As scAry As they seem, most food recAlls, from cucumbers to romAine lettuce, come And go like the lAtest fAd diet. A more long-lAsting concern of the AmericAn public Across the politicAl spectrum is the perception thAt the fdA is loose And permissive with industry regArding whAt chemicAl Additives Are Allowed in our food. mAny AmericAns Are wondering why vArious chemicAls Are Allowed to stAy in our food while they Are bAnned overseAs by the europeAn union. pAge 29
DOWNTOWN02.25
FDA: CONTROLLING WHAT GOES IN FOOD PRODUCTS
Long-lasting concern by many Americans that the FDA is being too loose and permissive with industry when it comes to what chemical additives are being allowed in our food while they are banned overseas by the European Union.
14 FROM THE PUBLISHER
Michigan residents have waited 10 years for state lawmakers to expand the Freedom of Information Act to include the legislature, the governor and the lieutenant governor. It may be time to take the issue to the ballot if the House and Senate don’t move on this quickly.
19
CRIME MAP
A recap of select categories of crime occurring in the past month in Birmingham, Bloomfield Township and Bloomfield Hills, presented in map format, plus a reminder about our online interactive map with story details on public safety incidents.
Jeremy Moss for SOS; Republicans line up for governor; Hertel v. BJ Williams; search for state GOP leader; tough road for Tate; new position for Stevens; plus more.
45
MUNICIPAL
Community center vote delayed; Village Fair closing hours set; city discrimination lawsuit settled; illegal Rouge River discharges remedied; Bloomfield Township paid parental leave; police chief now FBI graduate; plus more.
Photo by Laurie Tennent
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FROM THE PUBLISHER
There seems to be general agreement, among those who follow the machinations of state lawmakers in Lansing, that the most recently completed sessions stand as open acknowledgment that something is sorely amiss in the legislative segment of state government.
Just picture this. Republican House members decided in mid December to boycott any further session of that chamber where Democrats held a 56-54 slim majority, and a 56 member quorum must be present to hold a session. Then consider that Karen Whitsett, a Democrat Representative from Detroit, decided she would no longer show unless House majority leaders agreed to take up what she described as “Black issues” – which included wiping out debt (hundreds of millions) of city schools, a water affordability bill and other legislation.
After several days of this stalemate, House Speaker Joe Tate (D-Detroit) issued a short-lived and unsuccessful call of the House order to round up missing members and then on Thursday, December 19, called an adjournment of the House until the end of December.
Left unaddressed were dozens of bills that had passed the Senate but still needed a vote of the House. Also neglected in the cluster were nine bills that had passed both chambers and needed to be presented to the governor for either a signature or a veto.
Lost in the mess created by House Republicans and Whitsett was the expansion of the Freedom of Information Act to include the legislature, lieutenant governor and governor. The original FOIA adopted by the state in 1976 specifically exempts the offices and employees of the governor and lieutenant governor, and an opinion by past Michigan Attorney General Frank Kelly exempted the legislature.
Only one other state provides a blanket exemption for the governor/lieutenant governor and most legislatures have at least some limited coverage by their state’s FOIA, even though the specific requirements may vary on such details as required response times and fees that can be charged.
As many have repeatedly noted, Michigan is rated by outside interest groups as dead last in terms of transparency of the state government. Yes, a financial disclosure requirement in the Michigan Constitution was adopted by voters in 2022 (Proposal I) but enabling legislation from lawmakers was at best a water-downed version of what was originally requested by an outside bi-partisan group. The bills expanding what branches of government would be subject to the FOIA would have gone a long way in cleaning up part of the problem in Michigan.
If memory serves me correctly, one of the first attempts at expanding FOIA coverage was a House bill in 2014, so this issue has been allowed to linger with no resolution for the past decade. The House has passed something similar more than once but it was often sent off to a committee to die in the Senate.
Democrat Jeremy Moss of Southfield has been on the ground floor of this attempt when he served in the House from 2014-2018 and he is still
at the forefront of this effort since moving to the Senate representing a district that includes Bloomfield Township and Bloomfield Hills.
I spoke to Moss in recent weeks as the first bill introduced in the new session of the Senate was proposed FOIA legislation that for the most part mirrors what was left to die in the House last year with no floor vote in the lame duck session, even though a committee had approved sending the bill to House membership after the senate, in June of last year, had passed the bills.
Moss said an expanded FOIA will likely be a top priority but I reminded him that Republican Matt Hall (R-Richland), the new House Speaker, has said the issue was not tops on his agenda in the new session, even though in the past he has voted for such legislation. Moss said he remained hopeful after having a private discussion with Hall in recent weeks.
There has been some off-the-cuff talk by some public interest groups to possibly go to the ballot to move this issue for the 2026 election. After all, citizens here were granted the right in the 1963 Michigan Constitution to use the ballot for referendum efforts on law, amendments to the constitution and passage of new laws. The right of citizens initiative was first granted in 1908 but the restrictive nature of requirements prevented much from happening. Changes made in 1963 really opened the flood gates.
Since 1963, through initiative petition there have been 35 proposed amendments to the Michigan Constitution; about 15-16 citizen initiative law attempts, and 14 referendum attempts on the ballot to challenge laws.
Not all of those have passed but we are fortunate enough to have this right as one of the 26 states that allow for initiative petitions or referendum efforts, or both. Michigan voters have determined the fate of ballot issues on tax limitations; the bottle bill; private school vouchers; voting rights; non-partisan elections of judges; minimum wages; cannabis use; and physician-assisted suicide, just to name a handfull.
To put a proposed new law on the ballot for voter determination, signatures on petitions must equal at least eight percent of the votes cast in the last gubernatorial election. A citizen initiative to amend the constitution requires signatures equaling 10 percent of all those who voted for governor in the last election, while a referendum drive only requires signatures equaling five percent of the total votes last cast for the office of governor.
No easy task, to be sure. It requires a strong organizational effort on the part of the citizens, and a boatload of money for both the petition drive and promotion of the issue once on the ballot.
But we were granted this right and it may take such an effort to get FOIA expansion enacted after a failure by lawmakers to deal with this issue. We have waited 10 years – enough is enough.
David Hohendorf Publisher DavidHohendorf@DowntownPublications.com
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State deforestation
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) yielded to Michigan (Governor Gretchen) Whitmer to build a green energy plant. Such a plant is meant to save the environment and prevent climate changes.
To build such a plant Michigan plans to shave 125,000 trees. This plant is not guarantied more than Obama Solyndra, which lost 550 million dollars in public money, but Michigan will also lose 125,000 trees.
Not 420 acres only that (the) Michigan DNR is after -- it is leasing of another 4,000 acres of public land for the excuse of revenue lost by dwindling hunting and fishing licenses. Worse, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a rubber stamp of failed Biden policies, wants Michigan to be 100 percent "clean energy" by 2040. Yet global enthusiasm for such energy, impractical as it is, is dwindling. In the same time Whitmer closed in 2022 the Palisades Nuclear Plant, reopening it will provide more than enough clean energy to Michigan obviating the need for an additional plant. Be it as it may, our car industry, whatever left of it, needs cheap energy.
Global deforestation is a big problem by itself. The largest tropical forest on earth in the Amazon basin was reduced by about 50 percent in last 20 years and with it oxygenation and carbon emission process that green trees do. Deforestation in Michigan is by far less than in the Amazon but we should plant trees, not ax them.
Isaac Barr, MD Bloomfield Hills
Immigration article
Stacy Gittleman’s article on immigration (January/Downtown) was one of the best researched, documented and written articles on immigration that I've come across. Well done.
It stood out for me because a haiga of mine was just published on Dailyhaiga, December 24, 2024. It spoke directly to our immigration climate.
Robert Erlandson, Ph.D. Birmingham
Inspiring column
Thank you for the inspiring December “From The Publisher.”
It was nice to hear how David
SPEAK OUT
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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, PO Box 1630 Birmingham MI 48012-1630
Hohendorf and his family survived this election season.
I also connect with his stance on the Vietnam war.
I am inspired to stay connected. Thanks again.
David Brohl Birmingham
Rebranding Pontiac
I enjoyed the recent Downtown Newsmagazine and David Hohendorf’s year-end review of all that impacts the Birmingham and Bloomfield area.
Are your readers familiar with what is taking place at the north end of Woodward in Pontiac?
Soon the Oakland County Executive Office will move to downtown Pontiac after the Phoenix Amphitheater is demolished in February 2025. The Michigan Technology Conference will take place in March 2025 at the UWM Sports Complex. The new Pontiac Transportation Museum has become a destination for those looking to celebrate our rich manufacturing history of buggies, motorcycles, cars, bus and trucks that shaped southeast Michigan.
I am rebranding downtown Pontiac as a technical community through the launch of the coworking/shared office space located at 31 Oakland Ave. The facility features 20,000 square feet of office space, 3D Printing SolidWorks Studios, FIRST Robotics Build Center and Private Offices along with event spaces/conference rooms. The 3 Floors Downtown facility has over 150 available parking spaces. Let me know of any technical entrepreneurs looking to expand their operations.
David Darbyshire Pontiac
OAKLAND CONFIDENTIAL
Oakland Confidential is a column of political gossip/news, gathered both on and off-therecord. We welcome possible items for this column which can be emailed to: OaklandConfidential@DowntownPublications.com. All sources are kept strictly confidential.
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SOS SPECULATION: While there’s been plenty of speculation about Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson running for governor in 2026 (she has now formally announced) when both she and Gretchen Whitmer will be boxed out of added time in their current posts, thanks to term limits, not much of anything has been written about who might try to become the next SOS. Fear not, prognosticators are starting to talk about Michigan Senator Jeremy Moss, the Democrat from Southfield whose broad district takes in Bloomfield Township, Bloomfield Hills, Pontiac, Auburn Hills, Lake Angelus, Lathrup Village, and parts of Waterford and Detroit, who is in his final term. We are told that a number of people have approached Moss wondering if he has an interest and as we asked around we found a handful of folk wondering what was next on the trajectory for the senator who has worked his way up, starting as the youngest member of the Southfield City Commission, then the state House from 2014-2018 where he was the Democratic Caucus Whip. Next came the Senate (its first openly gay member) where he has been Assistant Democratic Leader and has chaired both the Elections & Ethics and the Government Operations committees. Add to that his involvement in the state Democratic party. Let’s see what the soothsayers do with this in the coming months.
LOOKING FOR A LANDING SPOT:
Speculation over who will run for governor on the Republican ticket in 2026 is beginning to become clearer now that former Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox (2003-2011) has officially formed a fundraising committee, Mike Cox 2026. The committee is a campaign committee to explore running for governor, not an official gubernatorial campaign committee – but that’s all likely just semantics, because people in the know say he’s planning on running. He last ran for governor in 2010, coming in third in the primary. He’s since been practicing law, largely on behalf of military veterans.
But many don’t remember as far back as the 2000s –which unless he’s very aggressive and becomes proMAGA, will hurt him. Who has officially thrown his hat in the ring is current Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt (R-Porter Township) who is looking to introduce himself to voters across the state by getting an early start. His video launch highlighted his family’s farming heritage in southwest Michigan. “Having grown up on a sixgeneration dairy and grape farm, I know what hard work is about. I know Michiganders expect a governor that works just as hard as they do.” One top Republican said, “He’s a great guy, but while he’s a straight shooter, he’s not dynamic.” The same politico confirmed that perennial-politicianin-search-of-another-job John James, currently congressman for the 10th District, is definitely planning on running for governor – and is confident he’ll get President Trump’s endorsement. “If he loses, he’s a three-time loser (he ran and lost for Senator in 2018 and 2020), and he’s done.” What’s most interesting about James’ unending search for another position is that it’s obvious he’s being groomed for a leadership position by Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA), who has invited him to leadership retreats as well as requested that James nominate him for reelection as speaker on the floor of the House. Other GOP names being bandied about include Bloomfield Hills millionaire Perry Johnson, who has told people he will definitely run, despite lacking a constituency; 2022 Republican candidate Tudor Dixon; and former auto dealer and millionaire Bloomfield Township resident Kevin Rinke. There’s sure to be names that will throw their hat in before the fire’s out… all to battle it out against not only the Democratic candidate, but Detroit Mayor and Independent candidate Mike Duggan, who is actively reaching out to Republicans as well as Democrats in fundraising efforts.
MOSS
COX
NESBITT
GOP LISTS KEEP GROWING: There are now four officially announced candidates to become the chair of the state Republican party, which will be decided at the February 21-22 state convention in Detroit, with the entry of former Fiji Ambassador Joseph Cella, appointed during the first term of Donald Trump. Cella in past years worked for a number of state lawmakers, along with former congressional members Spence Abraham and Thaddeus McCotter. He joins the race along with political consultant Scott Greenlee, who tried for the post in 2023 and was past vice chair of the GOP 2009-2010; Meshawn Maddock from Milford, wife of state Representative Matt Maddock and former state party chair who is tangled up in court on charges that she tried to undermine the 2020 presidential election; and Michigan Senator Jim Runestad from White Lake, who has let it be known that he may not give up his current seat if he gets the convention nod for the party chair post. The skinny among the chattering class is that originally it was thought the race would end up being a contest between Greenlee and Maddock, but some observers are finding it interesting that Trump has not issued an endorsement for the latter despite a past close relationship with her and her recent suggestion that she would likely have his backing. Further, behind the scenes word is that Cella appears to have the support of two former Republican Michigan governors, Rick Snyder and John Engler We’re told Engler has actually been making phone calls, no doubt to lock up convention votes for Cella. However, one party stalwart speculates that Cella’s reputation as a Catholic religion activist may not set well with the MAGA crowd in February. Meanwhile, a couple of party members say Runestad could be picking up support. One observer shared that Runestad spoke at a January breakfast gathering and seemed “to be very well received, including from at least two GOP state Reps that were in the room.” Although this Republican added: “Of course, it’s all about which delegates show up to the convention,” an obvious reference to whether the party base will still be controlled by MAGA acolytes or is beginning to moderate, as some have suggested.
held seats. Stevens explained that the New Democrat Coalition is a group of 110 pragmatic members of the U.S. House of Representatives that are majority makers. “New Democrats represent every day, hardworking families of every demographic and socioeconomic background – rural, urban, and suburban – in communities across America. I’m sleeves rolled up to lead our efforts to ensure commonsense candidates who promote American innovation, competitiveness, and prosperity to run and win in districts across the country.” Stevens just began her fourth term repping a majority of Oakland County, including Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills and Bloomfield Township.
A STAR IS BORN: Another Michigan Congresswoman is a rising star in her party. Rep. Lisa McLain (R-Bruce Township, Macomb County) was elected by her fellow Republicans into a top leadership position, to replace former New York Rep. Elise Stefanik as the Republican House conference chair – which is the number four position following Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA). The leadership position opened up after President Donald Trump’s win in November, where he then nominated Stefanik to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. It’s a quick rise to leadership for McClain, who was first elected to congress to represent Michigan’s 9th District in 2020.
THE DEMOCRAT CAMP: While a number of names of possible contenders for the state Democratic party chair have been floated since current Democratic chair Lavora Barnes announced her retirement, with just a month before the February party convention only two persons have formally announced for the spot. One is Al (BJ) Williams, a party activist from Detroit. The other is former state Senator Curtis Hertel, who announced weeks ago and already has the endorsement of Governor Gretchen Whitmer and a growing number of elected officials. Hertel is a former state senator, recent candidate for congress and director of legislative affairs for Whitmer. As we were putting this issue to bed, the Michigan Jewish Democratic Caucus was holding a fundraiser for Hertel in Birmingham, organized by David and Anessa Kramer and Marcie Orley, with donation levels of $50-$1,000. Betting money seems to be on Hertel.
STEPPING UP: We may not have heard a lot about her during this last campaign cycle, but that didn’t mean Congresswoman Haley Stevens (DOakland County) wasn’t just as busy as ever. While her seat for the 11th District wasn’t in serious jeopardy of flipping this time around, she was hardly idle – first spending her time canvassing the streets for fellow Democrats on the local level and to retain the state House, and then turning her sights to help elect her former fellow congresswoman – and now Senator – Elissa Slotkin – to replace the retiring former Senator Debbie Stabenow. If that wasn’t enough, she worked her derriere off to attempt to elect former Vice President Kamala Harris as the first female president and to keep Michigan blue. While that didn’t quite work, her hard work has been recognized by her fellow Dems. She was elected chair of the New Democrat Coalition Action Fund for the 2026 election cycle, where she will lead efforts to elect New Democrats across the country, including flipping Republican-
ROUGH START: A couple of months ago former Michigan House Speaker Joe Tate (D-Detroit) formed an exploratory committee to gather information, and money, for a possible run for the position of Detroit mayor now that Mike Duggan has announced he will be running for governor rather than another term leading the city. Unfortunately for Tate, his time as top dog of the House Democrats has done little to burnish his reputation, beginning last spring when members of his own party started to criticize his leadership (or lack of it) for failing to move legislation in a timely fashion in that chamber. The situation worsened when the lame duck session arrived and not only did all Republicans fail to show but he lost one of his own party members, Karen Witsett from Detroit. She refused to show due to what she said were failed assurances she had been given that specific bills she favored would be moved. Her failure to show meant Tate had to eventually close the session early, leaving a pile of bills unaddressed that had been sent to the House after the Senate approved them. Worse still is that nine bills that had been passed were never delivered to the governor for her consideration. We’re told that one of the bills that got neglected was legislation to allow the counties of Oakland and Wayne to form authorities to consider placing millages on the ballot at some point this year to raise funds (and we mean considerable) for Detroit-based museums. Two members of the Detroit city council have already announced campaigns to become mayor, another person has formed an exploratory committee and some impressive names of other contenders are being floated. No doubt that anyone running against Tate will remember, and remind voters, of Tate’s less than impressive year as the leader of the House.
QUESTIONABLE CHOICES:
It’s a bizarre rumor we’re passing along, although in today’s political environment, who knows? United States attorneys are officials of the Justice Department – there are 94 of them, and the lead U.S. attorney is a political appointment who serves as the U.S government’s’ chief federal criminal prosecutor in their judicial district and represents the U.S. federal government in civil litigation. The key word: attorney. Rumors are flying both in and out of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan (the eastern half of Michigan, tip to bottom), that former attorney general candidate Matt DePerno, former secretary of state candidate and deposed Michigan GOP chair Kristina Karamo and former co-GOP chair Meshawn Maddock are all Republicans under consideration to run the office. There’s just one hiccup: neither Karamo nor Maddock are attorneys, and DePerno’s law license has been under review by the Attorney Disciplinary Board of Michigan, and some with information of the board’s proceedings say he may not still have his law license in the near future. Many Republicans (and some Democrats) have been hoping that former U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider, who held the post during Trump’s first term in office, would be reappointed, but word is that Schneider, now a partner a the Honigman law firm focusing on crisis management, investigations and high-profile, high-stakes litigation, is enjoying himself much more in private practice.
CELLA
MCLAIN
WILLIAMS
STEVENS
HERTEL
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FACES
Merrick Chernett
Driven by his determination to push boundaries and live life to the fullest,
Bloomfield Hills resident Merrick Chernett recently became the youngest person, at age 18, to compete in The Great World Race by running an incredible seven marathons on seven continents in seven days. Sixty runners compete in this annual ultra-marathon.
Chernett learned firsthand valuable life lessons about finding the inner strength and resilience to persevere and overcome adversity.
“I trained so hard and made sacrifices – I was mentally prepared to do whatever it takes to finish the race,” he said.
The international race took place this past November in Wolf’s Fang, Antarctica; Cape Town, South Africa; Perth, Australia; Istanbul (one in Europe and another in Asia); Cartagena, South America; and Miami, Florida, North America.
The cost to enter the rigorous race is steep – nearly $50,000. Chernett said he funded it through money from his savings, his parents – which he intends to pay back– as well as sponsors. He used his participation in the race to raise money for Innovation:Africa, a nonprofit organization that uses solar and water technology to bring electricity and clean drinking water to rural African villages.
There are incredible challenges and obstacles when traveling to seven continents in seven days and running over 180 miles in a wide range of weather conditions. Chernett suffered lack of sleep, frostbite on his lip, heat stroke and a foot stress fracture – but persevered.
“Your body can be pushed further than you ever think it can. I was so focused on finishing the race even through exhaustion, tears and pain.”
His family met him at the last stop in Miami to cheer him on and, upon seeing his exhausted and dehydrated condition, arranged for an IV that helped him get through the final race.
Post-race, Chernett reflected: “Enjoy your life. Don’t take anything too seriously. These are the moments that make our lives and define who we are.”
The Bloomfield Hills High School 2024 graduate and University of Michigan Ross School of Business freshman had previously participated in several ultraendurance events called Toughest Mudder. He trained for six months prior to The Great World Race.
"I was insanely disciplined and sacrificed a lot,” he said. “On Saturdays, I would get up really early to run a marathon, go to a tailgate, then the [football] game.”
For his next endurance feat, Chernett has set his sights on conquering the brutal 135-mile Badwater Ultramarathon in California, running from Badwater Basin, Death Valley to the trailhead of Mt. Whitney’s summit in under 48 hours.
Becoming such a passionate runner seemed unlikely when Chernett was a child with asthma who regularly relied on an inhaler. He overcame asthma around the age of 10 by deciding to start daily running and jumping rope, gradually increasing his endurance until he no longer needed an inhaler.
With asthma behind him, he developed a passion for tennis and attended several tennis academies before starting at Bloomfield Hills Middle School after a foot injury. During this time, he recalled, “Having been away from public school, I felt lonely with no friends and depressed. I stopped doing good things for myself.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, he began high school and resolved to change. “I decided not to feel sorry for myself, to do good things, and not care what others think.” By his junior year, he had established “an amazing friend group” and was focusing on things he is passionate about.
Chernett’s plan for his future includes a career in investment banking and continuing to live life to the fullest. In addition to being an ultra-athlete, he enjoys simple pleasures such as reading, cooking, watching football and movies, and spending time with his family.
Story: Tracy Donohue
Photo: Laurie Tennent
Leon Gorris is a microbiologist from the Netherlands who has spent most of his career in Europe working for the food industry and specializes in microbe contamination. When comparing U.S. and European food safety standards, Gorris said it’s best to start with an understanding of the agencies at play.
Gorris said the European Union’s system begins with the policies set by the European Commission and the Directorate General for Public Health and Food Safety. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is the scientific or risk assessment body. This differs from the structure in the United States, as the FDA contains both internal policy-making and research and risk assessment arms.
Gorris said European food safety standards have been molded by the Precautionary Principle. This approach to risk management, set by the European Commission in 2000, takes into account the slightest possibility of harm to public health, and if there is still no scientific agreement on the issue, the policy or action in question should not be carried out. Examples of where the EU has applied the precautionary principle include its chemical regulatory framework and the general regulation of food law.
“In Europe, our understanding of risk is brought about by two different organizations with different responsibilities,” Gorris explained. “Decisions about making science-informed standards and managing risk are conducted by two different organizations with very different responsibilities. But sometimes, it is the scientists in the EFSA who would like to be the policymakers. The same goes with the FDA food scientists who would also like to set policy and be the decision-makers. Because the decision-makers think not only about consumer safety and protection but also weigh factors such as the economy. So, while we do see some differences between Europe and the United States in how additives or microorganism contaminations are managed, both bodies have the same purpose. I am not sure that one system is better than the other, they are just different.”
additives that have not been listed on products have in rare instances caused severe allergic reactions and even death.
In October 2024, the FDA unveiled its Human Foods Program. It is expected to create a streamlined method for processing consumer and whistleblower complaints about foods and dietary supplements.
Within the Human Foods Program, the FDA published a list of three main priorities for fiscal 2025 which include microbiological food safety, food chemical safety and nutrition.
The fiscal year 2025 budget provides a $7.2 billion total program funding level for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This includes an overall increase of 7.4 percent or $495 million over the fiscal year 2023 funding level.
The FDA budget in fiscal year 2025 includes a $15 million increase to strengthen and modernize its capacity within the Human Foods Program. to protect and promote a safe, nutritious U.S. food supply. Yet in statements released to Downtown, the FDA admits the budget allocations fall flat in terms of what it needs to modernize and boost its food chemical safety program.
“FDA Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods prioritized food chemical safety for his program in fiscal year 2024 and put forward a budget increase proposal that included $19 million and 40 new full-time (employee positions) for chemical reassessments,” said an FDA spokesperson. “That did not materialize. The reality is that the new Human Foods Program did not come with an increased budget. We are making progress in standing up our new systematic chemical reassessment process. However, with flat funding, our current resources and staffing will fund only two comprehensive assessments per year, far less than what needs to be done for the FDA to lead the way in food chemical safety. The fiscal year 2025 president’s budget proposes an additional $4.5 million to ensure chemicals in food are safe; it is unknown whether the program will receive these funds.”
The Food Chemical Safety prong of the FDA restructure focuses on the Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS) review of chemical additives. Rooted in the Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act of 1958, GRAS allowed the food industry to employ commonly used ingredients like salt and vinegar that are common in processing.
Not much has been done to update this process since then.
In 1982, Congress authorized the creation of a commission to make recommendations to the FDA approval petition process of chemical additives to food. Among its recommendations, the commission called for greater use of outside experts from academia and medical research.
SINCE 2001, ACCORDING TO NUTRITIONISTS AT WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY, AMERICANS INCREASED THEIR INTAKE OF HIGHLY PROCESSED FOODS THAT CONTAIN PRESERVATIVES AND ADDITIVES AT A RATE THAT IS 10 percent higher than Europeans. About 15,000 new ultra-processed food products are introduced into the US market each year. WSU nutritionists pointed to a new study in the March 2023 Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics which has determined that 60 percent of foods purchased by Americans contain technical food additives including coloring or flavoring agents, preservatives and sweeteners.
While some chemicals add vitamins and minerals to fortified breakfast cereals, other chemicals can make salmon appear more pink, movie popcorn more yellow, give bread a softer texture, or make junk foods more addicting by leaving the consumer with that “mouth feel” that makes them want to have just one more.
The marketing of these foods to children has drawn the ire of mom watchdog groups and spurned the movement of mothers looking to feed their children only the most natural, chemical-free offerings. They look to Europe, which has seemingly banned more food additives and chemicals than in the United States. Some
According to an article published in the December 2006 issue of Food Safety Magazine, by 1997 the FDA had tentatively concluded that it could no longer devote substantial resources to the GRAS petition process. The agency published a proposed rule outlining a GRAS notification process to replace the resource-intensive GRAS affirmation petition process.
Currently, the food industry uses GRAS as a loophole to get around the FDA’s rigorous approval process for many additives. The FDA has established a voluntary GRAS notification program to help ensure that ingredients added by industry are safe under their intended use and to help the food industry industry meet its responsibility for ensuring the GRAS status of added substances. For the use of a substance to be considered GRAS, all data necessary to establish safety must be publicly available and its safe use must be generally recognized by qualified experts.
Manufacturers who choose not to go through the GRAS voluntary notification program are still responsible for producing safe products that comply with the law.
“We conduct safety evaluations for approximately 150 additive submissions per year,” said the FDA spokesperson “This includes new substances and new uses of existing substances in the food supply. For post-market oversight, the FDA’s goal within our authorities is to focus our post-market resources on chemicals where there’s evidence of risks at real-world exposure levels. This
Birmingham Bloomfield
is why it is so important that the FDA has access to more data on real-world exposure levels as well as any new safety information and the authority to more routinely obtain this from manufacturers after products are on the market.”
As part of the modernization of food safety and standards, the FDA in its Human Foods program will focus efforts on updating GRAS.
“We are working to help ensure food chemical safety, which is essential to achieving our goal of access to safe and nutritious foods for all,” said the FDA spokesperson. “The FDA’s new Human Foods Program is now structured to improve our oversight of chemicals in food. We are committed to doing as much as we can with available resources and authorities to fully support our premarket and post-market public health mandate.”
Lee-Ann Jaykus, a professor of microbiology at North Carolina State University with a special concentration in food microbiology, was a stakeholder in the FDA’s development of the Human Foods Program. The infant formula contamination and shortage crisis of 2022, in part, was the catalyst for this restructure, Jaykus said.
“As a result of the infant formula contamination and ensuing shortage, the FDA met with many stakeholders, including myself,” Jaykus noted. “The mandate was that the foods program at FDA needed to reorganize and separate the foods program from the drugs and devices program, with new divisions and leadership positions created.”
Jaykus said when it comes to food safety, the FDA had centered much of its effort on the microbiology side of things to better monitor outbreaks of salmonella or e.coli. Now, the agency is trying to play catch-up in paying more attention to the chemical additives in our foods. She criticized the GRAS loophole, which she said allowed many food additives to be used without going through a pre-market approval process.
“Some of these (GRAS) substances had been used in food processing for the longest time, and no one got sick from them,” Jaykus said. “Eventually, newer products, additives, and preservatives were developed and added to GRAS. Over the years, the FDA for food additives loosened the regulations of something that looked like pre-market approval. They allowed companies to conduct their own GRAS approval process. What we then saw in food industries is that there were higher concentrations of GRAS ingredients in certain formulations or the introduction of new preservatives or dyes that never went through a pre-approval market process.”
Jaykus said that the FDA has reached a point where it does not completely know what is in some of these foods, what concentrations, and what formulations.
“If these substances were a drug, they would certainly have had to go through the FDA’s rigorous pre-market approval process,” she said. “Unlike the large drug arm of the FDA which all products must go through a pre-market approval process, the food arm of the FDA is a tiny department. There are just not enough employees.”
Jaykus cautioned that it will be a while before the American consumer sees any noticeable changes to the products they buy in the supermarket. It is going to take time for the FDA employees to wrap their arms around the new organizational chart. They are also waiting to see what the new Trump administration will mean in terms of vacancies or hiring freezes. She knows off hand of several key FDA workers who had planned to retire this winter.
Despite the challenges, Jaykus believes the reorganization of the FDA’s Human Foods Program is a positive step. “I think this reorganization of the FDA will improve communications across the different departments that handle food safety. But will the American public see measurable changes due to the reorganization? That is very debatable.”
The European Union’s contrasting approach to food safety policy and chemical additives was born from a gradually unfolding crisis. In the 1980s and 1990s, thousands of cattle were
sickened by Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, commonly known as Mad Cow Disease. Though European authorities first assured citizens that the disease could not be contracted by eating tainted meat, the symptoms had a long incubation period. The disease took as long as five years to show up in humans. By the late 90s, people began falling ill, and over 150 individuals died rapidly after contracting the human form of the disease.
In response, Europe implemented a series of sweeping policy reforms, including the General Food Law based on the precautionary principle, allowing regulators to act even when scientific evidence isn’t conclusive – essentially, a better safe than sorry approach. They also established the EFSA in 2002 to rebuild trust through rigorous, science-based food safety assessments. Based in Parma, Italy, the EFSA has a staff of about 600.
These different approaches between the US and EU have significant implications. Americans might be exposed to additives that Europeans are protected from, while Europeans might miss out on safe and helpful food innovations due to stricter rules.
The FDA said there are several differences in approach to food safety between the United States and the EU, although both the FDA and EFSA regulate to ensure the safety of chemicals added to foods, using approaches within each jurisdiction’s legal authorities.
The FDA admits that the EU has a narrower definition of food additives than the US.
“The EU does not include other chemicals regulated in the U.S. as food additives, such as food contact substances that can migrate into the food (for example, from food packaging and processing) as indirect food additives and substances used to make food contact substances,” explained an FDA spokesperson. “These types of chemicals are used in food in the EU but are regulated differently.”
JULIE CHAPON, CO-FOUNDER OF YUKA, A FRENCH MOBILE APP THAT ENABLES USERS TO INSTANTLY ACCESS DETAILED HEALTH RATINGS AND INGREDIENT ANALYSES BY SCANNING THE BARCODES OF FOODAND COSMETICS
products, said that when it comes to additive reviews, EFSA adopts a more meticulous approach than the FDA.
“The agency conducts a comprehensive risk assessment for all food additives on the European market and even schedules reevaluations to incorporate the latest scientific data,” Chapon said. “In contrast, the FDA does not systematically assess additives before they enter the market and lacks a structured post-market re-evaluation process. Also, EFSA has implemented a detailed and transparent methodology. The agency has developed numerous protocols that are available online to ensure consistency in the evaluation of each additive.”
Chapon said, “EFSA’s methodology is more comprehensive as it doesn’t only consider exposure to additives themselves but also evaluates the risks posed by contaminants that may be present in these additives. And then the EFSA runs multiple exposure scenarios to assess risks for vulnerable populations, particularly young children, and to account for different consumption patterns.”
Wayne State University Associate Professor of Nutrition Diane
Cress said deep concern about what chemicals and additives are processed into our food drives conversation and policy on both sides of the Atlantic. However, Europe takes a different approach to risk by deploying the hazard-based Precautionary Principle.
This means that Europe restricts substances based on any potential for harm regardless of real-world exposure, ruling that is better to be safe than sorry. Conversely, the FDA evaluates the actual likelihood of harm under typical exposure levels.
To compare the attitudes towards food safety policy between the United States and Europe, Cress uses the analogy of swimming in the ocean and the potential for the presence of sharks.
“Let’s say there is a shark in the water,” Cress explained. “Swimming in the water is a risk, but the level of that risk is determined by factors that impact whether that shark will attack you or not. Would you choose to never swim in the water because of the potential shark—even if you swim far away from where that shark swims? If the answer is yes, you prefer the EU system of regulation. If the answer is no, you’ll swim but be smart about it, you prefer the US regulation system.”
contained in the food but the words: “May have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.”
Three of these colors are banned in the US: azorubine/carmosine (E122), quinoline yellow (E104), and ponceau 4R (E124).
Fortin regards the Southampton Colors case as a touchstone for how the EFSA and the FDA differ and diverge in terms of risk assessment and management. From a scientific risk assessment standpoint, the FDA and the EFSA operate identically. Where they diverge is in risk management, and that often gets political and manifested in the presence of over-labeling foods with certain additives.
“I’m always a little bit confounded because I will look at what EFSA said on titanium dioxide or the Southhampton Colors, and then I will look at what FDA said on these same additives. And surprisingly, it is hard to find any differences in these agencies’ points of view. It’s more in the terminology. And this confusion for risk management and risk assessment is a big part of it.”
He continued: “The European Commission came in (in 2010) and decided to put warning labels on foods that contain these colors. That was not the decision of the EFSA but the political body of the EFSA, which did not have any decisions that differed from the FDA. It’s a difference of politicians deciding what risk we’re going to tolerate, and that ebbs and flows.”
Fortin explained that the FDA went through a strong regulatory phase between 1940 and 1980 that was more robust than that of Europe. As the European Union formed in the late 1980s, it increased its regulatory measures surrounding food safety.
NEAL FORTIN IS THE DIRECTOR OF MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY’S INSTITUTE FOR FOOD LAWS AND REGULATIONS AND AN EXPERT ON DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL
FOOD
SAFETY LAW. HE SAIDMANY people blur the meanings of risk assessment versus risk management.
“People often confuse risk management decisions with the science of risk assessment,” explained Fortin. “In the European Union, the EFSA only performs risk assessment. They don’t do any risk management whatsoever. The FDA does both. Congress serves as the ultimate risk management organization for the American people because it sets the laws and regulations that FDA must follow.”
Fortin said at the international level, there is also the World Health Organization which brings in international scientific bodies such as the Joint Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants. When comparing safety standards between the United States and Europe, Fortin said there is a significant amount of similarities and agreement on risk assessment rooted in science.
As an example, Fortin pointed to the Southampton Colors of food additives, named for the 2007 study from Southampton University in the United Kingdom. It called for the ban of the following artificial food coloring additives as well as benzoate (a category of preservatives used in jelly, mayonnaise, carbonated drinks and sauces to prevent molding and extend shelf life) due to their potential link to hyperactivity and attention defecit disorder in children: tartrazine (E102); quinoline yellow (E104); sunset yellow (E110); carmoisine (E122); ponceau 4R (E124); and allura red (E129). These dyes are commonly found in sugary beverages, baked goods, and candies.
The EFSA concluded from the findings that these synthetic colors should be removed from all food product types voluntarily by the UK food industry by 2009. The study prompted the EFSA to adopt new labeling regulations for foods containing any of the food colors. The labels not only contain the name of the dye
“So right now, it may seem that Europe is taking a more precautionary stance when it comes to food dyes because of all the labeling,” Fortin said. “But in reality, the United States is far more precautionary in our laws compared to Europe when it comes to food safety. We have banned three of the Southampton Colors and they allow for all of them through the widespread use of labeling. So, you must ask the question, which entity is truly more precautionary?”
Outside of labeling and banning certain dyes and chemicals, the global supply chain is making it all trickier to safeguard commonly consumed foods.
Take the humble children’s food staple of applesauce.
In 2023, dozens of children in the United States were sickened by cinnamon applesauce sold in convenient squeeze pouches contaminated with lead. The culprit: the red additive lead chromate, which was imported to Ecuador where the applesauce was produced and then sold in the United States to make the applesauce appear redder from cinnamon. Fortin said this was an example of poor oversight on the global food supply chain and a lack of oversight from a sparsely staffed FDA that cannot be present at every global port to assure the safety of food produced overseas for the U.S. market.
He explained that while all importers must register products and facilities with the FDA, what falls through the cracks are the third parties in the global supply chain that provide them with the ingredients. While the foreign food manufacturer is supposed to register all ingredients through the FDA’s Foreign Supplier Verification Program, it is not foolproof.
“Lead chromate has become a historical problem which the FDA needs more testing, especially in our cinnamon supply,” Fortin said. “There’s no other reason for lead chromate to be in there except it was a case of food fraud. There was no smoking gun. It’s very difficult for some agency like FDA to not only go back to Ecuador but then trace the lead-laced cinnamon back to Asia. You’ve got thousands of small food suppliers in China or Southeast Asia working out of some small garage and they may not even have a street address.”
Fortin studied the notion of the need for more whistleblowers in the food supply chain in his August 2024 paper published in Cambridge University Press, Democratizing Food Safety: Why We
Need to Look Beyond Government Regulation and Provide a Citizen Right of Action. Fortin said a citizen’s response system –just like it exists in the environmental movement – needs to be created as a mechanism to be a watchdog for food contamination.
“Just as we have citizen watchdog organizations that look out for our rivers, lakes, and other natural resources and bring lawsuits against the Environmental Protection Agency, we need such a legal mechanism for our food supply. That means providing a way for workers who work in the food industry to be the eyes and ears of the FDA. There are a lot of cases where the FDA has not brought an action against an importer for failing to complete their foreign supplier verification. That’s because the FDA is starved for resources,” he said.
How starved? In a startling factoid, Fortin said the average U.S. taxpayer pays out a mere 83 cents per year to the federal budget for the FDA’s Food Safety Program. And though the FDA is a large institution that oversees the approval of drugs, pharmaceuticals, and medical equipment, its food division is small – about 100 people – and has not grown since Fortin began his food safety career in the 1970s.
But with the Human Food Program reshuffle that kicked off in October 2024, Fortin is hopeful.
“Normally, I am not enthused about the reshuffling of government agencies,” quipped Fortin. “But this is a longthought-out approach. One of the things it will do is it’s bringing more attention to things like these food colors and food additives that haven’t been reviewed for maybe 50 years (through GRAS). In the last 50 years, science and our diet has changed. Things like red dye, the studies have not been looked at for 20 years.”
Two of the most hotly contested chemicals in US foods include Red Dye 3 and Red Dye 40 – found in candies, baked goods and potassium bromate used in the United States as a flour treatment agent.
In December 2024, FDA Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods Jim Jones testified about Red Dye 3 and Red Dye 40 to the Senate Health Committee in Congress.
“We have not evaluated Red Dye 40 in over a decade,” said Jones. “At that time, the FDA came to the conclusion it was safe. We have a petition in front of us to revoke the authorization for (Red Dye 3), and we are hopeful that within the next few weeks, we will be acting on that petition. Red Dye 3 presents an interesting example for us. It is known to be cancerous for laboratory rats, but the scientific consensus is that the mechanism of carcinogenicity in rats is not applicable in humans.”
Jones added that due to stipulations under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, any chemical that is shown to be carcinogenic in animals or humans cannot be authorized by the FDA.
“So even though we do not believe there is a risk to humans, because there is a known risk to laboratory animals, it should not be authorized for use,” he said.
The EU and the United States regulate the dyes differently.
Yuka’s Chapon said Red Dye 3 in the EU is only allowed in candied and cocktail cherries.
“The United States since 1990 has banned Red Dye 3 in cosmetics and topical medications because of its link to thyroid cancer,” Chapon said. “But it still is used in candies, ice cream, cakes and biscuits. You cannot put it in your skin but you can eat it, which is totally illogical. This dye is also suspected of disrupting the thyroid and contributing to hyperactivity and behavioral disorders in children. It could also impair testicular function and fertility. In certain forms, it may contain aluminum, which could increase the risk of several diseases due to its accumulation in the body.”
Chapon said that potassium bromate has been classified as a “possible human carcinogen” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer since 1998.
Studies in animals have shown that this compound may cause
tumors in various organs, including the kidneys, thyroid, and the peritoneal lining in the abdomen. Additionally, potassium bromate is considered genotoxic, meaning it can damage DNA. Potassium bromate has been banned in food products in the European Union since 1990, Chapon said.
Coincidentally, just a few weeks after Downtown spoke with Jones and Chapon, the FDA in mid-January announced that Red Dye 3 would be banned due to a possible link to cancer in animals. Food manufacturers have until January 15, 2027 to remove it from food products.
California, with its own set of food safety regulations, did not wait for the FDA to ban Red Dye 3 and other additives.
In 1986 the state passed The Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act. Also known as Proposition 65, the law requires businesses to inform consumers if a product contains a substance listed as hazardous (“chemicals that cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm”) above a certain threshold.
The 2023 California Food Safety Act seeks to ban the use of brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben, and Red 3 in food products sold in California by 2027.
Setting a precedent, other states such as Illinois, New York, and Washington have crafted similar bills. However, the FDA said laws that ban food additives at the state level are ineffective.
But Yuka’s Chapon said such ripple effects of other states looking to pursue their food additive regulations prompt the food industry to rethink the formulas of their processed foods. Statelevel regulations can also catalyze broader legislative change, she said.
“Regulations like the ones California has put in place compel companies to stay informed about the health impacts of certain substances and adapt their product formulas in the regions where the rules apply,” Chapon said. “I have observed that the influence of such regulations often extends well beyond the targeted regions. This is because companies typically choose to reformulate their products on a national scale rather than creating state-specific versions.”
VETERAN
CALIFORNIA TOXICOLOGIST JAMES COUGHLIN , HOWEVER, SCOFFED AT THE TIGHTENING REGULATION ON CHEMICALS SUCH AS RED DYE 3. A CONSULTANT IN FOOD, NUTRITIONAL, CHEMICAL toxicology, safety, and regulatory affairs affiliated with the University of California – Davis, Coughlin said the state’s policies are based more on politics and feared conceptions and not true scientific findings.
Coughlin also discussed why the EFSA in 2021 banned titanium dioxide, a white coloring additive used in confections, gum, baked goods, and dairy products such as yogurt and ice cream to make food appear more white. The chemical is still permitted by the FDA.
Looking through the EU’s lens of its Precautionary Principle, titanium dioxide has the potential to be genotoxic. That means that the chemical could alter a cell’s DNA, which has the potential to cause cancer. However, Coughlin noted that the FDA and the rest of the world have not found evidence to support a cancer risk from titanium dioxide.
“The EU’s Precautionary Principle has taken a better safe than sorry approach. It’s based on hazard, not on risk,” Coughlin explained.
“California decided not to ban it back in 2023 when they banned other additives, because the science was just not there. It does not cause cancer in animals or humans. It’s never been shown to do so, so why would you ban it as a carcinogen?”
According to Coughlin, California in 2017 began independent examinations on food additives and dyes hat were used in public school lunches.
Governor Gavin Newsom in September 2024 banned six dyes (Red Dye 40, Yellow Dye 5, Yellow Dye 6, Blue Dye 1, Blue Dye 2, and Green Dye 3).
But Coughlin regards these as over-the-top restrictions based more on fear than science.
“I testified last summer to the California legislature as the bill was going through, a bill with which I disagreed,” Coughlin said. “The science says there has never been any causation showing a link between these dyes and neurotoxicity. But California went ahead with this on an abundance of caution, just like Europe.”
The irony, according to Coughlin, is that on the same day that California Governor Gavin Newsom signed the ban, the California Department of Public Health’s food regulators determined that there was no basis to ban these dyes for the general population.
Regarding the specific example of Red Dye 3, Coughlin said that studies showed that it produced only benign tumors only in male rats and only at the highest dose.
“There is no similar mechanism in humans, (these tumors) according to the science cannot happen in humans,” he said.
Still, Coughlin is encouraged by the FDA restructure and projected expedition of the GRAS process, which he considers as wellestablished and transparent. Involved with GRAS committees and the FDA for decades, he refuted the criticism that GRAS allows companies to add chemicals to food without disclosure.
“The FDA has a website and a database available for the public to view to see the chemicals which are under review,” Coughlin said. “Bottom line, the FDA has not been asleep like California and other states are claiming. Great scientists are doing great work there. We need a strong FDA to reassure the public that our foods are safe. We are encouraged by the start of the Human Foods Program. It makes everything more official, but the work has been going on there for decades.”
The call for reducing chemicals and additives in our food, especially those fed to schoolchildren, is an issue that many feel should be important to policymakers on both sides of the aisle.
In Congress, Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) in September 2024 introduced the Safe School Meals Act (SSMA).
The bill aims to limit heavy metals, ban certain pesticide residues, and trigger the safety reassessment of food additives, including artificial food dyes. It also looks to ban the use of forever chemicals, phthalates, and bisphenols in school meal food packaging. The bill would increase the funding available for schools to purchase safe school meals.
“Foods sold for school meals contain artificial food dyes that have shown evidence of disrupting the body and being linked to hyperactivity and worse, not to mention the presence of heavy metals and other environmental toxins in our foods, which we know have impacts on children’s very brain development,” Booker said.
Calling it a crisis, Booker, when introducing the bill to the Senate, said that school meals are a key way to fight back and ensure that children are receiving the “safest, most nutritious meals possible.”
Senator John Futterman (D-Pa.) is co-sponsoring the bill.
The ambitions of the FDA to ramp up food safety initiatives and regulations may soon come to naught depending on the whims of the new Trump administration. Experts weighed in on the paradox of appointing RFK Jr. to the helm of the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the FDA. While Robert F. Kennedy Jr. touts the merits of healthy eating to prevent and combat chronic illnesses such as diabetes, obesity and heart disease, the food scientists interviewed bluntly called out that he is an anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist.
“Encouraging the population to adopt healthier eating habits is an excellent initiative to reduce the prevalence of chronic diseases,” Yuka’s Chapon said. “Nutritional labels on the back of processed food products, while informative, often lack clarity and are understandable only to those already educated about nutrition. Providing better nutritional information is not enough. What the United States needs is a comprehensive review and strengthening of its regulations on food safety.”
Yuka recommends that the FDA integrate a systematic procedure for reassessing food additives and GRAS substances into its regulatory framework.
“While there are some specific maximum concentration limits for certain additives in specific product categories in the U.S. such as BHA, BHT and sodium nitrate, these cases are relatively rare. In contrast, the EU assigns a positive list of approved additives for each food category and establishes specific maximum concentrations. For additives considered to pose minimal health risks, some products may have no usage limits,” Chapon said.
BACK AT WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY, NUTRITIONIST PROFESSOR CRESS
SAID SHE WILL IMPLORE HER STUDENTS TO FOLLOW THE SCIENCE AND NOT FADS. SHE IS MORE THAN SLIGHTLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OF placing Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at the helm of the Health and Human Services Administration, which oversees the FDA. She will teach her students that the FDA is not trying to mislead the public or hide anything from them regarding what is in their food. Additionally, Cress said instead of obsessing about additives or chemicals, the public should be more concerned about getting a balanced diet and using proper hygiene in their kitchens and cooking and refrigeration to avoid getting sick.
“There is no scientific reason to expect adverse health outcomes as a function of the hazard versus risk method assessment of food additives,” Cress said. “Sometimes an additive gets added to the food supply that initially passes muster, and then gets removed. It has happened in the US, it has happened in the EU.”
Cress cautioned that a more hazard-based, European approach may initially seem safer when it comes to chemicals, but one must consider the tradeoffs such as what chemicals will replace removed chemicals. Cress finds it striking that the public becomes upset when the FDA is slow to move drugs to market but at the same time criticizes the agency for what they consider too lax about bringing certain foods to market.
“Drugs have far more potential to harm human health than food additives, which are in our foods in incremental amounts,” Cress said. “There is no perfect answer, but most of the conversation is noise with little to no basis in scientific evidence. There are people who believe the FDA is deliberately trying to mislead the public and do not care about their safety. The guiding principle is that we trust the FDA and other government agencies. They will make mistakes or learn through research that a substance is not as safe as they perceived, they will own it because they have to. My estimation is that it is nearly impossible for the FDA to do the job they have been assigned to simply because they lack the manpower. And that is one reason why they restructured. They are trying to do more with less.”
FACES
Dani Resh
Michigan artist, author and storyteller Dani Resh’s creative imagination was sparked at an early age.
“I’ve always been drawn to the more mysterious elements of life. I grew up in the country – a magical environment with ice storms and the seasons which inspired my creativity,” she said.
It was during her early years that she grew to love mythology, legends, folklores, fairytales, mythical places and the supernatural.
As a child, Resh began focusing on fine arts after she was involved in a car accident and was told that she would have linguistic challenges in life. In the 1990s, she graduated from College for Creative Studies with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and then earned her Master of Fine Arts degree from Penn State University. Most recently, she received a bachelor's degree in political science and government from Oakland University.
According to Resh, her first job was for a company which hired artists to sit with patients to paint their new prosthetic eye to match their other eye. “It was gratifying to work in a field that helped make lives better,” she said.
Helping or offering some kind of assistance became an underlying theme of her career path which included working as a county clerk then as a paralegal to provide free civil legal services to local community members who are older, low income or survivors of domestic violence or sexual assault.
She also added fantasy genre writing to her professional pursuits and imaginative storytelling.
“I began to feel that my art didn’t feel complete – it only gave fragments of the story, so I started writing but didn’t disclose it to anyone until I had the confidence for it,” she explained.
Resh is currently working on the third installment of The Magic Shoes Series, a trilogy described as “a middle-grade fantasy series with a splash of paranormal” published by Warren Publishing. She began writing the first book of the series titled, “Compass to Vinland” 10 years ago. It was published in 2021. The second book, “Clarity of Sight,” was published two years later.
The series takes place in Pennsylvania and was inspired by things that cannot be explained as well as “There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe” nursery rhyme. In the series, a shoemaker (who lives in a shoe) creates three pairs of magic shoes with different powers. The stories follow the captivating adventures of his grandson and two friends after they discover the hidden shoes. Each book focuses on the perspective of one of the three main characters.
“I like writing escapism for middle grades and young adult audiences because it’s often an age of struggle and heavy issues, like making connections and navigating friendships. The world can be rough,” she explained. “I created a focus on friendship, adventure and just having fun. It’s entertainment.”
In addition to completing the trilogy, Resh is also working on a young adult fantasy novel featuring mythology and folklore.
In addition to art, writing, work and a love of adventure travel, Resh enjoys spending time discovering exciting ideas and places to enhance creativity.
She hopes her books “ignite creativity and thinking” in readers and encourage those who are considering work in creative fields: “I wanted to write at a young age but was pushed down and discouraged. To be a writer, it takes focus, hard work and not listening to the negative voices...Writing is a very visual experience for me. I love writing fantasy because the possibilities are limitless.”
Story: Tracy Donohue
Photo: Laurie Tennent
City delays vote on community center
By Grace Lovins
After reviewing proposed language and schedules for a bond proposal to pay for Birmingham’s new community center and home for NEXT senior services, city commissioners delayed submitting a ballot proposal for a May special election during the Monday, January 13, meeting, looking instead toward an August special election.
As part of the ongoing process to establish a new home for NEXT senior services and a recreation center in Birmingham that will include the YMCA, the city is seeking approval from voters for a bond proposal of $32 million to pay for the construction of the new building at 400 E. Lincoln.
Pat McGow, with the city’s bond counsel Miller Canfield, presented the draft language and schedule to the commission which showed a 20-year bond with a millage rate of .52 mills. If the commission were to approve the proposal for a May vote and voters approved the bond proposal, the city would not be required to issue the bond right away, said McGow. He said, with a bond issue the city is supposed to spend all the money within three years, but the timing of the bond sale would be determined by when the city receives the construction costs.
Most commissioners felt that a May vote was too soon, saying the city would not have adequate time to educate the public on the proposal. To meet the requirements for a May election, the commission must come to a decision at the next meeting on Monday, February 10.
“I think $32 million is going to get a lot of sticker shock when [voters] see that,” said commissioner Katie Schafer. “My concern is that is what the voters see and that’s what sticks in their heads. … We have to be very careful if we want it to be successful.”
For a May election, absentee voter ballots would be mailed out to voters toward the end of March, 45 days before the election. Several commissioners worried that this timeframe would not allow the city to communicate information about the bond to voters, which could lead to a failed proposal.
“If we do a May vote and it fails, we’re dead in the water,” said commissioner Anthony Long.
Per city manager Jana Decker's
Discrimination lawsuit settled by city
The city of Birmingham has entered into a settlement with a former officer in the police department who filed a civil rights lawsuit in federal court in January of 2024, claiming he was discriminated by the department due to his ethnicity, was repeatedly denied promotions due to his Palestinian background, and had racist names hurled at him by his supervisor, among other defamatory issues.
Yacoub Iseid began working for the Birmingham Police Department in January 2014, and in 2017 applied for a position with Oakland County's Narcotic Enforcement Task Force, led by sergeant Mike Lyon. Iseid, who is of Palestinian descent, alleges in the lawsuit that he was passed over “for a less qualified white officer named Seth Barone.” He then sought to improve himself, and was told he was passed over because he was a “fat rock.”
Lyon left the task force and became Iseid's supervisor, and he said Lyon “continually referred to Plaintiff as a 'terrorist,' 'a bomber,' making jokes about his ethnic background, and using the 'n word' in regular conversation.” Iseid alleges the department had a culture of racial animus, including but not limited to Arab individuals.
At one point Iseid was put on administrative leave and was recommended to begin therapy, which he did. Iseid claims miscommunication between his therapist and the department prevented his reinstatement; he was terminated in January 2021.
Iseid's attorneys, Eric Stempien and Lauren Gwinn of Stempien Law LLC in Livonia, claimed violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act; of creating harassment-hostile work environment; and a violation of the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, citing race and national original discrimination.
Stempien last year said they first filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Office (EEOC) in 2019, where it “just sat there,” so they turned to the courts. Stempien said Iseid was not the only minority member on the force, but he was clearly targeted.
In October of last year a settlement conference was held and in December the judge assigned the case issued a settlement order, which reportedly included a nondisclosure agreement (NDA).
Birmingham City Attorney Mary Kucharek said the settlement included a “small monetary” payment of $22,500.
Kucharek said that the determination was made that a settlement agreement rather than a costly legal skirmish in terms of both time and expense was preferable to “wasting city money” on a protracted legal battle.
comments prefacing the commission’s discussion, the commission is still roughly two weeks away from seeing a detailed program for the building as well as contracts and agreements between the city and NEXT and the city and YMCA for the operation of the building. Some commissioners felt that this information is important to see before moving forward with a bond proposal.
“May sounds like it’s too early, and it sounds like we’re about to get a lot of data in about two weeks, and this bond issue, should it go out in May, we would have to decide by February 10, the same time we’re going to get all this data. … Let’s get this data and not push this forward now,” said commissioner Jason Emerine.
Commissioners instead looked to
voted during the Monday, January 13, meeting to issue an RFP (Request for Proposal) for construction management services.
Since mid-2023, the city has been working on a plan to turn the former Birmingham YMCA building, located at 400 E. Lincoln, into a new home for Next senior services and recreation center for residents. The goal is to have a new building ready for Next to move into by the time their lease agreement with the Birmingham Public Schools district is up in 2027.
The city has obtained services from architects, engineering firms and a program management firm — serving as the owner’s representative — since purchasing the building. Brian Deming of Kramer Management Group, the owner’s representative, brought the item forward noting that hiring a construction manager is adding the ‘last major player on the team’ putting information together.
Deming said the construction manager would provide management services of the project schedule, cost, quality, safety and scope. They would also help in developing the budget and reviewing the constructability of what design the architects put together. Deming also emphasized the fact that this manager would deliver the guaranteed maximum price for the project.
Although the commission decided to delay the submission of the bond proposal earlier in the meeting, Deming explained that it was preferable to move forward with releasing the RFP since the construction manager will be able to put an actual cost to the project.
push the vote back to an August special election, for which the city must submit the ballot proposal by May 13. While no formal action was taken, they requested McGow and city staff come back with a timeline for an August bond vote.
The commission took no formal action on the bond proposal. Mayor pro tem Clinton Baller was absent from the meeting.
Management services sought for construction
By Grace Lovins
Keeping the momentum on the development of Birmingham’s new recreation center and home for Next senior services, the city commission
Deming said should the commission move forward with releasing the RFP, the included schedule would be updated to reflect the shift from a May bond vote to an August bond vote. The RFP would also only request an estimated cost for schematic designs in the schedule.
The commissioners voted 5-1 to release the RFP for construction management services, incorporating the changes explained by Deming, with commissioner Brad Host voting against the motion. Host has consistently voted against items relating to the project, citing his frustration with not officially calling the building a community center and his opinion that the city is moving too fast on the project.
Mayor pro tem Clinton Baller was absent from the meeting.
Paid parental leave policy approved
By Dana Casadei
Eligible Bloomfield Township employees will now be able to take up to 120 hours of paid parental leave after the Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve the new policy on Monday, January 13.
“We’re trying to retain employees, but at the same time we’re trying to recruit employees. So we have to be competitive with some of our benefit packages,” said supervisor Mike McCready, who presented this policy to the board. “We aren’t competitive with other municipalities. We’re not competitive within the county, who offer 12 weeks paid leave.”
Multiple board members agreed, and said that the township was way behind the times on this type of paid leave policy. McCready said that when he spoke with Bloomfield Township directors, both they and their staff were shocked and dismayed to learn that the township didn’t already offer some type of paid parental leave to its employees.
Currently, through the Family and Medical Leave of Absence (FMLA), an employee could take a leave of absence but wouldn’t be compensated while gone. Bloomfield Township used to offer a program where one could take a short-term disability, along with up to one week of their own vacation time. In total, employees could get between seven and eight weeks as a birth mother or adoptive parent.
While the birth mother or adoptive parent qualified for leave, there was zero parental leave offered for an additional parent. This will change with the approval of the paid parental leave policy, which will allow an employee to take up to 120 hours of paid leave from the township, along with being able to use one week of their paid vacation time.
This would lead Bloomfield Township employees up to 10-11 weeks for the mother, and at least 120 hours of paid leave for the other parent, and still qualify for short-term disability.
“We have a high standard for our employees here; we need to offer high benefits to retain and recruit them,” said trustee Chris Kolinski. “I think this will match what we already expect out of our employees, and now they can expect this out of us as a board.”
Kolinski mentioned that paid
Hours of set for annual Village Fair
The city of Birmingham has established new hours of operation for the annual the Village Fair, which will be 60 years old this year, in a comprise developed by the police and fire departments, the owner of the carnival and the Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce which sponsors the event.
City commissioners in November approved a permit for the popular Village Fair from May 28 through June 1, but left the hours of operation to be determined after public safety officials had met with chamber of commerce officials.
The closing hours of the fair had become an issue after police and fire department officials had proposed the closing hour of the fair for 8 p.m. due to incidents at the Village Fair in 2024. Normally the event would have a closing time of 10 p.m. on weekdays and 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. But fights among teenagers last year raised concerns about possible increasing violence during the late evening hours after dark.
The chamber of commerce uses the Village Fair as its major fundraising affair and shares a portion of proceeds with local nonprofit groups whose volunteers help at the event. Closing the fair at earlier hours would represent a substantial loss of revenue, according to chamber of commerce officials.
At the city commission meeting of Monday, January 13, Birmingham Police Chief Scott Grewe presented a report to commissioners with a new closing time of 9 p.m. and a proposed 8:30 meeting each evening of the fair this year between chamber and public safety officials to review safety issues that may have developed and, at the sole discretion of the police department, possibly extending the closing to 10 p.m. if there were no problems.
The compromise closing hour was the result of a Zoom meeting between Grewe, carnival owner Danny Huston and chamber of commerce president Joe Bauman.
The report present by Grewe noted that several other similar types of fairs have been banned in neighboring communities due to violent encounters among teenagers.
Also noted were several skirmishes at the Village Fair last year, including one clash that resulted in criminal charges for several high school students involved in a fight. Grewe also noted that police had received threats of possible violence before the Village Fair last year and had to expend detective time to investigate the threats in advance of the event.
The report also noted that officials expected a growing attendance at the event this year and were planning on increased public safety staffing for the event. Police and fire department expenses incurred by the city are charged to the chamber of commerce each year.
parental leave came up during the township’s compensation and benefits study, and much like when the board addressed the pay discrepancies that study also found, putting this policy in place will be another item the board can tackle right away.
For employees to be potentially eligible for up to 120 hours of paid parental leave they need to be permanent full-time Bloomfield Township employees, who have worked at the township for at least one year, and worked at least 1,250 hours the previous calendar year.
Bloomfield Township policy currently requires employees to
deplete their sick and vacation banks down to 40 hours prior to using their short-term disability benefits; eligible employees will be able to use paid parental leave first now. With the passing of this policy, those who use their paid parental leave first will not be required to deplete their sick and vacation banks as they previously would have.
Any approved paid parental leave will run simultaneously with any available FMLA leave for the same qualifying birth or adoption. For FMLA eligible employees the FLMA provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave following the birth or adoption of a child.
“I think it’s about time that we are considering this, I think we’ve been way behind on the times,” said trustee Neal Barnett. “This shows that we are a caring community and municipality for our employees. I think this says a lot in a positive way, and I’m very supportive of this.”
Eligibility may begin on the exact date of the birth of the child, or on the exact day when custody is taken through the adoption agreement. Employees may choose to use this after the birth or adoption to coordinate with a spouse or partner, but all paid parental leave must be utilized within 90 days from the date of birth or adoption.
There are some disqualifications for those looking to use the paid parental leave though.
Employees must be the biological parent of the child, or be the legally designed guardian of the newly adopted child; surrogate mothers, sperm donors, or foster parents will not qualify for the paid parental leave; and a voluntary or involuntary custody loss of a newborn will terminate the paid parental leave as of the date physical custody ends.
For those looking to use this paid parental leave there are qualifications to be able to receive it, including a written notice to their department head, human resources and the benefits administrator at least 30 days before they intend to use paid parental leave.
This point of qualification was brought up by trustee Mark Antakli, who noted that sometimes unexpected things came up with the birth or adoption of children, and wanted the policy to clarify that if there’s an emergency or short-term notice that people will still be covered by the paid parental leave policy. His fellow trustees agreed and clerk Martin Brook noted the change when the motion was made.
This paid parental leave policy was implemented immediately upon its approval at the board of trustees meeting.
Police chief recent graduate from FBI
. The national office of the FBI Academy has announced that Bloomfield Township Police Chief James Gallagher has graduated as a member of the 292nd session of the FBI National Academy.
The graduation took place at the National Academy in Quantico, Virginia on December 12, 2024. Nationally, fewer than one percent of
officers have the opportunity to attend the program.
Internationally known for its academic excellence, the National Academy offers 11 weeks of advanced communication, leadership, and fitness training. Participants must have proven records as professionals within their agencies to attend. On average, these officers have 21 years of law enforcement experience and usually return to their agencies to serve in executive-level positions.
The 292nd session consisted of two-hundred and fifty-seven law enforcement officers who graduated from the FBI National Academy in Quantico. The 292nd session of the National Academy consisted of men and women from 48 states, the District of Columbia and Guam. The class included members of law enforcement agencies from 27 countries, eight military organizations, and five federal civilian organizations.
About his FBI training, Gallagher said, “It was one of the best of trainings of my career from the level of the training we got to the quality of the instructors to the partnerships we
created along the way. It was incredible.”
Gallagher joined the Bloomfield Township Police Department in 2000 and served as a field training officer, a dispatch trained officer, and a member of the Oakland County Narcotics Team before succeeding outgoing chief Philip Langmeyer on July 1, 2020. He holds a Criminal Justice Degree from Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan. He is married and a father of two children.
Church source of illicit river discharges
By David Hohendorf
The city of Birmingham has resolved in recent months a longstanding illicit discharge into the Rouge River involving a church, the Sanctuary, located at 300 Willits in the downtown area.
Oakland County was credited with notifying the city in October of 2023 relative to the illicit discharge, according to correspondence between the city and environmental officials
with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE), supplied to Downtown Newsmagazine by Birmingham in a response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.
Rouge River is part of a watershed that flows through three counties. According to the website for the Friends of the Rouge group, “The Rouge River Watershed, in southeast Michigan, drains 467 square miles into the Detroit River. It has four major branches (Main, Upper, Middle, and Lower) with 127 river miles and numerous tributaries.”
The Birmingham Engineering Department was able to determine that the discharge location was from the storm sewer that drains city parking lot number five near which there are a couple of homes and the church. Analysis of the discharge showed high levels of E. coli bacteria.
Engineering department officials inspected manholes and catch basins serving the parking lot, which included using televised reviews of storm sewer runs. Eventually dye tests helped determine that the church was the source of the illicit discharge.
Church officials were notified of the determination in December of 2023 and reminded that there had been other instances of illicit connections dating back to 1996, 1998 and again in 2008. Church officials in late January of 2024 called for a meeting with city officials and noted that the church, when first built in 1928-29 and again around 1958-1960, and its sewer lines were approved by the city.
Ultimately the illicit line from the church to the storm sewer was disconnected and a grinder pump was installed at the church, along with a new line connecting the building to a city sanitary sewer line in late November of 2024. It appears that the connection to the storm sewer system served the entire building which includes the church and a daycare center.
City officials told Downtown that the expense of resolving the illicit connection to the storm sewer was being charged to the church. Officials also said that as of now there is no indication that either the city or the church would be assessed with penalty charges from state or federal environment officials.
SPRING IS COMING
Use of consent agenda approved
By Dana Casadei
Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees meetings may look a little different as the year continues after the approval for utilization of a consent agenda at the Monday, January 13, board meeting.
With a consent agenda the board of trustees will now be able to vote in one motion without discussion for matters that are considered routine and non-controversial. In other words, items will be grouped together, voted on together, and zero discussion will be had on any of the items in that bundle. All will be adopted in a single motion, aa practice followed by most other government bodies in other communities.
“This could save the board time to work on and pay more attention to other items on the agenda,” said clerk Martin Brook.
what exactly they would be approving and voting on.
Brook presented the policy to the board and while the board approved it, not all in the room were happy about the decision, including a woman who spoke up about this policy during the meeting’s public comment.
“A consent agenda is an attempt by Martin Brook to bundle issues without public commentary. I, and many other taxpayers, do not trust the members of the administration to act in a fair and transparent way, especially on financial issues and contracts,” she said. “If you want to shorten meetings, then do so by providing the transparency that the public expects.”
Multiple members on the board have been a part of boards or committee who have used this type of agenda before, including Brook, who said his team looked at about half a dozen options before landing on this one.
A consent agenda is also recognized by Robert’s Rules of Order – a manual of parliamentary procedure by U.S. Army officer Henry Martyn Robert – as an accepted practice.
Often used by local school districts, cities, townships –including the Oakland County Board of Commissioners – a consent agenda will ideally allow the township board of trustees to have more time to attend to unique or significant matters, and reduce unnecessary burdens on Bloomfield Township staff.
Moving forward, the Board of Trustees meeting schedule will look similar to how they run now. They will still start with a call of order, the Pledge of Allegiance, and public comment; then will be followed by the consent agenda. From there, new and/or unfinished business will be discussed before adjournment.
To have an item be considered for the consent agenda, Bloomfield Township officials will be asked to submit items with an explicit request for board action, including any conditions or limitations to the item being presented. This way it will be clear to the board of trustees
This issue of transparency was brought up again from trustee Valerie Murray, who wondered how transparent a consent agenda would be. Brook noted that the amount of information in the packet for board of trustees meetings would still be the same as it currently is, things would be no less transparent than they are now.
Bloomfield Township employees would still be asked to provide information for the packet, but if their item is put in the consent agenda, they wouldn’t have to come to the board of trustees meeting to speak, giving them back some of their time.
With a policy such as this, the Bloomfield Township Supervisor, Clerk, and Treasurer ultimately decide which contents will be considered for the consent agenda, done through the policy’s provided guidelines for making those decisions.
Items that will qualify to be put on the consent agenda are routine and non-controversial, as well as purchase requests and/or contract awards that comply with the township purchasing policy. It will be awarded to a qualified contractor/vendor who made the lowest bid or proposal, and has an amount proposed to spend that is within the approved budget.
While residents wouldn’t be able to have an item removed from the consent agenda, if they make a strong enough case during public comment that it should, they could get a board member to agree. If so, a board member would ask it to become a separate agenda item and taken out of the consent agenda.
“An opportunity for a full discussion is always an option,” Brook said.
Historic post office five-story project
By Grace Lovins
Following the expiration of the final site plans for a five-story addition to Birmingham’s historic post office, 320 Martin St., the city’s planning board reapproved the designs during the Wednesday, June 22, meeting, granting another year for the project to get started.
Originally approved in July 2022, the five-story addition to the Martin St. building is set to include first floor retail space along Maple Rd., two floors of office and two floors of residential units. The building will also include a rooftop use and a ‘thread park,’ per planning director Nick Dupuis, which adds a unique park connection between the building and surrounding area.
Dupuis explained that the plans have essentially remained the same since the board’s approval in 2022, with slight changes to the parking layout. The original designs planned for two floors of underground parking accessible through an elevator lift for vehicles to access the floors. Now, rather than two floors of underground parking there will be one floor with additional parking on the main level.
A valet attendant will be on hand as an amenity to park vehicles using the elevator lift, but the architect, Kevin Biddison with Biddison Architecture and Design, assured the board that the lift is user-friendly and will be available for use if the valet attendant is not present.
Biddison also told the board that they are ready to submit for building permits with the city next week but permits require non-expired site plan approval.
Board members briefly gave their input on the development itself, saying they were in favor of seeing the plans for the building executed. Member Robin Boyle made the request that the detailed layout of the residential units be added back into the final plans with the city from the original site plan approval.
With little discussion, members voted unanimously, 6-0, to reapprove the final site plan and design for the new addition. Conditions were set to comply with all city departments and include the design layout for the residential units in the final material sent to the city.
Board members Bert Kosek and Janelle Boyce were absent from the meeting, with alternate member Naseem Ramin voting instead.
Social Kitchen dining renovation sought
By Grace Lovins
Popular Birmingham restaurant
Social Kitchen & Bar, at 225 E. Maple, is headed to the city’s board of zoning appeals (BZA) with plans to renovate their existing outdoor dining enclosure following the Wednesday, January 22, planning board meeting at which planners approved the bistro’s final site plan on the condition that the proposed enclosure is removed from the design or a variance is granted from the BZA.
Social Kitchen & Bar originally brought the city plans to renovate their existing outdoor dining area back in November for a preapplication discussion. Jacob Newman, vice president of sales with Skyview Detroit, explained in November that the new design will maintain the same size and footprint
as the current structure.
Rather than an isinglass structure, Social is looking to install a custom pergola frame made of aluminum material, a permanent knee wall, roof and glass transom and a motorized screen made of marine-grade strataglass that will drop down to the knee wall.
Per the city’s new outdoor dining ordinance, explained planning director Nick Dupuis, outdoor dining enclosures are now prohibited. Social’s existing enclosure was considered a ‘legal nonconforming use,’ until the special land use permit was reopened. Now that the restaurant has plans to renovate the space, they must come into compliance with the new ordinance or seek a variance from the BZA, which Dupuis said they are planning on doing.
Wednesday night’s discussion mirrored what was said during the November meeting, with the board agreeing the new look is an improvement but doesn’t fit the new ordinance.
“It’s a distinct improvement but it does not meet the ordinance and it doesn’t meet it in a way that we went through a long arduous process at city commission direction,” said chair Scott Clein.
“That being said for the ZBA, … it’s pretty much an existing condition, so if they found a hardship to provide [Social] a variance, I don’t know that from a planning perspective it’s changing a whole lot about this area,” he continued.
Planning board members voted unanimously, 6-0, to recommend approval of the special land use permit with the exception that Social get a variance from the BZA to have an outdoor dining enclosure or scrap the enclosure from the plans. Board
members Bert Kosek and Janelle Boyce were absent from the meeting with alternate member Naseem Ramin voting in place.
Fiber optic network damage shuts district
Officials with Bloomfield Hills Schools closed the district on Friday, January 10, due to “significant damage” to the fiber optic network upon which the district relies for critical operations.
According to a district Facebook posting the evening before, “Earlier today, BHS experienced significant damage to the district’s fiber optic network, which serves as the backbone for our communication, instructional technology, and operational systems. This outage has rendered critical functions such as internet access, classroom technology, phone systems, HVAC controls systems, and safety measures inoperable across the district. After careful consideration, it has been determined that we cannot ensure the safe and effective operation of our schools under these circumstances.”
We understand the inconvenience this may cause, and we are working diligently with our technology team and service providers to repair the damage as quickly as possible. At this time, we are unable to provide a precise timeline for full restoration, but we will keep you informed with updates as they become available.”
No further information relative to the fiber optic network damage was available and contact with the district was limited due to the network problem.
FACES
Reid Jarjosa
For anyone who thinks pickleball is just for those with an AARP card, Reid Jarjosa is prepared to set them straight.
Jarjosa, a Detroit Country Day School junior, is the founder and operator of City Pickle, a nonprofit organization he created in 2022 to engage youth in the city of Detroit to be more active and healthy through the sport of pickleball.
“I'd been playing it with family in the summer of 2022, and it's really fun,” Jarjosa recalled. “I wanted to share it with other kids.”
The impetus for City Pickle was born during a school trip he took in eighth grade to the city of Detroit, where the Birmingham resident “saw a lot of unused tennis courts that were rundown and looked like they hadn't been used in years,” Jarjosa said. “I thought, 'Why aren't kids playing racquet sports? Pickleball is great – it's a slower pace, it's really fun, it's active and it gets them off their phones.'”
He reached out to a local Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan his freshman year of school, because they provide after school activities in their recreational centers. He was wondering if they had any availability for pickleball instruction – and they had an available slot at their Dick & Sandy Dauch Club on Tireman Avenue on Detroit's west side. Suddenly, City Pickle was born.
“I had a couple of friends from DCD and a few other Birmingham friends, who attend Groves and Seaholm High Schools, who also needed community service hours who had been playing pickleball and know how to teach kids,” Jarjosa said. “Over the summer I was able to connect with some college kids who were home who were interested in getting involved, because pickleball is really big on college campuses.”
In not quite three years, City Pickle has had over 3,000 students involved in their program. They have expanded to six Boys & Girls Clubs and four City of Detroit Parks and Recreation locations.
It's a bond that goes well beyond the pickleball court, Jarjosa emphasized.
For Jarjosa, he said it's taught him how privileged he is, especially compared to many of the kids they teach.
During the school year, City Pickle offers after school instruction two to three times a week. Come summer, students enjoy it five days a week.
“Some of the kids have gotten really good,” Jarjosa said. “Some of the volunteers are able to make a deep connection with the kids.”
“For the kids, I've seen them become more active and prioritize health and being more physical,” he said. “Learning a new sport and being exposed to a racquet sport and have that eye-hand coordination is so important. Pickleball is much easier than tennis, it's really active, the ball moves a little slower so kids can pick it up a little faster, and the court is smaller so it takes up less space in a gym.”
Over the Christmas holidays, they held a toy drive to give back to their kids, and partnered with West Bloomfield's PickleRage, “where some members bought a gift and we gifted them to the kids. We gave over 100 gifts.”
Story: Lisa Brody
Over March's spring break, the Boys & Girls Club will bus their new City Pickle players to PickleRage so they can play with professionals and have a pizza party.
Jarjosa plans to stay involved when he attends college, with a younger cousin leading operations but keeping an eye on the nonprofit, and playing and teaching in the summer. He is also looking at expanding City Pickle to other cities, including Chicago and New York. He's looking at partnering with the Boys & Girls Club of Chicago in the same way as he did in Detroit.
Photo: Laurie Tennent
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BUSINESS MATTERS
New vet hospital
Gasow Veterinary Hospital has opened the doors to its new stateof-the art facility located at 36877 Woodward Avenue, Birmingham. The Gasow practice served its pet patients in a temporary location in Troy for a year and a half until construction on the new facility was completed. The veterinary hospital was founded in 1933 by Dr. Frederick H. Gasow. The original location was in downtown Birmingham but moved to its current location a year later. Over the decades, the original hospital went under five remodels. The new Gasow Veterinary Hospital spans 11,000 square feet and has 14 exam rooms, a radiology and ultrasound room, three surgical suites, a CT room, a dental x-ray and dental suite, an oncology area and state of the art laboratory testing. New surgical equipment and post operative monitoring systems ensure the best care for the pet patients. Other new servicesand procedures that Gasow will offer in the next few months include: vet scalpel; laparoscopic gastropexy; endoscopy; and Nu.Q Vet cancer testing—a screening test to aid early cancer detection. Dr. Kira Walsh serves as medical director for Gasow. Other doctors on staff include Dr. James R. Wright, Dr. Fred Dolehanty, Dr. Katie Raper, Dr. Shelby Babisz, Dr. Kiara Boey and Dr. Julie Foster. Two more doctors will join the practice this coming Spring. The builder for the project was C.E. Gleason Constructors, Inc, of Troy. Gasow is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Evening care (beginning at 5:30 p.m.) and all weekend care is classified as “urgent care” and additional fees may apply.
Dentistry expansion
DiPilla Dentistry has announced the forthcoming expansion of its team and the opening of a new, state-of-the-art facility in Birmingham in March of 2025. The new office will support the
practice’s continued growth and the area’s ongoing need for exceptional dental care, and allow the practice to increase its clinical and administrative staff by 40 percent. Relocating from DiPilla Dentistry’s current space in downtown Birmingham, the new office will be located at 720 N. Old Woodward Avenue, with a 4,800square-foot dental clinic to welcome patients to an even more elevated and comprehensive, concierge-level dental experience. New sound-proof treatment suites offer privacy and comfort as well as personalized amenities like aromatherapy, adjustable lighting and high-end entertainment options. DiPilla Dentistry is tripling its capacity from three operatories to nine, bringing new technologies and innovations to improve precision, comfort and outcomes, including laser dentistry, 3D imaging & CAD/CAM technology, low-radiation digital X-rays and AI-assisted diagnostics. The team bringing this project to fruition includes: Architect Robert J. Cliffe, RA of Moiseev/Gordon Associates, Inc., Royal Oak; interior designer, Patricia Barnett Kelter of Kelter Schwartz Design, Bloomfield; and contractor K4 Medical and Dental Construction, Beverly Hills. “We have always been committed to providing exceptional dental care, but we simply outgrew our old space where we’ve proudly served the community for the past 28 years,” said Dr. Robert DiPilla “We kept our patients central to every single step of our design process to ensure the ultimate spalike experience. Whether you’re an individual seeking a world-class smile transformation or a family looking for exceptional care in a welcoming environment, we offer a sanctuary of health and wellness for all.”
Italdesign headquarters
Italdesign has established its U.S. headquarters in Bloomfield Township.Thedesign and engineering company and brand is
based in Moncalieri, Italy. The company is best known for its automobile design work—also offering project management, styling, packaging, engineering, modeling, prototyping and testing services. Italdesign has over 1,000 employees worldwide and the expansion to the U.S. brings 24 high-paying jobs to the state of Michigan and over $20 million in private investment to the local economy. The company chose Michigan over competing sites in Ohio and California as part of its focus on advanced automotive design and engineering. “The United States play a key role in our global strategy: partnering with major automotive players providing the widest range of services today available on the market,” said Antonio Casu, Italdesign Global CEO. “From Styling and Engineering to prototyping, testing & validation, and complete vehicle development…who else could provide such a range of services? With almost six decades of expertise in the automotive industry, we are the right partner to support U.S. customers with innovative solutions and proven excellence. We are ready to make a difference.” Fabrizio Mina, Italdesign USA CEO, said that having an operational headquarters in Michigan is essential to effectively support American customers. “This local presence allows us to respond promptly to their needs, and to provide a personalized and highquality service to the large industry or startups wishing to enter the automotive sector,” said Mina. Italdesign’s U.S. headquarters is located at 6785 Telegraph Road, Suite 450, Bloomfield Township.
Business Matters for the BirminghamBloomfield area are reported by Gigi Nichols. Send items for consideration to GigiNichols@downtownpublications.com. Items should be received three weeks prior to publication.
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NEXT NOTEBOOK
The city of Birmingham, like the rest of the country, is watching its population age. This is both a challenge and an opportunity.
From the start of their tenure, the current city commission adopted strategic goals that included supporting an engaged and connected community by offering city services and amenities that enrich the lives of residents of all ages as one of their three priorities. This strategic goal included a recommendation to “create a task force to facilitate an aging in place plan, develop a plan for a permanent senior/community center to house Next senior services and to offer space for multigenerational programs”.
In April 2023, the city commission took action and created a new ad hoc committee called Aging in Place. The charge? To focus on the demographics of our city, examine the current senior services being provided, identify unmet needs and finally, develop an action plan to help our resident’s age in place in a manner that is safe, healthy and comfortable.
Residents of the city of Birmingham share the same desire as the majority of most Americans. They want to remain in their homes for as long as possible. The question then becomes, how do we as a society assist our older adults to age in their homes safely where they can be physically active, socially connected and mentally engaged?
This was the fundamental question put to the Aging in Place Committee.
The timeframe for the completion of the committee’s work was 18 months, which concludes now, February 2025, and will be presented at a commission meeting in the next several weeks.
The comprehensive work of the committee revealed some surprises, but mostly affirmed what many of us already know; the needs of seniors are unique.
As people age, priorities change. Social networks change. Bodies change and minds change. These universal changes create a strong sense of shared identity and vast potential for our community.
The Aging in Place Citywide Plan, inspired by AARP’s eight domains of a senior friendly community, include, among others, social participation, civic engagement and communication.
Social inclusion and community engagement of older adults is critically important for many reasons. Socialization improves mental health, creates a sense of community and belonging, establishes a support system that allows for independence and assistance, and improves cognitive function and physical health. In short, socialization has the power to transform lives. The next several years will be pivotal for older adults living in Birmingham. The city has taken an important step to provide dedicated space for seniors in the new 400 E. Lincoln building currently being designed, while Birmingham’s 2040 Master Plan contains the recurring theme of “Connecting the City.” This focus resulted in several recommendations that directly relate to many of the goals of the Aging in Place Citywide Plan. By aligning these two plans, we can amplify their impact and have greater success.
Understanding the personal and collective benefits of creating a community where seniors can thrive, makes lives and society richer for everyone.
Please look for the Aging in Place Citywide Action Plan to be presented, and published on the City’s website at www.bham.gov.
Cris Braun is Executive Director of Birmingham Next
COMMUNITY HOUSE
An important component of The Community House (TCH) returning to its nonprofit mission is changing our website URL back to an ‘.org’ from a ‘.com’. This is critical as we apply for grants and to lessen the confusion that we are a nonprofit helping others.The new website address is: communityhousehelps.org
Masterclass Professional Development Lectures: Help At-Risk Girls
These lectures will help businesspeople hone their skills for everyday interactions and decision making. Come learn and meet other professionals at all career stages while helping TCH give sponsorship dollars to Women of Tomorrow’s at-risk teen girls. Wednesdays, 11:30 am-1:30 pm. $35 per lecture. Sponsored by: Oakland University School of Business Administration, MiBank and The Original Print Shoppe. Register: communityhousehelps.org.
February 19: “Always the Windshield, Never the Bug” is part of turnaround CEO specialist Camille Jayne’s successful Bulletproof Your Success™ series. Learn to stand or stake your ground; deal with uncomfortable situations; understand the gut drivers and personal brand attributes that guide your career path. Walk away with better insights on how to get what you want in your career.
March 19: “Create a Culture of Belonging” is part of James Cristbrook’s James Inspires You dynamic speaking series. Go beyond diversity and inclusion, learning how to help yourself and others in the workplace. James has forged an extraordinary path for his dynamic speaking engagements nationwide teaching others how to create a culture of belonging. Audiences leave inspired with an indelible mark of how to make positive changes.
Get & Give a Basket, March 27: Help Feed Others
A great night of connection, conversation and community while contributing to a worthy cause of helping to feed 1,200 food insecure families in partnership with UC Family Services in Troy. Purchase a lovely gift basket (“Get”) and help TCH contribute (“Give”) nourishing food bags to help feed others in need. 5:30 pm-7:30 pm. Tickets: $35/person. To donate a gift basket call: 248.594.6414. Register: communityhousehelps.org.
Annual Grand Gala, April 11 with Grand Honoree Dr. Ora Hirsch Pescovitz
A powerful evening as our main fundraiser for all our Outreach Programs and our Charity Helping Charities efforts for our seven nonprofit partners. And importantly to recognize our Grand Honoree, Dr. Ora Hirsch Pescovitz, M.D. president of Oakland University, a renowned pediatric endocrinologist, investigator and administrative educator who has dedicated her career to service. The criteria for choosing the Grand Honoree is one who is passionate and committed to our four foundational Pillars of Vibrancy: Education, Culture, Wellness and Philanthropy. Few people have demonstrated the passion and commitment to giving back in these four areas as much as President Pescovitz in her work, personal life and community involvement. She has increased student success, scholarship and community engagement, and focused major efforts on diversity, equity, inclusion and sustainability. Black Tie optional. 6pm-9pm. Register for tickets or tables at: communityhousehelps.org or 248.594.6414. Sponsorships available.
Classes Open for Registration at communityhousehelps.org
Kids Create Action Art running February 27-March 20 10-11a.m; 4 class series
Kids Create - Dino Discovery, March 8 10-11 a.m.
Instant Guitar for Hopelessly Busy People, April 1 6:30-9 p.m.
Instant Piano for Hopelessly Busy People, March 31 6:30-9:30 p.m.
Floral Design, February 26 3-5 p.m.
Cell Phone Photography, March 8 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
New Classes: Registration Open February 17
Knife Skills with Executive Chef Ryan Friedrich Vocal Techniques for Performance: Ready for the Stage
Intro to Ballet for Children; 4 class series
Intro to Ballet for Adults; 4 class series
Stretching for Flexibility and Mobility
Starting on Monday mornings in mid-March we are delighted Sandra will teach Gentle Yoga and Mixed Level Yoga classes. Registration opens February 17.
TCH Recognized as “Best of Weddings”
The Knot wedding magazinerated TCH as the 2025 Best of Weddings highlighting our commitment to exceptional wedding experiences. TCH entered The Knot Hall of Fame reserved for venues that achieve Best of Weddings status for four consecutive years.
Cris Braun
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.
Beyond Juicery + Eatery: Contemporary. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 270 W. Maple Road, Birmingham, 48009; 221 Cole Street, Birmingham, 48009; 3645 W. Maple Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301; 4065 W. Maple Road, Bloomfield Township, 48301; 1987 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. beyondjuiceryeatery.com
Bloomfield Deli: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, Monday-Friday. No reservations. 71 W. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.645.6879. bloomfielddeli.com
Café Dax: American. Breakfast, daily, Lunch, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 298 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.283.4200. daxtonhotel.com
Café ML: New American. Dinner, daily. Liquor. Reservations. 3607 W. Maple Road, Bloomfield Township. 248.642.4000. cafeml.com
Café Origins: Global. Breakfast and Lunch, daily, Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. 163 W Maple Road, Birmingham, 48009. 248.742.4040. originsbirmingham.com
Casa Pernoi: Italian. Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 310 E. Maple Road, Birmingham, 48009. 248.940.0000. casapernoi.com
Churchill’s Bistro & Cigar Bar: Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 116 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.4555. churchillscigarbar.com
Cityscape Deli: Deli. Lunch & Dinner, MondaySaturday. No reservations. Beer. 877 W. Long
Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.540.7220. cityscapedeli.com
Commonwealth: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 300 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.792.9766. gocommonwealth.com
Dick O’Dow’s: Irish. Lunch & Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 160 West Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.642.1135. dickodowspub.com
Eddie Merlot’s: Steak & seafood. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 37000 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.712.4095. eddiemerlots.com
Einstein Bros. Bagels: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 4089 West Maple Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.258.9939. einsteinbros.com
EM: Mexican. Lunch, Friday-Sunday, Dinner, Wednesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 470 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 947.234.0819.
Embers Deli & Restaurant: Deli. Breakfast & Lunch, Tuesday-Sunday. Dinner, TuesdayFriday. No reservations. 3598 West Maple Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.645.1033. embersdeli1.com
Flemings Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar: American. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 323 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.723.0134. flemingssteakhouse.com
Honey Tree Grille: Greek/American. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, daily. No reservations. 3633 W. Maple Rd, Bloomfield, MI 48301. 248.203.9111. honeytreegrille.com
Hudson’s Place: Pizza/Coffee/Takeout. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. 1087 W. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Township, 48302. 248.540.2266. hudsonsplacepizzeria.com.
Hunter House Hamburgers: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 35075 Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.646.7121. hunterhousehamburgers.com
Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse: American. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 201 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.4369. hydeparkrestaurants.com
IHOP: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 2187 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301. 248.333.7522. Ihop.com
Joe Muer Seafood: Seafood. Dinner daily. Reservations. Liquor. 39475 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.792.9609. joemuer.com
Kaku Sushi and Poke’: Asian. Lunch, MondayFriday & Dinner daily. No reservations. 869 W. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Township, 48302. 248.480.4785, and 126 S. Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009. 248.885.8631. kakusushipoke.com
Kerby’s Koney Island: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 2160 N. Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.333.1166. kerbyskoneyisland.com
La Marsa: Mediterranean. Lunch & Dinner daily. Reservations. 43259 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.858.5800. lamarsacuisine.com
La Strada Italian Kitchen & Bar: Italian. Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 243 E. Merrill Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.480.0492. lastradaitaliankitchen.com
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. leosconeyisland.com
Lincoln Yard and Little Yard: American. Little Yard take-out hours: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Lincoln Yard hours: Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 2159 E. Lincoln Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.653.5353. eatlincolnyard.com
Little Daddy’s: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 39500 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.647.3400. littledaddys.com
Luxe Bar & Grill: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 525 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.792.6051. luxebarandgrill.com
Madam: American. Brunch, weekends. Lunch, Monday-Friday, Dinner daily. Reservations. Liquor. 298 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.283.4200. daxtonhotel.com
Middle Eats: Mediterranean. Lunch and Dinner, daily. No reservations. 42967 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield, 48093. 248.274.328. middleeats.com
Nippon Sushi Bar: Japanese. Lunch, MondayFriday, Dinner daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2079 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48302. 248.481.9581. nipponsushibar.com
Olga’s Kitchen: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 2075 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.451.0500. olgas.com
Original Pancake House: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 33703 South Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.642.5775. oph-mi.com
Phoenicia: Lebanese. Lunch, Monday-Friday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 588 S. Old Woodward Birmingham, 48009. phoeniciabirmingham.com
Sy Thai Cafe: Thai. Lunch, Monday-Saturday, Dinner, daily. No reservations. 315 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.9830. sythaibirmingham.com
Sylvan Table: American. Dinner, daily.
Reservations. Liquor. 1819 Inverness Street, Sylvan Lake, 48320. 248.369.3360. sylvantable.com
Tallulah Wine Bar and Bistro: American. Dinner, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 55 S. Bates Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.731.7066. tallulahwine.com
Thai Street Kitchen: Thai. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. 42805 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Township, 48304. 248.499.6867 thaistreetkitchen.com
The French Lady: French. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. 768 N. Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009. 248.480.0571. zefrenchlady.com
The Gallery Restaurant: American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer & wine. 6683 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.851.0313. galleryrestaurant2.com
The Moose Preserve Bar & Grill: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2395 S. Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.858.7688. moosepreserve.com
Touch of India: Lunch, Tuesday-Thursday, Saturday & Sunday. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. 297 E. Maple Road, Birmingham, 48009. 248.593.7881. thetouchofindia.com
Whistle Stop Diner: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily; Liquor. No reservations. 501 S. Eton Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.566.3566. whistlestopdiners.com
ZANA: Modern American. Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 210 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.800.6568. zanabham.com
Zao Jun: Lunch, Saturday & Sunday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 6608 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48301. 248.949.9999. zaojunnewasian.com
Royal Oak/Ferndale
Ale Mary’s: American. Brunch, weekends, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 316 South Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.268.1917. alemarysbeer.com
Beppé: New American. Lunch, Saturday and Sunday, Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. Liquor. 703 N. Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.607.7030. eatbeppe.com
Bigalora: Italian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 711 S. Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.544.2442 bigalora.com
Blind Owl: International/American comfort. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 511 S. Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.216.1112. blindowlrestaurant.com
Café de Olla: Mexican. Breakfast, Tuesday, Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. Liquor. 418 S. Washington Avenue, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.633.5311. cafedeollami.com
Cafe Muse: French. Breakfast & Lunch, Wednesday-Monday. Reservations. Liquor. 418 S. Washington Avenue, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.544.4749. cafemuseroyaloak.com
Coeur: New American Small Plates. Brunch, weekends, Dinner, Wednesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 330 W. Nine Mile Road, Ferndale, 48220. 248.466.3010. coeurferndale.com
Kacha Thai Market: Thai. Lunch and Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. 205 S Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.942-4246.
KouZina: Greek. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. 121 N. Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.629.6500. gokouzina.com
Kruse & Muer on Woodward: American. Lunch, Monday-Saturday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 28028 Woodward Avenue, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.965.2101. kruseandmuerrestaurants.com
Lily’s Seafood: Seafood. Brunch, weekends, Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 410 S. Washington Avenue, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.591.5459. lilysseafood.com
Lockhart’s BBQ: Barbeque. Brunch, Sunday. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 202 E. Third Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.584.422. lockhartsbbq.com
Masala: Indian. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. 106 S. Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.850.8284. food.orders.co/royaloakmasala
Mezcal: Mexican. Bruch, Sunday. Lunch and Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 201 E. Nine Mile Road, Ferndale, 248.268.3915. mezcalferndale.com
Noori Pocha: Korean. Lunch & Dinner, TuesdaySunday. No reservations. Liquor. 1 S. Main Street, Clawson, 48017. 248. 850.7512. nooripocha.com
Pastaio: Italian. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 208 W 5th Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.565.8722. eatpastaio.com/royal-oak
Oak City Grille: American. Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 212 W. 6th Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.556.0947. oakcitygrille.com
Oak Parker: American. Lunch and Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 13621 W Eleven Mile Road, Oak Park, 48327 oakparkerbar.com.
One-Eyed Betty’s: American. Breakfast, weekends, Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 175 W. Troy Street, Ferndale, 48220. 248.808.6633. oneeyedbettys.com
Pop’s for Italian: Italian. Brunch and Lunch, weekends, Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 280 W. 9 Mile Road, Ferndale,48220. 248.268.4806. popsforitalian.com
Public House: American. Dinner, TuesdaySunday. No reservations. Liquor. 241 W. Nine Mile Road, Ferndale, 48220. 248.850.7420. publichouseferndale.com
Redcoat Tavern: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 31542 Woodward Avenue, Royal Oak, 48073. 248.549.0300. redcoat-tavern.com
Ronin: Japanese. Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 326 W. 4th Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.546.0888. roninsushi.com
Royal Oak Brewery: American. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. Liquor. 215 E. 4th Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.544.1141. royaloakbrewery.com
Sozai: Japanese. Dinner, Wednesday-
Saturday. Reservations. 449 West 14 Mile Road, Clawson,48017. 248.677-3232. sozairestaurant.com
The Modern Vegan: Vegan. Brunch, Saturday and Sunday. Dinner, daily. No reservations. 304 N. Main Street, Royal Oak, MI 48067 248.206.7041. tmvrestaurants.com
Three Cats Café: American. Brunch, weekends, Lunch, Tuesday-Sunday, Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 116 W. 14 Mile Road, Clawson. threecatscafe.com
Tigerlily: Japanese. Lunch, Saturday & Sunday, Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 231 W. Nine Mile Road, Ferndale, 48220. 248.733-4905. tigerlilyferndale.com
Toast, A Breakfast and Lunch Joint: American. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. 23144 Woodward Avenue, Ferndale, 48220. 248.398.0444. eatattoast.com
Tom’s Oyster Bar: Seafood. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 318 S. Main Street, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.541.1186. tomsoysterbar.com
Trattoria Da Luigi: Italian. Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 415 S, Washington Avenue, Royal Oak, 48067. 248.542.4444. trattoriadaluigi.business.site.com
Antica Nova: Italian. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 1695 E. Big Beaver Rd, Troy, 48083. 248.422.6521. anticanova.com
Cafe Sushi: Pan-Asian. Lunch, Tuesday-Friday, Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 1933 W. Maple Road, Troy, 48084. 248.280.1831. cafesushimi.com
Capital Grill: Steak & Seafood. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 2800 W. Big Beaver Road, Somerset Collection, Troy, 48084. 248.649.5300.
CK Diggs: American & Italian. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 2010 W. Auburn Road, Rochester Hills, 48309. 248.853.6600. ckdiggs.com
The Dime Store: American. Breakfast and Lunch, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 6920 N Rochester Road, Rochester Hills, 48306.248.963.0941. eatdimestore.com
Ernie’s on the Creek: Modern Mediterranean. Dinner, Wednesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 543 N. Main St #201, Rochester, 48307. 248.710.8808. erniesonthecreek.com
Grand Castor: Latin American. Lunch, Thursday-Sunday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 2950 Rochester Road, Troy, 48083. 248.278.7777. grancastor.com
The Jackson: Modern American. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 184 N. Adams Road, Rochester Hills, 48309. 248.709.9453 thejacksonrestaurant.com
Kona Grille: American. Brunch, weekends, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 30 E. Big Beaver Road, Troy, 48083. 248.619.9060. konagrill.com
Kruse & Muer on Main: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 327 S. Main Street, Rochester, 48307. 248.652.9400. kruseandmuerrestaurants.com
Loccino Italian Grill and Bar: Italian. Lunch, Monday-Friday, Dinner, daily. Liquor. Reservations. 5600 Crooks Road, Troy, 48098. 248.813.0700. loccino.com
The Meeting House: American. Brunch, weekends, Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. Liquor. 301 S. Main Street, Rochester, 48307. 248.759.4825. themeetinghouserochester.com
Mon Jin Lau: Nu Asian. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1515 E. Maple Road, Troy, 48083. 248.689.2332. monjinlau.com
Morton’s, The Steakhouse: Steak & Seafood. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 888 W. Big Beaver Road, Troy, 48084. 248.404.9845. mortons.com
METRO INTELLIGENCER
Metro Intelligencer is a monthly column devoted to news stories, tidbits and gossip items about what's happening on the restaurant scene in the metro Detroit area. Metro Intelligencer is reported/created each month by Gigi Nichols who can be reached at GigiNichols@DowntownPublications.com with news items or tips, on or off the record.
Wilder’s opens
in Birmingham
Chickpea Hospitality owner Samy Eid has added Wilder’s in Birmingham to his restaurant portfolio—joining Forest and Phoenicia in Birmingham and Lelia in Detroit. Eid, along with Saroki Architecture, Birmingham, designed Wilder’s to be a nostalgic throwback to the glory days of American dining. The Art Deco-inspired design infuses a classic charm into an interior that showcases burled wood, polished brass and black-and-white photographs — each capturing moments from a bygone era. “Wilder’s is our most intimate venture yet,” said Eid. “It’s small, but there’s a richness to the space that I just adore. We’re trying to restore some of that old-school charm to dining out — that beautiful, wonderful circumstance of dinner. This restaurant is elegant, artful, and restrained. No space is wasted. It’s an homage to the glory days of dining. Those restaurants that feel like magic, because, well, they are. Wilder’s is the great American steakhouse, but reimagined in a more intimate setting. It’s martinis at lunch, big comfy booths, Art Deco design, suited servers, classic American steakhouse fare, and exquisite hospitality. To eat at Wilder’s is to dine with a purpose. It’s dining with love.” The kitchen is helmed by chef Brandon Goerlich. Prime steaks on Wilder’s menu include: filet mignon; wagyu New York Strip; Kansas City strip; and porterhouse. All steaks offer the following enhancements— zip sauce, au poivre, Oscar style, and blue cheese crust. Other menu options include dover sole au meunière brown butter, capers and almonds; Ora king salmon with champagne sauce, curry, mushrooms and kale; and Cajun chicken tomato beurre blanc and coleslaw. 458 N Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham wildersbirmingham.com
Noble Fish Village comes to Clawson
Noble Fish has been a staple of the Clawson community for over 40 years. Opening its doors in 1984 and adding a kitchen in 1991, the tiny Japanese market and sushi bar has continued to serve their community unique Japanese products and cuisine. In 1998, Takayuki “Guchi-san” Sakaguchi became the manager and built Noble Fish into the quirky sushi fan favorite. Born on a tiny island in Kyuushu, Japan, Guchi-san came to the Midwest and worked in several sushi restaurants before taking over Noble Fish. His knowledge and passion for top quality seafood put Noble Fish sushi on the map long before the sushi craze hit Michigan. It was recently announced that two staples of the local Asian food scene – Noble Fish Sushi & Market and White Wolf Japanese Patisserie, which are located several doors apart on 14 Mile Road in Clawson –are taking over an empty storefront that separates them and creating a new 12,000+ square foot Asian food hall and grocery called “Noble Village” that will celebrate the food culture of Asia. The expanded operation will merge Noble Fish, and White Wolf, a five-year-old bakery specializing in Japanese pastries, under one roof. The new space will also include: new fresh seafood and meat counters; new ramen and cocktail bars; an expanded grab-and-go section; interior seating for over 100 people plus 50 seats outside. Both businesses are owned by the same company and will remain open during the expansion, which began this fall. Target date for the completed project is late 2025.
Two Ferndale restaurants shutter
The Emory and Scout Vester, both located in Ferndale, have closed. The Emory, a place known for sliders, small plates, craft cocktails announced their closure on social media citing a lyric from Semisonic’s song Closing Time — “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” The post went on to say “Since 2007, The Emory has been a place for our community to find comfort food, split a bottle of wine with a friend, spend time with family, or find other locals who want to spend some time alone together. We’ve loved seeing the city grow, and seeing our staff evolve and move on to do amazing things. We’ve seen our guests’ first dates, New Years’ kisses, farewells, and many other moments that we’re honored to have shared.”
Scout Vester was located at 177 Vester Street, in the former home of M-Brew, and had just opened in August 2024. The establishment was owned by
NM Café: American. Lunch, Monday-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 2705 W. Big Beaver Road, Troy, 48084. 248.816.3424. neimanmarcus.com/restaurants
Oceania Inn: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. The Village of Rochester Hills, 3176 Walton Boulevard, Rochester Hills, 48309. 248.375.9200. oceaniainnrochesterhills.com
P.F. Chang’s China Bistro: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. Somerset Collection, 2801 W. Big Beaver Rd., Troy, 48084. 248.816.8000. pfchangs.com
Recipes: American/Brunch. Breakfast & Lunch, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 134 W. University Drive, Rochester, 48037. 248.659.8267. Also 2919 Crooks Road, Troy, 48084. 248.614.5390. recipesinc.com
RH House: American. Brunch, weekends, Lunch and Dinner, daily. 2630 Crooks Road, Rochester Hills, 48309. No reservations. Liquor. 2630 Crooks Road, Rochester Hills, 48309. 248.586.1000. rh.house.com
RH Social: Pizza/Sports Bar. Brunch, Lunch, Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 6870 N. Rochester Road, Rochester Hills, 48306.248.759.4858. rochesterhillssocial.com
Rochester Chop House: Steak & Seafood. Lunch, Monday-Friday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 306 S. Main St., Rochester, 48307. 248.651.2266. kruseandmuerrestaurants.com
Ruth’s Chris Steak House: Steak & Seafood. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 755 W. Big Beaver Road, Troy, 48084. 248.269.8424. ruthschris.com
Stumblebum Beer Co.: American. Lunch and Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. Beer. 1965 West Maple Road, Troy 48084 248.307.7204. stumblebumbeer.com
Too Ra Loo: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 139 S. Main Street, Rochester, 48307. 248.453.5291. tooraloorochester.com
West Bloomfield/Southfield
Aurora Italiana: Italian. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 6199 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield Twp., 48322. 248.782.3000. auroraitaliana.com
Bigalora: Italian. Lunch, Monday-Saturday, Dinner, daily. No Reservations. Liquor. 29110 Franklin Road, Southfield, 48034. 248.544.2442. bigalora.com
The Fiddler: Russian. Brunch, Sunday, Dinner, Thursday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 6676 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.851.8782. fiddlerrestaurant.com
Mene Sushi: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, TuesdaySunday. No reservations. Beer & Wine. 6239 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.538.7081. menesususi.com
Nonna Maria’s: Italian. Dinner, TuesdaySaturday. Reservations. Liquor. 2080 Walnut Lake Road, West Bloomfield, 48323. 248.851.2500. nonamariasbistro.com
Pickles & Rye: Deli. Lunch, & Dinner, TuesdaySunday. No reservations. 6724 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield Township, 48322.
248.737.3890. picklesandryedeli.com
Prime29 Steakhouse: Steak & Seafood. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 6545 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield, 48322. 248.737.7463. prime29steakhouse.com
Redcoat Tavern: American. Lunch & Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. Liquor. 6745 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.865.0500. redcoattavern.com
Shangri-La: Chinese. Lunch & Dinner, Wednesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 6407 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield, 48322. 248.626.8585.dinesangrila.com
Stage Deli: Deli. Lunch, & Dinner, TuesdaySunday. No reservations. Liquor. 6873 Orchard Lake Rd., West Bloomfield Township, 48322. 248.855.6622. stagedeli.com
Yotsuba: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 7365 Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield, 48322. 248.737.8282. yotsuba-restaurant.com
The Fed: American. Brunch, Saturday & Sunday. Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 15 S. Main Street, Clarkston, 48346. 248.297.5833. thefedcommunity.com
Rudy’s Steakhouse: Steak. Dinner, TuesdaySunday. Reservations. Liquor. 9 S Main Street, Village of Clarkston, 48346. 248.625.3033. rudysprimesteakhouse.com
Via Bologna: Italian. Dinner, Monday-Saturday. No reservations. Liquor. 7071 Dixie Highway, Clarkston, 48346. 248.620.8500. joebologna.com
Union Woodshop: BBQ. Lunch, Saturday & Sunday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 18 S. Main Street, Clarkston, 48346. 248.625.5660. unionwoodshop.com
Joe Muer Seafood: Seafood. Lunch, MondayFriday, Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 400 Renaissance Center, Detroit, 48243. 313.567.6837. joemuer.com
Johnny Noodle King: Japanese. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2601 W. Fort Street, Detroit, 48216. 313.309.7946. johnnynoodleking.com
Lady of the House: New American. Dinner, Wednesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 4884 Grand River Ave Unit 1C, Detroit, 48208. 313.230.4678. ladyofthehousedetroit.com
Motor City Brewing Works: American. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Beer & Wine. 470 W. Canfield Street, Detroit, 48201. 313.832.2700. motorcitybeer.com
Oak & Reel: Italian Seafood. Dinner, Wednesday-Monday. Reservations. Liquor. 2921 E. Grand Boulevard, Detroit, 48202. 313.270.9600. oakandreel.com
PAO Detroit: Asian Fusion/Pan Asian. Dinner, Wednesday-Sunday. Reservations. Liquor. 114 W Adams Avenue, Suite 200, Detroit, 48226. 313.816.0000. paodetroit.com
Slows Bar BQ: Barbeque. Lunch & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 2138 Michigan Avenue, Detroit, 48216. 313.962.9828. slowsbarbq.com/locations/corktown
Soraya: Japanese. Lunch, Monday-Friday, Dinner, Mondy-Saturday. Reservations. Liquor. 160 W Fort Street, Detroit, 48226. 313.262.6078. sorayadetroit.com
Sullivan’s Steakhouse: Steakhouse. Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 1128 Washington Boulevard, Detroit, MI 48226. 313.591.2495. sullivanssteakhouse.com
Supergeil: Berlin Doner. Lunch & Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday. No reservations. Liquor. 2442 Michigan Avenue, Detroit, 48216. 313.462.4133. supergeildetroit.com
Tap at MGM Grand: American. Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner, daily. No reservations. Liquor. 1777 Third Street, Detroit, 48226. 313.465.1234. mgmgranddetroit.com
The Apparatus Room: New American. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 250 W. Larned Street, Detroit, 48226. 313.800.5600 detroitfoundationhotel.com
Wright & Co.: American. Dinner, TuesdaySaturday. No reservations. Liquor. 1500 Woodward Avenue, Second Floor, Detroit, 48226. 313.962.7711. wrightdetroit.com
Zuzu: Asian Fusion. Dinner, daily. Reservations. Liquor. 511 Woodward Ave suite 100, Detroit, 48226. 313.464.7777. experiencezuzu.com
Bobcat Bonnie’s founder Matt Buskard. As previously reported in December, Buskard, also owned The Fly Trap in Ferndale but sold that establishment back to its original owners, Kara and Gavin McMillian Buskard stated in a social media post thathis focus will now shift more towards the Bobcat Bonnie’s community. The good news is that Dana Taucher, the owner of Syndicate Ferndale, which is across the street from Scout, will be bringing a new concept to the vacant Scout Vester space with more details announced later this year.
Ham sandwich and Lebanese Sundae
Writers from The New York Times have scoured America in search of the best dishes for its list of “The 26 Best Dishes We Ate Across the U.S. in 2024. Two Detroit restaurants have earned spots on the prestigious list — Mike’s Famous Ham Place and Lelia. Mike’s Famous Ham Place, located at 3700 Michigan Avenue, has been open since 1961 and was owned by Sadiq “Mike” Muftari, who ran the eatery since 1974, and just recently sold the restaurant to longtime customers. “I don’t know if Mike Muftari dreams of ham, but his ham sandwich has been on my mind since May,” said The New York Times writer Sara Bonisteel. “He’s been plying pork for 50 years at Mike’s Famous Ham Place on a desolate stretch of Michigan Avenue. His is an honest and satisfying sandwich built on a poppy-seed roll, with five or six solid planks of ham, a slice of cheese, a squirt of yellow mustard and some pickles. He sold the business in October, but has stayed on through the end of the year to teach the new owners the ropes. Aside from forms of payment, they don’t plan to change a thing.”Leila, located 1245 Griswold Street, made the list for its special Lebanese Sundae. “Arriving to the table like a Star Trek tribble ready for a night on the town, this dessert holds your attention from the first bite,” said Bonisteel. “Pistachios cover the mop of fairy floss atop the dish, and ashta, the roseflavored ice cream with hints of orange blossom water, hides underneath the gossamer. The restaurant, on Capitol Park in downtown Detroit, is named for the matriarch of the Eid family, also the owners of Phoenicia, and the menu nods to home cooking. This dessert delights with its simplicity and whimsy.” Mike’s Famous Ham Place, 3700 Michigan Avenue, Detroit Lelia, 1245 Griswold St, Detroit leiladetroit.com
Farewell to Brady’s
Popular neighborhood hangout Brady’s Tavern, located on Southfield Road in Beverly Hills, has closed. The establishment has been serving up burgers and pub food to customers for over 30 years. A local favorite for St Patrick’s Day celebrations, the Tavern also staged a “Last Brady’s St. Patrick’s Day Bash” on December 20 before closing at year’s end while selling off the entire contents of the restaurant, including sports memorabilia, furniture and even the beer taps. Owner Bob Berg posted one last message to customers on Facebook, stating, “We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have been of service to the B.H. community these past 34 years. We have watched generational patronage, what were once little leaguers are now bringing the new group of energetic kids in for our food & friendly service. It has been a rewarding ride supporting community events and efforts, being your community gathering place for your celebrations, life events, or just to grab a bite and beverage. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for the privilege to serve you.”
Quick-serve gourmet burger
Four Man Ladder Hospitality, the team behind Grey Ghost, Second Best, and Basan, has acquired a nearly 1,000-square-foot building in Ferndale at 22305 Woodward Avenue to create their first fast-casual restaurant concept. The yet-to-be-named eatery will focus on a small, scratch-made menu, spotlighting the team’s burger, chicken sandwich, and sides. Designed for efficiency and flavor, the restaurant will cater primarily to takeout customers. “Over the past nine years, our beloved Grey Ghost burger has developed a loyal following,” says chef and co-owner John Vermiglio. “Its simple preparation and exceptional ingredients resonate with our guests, and we’re excited to translate that same spirit into a quick-service format. Alongside this fan favorite, we’ll introduce fresh new menu items, all crafted with the same commitment to quality.” The new concept plans to open in the summer of 2025.
ENDNOTE
November best choice for center bond vote
In June 2023, Birmingham residents were delightfully surprised to discover that after eight years of seriously searching for a permanent home for Birmingham's Next, the city had purchased the Birmingham YMCA. Residents quickly supported a three-year millage to provide funding for the senior and community center for improvements and to provide a sinking fund for future improvements.
Next is a non-profit providing comprehensive services for seniors, such as information, referrals, classes and activities, transportation and access to social, legal, health, housing, educational, emotional, nutritional and recreational help. It has used space at Midvale School in Birmingham provided by Birmingham Public Schools for many years, and has outgrown its space. The school district hasn’t provided a comprehensive lease or future assurance for Next, which led the city on a search to help Next find a permanent location. An original lease expiration date of 2026 has been extended.
The involvement of the YMCA has been evolutionary, with discussions of their leaving the city of Birmingham morphing to wanting to remain the city, although their position is still undefined. The YMCA pool, a popular yet old and decaying asset, has played into the planning of a renovated or new building. The city commission has been actively involved, appointing an ad hoc senior/recreation center committee to work with and advise the commission, provide oversight and input on the planning and development of the building.
A consensus developed that a new building to serve the needs of both the senior community as well as the recreational desires of the entire community would be best served, as renovating a 70-year-old building would be huge and cost prohibitive. Almost a year after purchasing the YMCA building, the city commission selected a firm for a feasibility study and community survey, and feeling it was incomplete, did not move forward with it. Then, requests for proposals were sent out for plans and options to choose – before an architect was chosen. They understandably felt the pressure of Next's lease expiration looming –but spinning in place without knowledge and the magnitude of the project left them dizzy and at times with shifting focus. Commissioners finally selected in December an architect, Neumann Smith, to begin designing the final site plan and construction plans.
It's important for architects to have as much pertinent information as possible to design the best building for their client, in this instance, the city of Birmingham. Surveys on the city's emgage.com survey site, which staff touts as having hundreds of responses, are completely inadequate. A qualified survey firm should have been hired to properly poll residents as to what they want and need from the building – which is projected to cost between $30-$32 million. A few thousands dollars for a properly conducted survey is a drop in the bucket.
Which leads us to a bond election. Residents –all of us – will need to pay for the new and needed senior/recreation building, which at times is
referred to as a community center. The city is currently estimating a bond proposal of $32 million over 20 years with a millage rate of .52 mills, to pay for the construction of the new building at 400 E. Lincoln.
City commissioners initially considered and dismissed a special election bond vote for May 2025, and are considering a special election to vote on it in August. We urge them to reconsider it and to put it on the November ballot. We understand the sense of urgency on this project, but we urge administrators to work to extend the lease with the school district on the Midvale building a little longer, and to recognize that the costs for a special election – in which the bond vote would most likely be the only thing on the ballot – is guestimated at about $45,000. That is a great deal of money better spent towards the project itself.
This year is an off-year for elections, with no primary election in August. In November, however, there is a Birmingham city election, where three city commission seats will be up for election, and more residents will likely come out for a vote than if the election is scheduled at an earlier date. Architect plans have a chance of being closer to finalization, and therefore more costs will be known by the owner's representative.
This is a big project by any community's standards, but notably one the size of Birmingham. Let's be the tortoise and not the hare. The city has the rare opportunity to create a landmark for years to come. Do it right.
Paid parental leave policy a good first step
Listening is always a good way to lead. Bloomfield Township Supervisor Mike McCready spent his first couple of months in office on a listening tour – hearing what the township's department heads, employees, residents and business owners all had to say about everything from working conditions, pay, benefits, roads, sewers, public safety, special assessment districts, and more. A notable deficit in the township's health care, it turned out, was not the deductibles employees had to pay, but the total lack of a paid family leave policy in its plans.
McCready, who is a former small business owner, city commissioner, state representative and economic development officer for both Oakland County and the city of Novi, recognizes that one of the keys to a successful term in office – which translates into a more successful community – is providing employees with an environment in which they want to work. Another is recruiting the best possible future employees to come to work in Bloomfield Township.
A benefit and compensation study has been
undertaken to guide the administration on comparative jobs and salaries – the study has provided salaries and benefits for numerous positions with several neighboring municipalities. This is providing a road map for the administration as it seeks to retain their longterm department heads and highly-trained staff, and seek out the most desirable individuals for open positions, including police officers and fire department personnel, among other employees.
At a mid-January Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees meeting, McCready presented a paid parental leave policy for eligible township employees, which was unanimously passed –with some trustees noting the township was woefully behind the times. McCready said when he spoke with Bloomfield Township department heads, both they and their staff were dismayed to learn there wasn't already some type of paid parental leave in place. Those employees will now be able to take up to 120 hours of paid parental leave.
To be qualified, an employee must be permanent, full-time employee of Bloomfield Township, have worked for the township for at
least one year, and have worked at least 1,250 hours the previous calendar year.
While previously an employee could have taken time off through the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), they would not have been compensated for that time.
McCready wrote in a recent supervisor's letter to resident's that he took office in mid-November in the midst of a compensation study.
“Recruitment, retention, and compensation are the keys to healthy work environment. This board needs more information on how the township compares to other municipalities of similar size and scope to know how to best recruit, retain, and compensate. Especially in public safety, we can’t experience a revolving door of employees. We need the right information to attract and keep the best employees for each department and fulfill the vision of a premier government.”
We agree. Cutting costs on the employee front is a fool's errand. They are a municipality's bread and butter, and the hidden “sauce” behind a community's value. Retention and recruitment are one of the keys to retaining market value.
