Volume 3 Number 4: September 2007

                  

One of the many reasons to love mature suburbs

(i.e. colorful, tree-lined neighborhood streets)

Director's Message

With Conan honeymooning across Europe, Communications Manager Sharon Carney steps in to make one final address to Corkboard readers. . .

Goodbye and Good Luck

Yes, that’s right. Final address. After almost two and a half years at the Suburbs Alliance and more than 23 in metro Detroit, I am leaving both in a mere two weeks. I can guess what you’re thinking…another college educated young professional leaving the state…and one that was supposedly so “passionate” about the region working at that Michigan Suburbs Alliance…coughtraitorcough. Before you go labeling me a hypocrite, quitter or anything else, I implore you—consider why this is great for southeast Michigan!
 Finish reading. . .

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Project Updates

  

Act 312 and Binding Arbitration: It's What's for Breakfast

Our fourth Mayors & Managers Policy Breakfast is just weeks away! The topics: Act 312, binding arbitration, and, our personal favorite, alternative approaches to negotiation. Everybody we know has an opinion on this issue—make sure you share yours! Cities, unions, arbitrators, service providers and interested others are all invited. Check the blurb below and the event posting for details.
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Cities pushing for redevelopment readiness
Two of the newest participants in the Redevelopment Ready Communities® program, the cities of Berkley and Ferndale, are wasting no time in becoming redevelopment ready. Berkley City Council adopted a resolution this month formalizing their commitment to redevelopment, and Ferndale is holding a Commercial Property Showcase on September 27th. Developers, prepare yourselves for improved, streamlined processes!

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Internships!
Students, graduates, and others with a passion for southeast Michigan. . .we are still accepting applications for fall internships, so get your resumes in PRONTO! As part of our revamped UniverCities Connection program, these fall interns will work both in the Suburbs Alliance digs and one or more of our member cities. Check out what we've got, and apply today!

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In the News

  

Learn a little more about the need for reliable public transit in metro Detroit in an academic article written by our very own Toni Moceri. "Those Left Behind: Immobility in the Motor City" is part of the Shrinking Cities project, an international collaborative of urban geographers, cultural experts, architects, journalists and artists that studied the global trend of shrinking cities. Check out the complete works to tap into some of this knowledge!
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Conan, our noble leader, visited Des Moines last month to teach smart growth and responsible development. Catch his interview with the Des Moines Business Record to see what he had to say about efforts in both their state and ours.

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Upcoming Events

  

Reclaiming Vacant Properties


Hop a plane to Pittsburgh this month for this two-day conference on converting vacant properties into community assets. Practitioners, policymakers, and concerned citizens from around the country will participate in designing new strategies to prevent and revitalize vacant properties. As if that’s not enough, Melanie Piana and Conan Smith will be presenting on the Redevelopment Ready Communities program. Visit http://www.vacantproperties.org/reclaimingconference.html to register. 

September 24-25, 2007
530 William Penn Place
Pittsburgh, PA
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Mayors & Managers Policy Breakfast: Act 312

 At the next Mayors & Managers Breakfast, we'll urge city officials, union reps and arbitrators to think critically about Act 312 and the arbitration process. We'll start by identifying problems with the current situation, then explore some alternative negotiation models, and finally, discuss some of the structural changes being considered by the state Legislature.

Joining us as panelists are city labor attorney Howard Shifman and Mike Nowakowski from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. As always, the table discussions that take place will help shape Suburbs Alliance policy on the issue, and we'll present recommendations to Lansing policymakers in the follow-up issue of In the Ring.

Registration is now open! So don't waste any more time. . .SIGN UP TODAY!
Make sure to check our website for special member offers and more details.

Friday, September 28, 2007. 8:00 - 10:00 a.m. 
The Woodlands of Van Buren
39670 Ecorse Rd.
Wayne, MI 48184
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 New Partners for Smart Growth

Mark your calendar for the 7th Annual New Partners for Smart Growth: Building Safe, Healthy and Livable Communities Conference. Organized by the Local Government Commission, it brings people from a range of disciplines together to share their innovative ideas for smart community development. This event presents a great opportunity to participate in the national dialogue on smart growth strategies and learn how to use these concepts to transform Michigan. Read more about the conference at www.NewPartners.org or our website, www.suburbsalliance.org.

February 7-9, 2008
Marriot Wardman Park Hotel
Washington, D.C.
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Visit www.suburbsalliance.org for more events!
 

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