from Older Cities
Suburbs Alliance welcomes new members to the Board of Directors
Monday, July 12, 2010
At the Annual Meeting on May 21st of this year, the Michigan Suburbs Alliance inducted five new members to the Board of Directors for the 2010-2011 fiscal year. Erik Tungate (Project Manager at the MEDC), Karen Majewski (Mayor of Hamtramck) Irv Lowenberg (Treasurer of Southgate), John Zeck (City Manager of Wayne), and Susan Pixley (Mayor of Eastpointe) offer a variety of new talent to the table and we are very excited to welcome them aboard. On June 30th, the Board held their first meeting of the year at which they nominated Ed Klobucher as the Board President, Steve Duchane as Vice President, Erik Tungate as Treasurer, and Karen Majewski as Secretary.
For more information on our Board just click the link below.
>>>> Read More
Collaboration /
Energy Collaboration Nets $30M for Detroit and Michigan
Thursday, April 22, 2010
FERNDALE--Michigan been awarded $30 million in federal energy funds, Vice President Joe Biden announced today. The funds are part of the Department of Energy's Retrofit Ramp-Up Initiative, and Michigan's award is the second largest in the country. The award is the result of a unique collaboration between the State, its two largest cities and the Southeast Michigan Regional Energy Office -- a project of the Michigan Suburbs Alliance, WARM Training Center and the Michigan Municipal League.
Read the complete press release on our News & Events page, just click the link below.
>>>> Read More
20 in their 20s /
Crain's Detroit Highlights Young Detroit Professionals
Naturally, we're not surprised. Sharon has made tremendous achievements through her work with the Suburbs Alliance and the Millennial Mayors Congress. Congratulations Sharon!
How Local Governments are Taking the Lead on Climate Change
By Anna Clark / Center Ring
While global heads of state are continuing their conversations about how to respond to climate change, Michigan communities are committing to concrete action. Through partnerships and collaborations, change is happening – yet again – from the ground up.
It wasn’t just international leaders who flooded the city of Copenhagen last month for the United Nations Climate Change Conference; nonprofit and local leaders also made their way to Denmark’s capital. Brian Beauchamp of the Michigan Land Use Institute was one of them.
>>>> Read More
Collaboration /
State, Cities and Suburbs Join Forces in Effort to Win $70M in Federal Energy Funds
By Anna Clark / Center Ring
While they might have been competitors, the State, its two largest cities and Michigan suburbs have instead come together in an uncommon partnership. They have put together a shared application to win $70 million dollars in federal energy funds that, if successful, will be used for energy efficiency projects in 39 neighborhoods.
“The heart of this grant proposal is a game-changing approach to widespread energy efficiency opportunities for our state,” said Amy Butler, bureau director of Michigan’s Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth, one of the collaborative partners on the grant.
>>>> Read More
Techno-Regionalism
Web-savvy organizers close in on metro Detroit’s Tipping Point
By Anna Clark / Center Ring
Ten years ago, Malcolm Gladwell cued a shift in popular thinking about how change manifests in American culture through connectors, mavens and salespeople. Now, the explosion of social networking has Detroit-area leaders rethinking our approach to the “Tipping Point” and turning new tools towards regional reform.
Why is social networking so important to crafting regional change? It harnesses both people and power. Social networking offers a platform for us to connect broadly, as well as providing a virtual map for how ideas spread and choices are made. In southeast Michigan, the work of innovative people can be physically and practically disparate. The best of social networking offers an uncommon way of bringing coherence to our region. The visual and technological engagement that the network offers can be leveraged for real-life partnerships.
>>>> Read More
The Natural Solution to Budget Woes
Recovery funds for environmental protection help cities to turn around
By Anna Clark / Center Ring
Nate Geinzer is seeing green all over these days. The assistant city manager of Farmington Hills is designing $800K worth of programming for energy projects and advancing the state’s first LEED-certified city hall. But it’s not all about greenhouse gases and global warming: like many Michigan cities, Farmington Hills will save big bucks when it leverages environmental program dollars to meet bottom line goals.
It’s no secret that southeast Michigan is blessed with abundant natural resources. Even in tough economic times, our landscapes buoy our spirits and enliven our imaginations. And now, they can also ignite our economy.
