Corkboard:Monthly News from the Michigan Suburbs Alliance



	Volume 1 Number 6 \| November 2005

	Message from the Executive Director I had a short tet-a-tet on Tuesday with Kurt Thurmaier, director of Iowa State University's Public Policy and Administration Program. It was the close of the Creating Collaborative Communities conference, and after two intense days, our spirits were still high. "This will go down as a seminal moment in interlocal collaboration," Thurmaier told me. "Ten years from now we'll look back at Wayne State and know that something important started here." It took me a few moments to digest, but I believe he's right. By matching up cutting edge research and the practical expertise of municipal leaders we are putting new tools into the hands of the leaders who need them- and, more importantly, will use them. The conference was the brainchild of Wayne State University Professor Jered Carr and designed as a celebration of their Master's in Public Administration program's 70^th anniversary. At his invitation, the Suburbs Alliance staff integrated the conference into our Resource Sharing project and merged our interest in nuts and bolts with the WSU expertise in research. The resulting two days were both educational and inspirational. Communications was a consistent theme from both academics and practitioners. Evidence from around the country suggests that successful collaborations depend highly on regular and frequent communications- monthly at worst. The jury's out on whether communications leads to or supports cooperative efforts, but it is clear that talking with our neighbors needs to be a high priority. "No Place for Race," the hands-down favorite session of the second day, challenged attendees to aggressively address segregation and discrimination. The NAACP's Heaster Wheeler and ACCESS's Ishmael Ahmed led a dynamic discussion about how race and regionalism interact- and who has to lead the way to a more just society. A typical comment: "Motivating, enlightening, honest." The conference message with the highest promise underscored the most common motivation our public servants have for seeking opportunities for collaboration. It is not, as many presume, the chance to save a dollar, nor the opportunity to extend power or alleviate stress. It is to do the job better than we did it yesterday. That's a refreshing piece of research. Not only does it give us hope that our progress on regionalism will continue even as the economy improves, it reaffirms the nobility of our purpose every day. Project Updates Resource Sharing October was an incredibly busy month for Resource Sharing, culminating with the Creating Collaborative Communities conference on Monday and Tuesday. As Conan discussed in his E.D. Message, it was a massive success! We have received enthusiastic feedback from city managers and mayors, university professors, elected officials, and community leaders from both the nonprofit and private sector. Thanks to all who helped out! Throughout November and December we will be working with our wonderful resource sharing steering committee to compile as much information as possible for the Creating Collaborative Communities Workshop Series, which kicks off January 19^th. The first will focus on Fire Service collaboration, with workshops on Public Works, Staff Pooling, and Police Service collaboration to follow in February and March. Rachel is the go-to girl for this program, so give her a ring or shoot her an email if you have any questions. Michigan Universities After combing through 25+ intern applications, we have finally reached the end of a challenging yet exciting selection process. Three projects targeting the efficiency of city services and brownfield site redevelopment will soon break ground in Hamtramck, Monroe and Hazel Park, and once the nitty-gritty details are worked out, our three newest interns will have a chance to get their hands dirty. Meanwhile, seven projects are underway in Dearborn, Ferndale, Hamtramck, Hazel Park, Southfield and Ypsilanti, and WSU graduate student interns are on-site tackling issues ranging from commercial district development to reuse analysis. They set a high standard for next term's group of interns, which is just beginning to shape up. Get in touch with Brittany if your city would like to host students through a classroom project or an individualized internship next semester. In the News It's no secret that Michigan cities are struggling financially with the combination of Headlee, Proposal A, and a less-than-booming economy. In fact, this past weekend's Free Press documented a long list of municipalities going for Headlee overrides this month that just screams for finance reform. What's a struggling city to do in this predicament, besides cross its fingers and hope for immediate legislation? Here's the quick answer: A) Follow the advice given in "Suburban voters divide on tax increase for basic services," and get involved in the Suburbs Alliance's resource sharing programs. The Creating Collaborative Communities Workshop Series revs up in January, so plan to be there. B) Take a look at "Towns debate need for more tax money" which outlines Berkley's, Clawson's, and Huntington Woods' attempts to achieve Headlee overrides. The results? 1 for 3, but Huntington Woods' success story may offer some pointers. With poverty rates around metro Detroit on the rise, the need for fair-share housing is more pressing than ever. For a role model in affordable housing policy, look to Stamford, New York. The city requires every new multifamily development to offer 6-20% of its units at affordable rates and utilizes some creative methods to incorporate affordable housing into its multimillion dollar developments, proving that there is a place for affordable housing in every neighborhood. A different form of affordable housing is in operation in New Haven, New York, where community leaders are battling chronic homelessness with Safe Haven, a converted cigar company building that provides studio apartments for its residents along with rooms for therapy, vocational training, and activities. Check out both approaches in "Different forms of low-cost housing" from the New York Times. A Little Help From Our Friends Without these fabulous friends, Creating Collaborative Communities would not have been possible. Special thanks goes out to... Dr. Jered Carr with Wayne State University for his leadership and Amie Meixner, Colleen Kelly, and John Strate from the Political Science Department for their support in coordinating and executing a successful conference. The Creating Collaborative Communities sponsors for their generous donations and support: SEMCOG, Citizens Research Council, Michigan State University's Land Policy Program, University of Michigan's Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy, Wayne State University's Center for Urban Studies, and the Michigan Municipal League, with additional funding provided by the Kellogg Foundation. And of course, all of the speakers and attendees for the invaluable expertise and enthusiasm they brought to the event. Upcoming Events Get up to speed on the progress of the RRC pilot communities at the November committee meetings. Note that we are deviating from the usual schedule and meeting on Tuesday instead of Friday for the first one. For more program details, contact Program Manager Melanie Brown. Tuesday, November 8. 8:00-10:00 a.m. Council Chambers at Ferndale City Hall Friday, November 18. 8:00-10:00 a.m. Council Chambers at Ferndale City Hall We'll be whipping up plans for the second semester of the Michigan Universities program at the Steering Committee meeting this month. Join us to review project evaluations and identify improvements for the winter term. Give Brittany Galisdorfer a holler if you have questions at (248) 546-2380 or brittany@suburbsalliance.org. Thursday, November 17. 8:00 - 10:00 a.m. Council Chambers at Ferndale City Hall The Local Service Delivery and Expenditures workgroup of the Governor's Task Force on Municipal Finance will meet this month and is open to the public. Don't miss it! Visit http://web1.msue.msu.edu/slg/ for more information. Friday, November 18. 10:00 a.m. Grady Porter Building, 3rd Floor, Board of Commissioners Room. 313 W. Kalamazoo, Downtown Lansing.