Cranbrook hosts pro tennis tourney

The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Tour has announced the inaugural Cranbrook Tennis Classic, July 2-9, a new stop on the ATP Challenger Tour that marks the first-time professional tennis will be played in the Detroit area in over 25 years.

The Cranbrook Tennis Classic is presented in partnership with the USTA (US Tennis Association) Pro Circuit, and with founding sponsor, Fairlife’s Core Power, post workout recovery shakes.

This week-long event will be hosted at the new tennis complex at Cranbrook Schools in Bloomfield Hills, in an intimate and exciting setting, and will feature some of the game’s top and rising stars, including Kei Nishikori, who formerly held the world's number four spot, as he works his way back from injury. Nishikori is a former USTA finalist and Olympic bronze medalist.

The ATP Challenger Tour is the second highest tier of professional tennis, where seasoned veterans and rising stars battle their way through the ranks and onto the main ATP Tour. The ATP Challenger Tour features an intimate setting of raw and passionate high-quality tennis matches, supported by diehard tennis fans.

According to ATP, in the past, other challenger tours have been launchpads for a long list of well-known and accomplished players, including world number two player Carlos Alcaraz, world number 10 player Taylor Fritz and world number 11 player Frances Tiafoe.

Bringing the new ATP Challenger Tour to Bloomfield Hills and the creation of the Cranbrook Tennis Classic is the work of David DeMuth, tournament chair and co-director, a tennis aficionado and CEO of Detroit-based global advertising agency Doner. Other tournament directors include Giovanni Lapentti, retired ATP pro and Ecuadorian Davis Cup player, and Alex DeMuth, former collegiate player and tournament staff at ATP Masters Event, The Western & Southern Open.

“It’s exciting to bring world class tennis to the large, thriving and diverse tennis community of southeast Michigan,” said DeMuth.

In addition to the competition, the Cranbrook Tennis Classic will include tennis clinics for local youth, high school tennis team day, and will raise money to benefit Cranbrook athletics, as well as The Palmer Park Tennis Academy, the USTA’s Community Tennis Association of the year in 2021, which helps at-risk youth develop life skills as well as their tennis game.

Cranbrook Schools’ new tennis complex was recently awarded Top Outdoor Tennis Facility by the American Sports Builders Association.

Tickets are currently for sale, beginning at $15.

transfer and commit up to $6 million to the equipment and replacement fund for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2023, in order to cover actual revenue balances.

The board had already approved the transfer and commitment of up to $5 million for the funds for the same fiscal year in February, an amount based on actual expenditures through the first three quarters and projections for the fourth quarter.

And while the fiscal year isn’t officially closed, the new and updated projections are better than what was anticipated this winter, leading to an increased ask for the equipment and replacement fund.

Jason Theis, township finance director, explained there were a variety of items which played a part into the exceeded projections, including the township having double digit savings throughout all 12 months of the fiscal year.

This fiscal year also included many vacancies for budgeted positions, with eight remaining to be filed.

Other items of note included investment earnings being over 300 percent of budget and healthcare costs being 16 percent below budget. Salt use for the township was 74 percent of the budget, while EMS support fees came in at 117 percent.

Theis emphasized that this was not a budget amendment request, and even with this increased amount the township’s general fund will not only be under budget but will also add to its fund balance.

Currently, the budget for the equipment and replacement fund is $3,825,000. This approved addition would increase the budget to $9,825,000, which will be used towards large storm water projects, equipment replacements and facilities’ repairs.

This $6 million will not be added to the approved budget from February, but will replace it entirely.

City fire department rating increases

For the first time in 18 years, the Birmingham Fire Department fiveyear insurance services office (ISO) review resulted in an increase rating to a new class 2 rating, up from its previous class 3 rating. ISO ratings are graded 1-10, with 1 being the best.

The fire department said this improvement is a great accomplishment, as it now makes them among the top 1.5 percent of all fire departments in Michigan.

“I am extremely proud of the department’s dedicated personnel who put in the hard work that is required to achieve the training and preparedness scores on this review,” said Birmingham Fire Chief Paul Wells. “I would also like to thank the residents, city staff, and commissioners for the support to help grow the department and provide the equipment necessary to meet our department goals.”

ISO measures a fire department’s ability through their fire suppression rating schedule (FSRS) review manual. The FSRS considers three main areas of a community’s fire suppression system: emergency communications, fire department (including operational considerations), and water supply. In addition, it includes a community risk reduction section that recognizes community efforts to reduce losses through fire prevention, public fire safety education, and fire investigation.

Wells noted the rating is good news for residents and commercial owners, not only from a safety perspective, but also from a potential monetary perspective. Most insurance agencies use the ISO rating to determine insurance rate coverage for residential and commercial structures. Residential and commercial owners should mention the rating change to their insurance carriers to determine if the change will reduce their premium.

Police Youth Academy pact receives approval

By Dana Casadei

The Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees voted unanimously for approval of a Youth Academy interlocal agreement between several local police departments at their meeting on Monday, May 8.

This inter-local agreement will be between the Bloomfield Township Police Department and the police departments of Auburn Hills, Birmingham and Rochester. Bloomfield Township will host the week-long Youth Academy from June 26-30 for teens aged between 14-18.

“This is the stuff our officers love to do,” said Nick Soley, community relations officer.

Over the course of the week, participants will learn the basics of policing, how to interact with police, and why these officers do what they do.

“We’re going to have a lot of fun with them, whether it be over at the courthouse or some scenario days that we’re going to have,” Soley said.

While registration is not full yet, the goal is to have a maximum of 20 teenagers take part.

Prior to the upcoming Youth Academy being hosted in Bloomfield Township, Auburn Hills ran a similar program, but due to rising concerns about low attendance, they approached Bloomfield Township about joining efforts.

Then they went to Birmingham and Rochester about making this Youth Academy a regional activity. All liked the idea, and Birmingham officials suggested that Bloomfield Township approach the board of

City approves water/sewer rate increases

By Grace Lovins

Birmingham city commissioners unanimously approved an additional water and sewer rate change for the 2023-2024 fiscal year on Monday, May 22, with water rates increasing 8.1 percent and sewer rates, 5.3 percent.

The city had reviewed rate changes at a budget hearing on Saturday, April 29, but had been waiting on final numbers from the Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner.

The commission held a public hearing on the proposed budget for the next fiscal year on Monday, May 8, approving a sewage disposal increase of over $116,000 and a storm water increase of about $61,600.

Finance director Mark Gerber stated that the city met with the Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner and is proposing to increase the rates based on that discussion. Storm water rates will increase $34 per ESWU, or equivalent storm water unit, for the Evergreen-Farmington sewage disposal district and $20 per ESWU for Southeast Oakland sewage disposal district.

As discussed during the budget hearing, water rates will increase 8.1 percent, amounting to just over $6 per 1,000 gallons of water used. Sewer rates are set to increase 5.3 percent, raising the cost to $9.79 per 1,000 gallons of water used. The rate increase for sewer, according to the city stems from increased costs of sewage disposal and funds needed for sewer capital improvement projects.

Commissioners voted 7-0 to approve the water and sewer rate changes. The new rates will take effect in July 2023 with the start of the new city fiscal year.

trustees about the inter-local agreement for the Youth Academy.

Along with having a very low cost to the township – currently the only cost Soley mentioned was that there may be some overtime cost for instructors – the Youth Academy will be free of charge to those who participate. Auburn Hills has agreed to use their donation funds from years prior from their own Youth Academy to pay for registrants’ tshirts.

Soley said he’s also heard from community restaurants who want to participate by providing lunch for the Youth Academy participants this summer as well.

The Youth Academy already has officers and volunteers eager to work the event, and each police department will have a representative there each day.