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■ inside / february ■6

■ 5: MAIL BAG Richard Rosenbaum; Dr. David F. Larson; Cara McAlister; David L. Wisz

BRIDGE SAFETY REPORT

A transportation group has released their findings on bridge safety across the state and compiled data about the structural soundness of those bridges. We look at the findings for bridges in Birmingham, Bloomfield Township and Bloomfield Hills.

■ SNAPSHOTS ■ 12: Mara McDonald ■ 22: Jean Meicher

■ 17: David Lu ■ 33: Steve Mace

■ 23: STATE House, Senate committee posts revealed; A state report on Michigan’s fiscal health; and more

■ 24: COUNTY Dems lament RCOC appointment process; Commissioners get their committee roles; and more

■ 25: EDUCATION Bowers Farm schoolhouse reopens for use; Draft report on BHS high school issues released

■ 26: MUNICIPAL Bloomfield Hills charter amendment vote coming on May 3; Cole Street SAD gets approval; Township’s energy efficiency audit; PSD budget OK’d; SOCWA pact approved by board; Radio technology inches forward in Birmingham; and more

■ 29: EATING OUT A directory of places where you can dine out

■ 32: BUSINESS NOTES King & Murray PLLC; Coldwell Banker Weir Manuel; Michigan OMS, PC; The Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce

■ 34: SOCIAL SCENE/CARRIE HALL The latest from the society and non-profit circuit

■ 37: THE COMMUNITY HOUSE The President and CEO of the Community House, Shelley Roberts, on what’s coming up in the weeks ahead

■ 38: FINAL WORD Our thoughts on Michigan’s fiscal woes, and possible changes in mute swan management.

■ OUR COVER

■ 13: 2010 BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE

■ 18: A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME...

■ 31: SCRUMPTIOUS SALAD ADVICE

Each year, leaders in government, business and education gather to offer their ideas to improve the county’s economy and quality of life. What did they come up with this year?

Your Romeo or Juliet is likely looking forward to (or dreading) Valentine’s Day as it approaches.

We look at businesses in the area that offer romantic gift ideas for the object of your affection.

After putting on seven pounds during the holiday season, Johnny Prep offers sage suggestions for creating savory salads that should help bring your waistline back to sanity.

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Carl Milles’ “Triton Pools” near the Cranbrook Art Museum and Library in Bloomfield Hills.

Cover art and photography by Amy K. Lockard.

www.oaklandpaper.com

■ mail bag Transit center D-E-A-D From Richard Rosenbaum, Birmingham: The odds against spending $5 million or $10 million additional dollars on the "station," platform and connecting tunnel for the Transit Center are enormous. The project has been effectively D-E-A-D for months. Now is the time to bury it, not waste more taxpayer dollars on legal squabbles.

Even if the boondoggle became a reality, who would ever park in Troy and walk through a long underground tunnel to a platform in Birmingham that lacks a heated waiting area and restroom?

The liability for any tunnel is very large. Birmingham once had a tunnel under Woodward, near Maple. Why do you think that was closed?

Only nine people, on average, board each of the Chicago-bound trains. The proposed cost is almost $400,000 per daily boarder.

The average train speed between Ann Arbor and Pontiac is 30 MPH. Most Chicago-bound train riders in this area now board the train in Dearborn, which has a safe parking area and a climate-controlled "station" with a restroom and telephone.

Ask the cheerleaders in Birmingham and Troy where they board the train. I did. ■

Thank the school board From Dr. David F. Larson, superintendent of Birmingham Public Schools: Each January we observe School Board Recognition Month. It is a time to celebrate our dedicated board members and the work they do for public education.

"School Boards LeadStrong" is the theme this year and reflects our combined commitment to leadership and accountability assuring that all children succeed.

In Birmingham Public Schools, our school board members develop policies and make tough decisions on complex educational and social issues impacting the entire community. They bear responsibility for an annual budget of $138 million, 8,200 students, 1,200 employees and 15 buildings. They are citizens that have taken on a great responsibility. Their decisions affect our children — what they learn, who will teach them and what kinds of facilities house their classrooms.

Our board of education, and the hundreds like it across the state, enable us to have local control of public schools, meaning that decisions on school programming are made by local, elected representatives who understand the community's unique problems, values, culture and circumstances.

This January I invite you to recognize and celebrate the work of your local school trustees. The staff and students of our district are asking all members of the community to take a www.oaklandpaper.com

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B I R M I N G H A M • B LO O M F I E L D

moment and tell a school board member, "Thanks for caring about our children."

So, hats off to the dedicated men and women who make it possible for local citizens to have a say about education in our communities. We salute the public servants of Birmingham Public Schools whose dedication and civic responsibility make local control of public schools in our community possible. We applaud them for their vision and voice to help shape a better tomorrow.

The men and women serving Birmingham Public Schools and the year they began serving: Christopher Conti, 2007; Michael Fenberg, 2004; Susan Hill, 2006; Robert Lawrence, 2003; Geri Rinschler, 1996; Lori Soifer, 2005; and Steve Scheidt, 2011. ■

Taxpayers' defied From Cara McAlister, Bloomfield Township: In defiance of taxpayers' wishes, the Bloomfield Hills school board continues to make financial decisions regarding building management without published research of the district's long-term needs, and without substantiation of how much money will be saved with certain decisions, as in building a new high school instead of fixing the two we have. When asked last fall, under the Freedom of Information Act for supporting documents showing how the district would save $2.5 million by consolidating the high schools, the district replied that they did not have substantiation for this proposed savings level.

A very expensive school for only 50 alternative high school students is being finished at Bowers Farm; however, the hundreds of gifted students that want to attend the International Academy but can't fit in the small, former pre-school building are not assisted.

Taxpayers are told that our two high schools are old and out of date.

However, Bloomfield Hills Middle School was built in 1958, East Hills Middle School was built in 1961 and the other elementary and middle schools were also built by 1968. Are we going to be asked to pass a bond to pay for those schools to be torn down and replaced, also?

Expect another bond proposal on another ballot in 2011. Here we go again. How else will the district pay for the recommendations of the visionary, FNI? Be alert, taxpayers.

Join Bloomfield 20/20 and keep an eye on your school board for all of our sakes. It doesn’t matter whether you have children in the schools or not, this affects your tax level and your home value. We need building maintenance and updates and excellence in teaching, but, not extravagance. There is 21st Century teaching taking place in Pontiac and Birmingham without new buildings.

Attend the next Bloomfield 20/20 sponsored meeting, open to all tax-

payers in the Bloomfield district, on Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. at the Bloomfield Township Firehouse, lower level. The email is bloomfield2020@gmail.com.

■

SMART chilling effect From David L. Wisz, Birmingham: The Washington Times recently reported that the Detroit-area SMART bus mass transit authority has refused bus advertisements by Stop Islamization of America (SIOA) which offers resources to those who may choose to escape the oppression of Islam.

SIOA was founded by conservative blogger Pamela Geller who said that the mass transit authority's refusal violates the First Amendment. She has filed a federal lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and pledges to take the mass transit authority to the Supreme Court if necessary.

Supporters of the Birmingham/Troy Transit Center Bus station and the countywide tax hike include ACORN-like agitation groups such as Transportation Riders United (TRU) and Metropolitan Organization Enabling Strength as part of the umbrella GAMALIEL Foundation which works with leftist fellow travelers such as the Michigan Council of American Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

The interaction of these agitation groups which push property tax hikes to subsidize their public sector union cohorts here comes full circle as the public sector mass transit unions cave to the demands of the Michigan Council of American Islamic Relations (CAIR).

Is it any wonder that Obama/Peters want to spend over $40 million of taxpayer money to subsidize mass transit in Michigan which also conveniently chills the speech of conservatives and subsidizes leftist propaganda? ■

SECOND YEAR OF PUBLICATION Issue 19 PUBLISHER / PRESIDENT: James W. Fancy BUSINESS MANAGER: Dennis Boggs EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT: Carol Barr

EDITOR: Tim Dmoch ASSISTANT EDITOR: Kirk Pinho Staff Writers: Alex Lundberg, Angela Niemi, Leslie Owsley, Michael Shelton Staff Photographer: Amy K. Lockard ADVERTISING MANAGER: Debra Grubb Account Representatives Cindie Audia, Linda Stickney, Laurie Wasker Assistant: Jessica Wolverton PHONE SALES MANAGER: Lori Snyder Account Representatives Rhonda Libkuman, Cindy Stawick, Leslie Timko GRAPHICS: Denise Jungjohan, Karen Polatka, Marcia Reimer, Stacie Sabady IT MANAGER: Joel Stickney DISTRIBUTION: Dan Griffin ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE SUPERVISOR: Carolyn Petherbridge Assistant: Mable McCullough

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: E-mail to news@thescngroup.com, via our website (oaklandpaper.com) or mail to P.O. Box 14, Union Lake, MI 48387.

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Your opinions are important so let us know what you think. Mail Bag provides our readers with a forum to express their thoughts on important issues. We reserve the right to edit all letters.

DISTRIBUTION: The Paper is complimentary to over 29,687 homes in Birmingham, Bloomfield Township and Bloomfield Hills just before the start of each month. Additional non-resident complimentary copies are available at newsstand locations.

Letters for Mail Bag should be submitted by mid-month to appear in the next issue and must include the writer’s name, address and phone number for verification. Only the writer's name and community will be printed.

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he collapse of the Interstate 35W bridge in Minneapolis in 2007, which killed 13 people, stunned the nation and called into question the bridge inspection process. Given the enormity of the catastrophe and the need to mitigate the potential for other bridge collapses, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) continues to underscore the seriousness of conducting thorough bridge inspections. Road agencies are doing their part by performing routine inspections, but given their sharp declines in revenues, transportation officials are at a loss about how they can continually fix the number of bridges on the brink of deterioration or those functionally obsolete without additional funding.

"These alarming trends are not a reflection of inefficiency or poor decision-making by a government agency," said Michigan Infrastructure Transportation Association (MITA) Executive Vice President Mike Nystrom. "We are just expecting the impossible with severely limited dollars."

Here in Oakland County, 37 percent of all bridges — 165 of 446 — are either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete, according to a recent statewide analysis released by the MITA. The study, released in October, is a compilation of the most current data available. ❯

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"We compiled our information for both state and local bridges by information acquired through Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). Local agencies must submit their inspection data to them," said MITA Director of Legislative Affairs Keith Ledbetter. "The information is based on the most recent data available; however, we don't know the lag time from when a bridge was last inspected to the time the data got to the state. It's hard to pin down." he MITA study reports that of the 280 bridges in the county maintained by MDOT, 107 of them (38 percent) are in need of repairs or redesign. The number of Oakland County bridges in need of attention is higher than all other counties except for Wayne County.

Moreover, Oakland County has 166 bridges that are the responsibility of local governments and 58 of them — 35 percent — are in need of repairs and/or improvements.

"Our bridges are more structurally simple compared to the huge complex bridges like the one in Minnesota, and the (chances) of them collapsing are highly unlikely," said Road Commission for Oakland County (RCOC) Spokesperson Craig Bryson.

However, due to the financial hardships on both state and local transportation agencies, Nystrom revealed his concern given the study's statistics.

"Let's be clear about where we stand: We either find a way to increase funding so we can fix our crumbling infrastructure, or we wait until something tragic happens and scramble to pick up the pieces," he said. "We can no longer afford to ignore this worsening situation. The time for action is now."

Nystrom added that MDOT repaired an average of 240 bridges annually between 2006 and 2011, but just 35 bridges will be repaired during each of the next five years, leaving more than 1,000 structurally deficient or functionally obsolete bridges without even modest repairs.

Road agencies have been lobbying for more road funding over the last several years. Proposed reforms — including raising the state gas and diesel fuel taxes and vehicle registration fees — haven't come to fruition.

Due in part to declining gas consumption now that consumers are purchasing more fuel-efficient vehicles, annual fuel tax revenues are more than $100 million lower than the amount that was collected in 1997, which was the last time the state's gasoline tax was increased.

Gas tax revenues have fallen each year since 2002. At the same time, vehicle registration fee revenues that also help fund roads and bridges have

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been significantly reduced since many motorists have chosen to forego new vehicle purchases.

The Michigan Townships Association (MTA) recently reported that Michigan has fallen to 48th in the national rankings of overall capital outlay expenditures. The propensity for public officials to defer construction projects in times of economic distress is evidentiary. In 2002, Michigan ranked 50th in the nation in highway capital outlay and the state retained that position in 2008. The report concludes that if Michigan were to double its spending on road construction, it would still only match the national norm.

In September, the state Legislature voted to cobble together $84 million in matching funds to secure $475 million in federal highway dollars the state was in danger of losing. As a result, MDOT could move ahead and restore approximately $560 million in road and bridge projects for 2011 that had previously been postponed.

However, the federal funding is a temporary solution to a long-standing problem.

"It's a short-term, quick fix that allows the state to meet our federal matching requirement by borrowing $40 million. But, even with the full federal match, the transportation budget is off by over 35 percent from three years ago," MITA's Nystrom said. ransportation officials say they are hoping a new state administration will address the transportation funding problem at hand.

"We have a conservative Legislature which said that infrastructure is a top priority, so we will see if it's just Republican rhetoric or if they will take action," MITA's Ledbetter said. "It's shocking, the magnitude of the problem. We have 3,000 bridges in Michigan that are either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete and the price tag to repair them is astronomical."

Ledbetter noted that despite the disparaging data, people need not be alarmed.

"We don't know any bridge that is in danger of collapse," he said.

"Nonetheless, if some continue to deteriorate, we can't be certain that something couldn't happen down the road."

In the interim, state and local government road agencies maintain that they are staying on top of bridge rehabilitation projects based on a rotating schedule in concert with a rating process mandated by the National Highway System (NHS).

The MITA Highway Bridge report indicates which local routes are included in the NHS, spanning approximately 160,000 miles of road-

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way important to the nation's economy, defense, and mobility. It includes the interstate highway system, as well as routes that provide access to major ports, airports, or public transportation facilities; access between major military installations; and those deemed important to the United States' strategic defense policy. he Federal Highway Administration established the National Bridge Inventory rating scale, which requires bridge inspectors to rate certain structural elements for each bridge. The primary elements are the deck, the portion of the bridge that distributes all bridge loads to the ground surface; the superstructure, the portion of the bridge that supports the deck and connects one substructure element to another; the substructure, the portion of the bridge that supports the superstructure; and culvert, a pipe or small structure with a length greater than 20 feet and used for drainage under a round, railroad, or other embankment.

Inspectors assign a rating to each bridge's deck, superstructure and substructure ranging from 9 (excellent condition) to 0 (failed condition — out of service and beyond corrective action).

Other ratings in between include: • 8: Very good condition. No problems noted; • 7: Good condition. Some minor problems; • 6: Satisfactory condition.

Structural elements show minor deterioration; • 5: Fair condition. All primary structural elements are sound, but may have minor corrosion, cracking or chipping and may include minor erosion on bridge piers; • 4: Poor condition. Advanced corrosion, deterioration, cracking, or chipping with significant erosion of concrete bridge piers; • 3: Serious condition. Corrosion, deterioration, cracking and chipping, or erosion of concrete bridge piers have seriously affected deck, superstructure, or substructure and local failures are possible; • 2: Critical condition. Advanced deterioration of deck, superstructure, or substructure and may have cracks in steel or concrete, or erosion may have removed substructure support.

It may be necessary to close the bridge until corrective action is taken; • 1: Imminent failure condition.

Major deterioration or corrosion in deck, superstructure, or substructure, or obvious vertical or horizontal movement affecting structure stability. Bridge is closed to traffic, but corrective action may put it back in light service.

Should the bridge receive a rank-

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ing between zero and 4 in the NBI scale, it's tagged as structurally deficient since the deck, superstructure, substructure, or culvert is rated in "poor" condition. A bridge can also be classified as structurally deficient if its load-carrying capacity is significantly below current design standards, or if a waterway below frequently overtops the bridge during floods.

A bridge could also be determined to be functionally obsolete. Highway bridges classified as such aren't necessarily structurally deficient, but their design is outdated. They may have lower load-carrying capacity, narrower shoulders, or less clearance underneath than bridges built to current standards.

While many communities have their fair share of structurally deficient or functionally obsolete bridges, there are only a handful in the Birmingham and Bloomfield area that earn the functionally obsolete or structurally deficient label.

There are no area bridges under MDOT's jurisdiction that have earned either status.

"Whether it's a state or local level bridge, condition is something all municipalities look at to make sure these structures are safe," said MDOT Spokesperson Rob Morosi. "Potholeridden roads can cause damage to a vehicle, but a poorly maintained bridge could have worse consequences." ll but one of the bridges in the Birmingham and Bloomfield communities cited as being structurally deficient or functionally obsolete fall under the jurisdiction of the RCOC, including the bridge along 14 Mile Road over the Franklin River in Bloomfield Township; Kirkway Road over Lower Long Lake in Bloomfield Township; Oak Street over the Rouge River; and Long Lake Shores Drive over the Long Lake Canal.

The Oak Street/Rouge River bridge is the responsibility of the City of Birmingham.

The road commission uses the Federal Sufficiency Rating scale, which is used in determining eligibility for Local Bridge Program funding.

The only money available to local counties comes through state and federal dollars via the Local Bridge Program.

The state determines the five worst bridges every year in a given region based on traffic volume and doles the money out to the corresponding agency. However, Oakland County is bundled with St. Clair, Wayne and Macomb counties and must compete for funding.

"We're all competing for that money and only the worst bridges get the money. Many times our bridges ❯

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do not rise high enough on the list," the RCOC's Bryson said. "Some of our bridges carry little traffic volume vs. a major mile road."

Bridges that are rated between 0 and 100 are eligible for preventative maintenance, between 0 and 80 are eligible for rehabilitation, and less than or equal to 50 are eligible for replacement. ccording to Bryson, the 14 Mile/Franklin River bridge was built in 1961. It's currently rated as functionally obsolete with a score of 76.4.

"It's 50-years-old and outdated," Bryson said.

While the other three bridges have been red flagged by inspectors, RCOC officials say they have already received repairs.

Though the MITA report cites the Kirkway Road/Lower Long Lake bridge as functionally obsolete and rated at 68.7, Bryson said the data used must have been outdated.

"We rebuilt that bridge in 2004," he said. "That's a new bridge and (it's) no longer functionally obsolete.

We built a nice new decorative bridge to match the Kirk in the Hills church."

Similarly, Bryson said the reported data is skewed given the Long Lake Shores Drive/Long Lake Canal bridge that is listed as structurally deficient and rated at 35.8.

"They must be using old data for this one, too, because we rebuilt that in 2002 so it no longer should be listed as structurally deficient," he said.

The Oak Street/Rouge River bridge, listed as functionally obsolete and rated at 77.3, was built in 1960, and while its railings don't meet current safety standards, the bridge itself is structurally sound.

"In the engineering world, 'functionally obsolete' means it's not meeting current standards and the problem with this bridge is the railings that are not designed with current safety standards; however, it's still a structurally sound bridge," said Birmingham Engineer Paul O'Meara.

He added that there are no immediate plans to repair the bridge's railings.

Overall, bridges in the Birmingham area have been evaluated and repaired on a timely basis to mitigate any potential problems.

"I've been here 20 years and there has been significant work done on our bridges during that time. For the most part, our bridges are in good shape," O'Meara said.

He also listed a number of bridge replacements and rehabilitation projects completed over the last decade.

Two of these bridges were completed between three and four years ago and situated over the Canadian National Railroad.

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we would continue to increase weight restrictions, but we could also close a lane like we did on the Avon (Road) bridge in Rochester Hills," he said.

"Others would have to be closed entirely depending on the problem and bridge construction, but fortunately we haven't had to go that route."

Concerns with substructures and superstructures are the most disconcerting; however, if a bridge is rated a 3 for its deck but the superstructure and substructure score higher, the situation isn't as dire as the report may indicate.

"The substructure and superstructure are the support mechanisms. A (ranking of 4 or 5) is average and not in danger of imminent failure," MDOT's Morosi said. "Problems arise when the super- and substructures fall below average." orosi said that a new bridge should last 80 years. After a bridge reaches 30-to-40years-old, general maintenance or rehabilitation would be necessary.

"You would need to pull the deck off for a new driving surface and rehab the super- and substructures," he said.

According to Morosi, MDOT employs structural engineers who mainly inspect the bridges visually.

"Most inspections can be conducted adequately on a visual basis," Morosi said. "They check a whole list of items such as cracks, fissures in steel, flange, diaphragm, and any imperfections that lead to problems down the road like wear and tear or premature aging and corrosion in the steel."

A new bridge is inspected once every two years. If the bridge scores a perfect "10" it will be reinspected in two more years. As the rating drops, the bridge will be inspected with higher frequency.

"Our bridge inspections are based on a rotating schedule and based on the rating of each bridge," Morosi said.

MDOT budgets an average of $335,000 per year for bridge inspections.

Once the bridge undergoes rehabilitation, core samples are taken for analysis.

Given the budget constraints, Morosi said if a bridge earns a failing mark, the bridge would close â&#x20AC;&#x201D; no question.

"We would err on the side of caution until we have the money to replace it," he said. "We have closed pedestrian bridges in the past, but we generally try to get to these bridges before they are in that kind of condition. With money being tight, it could be an issue in the future, but we're doing everything in our power to make sure that doesn't happen." â&#x2013;

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"The one on Adams (Road) got to the point where it was just too old and we either had to reduce the loadings or close it to traffic," he said. "We got a federal grant to cover most of the costs."

The second bridge off of Derby was rehabilitated. Some of the railings in poor condition were replaced in concert with patching the concrete deck and sealing it off, according to O'Meara.

Moreover, O'Meara noted that several bridges over the Rouge River were either rehabbed or replaced. he Lincoln bridge was replaced in 2007; Northlawn was rehabilitated in 2008; and the Maple Road bridge was rehabbed in 1998 when the city put in pedestrian and railing improvements.

Both the Baldwin bridge and North Old Woodward bridges were replaced with city dollars in the the last few years.

"Most of the bridge repair and replacements are city-funded except for Lincoln and Adams," O'Meara said.

While it's good news for the Birmingham and Bloomfield communities that there are few bridges in disrepair, the RCOC's Bryson said the compilation of the study's statistics is sobering and that, given the budgetary dire straits road agencies are facing, it's becoming an increasing chal-

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lenge to maintain infrastructure.

"The (MITA) report is absolutely right," he said. "We don't have enough money to repair and rebuild all the bridges that need to be fixed. It's a very serious issue the state is facing."

The RCOC contracts with inspectors who specialize in bridges.

Generally, each bridge is inspected every two years or more, depending on each situation.

"If there is any indication of deterioration, we increase the frequency of inspections," Bryson said.

Inspectors conduct their inspections primarily on a visual basis.

"They are very specific," Bryson said. "They look for stress signs and inspect the under side of the bridge, beams, and detect structure stress by looking at surface supports. These are people highly-trained and specialized in the skill."

RCOC budgets $200,000 a year on average for bridge inspections. ryson said if the situation is warranted, the RCOC would definitely close a bridge for safety precautions.

"If it's serious enough, we'd close one, but it takes a long time before a bridge becomes a safety risk," he said.

Bryson added that weight restrictions would first be placed upon the bridge prior to a complete closure.

"Depending on the type of bridge,

B

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11

■ snapshot

B

irmingham native Mara McDonald, the feisty and ambitious WDIV Local 4 reporter, is a homebody at heart.

She could have landed a job pretty much anywhere, but opted to stay true to her roots here in metro Detroit.

"It's different covering stories and news from where you're from vs. passing through the food chain — what happens here matters, it's important," McDonald said.

She credits her education at Detroit Country Day as a stepping stone to a rewarding career, and she currently serves as an active member of the alumni board.

"It's wonderful to see a child have the educational opportunity I had.

While it sucks up what little time I have, I'm happy to do it. As a kid you're hounded with homework and may not appreciate it at the time, but as an adult you sure do," she said.

McDonald graduated from the University of Miami in Ohio with a bachelor's degree in diplomacy and foreign affairs, so it's a no-brainer that politics would be her first love in the field.

"I'm in Lansing quite often and have great political sources. Michigan is in a unique situation now and political leadership is key," she said.

Her start in the business came by way of an internship with KDBD, a Fox affiliate. During that time McDonald worked her way through the ranks of writer, associate producer, and assignment editor.

She took a producer job with WKBD-TV in Southfield shortly after and then moved on to CBS in Lansing before heading off to Milwaukee, Wis. and Richmond, Va. But through it all, her heart was in Detroit.

She landed the job with WDIV in 2004.

"It feels like I've always worked here," she explained. "There's such a dif-

mara mcdonald ference having historical knowledge and context."

McDonald finds contentment in her job due to its challenges and rewards, but ultimately it all comes down to telling a good story.

"No two days are the same," she said. "I don't want to be an anchor and stuck in a building. Thanks to getting out there, I know more about metro Detroit from this job than growing up here."

McDonald received the Associated Press Award for Best Spot News Coverage in 1998 for a piece on a young girl who had fallen through the ice in Lansing. The girl was under the water for a half hour, but survived the ordeal.

In retrospect, McDonald said it's not about the gallantries of awards, but the good that comes out of it.

"When you start in the business, all the awards are so important," she said. "Now I never submit anything. The longer (you're) in it, you don't need the validation — you know who you are and what's important."

Unfortunately she said the media industry has downsized and the casualties are many of her colleagues who have lost their jobs.

"The media is a tough business and there's been an incredible shift," she said.

In a career climate that's always changing, McDonald said she's uncertain what the future holds for her. But she's happy right where she is in metro Detroit.

"I've had multiple offers, but Channel 4 is nationally recognized as one of the top affiliates in the country and I'm home," she said.

— Leslie Shepard-Owsley — The Paper photo/Amy K. Lockard

By Alex Lundberg

T

he metro Detroit region and the state of Michigan as a whole can weather the current economic storm and come out on top, according to a man who was on the team that guided New York City back from the simultaneous disasters of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and crushing financial woes.

At the 2010 Oakland County Business Roundtable meeting held in December, Daniel Doctoroff, president of Bloomberg LP and former New York City deputy mayor for economic development and rebuilding, told attendees of the roundtable — a panel created in 1993 to provide advice to the county executive on business, economic and land development matters in order to insure the preservation of the county's quality of life and economic vitality — that a mixture of political bravery and private sector business sensibilities can guide Michigan back to the luster of its former glory.

Doctoroff, a Birmingham native and Seaholm High School graduate who left Michigan 34 years ago to attend Harvard, told roundtable members — representatives of business, government and education — he's always considered himself a Michigander at heart. The state, he said, faces an "existential crisis."

"Michigan has the second highest unemployment in the nation and its business climate is ranked 48th in the nation by CEOs and business consultants," he said. "Per capita income has dropped from 18th to 37th in a decade. The state has a large city whose population has dropped by 50 percent since I was born, where only 11 percent have graduated from college. The state has a deficit approaching $2 billion. Things are difficult."

But things are tough all over. He said the experiences of New York City in the wake of the collapse of the Twin Towers can be a road map for the state trying to rebound from staggering loss.

"The so-called experts said New York would lose its place as a global financial capitol," Doctoroff said. "They said the people who fled lower Manhattan on that day would never come back."

The nay-saying went on from there. He said the Big Apple's $5 billion deficit would force the incoming administration of Mayor Michael Bloomberg to drastically cut city services, including police services, which would lead to a return of "the bad old days" of rampant crime, a broken mass transit system and littered streets and parks.

Of course, he said, none of those things came to pass.

"In the years since the attacks, city population is up by 400,000 and there are dozens of neighborhoods you'd never allow your children to live in that are teeming with young people," Doctoroff said. "Test scores in city schools are the highest in decades and the crime rate is the lowest of any major city in America by far. Despite the crash of the

14

financial system, unemployment is far lower than the national average."

There are any number of reasons for this turnaround, but Doctoroff said he can think of three that he considers to be crucial. First, there was a sense of urgency about getting the city back up and running. Second, the sense of urgency was used as the propulsion behind a series of big, bold ideas that flew in the face of economic and political challenges. The third, he said, was the execution of those plans using the know-how and expertise learned through a lifetime of private sector work.

"They require bold vision and vibrant communication backed by detailed plans that are developed with real thought and analysis with credible implementation and funding schedules where the impacts are clearly spelled out."

The Bloomberg administration took office three months after the attacks while Ground Zero was still smoking, Doctoroff said. It capitalized on that sense of urgency to take over a failing school system from an unaccountable school board. He said they also plugged a gaping hole in the city's budget deficit by instituting a "highly unpopular" property tax increase and $3 billion in budget cuts.

"We announced a plan to transform underutilized land across the city and embarked on the largest single affordable housing plan in American history," Doctoroff said. "We developed a plan to revitalize lower Manhattan."

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The first point in New York's favor — a sense of urgency — is something he said he thinks Michigan is lacking. Last summer, he talked to a group of former Michiganders living in New York who called themselves "635 Milers," the distance between Manhattan and Detroit. He said they got together because they were desperate to find some way to get involved and bring Detroit back to it's former status in the world. It was still a place they called home.

There's no such desire here, it seems.

"I contrast that with a meeting I attended where I flew into Detroit and met with a group of community and foundation leaders where I offered to assist in any way that I could," he said.

"I was struck by a sense of defeatism that I heard. While they were professing their great interest in continuing the conversation, it was three months before anyone there got back to me and then it was in the most perfunctory way."

The enthusiasm gap, he said, is due to the failure of politicians and decades of empty promises made over and over again. He referenced Gov. Jennifer Granholm's prediction that people will be "blown away" by the strength of the state's economy. People aren't going to accept pablum from their politicians anymore, he said, and a Pollyanna outlook on the future in the face of real problems will benefit no one.

"People want leadership," he said. "They require bold vision and vibrant communication backed by detailed plans that are developed with real thought and analysis with credible implementation and funding schedules where the impacts are clearly spelled out."

He warned the Oakland County Business Roundtable members that big and bold doesn't necessarily mean skyscrapers and grand developments. Municipal planners should spend their time focusing on the needs of the region's existing and future residents and what they need to live in their communities.

"Not a convention center, but a school. Not a stadium, but a sense of safety on the streets," Doctoroff said. "It's not the hotel, but the block of well-maintained homes that will hold the key to Michigan's future."

The benefits of good redevelopment, the kind of redevelopment that aids Michigan residents, will pay off in the future in many ways. He said well-done plans will show to the rest of the world that Michigan is addressing the historical divisions that have led residents to flee and have kept new ones, and new businesses, from coming here: Management vs. labor, Republicans vs. Democrats, east side of the state vs. the west side, Detroit vs. its suburbs — and probably most importantly, black vs. white.

Taking on those entrenched mistrusts, he said, will require the leadership in Detroit and Lansing to have the courage to step up and risk generating some animosity.

"Gov. (Rick) Snyder and Mayor (Dave) Bing will have to lead," Doctoroff said. "They are going to have to take unpopular positions. The first test is going to be the budget and ❯ FEBRUARY 2011

with a deficit approaching $2 billion, some painful and controversial choices are going to have to be made."

By way of comparison, he said Bloomberg saw his popularity with voters drop below 30 percent as he instituted changes and a poll showed that most city residents wouldn't have him over for dinner. Now, serving his third term as mayor of New York, the important point for politicians to remember is that voters appreciate honesty. They don't want to be talked down to, and at the end of the day, they'll reward intelligent courage.

"Snyder and Bing need to employ the skills that made them successful in the private sector," he said. "They have to make an assessment of their competitive advantages and make their difficult decisions based on them."

On the plus side, he said Michigan has the auto industry, which is still the trusty prow of the battleship. He said the state still has worldleading engineering and design skills and a firstclass university system. Along with Michigan's natural beauty, he counted Detroit's 40 square miles of vacant land as a benefit.

On the downside — and there are many — he said the state's huge deficit, 10 percent higher-than-average manufacturing wages, poor business climate and "everything else about Detroit" will force the state's two main leaders to use their private sector skills wisely when they design new strategies for the future.

He said they will have to bring a disciplined approach to investments and returns and avoid the temptations of quick fixes.

If that kind of thinking had already been in place, he said, the state's film tax credit never would have left the drawing board.

He warned that being successful in the private sector doesn't necessarily lead to being good at government. They are two different games with two very different sets of rules.

"The rhythms of government are very different," Doctoroff said. "In business, everyone you deal with has the same objective and everyone knows what it is — to make money. Every party with vested interest in government — and there are a lot of them — has a different goal and sometimes they are unclear or obscure."

He said government operates at two speeds simultaneously. Anything that gets done takes a lot longer than you think it would, he said.

Planning and approval and the "inevitable lawsuits" slow the process, and the governor will need to be careful about not overpromising and underdelivering. At the same time, everything has to be done with a sense of urgency at all times or even beloved projects can get bogged down under their own weight and nothing gets done.

What Snyder and Bing have that traditional politicians don't is the freedom that comes from being unburdened by traditional partisan loyalties. If they use that freedom bravely, with the skills they've honed in the private sector, they'll be able to affect the kinds of changes www.oaklandpaper.com

that no one can imagine, according to Doctoroff.

He said the suburbs and the state at large need to key into the central truth that there's no healthy Michigan if Detroit is dying. The problems there are desperate and only dramatic choices are going to turn things around.

His solution: Very retro.

"At the end of the day, cities thrive because people want to live there," Doctoroff said.

"Given what's happened, the only group that will do that in numbers big enough to move the dial are immigrants."

“Your contributions in shaping the future of Oakland County are so important.

We are deeply grateful for your work, your efforts and your time. That is, I'm sure, what Friedman would agree is nation-building."

According to Doctoroff, Michigan should adopt policies that will make it the most immigrant-friendly city in the nation. He said repeated studies done in New York show that immigrants not only pay for themselves over time, but also build the businesses and communities that grow the economy in dramatic ways.

Oakland University President Gary Russi also addressed the Oakland County Business Roundtable members. He made reference to New York Times Columnist Thomas Friedman's recent op-ed piece about nation-building and how its needed here, as well as in the Third World.

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"We need it now and we have to do it right," Russi said. "There needs to be hard choices made on taxes, on entitlements. We also need to have investments in infrastructure and education. That's why the work of the roundtable is so important, because of the close ties between business, government and education."

His own institution, he said, has been able to make the advances it has because of those close ties. He added that the success of the university is directly tied to the success of Oakland County.

"We've got a new health building that will open in 2012," Russi said. "It will house the new school of nursing and health sciences. The tie to the county is its connections to (the county's) Medical Main Street (program)."

Also closely tied is the soon-to-open Oakland University/Beaumont Hospital medical school.

He said the first 50 students were pulled from a pool of 3,300 hopefuls from all over the country and will make the county a magnet for health care businesses in the future. Added to that, the facility will also be an institute for basic and clinical stem cell research.

He told the business roundtable members that it's this kind of partnership that will benefit everyone involved.

"Your contributions in shaping the future of Oakland County are so important," Russi said.

"We are deeply grateful for your work, your efforts and your time. That is, I'm sure, what Friedman would agree is nation-building."

Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson was the annual roundtable event's emcee. He started out the morning's events by pointing out there are already instances of private sector interests working with the public sector in the form of the successes of the Private Investment in Infrastructure Funding (PIIF) program.

"It gives local road agencies a tool to help with infrastructure development and improvements by allowing private interests to fund improvements themselves with the understanding they will be repaid through a tax capture system," Patterson said.

He brought up the theoretical instance of a $200 million development being held up by the lack of a proper access road to support it. In that case, the developer would set up an agreement with the local municipality to build that road and be repaid the construction costs later on. In that way, PIIF accelerates development.

More to the subject of development, he pointed out that electrical transmission lines were vital to development of the area. The problem with that, he said, is the fact that very few of the components needed for the construction of those systems are built in the U.S. He said he has partnered with several electrical providers to attract businesses in the power-generation sector to locate in Oakland County so the wait for new components — either to service new developments or repair existing concerns —❯ 15

would be in a more manageable time frame.

Patterson also lauded the International Academy (IA), not only as an excellent educational venue, but also as a selling point for the county as a whole.

"When the heads of companies come here, one of their first questions is, 'What are the educational opportunities for our employees and the children of our employees?'" Patterson said. "IA puts their concerns to rest as soon as they hear about it."

Roundtable Economic Development Committee Chairman Jim Clarke pointed out that one of the major issues that was carried over from the business roundtable's 2009 planning session — bringing the power generation industry to Oakland County — is already under way. He also said the county needs to partner with Detroit and the other counties in the region to work on their image.

"Image affects the access to capital and talent," he said. "We need to amplify our efforts and push the 'Prosper' e-newsletter to all municipal and business contacts."

He said the county also needs to start pushing good news stories to the community via social media platforms.

Transportation Committee Chairman Alan Kiriluk pointed to the passage of the PIIF legislation as a great triumph and said the group known as Businesses for Better Transportation is working on special funding

"Image affects the access to capital and talent. We need to amplify our efforts and push the 'Prosper' e-newsletter to all municipal and business contacts." options for the future. He said the committee looked at the possible creation of user fees for roads based on miles driven to replace the current use of fuel taxes. He said a new system of road funding would be needed as fuel economy goes up and fewer dollars will be available to pay for road projects.

Clarke said the committee was planning to push for a new state highway beautification bill that would call for all developments that called

for a clear-cutting of existing trees to pay for replanting of the clear-cut areas with indigenous, pre-development trees within 150 feet of a road. He also urged everyone present to work with the new governor to push for a new bridge to Canada.

David Hay, chairman of the workforce and education committee, said his group was working on three issues: The budget challenges faced by school districts; the workforce skills needs report; and so-called "brain drain," which is the phenomenon of college graduates fleeing the state.

He said a task force should be created to study the statistical information connected to school districts to see which are growing and shrinking, compile student performance numbers, and look at the effects of economic development projects as they affect the school districts. He said the workforce skills needs report has been a useful tool which has been recognized not only by educators but also by bond rating agencies. He said the committee would like to expand the report in 2011 to include more information about health care and medical fields.

Finally, he said the committee would be working with the leadership at Detroit Country Day to expand a program that has utilized connections with graduates who have stayed in Michigan to make contact with graduates who have left the state in an effort to lure them back to Michigan. ■

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THE PAPER

FEBRUARY 2011

â&#x2013; snapshot

david lu

O

ut of 1,372 projects entered in the Siemens Competition in Math, Science, and Technology this year, Bloomfield Hills resident David Lu, along with his partner Randy Jia, were chosen to compete as regional finalists at the University of Notre Dame in November.

And that's not surprising considering that Lu and Jia, both students at Detroit Country Day, placed fourth at the National Finals in this same competition last year for a project entitled "Preclusions for Augmented Cubes," in which they found and classified certain properties of a group of networks. As fourth-place finishers, Lu and Jia split a $30,000 scholarship.

This year the duo began working early this summer on a project dealing with a famous class of networks called the Generalized Petersen graphs.

"Randy and I decided to do this project because we were interested in graph theory and because the Generalized Petersen graphs were so interesting and important in the graph theory world," Lu said.

Under the guidance of Eddie Cheng at Oakland University, they were able to prove that each of these networks have several properties that are important and useful for network strength and interconnection networks.

Although they didn't advance to the national finals in Washington D.C. as they did last year, Lu and his partner each received a $1,000 scholarship and a bronze medal.

Lu, a high school junior, started participating in math and science competitions during his middle school years. Not only does he find them fun, but he gets to compete against others.

"I definitely thrive on competition," he said. "I work my hardest when I'm competing against someone, and competition keeps me focused and motivated."

As a member of the track and cross country teams, Lu said he finds running to be competitive, as well as fun and relaxing. He says he enjoys it the most of his non-science activities, which also include the Quizbowl club, the Science Olympiad team, and computer programming.

Although he has set yet to take the SAT, Lu did manage to score a perfect 36 on the ACT. While hasn't started seriously considering colleges, he said he's looking at MIT, the California Institute of Technology, and Harvard as possibilities.

Even though he is not sure where he will be studying, Lu does know that he will most likely major in math.

"I think math is fascinating because amazing things can be proven from nothing or almost nothing," he said. "What I like the most is that once something is proven, it's absolute. There is a correct answer to everything, and you know that you're right once you prove something.

Despite his impressive accomplishments, Lu is like any other typical 16-year-old boy in that he loves playing computer games and listening to music.

"My favorite thing to do would probably be gaming with my friends," he said. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Angela Niemi

F

or some, Valentine's Day is a day to give and receive tokens of affection: chocolates, flowers, and heart-shaped candies asking you to "Be Mine." For others, it represents a holiday engineered by Hallmark, featuring naked babies with cherubic faces and maliciously pointing arrows. And still others see Valentine's Day as a day to appreciate the ones you love.

Whether you like the holiday or not, at least it no longer resembles the ancient pagan ritual in Rome that used to occur in the middle of February. In those times, Feb. 15 marked the official beginning of spring and the start of Lupercalia, a fertility festival held in honor of Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as the Roman founders Remus and Romulus.

Like all good pagan festivals, this one too started with an animal sacrifice. Roman men then proceeded to partake in the ritual slapping of young women with strips of bloodsoaked animal skin in an effort to bestow them with fertility for the coming year. Later in the day, young women would then place their names in an urn for the city's bachelors to reach in and pick out his bride-to-be in a type of marriage lottery.

Some historians believe that in an effort to "Christianize" this pagan ritual, the Christian church and Pope Gelasius declared Feb. 14 to be St. Valentine's Day, in honor of the 3rdcentury Roman priest and martyr.

According to legend, Valentine continued to marry young lovers in spite of Emperor Claudius II's decree outlawing marriage. Claudius felt single men made better soldiers than those bound in holy matrimony.

Unfortunately for Valentine, the emperor discovered his actions and had him executed.

As such, St. Valentine is often recognized as a sympathetic and romantic hero, a man who believed in love and marriage in spite of the threat of death.

Even today, studies show that men have a tendency to have more romantic beliefs than women, according to Terri Orbuch, a sociology professor at Oakland University and Detroit's resident Love Doctor.

"Studies show that men are more likely to believe in love at first sight and that love conquers all," Orbuch said.

It seems St. Valentine certainly thought so.

However, Orbuch also said that while men possess more romantic

www.oaklandpaper.com

attitudes than women, they are less prone to demonstrate those beliefs through romantic actions — unlike women.

"What we know from studies is that women are more relationshiporiented than men," she said. "They spend more time thinking and analyzing and trying to understand and improve the relationship. Therefore, women are much more likely to be thinking about what to do and to plan ahead."

She added that it's not so much a case of men procrastinating when it comes to Valentine's Day, but rather women having a tendency to focus more on the relationship and consequently preparing more for the holiday.

"In general, people need to plan ahead for Valentine's Day, and they don't because life is busy," Orbuch said.

It's precisely because life gets busy and messy that Orbuch believes long-term relationships begin to crumble.

"I think what is going on is that, as individuals and partners, we need to be noticed and recognized. One of things that happens to long-term relationships is that things get very busy," she said. "The relationship starts out in the beginning with lots of passion and excitement, doing special things for each other. And then what I like to call 'life' happens — work, deadlines, money, family, children, parents, need to exercise and eat healthy — and we get stressed so we put the romantic relationship on the the back burner."

She said she also believes that when people become angry with their partners over a lack of recognition on Valentine's Day, it's because they feel their partner is not noticing them or making them feel special, unique, or valued.

"Valentine's Day is a day to recognize the special people in their lives," Orbuch said. "I want my partner to at least recognize me on this day. I want my partner to notice me and make me feel special and valued. And I need my partner to make me feel special and valued. And if not on this day, can I expect them to on any other day?"

While candies, flowers, jewels, and dinners are typical ways to show your sweetie you appreciate them on this day of love, Orbuch says that through her research she has seen that the most important thing for couples to do on Valentine's Day is to spend time together.

"When we look at studies, talk with people, and survey them, all it really needs to be is a gift of the

heart and not necessarily from the pocket book," Orbuch said. "People really want a special moment together — something unique, surprising, or that highlights a special memory.

It could be sending a card or even the writing in a card — simply acknowledging why this person is special to you."

However, everybody is different with different ideas and expectations. Therefore, to avoid infuriating or hurting your significant other, Orbuch suggests talking about each other's expectations for Valentine's Day. "Sometimes people expect to go out and do something 'special' on Valentine's, something that recognizes I'm important on this day," she said. "Some people say, 'Call me, send me a card, an e-mail, or text.'

Some people think it's important to exchange gifts. The most important thing is to know your partner's expectations."

Orbuch also says that by knowing each other's expectations, couples can avoid the frustration of not having their expectations met.

"In long-term relationships and marriages, frustration is one of the biggest things that tear people apart. Frustration results because you expect your partner to do this or that and then you have the reality of what happens," she said.

While there are many different ways to show your appreciation and affection for the ones you love, the fact remains that Valentine's Day is a very profitable business day — especially for those in the flower, candy, jewelry, or restaurant business.

Annually for Valentine's Day, Americans buy 180 million roses, 36 million heart-shaped chocolate boxes, and exchange approximately 141 million Valentine's Day cards, making it the most popular card-sending holiday after Christmas.

Local florists in the Birmingham and Bloomfield communities agree that Valentine's Day is one of their busiest days, second only to Mother's Day. "It's a big business day, but not nearly as big as Mother's Day," said Theresa Costello, the owner of Plant Station in Birmingham. "Everybody has a mother, but not everybody has a Valentine."

Kerry Hansen, the owner of Just Add Water in Bloomfield Hills, agrees that Valentine's Day is the "single busiest day" for the business besides Mother's Day. She also said that a lot of Valentine's Day business occurs

THE PAPER

on the actual holiday.

"With Mother's Day, people have the whole week leading up to order flowers," she said. "However, if your girlfriend doesn't get flowers on the actual day, she might get upset."

While 73 percent of the people who purchase flowers are men, florists say it's not unusual for a woman to buy flowers for her guy.

"Women usually try to emphasize (the arrangement) with masculine colors — oranges and reds, not soft colors like pinks and whites," said Norm Silk, the owner of Blossoms in Birmingham. "They also look for a more abstract arrangement, more of an unusual design."

Harold Jacobsen, the owner of Jacobsen's Flowers in Bloomfield Hills, said he also sees women sending flowers to men.

"They go with something more elaborate: A mix of gerber daisies, irises, and tulips. They look for the premium flowers," he said.

According to Hansen, Just Add Water's website even has a section entitled "Especially for Men" to help women pick out a more masculine arrangement.

As expected, red roses, as well as colored roses remain the traditional favorite to send to your love on Valentine's Day. Part of that is because the rose represents "true love." However, another reason may be because roses are classic and a safe bet, according to Silk.

"A consistent thing with infrequent flower buyers is that they buy things they are familiar with," he said. "Men order red roses because that is what they know, and it's safe. They're afraid to try something and be daring." ❯

19

However, Silk also points out that a lot of people who receive flowers prefer to get something "unusual."

He said frequent buyers tend to appreciate the design aspect and unusual colors and varieties.

Therefore, Blossoms is offering a couple different arrangements not in the expected reds, pinks, and lavendars for those wanting to diverge from the classic red roses.

"For those who really love flowers, we have (a) Valentine jewel bouquet with bright colors like orange, purple, yellow, and red — very spring, very fresh," he said. "In the winter, when it's cold, ugly, and snowy, it's really a treat to get flowers that look like spring."

Plant Station's Costello said that behind roses, her shop sells a lot of stargazer lilies and gerber daisies because they have "very cheerful, big faces on them."

Although the economy has resulted in people favoring smaller arrangements, florists said the day on which the holiday falls is one of the bigger factors for how good business is on Valentine's Day. "It's better for florists if it's on a weekday. Last year, it was on a Sunday, and (business) was bad," Blossoms' Silk said.

However, he said he's optimistic that this year will be better as many people like to send flowers to the office.

And for those looking to perhaps save money, many florists offer a variety of bouquets and arrangements in just about any price range.

"We have everything from a $9.99 bouquet to $500 arrangements," Jacobsen said. "We have something for every budget in our store."

Just Add Water's Hansen said they have many different options that allow people to spend what they are comfortable with paying.

Regardless of whether you are buying a big showy arrangement, a dozen roses, or a simple bouquet of mixed flowers, florists recommend that you plan and order ahead of time.

"You should definitely order ahead

of time because d e m a n d exceeds supply, so the availability is very tenuous," Silk said. "The biggest trend is that people wait until the last minute, which makes it hard to plan. People will walk in at the last minute and think you have what they want on hand."

"It's always nice if we have orders in advance," Costello added. "Most men come in, grab a bouquet, and go. They don't think of ordering ahead of time."

Jacobsen also recommended ordering ahead of time.

"A good time would be to order around the 10th (of February)," he said. "You could have the flowers delivered on Friday to the office and then she can enjoy them all weekend."

Candy and chocolate shops also see added sales around Valentine's Day. "We are all about chocolate," said Doug Cale of the Schakolad Chocolate Factory in Birmingham.

"And chocolate is one of the favorite

things to have on Valentine's Day. It gets pretty intense the last couple days before Valentine's Day." Amanda Baldes, store manager at Kilwin's Chocolate in Birmingham, concurs.

"It gets pretty busy. It's right there next to Easter and Christmas," she said.

Baldes and Cale agree that the most popular sellers for Valentine's Day are heart-shaped boxes full of chocolates.

Cale also said that their chocolate covered strawberries are also a very popular seller. Schakolad offers short- and long-stem strawberries that can be decorated with different designs, including a bride and groom theme.

"It's really good chocolate," he said. "You can taste and smell the difference. The first thing everybody says when they walk in is that the place smells great."

If you are unsure about what chocolate sweet to purchase for your Valentine, Cale said Schakolad has a Valentine's chocolate romantic quiz for customers to help you decide.

For the "more adventurous" person, the quiz may suggest purchasing chocolate handcuffs. If you are more traditional, it will ❯

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recommend an assortment in a heart-shaped box. Schakolad also offers a plethora of other ideas such as a chocolate record that says, "Just for the record, I love you," or a bouquet of chocolate roses.

Baldes said Kilwin's offers a bunch of "easy, grab-and-go gifts" for those looking for a quick, tasty gift idea. These include a slew of prepackaged assortments of milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or both.

Baldes also said their eight different flavors of fudge, cordials, coconut clusters, and "tuttles" are big sellers, as well.

"We gift wrap all purchases in Valentine's Day paper and ribbons.

It's very cute," she said.

For those looking for a more unique gift at Kilwin's, Baldes suggested putting together a custommade assortment.

"People can pretty much get whatever they want. We do a lot of chocolate-dipped items and special orders," she said. "For example, a guy's girlfriend really loves gummy bears dipped in chocolate, so he came in and ordered some for her.

We do more unique things too, not just our stocked items. For someone who loved Oreos, we chocolatedipped Oreos for them. It's fun to think outside the box."

As Valentine's Day is the day of love, many people are inspired to propose on this day.

"People want to do something neat and special and surprising for proposals," said Oakland University's Orbuch. "There's this notion that the proposal should be over the top, full of surprise, mystery, and excitement.

And I think Valentine's Day provides one of the many unique opportunities and situations to do that."

Therefore, it's not surprising that the holiday season and Valentine's Day are popular times for engagements.

"We get our greatest number of inquiries for engagements during Christmas, New Year's, and Valentine's Day," said Robert Greenstone, the owner of Greenstone's Fine Jewelry in Birmingham. "It's a very exciting time of year for couples, and we enjoy helping with every specialized request."

Halina Fuchs of Halina Fuchs Jewelry Designs in Birmingham said she certainly sees a rise in engagement ring sales at this time of year.

"It's a day of love, and usually starting right after the holidays is www.oaklandpaper.com

when we see people plan to do engagements," she said.

However, other jewelers such as Michael Feldman, the owner of Heartwear Designs in Birmingham, and Richard Grinstein of Grinstein Jewelry and Design, said they don't typically see a spike in engagement ring sales leading up to Valentine's Day. "It's kind of gotten so it's unpredictable. (Engagements) are really spread out through the year," Grinstein said. "The more popular trend over the past few years is to get engaged around the holidays. We sell a lot of engagement rings at the end of year."

However, all jewelers say they see an increase in business in February.

"January is typically slow because it's right after Christmas, but business picks up with Valentine's Day," Feldman said.

Grinstein said he expects to have a quite good year as consumer confidence slowly continues to improve.

"We're pretty optimistic, as 2010 was really quite good — way better than year before," he said. "People are more comfortable than a year ago. We are expecting (Valentine's Day) to be quite good as people always like to give gifts to celebrate more important events."

Although some feel the need to propose on Valentine's Day, for those already married or not quite ready to make that commitment, these jewelers offer a wide variety of popular gifts.

Greenstone suggested "a modest piece in sterling silver, perhaps a bracelet, pendant or earrings."

He also said heart-themed jewelry with diamonds or precious stones are also good gift ideas. Or a person may opt to go with a pearl piece as they are "beautiful, lustrous, and romantic;" or with amethysts, the "brilliant, deep purple quartz" birth stone of February.

While gold earrings are very popular Valentine's Day gifts at Heartwear Designs, Feldman said they also have several gift items, such as pressed glass hearts, unusual picture frames, and glass figurines that have been popular sellers around the holiday.

According to Fuchs, anniversary bands, diamond earrings and pendants were all popular sellers in her store. She also suggested that any jewelry featuring a heart has been a good seller around this time of year.

Grinstein, who sells his own designs that focus on sculptural

quality, often encourages women to come in ahead of time to point out what they like so that "when the guys come in on Feb. 13, we can tell them what will be appropriate."

In the past, Grinstein has said diamond earrings have been a popular gift, as well as ruby earrings and necklaces. He also mentioned estate jewelry as another great gift possibility.

"There's something kind of romantic about it, especially Victorian pieces," he said.

As with any holiday, restaurants generally see an increase in business, and Valentine's Day is no exception.

"First thing you usually think of is to take the girlfriend or boyfriend to a restaurant for Valentine's Day," said Zazio's owner Fadi Ashour, who said Valentine's Day is even busier than New Year's Eve for his restaurant.

Zazio's, located in Birmingham, will even add specials to their regular menu for the holiday, such as lobster and filet mignon.

Big Rock Chop House, also located in Birmingham, will be adding some "lovely" specials in addition to their regular menu, according to general manager Vera Dayrizer.

The Rugby Grille in the Townsend Hotel and Andiamo in Bloomfield Hills will be adding specials to their menu for the holiday.

And of course, most restaurants will be offering special heart-shaped desserts. The Rugby Grille will be serving chocolate-covered strawberries after dinner for the ladies, while the pastry chef at the Northern Lakes Seafood Restaurant in Bloomfield Hills will be creating a special pastry for the evening.

Some restaurants even give a Valentine's Day gift to their guests. At Zazio's, to make the event memorable, they give out roses; while at Big Rock Chop House, they give patrons a little trinket.

According to Dayrizer, in the past they have presented customers with little charms for wine glasses or truffles to take home.

"We want to have something that people can take away with them —

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just a little something extra," she said.

With Valentine's Day falling on a Monday this year, restaurants are expecting to have a busy weekend in addition to a busy Monday night.

And with any popular holiday, restaurants encourage people to make their reservations in advance.

Shannon Dwyer, the manager at Andiamo, recommends that people make reservations "as soon as they know they are going to go somewhere" for Valentine's Day. Ashour suggests calling Zazio's at least three or four weeks in advance.

Dayrizer, of the Big Rock Chop House, agrees.

"We only have so many seats, and everybody wants to come at a certain time," she said. "So the sooner you make them, the better chance you have of getting what you want."

For those wishing to indulge in a romantic weekend without traveling very far, the Townsend Hotel is offering a romantic encounter package, which includes luxury hotel accommodations, tuxedo chocolate-covered strawberries, champagne, and a full breakfast for two.

But no matter what your plans are for the holiday, even if your Valentine's Day doesn't involve a quiet evening at home with a box of chocolates, roses sent to the office, a lavish dinner out, or a beautiful diamond in a box, there is at least one thing to be grateful for — at least it didn't involve being slapped with a dead animal carcass. ■

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■ snapshot

O

jean meicher

nly in 86-year-old Bloomfield Township resident Jean Meicher's home can you find Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, Joan of Arc and Britney Spears together in the same place — their mannequins, that is.

"I call them people. I don't call them dolls or heads; they're actual people. I love creating," Meicher said.

Every September and October, Meicher brings her eclectic collection out of hiding and showcases the mannequins throughout her home, turning it into a literal dollhouse.

"The mannequins are made out of boxes and they are the same height as history recorded them," she said. "The heads were given to me from a beauty college in Wisconsin."

When creating the mannequins, Meicher leaves no detail missing when making sure they resemble the figure's real life eccentricities.

"I have Queen Elizabeth. She was losing her hair and she had purple wigs, so she's wearing a purple wig," she said. "She bit her nails, so I have nail polish that's all scraped and her cuticles are all raw from the blood.

Her favorite food when she got out of the Tower of London was pork and beans, so she's holding a can of pork and beans."

Meicher's mannequins include not only historical figures but also current public figures, such as former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick in a prison jumpsuit, and former Detroit Councilwoman Monica Conyers wearing a Burger King crown.

Meicher, a murder mystery fan, also transformed her bathtub into a tribute to the famous shower scene from "Psycho" with a mannequin of Janet Leigh.

Meicher also has separate sections of her house decorated to fit different themes, such as Nursery Rhymes in her cellar and Witches from Around the World on her back porch.

But, her most popular attraction is her guillotine.

"I have a real guillotine and the kids love that. It isn't vicious, it's history," she said. "I try to say these people were not good people and this is how they were punished back in the old days."

Going back in time is a pastime for this Wisconsin native and former history major at the University of Wisconsin, who moved to Michigan in 1965 and hasn't left the Wolverine State since.

"I'm a 12th generation American and I'm proud of it. I love history and finding out what life was like back then," Meicher said. "I traced my family back to early America, but then I go back to England and Wales ... It's interesting to go back and find out how far back you can go."

She calls her home a "memory home" because of the belongings that have been kept by her family over the generations. Meicher added that she also collects antiques.

— Michael Shelton — The Paper photo/Amy K. Lockard

■ state Pappageorge, Moss tapped to chair committees

By Alex Lundberg The new state Legislature has been sworn in alongside a new governor, and lawmakers are just getting down to the big issues facing Michigan as they settle into their committee assignments.

State Sen. John Pappageorge (RBirmingham, Bloomfield Township, Bloomfield Hills) has a long list of committee assignments. He is a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and chairman of two subcommittees within that committee — the Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee and the General Government Subcommittee.

He will serve as vice chairman of both the State Police and Military Affairs Appropriations Subcommittee and the Veterans, Military Affairs and Homeland Security Committee. He is also going to serve as a member of the Finance Committee and the K-12, School Aid and Education Appropriations Subcommittee.

Republican Chuck Moss (RBirmingham, Bloomfield Township, Bloomfield Hills) was the vice chairman of the House Appropriations Committee last session, and now that the GOP is in power, he’s the committee’s new chairman. He said his first order of business is going to be addressing the state’s budget.

“We’re going to balance the state budget by the first of June,” he said.

“We’re going to do that without raising taxes.”

He said the state is looking at a potential shortfall of $2 billion and the Legislature is going to have to look at all of the things it has flinched at over the past decade. He said a lot of the decisions about what to do to reduce that budget deficit are going to be made within the first 60 days of the new legislative session.

“We’ve got a new governor and a new Legislature,” Moss said. “This is the time to do it.” ■

Court overturns rule banning lawsuits on pollution permitting

By Angela Niemi A recent ruling by the Michigan Supreme Court has restored the public’s right to file suit against the state over permits that could result in actions that contaminate the environment.

During the last few days of 2010, the Michigan State Supreme Court reached a 4-3 decision in the Anglers www.oaklandpaper.com

Tough budget choices Report cites grim fiscal future ahead

By Alex Lundberg

A

report from the Michigan Senate Fiscal Agency reveals a dark future for the state’s economy and forecasts hard times if funding plans aren’t changed in Lansing.

According to the report, the Michigan economy, in terms of personal income, is estimated to have grown 0.9 percent by the end of 2010 and is expected to remain stable in 2011 and rise by 0.7 percent in 2012. During the same time periods, wage and salary employment is expected to have dropped 0.8 percent in 2010, stay flat in 2011 and then increase by 0.9 percent in 2012.

The 2012 figures represent the first increase in wage and salaried employment figures since 2000.

State General Fund revenues and School Aid Fund revenues were $17.6 billion in fiscal year (FY) 2009-10, down 3.8 percent from the previous year — mostly due to the poor economy. FY 2010-11 revenue is expected to be better than 2009-10, but it is expected to be a slow recovery.

The General Fund and School Aid Fund are expected to be $18 billion, up 2.3 percent from 200910. The new estimate is higher by $77.6 million, with the General Fund revenue at $7 billion and the school aid revenue at $10.9 billion.

The figures are expected to be better yet in 2012, with General Fund revenues rising another 0.9 percent to $18.1 billion. The School Aid Fund, conversely, is expected to drop by 0.5 percent to $7 billion.

of the AuSable, Inc. vs. Merit Energy and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) case, essentially reversing the court’s 2004 ruling in the Preserve the Dunes vs. DEQ case.

The Anglers of AuSable filed a suit in 2006 against Merit Energy and the DEQ, claiming violations of their riparian rights and the Michigan Environmental Protection Act (MEPA).

Merit Energy had arranged with the DEQ to treat an underground contaminant plume by extracting and cleaning the contaminated water and material and discharging the treated water on DNR land, which would then flow into Kolke Creek and eventually the AuSable River.

“They wanted to dump millions of

The analysis concludes, overall, that if there are no “significant tax increases,” there will be a significant imbalance in the 2011-12 budget because of decisions made to balance the 201011 budget. The imbalance the Senate forecast predicts is $1.8 billion.

State Rep. Chuck Moss (RBirmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township), who is chair of the House Appropriations Committee, said there are some hard numbers out there in terms of the deficit. He said he’s heard figures as high as $2.6 billion and as low as $1.4 billion. That there will be a deficit is a foregone conclusion.

“That’s true,” he said. “If spending stays at its current levels and revenues stay at current levels there will be a deficit,” he said. “I don’t think there’s any will to keep spending at current levels. There are going to have to be cuts.”

He said neither new Gov. Rick Snyder, nor the state Senate or state House of Representatives want to keep spending levels where they are now, but he also said he wasn’t going to lay out any plans for cuts in state programs or agencies at this time.

He said he wants to put out a good plan to work toward his goal of presenting a balanced budget by the spring.

What’s clear, he said, is that doing nothing means disaster.

“There are going to be cuts and they’re going to be tough,” Moss said. “If we don’t do anything, the ship sinks. I didn’t come up here to sink.” ■ gallons a day every day for 10 years,” said Jim Olson, an attorney for Anglers of the AuSable.

After the case had been heard at the circuit court and state Court of Appeals levels, the state Supreme Court ruled that “Merit’s discharge plan is not an allowable use of water because it is manifestly unreasonable, and we further hold that the DEQ can be sustained as a defendant in a MEPA action when the DEQ has issued a permit for activity that it is alleged will cause environmental harm.”

This essentially reverses the court’s decision in the 2004 Preserve the Dunes case, when it determined that the state couldn’t be held accountable under the MEPA for issuing a permit, as the court

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determined that the permit process was “unrelated to any subsequent environmental harm caused by the permitted action.”

However, Justice Alton Thomas Davis wrote in his leading opinion that he found the Preserve the Dunes dissent was correct when it stated the majority’s belief “that permit eligibility is unrelated to whether the conduct permitted will harm the environment is untenable.”

He further explained that, “Without a permit from the DEQ, a party ... lacks the authority to commence the conduct that will harm the environment.”

Davis also wrote that a permit from the DEQ acts as “the trigger for environmental harm to occur” and that the permit process is “entirely related to the environmental harm that flows from an improvidently granted, or unlawful, permit.”

Olson said the court’s decision in the Anglers of the AuSable case is “very significant.”

“It restores the rights of citizens to get in front of a circuit court judge to review permit decisions by the state that would result in pollution and impairment,” he said. “The court has now clarified that permits are triggers for harm, and citizens can now sue.”

Bruce Pregler, president of the Anglers of the AuSable, said the trial was a “long battle” but “well worth the fight.” ■

Snafu leads to nix of criminalization of synthetic narcotics A change in the public health code made in the last days of the lameduck legislative session accidentally re-legalized a class of synthetic recreational drugs lawmakers had spent months trying to criminalize.

Products that act similarly to marijuana and ecstasy were made legal again when outgoing Gov. Jennifer Granholm signed a new version of the public health code. One of them, K2, a so-called synthetic version of marijuana, is available over the counter in states like Ohio.

The provision that was voided made K2 possession a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in prison.

State Rep. Chuck Moss (RBirmingham, Bloomfield Township, Bloomfield Hills) said the end of the legislative session might not have been managed as well as it could have been, causing the law to be invalidated.

“All this means is that the new Legislature, when it comes in on Jan. 12, will take it up again and the governor will sign it,” Moss said.

“It’s not like this is controversial.

Things fall through the cracks.” ■ 23

■ county Medical Main Street experiences banner year for investment

By Alex Lundberg The county’s Medical Main Street program, a coordination of medical providers and health care technology companies, has had a banner year and new investments on the health care front promise to make 2011 another good year for the Emerging Sectors industry.

According to the county, Medical Main Street did good business last year, bringing in more than $21 million in investments, more than four times what the constituent companies originally pledged to do in 2009.

The companies and their investments are Royal Oak Medical Devices ($4 million), PRISM of Troy ($40,000), Oxus of Rochester Hills ($2.5 million), CJPS Medical Systems of Auburn Hills ($7.5 million) and the Henry Ford Health Systems office in Rochester Hills ($5 million).

The industry in Oakland County represents more than 4,000 business addresses with more on the way for 2011.

Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson said the Medical Main Street program represents 93,000 jobs in the county and is on track to add another 45,000 in the next six years.

“It’s a consolidation and coordination of our fastest-growing economic corridor,” he said.

Patterson said the health care industry growth could be the result of a number of different things, including the county’s residents being better educated and wealthier people, but also because Americans in general want quality health care.

At the Oakland County Business Roundtable’s annual meeting held in December, Oakland University President Gary Russi talked about that institution’s new medical facilities that will be educating a new generation of nurses starting next year.

“We’ve got a new health building that will open in 2012,” Russi said.

“It will house the new School of Nursing and Health Sciences. The tie to the county is it’s connections to (the county’s) Medical Main Street.”

Also closely tied is the soon-toopen Oakland University/Beaumont Hospital medical school. He said the first 50 students were pulled from a pool of 3,300 hopefuls from all over the country and will make the county a magnet for health care businesses in the future. Added to that, the facility will also be an institute for basic and clinical stem cell research.

24

Process criticized Dems lament road board appointment

By Alex Lundberg

T

he Road Commission for Oakland County (RCOC) has a new operating board for the coming year, but not everyone is happy about how the county’s newest road commissioner was appointed.

At its Jan. 5 meeting, the Oakland County Board of Commissioners appointed Ronald Fowkes as the newest member of the Oakland County Board of Road Commissioners. Eric Wilson is serve as chairman of the road board, and Greg Jamian will serve as vice-chairman.

Wilson has served on the road board for three years and used to be a member of both the county commission and the Orion Township Board of Trustees.

Jamian has served on the road board since 2009, and also previously served as a county commissioner and a Bloomfield Township trustee.

Fowkes is a former president of the Milford Village Council and member of the Huron Valley Chamber of Commerce Board and the Oakland County Food Service Appeals Board.

Democrats serving on the county commission aren’t happy about Fowkes appointment. The issue isn’t Fowkes per se, rather the way he was appointed.

Democratic Caucus Vice-Chair Marcia Gershenson (D-Bloomfield Hills) said neither she nor any of the other members of her caucus were even told who was in the running for the road board appointment prior to last week’s vote.

“I don’t know anything about Fowkes,” she said. “Normally we have an interview for positions like this. The Republicans wanted this guy and we’d like to know why.”

County Commission Chairman Mike Gingell (R-Lake Orion) said he has no idea what Gershenson is talking about.

“On Nov. 22, the Republican Patterson said the new medical facilities at OU will represent billions of dollars in investment and appendant business for the county in the future. He added that the estimate is based on the last medical school opened in the country, which was in Florida.

caucus talked about that and other issues, and Commissioners (Dave) Woodward (D-Royal Oak) and (Tim) Greimel (D-Rochester Hills) were there,” he said. “The Democrats knew from then on who the applicants were. They had all of the applicants’ names and their home phone numbers. I think (the Democrats’) statements are false.”

He said the Republicans are going to get to the county’s business and welcome Democrats to “roll up their sleeves” and participate. If they’re going to try to make a stir in the media, they will get left behind.”

Gershenson said the county is facing a lot of complex issues regarding transportation — traffic congestion, crumbling roads, dwindling funds and an anti-earmark sentiment in Washington D.C. — and she thinks those problems require the appointment of people with some amount of experience with such issues.

“There are even some people at the RCOC who are baffled by this,” Gershenson said. “(Fowkes has) no experience in transportation.”

The road board chairman is paid an $11,000 per year salary, while the the vice-chair and third road commissioner are each paid $10,000 per year. They each get a health care package that includes dental and vision coverage through the county commission and invoiced to the RCOC. The cost of the health package was $35,851 per year for all three positions in 2010. During that same year, the RCOC reimbursed the county for health care for the five living former road commissioners to the tune of $40,396.

The road board members also get access to the RCOC retiree pension program after serving on the road board for eight years.

RCOC board members serve six-year terms. ■ A big benefit of the new school, he said, is that it has already started reversing the state’s so-called “brain drain.”

“We’ve got 3,300 young minds that have expressed an interest in coming to the school,” he said.

Patterson said the creation of the

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new medical school at OU represents a “transformational event” for the county’s economy. ■

Commissioners assigned new committee posts

By Alex Lundberg The new roster of the Oakland County Board of Commissioners members has been seated and standing committee assignments have been made for the new twoyear term.

Commissioner Robert Gosselin (RBloomfield Township) will be serving on the General Government and Planning and Building committees.

Commissioner David Potts (RBirmingham, Bloomfield Township, Bloomfield Hills) is serving as chairman of the Planning and Building Committee. He also has a seat on the Finance Committee.

Commissioner Marcia Gershenson (D-Bloomfield Township) will be the minority vice-chair of the General Government Committee — a position she held last term — and will serve on the Public Services Committee.

She said her main tasks will be to help balance the budget and try to bring jobs to Oakland.

“We have lending programs for small businesses,” she said. “The banks haven’t eased lending so we will have to expand our microlending programs to help out.”

Government doesn’t really create jobs, she said, but it can change the environment in ways that help existing companies create new jobs and attract new companies to the county.

She said she would press the county to do more local purchasing where possible to help those companies that have been in Oakland County for a long time.

Commissioner Shelley Taub (RBloomfield Township) will be the vice-chair of the Finance Committee and sit on the Public Services Committee, as well as serve as the Republican Party Caucus chairwoman. Again, the budget is the big concern, according to Taub.

“Oakland County is the only governmental unit in the United States to have a three-year rolling budget,” she said. “We’re balanced through 2013 but 2014 is going to be tough.”

She said she doesn’t expect the state to return revenue sharing funds to the counties and Oakland has to be ready for that. She said that lack of funding from the state is going to present a giant hole in the budget in coming years.

On another tack, she said county residents can look forward to a new push to regionalize the Detroit water and sewer systems that serve much of the metropolitan area. ■ FEBRUARY 2011

■ education Consultants release draft report on BHS high school issues

By Angela Niemi Representatives of Bloomfield Hills Schools’ (BHS) high school facilitation, planning, and design consultant Fielding Nair International presented the first draft of their Discovery Workbook: Visioning, Planning and Designing the Future of Bloomfield Hills High Schools at a Tuesday, Jan. 11 meeting.

The initial report, over 200 pages long, presents the firm’s findings from all the workshops, focus group sessions, surveys, and e-mail correspondence from the community conducted since mid-November.

The consultant’s contract with the school district began after the November election, when over 55 percent of district voters rejected a 30-year bonding proposal to generate an estimated $73 million to help erect, furnish, and equip a new $97.5 million high school on the Andover High School site.

The bond proposal was drafted after the Board of Education voted in June to consolidate Lahser and Andover high schools into one school at the Andover site.

Fielding Nair states that the community is divided between two “camps.” The larger community of Bloomfield Hills apparently prefers to have two high schools, while the other camp — comprised of school leadership, the school board, the superintendent’s office and others in the educational community — reportedly prefer one consolidated high school. However, despite the numerous differences, the consultants report that “both sides of this debate have the best interest of the students and the community at large at heart.”

According to findings from Fielding Nair, some district residents are skeptical about the accuracy of the reported $2.5 million annual operating cost savings produced by consolidating the high schools, and fell that the school board was asking for a “blank check” because there was a lack of clarity on how exactly the bond funds would be used.

Furthermore, Fielding Nair states many didn’t trust the school board and felt there was a lack of openness in the decision to consolidate the two high schools into one. Others felt renovating both schools would be cheaper than building a brand new school.

Other residents felt two campuses were no longer viable and that antiquated facilities threaten excellence.

They fell teaching and learning are constrained by the limitations of the existing facilities, and that it would be an unwise investment to renovate two buildings with many significant engineering and architectural problems.

The consulting firm reports that www.oaklandpaper.com

The public will have a chance to tour the newly reconstructed Bowers Farm Schoolhouse when the farm hosts an open barn event on May 21. (The Paper photo/Amy K. Lockard)

Renovation completed Bowers Farm Schoolhouse reopened

By Angela Niemi

A

fter six months of reconstruction, the Bowers Farm Schoolhouse in the Bloomfield Hills School District was reopened to district students on Jan. 3.

The Charles L. Bowers School Farm is comprised of 56 acres of production farmland that offers educational programs to not only Bloomfield Hills School District students, but to other community groups such as Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, as well as church groups.

While half of the farm is utilized for these educational programs, the other half is for the Bowers Academy, the school district’s alternative high school program.

Farm Manager Holly Glomski said the former cow milking shed was demolished shortly after the 2009-10 school year ended, and construction immediately followed.

“I’m amazed they could construct such a wonderful building in such a short time,” she said.

“The new building is just fabulous. We have made some major new improvements that will help us with what we can do and the programs we can now provide.”

The new building has geothermal heating, a four-season greenhouse, flexible learning spaces and outdoor learning areas, a concession kitchen, and meeting areas for community members.

“We have a kitchen in the building now — it’s really more of an educational kitchen with elongated counter space,” Glomski

said. “Our goal is to get students engaged in planting plants in the greenhouse that can be further planted at the farm. Then they will be able to harvest the products and be able to turn the products themselves into something great in the kitchen. It will all really come full circle.”

Glomski added that another great aspect of the new building is the amount of flexible spaces available.

“We were able to take advantage of the very tall construction of the barn,” she said. “We have a second story mezzanine level with so many windows that show all the beautiful views of the farm.

Instead of feeling like you are in a building away from the farm, you feel like you are a part of the farm.”

In addition to the beautiful scenery viewed from the secondfloor classroom, the building boasts another classroom on its lower level which can be divided in half, allowing multiple groups to utilize the farm at the same time. Glomski said that wasn’t possible with the previous Bowers Farm building.

There are plans to install a wind turbine in the spring when the final exterior paint, grading, and seeding will be completed.

The public will have a chance to tour the renovated facility when the farm hosts an open barn event on May 21.

“We will have some great activities. We want to invite everybody to come in and walk through it,” Glomski said. ■

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although both sides made valid points in the ongoing debate, it “was necessary for the two camps to come together, putting aside the issues of the past and work together to fix their schools under an alliance that is transparent, open, and honest.”

Three solutions were presented as ways to provide 21st century educational facilities: Renovate both schools; build a new one; or a “hybrid” option where renovation would occur at the current Andover building while constructing an addition.

The consultants presented two options for renovation: One requiring minimum work to both high schools, and one requiring full renovation of the two buildings. The first option is what would be required to make both Lahser and Andover in compliance with current codes. High-end estimates place minimum renovation at both schools at $63.23 million, while complete renovation of both schools is estimated at $94 million.

Although both options would allow both schools to be preserved with small students bodies, Fielding Nair lists more cons than pros to both approaches, including small returns on investment, and higher capital cost and higher operating costs.

A new building on the Andover site would cost about $97.9 million.

Pros include an energy-efficient building, more space for athletics and parking, and an ideal learning environment. Cons include a higher capital cost and the full demolition of the existing building. The hybrid option has an estimated cost of $83.14 million, which according to Fielding Nair offers the “best value for the money” because it preserves the best of the existing building and focuses spending on improving education and community use. Other positives include maintaining a part of the community’s past by keeping part of the existing building while updating the building to remain current, reducing operational costs and becoming more energy-efficient. However, there would be increased costs and time to complete the project because of demolition and construction, which could create a “challenging learning environment.” The hybrid option would also not be as energy-efficient as a new building or allow as much space for athletic sites and parking.

BHS Director of Communications and Community Relations Betsy Erikson said she’s hoping for more community involvement.

“We need more people to become engaged in the process,” she said.

“We need them to look at (the report) and share their comments.”

Fielding Nair also wants more input. The current report remains a first draft, as the consultants would like to receive more feedback and comments before they present a final Discovery Report to the Bloomfield Hills School District community.

The draft report can be found online at www.bloomfield.org. ■ 25

■ municipal Bloomfield Hills to decide on charter amendment May 3

By Alex Lundberg The Bloomfield Hills City Commission has voted to put a City Charter amendment before voters that would change the way the city pays for the work it wants done in the community.

At their Jan. 11 meeting, commission members voted unanimously to hold a vote on a change to the City Charter to do away with the dollar limits on city employee-performed work and the work done by outside contractors.

City voters will decide the issue at the May 3 election polls. Voters will also cast ballots for three City Commission positions. The terms of Mayor Michael McCready, Mayor ProTem Patricia Hardy and Commissioner Michael Zambricki end this year.

The current City Charter states that all outside contracts for public improvements and purchases that total more than $1,000 and in-house construction work done by city employees that totals more than $5,000 must be approved by the City Commission and be considered only when accompanied by sealed bids, unless the commission decides not to ask for such bids.

The proposed amendment would change the charter to state for “all purchases in excess of a dollar amount established by ordinance, (a) the purchase shall be approved by the City Commission; and (b) formal sealed bids shall be obtained unless the City Commission by formal unanimous resolution of those present at the meeting based upon the written recommendations of the City Manager determines that no advantage to the city would result from competitive bidding.”

The proposed amendment goes on to state that purchases will not be divided for the purpose of getting around established value limitations and that the low bidder shall be chosen unless the commission decides that it is within the city’s interests to entertain a more expensive bid.

Bloomfield Hills City Clerk Amy Burton said the change in the city’s charter is needed to bring the city more in line with its neighbors.

“The language we’re trying to change has been there since the charter was written,” she said. “It’s outdated. The threshold figures are low compared to other communities.”

The new threshold amounts will be set by ordinance. Burton Page 27 ❯ 26

Areas along Cole Street slated to receive new sidewalks are in the vicinity of a proposed Transit Center project — a long-discussed project — but the sidewalk project there is independent of that plan. (The Paper photo/Amy K. Lockard)

Cole Street improvements pending City commissioners approve SAD to install sidewalks

By Alex Lundberg

O

ne of the very last “industrial” sections of the city of Birmingham is on the verge of a major facelift, as the city has given the go-ahead on a set of projects for the Cole Street area.

A Special Assessment District (SAD) has been approved for sidewalks on the south side of Cole Street from Eton Street to the eastern terminus of Cole, on the west side of Commerce Street from Cole to Lincoln, and on the north side of Lincoln from Eton to Commerce.

A public hearing to establish the SAD was held on Jan. 10, where the proposal was approved by city commissioners. An earlier public hearing, held in November, established the necessity for the district. Each individual property owner will be assessed a certain amount to pay for the sidewalks based on the amount of property they own. The city has some property in the district, as do the local schools, and the city will pick up the assessment obligation for both.

Birmingham Mayor Gordon Rinschler said it’s time for that area of the city to get a facelift.

“It’s the area by Kenning Park and Big Rock,” he said. “It’s not a high-end area — it’s what’s left of the old industrial area and we’re fixing it up piece by piece.”

The area in question is also in the vicinity of the proposed Transit Center project — a long-discussed project — but the sidewalk project there is independent of that plan.

The sidewalk plan and the redevelopment of that area would proceed whether the Transit Center was going forward or not.

Rinschler said the project is minimal in scale.

“It’s not every street in that area,” Rinschler said. “It’s not even both sides of Cole Street.”

He said the last manufacturer in that area left three or four years ago and the only businesses there that still carry the designation “industrial” are very light uses. At one time, the area had heavier uses and the site that is currently the Big Rock Chophouse used to be an oil storage depot.

Needless to say, the area has

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come up in recent years.

“It’s moving toward the kind of place that I like,” he said. “There’s a high-tech graphics company there, some law offices and we’re also working on the Cole Street Kitchen and Bar.” While the trend is for that side of the city to move further upscale, the mayor said it’s not going to be a clone of the downtown area. It will have it’s own identity, own streetscape design and a different branding than the rest of the city.

SADs are a common method of paying for community projects, such as installing sidewalks or extending a water main, for example.

The vast majority of SADs are established under Public Act 188 of 1954, which states the process is begun when a governing body is presented with a petition requesting the SAD and containing the signatures of land owners representing at least 51 percent of the area within a proposed SAD. Once a SAD is approved, the owners of property within the district pay a proportional assessment to cover the cost of a project. ■

FEBRUARY 2011

❯ Page 26 said that how the ordinance will read has not yet been discussed and won’t be until after the May election — the commission’s May 10 meeting, provided the charter amendment is approved by voters.

Burton said the new project value limiations will be set into city ordinance rather than the city charter for ease of use. Changes to the city charter must be approved by a vote of residents; city ordinances can be changed by a vote of the commission. ■

License agreement approved for new radio technology

By Alex Lundberg The long-planned addition of new radio technology for the Birmingham Fire Department has inched a bit closer to becoming reality as the City Commission has approved a license agreement with Oakland County to build a new radio antenna on City Hall.

When the new antenna is completed, it’s expected to improve radio communications in a one-mile area around downtown Birmingham.

It would work in conjunction with existing towers at Lincoln Hills and at the Top of Troy building on Big Beaver Road.

Birmingham Fire Chief Michael Metz recently told the City Commission that the new antenna and related technology would cost about $90,000, with those costs being picked up entirely by the county. In a response to a question by resident David Driscoll, it’s expected to work and, if it doesn’t, there are further options.

“We anticipate improvement in our level of use, but we’re not going to know how much until it’s up,” Metz said. “There are similar ones that have been put up in Madison Heights and Ferndale and they’ve had some success.”

“What about a 100-foot tower here?” Driscoll asked.

“That’s still an option,” Metz said. “As far as what height it would be, we don’t know.”

The process of putting up a new fire department radio antenna in downtown Birmingham has been going on for more than six months.

The reason it has gone on so long is the number of governmental hoops that have to be jumped through to implement a project like this.

Metz said the process started with engineering studies that determined the department’s needs, as well as the frequency a new tower would have to use. After those studies were completed, the package of information went on to the county’s frequency committee for review. Once the county signed off www.oaklandpaper.com

Cost-saving measure

Township enters pact to save on water

By Angela Niemi

T

he Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees voted to approve a water service agreement between the township and the Southeastern Oakland County Water Authority (SOCWA) at a meeting held on Dec. 13.

Over the past four decades, the township has been a wholesale water customer of the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD). However, in the past 10 years, the DSWD has increased the cost of water for the township by 128 percent.

Although Bloomfield Township just renewed a 30-year contract with the DSWD in 2008, local officials have opted to switch to SOCWA — the largest wholesale customer of the DSWD water supply.

According to Bloomfield Township Clerk Jan Roncelli, SOCWA is able to offer lower rates than the DSWD because they have reservoirs that can store over 30 million gallons of water, which allows the SOCWA system to provide water at lower rates during peak demand times and emergencies because the water is coming from storage rather than pulling additional water from DWSD. The township’s current agreement with the DSWD allows the township to join SOCWA provided that township officials notify DSWD by Friday, Jan. 14, 2011.

Roncelli said they have been exploring different possibilities to better serve the township’s water system with reduced costs for the past few years and that recently SOCWA came to them with the opportunity to connect to the city of Bloomfield Hills’ connections.

Bloomfield Hills became a customer of SOCWA in 2008.

“There wasn’t anywhere close enough for us to connect (with SOCWA). I think the closest was Farmington Hills,” she said. “I think this is long overdue. I’ve been a proponent of this for years and now is an opportune time for us. Integrating the two water systems is a big deal. We are excited about it. It’s going to save us quite a bit.”

Based on Bloomfield’s 2010 annual water volumes and maximum daily consumption contracted with the DSWD, the cost of water from SOCWA could be reduced by 24 percent based on current rate values.

Using 2010 numbers, SOCWA has projected Bloomfield Township’s water rate to be $20.80 per thousand cubic feet (MCF) of water, which is $6.60 less than the township’s current DWSD rate of $27.40 per MCF. One MCF roughly equates to 7,500 gallons of water.

If Bloomfield Township had been a SOCWA customer in 2010, the township would have saved $1.8 million on water costs, which translates to an average annual reduction of $132.00 per customer.

However, while switching to SOCWA will result in reduced rates, residents of Bloomfield Township will not see any decrease in cost for a few years.

“We recommended that we didn’t change the retail rate until the program is fully funded in order to cover the connection costs and system improvements,” Roncelli explained. “The township will see that there won’t be any cost increases for (the residents) in the next two years. Normally, we would have to sell bonds to fund these improvements and increase the water debt charge.”

Estimates for the project’s total cost are over $2.2 million, which includes studies, design, construction, and a one time nonrefundable “service fee” to be a SOCWA customer of $585,000.

The fee is anticipated to be paid over the first three years in annual payments of $195,000. Roncelli said she expects that the total expenses of the project will be paid off by 2014-15.

Although the township has to spend money to connect to SOCWA, several advantages will be gained by doing so, including reducing the cost for water; stabilizing the short-term retail rate; providing access to water at more entry points in the township’s water system; allowing more flexibility to change the water flow; improving collaboration with adjacent SOCWA communities; providing availability of additional water storage during emergencies; gaining a larger voice in regional DSWD planning; as well as providing opportunities to reduce other expenses and increasing levels of service.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for us to get lower water rates and have a greater access to water during peak times and emergencies at a lower cost,” Roncelli said. ■

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on it, the information went on to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for approval and then on to the Canadian Broadcasting Standards Council — the Canadian version of the FCC — for their approval.

Once it came back, the city got its license agreement with the county, where staffs from those offices and Birmingham got together to hash out the final details.

The project doesn’t call for a new radio tower — at least not yet. If everything goes forward as planned the new radio technology will be attached to the tower that’s already on top of the City Hall. There’s still a question of whether any new attachment at that level will do the trick.

“We’re hoping this will be it,” Metz said. “It’s not going to be as tall or as powerful as a full-size tower.”

It would only be a fraction of the power of a full-size tower, he said, but the move to put a full tower downtown is bound to be met with “not-in-my-back-yard” sentiment that goes hand-in-hand with such a development.

The problem with the existing communications system, Metz said, is clarity. Firefighters work in a noisy environment and a sketchy radio connection is no help in an environment with a lot of yelling and sirens.

Presumably, the chief said, a tower would be paid for by the county, as well.

The communications technology — whatever form it ends up taking — grows out of the twin emergencies of the Wixom Ford plant and Royal Oak Post Office shootings of the 1990s. During both of those incidents, mutual aid responders from different communities found themselves unable to communicate with each other. ■

PSD budget for the next two fiscal years approved by board

By Alex Lundberg The Birmingham Principal Shopping District, the organization that markets and promotes downtown shopping culture, has prepared a budget for the next two years.

The PSD board approved a twoyear rolling budget at its Jan. 6 meeting. The budget will go to the Birmingham city manager for approval and then on to a public hearing in April, when it will be considered by the Birmingham City Commission along with the rest of the city department budget proposals.

PSD revenues for 2009-10 were $928,133 and expenditures Page 28 ❯ 27

■ municipal ❯ Page 27 were $851,837, leaving a

balance of $66,296. Revenues for 2010-11 were expected to be $933,880 and expenditures were set at $937,846, $3,966 above revenues. Revenues for the current fiscal year are now projected to be $1,003,880, with expenditures revised at $976,846, leaving a $27,034 surplus.

The PSD, like the city of Birmingham, is operating on a twoyear rolling budget. The budget the PSD board is working on is for two years into the future using projected numbers for the 2011-12 and 2012-13 budget years.

Revenues for the 2011-12 budget year are estimated at $1.01 million and the expenditures are projected to be $998,328, with a fund balance of $14,232. The projected revenues for 2012-13 are $1,017,560 and expenditures are expected to be $1,014,398.

Like any service-oriented business or organization, the PSD’s biggest fixed cost year in and year out is personnel. Staff costs in 2009-10 were $216,459. The PSD board expects that figure to rise to $229,880 in 2010-11, and again to $231,940 in 2011-12, and then to $244,890 in the 2012-13 program year.

According to PSD Executive Director John Heiney, the PSD maintains a very tight ship.

“There are five total employees and only one of them, me, is fulltime,” he said. “We have four parttime employees working 20 hours or less a week.”

The PSD is funded through a special assessment district (SAD) that was set up in 1992. Rather than being a conventional SAD set up to build sidewalks or improve roads, for example, the PSD assessment pays for promotions and special events to improve the city’s business climate.

None of the funding for the PSD’s operations or staff wages come out of city coffers or residents’ tax dollars.

There are a few physical projects the PSD conducts, like holiday lighting in the winter and plant boxes in the summer, but most operations are geared toward events.

The newest event, the Winter Markt, turned out to be a big success and will be a regular feature of Birmingham culture.

“A year ago we weren’t contemplating it,” Heiney said. “It brought in substantial sponsorship dollars and became revenue-neutral.

That’s really good for a first-year event.”

He said sponsorship of the 28

Energy efficiency audit Township implementing suggestions

By Angela Niemi

T

he Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees has voted to switch to a private third-party alternative energy supplier, Enercom Inc. The change from Consumers Energy to Enercom is part of Bloomfield Township’s Energy Efficiency and Retrofit Program.

The program is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009. Bloomfield Township applied for and received federal grant funding of $169,500 from the U.S. Department of Energy to become more energy-efficient.

The recommendation to switch to a third-party supplier to procure natural gas came from environmental specialist Noah Mehalski, who presented to the township board the findings of a technical energy audit.

According to his findings, an alternative natural gas supply arrangement would reduce energy cost at township facilities.

Clerk Jan Roncelli called switching alternative energy suppliers a “really important move.”

Based on the township’s natural gas consumption from March 2009 to March 2010, estimated savings for the entire township campus are approximately $26,500.

The technical energy audit was part of Phase I of the Energy Efficiency and Retrofit Program. Phase II involves implementation of as many of the suggested retrofits as funding will allow.

According to Mehalski, the township has already begun to implement some retrofits. The most important projects involve heating and ventilation system retrofits, as well as lighting retrofits throughout the township.

“The amount of energy saved

German-style outdoor market in the coming years explains the jump in expected revenues. Other events that will be returning for the next few years are the now-six-monthlong Farmer’s Market (also revenue neutral), outdoor movie nights, the

is estimated at upwards of 30 to 40 percent if all the projects are implemented,” Mehalski said.

Savings on the low side are estimated at over $112,000 per year and on the high side at $220,000 a year if the energy conservation measures provided by the technical energy audit are practiced. This roughly equates to 24.3 percent on the low side and 49.8 percent on the high side of the total usage of energy costs at $460,000 annually.

High estimates on the cost to implement these measures is $278,000.

Some projects slated as top priorities for all 11 township buildings are energy training for employees, tracking energy usage on a monthly basis, lowering the buildings’ heating temperature, keeping building temperatures within the desired range, and utilizing utility rebates.

Other projects include implementing drinking fountain and vending machine timers, and purchasing electricity during offpeak hours prior to office hours.

Projects that have a longer return on investment than two years may also be implemented soon, as now might be the optimal time given the receipt of grant money. These include replacing T12 bulbs and ballasts with T8 bulbs and electronic ballasts, as well as replacing the boiler in the Township Hall.

In total, 165 projects were proposed following the energy audit, with costs ranging from $0 to over $15,000.

All projects using the grant funding must be completed by the end of 2021; however, Mehalski said he believes that most will be implemented by the fall of 2011.

“Our goal is to reduce overall consumption of energy. Our savings should exceed 15 percent by the end of the project,” he said. ■ Sidewalk Sale on the last Saturday in July, and the Birmingham Cruise Event which coincides with the Woodward Dream Cruise.

The cruise event has gathered some sponsors, as have the movie nights. ■

THE PAPER

Birmingham PSD’s Restaurant Week just around corner The Birmingham Principal Shopping District is banking the increased knowledge will draw residents to its Sixth Annual Restaurant Week event.

Restaurant Week will run from Jan. 31 through Feb. 4 and again Feb. 7 through Feb. 11 in 20 different restaurants throughout the city’s downtown area.

“People recognize the culinary expertise offered during this event and appreciate that it’s also easy on their checkbook,” said PSD Executive Director John Heiney. “Chefs in Birmingham are extremely talented and offer a large variety of mouthwatering dishes each year that appeal to every palate.”

Of the participating restaurants, there are five newcomers this year: Toast, Zazio’s, Tallulah Wine Bar and Bistro, South Bar, and Cameron’s Steak House.

Matt Rafferty is the manager at Toast, a restaurant that launched two years ago in Birmingham and with an older location in Ferndale.

He said the restaurant likes to be involved in anything that gets people to come downtown.

“Our thought is that if there’s anything we can do to give back, we’ll do it,” he said. “We get our name out and we get people to come out and eat a meal out that they might not think to.”

He said Toast already participates in local charitable operations. It’s worked with the Birmingham Educational Foundation, provided incentive packages for school fundraisers, and is planning an upcoming event to benefit the Detroit Animal Shelter.

Mike Newhouse is the manager at South Bar, an establishment that opened its doors in June.

“We wanted to get involved,” he said. “We’re still trying to get ourselves established as a business.”

The bar, which features a mix of Mexican, Central American and Cuban cuisine, will use Restaurant Week as an opportunity to introduce diners to its tortilla and black bean soups, its buffalo rock shrimp appetizers, and the various sandwiches and desserts it offers at lunch. For the dinner events, South Bar will show off its Santa Fe chicken and Gulf platter and filet.

For more information about the event and participating restaurants, go to enjoybirmingham.com/rw, or call the Birmingham PSD at 248530-1200. ■ FEBRUARY 2011

■ eating out The Eating Out directory for The Paper is just that, a guide to dining establishments where patrons can go to eat. Many, if not most, of these eateries also allow for take-out orders. If an establishment serves beer(B), wine(W) or liquor (L), the listing indicates such. Likewise, if breakfast (B), lunch (L) or dinner (D) is served, we indicate by code and then the days it is offered.

220: A one-of-a-kind Birmingham restaurant specializing in steaks and fresh seafood with an Italian flair, complemented by a fine selection of distinguished American, Italian and global wines. Located in the historic Edison Building in the heart of downtown Birmingham. B, W, L. L & D, Monday-Saturday. 220 Merrill Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.645.2150.

Akshay Indian Cuisine: Featuring Indo Chinese, South Indian, Northern Indian and Tandoori (Clay Oven) dishes. Spicy flavors compliment the relaxed and elegant atmosphere. Reasonable pricing makes Akshay Indian Cuisine a local favorite. L & D, Tuesday Sunday. 1615 S. Opdyke Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.858.2315.

Andiamo: Andiamo’s offers Northern Italian decor amid a chic dining spot. A favorite among many area celebrities. Featuring traditional Italian dishes in an elegant dining room or live music in the lounge. An extensive wine list and selection of desserts. B, W, L. L & D, daily. 6676 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Township, 48301. 248.865.9300.

Beau Jacks: Known for its superior whitefish and popular salads, Beau Jacks offers certified black angus beef as well as vegetarian and heart-conscious items. The menu features chili, onion loaf, baked spinach and artichoke dip, croissants and wraps. B, W, L. L, MondaySaturday; D, daily. 4108 W. Maple, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.626.2630.

Beyond Juice: Offering Meal-in-a-Cup creations, sandwiches and a variety of desserts.

Greek, seasoned chicken, tuna and garden salads also available, along with homemade Belgian waffles and jumbo muffins. B & L, daily; D, Monday-Saturday. 270 West Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.7078.

Big Boy: Big Boy features its classic diner burgers, breakfast specials and popular dessert menu. With its famous Big Boy sandwich and soup and salad bar, its a hometown diner for the whole family. B, L & D, daily. 6675 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301.

248.642.0717.

Big Rock Chophouse: Big Rock Chophouse’s 4-star, award-winning menu offers flavorful recipes centered around enormous, hand-cut aged steaks, lamb chops and fresh seafood.

Featuring an on-site brew house, the restaurant also boasts an extensive wine cellar, complete with more than 400 fine wine and champagne selections. B, W, L & D, MondaySaturday. 245 S. Eton Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.7774.

Birmingham Sushi Cafe: Featuring Japanese and American fusion-style fare, the cafe specializes in sushi, beef teriyaki, bibimbap and some kobe beef. The atmosphere is a relaxing, family-style environment. L & D, daily. 377 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009.

248.593.8880.

Birmingham Tower Deli: Gourmet delicatessen located in downtown Birmingham features Boars Head meats and cheeses, soups, salads, burgers and pizza. Catering available. B, L & D, Monday-Friday. 280 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Ste. 105, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.9730.

www.oaklandpaper.com

Bloomfield Deli: With a large selection of sandwiches and wraps, Bloomfield Deli also offers several different varieties of grilled cheese sandwiches, grilled chicken wraps and breakfast sandwiches. Also offering fresh salads and a salad bar with 20 different vegetables and fruits. B & L, Monday-Friday. 71 W. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48304.

248.645.6879.

featuring eight different deli sandwiches and an extensive breakfast menu. B & L, daily. 39495 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304.

248.646.7923.

Boston Market: Features sirloin, beef brisket, turkey, meatloaf and rotisserie chicken. Boston Market offers soup, steamed vegetables, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes and casseroles to pair with a main dish. L & D, daily. 42983 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.334.5559.

Einstein Bros. Bagels: Featuring a huge assortment of bagels, sandwiches and specialty coffees. B & L, daily. 176 South Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.594.9888.

Jade Tiki Restaurant: Authentic Chinese cuisine serving signatures dishes like Sesame Chicken, General Tsao's Chicken, Szechwan Chicken, Sweet & Sour Pork, and Beef & Broccoli. Carry out available. B, L. L & D, daily.

3250 S. Boulevard, Bloomfield Hills, 48304.

248.852.8181.

Elie’s Mediterranean Cuisine: Lebanese dishes from stuffed grape leaves to taboulee and humus. B, W, L. L & D, Monday Saturday.

263 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.647.2420.

Kerby’s Koney Island: Kerby’s offers a special chili recipe, lean meats and a wide variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner specialties. B, L, & D, daily. 2160 N. Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills. 248.333.1166.

Embers Deli & Restaurant: Pita sandwiches, soups, burgers, hot dogs and melts available.

An extensive breakfast menu includes egg specials, breakfast roll-ups, omelettes, breakfast sandwiches and sides. B &L, daily. 3598 West Maple Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301.

248.645.1033.

Kirk’s Open Pit Bar B Que: Serving barbecue ribs that are slow cooked and covered in a smoky sauce, Kirk’s also offers barbeque and broasted chicken, seafood, homemade macaroni and cheese, peach and apple cobbler, and sweet potato pies. B, L & D, Tuesday- Sunday.

33766 Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.203.7010.

Brandy’s Steakhouse: A cozy ambiance, private dining room and traditional dishes can be expected at Brandy’s. Offering salads, seafood, pastas and Brandy’s signature steaks.

B,W,L. L, Monday-Saturday; D, daily. 1727 South Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.338.4300.

Breakaway Deli: Breakaway Deli features a variety of house sandwiches as well as a meatfree zone for vegetarians. B & L, MondaySaturday; D, Monday-Friday. 71 West Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302.

248.642.2900.

Brooklyn Pizza: Brooklyn Pizza features New York-style pizza by the slice, homemade cookies and ice cream. L & D, daily. 111 Henrietta Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.258.6690.

Cafe Via: A high-end downtown eatery featuring an elegant setting as well as a patio courtyard. Grilled salmon, roasted chicken, crabcakes and lambchops are some favorites at Cafe Via. B, W, L. L & D, Monday-Saturday.

310 East Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.644.8800.

Cameron’s Steakhouse: Featuring dry aged and prime steak with an impressive wine list.

Cameron’s is a classic steakhouse. B, W, L. D, daily. 115 Willits Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.723.1700.

Chen Chow Brasserie: The decor and menu selection at Chen Chow Brasserie create a most elegant dining experience. Main courses include Pan Seared Tofu, Tamarind Glazed Salmon, Miso Sea Bass, Steamed Halibut, Dashi & Udon and more. Extensive wine list.

B, W, L. D, daily. 260 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.2469.

China Village: A warm environment featuring China Village’s famous sesame and General Tso’s Chicken. L & D daily. 1655 Opdyke, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.758.1221.

Cityscape Deli: Cityscape offers homemade soups and a wide variety of custom carved sandwiches, pasta salads, bean and couscous and Hungarian beef goulash. Homemade healthy sides compliment fresh deli sandwiches. B, L & D, Monday-Saturday. 877 W. Long Lake Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302.

248.540.7220.

Cosi: With a signature flatbread, sandwiches, melts, soups, salads and a kids menu, Cosi offers options for all diners. B, W. B, L & D daily. 101 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.203.9200.

Crust: An upscale restaurant, with an open kitchen and dining room decor with natural wood elements. Full menu includes Neapolitan, thin crust pizzas, salads, sandwiches and small plates. B, W, L. L and D, daily.

6622 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield, 48301.

248.855.5855.

Deli Unique of Bloomfield Hills: A menu

Dick O’Dow’s: Offering Irish classics and home cooking, including stuffed chicken, wild Irish salmon and, of course, shepherd’s pie. B, W, L. L & D, daily. 160 West Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.642.1135.

Forest Grill: Forest Grill’s seasonal menu showcases house-made charcuterie, raw bar, clay oven-baked pizzas and traditional bistro dishes. Influenced by French, Italian and contemporary American cuisine with an emphasis on simplicity and flavor. Extensive wine list, including a number of regional wines from boutique vinters and Michigan vineyards. B, W, L. L, Monday-Friday; D, Monday-Saturday. 735 Forest Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.258.9400.

Forté Restaurant: With beautiful decor and lavish cuisine, Forte offers a complete dining experience, including an extensive wine list.

Renowned chefs present a complete breakfast menu as well. B, W, L. B, L & D, daily. 201 South Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.7300.

Flemings Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar: An American steakhouse with a contemporary flair featuring aged prime beef, market fresh seafood and an award-winning wine list. B, W, L & D, daily. 323 N. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.723.0134.

Fuddrucker ’s: With simple recipes and made-from-scratch buns, Fuddrucker’s offers burgers, chicken, fish, salad, and a kids menu.

B, W. L & D, daily. 42757 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Township, 48302. 248.333.2400.

Greek Island Coney Restaurant: Featuring sandwiches, salads and Coney Island classics.

Breakfast is available anytime. B, L & D, daily.

221 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009.

248.646.1222.

Hogan’s Restaurant: Casual atmosphere and homemade fare, Hogan’s offers steak, seafood, burgers, a vegetarian and children’s menu. A tavern-type environment is also available to patrons. B, W, L. L & D, daily. 6450 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301.

248.626.1800.

House of India: A casual dining experience with traditional east Indian fare featuring vegetarian plates and specialties such as lamb curry and Tandoori chicken. L & D, daily. 1615 S. Opdyke, Bloomfield Hills, 48302.

248.451.0201.

Hunter House Hamburgers: Featuring high quality, gourmet hamburgers. Recently voted Number One Burger in Michigan by Food Network Magazine and “20 Burgers You Must Eat Right Now” in June 2009 Gourmet Magazine. B, Monday-Saturday; L & D daily.

THE PAPER

35075 Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.646.7121.

IHOP: From creatively flavored pancakes to steaks, sandwiches and salads, IHOP is best known for its breakfast fare. B, L & D, daily.

2187 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.333.7522.

La Marsa: Authentic recipes are the secret ingredient for La Marsa's continued success.

Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine is served in a casual dining atmosphere. From kabobs to rice pudding, fare is healthy and fresh. Signature items include tabboulli, hommous, lamb chops, and chicken kabobs. L & D, daily. 43259 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.858.5800.

Leo’s Coney Island: Greek specialties, burgers and coneys are offered along with omelettes, breakfast specials, soups and salads. B, L & D, daily. 6527 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301 (248.646.8568) and at 154 S. Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.646.8568.

Little Daddy’s Parthenon: Featuring Greek fare, like hand-carved gyros, Little Daddy’s Parthenon offers oven roasted turkey, gourmet sandwiches and house-made food. B, L & D, daily.

39500 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.647.3400.

Max & Erma’s: Features a family-friendly environment with a variety of burgers, an assortment of salads and a signature tortilla soup, plus steaks, ribs and fajitas. B, W, L. L & D, daily. 250 Merrill Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.1188.

Mirage Cafe: Mediterranean fare with healthy options and menu items made fresh daily. Among customer favorites are the chicken lemon rice and lentil soup, chicken shawarma and chicken cream chop. The cafe also offers Caribou Coffee, smoothies and an assortment of desserts. L & D, daily. 297 E. Maple Avenue, Birmingham 48009.

248.731.7768.

Mitchell’s Fish Market: Accepting daily delivery of a wide variety of fresh fish flown in from all coasts, the atmosphere is that of an upscale seafood restaurant. Also features a lively bar area. B, W, L. L & D, daily. 117 Willits Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.646.3663.

Mountain King: Chinese restaurant serving fried rice, sesame chicken, General Tso’s chicken and standard Chinese favorites. L & D, daily. 469 South Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.2913.

New Bangkok Thai Bistro: Featuring a Thai atmosphere and variety of Thai specialties such as duck, noodles, seafood and curries.

Also offering soups, salads, fried rice and appe-

29

■ eating out tizers. B, Monday Thursday; L, Monday-Friday; D, daily. 183 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.2181.

Northern Lakes Seafood Co: Serving a signature lobster reuben for lunch and a Chilean sea bass for dinner. The seasonal menu includes a soft shell crab, lobster bisque and Columbia river king salmon. B, W, L. L, Monday-Friday; D, daily. 39495 North Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304.

248.646.0370.

Old Woodward Deli: With a wide variety of sandwiches, soups, and salads, Old Woodward Deli prides itself on delivering fresh and homemade meals. Reubens are the No. 1 best seller. Hours are 10 a.m.-2:45 p.m. TuesdayFriday. 768 N. Woodward Ave., Birmingham, 48009. 248.642.0768.

Olga’s Kitchen: Olga’s offers fresh and unique flavored appetizers, sandwiches, soups and salads. Grilled to-order Olga bread available. L & D daily. 2075 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.451.0500 and at 138 S. Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009.

248.647.2760.

Peabody’s: With rustic beams and subtle lighting, Peabody’s offers unique sandwiches and salads, along with fresh seafood, house prime rib, signature steaks and pastas. B, W, L. L & D, daily. 34965 Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.5222.

Pancake House: Best known for breakfast fare, the Original Pancake House has a varied menu. B, L & D, daily. 33703 South Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.642.5775.

Panera Bread: A variety of soups, sandwiches and desserts., plus an on-site bakery. B, L & D, daily. 100 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48309. 248.203.7966 and at 2125 S. Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48302. 248.253.9877.

Pasta Fagioli: Pasta Fagioli brings the taste of southern Italy to every table. Offering a large variety of homemade pastas and unique entrees at moderate prices. Favorites include angel hair pasta infused with lobster, shrimp and portobello mushrooms tossed in fresh tomato basil sauce; spinach and ricotta ravioli; and a smorgasbord of chicken and veal dishes.

It's namesake soup, Pasta Fagioli, is comfort food for the soul. Delectable desserts such as Tiramisu and Ray's Ice Cream, and Spumoni, complement any meal. L & D, weekdays; D, weekends. 2398 Franklin Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.332.1111.

Phoenicia: A special dining experience, Phoenicia offers all the traditional dishes of Lebanon. 588 South Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. B, W, L. L, MondayFriday; D, daily. 248.644.3122.

Pita Cafe: Middle Eastern fare featuring chicken shawarma, sweet salad, fattoush, Greek salad, lambchops, seafood and taboulee. Pita Cafe is known for its fantastic garlic spread. L & D, daily. 239 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.645.6999.

Pizza Papalis & Rio Wraps: Full menu includes rio wraps, pizzas, salads, soups, pasta and desserts; known for its Chicago-style deep dish pizza. L & D, daily. 4036 Telegraph Road, Ste.106, Bloomfield Hills, 48302.

248.540.7722.

Qdoba: A one-of-a-kind Mexican grill restaurant, Qdoba features tacos, salads, nachos, quesadillas and more. L & D, daily. 795 East Maple Avenue, Birmingham, 48009.

248.988.8941.

Quattro Cucina Italiana: A high-end setting

30

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offering Osso Buco and Branzino filet among several signature Italian dishes. With a relaxing, open atmosphere, Quattro features a variety of pastas, soups, salads and an extensive wine list. B,W,L. L, Monday-Friday; D, daily. 203 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009.

248.593.606 Quiznos: A signature toasting style creates crisp edges, melted cheese, sizzling meat and warm bread. Choose from over 20 oventoasted subs, five flatbread chopped salads, 10 sammies, five torpedoes & bullets and soups.

Offering a full children’s menu and new, onsite catering. L & D daily. 185 N Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009.

248.540.7827.

Rio Wraps: Features burritos, salads and deli wraps. L & D, daily. 42805 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304. 248.540.7722.

Salvatore Scallopini: Salvatore Scallopini offers fresh prepared daily Italian dishes, appetizers and a variety of desserts. B, W. L & D, daily. 505 North Old Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.644.8977.

Sandella’s Flatbread Cafe: A casual cafe offering health-conscious options. Grilled paninis, sandwiches, grilled flatbreads, chopped salads and quesadillas are featured. L & D daily. 172 North Old Woodward, Birmingham, 48009. 248.594.4200 South: Gourmet southwest fare set in an atmosphere akin to South Beach Miami.

Homemade fare includes signature items such as swordfish, fish tacos, and grilled tuna. Large outdoor patio in front with a full length bar inside, private dining, and dancing club at the rear. Extensive wine and cocktail lists. B, W, L. L & D, daily. Open 7 days a week, 11 p.m.-2 a.m. 210 S. Old Woodward Ave., Ste. 100, Birmingham, 48009. 248.593.8133.

Steve’s Deli: Classic and popular deli featuring a wide variety of soups, sandwiches and deserts. B, L & D, daily. 6646 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.932.0800.

Streetside Seafood: Streetside has developed a reputation for fresh fish, oysters and other seafood on a seasonal menu B,W,L. L, Monday-Friday; D, daily. 273 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.645.9123.

Sushi Hana: Sushi Hana’s menu includes tempura, teriyakis, yakitori, fried egg, seafood, vegetables and more. Offers traditional Japanese fare as well as some Korean dishes. L, Monday-Friday; D, Monday-Saturday. 42656 Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48304.

248.333.3887.

Sy Thai Cafe: A casual dining atmosphere, Sy Thai serves orange duck, noodle dishes, stirfried mussels with onions and all the usual Thai classics. L & D, daily. 315 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.9830.

Tallulah Wine Bar and Bistro: Featuring wine varieties from regions all over the world, Tallulah offers wine by the bottle, half bottle and glass. American fare is on the menu with a farm-to-table concept. Dishes are made fresh daily with organic, local products. Indoor and seasonal patio seating available. B, W, L. D, Monday-Sunday; Sunday bruch. 155 S. Bates Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.731.7066.

The Corner Bar: Part of the Townsend Hotel complex, The Corner Bar offers a lighter fare from 5-7 p.m. that includes sliders and salads.

B, W, L. D, Wednesday-Saturday. 100 Townsend Street, Birmingham, 48009.

248.647.2958.

The Gallery Restaurant: Family restaurant in an art gallery environment offering full menu. American fare includes omelettes,

FEBRUARY 2011

■ prep’s place Sage suggestions for a stupendous salad

By Johnny Prep

O

uch! Seven pounds heavier. No way.

Maybe if I lean a little farther forward on the scale. My shorts must way at least two pounds. Sound familiar?

It's just the time of the year. The holidays are brutal on the waistline and the winter sure seems to make the couch feel more comfortable. Sure, the sweaters and sweatshirts will hide it for a few months — unless you head for the beaches on vacation — but the day will come when that extra pack of stored energy sitting around our waists will stick out like a sore thumb. So let's create some delicious solutions.

One of my favorites is a great dinner salad. Sliding a couple of these on the menu each week is a healthy approach to great eating. Unfortunately great salads are infrequently available in restaurants. Not that there aren't good salads available, or even some really good ones.

But there are few great ones and the reasons are basic. Most notably, the protein on the salad is rarely cooked to order, and when it is it is usually overcooked. Rarely are the vegetables cooked to develop their flavors. And there is an overabundance of bottled dressing which lacks the fresh taste that marries so well with garden greens.

Let's start by discussing the protein.

Just about any protein goes great on top of a salad. Salmon, chicken, and shrimp seem to be the most popular with beef making a cameo appearance on occasion. Pulled pork can be sensational. But why restaurants so rarely cook the protein to order makes no sense. Fish, chicken and shrimp are all quick items to cook and they are so much better cooked fresh rather than sitting in a hotel pan since early morning. Sometimes when I go to a restaurant, I will look at the entrees and ask them to serve the meat on top of a salad instead of potatoes and a vegetable. You can even have them put the

sandwiches and a variety of salads. B, L & D, daily. 6683 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, 48301. 248.851.0313.

The Moose Preserve Bar & Grill: The Moose Preserve features a full menu, including fresh fish, barbecue ribs and certified black angus steak. B, W, L. L & D, daily. 2395 S. Woodward Avenue, Bloomfield Hills, 48302.

248.858.7688.

The Phat Sammich: Offers 70 different sandwiches, five daily soup specials and salads.

Homemade fare is prepared fresh daily and weekday lunch delivery is available. L & D, daily. 34186 Woodward Avenue, Birmingham, 48009. 248.723.0860 The Rugby Grille: Conveniently located

www.oaklandpaper.com

vegetables on top as well. This is one way to get some much better tasting hot meat on top of a salad. Putting something warm on top of cool greens brings that "ying and yang" effect so many great chefs strive to achieve.

If you're cooking at home, try marinating the fish first and then baking at high temperatures for 10 minutes for every inch of thickness. Teriyaki sauce

you serve a dinner portion of protein. Six to eight ounces is a minimum. You know when you order a salad and they give you 25 bites worth of salad and only five bites worth of protein that they are just being cheap.

Another big differentiator of great salads is cooked vegetables. Onions are a great example. It kills me when you order a salad that has sliced red onions on top

Did you put on a few pounds over the annual gorge-fest that is the Christmas holiday season? Fear not. Crisp, fresh dinner salads at home are a great way to shed the extra weight.

goes well as a marinade, especially for an Asian-flavored dressing. If you are going to go with chicken, try cutting the chicken up into one-inch chunks and then sautéing it in olive oil and garlic with a little salt and pepper. Cook it over high enough heat to get some browning going on the chicken. This really adds flavor. Add the garlic towards the end of cooking so it doesn’t get burnt and bitter. Seared, roasted and sliced flat iron steak also makes a delicious topping. Try your favorite dry rub. If you are adventurous, mix together some Anchochili powder (or other chili powder), some fine ground coffee, some cocoa powder, some brown sugar, and some salt as a dry rub. It's quite a contemporary flavor profile with chefs these days. And make sure you let the meat rest for at least five minutes before serving. If you cut into it and all the juices roll out onto your cutting board, you know you didn't rest the meat enough. Lastly, make sure

and they give you an entire onion's worth. I like onions, but wow, how much do you really need of raw onions? A great approach is to caramelize the onions first. Sautee the onions in some olive oil on medium heat until they are soft and nicely browned. Then season with a little salt and pepper to taste. They lose their punch in the face kick and develop a soft sweet flavor that blends beautifully with the salad and the proteins. You can do the same thing with mushrooms, zucchini, eggplant, and a host of other vegetables. Grilling the vegetables also works incredibly well.

Cheese is another great flavor component. But skip the American and Swiss. Go for the gusto. Goat cheese, blue cheese, mozzarella, aged Gouda, and brie all give your salad a higher pedigree with a lot more flavor. You can even slightly warm some cheeses. I was in Leon, France once and they served goat cheese medallions that were coat-

inside Birmingham’s Townsend Hotel and offering a luxury dining experience. B, W, L. B, L & D, daily. 100 Townsend Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.642.5999.

TOPZ: Offering homemade fare, featuring Michigan vendors and local Michigan products, TOPZ prides itself on its air-baked, nonfried fries, nuggets, onion rings, burgers, chili and soups. L & D, daily. 327 Hamilton Row, Birmingham, 48009. 248.220.1108.

Toast: With a modern retro style, Toast offers American dishes with a touch of southwestern taste, including signature breakfast food to burgers. B, W, L. B & L, daily; D, MondaySaturday. 203 Pierce Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.258.6278.

Tokyo Sushi & Grill: A cozy sushi bar offering sashimi, soba noodle dishes, teriyakis, tempura, all the traditional Japanese dishes, and, of course, sushi. L & D, daily. 225 E. Maple Rd., Birmingham, 48009.

248.258.6501.

Whistle Stop Cafe: Voted among the best diners in America by Good Morning America, this eatery boasts of its local roots and feel. B & L, daily; D, Monday-Friday. 501 S. Eton Street, Birmingham, 48009. 248.647.5588.

Zazios: Featuring modern Italian cuisine along with an extensive wine list and an interactive Chef's Table. The 10,000-square-foot space boasts a bi-level kitchen, seating for 210, thermoelectric wine cellars, the Z Lounge, a 40seat bar with an extensive martini list, and pri-

THE PAPER

ed in sesame seeds, warmed slightly and placed on top of my salad. I have been serving them ever since.

Dried fruit is good, but fresh fruit is better. But be picky and get some ripe fruit. Sometimes the best way is to ask the person working in the produce department what fruit they have that is perfectly ripe right now and buy it. It may not be the exact fruit you were looking for but it will probably satisfy your palate a whole lot more. And make sure you take the time to prepare the fruit properly. Don't serve oranges that were peeled and then sliced across the grain so every piece has a spoke-like pith throughout.

Segment the orange into Supremes (removes the pith), so that each morsel gives the ultimate satisfaction.

Last but not least, take your shot at making homemade dressings. They are really easy to make. A fork, a whisk, or a mini food processor are the only tools you really need, along with a bowl and possibly a knife. Vinaigrettes are fun and versatile. These dressings are a great place to use some of those flavored vinegars and oils that you received as gifts and didn't have any idea what to use them on. One of my favorite salad vinegars is seasoned rice wine vinegar. It has lower acid and a slight natural sweetness. My family loves it. And my last suggestion is to throw some fresh chopped herbs in the salad dressing. Basil is by far my favorite in a fresh salad. Another good combination to add is some fresh basil, oregano, tarragon, thyme, and chives with a little Dijon mustard and Worchester sauce.

So go explore the art of the dinner salad. Use your imagination, create, have fun, and eat healthy.

■ John Prepolec produces a cable television program, “Five Star Cooking at Home,” at Bloomfield Community Television. Comcast subscribers can see it in Bloomfield Township and Bloomfield Hills on Channel 15 and in Birmingham, Beverly Hills, Franklin and Bingham Farms on Channel 18.

AT&T U-verse subscribers can see it on Channel 99. Times are Mondays at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. You can view it anytime online at the Bloomfield Township website, www.bloomfieldtwp.org/services/cable.

You can find his website at www.johnnyprep.com.

vate dining. Italian fare infused with a Mediterranean influence. Signature small plate items include seared sea scallops, polenta with telaggio fonduta, and crisp shrimp and calamari. Assaggini tastings, and pastas, seafood, and meat entrees available. B, W, L. D, daily.

34977 Woodward Ave., Birmingham, 48009.

248.530.6400.

Want your eating establishment listed?

There is no charge for this directory in The Paper but there are a couple of rules.

An eatery must be located in Birmingham, Bloomfield Township or Bloomfield Hills and must have tables where patrons can dine in. Send your information via fax (248.360.1220) or email to news@thescngroup.com.

31

â&#x2013; business notes Former Dykema Gossett partners Stephen W. King and Thomas J. Murray have formed King & Murray PLLC in downtown Birmingham.

King & Murray is a boutique business litigation law firm specializing in

commercial and business litigation, including breach of contract, insurance coverage, and financial services litigation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our goal is to achieve the best possible results for our clients at the least possible cost,â&#x20AC;? King said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We can now take the experience we acquired at one of the largest law firms in the nation, and apply that same quality of service with a more flexible and cost effective approach for our clients.â&#x20AC;?

King & Murray is currently serving as counsel for the city of Detroit in an attempt to recover $10 million from the former federal police monitor.

The attorneys at King & Murray have an established record of trial

success, including jury verdicts and settlements totaling nearly $100 million and a number of complete victories for their defense clients.

King & Murray PLLC is located at 355 S. Old Woodward, Suite 100. For more information, visit www.kingandmurray.com, or call 248-792-2396. â&#x2013; Carolyn Bowen-Keating, VP relocation services at Coldwell Banker Weir Manuel (CBWM), has announced the expansion of the Troy office relocation team in three different talent areas.

Sharon Taylor has generous experience in real estate and has been licensed since 1974. Her experience includes service with Argonaut Relocation, administering relocation benefits for GM families in transition.

She will be responsible for working with agents on corporate inventory homes.

Susan Maylone is a Certified Relocation Professional who comes to CBWM from Simplified Senior Solutions in Dallas, Texas. She has extensive marketing experience, and was sought after by the relocation team in order to market more seamlessly to seniors interested on transitioning from single-family homes to senior, nursing or rental communities. Susan will work with customers who prefer a long-term or short-term rental lifestyle.

Carolyn Shaw joins the team after a career in education with the Avondale School District. Carolynâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s responsibilities include day-to-day property management operations. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Adding these three talents to our Relocation Department makes great sense as southeast Michiganâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s economy improves,â&#x20AC;? Bowen-Keating said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They will play key roles in improving response time, providing more frequent feedback and adding precision to every point of contact. Their efforts are sure to drive outstanding service experiences for agents and customers alike.â&#x20AC;? â&#x2013; The state Department of Natural Resources and Environmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Small Business Pollution Prevention Loan Program has awarded a $231,380 low-interest loan to Michigan OMS, PC of Birmingham, which will use the funds to install digital X-ray equipment and and associated data transfer system, eliminating the need for radiographic film, lead-lined film containers, and the chemicals used to develop the film. The new equipment will also reduce water and energy usage compared to conventional Xray equipment at their oral and maxillofacial surgery office. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Converting to digital X-ray will help our office save money and provide a more environmentally-friendly service to our patients,â&#x20AC;? said Dr.

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THE PAPER

Jonathan Anderson, president of Michigan OMS, PC â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thanks to Comerica Bank and this low-interest loan program weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re able to implement this important project at our Birmingham office.â&#x20AC;?

Businesses with fewer than 500 employees can apply for loans of up to $400,000 with a guaranteed interest rate of not more than 5 percent.

Loans are available to all private business sectors including manufacturing, retail, and service. For more information, contact the DNREâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Environmental Assistance Center at 800-662-9278, or by e-mail at dnreenv-assist@michigan.gov.

Michigan OMS, PC is located at 555 S. Old Woodward, Suite 777, and can be reached at 248-647-4700. â&#x2013; The Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber of Commerce is kicking off its 2011 Forecast Series with the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Economic Forecastâ&#x20AC;? presented by Paul Traub, business economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, Detroit Branch, on Feb. 10, at The Townsend Hotel in downtown Birmingham.

The four-part series continues with â&#x20AC;&#x153;Forecastsâ&#x20AC;? for Film, Government and Real Estate. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our Forecast Series has become an important forum for professionals in our area to learn about trends and to connect with fellow business leaders,â&#x20AC;? said Joe Bauman, president of the Birmingham Bloomfield Chamber.

The series runs from February through May. The schedule includes a Film Forecast on March 10 from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. featuring Emery King, chairman of the Michigan Film Office Advisory Council; Government Forecast on April 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. featuring Phil Power, founder of The Center for Michigan; and a Real Estate Forecast on May 12 from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. featuring Linda Orlans, CEO of Orlans Associates and E-Title.

All four events will be held at The Townsend Hotel. The cost for individual breakfasts is $40 for embers, $50 for guests and $290 for a corporate table of eight. The cost for individual lunches is $50 for members, $60 for guests and $370 for a corporate table of eight. Purchase all four events at $150 for members, or $190 for guests.

Reservations are required in advance and can be made online at www.bbcc.com/events or by calling 248-644-1700. Sponsorships and display tables are available â&#x20AC;&#x201D; call 248-644-1700, ext. 24. â&#x2013; Business news items from the Birmingham and Bloomfield communities can be sent via e-mail to news@thescngroup.com, and must be received two weeks prior to publication.

FEBRUARY 2011

■ snapshot

T

he state's smoking ban went into effect last May, relegating smokers to the parking lots of bars and restaurants all across Michigan. One group is working to undo that ban, calling it an inappropriate infringement on private property rights.

Steve Mace, executive director of Protect Private Property Rights in Michigan — which has a mailing address in Bloomfield Hills — has set his organization's sights on the state's smoking ban for restaurants and bars.

He said it's unfair.

"The fact is that it's billed as a smoking ban but the only places where smoking is banned is on private property," he said. "You can still smoke on the streets, at the beach — almost all public places."

Placing a ban on an otherwise legal activity that only applies to private property is inherently unfair, Mace said. A bar is open to the public, he said, but it's also a place that no person has the unrestricted right to enter. A bar's owners pay the taxes, make the payroll, pay the employees and should be allowed to decide whether people who come into their establishments can light up or not.

"It should be their right to allow or curtail smoking based on the desires of their customers," Mace said.

The unfairness of the law is deepest, he said, given the fact that casinos are exempt from the ban. The exemption was added to protect the casinos from losing gamblers to Native American casinos, which are exempt from state law ("They're several hours away," he said). What

steve mace

they've given the casinos, he said, is a cudgel they can use to beat every other bar and restaurant around them to financial death.

"This is a serious issue," Mace said. "The casinos have dropped the price of their premium beers (to half) and there's no way the other restaurants and bars in the area can compete. They're drawing away smokers from those places and they're taking their non-smoking friends with them.

The same thing is happening at bars around the tribal lands. Mom-andpop places are struggling with this."

Around the turn of the new year, Mace and his organization became the public voice for a group of businesses around the state that did not actively enforce the smoking ban in their establishments on New Year's Eve. He said Protect Private Property Rights in Michigan is an issue advocacy group working on property rights and eminent domain cases statewide.

While their primary focus right now is the smoking ban, he said they are "absolutely not" a pro-smoking group.

As the guard has changed in Lansing, he has hopes that the new regime there will see things his way.

"I'm optimistic," Mace said. "With the new Legislature coming in, we'll see how dedicated they are to the rights of residents to do what they want with their own property. Positive or negative, time will tell."

— Alex Lundberg — The Paper photo/Amy K. Lockard

■ social scene ■ Holiday Shopping Experience with the Drew and Kristen High 5ive Foundation and Orchards Children’s Services, Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Santa (Don Reid) and kids from Orchards

Orchards’ staff celebrate the season

The kids gather at Orchards for pizza

Kristen Stanton and Brandon Scott organized the event

Foster parents enjoy pizza, too

Santa bringing the kids joy

Pizza for everyone

Marquise Slay and Randy Roberson, volunteers at Orchards

Nate Burleson and young fans

Santa and a new friend

Team Santa and Stanton

Believing in Santa 34

Nate Burleson, Bernard Maye and Drew Stanton

Nate Burleson and an Orchards’ client celebrate the season THE PAPER

Just a couple of the happy faces FEBRUARY 2011

I

n the December 2010 edition of The Paper’s Social Scene, I reported that the Drew Stanton High 5ive Foundation teamed up with Orchard’s Children’s Services and M onica and L u c i a n o D e l Signore at Pizzeria Biga to raise funds to take kids less fortunate on a shopping expedition during the holidays. I am humbled and happy to report it was a huge success, with 108 kids receiving $100 gift cards to shop at Target for gifts for their families and themselves.

On Dec. 15, the kids, Detroit Lions players and staff, and volunteers met at Orchards Children’s Services in Southfield to celebrate the season with pizza, cookies, beverages — and plenty of good cheer. Former Detroit Piston Don Reid was an adorable and very enthusiastic Santa, and his enthusiasm for the kids was obvious as they laughed, smiled and high-fived Don throughout the evening.

Lions wide receiver Nate Burleson was in attendance, giving his heart and soul, posing for signed photos with each child at the event and beaming the entire evening. It was hard to determine who was having more fun — Nate or the kids.

At the end of the evening, Burleson and his wife wrote a very generous check to Orchards so they can continue to help the kids they were year-round.

Director of Development P a m e l a Ayres said it was especially gratifying to work with the High 5ive Foundation “to give kids a holiday to remember.”

Once everyone was properly fortified with by the pizza, we all walked through the snow to the Target located next door. There were plenty of wide eyes, smiles and laughter as the kids shopped to their heart’s content while being helped with their purchases by the Lions and their wives.

Lending their personal shopping skills and expertise were Lions Matthew Stafford; Aaron Brown; Dylan G a n d y; S t e f a n L o g a n; Maurice Morris; Don Mu u hlbach; D o m i n i c R a i o l a; Z a c R o b i n s o n; John Wendling; Jo Jo Finely; D a n G e r b e r r y; S h a u n H i l l; C a l v i n J o h n s o n; and R i c h a r d D i c k s o n.

Summing the party up was Christian Wohler: “I think we’ll all remember this as our coolest Christmas ever!”

Happy and truly humbled, I returned home to my husband, John, and our golden retriever, Shelby, to tell them about the children I had the honor to meet that evening and about their smiles, laughter and joy. Knowing that because of some caring and kind athletes, Orchards Children’s Services and generous adults, the season just took a turn for the brighter. Touchdown!

ROCKIN’ THE DREAM • JAN. 17, 2011 On Jan. 17, the first “Rockin’ the Dream” charity concert was held in Pontiac with hundreds of screaming fans at the Crofoot Ballroom on 1 South Saginaw Street. Conceived in response to an assignment dealing with community service project, Blair Sakwa, a 7th grade student, saw her chance to do something big. Wanting to benefit as many charities as possible, Blair approached her dad, Jeff Sakwa, and her dream started to become a reality.

Friendship Circle, Kids Kicking Cancer, Team Joseph, Orchards Children’s Services, and Yatooma’s Foundation for the Kids were all chosen to be benefactors

www.oaklandpaper.com

Having fun in the aisles of Target

Celebrating the season with a Detroit Lion is great!

Trudging through the snow on our way to Target without a one-horse open sleigh

Happy shoppers

Former Piston Don Reid and friend pose for the camera

New friends strike a pose

Carmine DeVivo, COO of Orchards, pays for some goodies

Gilda Hauser, Emmanuel Swanson, Orchards Youth Board member, and Jillian Tupper

Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford and Eastern Michigan University communication major Nick Bieniek enjoyed shopping with the kids of Orchards.

Nick said, “The whole evening was an awesome event. I feel I got to experience the true meaning of the Christmas season and I look forward to donating more of my time to Orchards in the coming year.”

THE PAPER

Brrrrr! We’re almost there!

Having a blast

Mission accomplished

Pamela Ayres, Kristen Stanton and yours truly — without my camera — Carrie Hall 35

■ social scene ■ The First Annual Rockin the Dream Charity Concert, Monday, January 17, 2011 at the Crofoot Ballroom in Pontiac Michigan

Lewis Hensley performing live

Lewis Hensley, again “Rockin the Dream”

Lewis Hensley looks out onto a captive audience

Lindsay Eisenhour and Ani Sanders of West Bloomfield

Orchards volunteer Avie Linden of Birmingham

Dakoda Bond of White Lake, Jess Bentley of Hartland, Hannah Westerby of Davison, Christina Houck of Commerce

Renee Perrett of Highland and Kim Osborne of Waterford

The First Annual Rockin the Dream Charity Concert

Cody Simpson sings to a fan on stage at the Crofoot

Elliot and Tracie Smith of White Lake rockin’ it! Peacefully, of course

Howard Lesnick, Atlantic Records Promotion Manager, of West Bloomfield with Jeff Sakwa of West Bloomfield

The Yatooma family: Norman, Nicole, Olivia, Gabriella, Sophia and baby Ava backstage with Cody Simpson

Cody Simpson sings for the Crofoot crowd

Kids Kicking Cancer, one of the five charities benefitted by the event

Christian Wohler and Alexander Meyers of Birmingham

36

THE PAPER

of the event. Performances by Cody Simpson, Infinity Hour, Stevie Soul, T.E.C., Buda & Lovely, Brilliance, Lewis Hensley and the Channell 95.5 Bomb Squad had the crowd rockin’ on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. “We are excited to unite our forces and come together for a common goal to help children on Martin Luther King Day,” said M a r i s s a P e n r o d, coproducer of the concert and CEO of Team Joseph, a charity committed to supporting research for Duchenne and muscular dystrophy.

Addressing “the change that Martin Luther King worked to bring about and the change that the children here are bringing about in other children’s lives by being here and supporting the charities” was Kelly Shuert, president of Variety of Detroit, a children’s charity.

Shuert and some friends attended the event in solidarity with the other charitable organizations that benefited from the evening’s event.

I was able to catch up with Cody Simpson, a transplanted Aussie, backstage while he strummed his guitar and hung out with his dad, B r a d. Cody, who performs upbeat pop ballots and writes or co-writes most of his own music, told me he fully supported the charities represented at the event.

“I want to help. I put messages in my music and I love helping charities,” he explained.

The elder Simpson traveled with his son to be in Pontiac for the concert from Studio City, Calif., where the entire Simpson troupe relocated from the Gold Coast of Australia to help Cody realize his dream of pursuing his music on an international scale. He talked of how gratifying it was to see his son — who has been signed to Atlantic Records — using his music to help others.

Jeff Sakwa, concert promoter and proud father of Blair, sees Cody as a “humble young man who is destined to be a star and who agreed to be a part of this concert as a way to bring people together on Martin Luther King Day.” Enjoying the concert and the day with her daughters was Stacie Polcyn with Orchards Children’s Services in Macomb. Stacie reminded me that one of Orchards’ missions is to “strengthen the community one child at a time.”

Norman Yatooma, along with his wife, Nicole, and four daughters were “Rockin’ the Dream” with pizza in hand.

Nicole makes it all look effortless while enjoying the concert with her fashionforward bevy of beautiful daughters.

Norman stressed that Cody and the other performers were offering their time and talents to help other people on the auspicious day, showing us all that it is better to give than receive.

And Michael Williams, president and CEO of Orchards Children’s Services felt that “Dr. King would have been proud to see so many children together in Pontiac celebrating music in a peaceful and loving way.”

And being there, I could see that there were quite a few dreams being realized that day: Blair Sakwa’s dream to help as many charities as possible; Cody Simpson’s dream to perform in the United States; the dreams of the five chosen charities to continue their good works.

But perhaps most importantly, in the faces of the children there, you could see many more dreams are in the making. ■ Story and photos by Carrie Hall of Carrie Hall Photography. Reach her at 586-943-6747 or imagesbycarrie.com

FEBRUARY 2011

■ the community house

D

uring the long, cold winter, I find great solace in thinking spring.

Several of our February classes and programs are especially appealing to me because they provide the escape that I need. As usual, when I need to escape, my focus goes to food and flowers.

On the food side, our class Cooking with Fresh Herbs is perfect. In this class on Tuesday, Feb. 22, we will learn how to enjoy the tastes of summer all year long by incorporating fresh herbs into dishes. We will also learn how to grow them all year long. The menu includes slow-roasted tomato salad with basil, spring herb risotto, perfect roast chicken with fresh Shelley Roberts tarragon, and lemon and rosemary posset with raspberries for dessert.

Join our Garden Club on Monday, Feb. 21 to hear Bill Miller of Miller Landscaping talk about "Renovating and Redesigning Your Garden." It's not too early to start planning! Continue your immersion in flowers at our class on Saturday, Feb. 26 at Goldner Walsh Garden and Home. Our class "High Style Floral Design Workshop" will focus on the beauty of floral design with an urban edge for today's modern style. This style lends itself for the opportunity to blend exotic and traditional flowers complimented with cool tropical leaves and natural accents. At this hands-on workshop, we will explore the simplicity of contemporary design and learn how to properly process flowers, the importance of composition, and precise placement of each floral component.

A special program that we will present in April is our second annual House in Bloom. Following the tremendous success of last year’s House in Bloom with floral designer, Chris Giftos, we decided to celebrate flowers with a different twist. Returning chair extraordinaire Carolyn Hefner of The China Closet and Cheryl Hall Lindsay, Marketing Director for Saks Fifth Avenue, have begun to conceptualize a fabulous House in Bloom: Florals and Fashion. Again, The Community House rooms will be transformed into floral masterpieces where guests will enjoy a delicious lunch after viewing a runway show of beautiful models wearing Saks' spring favorites, many of which sport a floral theme.

Continuing with our floral theme, plans are underway for Green Breeze 2011, which will again be held in conjunction with Birmingham's Day on the Town on July 23. At Green Breeze some of our vendors will provide all the information and products that you need to have a healthy and beautiful green garden. Please call Kathie Ninneman at (248) 594-6403 or e-mail her at kathien@communityhouse.com if you are interested in sponsorship opportunities or being a Green Breeze vendor.

Sitting at home and waiting for spring is not constructive! Go to our website and look at the multitude of great programs that we offer at The Community House which include Featured Programs, The Arts, Adult Dance & Fitness, Health & Wellness, Home & Garden, Food & Wine, Special Interest, Kids & Family, Kids, TCH Dance Academy, Sponsored Groups and Travel. You will see that there are lots of good reasons to leave the house and experience all the social, educational and cultural activities that we have to offer. Also, remember that construction around The Community House is complete, which may be one of the reasons that our enrollment figures have dramatically increased.

Finally, think about joining one of our sponsored groups. They truly provide something for everyone. They include the Senior Men’s Club, the Birmingham Bloomfield Newcomers Club (which is open to everyone regardless of city), The International Community Club, The Community House StoryTellers Guild, The Community House Senior Women’s Club and The Race Relations & Diversity Task Force.

Descriptions of all of these groups and our programs can be found at www.communityhouse.com.

I look forward to seeing you at The Community House. ■ Shelley Roberts is President and CEO of The Community House. www.oaklandpaper.com

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■ final word State must live within current means

M

any difficult, potentially unpopular decisions will have to be made by Michigan's new governor and Legislature, as the state continues to suffer the effects of a painfully slow economic recovery. Several critical issues must be addressed in Lansing, with most of them linked to the state's budget and what now seems like a perpetual deficit that annually hovers around the $2 billion mark. A new report by the state's Senate Fiscal Agency indicates more of the same unless state officials make some significant changes. The state either needs to ramp up taxes to cover existing spending levels, decrease spending to bring expenditures in line with current revenue streams, or implement a combination of the two. As Gov. Rick Snyder and the state's 96th Legislature take over, we're imploring Michigan's new policymakers to hold the line on most forms of taxation and to wield a budget-cutting ax so the state operates within its means without use of short-term Band-aids and tricks.

A recently released report by the Michigan Senate Fiscal Agency reveals a dim future for the state's economy and a continuation of hard times if budgeting approaches aren't changed. According to the report, personal income in Michigan is estimated to have grown 0.9 percent by the end of 2010 and is expected to remain stable in 2011 and rise by 0.7 percent in 2012. Wage and salaried employment is estimated to have dropped 0.8 percent in 2010.

It should remain flat in 2011 and then increase by 0.9 percent in 2012, according to the report. The 2012 figures represent the first increase in wage and salaried employment since 2000.

The analysis concludes, overall, that if there are no "significant tax increases," there will be a significant imbalance in the 2011-12 budget because of

decisions made to balance the 2010-11 budget. The deficit for the 2011-12 fiscal year is projected to be $1.8 billion.

Over the past several years, when officials serving in Lansing faced similar challenges, some people pointed to the need to enact revenue increases.

That's Lansing-speak for tax hikes, new taxes, or fee increases. We question whether Michigan's businesses and individual taxpayers can afford those things, so the new administration and lawmakers need to get down to the admittedly unpleasant chore of cutting expenditures to balance the budget.

New or increased taxes on businesses would make it harder to generate new jobs. Many businesses will simply pass off any new tax and fee obligations to consumers. State citizens will find it hard to afford increased costs passed on to them by businesses, let alone increases in the taxes or fees they pay directly.

Lansing has fallen into a pattern of addressing annual budget deficits through revenue enhancement schemes. That approach has included onetime money transfers and reliance on slight-of-hand gimmicks, which obviously haven't resolved the budget crisis. They have perpetuated it. Whether it's reliance on federal stimulus funding, tapping into tobacco lawsuit settlement dollars, taking money from funds supposedly dedicated for one purpose and using them to pay for another, or permanently shifting county property tax levies from a December to a July collection date in order to cut back on revenue sharing disbursements, the budget trickery has maintained a structural budget deficit.

With the GOP enjoying a sweep in the 2010 general election — giving Republicans a majority in both legislative chambers and control of the governor's mansion — one might expect a new approach to

budgeting. We'll soon see. However, Republicans may have to drop one of their cherished pieces of campaign rhetoric to deal with the budget. That would involve abandoning thoughts of some tax cuts. Past governors and Legislatures may have whittled away at the income tax rate, for example, but failed to rein in spending. Chipping away at a significant state revenue stream without meaningful spending cuts and reforms has also played a role in creating several consecutive years of budget deficits. So, if the GOP leadership is insistent on cutting taxes, budget cuts will have to be even deeper and more painful.

It's not as if state officials haven't made spending cuts over the years; however, it hasn't been enough.

Additional cuts won't be easy to make, but they're precisely what's needed, no matter how painful or unpopular they may be.

Although no program or interest can be held sacrosanct when it comes to budgeting, public education needs to be a top priority in this state. In addition, the state is woefully short of funds for road and bridge infrastructure projects. Those two areas should be spared budget cuts if at all possible.

They are the only two areas that could conceivably justify "revenue enhancement" changes.

The economy is showing improvement and will expand in the future, but at an agonizingly slow rate, according to the Senate Fiscal Agency report.

The Legislature and governor have to face that reality and start whacking the budget. The state government, like Michigan's businesses, households and individuals, has to live within its means. With the Democrats vanquished, Republicans have a golden opportunity to make that happen with little meaningful opposition. We hope they have the gumption to actually do it. ■

Rethink aspects of swan management

T

he Michigan Natural Resources Commission (NRC) is considering a recommendation to make significant changes in the way the state's mute swan population is managed. One change would eliminate the need to obtain written authorization to remove mute swans from the environment or destroy their eggs and nests. We hope NRC members and the state wildlife managers rethink that proposal before final adoption comes up for consideration on Feb. 10.

According to a memo to NRC members from state Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DNRE) Director Rebecca Humphries, mute swans aren't native to Michigan, or even North America, as they were brought to this continent from Europe. As such, mute swans are considered to be an exotic, invasive species. Michigan's mute swan population has expanded over the last decade, according to Humphries' memo. The mute swan population was estimated at about 5,400 in 2000, and rose to an estimated 15,000 by 2010.

The DNRE has held that mute swans have had a severe negative impact on the state's natural resources. According to the DNRE, the birds are fierce competitors for habitat and have forced out native waterfowl from their breeding areas across Michigan. They are also said to be voracious feeders that have disturbed and destroyed submerged vegetation, a valuable food source for native waterfowl

and other species. The native trumpeter swan — which the DNRE has attempted to reintroduce and foster over the years — is among the native waterfowl that have borne the greatest negative impact of the growing mute swan population, according to Humphries' memo.

As the mute swan population has grown, so have the conflicts between people and the swans. Swan attacks on people in boats and on shore have become increasingly frequent across the state, Humphries said.

DNRE staff maintains that previous population management efforts haven’t produced the desired results across the state. Therefore, DNRE staff and Humphries have recommended adoption of a wildlife conservation order that would remove the requirement for written approval to remove mute swans when it would be beneficial to the state's natural resources. The order would also prohibit the release of swans back into the wild. In addition, mute swans found injured or sick and brought to a wildlife rehabilitator couldn’t be released into the wild after they’ve been nursed back to health.

Clearly, the recommended conservation order presents an emotional issue for many people. We're betting most state residents are unaware that the mute swan is an exotic, invasive species — not much different than the zebra mussel or the emer-

ald ash borer, for example. Obviously, the difference is that many people do value mute swans, while nobody appreciates the presence of an invasive mollusk or insect. Nobody writes ballets about mussels or bugs, and few take pictures or paint a canvass with the image of such creatures.

Yet, because mute swans are foreign invaders, and because they do out-compete native waterfowl, we support the notion of revising management efforts. However, we're not comfortable with the taking of swans, or the collection or destruction of their eggs or nests without written permission.

Having to obtain written authorization to remove swans, their eggs or nests provides documentation of the party or parties conducting such activities, and the conditions prompting those activities. The latter is important information and data that would help judge the effectiveness of mute swan management activities. It also lends itself to government transparency — almost always a good thing.

We also fear what may happen once the public learns that "taking" mute swans or their eggs and nests no longer requires written authorization. We suspect there will be some who take matters into their own hands and kill mute swans or destroy their eggs and nests of their own volition. That can't be allowed to occur. ■

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