilities are located; five percent to support county sheriffs; 30 percent to the First Responder Presumed Coverage Fund; five percent to the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards for training; and five percent to the Michigan State Police Department.

As of November 15, just one Oakland County municipality, Orion Township, had passed an ordinance to allow for new medical marijuana facilities permitted under the 2016 law. That township will allow for all

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licensed facilities except provisioning centers in a small area. Officials in Ferndale, Hazel Park and Walled Lake said discussions are in progress to update ordinances in those municipalities. Municipalities in the Downtown newsmagazine distribution area, including Birmingham, Bloomfield Township, Bloomfield Hills, Rochester and Rochester Hills, have chosen to exclude medical marijuana facilities from operating in their communities.

Walled Lake City Manager Dennis Whitt said the city's planning commission is working on an updated ordinance to allow for dispensaries in the city. While the city already had an ordinance regulating dispensaries, the city's governing body ceased all such operations following a crackdown on such businesses by law enforcement. ommerce Township Supervisor David Scott said the township once had more than 40 grow operations, but has since prohibited them and will continue to do so. "I haven't heard any push from residents that this is something they are interested in," he said. "Once things are regulated, we are open to looking at opportunities."

Ferndale Economic Development Director Justin Lyons said the city is in the process of updating its ordinance to align with the state’s soon to be released regulations. Currently, the city allows for five medical marijuana facilities to pursue special land use permits and operate. No such facilities are currently operating in the city.

As most municipalities have either opted out or are taking a "wait and see" approach to the new guidelines, those in favor of updating ordinances to allow for medical marijuana facilities are still waiting for additional guidance.

Oakland County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Paul Walton said that in speaking to police chiefs and city attorneys about the issue, none have had discussions about training, inspections or specifics related to potential facilities. "With the exception of one (in northern Michigan), all have said there have been no discussions," he said.

As a patchwork of caregivers and illegal dispensaries operate, Walton said they will butt up against the new law and licensed dispensaries.

Those unable to receive licenses may attempt to continue operations.

However, those obtaining licenses are likely to inform law enforcement of such activity.

"I think that the people who go through the licensing procedure, which is a tremendous expenditure of funds, will try to restrict competition," Walton said. "If the competition is coming from illegal grows and sellers, then I think there might be an uptick (in prosecutions) for a while. Legal businesses will inform law enforcement on illegal operations or on caregivers who are operating outside the limited provision of the caregiver law. We are introducing a new profit motive to this system."

It was only recently that legislators worked to address shortcomings of the 2009 law that a real framework for the state's medical marijuana market started to take place.

"We began working with the governor's office, and representatives (Mike) Callton (R-Nashville), (Klint) Kesto and (Lisa Posthumus) Lyons (RAlto) on how to make a policy that made sense," said Sandra McCormick, executive director of the Michigan Cannabis Development Association.

"We pulled from tobacco, liquor and other state statutes to come up with a regulatory system that makes sense."

McCormick said the association includes those seeking licenses as well as those in the business, along with secondary businesses that support future licensees, such as tax attorneys, insurance agents and others.

"If you're like me and you're not familiar with the science of marijuana cultivation, growing marijuana well is very difficult to do," said Doug Mains, an attorney with Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn representing the National Patients Rights Association at a state Senate committee hearing on a pair of bills on issues with unlicensed dispensaries that are currently operating. "There are a number of issues.

The (original) act makes no provision on how you're supposed to get seeds or seedlings for what you're supposed to grow, so there's that kind of original sin."

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Additionally, Mains said equipment to grow marijuana is expensive and potentially dangerous. As many patients suffer from debilitating ailments, they typically need to find someone to grow it for them.

"There are unscrupulous people out there. Some may not be able to grow properly, or some may take your money and not give you anything, so you have no access to the product," Mains said. "In light of that, you had dispensaries crop up."

Despite being ruled illegal in 2014 by the state's Supreme Court, dispensaries have continued to proliferate in Michigan.

"The free market has created a system that is clean, where someone can go in and talk to someone who is knowledgeable. They can talk about what strains might be best or what dosages. Stores have a variety and array of products," Mains said. "Not products that are designed to get you high, but products that have an array of benefits."

Because current dispensaries are technically illegal under state law due to that Supreme Court ruling, LARA earlier this year recommended all unlicensed dispensaries be closed by December 15, when the department begins accepting license applications. Further, the department said those that continued to operate after the December 15 deadline would risk having a license application denied for operating outside of state law. And, because LARA isn't expected to begin issuing licenses until April and growers will need months to establish a crop, there are concerns that patients will have no access to much needed medication.

To address the issue, state Senators David Knezek (D-Dearborn Heights) and Rick Jones (R-Grand Ledge) introduced a pair of bills that would extend the closure date for current dispensaries and protect those operating them. ones, a former sheriff, said he was initially against legalizing medical marijuana in the state, but after spending a lot of time investigating its usefulness, has changed his mind.

That, he said, includes patients who were able to stop using opiates due to medical marijuana, its ability to reduce seizures, and help with the relief of some cancer symptoms.

"The genie is out of the bottle. Now, what do we do between December 15 and as many as nine months later if you don't have any dispensaries out there, and somebody is in great need?" Jones asked during an October 10 committee hearing on the bills. "I think what will happen, with my police experience – I believe if you simply shut them all down, it's going to go underground. You're going to have grandpas and sons trying to find marijuana to save grandma. It's going to be a mess. You're going to criminalize people that don't need to be criminalized."

As proposed, dispensaries wouldn't be penalized if they apply for a license by February 15, 2018. The bill has been opposed by the Michigan Responsibility Council (MRC), which represents potential growers in the new licensed marketplace.

"The illegal dispensary market has completely distorted the caregiver model, making patients dependent on illegal dispensaries. Action was taken and bills passed that created the new act. And the driving intent of the Senate, and I was involving in pushing this through the Senate, was to drive out the illegal activity and create an above-ground marketplace," said Steve Linder, a MRC lobbyist. "We find these bills – that fly in the face of the intent of the law, hasn't even written its rules yet and gone into effect – jaw dropping. Senate Bill 299 basically gives those operating an illegal dispensary a carve-out to those who are knowingly breaking the law. The licensing act also spoke very loudly about doing background checks. Why do we care about what happened to somebody 10 or 15 years, or 20 years ago, if we are going to reward those who are currently conducting illegal activity right on the main streets of our state."

Senators Jones and Knezek rejected Linder's claims, insisting the bills have patients' best interest in mind, while questioning the MRC's motives as being motivated by business.

"Mr. Linder, would you mind telling us what millionaire you work for, who you're lobbying for, and who it is that wants a monopoly in this business because we can all see through what is being said," Jones said.

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Linder declined to answer the question.

Knezek also said he felt opposition to the bill was based on big business and not the best interests of patients.

"The problem comes when there is money involved in all of this," he said.

On November 1, LARA put in emergency rules allowing current dispensaries to avoid facing penalties about license considerations if they were operating with approval from a municipality prior to December 15, 2017, and submitted a complete pre-qualification application by February 15, 2018. Those continuing to operate past December 15 must either obtain a license or close by June 15, 2018.

Jones said after LARA's announcement that his bill is no longer needed. However, he said he would be in favor of bills that represent patients interests and avoid giving any businesses unfair advantages.

"The intent of the legislature was that no monopolies be created.

That the growers, the licensed growers of the future and dispensaries would compete like anybody else," he said.

Businessman Tom Celani, who serves as chairman of Michigan's Responsibility Council, said requiring dispensaries to close prior to any licenses being issued would create an even playing field. He said the biggest obstacle to those who want to get involved is that marijuana is still illegal in the eyes of the federal government.

"There's still an issue of it being a Schedule 1 drug, but a lot of people in town are asking me questions because I'm involved in the politics," he said. "Personally, I can't be involved (in the licensed businesses) because it's a Schedule 1 drug. It's a serious issue for this country. I don't know any other business that has gone on like this. It's over a $10 to $15-billion industry. There's no reason that it shouldn't be taxed, regulated and understood."

Celani said those drafting Michigan's regulations are likely looking at other states, such as Colorado, where requirements were more lax and businesses failed too soon after opening. He said Michigan should look at the number of patients to determine the number of licenses it will issue.

"If you look at Ohio, they have an overabundance of grown marijuana," he said. "That ends up on the black market, and that's a problem. Ohio and other states are looking at the number of patients and the number of growers, which would be the responsible thing to do."

The Medical Marijuana Facilities Act specifically states that the regulation board can't create a rule limiting the number of types of facility licenses that may be granted.

Overall, Celani said the regulations are the right step for Michigan and the medical marijuana industry. osh Hovey, spokesman for the Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol, said in early November that the coalition had about 98 percent of the 360,000 signatures it hopes to collect to allow voters in 2018 to consider whether recreational marijuana use should be legal in the state. He said the group already has more than the 252,000 required by state law.

"We mirrored licensing language similar to what the state legislature passed for medical marijuana," he said. "It's logical to assume that what LARA is doing now to regulate the medical marijuana business will be similar to their rules for adult use marijuana."

One difference, Hovey said, is the desire for the ballot initiative to include a "micro grower" license, which would allow for up to 100 plants to be grown, processed and sold at one location, similar to a brew pub. The micro grow license, he said, would allow caregivers to expand into the adult use market.

If the issue is approved by voters, Hovey said it's likely the state will still be operating under the emergency rules for medical marijuana, which could be updated to ensure any differences are ironed out.

Suzie Mitchell, who started Michigan's Responsibility Council with late Republican strategist Paul Welday, said the council was formed to help form regulations around the medical marijuana law and business.

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Neither she nor Celani would comment on members who were hoping to get into the industry, but said the group represents large growers.

"They are in other industries that are federally regulated and don't want to jeopardize their other licenses," Mitchell said about business owners still hesitant to enter the medical marijuana market in Michigan.

Mitchell said it's important the regulations allow stacking of Class C grower licenses to ensure there isn't an overabundance of facilities which could be difficult to monitor, and to ensure large growers can scale up investments.

"We represent large growers, or those who want to be large growers.

That's what we decided to do when we got together," she said. "They want to have 1,500 plants. They want to be Class C license holders, and they want to have the opportunity to stack licenses. It's costly to set up to grow, and if you do that, you want to be able to scale up."

Overall, Mitchell said she doesn't feel the Medical Marijuana Licensing Board and LARA are making regulations that are favorable to any one group. McCormick, with the Michigan Cannabis Development Association, agreed.

"Big businesses need the entrepreneurial spirit that comes with a good idea. You need both for the market to be successful," McCormick said. "As it stands now, it's pretty equal.â&#x20AC;?

Whether or not the state's regulations favor big business is open to debate. However, there's little debate as to big businesses's interest in the medical marijuana industry. anadian-based Constellation Brands, which owns Corona, Modelo and other beverage brands, announced in late October a $181 million investment to acquire a minority stake in Canopy Growth Corporation, an Ontario-based medicinal cannabis product producer. Because medical marijuana is legal in Canada, the country's banking institutions don't have to restrict funds from the industry, unlike the United States.

Closer to home, some specialized vendors have expressed some interest in getting involved in Michigan's industry. However, whether that interest will develop into action remains to be seen.

"When it first came up, we had a discussion about it, but as it has unfolded, it's much bigger. It's really like nothing we do in the tobacco world," said Polly Reber, president of the Michigan Distributors and Vendor's Association. "There are so many parts and pieces to it, it's not the same business that we are in.

"In our business, we purchase product from a manufacturer and it's shipped to warehouses, then retail orders. We do everything, not just tobacco. And, we collect the state's excise tax on that. That's $1 billion in revenue... this is really nothing like what we are doing."

Locally a number of names of business people have been kicked around as having an interest in the promising medical marijuana business, including reports that the folks behind the Smokers Outlet chain may want to become a player in the field. Political contributions filed with the state of Michigan reveal business interests in expanding the state's marijuana market. Among the top donors to the coalition's campaign is Troy-based Smoker's Outlet Management, which gave $50,000 to the current legalization campaign.

With specific license requirements not yet approved, LARA kicked off a series of educational sessions at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi on November 8.

"We had over 1,500 people registered and over 1,200 actually showed up. We had so many people pre-register for the session that we had to move it to a larger facility," David Harns, LARA's Bureau of Medical Marijuana Regulation spokesman said.

Harns said the session focused mainly on technical concerns, such as how the state's seed-to-sale tracking system will work. The session also addressed the pre-qualification process for licensing, and the application process and requirements. Four additional educational session were scheduled in November, with more than 3,000 people signing up to attend, Harns said.

"That tells us there is a lot of interest out there," he said.

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Elba Township - $3,700,000 This meticulously maintained 240 acre estate is famous for its giant rooster statue & award winning Big Red Barn. 217101727 Presented by Ruthann Bullard

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5

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Birmingham - $3,399,000 Featured in Detroit Home, this Quarton Lake property boasts the finest attributes of modern living with an open and inviting floor plan. 217091442 Presented by Mike Heiwig

6

5.4

8953

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SQ. FT.

Ann Arbor - $2,900,000 A once in a lifetime opportunity to own this beautiful private Estate built in the 1920â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, containing 4.52 acres. 217066125 Presented by Susan Johnson

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6

7.3

8207

BEDS

BATHS

SQ. FT.

Bloomfield Hills - $2,799,000 Grand custom dream home designed to perfection by Dominic Tringali on 2 private acres surrounded by lush gardens. 217074486 Presented by Dan Gutfreund

5

5.2

4500

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BATHS

SQ. FT.

Metamora - $1,799,900 Stunning Serene and Private 22 acres Estate in the Heart of Metamora Hunt. 217086558 Presented by Lee Embrey

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5

5.3

5025

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Bloomfield Hills - $1,650,000 Stunning Custom Contemporary Designed by Alexander Bogaerts sitting on almost 2 acres. 217034585 Presented by Pam Budde

4

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4569

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Grosse Pointe Farms - Lake St Clair Frontage - $1,599,000 Stunning Grosse Pointe Farms Victorian resting on the heavily desired street of Lake Shore with panoramic views of Lake St Clair. 217097013 Presented by Alex Chapman

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5

7.1

4848

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Bloomfield Hills - $1,425,000 A magnificent Estate situated on a private cul-de-sac and 1.5 acres. 217091040 Presented by John & Bridget Apap

5

5.1

6407

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Bloomfield Hills - Minnow Lake Frontage - $1,375,000 Exquisite Lakefront Estate located on the best home site in the Hills of Lone Pine. 217086965 Presented by John Apap & Maryclare Pulte

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Northville - $1,249,000 AÂ rare opportunity to own an elegant prized landmark home sitting on 5 acres. 217065865 Presented by Dylan Tent

4

5.2

4843

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Rochester Hills - $1,215,000 Stately elegance meets modern luxury at exclusive Butler Ridge! Private backyard retreat has a Zen setting with large patio/terrace w/pergola, bubbling fountains & stunning gardens. 217092632 Presented by Dan Gutfreund

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4907

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Tyrone Township - Lake Shannon Frontage $1,050,000 This Contemporary work of art is on 1.5 acres offering views of the calmly flowing Ore Creek & Lake Shannon. 217098421 Presented by Tory Sheffer

4

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5647

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Waterford - Sylvan Lake Frontage $995,000 This custom home has views of the lake from almost every room with 200 ft canal frontage on Sylvan & Otter Lakes. 217026873 Presented by Brandon Curry

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LOCAL LISTINGS - GLOBAL CONVERSATIONS PEOPLE TALK ABOUT YOUR PROPERTY ALL OVER THE WORLD

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FACES Ele Bardha he ability to set oneself on fire, free fall from a building or turn a perfectly functioning automobile into a twisted heap of metal without being injured aren't skill sets on a typical resume, but Birmingham resident Ele Bardha's work as a Hollywood stuntman isn't a typical career.

"The things most people are scared of are the things I tend to steer myself toward," said Bardha, who's work as a stuntman and driver has appeared in more than 300 commercials and 85 films, including "Transformers: The Last Knight," "Baby Driver," "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice," "Deadpool" and others. "I'm scared of half of the things I get involved with, but there's no quitting. That attitude doesn't comply with my line of work."

Having worked in the entertainment industry for three decades, Bardha originally left Oakland County for Los Angeles with intentions of being a stand-up comedian and actor. Although he had been involved with extreme sports and car racing since a kid, it wasn't until moving to Hollywood and meeting other stunt coordinators that Bardha discovered he could "actually get paid for falling down."

"From a young age, at least as long as I can remember, I was always running around and jumping off of everything. As soon as I could walk, I was trying to get on furniture and jump off of it. Then it went on to the side of our house. I would be scared to have a kid like me," he said. "My parents were worried and talked to a mentor about it. After that, they left me alone and I found my own boundaries on my own. If that hadn't had happened, I may be working at Google in a cubical."

As Bardha got older, he transitioned from jumping off of furniture to jumping skateboards and BMX bicycles off ramps and landscapes. When Richard Golden needed a skateboarder for a DOC commercial, he gave Bardha his first gig after recognizing him as a skateboarder in downtown Birmingham. He later got into shifter kart racing, winning a national championship. Likewise, his driving ability provided him an inside track in commercial work, as well as televisions and movies.

Bardha's stunt work took off while living in California, where he was hired to do a series of high-energy, extreme sports commercials for Mountain Dew. Today, Bardha's work goes beyond stunts.

"I basically break down a script to see what the liability is or where the action is, and then I orchestrate and choreograph that," he said. "It's about making sure all of the elements are together to make sure everyone can do their job safely. Sometimes it might take weeks or months to prepare. To do it on the fly, that's where people get hurt."

Ultimately, stunt work is taking calculated risks.

"I saw my knee surgeon today," he said. "I've had five knee surgeries, and have had back, legs, ankles and neck injuries. Each incident was either at work or learning to do things."

Today, Bardha's work is expanding to include producing and directing. While he must often leave town for specific projects, he said he prefers living in Michigan, where he also operates his own production company.

In his free time, Bardha said he's usually training, and enjoys restoring 1970s Porsches with his brother.

"As life slows down, I'm easily distracted," he said. "But when things get crazy, I'm the guy you want when things go sideways."

T

Story: Kevin Elliott

Photo: Laurie Tennent

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80

DOWNTOWN

12.17

MUNICIPAL Buxton to lead city retail recruitment

By Lisa Brody

The Buxton Company of Ft. Worth, Texas, was hired after a unanimous vote by the Birmingham Shopping District (BSD) board at its monthly meeting on Thursday, November 2, to handle tenant recruitment for the downtown retail district.

Julie Fielder, an independent leasing agent who was a former retail leasing agent with The Taubman Company, had worked with the BSD as a retail leasing consultant since March 2009 until October 31, after tendering her resignation.

The BSD sent out a request for proposal in October for qualified firms and individual consultants for retail consulting with expertise in recruiting national and local retailers to work with them to locate and establish a retail operation within commercial spaces in the downtown Birmingham shopping district.

Interviews were conducted with six qualified consultants and/or companies, with Buxton impressing the BSD with knowledge, analytics and data.

Buxton Company, in business for over 20 years and with over 4,000 clients, is a pioneer in analytics, utilizing data resources, pushing new methodologies and technologies for its clients, their website states.

“They have a really good reputation, and have 40 representatives at their booth at ICSC (International Council of Shopping Centers),” said one board member. “That’s pretty impressive.

We liked their organization and their data. It’s a really different path for us. You have to have good leads before you do anything else. They have a credible reputation in order to recruit to Birmingham, and they’ll refer tenants to Birmingham. We were looking to piggyback with someone with a strong reputation in the market.”

Buxton will be paid $50,000 per year, plus expenses, for a one-year contract, and receive no extra commissions for leasing, which was a sore point in the recent past for some building owners and other leasing agents. The Buxton contract will start immediately. downtownpublications.com

Birmingham says ‘no’ to third art show irmingham city commissioners at their meeting on Monday, October 30, denied a request by an art show promoter who wanted to hold an art show in Shain Park in August the weekend after Dream Cruise, noting there are already two art shows each season with a long community history as well as recognizing the stress on local retailers from the events.

Hotworks, LLC Fine Arts & Fine Crafts Shows sought to hold Hotworks Birmingham Fine Art Show in Shain Park August 24-26, 2018, which organizer Patty Narozny of Milford described as a “high quality juried fine art and fine craft show with sponsors and food vendors, with the focus (on) visual arts, ethnic diversity, community enrichment and fostering art education among youth.” The application stated the art show would take over Shain Park and its environs for three full days, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Narozny said she also puts on the Orchard Lake Fine Art Show in West Bloomfield in July, as well as shows in Boca Raton and Ft. Myers, Florida in January and Asheville, North Carolina in May. Birmingham has hosted two other art shows for decades – each May, on Mother’s Day weekend, there is Art Birmingham, presented annually by the Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center (BBAC), which will celebrate its 37th year in 2018, and in September, the Common Ground Birmingham Street Art Fair, which just held its 43rd annual show in Birmingham. Each fair is a fundraiser, giving back to its community partners.

Commissioners asked Narozny her connections to the city, and there weren’t any, other than she is a resident of Oakland County. Proceeds were to go to the Institute for the Arts & Education, Inc., a non-profit, of which Narozny is president and treasurer, and is associated with Hotworks.

Commissioners took no action on the request, in essence denying it.

B

First floor retail rental space definition set

By Lisa Brody

After a lengthy and often contentious process, at their meeting on Monday, November 13, the Birmingham City Commission approved a definition of personal services for first floor retail space in downtown Birmingham by a vote of 4-3, to close the loophole where landlords have been renting to offices, which has been prevented by ordinance for over 20 years.

The city commission had been seeking a definition of personal services for first floor spaces, which by city ordinance is required to be a form of retail, for the last 18 months, with the issue going back and forth between the commission and the planning board, with planning board members frequently not in agreement with commissioners that a definition was necessary. This summer, commissioners sent them back to fine tune the definition, and to look at personal service definitions in retail communities around the country.

Planning director Jana Ecker said that at their last meeting, the planning board did finalize a list of

personal services, with a definition that reads: “An establishment that is open to the general public and engaged primarily in providing services directly to individual consumers, including but not limited to, personal care services, services for the care of apparel and other personal items, but not including business to business services, medical, dental and/or mental health services.”

Commissioner Mark Nickita, noting commissioners were provided with about 20 cities and their personal services definitions, said, “There aren’t any that I can see that say office anywhere. There isn’t anything in any cities anywhere that looks like office or could be mistaken for office. They were pretty consistent.”

“That’s correct,” Ecker said.

Commissioner Carroll DeWeese was concerned that the definition did not go far enough. “I support retail in the downtown – and this ordinance does not preclude office.”

“Let’s be clear – offices aren’t allowed on the first floor. They’re already excluded,” noted commissioner Stuart Sherman. “The problem is businesses are coming in and saying they’re a personal service.

We’re trying to figure out what is a

DOWNTOWN

personal service that belongs in the first floor of downtown, and what isn’t.”

Commissioner Pierre Boutros became intractable in an apparent effort to protect the interest of building owners, urging fellow commissioners to not make a decision without more consultants and expert testimony. “If something happens to retail, you still have to have flexibility,” he said. “I don’t have consultants, experts to help us make a decision. Do you think by changing the definition that brings in retailers?

I think not. I think the focus should be on getting the landlords working with the BSD (Birmingham Shopping District) retail consultant. I think we’re focusing on the wrong thing. I think this is rushing. It needs to be studied.”

“I have to reiterate – office is not permitted on the first floor. But let’s call it like it is – Shift Digital is office.

Gas Station TV was office. We have plenty of office, but it’s supposed to be on the second, third and fourth floors,” Nickita said. “Clearly there’s a loophole, and clearly staff has a problem with the interpretation. It was never meant to be on the first floor. No ordinance is perfect, but we address them. This is that today. This gets us much further, and that we can’t put offices in these spaces.

Reviewing the redline district (the business and shopping district) is the second phase of this. That’s not this issue. Once you get office, you never get retail, retail doesn’t want office next door. Love it upstairs. I think we have to move on this issue.”

Commissioners voted to approve the personal service definition by a vote of 4-3, with Nickita, Sherman, mayor Andy Harris and mayor pro tem Patty Bordman voting to approve, and Boutros, DeWeese and commissioner Rackeline Hoff, who felt the issue was too divisive, voting against.

Developer, school district swap acreage Bloomfield Township trustees on Monday, November 13, unanimously approved a consent judgement for a land swap between a local developer, Terry Nosan, for property his company had purchased on Franklin Road to develop, and a little over eight acres the Bloomfield Hills school district owns at their administrative headquarters on Wing 81

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Township hires two financial advisory firms

By Lisa Brody

Lake Road, in order to satisfy a lawsuit filed by Nosan Ventures against the township for voting against preliminary plat approval to replat the Franklin Road property.

Township attorney Bill Hampton explained that the township board had turned down a five-lot plat for property Nosan Ventures had purchased to develop just south of the E.L. Johnson Nature Preserve, which is owned by the school district. At the township’s public hearing, Bloomfield Hills’ superintendent Rob Glass spoke out against the development, concerned about the impact on the nature preserve.

“Nosan took out an appeal which is pending in circuit court,” Hampton said. “School board representatives approached Nosan to do a land swap. We (the township) were not involved.”

In the land swap, Nosan Ventures would convey the 4.603 acres of land on Franklin Road to the school district in exchange for 8.04 acres of 18 acres of land the district owns by the Doyle Administration building at 7273 Wing Lake Road.

“Nosan will have 10-site condos at the the site, and the township wants it to be subject to the open land requirements, with two acres of heavily wooded land to remain,” Hampton said. From the school board, the township wants land on that site, “which is being used as a baseball field, nature walk, to always be used as a conservation area, and to sign a conservation easement.

And we want an agreement for the land on Franklin Road that it would be merged with the Nature Center and never be developed.”

Hampton noted the land swap was a win-win for all parties, including the township. “There are eight acres that are not currently on the tax rolls that will be, and there will be further conservation,” he said.

The deal is still subject to approval from the school district.

Equinox approved for former BMW site Bloomfield Township trustees approved a site plan review and special land use request for a proposed New York-based Equinox Health Club for the former BMW dealership at 4065 W. Maple Road, at

their meeting on Monday, October 23.

Located on 3.3 acres on the south side of Maple Road just east of Telegraph, the site was previously occupied by Erhard BMW Bloomfield. Patti Voelker, township planning, building and ordinance director, told trustees that the applicant, along with the building owner, wants to renovate the almost 48,000 square foot existing building to accommodate Equinox Health Club, along with landscape improvements. The health club meets existing zoning ordinances, she said.

In its special land use/site plan application, the company, which operates 85 full-service clubs throughout the United States, Canada and UK, stated, “Equinox is the leading operator of upscale, full service health clubs offering fully integrated fitness, spa and retail services in a multi-site format.

Equinox has a disciplined and thoughtful approach to growth that has led to its success and strong track record, having never closed a location in its over 25 years of trade.”

The proposed fitness club will be completed to have open fitness and exercise areas for cardio, strength and stretching; fitness studios; lounge and relaxation areas; a lap swimming pool; a retail area and cafe selling related sportswear, accessories, snacks and drinks; and ancillary spaces such as locker rooms, showers, spa treatment rooms and laundry. It will be open daily.

Voelker said they needed a special land use request because they are seeking to operate beyond the township’s approved operating hours. Equinox, she said, is looking to extend their hours of operations from 5 a.m to 11 p.m., Monday through Friday. “The proposed hours for Saturday and Sunday comply with 7 a.m to 9 p.m. provisions of the ordinance. Any use with hours of operation beginning earlier than 7 a.m. or ending later than 9 p.m. is considered a special land use,” Voelker said.

Existing driveways off Maple will be expanded to provide greater circulation, with one ingress lane and two egress lanes. There are 213 parking spaces, with 30 covered spots in the rear of the building.

Trustees voted 6-1, with Dani Walsh opposing, to approve the site plan and special land use request.

fter a lengthy review process, Bloomfield Township’s financial sustainability committee recommended two firms, Gregory J. Schwartz & Company and AndCo Consulting, to direct different investment and benefit plans and advise the board of trustees on their decisions, and trustees unanimously approved their recommendation on Monday, October 23.

Dave Petoskey, chair of the financial sustainability committee, noted, “This has been a couple years in process. The township is a fiduciary of the township’s investment and benefit plans, and the board of trustees seeks assistance and guidance in its financial endeavors from experts in the public sector.”

The financial sustainability committee was created by the board in 2015 as an investment advisory committee to guide the board on all investments held by Bloomfield Township, or where the board of trustees acts as a fiduciary. It is comprised of three residents who are in the financial services community, the township supervisor, treasurer, finance director and a trustee. Its original goal was to send out requests for proposals (RFP) to companies or individuals who can determine the sustainability of the township’s defined benefit program and equity investment plans the township hold, and to recommend them to the township board of trustees who made the final determination.

Petoskey said that currently there is $71.6 million in the equity investment plan, of which $60.3 million is in a defined benefit pension plan and $11.3 million is in the retired employees health care trust.

Another $30.5 million is in participant directed plans, of which $6.1 million is in defined contribution 401A plans; $22.7 million in deferred compensation 457 plans; $1.1 million in a retirement health savings plan; and $600,000 in a college savings 529 plan.

In April and May 2017, the committee began the RFP process for selecting financial advisors by disseminating the RFP, “with a deadline for submissions June 15,” Petoskey said. “We received nine proposals, which were initially reviewed by treasurer Kepes and financial director Theis.”

He said three proposals – from Mass Mutual, VOYA, and ICMA-RC, were removed, and the other six proposals were presented to the financial sustainability committee, although one was eliminated because it did not meet the minimum requirement of advising another municipality.

The five firms under consideration were Gregory J. Schwartz & Co., which has had the equity investment contract with the township; Sherdan Road; AndCo Consulting; Retirement Plan Advisors (RPA); and Graystone Consulting.

During the final round, Petoskey said, presentations were made before 13 township employees from seven different departments, along with the committee.

Ultimately, the committee decided to choose two firms to provide services to Bloomfield Township – for the participant-directed plans, to engage Gregory J. Schwartz & Co. of Bloomfield Township, and for the trustee-directed plans, to hire AndCo out of Orlando.

“We put hours and hours into this,” Petoskey said of the committee, “and we did a thorough job of this. Both firms had ample diversity across the board.”

“Do we know what the contract consists of with each company?” trustee Dave Buckley asked.

“A five-year agreement with fixed costs,” replied Kepes. “In addition, AndCo has a one-year refund if we’re not satisfied in the first year.

“The whole process was done in an extremely transparent fashion,” Kepes continued. “For everyone who’s gone through this, it’s been a great process.”

“I’m thrilled with the results of the committee. We’ve been working on this since 2015,” said clerk Jan Roncelli. “The job of the committee was to advise us, the board, because we don’t have the expertise.”

“We would have been well-served by any of the companies,” Kepes noted. “The more we’re engaging ourselves, the more we’re engaging our employees, the more we’re educating ourselves financially.”

Trustees voted 7-0 to approve the recommendations of hiring Gregory J. Schwartz & Co. and AndCo.

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12.17

Religious school proposes church Sterling Academy South, a small religious school in Bloomfield Township which is proposing to build a new place of worship on the same campus, the New Detroit Meeting Room, at 1050 E. Square Lake Road, met with considerable resistance from neighbors in the community at the township planning commission meeting on Monday, November 6, with the commission tabling the issue in order to get clarifications on certain questions.

The property in question is located at the southwest corner of Square Lake and Squirrel roads, adjoining a residential lot and neighborhood, covering approximately 20 acres. The proposed New Detroit Meeting Room would be a 16,778 square foot building that would be built to the rear of the school. Experts, including landscape consultant Michael Dul, consulted by the Bloomfield Township planning department determined there would be no impact upon the site’s wetlands nor its 25-foot natural features setback.

Bloomfield Township Planning, Building and Ordinance Director Patti Voelker explained that the township’s 2007 master plan for future land use “recommends single family uses with accessory and support uses such as places of worship, schools and other institutional/civic uses. The proposed place of worship use for the single family lot will be consistent with the master plan designation.”

However, she said, houses of worship are considered special land uses which require approval from the township board.

Students who attend Sterling Academy South and their families are members of Plymouth Brethren of Ireland, a conservative, nonconformist Evangelical Christian movement whose history can be traced to Dublin, Ireland in the 1820s, and originated in Anglicanism. Members follow a rigid code of conduct based on strict Bible teaching, which provides a firm moral framework and is focused on a strong family unit. There are approximately 40 congregations in the United States.

Prior to purchasing the Bloomfield Township property from the estate of downtownpublications.com

Hilton Hampton Inn proposed for township four-story Hampton Inn by Hilton has been proposed for the Village of Bloomfield in Bloomfield Township, which is the former Bloomfield Park property on Telegraph north of Square Lake Road.

Patti Voelker, township planning, building and ordinance director, said Great Lakes Hospitality Group of Bloomfield Hills submitted the application to build and manage the Hampton Inn hotel, which will be designed to cater to a business clientele. If approved, it will be situated at the rear and a little to the north of the remaining parking structure, Voelker said, on the approximately 95-acre site.

The proposed Hampton Inn would be approximately 65,000 square feet with 101 rooms, a lobby, breakfast area but no separate restaurant, a meeting area and an indoor pool. The exterior will be designed to fit in with the township, with stone, brick, textured cast stone walkways, and architectural features on all elevations, “and with all of the compliances in the development provisions,” Voelker said.

The Village of Bloomfield is overseen by a Joint Development Committee comprised of Bloomfield Township, Pontiac and a representative for Oakland County, and Voelker said the owners of Great Lakes Hospitality, Dennis Evans and Mike Bacall, intend to comply with the development agreement of the Joint Development Committee.

The Joint Development commission acts as the planning committee for Village of Bloomfield, Voelker said, granting all final approvals, and the hotel will not come before the township planning board, board of trustees, nor any Pontiac commissions for further approvals. It was scheduled to come before the Joint Development Committee on Wednesday, November 15, at Township Hall in Bloomfield Township.

“I think it will do well in that location,” Voelker said.

Great Lakes Hospitality has six other Hampton Inns by Hilton in metro Detroit, including Commerce Township; Shelby Township; West Bloomfield; Dearborn; and two in Auburn Hills. They also have TownePlace Suites by Marriott, Holiday Inn Express & Suites, Staybridge Suites, Comfort Inn, and Quality Inn and Suites.

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inventor Harvey Oshinsky, the church and school was located in Royal Oak. This congregation has about 75 families, with 40 to 50 families attending Sterling Academy South.

A number of congregants attended the planning commission meeting to defend their right to build the New Detroit Meeting House, while others in attendance at the three-and-a-half hour meeting sought to squelch their application either because they did not feel a house of worship belongs in a residential neighborhood, or were concerned about disturbing nearby wetlands, trees, or the impact to the homes.

“My comment is that everyone’s property rights are equally important to them as yours are to you,” said township supervisor Leo Savoie. “I believe it (the house of worship) is allowable under the ordinance, but (township attorney) Bill Hampton is checking.”

Savoie noted that there are other houses of worship in the township in residential neighborhoods, such as St. Regis Catholic Church.

Planning commissioner Richard Mintz made a motion to approve Sterling Academy South being permitted to build New Detroit Meeting Room, but the motion failed for lack of support.

Similarly, commissioner Jeff Salz sought to deny their site plan review/special land use permit, asserting that the house of worship does not belong in the area, but there was no support.

Commissioners then tabled the proposal in order to get clarifications on the outstanding questions.

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P U B L I C A T I O N S 124 WeST MAPLe ROAd BIRMINghAM 48009

Water asset plan moving forward Bloomfield Township trustees unanimously approved draft of a new water asset management plan at

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their meeting on Monday, November 13, and agreed to put it on the agenda for approval at their meeting on Monday, November 27.

Township engineering and environmental services director Olivia Olsztyn-Budry explained that the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) now requires an asset management plan (AMP) to be completed by every municipality with public water supply systems serving more than 1,000 by January 1, 2018, as part of the Safe Drinking Water Act. “The MDEQ's intent of requiring the asset management plan is to ensure the long term sustainability of the public water supply systems by mandating a long-term capital improvement plan and funding strategy. The township, being proactive, has had this plan in place since 2005. However, Bloomfield Township, including other communities, is now being required to provide an asset management to the MDEQ and meeting their components within the plan,” Olsztyn-Budry said in a memo.

Water asset management plans are required to include five components: asset inventory; level of service; critical assets; revenue structure; and a capital improvement project plan, which the township created in 2005. She said that various township departments have worked with Hubbell, Roth & Clark over the last year to complete all aspects of the plan, and the recommendation is that no action is needed at this time.

Since this was an introduction, the final draft will be presented to trustees for approval at their next meeting.

Township beekeeper can continue hive A homeowner in the 1100 block of Forest Lane in Bloomfield Township who was cited for having bees and hives on their property appealed to the township’s zoning board of appeals (ZBA), which heard the case at a public hearing on Wednesday, November 8, and approved the use.

The code of the charter for Bloomfield Township states that farm activities require a minimum of 40 acres of a continuous, unplatted parcel of land. The homeowners, Joseph and Melissa Srock, live on 2.2 acres. Their existing beekeeping use is 86

RFP issued for Old Woodward construction he long anticipated Old Woodward construction is looking to begin in spring 2018, with the city of Birmingham beginning to advertise a request for proposal (RFP) for the work that will be done on Old Woodward Avenue between Brown and Oakland streets in the city’s downtown core.

The city is looking to open bids they receive in December, tentatively targeting January of 2018 to make a final recommendation of a preferred contractor on the project to the Birmingham City Commission, with the anticipation of construction beginning in the spring. The hope is to complete the project in late summer 2018.

“This is an ideal time of year to bid a project of this nature prior to the wave of construction industry bidding next January and February,” said city engineer Paul O’Meara. “We anticipate high interest in the contracting community to take on a job of this size and scope.”

Road Commission of Oakland County (RCOC) spokesperson Craig Bryson echoed that November and December is a common time to bid out spring road construction projects. “It all depends on when you want the work to start. We do a lot of bids in November and December for spring construction,” Bryson said.

The Old Woodward road project will completely reconstruct the roadway from Willits to Brown, and will result in major improvements below ground, with a new water main installed for improved water flow which should reduce the possibility of water main breaks; new combined sewers as well as improvements to existing sewers, and the installation of new sewer linings; and the installation of a fiber optic system that will be available for future use by suppliers as well as providing flexible adaption for future technologies that will reduce the need for future digging. A new irrigation system will be installed to enhance tree and landscape growth, and a separate electric system to enhance lighting options along with conveniences like mobile device charging stations will be installed.

Infrastructure for new street lights and traffic signals will be put in at the same time.

Above ground, sidewalks will be modernized in order to allow for improved handicap access; there will be wide mid-block crosswalks, as well as a planted median in the roadway in certain areas, as well as many other beautifying improvements.

“The infrastructure in our downtown is among the oldest in the city,” said O’Meara, noting that some of the pipes date back to the late 1800’s. “We recognize that this project will be painful in the short-term with the temporary construction disruptions, however, we believe that this necessary work will result in a better downtown core in the long run.”

The RFP is designed with incentives, as well as penalties, to bidding contractors, in order to secure a contractor that will complete the project as fast as possible, O’Meara said.

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located in their rear yard and is set back and screened with existing plantings, according to a notice posted by Patti Voelker, director of planning, building and ordinance in the township.

The Srocks received a notice of violations on July 13, 2017, from an ordinance officer in the township who wrote, “I have observed the bees and hives located on the property. Bees and apiaries are considered farm establishments...since your property does not meet the definition of a farm, you must apply for a variance from the ordinance through an appeal to our zoning board.”

The ordinance officer also wrote, “The Langstroth style structures used to house the bees and collect honey would also require approval as they are considered accessory structures.”

All accessory structures are subject to review and approval by the ZBA.

Melissa Srock wrote in her ZBA application that “We were not aware of the (40 acre) standard at the time we got the bees. We request to keep the bees in the current location, far from the neighbors homes or walkways or patios/decks. It is mainly also out of visual sight...Michigan is a free to farm state and we were not aware of this zoning requirement.

“Our family and kids got into beekeeping after taking a class at BCS (Birmingham Covington School). Upon investigation, it is environmentally friendly and a much needed resource to aid in bee population,” Srock continued. “We set the hive deliberately far from neighbors so there would be no impact. We keep bees as a hobby and not a business.”

The ZBA granted their request, allowing the family to keep operating the hive and beekeeping operation as is.

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Boxing fitness spot approved in township A special land use and site plan proposal for Rebel Boxing, near Leo’s Coney Island at Maple and Telegraph was approved by Bloomfield Township trustees on Monday, November 13.

Rebel Boxing Fitness proposed to locate at 6565 Telegraph Road at the southeast corner of Maple in the former Skier’s Peak location, offering group classes that are boxinginspired. Patti Voelker, township planning, building and ordinance director, said they were coming before the board for a special land use because two mornings a week they want to open at 5:30 a.m for early classes.

Trustees voted 5-1, with Dani Walsh opposed and treasurer Brian Kepes absent.

12.17

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EDUCATION DCDS planning major $30 million project

By Lisa Brody

Detroit Country Day School broke ground on Tuesday, October 17, on the first phase of a planned $30 million expansion project that will transform the school, beginning with major renovations to the middle school and reimagining the junior and lower schools into a single campus on Maple Road.

The private school, which has 1,530 students, currently is spread out over four campuses, with the Upper and Middle Schools headquartered adjacent to one another at the Upper School main campus on Thirteen Mile Road in Beverly Hills, and the Junior School, for students in grades 3-5 on Maple Road in Bloomfield Township and the Lower School, currently for students from PreK3 to second grade on Bradway Boulevard in Bloomfield Village.

DCDS has kicked off a multi-year, multi-campus project with its groundbreaking on October 17 that will transform the Middle School with $14 million of major renovations and an expansion that will double the classroom space and add 50,000 square feet to the existing three-story 60,000 square foot building, allowing each teacher to have their own dedicated classroom. The Middle School is located at 22400 Hillview Lane in Beverly Hills.

The renovation and expansion will also provide for more dedicated space for its STEAM program (science, technology, engineering, arts and math), the hands-on Maker’s Space learning program, and to expand instrumental music practice and storage spaces, renovate science labs, and create a private and secure play area for recess.

“Maker’s Space is project-based learning, which is hands-on learning for academics. Besides our strengths in academics and athletics, we also want children to learn by doing,” said headmaster Glen Shilling, who has been at the school for almost 40 years.

With the middle school expansion, which is expected to be complete with the 2018-2019 school year, Shilling said fourth grade will be moved to the middle school with the fifth grade, and sixth and seventh grades will be together. “We will have spaces appropriate for the different age levels, and will have dedicated cafes.”

The next phase for the campaign, downtownpublications.com

Cranbrook names Roche new director imeclaire Lambert Roche, head of The Bishop School in La Jolla, California, has been named the new director of Cranbrook Schools, to succeed Arlyce Seibert, who announced last winter her plan to retire following the 2017-2018 school year after 47 years at Cranbrook, the last 23 as director of Cranbrook Schools.

Roche will begin her official duties as director of Cranbrook Schools on August 1, 2018.

Roche is also currently president of the board of directors at the California Association of Independent Schools (CAIS). Cranbrook is a member of Independent Schools Association of Central States (ISACS).

Prior to her appointment as head of The Bishop School in 2009, Roche was assistant head of Groton School in Groton, Massachusetts from 2004 to 2009. From 1999 to 2004, she worked at St. Andrew’s School in Middletown, Delaware, where she served as director of college counseling and the department head for classical languages. She taught previously at Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, New Hamphshire and The Williams School in New London, Connecticut.

In addition to currently serving as the board president of CAIS, she is vice chair of the board of trustees for School Year Abroad and a member of the San Diego Heads. She is also an active member of The Headmaster’s Association, the oldest heads-of-school organization in the country, having been elected in 2013.

Roche holds an MA from Columbia University, an AB from Harvard University, advanced coursework through the National Endowment for the Humanities and at the University of Georgia and The American Academy in Rome. She is a graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy.

She is currently a Field Instructor for Master’s Degree candidates in the Leadership Academy program at Columbia University’s Klingenstein Center and has served on the faculty of the New England New Teacher Seminar.

“Aimeclaire is an outstanding fit for Cranbrook and has the right skills to lead the schools into the future. She has a remarkable foundation in education and a proven track record as a leader of schools. Not only was she the best match for this highly demanding position, she was the best match for the culture of the community. With her leadership, I look forward to Cranbrook building on more than two decades of historic growth and advancement under Arlyce Seibert,” said Jamison Williams Faliski, chair of the Board of Governors of Cranbrook Schools and co-chair of the search committee along with immediate past chair of the board Jonathan Borenstein.

“There was an overwhelmingly positive reaction to Aimeclaire. I think it is clear that she has the perspective, the expertise, and the talent to successfully head Cranbrook Schools. She is truly a respected leader in independent schools education while maintaining a remarkably approachable, collaborative personality,” said Cranbrook Educational Community President Dominic DiMarco in announcing her appointment.

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focused to open in 2019, is to combine the junior and lower school campuses together into a single campus on Maple Road for all PreK3 through third graders.

The PreK section of the building, an early learning area called the Barbara Plamondon Earle Early Learning Center, and nicknamed the “hamlet” for it’s neighborhood-like area, has been designed to have rooms that are like houses, “so it’s a ‘home away from home’ for the children, with two teachers in each room,” Shilling said.

The expansion would move them up

to a new structure – a “village,” for children up to fourth grade, where they would have a “farm-to-table area to grow things and learn to eat what they grow,” he said, “and a Village Commons, a specific Maker’s Space hand-on learning area.

“Children learn well when they’re doing things,” Shiller said, noting even DCD’s earliest learners are using 3-D printers and learning to code.

Funding for the projects is being done through the VIVID Capital Campaign, a long-term plan for the reimagining of DCDS. “We’ve have very

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generous donors, but we have more to do,” Shilling said. “There have been some generous lead donors who believe in the mission of the school.”

Shilling said they are currently looking to raise $15 million of the $30 million campaign, noting they have been quietly fundraising and saving money for some time.

The Lower School project still needs to come before Bloomfield Township’s planning board, design review board and board of trustees for site plan review and special land use request for approvals, but Shilling said preliminary conversations with township officials have gone well.

The school owns the Bradway building, and after renovations are complete on the other buildings, they will continue to use it as a center for innovations, “but not as a day in, day out building with 250 cars,” Shilling said.

“It’s a very exciting time for us at Country Day,” he said.

Roeper advanced online classes offered The Roeper School in Birmingham has kicked off its participation in the Malone Schools Online Network (MSON), which provides a variety of academically challenging courses to students beyond what would normally be available to them in interactive seminars.

Roeper has become one of 22 member schools, and the only one in Michigan, to participate in Malone, they said, as they kicked off their participation this fall. “Roeper high school students can now delve deeper into their passions or explore a new field of inquiry through advanced online classes that supplement the school’s already challenging curriculum,” said Kari Papadapoulos, director of communications and marketing for The Roeper School. “Online classes, such as American Voice, American Speech: Word as Action from Anne Bradstreet to Donald Trump, Data Structures and Design Patterns, Comparative Ecosystems, and Advanced Applied Math Through Finance, take place in a digital classroom with state-of-the-art video conferencing technology in the new Naas Learning Commons at the Birmingham Campus.”

Malone offers 29 courses, including organic chemistry, ancient greek, and philosophy in pop culture, taught by experts in their field.

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FACES Ann Marsh hen Ann Marsh was in the eighth grade at The Roeper School, fencing coach Jon Zelkowski started her off on the school’s fencing team. Before she finished college at Columbia University, she had made the women’s fencing team for 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, the first of three Olympic games she would compete in for the sport.

“I was very athletic and played a lot of sports at Roeper. I really focused just on fencing at Columbia. Fencing was really popular then at Roeper, and they had a high school team. The coach there started me off. He was really charismatic – he’d come in extra, let us use his equipment, and drove us to competitions,” Marsh recalled of coach Jon Zelkowski.

“Fencing is a club sport, and there were a couple other schools we could compete against locally,” she said.

Graduating from Roeper in 1989, she headed to Columbia, in New York City, because she said a majority of the top women who were strong in fencing were in New York then. “Michigan then didn’t have a lot of sparring (partners), and in New York there was a lot of different styles and competitors.”

She made her first Olympic games in 1992, while in college, “when the United States team wasn’t that good internationally,” which has changed.

After the Barcelona games, fencing became her life and focus for a while. She moved to upstate New York, to Rochester, where she trained full time for two-and-a-half years with a national coach, Buckie Leach. Luckily, she had qualified for a grant “just in the nick of time.”

Training full-time, which she said includes traveling and competing on the road about 140 days a year, is not only so difficult it’s hard to do anything else, but extremely costly, as well.

“There were World Cups all over the world. Most of the time they were in Europe, though I remember one in South America,” Marsh recalled. “Now fencing is so much more global. They’re in China, Tunisia, South Korea. I went to one in Seoul, I recall.” Both the men’s and women’s teams each have three different events to compete in, “and there are different weapons in fencing.”

Besides competing in the ‘92, ‘96 and 2000 summer Olympics, Marsh won a bronze medal in the team foil event at the 2001 World Fencing Championships in Nimes, France – and said she missed the bronze “by only two touches” in the 2000 Olympics. She was simultaneously attending medical school from 1996-2000 in Rochester, New York.

While she said she didn’t win any medals in the Olympics, “I was the first person to do well on a senior level, and made the finals, meaning the top eight, in 10 world cups and three Olympics.” Roeper has also put her in their Hall of Fame.

Now a practicing emergency room physician and mother of two, she continues to fence by not only competing but coaching at Renaissance Fencing in Troy, where her husband runs the program. And in 2016, for the Rio games, she was captain of the fencing athlete delegation.

Her daughter and son have picked up fencing foils, and have begun to compete as well, “but they play a lot of other sports too.”

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Story: Lisa Brody

Photo: Jean Lannen

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PLACES TO EAT The Places To Eat for Downtown is a quick reference source to establishments offering a place for dining, either breakfast, lunch or dinner. The listings include nearly all dining establishments with seating in the Birmingham/Bloomfield area, and then some select restaurants outside the immediate area served by Downtown. The complete Places To Eat is available at downtownpublications.com and in an optimized format for your smart phone (downtownpublications.com/mobile), where you can actually map out locations and automatically dial a restaurant from our Places To Eat.

Birmingham/Bloomfield 220: American. Lunch & Dinner, MondaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 220 E. Merrill Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.646.2220.

5th Tavern: American. Lunch & Dinner daily.

No reservations. Liquor. 2262 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48302.

248.481.9607.

Andiamo: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 6676 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48301.

248.865.9300.

Bagger Dave's Legendary Burger Tavern: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 6608 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48301.

248.792.3579.

Bangkok Thai Bistro: Thai. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 42805 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Township, 48304.

248.499.6867.

Beau's: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 4108 W. Maple, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.626.2630.

Bella Piatti: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor.

167 Townsend Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.494.7110.

Beverly Hills Grill: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Liquor. No reservations. 31471 Southfield Road, Beverly Hills, 48025. 248.642.2355.

Beyond Juice: Contemporary. Breakfast & Lunch daily; Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. 270 West Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.7078.

Big Rock Chophouse: American. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations.

Liquor. 245 South Eton Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.7774.

Bill's: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, Daily. Reservations, lunch only. Liquor.

39556 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.646.9000.

Birmingham Sushi Cafe: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 377 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009.

248.593.8880.

Bistro Joe’s Kitchen: Global. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Sunday brunch. Liquor.

Reservations. 34244 Woodward Ave., Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.0984.

Bloomfield Deli: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, Monday-Friday. No reservations. 71 W. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48304.

248.645.6879.

Brooklyn Pizza: Pizza. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

No reservations. 111 Henrietta Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.6690.

Café ML: New American. Dinner, daily.

Liquor. Call ahead. 3607 W. Maple Road, Bloomfield Township. 248.642.4000.

Cafe Via: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 310 East Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.644.8800.

Cameron’s Steakhouse: American. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 115 Willits Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.723.1700.

downtownpublications.com

2 FABULOUS HOLIDAY SPECIALS

China Village: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. 1655 Opdyke, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.758.1221.

Churchill's Bistro & Cigar Bar: Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 116 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.4555.

Cityscape Deli: Deli. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. Beer.

877 W. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.540.7220.

Commonwealth: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 300 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009.

248.792.9766.

Dick O’Dow’s: Irish. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 160 West Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.642.1135.

Eddie Merlot's: Steak & seafood. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 37000 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.712.4095.

Einstein Bros. Bagels: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 4089 West Maple Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301.

248.258.9939.

Elie’s Mediterranean Cuisine: Mediterranean. Lunch & Dinner, MondaySaturday. No reservations. Liquor. 263 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.647.2420.

Embers Deli & Restaurant: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. Dinner, Monday-Friday. No reservations. 3598 West Maple Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.645.1033.

Flemings Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar: American. Dinner, daily. Reservations.

Liquor. 323 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.723.0134.

Forest: European. Dinner, Monday-Saturday.

Reservations. Liquor. 735 Forest Avenue, Birmingham 48009. 248.258.9400.

Four Story Burger: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 290 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009.

248.385.0506.

Greek Island Coney Restaurant: Greek.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 221 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.646.1222.

Griffin Claw Brewing Company: American.

Dinner, Tuesday-Friday, Lunch & Dinner, Saturday and Sunday. No Reservations.

Liquor. 575 S. Eton Street, Birmingham.

248.712.4050.

Honey Tree Grille: Greek/American.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, daily. No reservations. 3633 W. Maple Rd, Bloomfield, MI 48301. 248.203.9111.

Hunter House Hamburgers: American.

Breakfast, Monday-Saturday; Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 35075 Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.646.7121.

Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse: American.

Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 201 S. Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009.

248.594.4369.

IHOP: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 2187 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301.

248.333.7522.

Joe Muer Seafood: Seafood. Lunch & Dinner daily; Sunday brunch. Reservations.

Liquor. 39475 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.792.9609.

Kaku Sushi and Poke': Asian. Lunch & Dinner. Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations.

No Liquor. 869 W. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Township, 48302.

248.480.4785.

Kerby’s Koney Island: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

2160 N. Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.333.1166.

Khao San: Thai. Lunch & Dinner, MondayFriday. Carry out only. 355 W. Maple,

Carryout Or Catering Orders of $59.95 or More Present this coupon when placing order.

Excludes all other specials and offers. Expires 1/6/18. DTN

Buy 1 Dozen at Regular Price and get 2nd Dozen 50% Off

Limit 1 Dozen 50% Off Present this coupon when placing order.

Excludes all other specials and offers.

Expires 1/6/18. DTN

6646 Telegraph at Maple Bloomfield Plaza

CALL DINE-IN/CARRY-OUT/CATERING

248-932-0800

www.stevesdeli.com

$30 PRICE FIXED HOLIDAY LUNCH MENU November 28, 2017 through December 29, 2017 Starter (Choice of One) Butternut Squash Soup ~or~ Ceasar Salad Main Course (Choice of One) Honey Aleppo Shrimp • Layered Potatoes, Spinach, Fennel ~or~ Short Ribs • Port Braised, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans ~or~ Natural Chicken Breast • Gnocchi, Spinach, Rosemary Cream, Tomato Dessert (Choice of One) Pumpkin Cake • Cream Cheese Icing, Pecans, Caramel ~or~ Chocolate Crunch Cream Puff • Cookie Crunch, Chocolate Mousse, Whip Cream Enjoy a bottle of house wine with lunch for only $30: Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Blend, Cabernet Sauvignon Available for any size party. Counts on each entrée will need to be provided for groups of 30 or more, 3 days prior to event. An automatic service charge of 20% and 6% sales tax will be added. Beverages not included.

Executive Chef Gabby Milton • Executive Pastry Chef Eric Voigt 245 S. Eton St., Birmingham • 248.647.7774 • bigrockchophouse.com

DOWNTOWN

93

Birmingham, 48009. 248.480.3525.

La Marsa: Mediterranean. Lunch & Dinner daily. Reservations. 43259 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills, 48302.

248.858.5800.

La Strada Dolci e Caffe: Italian. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. Liquor. 243 E. Merrill Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.480.0492.

Leo’s Coney Island: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

154 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.593.9707. Also 6527 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.646.8568.

Little Daddy’s Parthenon: American.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 39500 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.647.3400.

Luxe Bar & Grill: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily; Late Night, 9 p.m.-closing. No reservations. Liquor. 525 N. Old Woodward Ave., Birmingham, 48009.

248.792.6051.

Mad Hatter Cafe: Tea Room. Brunch, Lunch & Dinner. No reservations. Liquor. 185 N. Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009.

248.540.0000 Mandaloun Bistro: Lebanese. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, Daily. Reservations.

Liquor. 30100 Telegraph Rd., Suite 130, Bingham Farms, 48025. 248.723.7960.

Market North End: Mediterranean. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations.

Liquor. 474 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.712.4953.

MEX Mexican Bistro & Tequila Bar: Mexican. Lunch, Monday-Friday, Dinner, daily. Liquor. 6675 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48301.

248.723.0800.

Mitchell’s Fish Market: Seafood. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 117 Willits Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.646.3663.

Mountain King: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 469 South Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.644.2913.

Nippon Sushi Bar: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner daily. No reservations. Liquor.

2079 S. Telegraph, Bloomfield Township, 48302. 248.481.9581.º Olga’s Kitchen: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 2075 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302.

248.451.0500.

Original Pancake House: American.

Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 33703 South Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.642.5775.

Panera Bread: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 100 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.203.7966. Also 2125 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302.

248.253.9877.

Phoenicia: Middle Eastern. Lunch, MondayFriday; Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor.

588 South Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.3122.

Pita Cafe: Middle Eastern. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 239 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.645.6999.

Polpetta Meatball Cafe: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 126 S. Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009.

248.792.9007.

Qdoba: Mexican. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 795 East Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.988.8941. Also 42967 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Township, 48304. 248.874.1876 Roadside B & G: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 1727 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302.

94

248.858.7270.

Rojo Mexican Bistro: Mexican. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 250 Merrill Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.792.6200.

Salvatore Scallopini: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer & Wine. 505 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.8977.

Sidecar Slider Bar: Burgers. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 280 E. Merrill Street, Birmingham 48009.

248.220.4167.

Social Kitchen & Bar: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations, parties of 5 or more. Liquor. 225 E. Maple Road, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.4200.

Stacked Deli: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, Monday-Saturday. Delivery available. No reservations. 233 North Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009. 248.593.5300.

Steve’s Deli: Deli. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 6646 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield, 48301.

248.932.0800.

Streetside Seafood: Seafood. Lunch, Monday-Friday; Dinner, daily.

Reservations, Lunch only. Liquor. 273 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.645.9123.

Sushi Hana: Japanese. Lunch, MondayFriday; Dinner, Monday-Saturday.

Reservations. 42656 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.333.3887.

Sweet Tree Family Restaurant: Middle Eastern/American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 42757 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Township, 48302. 248.481.7767.

Sy Thai Cafe: Thai. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

No reservations. 315 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.9830.

Tallulah Wine Bar and Bistro: American.

Dinner. Monday-Saturday. Sunday brunch.

Reservations. Liquor. 55 S. Bates Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.731.7066.

The Bird & The Bread: Brasserie. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 210 S. Old Woodard, Birmingham, 48009.

248.203.6600.

The Franklin Grill: American. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations.

Liquor. 32760 Franklin Rd, Franklin, 48025. 248.865.6600.

The Gallery Restaurant: American.

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer & wine. 6683 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301.

248.851.0313.

The Moose Preserve Bar & Grill: American.

Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

Liquor. 2395 S. Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.858.7688.

The Rugby Grille: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor.

100 Townsend Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.642.5999.

The Stand: Euro-American. Dinner, MondaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 34977 Woodward, Birmingham, 48009.

248.220.4237.

Toast: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily; Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations.

Liquor. 203 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.6278.

Touch of India: Indian. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

No reservations. 297 E. Maple Road, Birmingham, 48009. 248.593.7881.

Townhouse: American. Brunch, Saturday, Sunday. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 180 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.792.5241.

Triple Nickel Restaurant and Bar: American.

Lunch & Dinner, daily. Liquor. Reservations.

555 S. Old Woodward, Birmingham

48009. 248.480.4951.

Village Coney Island: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

653 S. Adams. Birmingham, 48009.

248.593.7964.

Whistle Stop Diner: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily; No reservations. 501 S. Eton Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.566.3566.

Royal Oak/Ferndale Ale Mary's: American. Weekend Brunch.

Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

Liquor. 316 South Main St., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.268.1917.

Anita’s Kitchen: Middle Eastern. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer & Wine. 22651 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, 48220. 248.548.0680.

Andiamo Restaurants: Italian. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, daily. Reservations.

Liquor. 129 S. Main St., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.582.0999.

Assaggi Bistro: Italian. Lunch, TuesdayFriday. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday.

Reservations. Liquor. 330 W. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale, 48220. 248.584.3499.

Bigalora: Italian. Weekend Brunch. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, daily. No Reservations. Liquor. 711 S. Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067.

Bistro 82: French. Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 401 S. Lafayette Ave., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.542.0082.

The Blue Nile: Ethiopian. Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 545 W. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale, 48220.

248.547.6699.

Bspot Burgers: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 310 S. Main St., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.268.1621.

Cafe Muse: French. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday.

Reservations. Liquor. 418 S. Washington Ave., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.544.4749.

Cork Wine Pub: American. Sunday Brunch.

Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations.

Liquor. 23810 Woodward Ave., Pleasant Ridge, 48069. 248.544.2675.

D’Amato’s: Italian. Sunday Brunch. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor.

222 Sherman Dr., Royal Oak, 48067.

248.584.7400.

Due Venti: Italian. Sunday Brunch. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor.

220 S. Main St., Clawson, 48017.

248.288.0220.

The Fly Trap: Diner. Breakfast & Lunch, daily.

Dinner, Monday-Friday. No reservations. 22950 Woodward Ave., 48220. 248.399.5150.

GreenSpace Cafe: Vegan. Dinner, TuesdaySaturday. No reservations. Liquor. 215. W. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale, 48220.

248.206.7510.

Howe’s Bayou: Cajun. Lunch, MondaySaturday. Dinner, daily. No reservations.

Liquor. 22949 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, 48220. 248.691.7145.

Inn Season Cafe: Vegetarian. Sunday Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday.

No reservations. 500 E. Fourth St., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.547.7916.

Inyo Restaurant Lounge: Asian Fusion.

Weekend Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

No reservations. Liquor. 22871 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, 48220. 248.543.9500.

KouZina: Greek. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 121 N. Main St., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.629.6500.

Lily’s Seafood: Seafood. Weekend Brunch.

Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

Liquor. 410 S. Washington Ave., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.591.5459.

Local Kitchen and Bar: American. Weekend Brunch. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 344 W. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale, 48220.

DOWNTOWN

248.291.5650.

Lockhart’s BBQ: Barbeque. Sunday Brunch.

Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. Liquor. 202 E. Third St., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.584.4227.

Oak City Grille: American. Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 212 W. 6th St, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.556.0947.

One-Eyed Betty: American. Weekend Breakfast. Dinner, daily. No reservations.

Liquor. 175 W. Troy St., Ferndale, 48220.

248.808.6633.

Pronto!: American. Weekend Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor.

608 S. Washington Ave., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.544.7900.

Public House: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 241 W. Nine Mile Rd., Ferndale, 48220.

248.850.7420.

Redcoat Tavern: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 31542 Woodward Ave., Royal Oak, 48073.

248.549.0300.

Ronin: Japanese. Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 326 W. 4th St., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.546.0888.

Royal Oak Brewery: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 215 E. 4th St., Royal Oak, 48067.

248.544.1141.

Strada: Italian. Dinner, Wednesday - Sunday.

Liquor. No reservations. 376 N. Main Street. Royal Oak, 48067.

248.607.3127.

Toast, A Breakfast and Lunch Joint: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 23144 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, 48220. 248.398.0444.

Tom’s Oyster Bar: Seafood. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 318 S. Main St., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.541.1186.

Town Tavern: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 116 W. Fourth St., Royal Oak, 48067.

248.544.7300.

The Morrie: American. Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 511 S. Main St., Royal Oak, 48067. 248.216.1112.

Trattoria Da Luigi: Italian. Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 415 S, Washington Ave., Royal Oak, 48067.

248.542.4444.

Twisted Tavern: American. Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 22901 Woodward Ave., Ferndale, 48220. 248.545,6750.

Vinsetta Garage: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 27799 Woodward Ave., Berkley, 48072.

248.548.7711.

Troy/Rochester Bspot Burgers: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 176 N. Adams Rd, Rochester Hills, 48309.

248.218.6001.

Capital Grille: Steak & Seafood. Lunch, Monday-Saturday. Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 2800 West Big Beaver Rd., Somerset Collection, Troy, 48084. 248.649.5300.

Cafe Sushi: Pan-Asian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1933 W. Maple Rd, Troy, 48084. 248.280.1831.

Chapman House: French-American. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations recommended. Liquor. 311 Walnut Blvd., Rochester. 48307. 248.759.4406.

CK Diggs: American & Italian. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations.

Liquor. 2010 W. Auburn Road, Rochester Hills, 48309. 248.853.6600.

O’Connor’s Irish Public House: Irish. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 324 S. Main St., Rochester, 48307.

248.608.2537.

Kona Grille: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

12.17

Reservations. Liquor. 30 E. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, 48083. 248.619.9060.

Kruse & Muer on Main: American. Sunday Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 327 S. Main St., Rochester, 48307. 248.652.9400.

Lakes: Seafood. Lunch, Monday-Friday.

Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 5500 Crooks Rd., Troy, 48098. 248.646.7900.

McCormick & Schmick’s: Steak & Seafood.

Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor.

Somerset Collection, 2850 Coolidge Hwy, Troy, 48084. 248.637.6400.

The Meeting House: American. Weekend Brunch. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. Liquor. 301 S. Main St, Rochester, 48307. 248.759.4825.

Miguel’s Cantina: Mexican. Lunch, MondayFriday. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor.

870 S. Rochester Rd, Rochester Hills, 48307. 248.453.5371.

Mon Jin Lau: Asian. Lunch, Monday-Friday.

Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1515 E. Maple Rd, Troy, 48083. 248.689.2332.

Morton’s, The Steakhouse: Steak & Seafood. Dinner, daily. Reservations.

Liquor. 888 W. Big Beaver Rd, Troy, 48084. 248.404.9845.

NM Café: American. Lunch, MondaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 2705 W. Big Beaver Rd, Troy, 48084.

248.816.3424.

Oceania Inn: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. The Village of Rochester Hills, 3176 Walton Blvd, Rochester Hills, 48309. 248.375.9200.

Ocean Prime: Steak & Seafood. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, daily. Reservations.

Liquor. 2915 Coolidge Hwy., Troy, 48084.

248.458.0500.

Orchid Café: Thai. Lunch, Monday-Friday.

Dinner, daily. Reservations. 3303 Rochester Rd., Troy, 48085.

248.524.1944.

P.F. Chang’s China Bistro: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor.

Somerset Collection, 2801 W. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, 48084. 248.816.8000.

Rochester Chop House: Steak & Seafood.

Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 306 S. Main St., Rochester, 48307. 248.651.2266.

Ruth’s Chris Steak House: Steak & Seafood. Dinner, daily. Reservations.

Liquor. 755 W. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, 48084. 248.269.8424.

Silver Spoon: Italian. Dinner, MondaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 6830 N. Rochester Rd., Rochester, 48306.

248.652.4500.

Steelhouse Tavern: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1129 E. Long Lake Rd., Troy, 48085.

248.817.2980.

Too Ra Loo: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

No reservations. Liquor. 139 S. Main St., Rochester, 48307. 248.453.5291.

West Bloomfield/Southfield Bacco: Italian. Lunch, Monday-Friday.

Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations.

Liquor. 29410 Northwestern Highway, Southfield, 48034. 248.356.6600.

Beans and Cornbread: Southern. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 29508 Northwestern Highway, Southfield, 48034.

248.208.1680.

Bigalora: Italian. Weekend Brunch. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, daily. No Reservations. Liquor. 29110 Franklin Road, Southfield, 48034.

Maria’s Restaurant: Italian. Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 2080 Walnut Lake Road, West Bloomfield, 48323.

248.851.2500.

The Bombay Grille: Indian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. 29200 Orchard Lake Rd, Farmington Hills, 48334.

downtownpublications.com

248.626.2982.

The Fiddler: Russian. Sunday Brunch.

Dinner, Thursday-Sunday. Reservations.

Liquor. 6676 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield Township, 48322.

248.851.8782.

Mene Sushi: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer & Wine. 6239 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.538.7081.

Meriwether’s: Seafood. Lunch, MondaySaturday. Dinner, daily. Reservations.

Liquor. 25485 Telegraph Rd, Southfield, 48034. 248.358.1310.

Pickles & Rye: Deli. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 6724 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.737.3890.

Prime29 Steakhouse: Steak & Seafood.

Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 6545 Orchard Lake Rd., West Bloomfield, 48322. 248.737.7463.

Redcoat Tavern: American. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. Liquor.

6745 Orchard Lake Rd., West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.865.0500.

Shangri-La: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. Orchard Mall Shopping Center, 6407 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield Township, 48322.

248.626.8585.

Sposita’s Ristorante: Italian. Friday Lunch.

Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 33210 W. Fourteen Mile Rd., West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248. 538.8954.

Stage Deli: Deli. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 6873 Orchard Lake Rd., West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.855.6622.

Sweet Lorraine’s Café & Bar: American.

Weekend Breakfast. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 29101 Greenfield Rd., Southfield, 48076. 248.559.5985.

Yotsuba: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 7365 Orchard Lake Rd, West Bloomfield, 48322.

248.737.8282.

West Oakland Gravity Bar & Grill: Mediterranean. Monday – Friday, Lunch & Dinner, Saturday, Dinner.

Reservations. Liquor. 340 N. Main Street, Milford, 48381. 248.684.4223.

It's A Matter of Taste: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 2323 Union Lake Road, Commerce, 48390.

248.360.4150.

The Root Restaurant & Bar: American.

Lunch & Dinner, Monday - Saturday.

Reservations. Liquor. 340 Town Center Blvd., White Lake, 48390. 248.698.2400.

Volare Ristorante: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 48992 Pontiac Trail, Wixom, 48393. 248.960.7771.

North Oakland Clarkston Union: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 54 S. Main St., Clarkston, 48346. 248.620.6100.

Holly Hotel: American. Afternoon Tea, Monday – Saturday, Brunch, Sunday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 110 Battle Alley, Holly, 48442. 248.634.5208.

Kruse's Deer Lake Inn: Seafood. Lunch & dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 7504 Dixie Highway, Clarkston, 48346.

248.795.2077.

Via Bologna: Italian. Dinner daily. No reservations. Liquor. 7071 Dixie Highway, Clarkston. 48346. 248.620.8500.

Union Woodshop: BBQ. Dinner, Monday – Friday, Lunch & Dinner, Saturday – Sunday.

No reservations. Liquor. 18 S. Main St., Clarkston, 48346. 248.625.5660

Detroit Angelina Italian Bistro: Italian. Dinner,

Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor.

1565 Broadway St., Detroit, 48226.

313.962.1355.

Antietam: French. Sunday Brunch. Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor.

1428 Gratiot Ave., Detroit, 48207.

313.782.4378.

Bucharest Grill: Middle Eastern. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor.

2684 E. Jefferson, Detroit, 48207.

313.965.3111.

Cliff Bell’s: American. Sunday Brunch.

Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations.

Liquor. 2030 Park Ave., Detroit, 48226.

313.961.2543.

Coach Insignia: Steak & Seafood. Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor.

100 Renaissance Center, Detroit, 48243.

313.567.2622.

Craft Work: American. Sunday Brunch.

Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations.

Liquor. 8047 Agnes St., Detroit, 48214.

313.469.0976.

Cuisine: French. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday.

Reservations. Liquor. 670 Lothrop Rd., Detroit, 48202. 313.872.5110.

The Detroit Seafood Market: Seafood.

Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor.

1435 Randolph St., Detroit, 48226.

313.962.4180.

El Barzon: Mexican. Lunch, Tuesday-Friday.

Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations.

Liquor. 3710 Junction St., Detroit, 48210.

313.894.2070.

Fishbone’s Rhythm Kitchen Café: Cajun.

Breakfast, daily. Sunday Brunch. Lunch, Monday-Saturday. Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 400 Monroe Street, Detroit, 48226. 313.965.4600.

Giovanni’s Ristorante: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations.

Liquor. 330 S. Oakwood Blvd., Detroit, 48217. 313.841.0122.

Green Dot Stables: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor.

2200 W. Lafayette, Detroit, 48216.

313.962.5588.

Jefferson House: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. Reservations.

Liquor. 2 Washington Blvd., Detroit, 48226. 313.782.4318.

Joe Muer Seafood: Seafood. Lunch, Monday- Friday, Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 400 Renaissance Center, Detroit, 48243. 313.567.6837.

Johnny Noodle King: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor.

2601 W. Fort St., Detroit, 48216.

313.309.7946.

Maccabees at Midtown: Eurasian. Sunday Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday.

Reservations. Liquor. 5057 Woodward Ave., Detroit, 48202. 313.831.9311.

Mario’s: Italian. Dinner, daily. Reservations.

Liquor. 4222 2nd Ave., Detroit, 48201.

313.832.1616.

Midtown Shangri-la: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations.

Liquor. 4710 Cass Ave., Detroit, 48201.

313.974.7669.

Motor City Brewing Works: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer & Wine. 470 W. Canfield St., Detroit, 48201. 313.832.2700.

1917 American Bistro: American. Sunday Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday.

Reservations. Liquor. 19416 Livernois Ave., Detroit, 48221. 313.863.1917.

Prism: Steak & Seafood. Dinner, TuesdaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 555 E. Lafayette St, Detroit, 48226.

313.309.2499.

Red Smoke Barbeque: Barbeque. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor.

Trappers Alley Shopping Center, 573 Monroe Ave., Detroit, 48226.

313.962.2100.

Russell Street Deli: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch,

DOWNTOWN

Monday-Saturday. No reservations. 2465 Russell St, Detroit, 48207.

313.567.2900.

Santorini Estiatorio: Greek. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 501 Monroe Ave, Detroit, 48226.

313.962.9366.

Selden Standard: American. Weekend Brunch. Lunch, Monday-Friday. Dinner, daily. Liquor. Reservations. 3921 Second Ave., Detroit, 48201. 313.438.5055.

Sinbad’s: Seafood. Sunday Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 100 St Clair St., Detroit, 48214. 313.822.8000.

Slows Bar BQ: Barbeque. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2138 Michigan Ave, Detroit, 48216.

313.962.9828.

Small Plates Detroit: American. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations.

Liquor. 1521 Broadway St., Detroit, 48226. 313.963.0702.

St. CeCe’s Pub: American. Sunday Brunch.

Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. Liquor. 1426 Bagley Ave., Detroit, 48216. 313.962.2121.

Tap at MGM Grand: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations.

Liquor. 1777 Third Street, Detroit, 48226.

313.465.1234.

Taqueria Nuestra Familia: Mexican.

Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily.

Reservations. Liquor. 7620 Vernor Hwy., Detroit, 48209. 313.842.5668.

The Block: American. Sunday Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor.

3919 Woodward Ave, Detroit, 48201.

313.832.0892.

Tom’s Oyster Bar: Seafood. Lunch, MondayFriday. Dinner, Monday-Saturday.

Reservations. Liquor. 519 East Jefferson Ave., Detroit, 48226. 313.964.4010.

Top of the Pontch: American. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservation. Liquor. 2 Washington Blvd, Detroit, 48226.

313.782.4313.

Traffic Jam & Snug: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 511 W. Canfield, Detroit, 48201.

313.831.9470.

24grille: American. Sunday Brunch. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. The Westin Book Cadillac Detroit, 1114 Washington Blvd, Detroit, 48226.

313.964.3821.

Union Street: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 4145 Woodward Ave, Detroit, 48201.

313.831.3965.

Vince’s: Italian. Lunch, Tuesday-Friday.

Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations.

Liquor. 1341 Springwells St., Detroit, 48209. 313.842.4857.

Vivio’s Food & Spirits: American. Saturday Breakfast. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2460 Market St., Detroit, 48207. 313.393.1711.

The Whitney: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & High Tea, Monday-Friday. Sunday Brunch.

Dinner, daily. Liquor. Reservations. 4421 Woodward Ave, Detroit, 48201.

313.832.5700.

Wolfgang Puck Pizzeria and Cucina: Italian.

Dinner, Wednesday-Sunday. Reservations.

Liquor. 1777 Third St, Detroit, 48226.

313.465.1646.

Wolfgang Puck Steak: Steak & Seafood.

Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1777 Third St, Detroit, 48226. 313.465.1411.

Wright & Co.: American. Dinner, MondaySaturday. No reservations. Liquor. 1500 Woodward Ave Second Floor, Detroit, 48226. 313.962.7711.

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Kathleen Jardine Associate Broker 248.755.4710 kjardine@hallandhunter.com

Royal Oak | 326 Hendrie | $649,300

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alk to town from this iconic 1900s estate home with all the characteristics and charm from the bygone years of metro Detroit’s “Lumber Town.” Exquisite spanish tile roof, cylinder glass windows and magnificent woodwork you can’t find today. First floor features a living room with oversized fireplace and hardwood floors, formal dining room with built-in china cabinet and plaster moldings.

Large eat-in kitchen. Great room and library. The beautiful ornate staircase leads you to the 2nd floor master suite and three additional bedrooms with abundant closet space. Enjoy dining outdoors under the gazebo surrounded by lush greenery. A true gem!

2,866 SF | 4 BR | 2 Full, 2 Half Baths | MLS# 217086202

For more information, visit HallandHunter.com

®

®

Hall & Hunter Realtors | 442 S. Old Woodward Ave. | Birmingham, MI 48009

FACES

Jackson Partrich he founder of Schlepper, Jackson Partrich, made his dreams of becoming an entrepreneur a reality earlier this year, and he did it before graduating from high school.

“I feel like this is such a needed company,” said Partrich, who is currently a senior at Frankel Jewish Academy in West Bloomfield. “In a society where seniors can’t drive, there’s Ubers and Lyfts but seniors don’t always feel comfortable in them or they don’t know how to use the app.”

Enter Schlepper, an affordable and private transportation service for seniors, which began its operations in March. The company’s services range from $12 for drop-off to $16 per hour for round-trip errand rides, which can be requested on their website or by contacting Partrich through email or over the phone.

The team currently has six employees working for the Bloomfield Hills 17year-old, aged between 25 and 60, with a few former Uber drivers among them. There are also high schoolers working for Schlepper who drive on weekends and after school. Being at Frankel Jewish Academy played a large role in forming Schlepper. Partrich said the academy has an emphasis on the importance of helping the senior community.

“I think this is almost a way to give back,” he said. “Like, all they’ve done to get us to this point, the least we can do for them is give them a nice, affordable ride.”

While some may compare Schlepper to Uber or Lyft for seniors, Partrich feels they are going one step above and beyond by really forming relationships with their clients. It’s all in their slogan: “A ride to take, a bond to make.”

“I want a client to call me back and say, ‘Hey, I have a ride next week, I

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want to use so-and-so again. She was so great, we had such a great time together,’” he said. “That’s what I want.”

Partrich – who is very close with all four of his grandparents – hopes a company like this can also help bridge the gap between younger and older generations. He thinks they have a lot to learn from them, especially during Schlepper rides, where conversations cover everything from current events and religion to pets and sports. No stone is left unturned.

Luckily for Partrich his clients are just as chatty with their friends about his company as they are with his drivers.

“In our community it’s all about word-of-mouth,” he said. “So when I drove my first lady she told two ladies, who told four ladies...that’s just how it works.”

Now Partrich finds himself being asked if he’s the schlepper when he’s wandering around town.

Speaking of, how did he come up with the name “schlepper?”

“It’s a word we use in our home. Its like, ‘Will you schlep me here?’ or ‘It’s such a schlep.’” Partrich said. “It’s a yiddish word that kind of means ‘to go somewhere.’ So we’re just schlepping around.”

Partrich wants the company to be “schlepping” for years to come, including when he goes away to college next year. His plan is to have Schlepper become a tradition at his high school, where another senior will become the leader of the company when he’s gone.

“I’ll make sure it stays strong and it’s still an amazing service,” he said.

And seeing what he’s done with Schlepper so far, no one doubts that.

Story: Dana Casadei

Photo: Laurie Tennent

THE COMMUNITY HOUSE Season of Gratitude

Focused knowledge and insightful service

I read that “Gratitude is a virtue every man should cultivate. Yet gratitude means nothing if you haven’t mastered the art of expressing it. A man should use every opportunity to express to those around him how much he appreciates their love, support, and generosity.”

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage has an unparalleled selection of product choices for a sophisticated level of needs and preferences, and unsurpassed service that ensures the complete satisfaction you expect and deserve.

As our “community” heads into the sacred season of counting our blessings and giving back to others, so too are all of us at The Community House; our leadership, staff and TCH beneficiaries, counting our blessings. For it is without all of our cherished supporters; our donors, corporate sponsors, class takers, child-care families, event guests, community partners, dancers, travelers, and our dedicated corp of volunteers – that our work would not be made possible. Saying “thank you” never seems to be enough, but it’s a place to start.

In today’s fast-paced world, many of us have forgotten to say thank you for even the simplest courtesies that we receive, from a bagger in our grocery store, to a server in a restaurant, to an operator giving us a phone number— even for an invitation or an event we are privileged to attend.

Contact me today!

Michael Tomlanovich Home Mortgage Consultant Phone: 248-731-0542 Cell: 248-797-0001 michael.tomlanovich@wellsfargo.com NMLSR ID 406444

Bill Seklar

As a 94-year old non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, The Community House relies solely on the kindness and generosity of others – to deliver on our mission – and to provide the community critical programs and services, programs and services which benefit and enrich the lives of others in our great community – some, without the ability to pay.

Information is accurate as of date of printing and is subject to change without notice.

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage is a division of Wells Fargo Bank, N. A. © 2014 Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. All rights reserved. NMLSR ID 399801. AS3422479 Expires 04/2018

It is during this time of thanksgiving and important reflection that The Community House pauses to humbly acknowledge and remember the many kindnesses and extraordinary generosity from those that have been entrusted with much...and to offer all of you, from all of us - a big “Thank You.” Happy Holidays!

Tactical Asset Allocation Strategies We use a series of technical and rules-based indicators that assist in putting offensive and defensive playbooks together for our 6 tactical strategies. What is your game-plan when it comes to managing your money?

LIMITED SEATING – TICKETS ON SALE NOW The Community House Dance Academy is thrilled to present two performances of The Nutcracker on December 17. Directed and choreographed by our award-winning Dance Academy Coordinator Liz Walker-Kreutziger, along with other members of the teaching staff, the performances encompass members of the Dance Academy as well as guest members from other studios around our community. This marks the first time in many years that we will present this ballet right in our own Wallace Ballroom. Enjoy this famous holiday tradition with performances at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at communityhouse.com or by calling 248-594-6416.

END OF THE YEAR GIVING – THE COMMUNITY HOUSE ANNUAL FUND The end of the year is almost here and the last chance to support our critical 2017 Annual Fund Drive is upon us. Please give a tax deductible gift to The Community House today, which will ensure that we can remain the important educational and community resource that thousands of individuals rely on. To make a gift to The Community House today, you can send a donation by mail, give online at communityhouse.com/donate or by calling 248-594-6417. Please help us help others.

SAVE THE DATE – THE BATES STREET SOCIETY DINNER The Bates Street Society was created to help recognize donors who make significant charitable contributions to support the work and mission of The Community House.

Members will be acknowledged annually at The Bates Street Society Dinner, an extraordinary evening hosted by TCH’s Board of Directors. The 2018 BSSD keynote speaker will be philanthropist and musician, Ethan D. Davidson. The Bates Street Society Dinner will also recognize TCH’s annual Pillars of Vibrancy; Education, Culture, Wellness and Philanthropy. 2018 Pillar Awardees include Dr. David DiChiera, Julie Rodecker, Katie Valenti, Paul W. Smith, Dr. Robert Folberg, Judge Gerald E. Rosen, Geoffrey Hockman. Save-the-Date: Saturday, February 3, 2018. Seating is limited.

Tickets on sale now.

Chris C. DeWolfe Managing Partner | PIM Portfolio Manager | Senior Financial Advisor cdewolfe@theicg.com | www.theicg.com

500 S. Old Woodward Ave. Birmingham, MI 48009

For reservations, tickets or more information about these and other happenings at TCH, please go to communityhouse.org or call 248.644.5832.

248.273.8200 Investment products and services are offered through Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC (WFAFN), Member SIPC. The Investment Consulting Group is a separate entity from WFAFN.

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William D. Seklar is President & CEO of The Community House in Birmingham.

DOWNTOWN

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SOCIAL LIGHTS/SALLY GERAK Here is the update on the recent social scene. Many more photos from each event appear online each week at downtownpublications.com where readers can sign up for an e-mail notice when the latest social scene column is posted. Past columns and photos are also archived at the website for Downtown.

Sally Gerak Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber Vine & Dine Erhard BMW’s Leslie Rhodes welcomed 300 people ($85 ticket) to the huge, new Bloomfield Township showroom for the Chamber’s annual sip, savor and explore event. There was more than ample space for the nine generous food and five spirit purveyors and the Axis Music Academy stage. Plus the Gleaners Community Food Bank chance auction of six baskets display that raised enough money to provide 15,000 meals as well as the M240 convertible that was filled with mini plush cows. Guests could buy one for $10 which pays for six gallons of milk for the needy. Because purchases were matched by the United Dairy Industry of Michigan, sales totaled 576 gallons of milk. A $1,500 BMW bicycle was also up for grabs by guessing how many cows were in the car. Lucky Sami Maassarani guessed the exact number – 1,550. The evening benefited both chamber programming and the Gleaner’s mission to feed the hungry and nourish communities.

Birmingham Bloomfield Cultural Arts Awards “It’s nice to be honored at an event where your friends do not have to buy tickets,” noted the ever candid Sue Nine as she accepted the BB Cultural Council’s Lifetime Achievement Award. It was eloquently presented by her nominator, philanthropy pal and 1999 awardee Maggie Allesee. Friends from the legions of nonprofits that have benefited from Sue’s talented leadership were in the audience of more than 100 people gathered at the Birmingham Bloomfield Art Center for the celebration. Fans also came to applaud Arts Award winner Glen Michaels. It was presented by council president / photographer Laurie Tennent, herself a past awardee. Although Glen was originally a musician and does fine portraiture, the nonagenarian is best known for his unique, ceramic/glass/found objects assemblages installed in public buildings and homes throughout the country. In his acceptance remarks, he explained why he and his late wife Jackie did not return to his native Washington after getting his MA at Cranbrook. “We loved Michigan,” he said. Then he spotted Karen VanderKloot DiChiera in the crowd and recalled his days as her piano teacher.

“And (later) the DiChieras eloped from our house,” he said with a grin, continuing, “...in Michigan there (are experts) in every field...willing to work with a crazy artist.”

Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber Vine & Dine

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Women’s Division Project HOPE Seventy five guests ($75, $100, $150 tickets) answered the Women’s Division Project HOPE’s invitation to Bloomfield Open Hunt where the horse power of luxury cars from sponsor Fred Lavery Company was on display at the entrance. Dubbed Call to the Hunt, the program began with traditional fox hunt sounds by Joanna Yarbrough played on her French horn. Several equestrian demonstrations followed with guests viewing the action via the glass wall of the indoor Ring Room. A buffet dinner with musical accompaniment by violinist John Bian and cellist Leo Singer concluded the benefit. Funds raised are earmarked for assistance to hurricane victims in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico.

ART VAN Award of Hope Since 2009, the Art Van Charity Challenge has donated $8 million and raised more than $24 million for 359 charities. Five hundred representatives of those non-profits flocked to the retailer’s Warren store for the 2017 Art Van Award of Hope celebration emceed by Diane Charles. They were joined by super model Cindy Crawford, official ambassador of the charitable giving initiative. downtownpublications.com

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1. Sunny Connolly (left) of Orchard Lake, Joe Bauman of Livonia. 2. Chuck Otis of Birmingham, Jan Artushia of Bloomfield. 3. Tom Artushia (left) of Bloomfield, Jeff Reider of Birmingham. 4. Linda Hatfield (left) of Farmington Hills, John & Debbie Schrot of Birmingham. 5. John Henke & Leslie Craigie of Birmingham. 6. Peter & Julie Kreher of Birmingham. 7. Neil Mio (left) of Bloomfield and Brian Yaldo of W. Bloomfield. 8. Andrea Foglietta (left) of Royal Oak, Peggy Kerr of Bloomfield. 9. Kelly Lewis and Steve Sanzica of Birmingham, Tracie Allright of Royal Oak.

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SOCIAL LIGHTS/SALLY GERAK Dramatic videos of the five honorees’ missions preceded the presentations to: Grace Centers of Hope’s Pastor Kent Clark, Rhonda Walker Foundation’s Rhonda Walker, Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan’s Christy Buck, Chicago’s The Well of Mercy’s Mary Zeien and Flint water crisis activist Lee Anne Walters.

Birmingham Bloomfield Cultural Arts Awards

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5 1. Laurie Tennent (left), Glen Michaels of Birmingham, Suzanne Michaels Barbero of NY, NY. 2. Maggie Allesee (left), Marcy Heller Fisher, Sue Nine of Bloomfield. 3. John Reddy of Bloomfield and Evie Wheat of Birmingham. 4. Annie VanGelderen (left) of Commerce, Bill Seklar of Bloomfield, Link Wachler of Troy.

5. Lois Cohn (left) and Sue Marx of Birmingham. 6. Lillian Zonars (left) and Karen Swanson of Bloomfield, Jean Schuler and Phyllis Clark of Birmingham. 7. Laurence Barber and Bob Ziegelman of Bloomfield.

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Women’s Division Project HOPE

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4 1. Susan Willis-Reichert (left) and Maggie Allesee (right) of Bloomfield, Linda Juracek-Lipa (center) of Birmingham. 2. Josie Sheppard (left), Connie McEwan, Kandi Brice and Christina Recchia of Birmingham.

3. Patty Ghesquiere (left) of Bloomfield, Cheryl Hall Lindsay of W. Bloomfield. 4. Wendy (left) & Dean Groulx and Margaret Grommersch and Bob Frey of Bloomfield. 5. Marty (left) & Diana Shoushanian of Farmington Hills; Bettina & Donald Gregg and Tina Prevas of Bloomfield.

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Pink Fund Dancing with the Survivors Getting to the Shriners’ Silver Gardens Center on Southfield Road during rush hour does challenge a driver’s patience, but the good vibes that permeated the Pink Fund event compensated big time for the inconvenience. Before heading into the auditorium for the program, volunteers (25) and 325 PF supporters ($150 ticket) happily chatted, perused the three vendor stations, sipped and snacked on passed appetizers as well as savory buffet station fare and desserts.

Program highlights abounded: breast cancer survivor Molly MacDonald’s moving story of why she founded the non-profit that has already paid $2,341,371 for 1,754 patients’ nonmedical expenses; the applause for her daughter visiting from Oregon wearing the same dress her mother wore five years ago in the inaugural fundraiser; Michael Krieger singing his upbeat song “A Second Chance” for all breast cancer survivors, including his wife; the videos of fund recipients and the eight dancers telling their powerful stories before each demonstrated the amazing results of 10 lessons at Evan Mountain’s Fred Astaire studio. The dancers were Carol and Michael Ziecik, Nikki Becker, Blaire Miller, Sue Colomina and her daughter Dr. Julie MacPherson, Cheryl Fabian-McCoy and Donna Petty and all had fan clubs in the audience enthusiastically applauding their elegance. The fifth annual Dancing with the Survivors raised more than $128,800.

Grace Centers of Hope Night of Hope The Hands of Hope Childcare Center at Grace Centers of Hope benefited from the support of 158 good guys and gals ($85, $125 tickets) gathered at The Reserve. They sipped, dined on the stroll, socialized and bid $8,010 for silent auction items as music by Collision Six filled the room and videos streamed on a large screen. They also observed while speed artist Dave Santia painted, upside down, portraits of famous people which Charles Wickins sold at auction ($5,050). When the last video finished playing, Melissa Aupperle noted, “The people in our videos are real people, not actors.” She then inspired pledges of nearly $10,000 12.17

for the children’s center. Thanks also to sponsors, the event will help provide full-day childcare for newborns and preschoolers while their parents focus on their recovery from homelessness and addictions at the 75-year-old Grace Centers of Hope.

Detroit Children’s Fund Dinner More than 240 guests ($5,000 & up sponsorships) went back to school, so to speak, at the Detroit Children’s Fund Inaugural Dinner at The Factory at Corktown. The gritty venue was transformed with a school theme, complete with notebook-patterned table tops, giant pencils, and a school lunch-inspired dinner menu. Gretchen Davidson, Kelle Ilitch and Ashley Crain chaired the event. KC Crain chairs the DCF board of directors.

Davidson and Ilitch also serve on the board. The event raised more than $1.55 million, thanks to DCF board member/Detroit native Adam Levinson and his wife Brittany’s matching challenge grant of $775,000.

All funds raised will support the DCF campaign to create 25,000 seats for K12 students in strong Detroit schools by the year 2025. “People understand the critical need for good schools...(They) are rallying together like never before, ”said DCF chief advancement officer Nick Karmanos.

Belle Isle Conservancy There have been changes since the first conservancy benefit luncheon in 2005, but it still attracts nearly 400 ($150, $300, $500, $1,000-tickets) people to the island jewel. This year’s chair Mona Simoncini moved it inside to the Detroit Yacht Club and added some nice touches. Guests were greeted with a glass of sparkling wine and an exhibition of Michigan designer fashions which led them to the silent auction display. The social hour seemed especially animated, at least for the harem accompanying Dr. David Di Chiera. They all wanted to be photographed with the opera legend.

Each place setting at the tables was accented with a jewel-shaped chocolate in a velvet box and a jeweler’s polishing cloth. Nice touch.

Likewise for the take home bag of goodies. Fortunately, the printed program contained all the important island updates because the ballroom acoustics were challenging. However, the informal modeling of eight of Leslie Pilling’s BLANK iTTi BLANK Collection and eight of Bridget Sullivan’s ecofriendly romantic silhouettes required no commentary. And thanks to generous sponsors, the 13th annual event raised more than $230,000 for the downtownpublications.com

Pink Fund Dancing with the Survivors

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1. Mike & Carol Segal Ziecik of Bloomfield.

2. Evan Mountain of Bloomfield and Laura Segal of Franklin. 3. Emily Ewing (left) of Bloomfield, Molly MacDonald of Beverly Hills.

4. Cindy Lane (left) of South Lyon, Judy Vindici of Birmingham. 5. Karen Sahlin (left) of St. Clair Shores, Gladys Kowalski of Bloomfield. 6. Kathy Myers (left) of Bloomfield, Rita Dunker of Birmingham.

7. Barbra Bloch (left) and Cindy Obron Kahn of Bloomfield.

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Grace Centers of Hope Night of Hope

1. Emilie Mardigian Fitch (left) of Birmingham and Nanette Droulliard of Detroit. 2. Melissa Rodriguez Aupperle (left) of Harrison Twp, Anne Marie La Flamme of Rochester. 3. Bev Ross of Rochester, Pastors Kent and Pam Clark of Troy. 4. Rob (left) & Cathy Zeni of Livonia, Rami Fawaz and Aaron Fitch of Birmingham. 5. Adam Pomichowski (left) of Troy, Bill McCarthy of Rochester, Nathan Conway of Bloomfield.

Belle Isle Conservancy

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3 1. Mona Simoncini of Grosse Pointe, Blythe Moran of Bloomfield.

2. Sarah Earley (left) and Eleanor Gabrys of Bloomfield, Pat Nickol of Birmingham. 3. Danialle Karmanos (left) of Orchard Lake, Vivian Pickard, Jessie Elliott and Kelle Ilitch of Bloomfield. 4. Rosemary Sarafa (left) & Judy Jonna of Bloomfield. 5. Rosemary Bannon (left) of Beverly Hills, Leslie Pilling of Detroit, Lidija Grahovac of Bloomfield. 6. Gretchen Davidson (left) of Birmingham, Dr. David DiChiera of Detroit, Cristina Dichiera of Providence, RI.

DOWNTOWN

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SOCIAL LIGHTS/SALLY GERAK creation of the new splash park that was unveiled at the luncheon. The first 12 luncheons raised more than $3 million.

Multiple Myeloma Research

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1. Sid & Sharon Moss of Bloomfield. 2. Marvin (left) & Sharon Walkon with Marina & Chris Emde of Bloomfield. 3. Barbara (left) & Howard Belkin of Birmingham, Brian Jennings of Bloomfield, Elizabeth & David Barash of W. Bloomfield.

MOCAD Gala + Art Auction

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MOCAD Gala + Art Auction The Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit’s annual fundraiser attracted 250 supporters, 130 of them for the VIP segment ($200 ticket). It featured serious socializing and scrutinizing of the curated auction art over handcrafted cocktails before a seated dinner. The After Party crowd ($75, $20, $15 tickets) then arrived for popular DJ Frankie Banks music, New York-based fashion model/rapper Chynna Rogers’ gritty performance and other diversions like readings by Aura Aura Polaroid and Rincon Tropical food. Counting some online sales, 183 lots of the donated art had new ‘homes’ and the 11th annual Gala+Art raised nearly $300,000 for the creative visual, music, performance and literary programming at MOCAD.

1. Elysia Borowy-Reeder of Detroit, Dr. Charles Boyd of Birmingham. 2. Roz Jacobson of Bloomfield, Jens Hoffmann of Birmingham and NYC. 3. Frances, Jane and Eddie Schulak of Birmingham. 4. David Folytn and Kathy Goldberg of Birmingham. 5. Elle Elder (left) of Orchard Lake, Linda Dresner of Birmingham. 6. Ed Levy (left) of Birmingham, Alan Ross of Bloomfield.

Photos by Trista Dymond / MOCAD.

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Wright Gala: Kaleidoscope of Human Color

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1 1. Elie (left) & Nuria Boudt (right) of Birmingham with Juanita Moore of Detroit and Gary Wasserman of Naples, FL. 2. Retha & Walter Douglas of Bloomfield. 3. Dave & Yvette Bing of Franklin. Photos by Annistique Photography. 4. Don Manvel (center) of Birmingham, Vivian Pickard (left) and Janis Rogers of Bloomfield.

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Multiple Myeloma Research Some 400 people ($175, $275-patron) crowded into the Westin Book Cadillac ballroom at the food and wine event Sid Moss designed seven years ago to put the spotlight on research dear to him.

(Like some others in the crowd, he lives with Multiple Myeloma, a cancer that affects the white blood cells.) But this night his other passions – fine food, wine and jazz – ruled as 25 food and 18 beverage purveyors served up delectable fare and the Buddy Budson Qunitet and Ursula Walker made music.

“He (Sid) may be small but he sure does things in a big way,” observed a first time event guest as he held out a wine glass for another sample. About 100 had come early for a panel discussion with researchers where there was optimism about new developments including individual treatment options.

Many also found goodies to buy in the silent auction. Patrons and sponsors savored dessert wines and chocolates at a more intimate Afterglow. The event raised an all time high of $140,000.

Wright Gala: Kaleidoscope of Human Color More than 425 people gathered at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History which Curb Gardner’s Creative Group had transformed it into a colorful kaleidoscope for the annual gala. From a sleek, black glass floor entryway to colorful geometric shapes that sparkled the museum’s iconic dome, the decor echoed the party’s goal – to celebrate the diversity of human culture and color and the richness of shared histories.

Byna Elliott and Janice Cosby chaired the swanky soiree and thanked all for 12.17

SOCIAL LIGHTS/SALLY GERAK supporting “...the Wright Museum...a place where history comes alive and Detroit comes together.” Andiamo’s surf and turf dinner menu had universal appeal as did the post dinner dance music by Al Mckenzie and DJ Yeezy.

Proceeds are still being tallied but sponsors and ticket sales will enhance museum programming as a community centerpiece.

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1. Tonni DiLaura (left) of Grosse Pointe, Dave & Kappy Hommel Trott of Birmingham, Bob Hommel of Dearborn. 2. Blythe Spitsbergen (left) of Farmington Hills, Marla Feldman of Birmingham. 3. Lisa MacDonald (left) Franklin and Lisa Payne of Bloomfield. 4. Linda Hommel (left) of Birmingham, Mazy & Jim Gillis of Bloomfield. 5. Gracie Van Huffel (left) and Duke Trott of Boston, MA, Taylor Trott and Miles Neumann of Birmingham. 6. David & Jennifer Doyle of Birmingham. 7. Denise Abrash and Jim Hayes of Bloomfield. 8. Shaunda Snell and Kevin Cronin of Bloomfield. 9. Joan Klein Aresco (left) of Canton, Kelly Dietz of Bloomfield. 10. Joujou Sukkarie (left) of Bloomfield, Susu Harres of W. Bloomfield.

Judson Center Rock Star Gala

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1. Steve Hill (left) of Bloomfield and Heather & Dave Mingle of Rochester.

2. Lenora Hardy-Foster (left) of Rochester and Dave Zimmerman of Beverly Hills.

3. John & Carol Aubrey of Birmingham, Nancy & David Lau of Bloomfield. 4. Ann Marie LaFlamme of Rochester. 5. Joanne & John Carter of Bloomfield. 6. Rick DiBartolomeo (left) of Troy, Dave & Heather Mingle of Rochester.

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CARE House of Oakland County The 315 CARE House supporters at the Townsend Hotel chuckled during Kappy Trott’s remarks accepting, for her husband and herself, the Patricia R. Rosen Award honoring their 20 years of leadership and advocacy.

That was when she confessed Dave Trott had been rejected by one of her sisters 30 years ago, but that her mother Linda, who really liked him, encouraged Kappy to give him a chance. However, the levity ended when Kappy, who attended law school as a mother of three young children, described the relentless tenacity she needed as a Wayne County assistant attorney general working in the Family and Youth Services Division.

“Abuse victims are changed for life...My heart is in prevention,” she declared. Board member Alicia BolerDavis had spoken passionately about the subject. “I know firsthand the devastating effects of abuse,” she said while lauding her employer General Motors for its largesse to CH. A CH client also gave her caseworker Bridget a bouquet for the health and happiness of her children who had been abused by their father. With the crowd thus motivated, Dan Stall conducted a live auction and pledging that raised $158,000. Thanks also to generous sponsors, CARE Night, which was chaired by Marla Feldman, Lisa MacDonald and Lisa Payne, raised more than $427,000.

Judson Center Rock Star Gala Nearly 630 Judson Center supporters ($400, $300 tickets) rocked around the clock at the MGM Grand.

Live tribute bands evoked the ‘60s and ‘70s as guests, some in vintage garb, bid on silent and live auctions, dined on the stroll and raised $455,000 for Judson’s comprehensive social services that help those in need succeed. But guests are still buzzing about keynote speaker Shawn Card’s story. His mother’s passion for helping children prompted her to foster 34 children. And be a role model. Shawn is a Judson Center foster parent and his daughter has recently followed in those footsteps.

A truly remarkable family.

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HAVEN Tailgate More than 150 HAVEN supporters gathered indoors at the Birmingham Athletic Club to watch the Lions - Saints game on a big screen. Former Lions on hand to tackle domestic violence included Mike Blatziz, Maurice Harve, Luther Blue, Bobby Thompson and Cory Schlesinger. The latter, now a high school teacher, spoke convincingly during the brief half time about preventing sexual violence by being “...a real man (not someone obsessed with cars, money and women) but one who takes care of his family and his neighborhood...It’s scary out there to intervene,” he noted. During another timeout director of HAVEN’s prevention programs Kole Wyckhuys told about HAVEN’s Redefine (masculinity) program aimed at making young men change agents in their schools and communities and a video showed the impact of talking about anger instead of acting out.

Other diversions included endless bowls of chips and super guacamole, a great BBQ buffet, open bar, chance squares game ($3,660), silent and live auctions ($9,425).

Thanks to sponsors, the tailgate raised more than $55,000 for HAVEN, which now has digs for residents’ 4-legged family members – the Farber Family Pet Center.

HAVEN Tailgate

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Then spokespeople for Arts & Scraps, Clinton River Watershed Council, Kids Kicking Cancer, Beyond Basics and CARE House each told their story, hoping to win one of two $100,500 grants that would be decided by the members’ votes.

The amount represents each of the 201 members’ $1,000 donation to Impact100. This represents double the membership from last year, the chapter’s first. Rousing applause greeted the two winning organizations: Beyond Basics, which will use its award to get 55 Pontiac students reading at grade level, usually within six weeks; and CARE House of Oakland County, which will use its grant to prevent child abuse by implementing a Nurturing Parenting Program. The power of collective philanthropy got a further boost when new president Mary Pat Rosen implored each member to recruit another for next year. “We could number 400,” she declared.

Send ideas for this column to Sally Gerak, 28 Barbour Lane, Bloomfield Hills, 48304; email samgerak@aol.com or call 248.646.6390. downtownpublications.com

1. Amna Osman (left) of Grand Blanc and Hannah Heebner of Dearborn, Kacia Hollins of Detroit 2. Nina and Christina Ramsey of Rochester Hills. 3. Lisa Gentile (left) of Royal Oak, Sarah Paone of Macomb, Michelle Marentee of Birmingham. 4. Lynne Thompson (left) of Rochester Hills, Jan Temerand of Dearborn Hgts., Linda Green of W. Bloomfield.

Impact100 Oakland Awards

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4 1. Ginny Fischbach (left) of Davisburg, Mary Pat Rosen (left) of Bloomfield.

2. Colleen Miller (left), Laura Laeres and Jessie Bell of Birmingham. 3. Mindy Vanes (left) and Veronica Thomas of Birmingham, Sherry Tattrie of Royal Oak. 4. Tricia Schuster (left) of Rochester, Blythe Spitsbergen of Farmington Hills, Pam Good of Bloomfield, Javier Reed (left) of Belleville.

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ENDNOTE

Finally, medical marijuana regulations early a decade after voters approved a statewide ballot proposal making marijuana legal for medical purposes, state officials are finally rolling out license regulations for new medical marijuana facilities intended to support some 240,000 patients in Michigan.

Approved in 2008 by 63 percent of the state's voters and enacted in 2009, the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act has been rife with shortcomings, resulting in repeated requests from the Michigan Supreme Court and local governments for lawmakers to update and refine the law. After dragging their feet for eight years, legislators apparently saw the light in 2016 and created the Medical Marijuana Facilities Act. The law sets up a much-needed framework for a medical marijuana marketplace where patients can more easily access their medicine. Despite taking nearly 10 years to create the law, regulations being finalized by a board of governor appointees are attracting primarily big money interests that will inevitably dominate the new system.

At the heart of the issue is a problem of supply and demand. There are simply more patients than the current supply of some 38,000 certified caregivers can provide with medical marijuana.

With each caregiver permitted to grow marijuana for up to six patients, including themselves, some current patients must either grow their own medicine or look for alternative sources. Consider also that the state Supreme Court in 2014 ruled that the state's 2009 law doesn't allow for medical marijuana dispensaries. And it wasn't until state legislators saw the potential for a $1-billion medical marijuana industry in the state, capable of generating tens of millions of dollars in new

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taxes, did lawmakers finally decide patient needs were worth enacting a new law.

Despite being deemed illegal by the state's Supreme Court, pioneers in the state's medical marijuana field took matters into their own hands and created their own marketplace of dispensaries. Supported by certified caregivers and often receiving permission from local municipalities to operate, there are dozens of medical marijuana dispensaries operating today in the metro Detroit area.

Under the new facilities act, those who want to stay or get into the medical marijuana business must obtain a license from the state's department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA), which will begin accepting applications on December 15. Under the new law, licenses will be required by anyone who wishes to grow, process, sell, transport or test marijuana from the state, other than caregivers who will still be permitted to grow marijuana for up to five patients.

While the new regulatory system was no doubt needed to provide for a legal and reliable medical marijuana marketplace in Michigan, there are some specific details that ultimately give a leg up only to big businesses. For instance, capital requirements for licensees are set at a minimum of $150,000 and as much as $500,000 for a grower who wants up to 1,500 plants. Those requirements are sure to hamstring some caregivers or small business hopefuls looking to enter the market, especially since they must show significant liquidity.

Further, licensees with notable resources will have additional advantages over small competitors. For instance, the state will permit license holders to "co-locate" up to three different

license types at one location, allowing for a grow operation, processing center and provisioning center at one location, as long as they can afford license fees and show adequate financial statements.

Additionally, the new regulations will allow growers to apply for and receive multiple grow licenses, allowing them to stack licenses at one location and conduct mega grow operations.

Such operations would potentially be able to control the supply of medical marijuana in the marketplace and create monopolies.

For municipalities, the new law and regulations help to determine what types of medical marijuana businesses will be located in their community, where they will zoned and how to better regulate them. However, the last-minute timing of the release of the regulations has many locals delaying any action or adopting a reactive "wait and see" policy.

While grow operations won't be practical for most municipalities in Oakland County to consider, many should consider whether allowing licensed dispensaries in their community is beneficial. The additional tax revenues will have an appeal once the cash registers start ringing.

We urge local municipalities to start a proactive discussion on how new medical marijuana facilities may impact their community, both pro and con, and whether their residents would benefit by their presence. With many law enforcement officials, politicians and others praising the medicinal benefits of marijuana, local discussions should be able to move past whether medical marijuana is moral or legitimate – it is – and into what is best for residents of their community.

Land swap a good deal for all parties ast January, Bloomfield Township trustees unanimously denied a preliminary plat proposal to turn five single family residential lots into a cul-de-sac subdivision from vacant property that fronts Franklin Road south of Hickory Grove Road, just north of Bloomfield Hills Schools' E.L Johnson Nature Center, after numerous residents spoke out against it, concerned about the impact to the nature center, and to what they believed would be smaller size lots.

The developer, Terry Nosan of Nosan Ventures, explained to the board that he was not requesting rezoning, just infrastructure improvements, and had made an application to commence with the state's platting process as prescribed by the Michigan Land Development Act in order to replat the property, and there were limitations on what the township could do to deny him under the act.

When denied by the township, Nosan sued the township.

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Also speaking out at the time was Bloomfield Hills Superintendent Dr. Rob Glass, who spoke of the subdivisions’s potential environmental impact to the nature center. However, even though the district had these concerns regarding the nature center, over the approximate 18 months the land was for sale adjacent to it, they never sought to purchase it at any price, despite recognizing that there was a likelihood that the property would be sold as the economy improved and it would be developed.

Township supervisor Leo Savoie saw the potential to make a deal between the two parties, and helped bring the two together.

Recognizing that the land would be developed in some fashion, the school district became interested in acquiring it in order to preserve the environmental beauty of the nature center.

However, as a developer in a strong housing market, Nosan wanted something in return.

Turns out the school district had more land

than they were using or needed at the Doyle Center, their administrative headquarters on Wing Lake Road. In the land swap, Nosan Ventures will convey the 4.603 acres of land on Franklin Road to the school district in exchange for 8.04 acres of 18 acres of land the district owns by the Doyle Administration building at 7273 Wing Lake Road. Nosan will be permitted to apply to build 10 site condos under the open land development ordinance, with two acres being maintained as heavily wooded land and wetlands. And the district must agree to merge the Franklin Road land into the nature center.

The land swap, which the township was not technically involved in, cost taxpayers nothing, and preserves wetlands and the nature center, as well as put eight acres of non-taxable land potentially onto the tax rolls, is a benefit for residents.

It’s an example of local government cooperating and truly working for the people.

B L O O M F I E L D H U N T C L U B E S T A T E S . C O M

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23 1.09 Acres $995,000

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Only 7 lots remain Gated community Bloomfield Hills schools Customize a plan and start today Work directly with your own architect, designer or builder Included: Bloomfield Open Hunt Club membership

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For a personal tour of available property or for more information regarding Bloomfield Hunt Club Estates, contact us at 248.644.7600 or visit our website www.bloomfieldhuntclubestates.com.

5 1.09 Acres $995,000

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REAL ESTATE... NOBODY DOES IT BETTER OVER $110 MILLION SOLD YEAR-TO-DATE 1770 Rathmor Road*

3251 W Shore Drive* 3251 W Shore Drive** 246 Nantucket Drive* 555 Vinewood Avenue* 555 Vinewood Avenue** 4536 Orchard Trail Court* 1484 Inwoods Circle* 4657 Twin Fawn Lane* 1469 Dell Rose* 232 Guilford Road* 537 Pleasant Street** 530 Haverhill Road** 5295 Elmgate Drive* 5345 Orchard Ridge Drive* 3890 Piccadilly Drive** 1217 Watercliff Drive* 894 Shepardbush Street* 565 Westchester Way** 767 N Glengarry Road* 1471 N Glengarry Road* 17805 Parkshore Drive* 685 Hillcrest Drive* 300 Nantucket Drive* 4050 Oak Bank Court** 49910 Jonathan Court* 1420 Fairfax Street* 930 Wimbleton Drive* 737 Greenwood Street** 1160 Hillside Drive* 1580 Oxford Road** 1885 Kenwood Court* 1885 Kenwood Court** 382 Hickory Grove Drive* 6065 Franklin Road* 6065 Franklin Road** 12 Vaughn Crossing** 4589 Edgewood Drive* 512 Rivenoak Street* 572 Watkins Road** 2906 Vineyards Drive*

$4,359,993 $3,500,000 $3,500,000 $3,475,000 $2,800,000 $2,800,000 $2,590,000 $2,500,000 $2,050,000 $2,000,000 $1,837,500 $1,700,000 $1,553,500 $1,450,000 $1,450,000 $1,400,000 $1,350,000 $1,310,000 $1,250,000 $1,250,000 $1,235,000 $1,225,000 $1,225,000 $1,200,000 $1,200,000 $1,200,000 $1,174,000 $1,150,000 $1,140,000 $1,130,000 $1,080,000 $1,025,000 $1,025,000 $1,025,000 $1,018,750 $1,018,750 $1,000,000 $1,000,000 $995,000 $982,000 $950,000

3024 W. Ridge Court* 3024 W. Ridge Court** 1065 Glenhurst Road* 3632 Strathcona Drive* 3632 Strathcona Drive** 650 Brookside Avenue** 2165 Yorkshire Road* 341 Pine Ridge Drive* 1130 Washington Blvd** 2641 Turtle Shores* 2641 Turtle Shores** 287 Puritan Avenue* 2216 Pine Street** 10034 Lincoln Drive* 10034 Lincoln Drive** 831 Lakeview Avenue** 379 Aspen Road* 379 Aspen Road** 3691 Lombardi Court* 5100 Wayfind Lane** 7205 Locklin Lane* 909 Smith Avenue* 4611 Brightmore Court* 1375 Aberdovey Place* 480 Thetford Lane* 1663 Standish Court** 367 Tilbury Road** 3173 Tuckahoe Road** 1141 Trowbridge Road* 3272 Erie Drive* 5128 Midmoor Road** 3224 Country Creek** 2748 Amberly Place* 30477 Oak Leaf Lane* 4496 Stony River Drive* 1553 Sodon Lake Drive** 5741 Shore Drive* 4751 Mirror Lake Drive* 1771 Birmingham Blvd** 4818 Park Hill Court* 1794 Fairview Street**

$925,000 $925,000 $900,000 $892,500 $892,500 $885,000 $875,000 $860,000 $850,000 $850,000 $850,000 $850,000 $830,000 $780,000 $780,000 $775,000 $750,000 $750,000 $725,000 $725,000 $700,000 $688,000 $685,000 $670,000 $657,000 $630,000 $615,000 $605,000 $600,000 $600,000 $590,000 $554,000 $550,000 $550,000 $545,000 $534,500 $525,000 $510,000 $500,000 $475,000 $473,000

4945 Carlson Park** $463,500 4097 Willoway Place Drive** $439,000 692 W Lincoln Street* $439,000 4259 Antique Lane* $431,000 2868 Hunters Way* $430,000 6081 Strawberry Circle* $430,000 1030 Rivenoak Street* $425,000 1030 Rivenoak Street** $425,000 1878 Stanley Blvd* $420,000 711 Maple Hill Lane* $416,000 35608 Cross Creek N*** $415,000 4012 Hidden Woods Drive** $405,000 1245 Cedar Drive** $403,000 1903 Roseland Avenue** $400,000 1751 St Johns Court** $389,000 5934 Blandford Road** $380,000 2665 Bembridge Street** $371,000 5442 Kingsway Court* $361,000 6093 Cathedral Drive* $350,000 6093 Cathedral Drive** $350,000 7472 Stony River Court** $340,000 5269 Hardwoods Drive* $320,000 3374 Adams Shore Drive* $280,000 938 Rockaway Court* $279,000 2601 Wendover Road* $275,000 2345 Ferndale Street** $260,000 4077 Justin Court* $260,000 1310 Altadena Avenue* $255,000 52548 Thornebrook** $252,000 1686 Holland Street** $250,000 1060 Stratford Lane** $240,000 1660 Inverness Street** $237,500 39473 Springwater** $230,000 444 Chester Street** $222,000 1507 Cole Street* $213,400 2300 Red Run Court** $210,000 1423 Butternut** $192,000 1841 Hoeft Street** $162,000 30941 Ventura Street** $130,000 1222 E Lincoln Avenue* $118,000 21028 St Francis Street** $75,000 * Listed ** Sold ***Pending

248.318.4504 | KATHY@MAXBROOCKHOMES.COM Visit The Kathy Broock Ballard Collection at www.KATHYBROOCK.com for property details.