Volume 2 Number 11: April 2007

                  

Lincoln Park City Council receives RRC certification

Director's Message

I only wanted something else to do but hang around
     
The first photo of me (not technically, but with poetic license) was shot as my heavily pregnant mother and ruggedly bearded father ran the rapids on Canada’s Black River. At age six I had my own backpack and was proud to have hiked the Big Carp River trail in the Porcupine Mountains. By the time I was 20, I’d worn a hole through a very pricey pair of Vasque boots – the kind with lug soles made for strapping crampons onto. At 26, I secured real employment with the Michigan Environmental Council, cementing what most thought was a permanent gig where my long hair and penchant for holey jeans wouldn’t disrupt a fiery passion for community organizing and political change.    Finish reading

    This message first appeared in MetromodeMedia.com last month when Conan was a guest blogger.  Click here to read the rest of the series.

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Project Updates

  
Lincoln Park joins the club

After a series of business-friendly reforms, Lincoln Park has become the region's sixth "Redevelopment Ready Community."  Among its many accomplishments is a streamlined approvals process, which reduces the timeframe for special uses and site plan reviews by 2 weeks to 2 months! Read on to learn more about Lincoln Park's path to certification.

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Separating the forest from the trees in Grosse Pointe Woods

GPW is yet another standout in the redevelopment arena.  The city successfully completed the RRC program last month and will be presented with its official Redevelopment Ready Communities award on April 16 at its city council meeting.  Check our website soon for details on Grosse Pointe Woods' rockin' redevelopment efforts.

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2007 Regional Redevelopment Summit: "Inspiring"

The jury is in, the fat lady has sung.  The '07 RRS was - by several accounts - "inspiring," and we just want to thank everyone who attended.  The speakers, especially, deserve an enthusiastic clap on the back - Jim Townsend of the Tourism Economic Development Council, Michael Finney of Ann Arbor Spark, Bill Milliken of Milliken Realty, Doug Brown of ASTI Environmental, and our keynote speaker, Paul Schutt of Issue Media Group. 

 

Read a recap of the event on our website, and check out the press coverage below.  The Detroit branding video shared by Jim Townsend can be viewed here.

 

Special thanks to our generous sponsors: 

MSDHA                                                ASTI Environmental
DTE Energy                                          Detroit Regional Chamber
Project Innovations                                Detroit LISC
Municipal Application Consulting             Wayne State University
Michigan Concrete Paving Association    Tourism Economic Development Council

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In the News

  

Check out the most recent press on the Suburbs Alliance here.  Includes Redevelopment Summit coverage, Conan's interview with Jack Lessenberry on Michigan Public Radio, and oh-so-much more.   

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Welcome new members!  The past few weeks have turned out several new Suburbs Alliance allies - the City of Farmington, the City of Southgate, Washtenaw County, Michigan State University Land Policy Institute, and LSL Planning are our newest partners.  Also helping us "pave the way" for a more sustainable region is the Michigan Concrete Paving Association, our newest corporate partner.  Road-paving puns aside, thank you and welcome!

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Congrats to Charlie Mahoney, our highly treasured community access builder!  Last week, United Way of Monroe County awarded her the Guardian Angel of the Year Award for her unparalleled commitment to community service.  top

   

Upcoming Events

  

Five Years.  One Million Strong.
In just five years of existence, the Suburbs Alliance has grown into an influential and respected advocacy organization representing nearly one million southeast Michigan residents!  This May we'll celebrate our accomplishments over the past half decade and talk about how we can harness our collective strength moving forward.  One thing we know for sure is that we'll need your support!  Your ticket purchase will bolster our work over the next 12 months AND score you some Suburbs Alliance membership perks.  Registration opens soon! 

 

2007 Fundraiser & Annual Meeting

Friday, May 11, 2007.  9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Michigan First Credit Union.  Lathrup Village, MI

Click here for more info

 

Suburbs Alliance charter and affiliate members receive two free tickets to this event.  RSVP today!

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The "Accidental Crisis" in Local Property Taxation

Grab your bowties and tweed-patched corduroy blazers and join Executive Director Conan Smith in a discussion about the Headlee/Prop A interaction.  The Harvard Public Affairs Forum and Harvard Club of Eastern Michigan are presenting a forum on issues of taxation facing local governments, and Conan will be a presenter.  Don't miss this opportunity to discuss one of the most severe crises threatening the stability of southeast Michigan's cities.  ("Oops" just doesn't cut it.) 

 

Learn more. . .

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Intergovernmental Cooperation in Michigan: a Regional Dialogue

The Suburbs Alliance is recruiting a team of local leaders from MSA member cities to attend an MSU-sponsored dialogue about intergovernmental cooperation and regionalism.  Discussion will ultimately result in a consensus document outlining policy changes to enable greater regional cooperation.  Interested?  Contact brittany@suburbsalliance.org.  More details are available here.

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June Mayors & Managers Breakfast
Next on the agenda for the M&M Breakfast series is legacy costs.  It's no secret that growing retirement and healthcare expenses are threatening to shut down some cities.  Save the date for this discussion about ways local governments can overcome these expensive challenges.  Details are coming soon!

 

Mayors & Managers Breakfast: Legacy Costs
Thursday, June 14, 2007
8:00 - 11:00 a.m.
 

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