City of Bloomfield Hills

March 6th New Titles Baldwin Library

2012-03-08T09:06:00.003-05:00

Chasing Midnight by Randy Wayne Wright: Sneaking an underwater look at a notorious Russian black marketeer's fancy yacht, Doc Ford emerges to discover that the marketeer's private island has been taken over by environmental extremists who threaten to kill a hostage every hour until their demands are met.

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Poison Flower by Thomas Perry: Poison Flower opens as Jane spirits JamesShelby, a man unjustly convicted of his wife's murder, out of the heavilyguarded criminal court building in downtown Los Angeles. Within minutes, menposing as police officers kidnap Jane and, when she tries to escape, shoot her.Jane's captors are employees of the man who really killed Shelby's wife. He believeshe won't be safe until Shelby is dead, and his men will do anything to forceJane to reveal Shelby's hiding place. But Jane endures their torment, and iswilling to die rather than betray Shelby. Jane manages to escape but she isalone, wounded, thousands of miles from home with no money and noidentification, hunted by the police as well as her captors. Check Availability

The Thief by Clive Cussler: On the oceanliner Mauretania, two European scientists with a dramatic new invention arebarely rescued from abduction by the Van Dorn Detective Agency's intrepid chiefinvestigator, Isaac Bell. Unfortunately, they are not so lucky the second time.The thugs attack again – and this time one of the scientists dies. What arethey holding that is so precious? Only something that will revolutionizebusiness and popular culture-and perhaps something more. For war clouds arelooming, and a ruthless espionage agent has spotted a priceless opportunity togive the Germans an edge. It is up to Isaac Bell to figure out who he is, whathe is up to, and stop him. But he may already be too late.

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Immortals (DVD): In this epic tale of vengeance anddestiny, power-mad King Hyperion threatens to destroy all of humanity on hismaniacal quest to obtain the ultimate weapon - the legendary Epirus Bow thatgives the power to unleash war on both Heaven and Earth. But Theseus, a heroicyoung villager chosen by the gods, rises up to stop Hyperion's brutal rampage.With supernatural help from the beautiful oracle Phaedra, Theseus embraces hisdestiny and leads a fierce band of warriors.

Check http://www.baldwinlib.org/ for availability.

Like Crazy (DVD): Like Crazy beautifully illustrates how your first real love is as thrilling and blissful as it is fragile. When a British college student falls for her American classmate, they embark on a passionate and life-changing journey only to be separated by circumstances beyond their control. Like Crazy explores how a couple faces the real challenges of being together and of being apart.

Check http://www.baldwinlib.org/ for availability.

Baldwin Library New Titles as of February Feb 21st

2012-03-08T09:03:00.001-05:00

Celebrity in Death by J. D. Robb: NYC Lt. Eve Dallas investigates the death of a young actress with the assistance of her husband Rourke and Detective Peabody.

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Sonoma Rose by Jennifer Chiaverini: As the nationgrapples with the strictures of Prohibition, Rosa Barclay lives on a SouthernCalifornia rye farm with her volatile husband, John, who has lately foundanother source of income far outside the federal purview. Mother to eightchildren, Rosa mourns the loss of four who succumbed to the mysterious wastingdisease that is now afflicting young Ana and Miguel. Two daughters born ofanother father are in perfect health. When an act of violence shatters Rosa'sresolve to maintain her increasingly dangerous existence, she flees with thechildren and her precious heirloom quilts to the mesa where she last saw herbeloved mother alive.

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Martha Marcy May Marlene (DVD): After escaping from a dangerous cult andthe watchful eye of its charismatic leader, a young woman named Martha tries toreclaim a normal life with her family. But the haunting memories from Martha'spast trigger a chilling paranoia, and nowhere seems safe as the fragile linebetween her reality and delusions begin to blur.

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Tower Heist (DVD): Queens native Josh Kovacs has managedone of the most luxurious and well-secured residences in New York City for morethan a decade. Under his watchful eye, nothing goes undetected. In theswankiest unit atop Josh's building, Wall Street titan Arthur Shaw is underhouse arrest after being caught stealing two billion from his investors. Thehardest hit among those he defrauded? The tower staffers whose pensions he wasentrusted to manage.Check http://www.baldwinlib.org/ for availability.

The Way (DVD): Tom goes to St. Jean Pied de Port,France, to collect the remains of his adult son, who was killed in the Pyreneesin a storm while walking the Camino de Santiago. Rather than return home, Tom embarks on the historical pilgrimage to honor his son's desire to finish the journey. What Tom doesn't plan on is the profound impact the journey will have on him as he begins to learn the difference between the life one lives and the life one choose.

Check http://www.baldwinlib.org/ for availability.

Baldwin Library New Titles as of February 14th

2012-03-07T22:07:00.000-05:00

Oath of Office by Michael Palmer: What if a well respected doctorinexplicably goes on a murderous rampage? When Dr. John Meacham goes on ashooting spree the office, his business partner, staff, and two patients arekilled in the bloodbath. Then Meacham turns the gun on himself. The blame fallson Dr. Lou Welcome. Welcome worked with Meacham years before as a counselorafter John's medical license had been revoked for drug addiction. Lou knew thatJohn was an excellent doctor and deserved to be practicing medicine and foughthard for his license to be restored. After hearing the news of the violentoutburst, Lou is in shock like everyone else, but mostly he's incredulous. Andwhen he begins to look into it further, the terrifying evidence he finds takeshim down a path to an unspeakable conspiracy that seems to lead directly to theWhite House and those in the highest positions of power.

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Robert Ludlum’s The Janson Command: Reformed from hisdays of covert-operations, Paul Janson has set a new mission for himself.Working in partnership with champion sharpshooter Jessica Kincaid, herehabilitates disenchanted agents and helps them create new lives outside ofthe violent intelligence sector. These former operatives then form a network ofsupport for Janson when it comes to his other job – Janson also takes onindependent assignments. For a fee, he' greater good of all. Check http://www.baldwinlib.org/ for availability.

The Rum Diary (DVD): Tired of the noise and madness of NewYork, journalist Paul Kemp moves to Puerto Rico to write for a local newspaper.Adopting the rum-soaked life of the island, Kemp becomes obsessed with thefiancee of Sanderson, a businessman involved in shady property developmentdeals. When he is recruited by Sanderson to write favorably about his latestunsavory scheme, Kemp is presented with the choice to use his words for thecorrupt businessman's financial benefit, or use them to take him down.

Check http://www.baldwinlib.org/ for availability.

Take Shelter (DVD): Curtis LaForche lives in a small town inOhio with his wife, Samantha, and daughter, Hannah, a six-year-old deaf girl.When Curtis begins to have terrifying dreams, he keeps the visions to himself,channeling his anxiety into obsessively building a storm shelter in hisbackyard. His inexplicable behavior concerns those closest to him, but theresulting strain on his marriage and tension within his community can't comparewith Curtis's privately held fear of what his dreams may truly signify.Check http://www.baldwinlib.org/ for availability.

BHSD Student Recognition Mar 1st

2012-03-07T12:39:00.000-05:00

Click to Enlarge

Music lasts a lifetime. Aspiring fight song writers for 2013 Blackhawk faithful best be buckling down.

2012-03-04T18:32:00.001-05:00

At the March 1st meeting School Board Member Joan Berndt read a proclamation making the month of March "Music in our schools Month." Half in jest she, who has a lifetime of experience in teaching music and whose spouse is a retired band director. was asked if they were working on a fight song for the consolidated school.

The competition for writing honors will indeed be fierce. Some of the best fight songs (certainly on the collegiate level) have been written by students or recent graduates.That is true of two Michigan fight songs, The Victors and the less famous Varsity

The latter in this writer's opinion is exceptional and the former especially with the ten minute prelude tiresome. John Philip Sousa said the Victors was the greatest fight song ever written. Gustav Mahler, a prolific writer of symphonies, who died in 1911 a year before Varsity was introduced, may have disagreed. Mahler who lived in twilight of the Austrian Hungarian Empire, included many types music in his symphonies. March music is but one example.The inclusion in not just about the included..It is about how the insert works with other forms of music, A musical example uses the tunes of street musicians getting mixed up in a passing funeral procession playing dirges.
Varsity, both the tune and the lyrics combines the promise of youth,and the life long relationship most of us will have our varsity. Be it world leaders, Academy award recipients , Nobel prize winners, or professional sports franchises.we cheer for thee Varsity. It is also nostalgic recalling a moment in time when we had no fear for thee, Varsity.
Finding Varsity without The Victors is hard on You Tube. The only solo rendition currently available is the black and white one above right. It is taken from a Play Station 2 game. Below Michigan students sing both. The Victors as indicative of a march, prompts some sort of physical activity like hand clapping. Varsity is more subtle.

This writer's first impressions of Varsity were at the age of ten. It was the signature song of The Marching Yellow Jackets the pride of a small high school in a small Ohio town. If I recall correctly the local lyrics somehow managed to replace the word "Varsity" with name of the town,. A neat feat. It was only in mid life that I discovered that the song was not a small town original, but came from the University of Michigan. When I went to the high school's web sight and clicked on fight song, I discovered that Varsity had been dumped for the unmistakable sound of On Wisconsin with the town name replacing, " Wisconsin". The above rendition of Varsity /Victors as sung by the University of Michigan Law school a cappella Headnotes, prompted one You Tube viewer to write " I didn't realize a worse fight song than the Victors existed. I stand corrected."

I suppose change and the rejection of old favorites comes under the heading of the high price of growing old.

There is however a widely respected and recognized fight song which celebrates one's academic and career achievements, pride in the university as the place to send your kids regardless of gender, and appreciation of the finer things in life like liquor. The last item and a persistent mention of a place other than the one the Almighty intended gives the song an "R" rating. Still it clearly put the University on the map as the place of origin for wrecks that ramble. Despite critics who say the tune is sung the manner of Civil War ditties the song has been rated as high as 4th nationally in various Fight Song Hit Parades. Viewer discretion advised.

So Go to it song writers. You can do it if you Buckle Down. It's March and The Musical Muse is here. All Month !

Bloomfield Hills School Board Meeting March 1st

2012-03-03T23:50:00.000-05:00

At a recent School Board meeting, School Superintendent, RobertGlass used a portion of the Agenda called “Strategic Plan Update” to respond tocritics and queries concerning the district’s proposed Wellness center.

Glass said that the idea isstill in its early stages. The proposed facility is according to Glass, “Aneffort for us to be innovative and find ways to control health care costs “.

A primary care facility which provides district employees withwellness plans has been mentioned.

School Board President Ingrid Day said to refute misinformation, the district notinterested creating a spa or workoutroom for its employees.

Cost has yet to be determined. Glass said that issue and otherrelated “wellness center” matters would be discussed by the School Board and theCommunity Partnership Committees before any decisions are made.

In prefacing his update, Glass said, “The last thing we need are false rumors,” and later added “We can putthat to bed, I think.”

Maybe not. School Board Officials denied an article publishedelsewhere which stated a time table was already in place for the Wellness Centerwith a launch date of July 1^st..

In other developments the Board approved a one year contractextension for French Associates to provide architectural and engineering jobs .The work is to be approved and budgeted on a project by project basis.

French and Associatesprovided the lowest five year remodel/renovate fee average, based on a ResponsePricing Form. That form analyzed six different project budgets over a five yearperiod.

Site interviews were then conducted by Brian Goby Director of Facilities , and Harry Tremonti,and Bruce Coltman who are both Physical Plant Service mangers.

The school board also approved replacement of a 15 year old GMSierra Dump Truck with that of a 2012 Sierra 3500 4WD. After being fitted witha dump body the total cost of the equipped truck is $34,111.

Bloomfield Hills School Board Meeting Feb 16

2012-03-03T22:39:00.001-05:00

The Bloomfield Hills School Board Bottom Line? A bond issue of $58,655.000 to be paid in 26 years , and be to be decided in less than 90 days in a Tuesday May 8election .

School Superintendent Robert Glass made the presentation and the School Board Supported it by a 7 to 0 vote.

The original Fielding Nair schematic presented on October 18^th 2011 asked for $65 million for a hybrid 36% remodel and 64% new construction High School. There were various modular options which could boost the total as high as a $100 million. Advocates of the hybrid high school solution likened it to buying a car.

At the recent School Board Meeting, salesman Glass “went in the backroom” and returned with what he said was the best value for the money. The basics, plus the options most people said they wanted and a few more things thrown in for 7 million less than the originally quoted price. How did he do it? Well the window sticker will say $78,650.000 but drive away price will be $58,650,000. $20,000,000 come from the school’s Capital Improvement fund ($11million) and Co-circular Fund ($13.8). That would leave approximate 5 million cash reserves which should maintain the school’s Triple A bond rating.

The popular Athletic Upgrade which included a new gym that would seat the entire student body and an enhanced Swimming pool /Diving facility was included. Those features could produce revenue by hosting regional competitions. Glass said both enhancement would also allow for continued use by community members. If the old pool and gym were retained the doubled student enrollment would prohibit public use.

A 1,000 seat auditoriums, new academic wing, an enhanced student broadcast facility were included in the $58 million. Passage would also mean an operational cost savings of 2.4 million annually.

Should the bond issue fail, Glass promised no annual millage repeat . An estimated $35 in deferred maintenance however would be required to keep the old Lahser and Andover facilities functioning. In addition some programs might be cut.

The reaction to the audience was mostly positive. 1975 Lahser high school grad Elizabeth Steig ,and parent of district school children said it was her turn to pay the 40 cents a day the bond issue would cost her family.

School Board Member Joan Berndt, quoting President Roosevelt after Pearl Harbor said, “We have a roundez vous with destiny,” and added that she was 100% in favor of the bond issue.

Isabella Tucci who brought her “20/20 recall the board” yard sign to the meeting offered a different opinion. She thought smaller schools were the preferable to mega schools . Students could get more attention and increased supervision could prevent things like drug use. Ms. Tucci’s sign had a sticker on it saying Vote May 8^th.

The May election date was chosen by Superintendent Glass to provide closure on the divisive issue before the end of the current school year and to provide new high school enrollment in the fall of 2015.

20/20 supporters have called the May election a “Stealth Election.”

How can it be a “Stealth Election” when everybody knows about it? One school board supporter asked.

Havana Cuba anyone ?

2012-03-03T00:19:00.001-05:00

On your right just below the Oakland Press Box, fifth one down is Here is Havana a blog published by our Girl In Havana. She writes
Here is Havana is navel-gazing, cathartic venting at its best and worst. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to kiss on the Malecón, go to the doctor for free, smoke tasty 5 cent cigars, or forgo toilet paper, welcome to Havana.
Since she is young and we are older (much?) it might help to think of her as a daughter who got straight A's in school but who's passion for the enchanting and exotic precluded the sane and the sensible which makes everyone nervous.If you meet her on your trip you might squeeze in another Cultural Exchange.

17 people attended the Community House Cuba Travel Presentation. The Price double occupany is $4349 which includes air faire from Detroit and all meals, Single occupancy is $4749 and virtually full but the tour is willing to match singles for the discounted double rate.

Please feel free to visit our other City Blogs located just below the Oakland Press Box. Those of us who in old age prefer the enchanted and the exotic to the sane and the sensible, love to turn a midnight snack into jaunt around the world , Havana, Paris, Bucharest, Warsaw,Lagos Nigeria, Living in Egypt, Hanoi, and Cairns Australia all have interesting Blogs written by interesting individuals accessible by mouse click.

The Birmingham Community House is travelling to Cuba September 23rd to Oct 1st. Travel Presentation Tonight 6PM.

2012-02-28T13:16:00.000-05:00

Havana

This is an extraordinary opportunity is sponsored by Collette Vacations in conjunction with the Community House. It is a "Cultural Exploration" which will be like no other tour you have been on or may likely be on in the future.

Davina Pastora. Dinner Day 5.

You will be involved in "meaningful interactions with the people of Cuba. You will be able to participate in a "schedule of of authorized educational exchange activities in Cuba."

Bay of Pigs Museum. Also on Day 5

Ernest and Fidel

Attending tonight's Travel to Cuba Presentation will introduce you to the opportunity and answer all you questions . For more information call the Community House at 248-644-5832.

Hemingway House Day 8

Baldwin Library Comes to the City of Bloomfield Hills.

2012-02-28T11:12:00.001-05:00

City Bloomfield Hills City Manager Jay Cravens and Associate Baldwin Library Director Matt Church

The Baldwin Library is considering expansion. To that end Library Board members are meeting with Birmingham City officials. The talks are the beginning of what will probably be a many year process of evaluating needs and considering possibilities.

In regards to a more immediate expansion The Baldwin Library has established satellite service in the Bloomfield Hills City Hall. A three shelf book case (in a matching wood finish) stocked by the library will provide City residents with recent best sellers. Residents can take books on the honor system. The honor system means you read it and return it or replace with books of greater or equal value. No library card is required.Baldwin officials have reported success with a similar honor system library in Beverly Hills which also contracts with the Baldwin Library.
A convenient and secure book return drop is also located in the foyer of City Hall.. Residents who return their Baldwin Library materials via the City Hall Book drop will benefit from a grace period. Baldwin picks up on Thursdays. Any book returned by the Thursday pick up will be credited to as having been returned on the previous Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday due date
Residents who are particularly scrupulous should total up the fines they would have incurred without the grace period, form a mental picture of the amount and keep that in mind when the next library millage vote occurs in 2014. This manner of appreciation is however strictly voluntary or as they say "on the honor system".

It should also be noted the Baldwin Library was prime motivator in creating the satellite library and book drop. It was a campaign promise made by the library during the last fall's millage election. There was a slight delay in getting the right shelving for the books and the materials for assembling the book drop. A March date was promised but Baldwin was able to get that moved in to February. City Manager Jay Cravens and Library Liaison City of Bloomfield Hills Commissioner Pat Hardy also provided assistance.

For Bloomfield Hills it is the first public library on the premise presence in the city’s eighty year history.

"Varsity Sport of the Mind." BHS Series 4.

2012-02-27T11:20:00.003-05:00

1st row: Sarah G., Hiba C., Kristin L., Francesca F., Andi M., Judith H.,

2nd row: Adam R., Capt Ryan H., Ritsuma I., James J., Capt. Matt R., Capt Justin L.

3rd row: Andrew G., Rohan S., Josh I., RJ R., Bernie E., Justin P.

4th row: Sid R., Deven K., Alec E., Capt. Jason L., Tim M.

Combining the the excitement of sports, with therigors of science and technology, Robotics hasbeen called the varsity Sport of the Mind. The Bionic Barons a robotic teamfrom both Bloomfield Hills Andover and Lahser High Schools, will compete indistrict qualifying events at Waterford Mott High School on Mar 9-10 and TroyAthens on Mar 30-31. Should they have success in the district qualifiers theywill move on to State Champion ship events at Eastern Michigan University onApril 12-14.

The 2012 Competition is called ReboundRumble. Each team competes to earn points by scoring as many basketballs in thehoops as possible. The higher the hoop in which the basketball is scored, themore points the team receives. The match ends with robots attempting to earnbonus points by balancing on bridges located in the middle of the field

The State and National competitions are sponsored byFIRST (ForInspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology). First was founded in1989 by Dean Kamden whose goal was to "Totransform our culture by creating a world where science and technology arecelebrated and where youngpeople dream of becoming science and technology leaders."

The Bionic Barons of Andover and Lahser are in theirfourth year of competition. This year they are aided by what the schooldistrict calls a “Significant grant” from the Chrysler Foundation. The Baronscoach, Ed Law announced a $6625 grant which will enable the team to purchaseequipment and register for competitions.

Part of the FIRST(or FRC for FIRST Robot Completion) competition requires the team Understrict rules, limited resources, and time limits, teams of 25 students or moreare challenged to raise funds, design a team "brand," hone teamworkskills, and build and program robots to perform prescribed tasks against afield of competitors. It’s as close to "real-world engineering" as astudent can get. Volunteer professional mentors lend their time and talents toguide each team. Studentsbenefit from learning from professionals, building and competing with a robotthey designed and built, and qualify for as much as $ 14.8 in college scholarships.

Winky Dink and You, BHS Series Part 3a.

2012-02-27T10:58:00.002-05:00

The Promethean Board may the latest electronic interaction learning experience but it wasn’t the the first. That honor may belongto the1953 CBS Television series WinkyDink and You. The animated series was hosted by Jack Berry who would in lateryears gain fame as the game show host of Concentration and Twenty One.

Winky Dink’s often got himself in jam. To help Winky Dink viewers assisted by drawing props or an escape route onthe television screen .

A clear plastic Winky-Dink screen saver was sold for thepurpose and a portion of the program wasdevoted to the necessity and proper application of the saver. According to the book, CBS the First Fifty Years, however “a lot of kids justcrayoned the tube.”. Modern day viewers won't be able see the visual improvements enhancements suggested by host Jack Berry. You can make them on your computer if you so desire but don't forget to apply a clear sheet of plastic first.Winky Dink and You aired from 1953 and ran through 1957.

Promethean Boards, BHS Series, Part 3.

2012-02-27T10:53:00.001-05:00

Editing in Marnie Diems’s third grade at Conant elementaryschool is a little different than editing a newspaper. At a newspaper one person or two at max look at computer screen. At Ms. Diem’s the class manystudents can walk to a Promethean Board and correct "typos" and "punctuationerrors" and phrases that could be better put in letters she leaves for them. Then the board will make thenecessary corrections and can even depending on the quality of handwritingchange into printed text.

Promethean Boards often called Smart Boards (which is actuallythe brand name of a competitor), are changing the literal hand writing on thewall, all across the board for education. That is why every classroom in theBloomfield Hills School District has one.

The Boards an entire lesson hand written lesson and turn it in aPdf for archiving or portability. You know those cute early grade schooldrawings proud parents love to put on the refrigerator door ? Well a PrometheanBoard make them into a movie with the student artist providing the voice over.

They can also help the teach find out instantly who got thelesson and which students are still in the dark. The School District likes tocall that ability “visible thinking” and stresses the importance knowing whatyour students know. In the Classroom Diem simply puts the questions on theboard and the students answer electronically at their desk. The Smart boardtabulates the results and who in particular who needs more help.

As in keeping with a school district which emphasizes Multimediaand visible thinking Ms. Diem’ class has a blog. In it see says “I can honestlysay that 94.8% of the time I love being a teacher her interests as reading, writing, teaching. learning, photography, videography, and technology.

Perfect for theclassroom of the early 21^st century.

The Promethean Boardwill push the 94.8% satisfaction rating higher. She explains“this generation of learners is drawn toward the"entertainment factor" in the instruction, and while teachers havebeen using computers for years to supplement instruction, the Promethean board allows students to directly interactwith the concepts in skills in an innovative way. Along with other hands onlearning activities, the board is yet another way for students to solidifytheir knowledge. “

In an e-mail supplying information on the boards,she added “If you ever have the opportunity to"play" with a Promethean board, I highly recommend it!”

You Tube for You. BHS Series Part 2a.

2012-02-27T10:43:00.005-05:00

Lahserhigh school teacher David Brazle chose You Tube because it is the medium his studentsconnect to is an amazing conduit into the world of lifelong learning. People of almost any age can learn a foreign language, viewtravel destinations, learn how to cook, repair a faucet, or prevent windowwells from leaking.

For the seriousstudent who might write a paper, a thesis, or even a scholarly book, there ismore. Especially if your source material is media or the audience who mediaseeks

If you are student ofthe German language and history, the films of East Germany in the years immediatelyafter the Second World War found on You Tube might interest you. Why ? Becauseunder Soviet domination East German directors were given free reign to bash toold regime. As a result some the firstand often frank depictions what occurred emerged. In the West under occupationof Allies film directors were held back, while all concerned considered theroll of film in teaching the West Germans democracy. Eventually the West caughtup and the East unable to bash the new Soviet sponsored regime languished.

Even if you are not seriously minded you might enjoysituation comedies from the early 1950’s, Like the life of Riley, I rememberMama, and The Goldberg are available . So is the 1970’s hit program “Good Times.

Before Natalie Wood sang “Hold my hand and I’ll Take youthere” in the movie West Side Story, you can see and hear Carole Lawrence do iton Broadway, compliments of You Tube.

History is presented “live “on You Tube

The only problem is that everything is on You Tube and it isnot always very well sorted. Viewer discretion and appropriate familyfilters are advised.

Have Math Will Travel. BHS Series Part 2.

2012-02-27T10:35:00.000-05:00

If Lahser High School Math Teacher David Brazle lived sixtyyears ago in 1952 he might had a TV Show on Saturday Mornings called Mr. Math.If the show were filmed (an expensive rarity for those days when most TV wasshot live and forgotten) he might have got some international exposure. Maybein Canada if the films were mailed. There were no such thing as satellites in those days. By beingon TV however his face woul be recognizable and he like Mr Wizard a TelevisionPioneer of the era, would be a bit of a celebrity.

Today David Brazle teaches in Room 408 at Lahser High Schoolbut is his math lessons and problem solving skills go around the world. TheUnited States and Canada, followed by the United Kingdom and the Phillipiinesare where his biggest audience is. He is not despite a large viewership acelebrity.

Only his voice and hands penciling through a problem areseen on camera. His studio is his desk at home. His broadcasting abilities areself-taught, and his medium You Tube on the Internet, was chosen because it wasa convenient collection point for his students.

To see Math.TeacherDavid Brazle's Videos on You Tube click here

Brazle explained “I use an iPhone 4 to record the videos.The camera is held in place above my work space with a couple of wood workingclamps rigged at a 90° angle and attached to the desk. I try to do just onetake on camera after working through the notes prior so I have an idea of how Iwill address the "why" behind what I'm doing. I've corrected somemistakes by putting text boxes over top of my work on YouTube. I use a desk lampfor lighting the page from the opposite side that I sit to address the shadowsthat might be created from overhead lighting. I record the videos in my homewhile my son is asleep to try and keep ambient noise levels down.”

There are many Math tutors on You Tube, but Brazle’s unobtrusive direct problem solving technique is rather unique. Instead of Brazlethe viewer can easily imagine himself sitting at the desk trying to solve theproblem as Brazle show how verbally an video.

How does this play with Bloomfield Hills School System ?Brazle and his principal Charlie Hollerith were recently invited to make apresentation at the Principal’s Instructional Showcase always an anticipatedand featured item at school board meetings.

A Brazle “You-Tube” lesson was shown but it was decidedlysecond banana. Instead parents, teachers, and school board members focused onBrazle’s even more startling concept of the Flipped Classroom. In the flipped classroom students work ingroups to complete home work assignments and then watch Brazles’s You TubeVideos or do related reading on line athome. Students like Morgan Squires like the concept whichallows them to work at the their own pace and rewind when necessary. Brazlebelieves the flipped classroom concept provides a very rich instruction that iseffective for independent learners and allows students to talk about the “why”when doing problems which would not happen if they did the problems at homealone.

Multi Media in the Classroom of Model High School. Bloomfield Hills School Series Part 1

2012-02-27T10:27:00.000-05:00

If you are old enough to remember flannel board presentations s and spirit duplicator’s you might think multimedia is something that teachers do to get the kids interested.

If you are a student of 21st Century at Model High School, Digital Multi Media is something the students do as course work to interest their fellow students in worthwhile environmental or social projects. Often audience members are motivated enough to become a team members in the project.

Some who are old school might call Model, “independent study.”

Bloomfield Hills School superintendent Robert Glass, citing the work of multi-dimensional Albert Einstein, or Multimedia pioneer

Steven Jobs has often stressed the importance of nontraditional learning.

Right to left Model Principal Bill Boyle(at podium) Alex, Stephanie, and Ana.

Model High School Principal believes Bill Boyle “All Learning is personal.”And we differ because of what we learn.”

At Model, students are given guidelines to follow rather than an actual step by step assignments. The guidelines given to first year Model Student Ana Fernandez , studying Eco Psychology, the assignment was to find an aspect of ecology that interested her and develop a program that might provide an environmentally friendly solution. Ana came up with, “Students Against Plastic Water Bottles.” To tell it she turned to Digital Multi Media. First she created a website with pictures, changing graphic displays which presented the problem of ecologically unfriendly plastic. Two students who became interested in her cause later wrote research papers that were published on the web sight. Then Ana designed and sold cloth cover for water bottles which said. “I’m not Plastic” and encouraged users to fill them with tap water. The grand finale of the campaign was a movie night at Model. The movie “Tapped “ was screened. Ana promoted it with flyers she designed and poster board displays.

Model High School student Stephanie Poldolsky created a blog or a web log to tell the ongoing story of Build On an organization to fight illiteracy in developing countries. She also used twitter to communicate with Build On chapters nationally and posted the tweets on her blog. For a fund raising event Stephanie used the blog to promote Bowling for Books. On a person level she felt the blog improved her writing skills.

Alex Gaggino said some of his classmates thought Model was easy. Alex agreed but said it was easy becuae you were doing work you enjoyed. In 2010 Alex says he developed a passion for community service. That and trip to New Orleans put him contact with a community Center in the Cresant city’s lower 9^th Ward an area devastated by the post Katrina flood. To help Alex specifically enrolled in Model High School for a course taught by favorite teacher Andrea McCoy who also taught Ana Fernandez. At Model Andrew used a multimedia skills like creating a web site, and creating flyers and posters to promote a Movie Night at his home. Shown was a video from the Community Center in New Orleans Alex was trying to help. Monies raised from that event in the words of the Community Center director “kept the lights on.” Alex is planning another trip to New Orleans loves the idea of being a bridge between two communities.

Part of the Bloomfield Hills School System, Model High School, is open to all students. According to Principal Bill Boyle students come to Model on a part time basis by choice. Students must fill out an application with two references and then interview with Principal Boyle. Those are the only requirements. Boyle said there is often a waiting list for classes which are usually full.

Technology in the Classrooms of Bloomfield Hills Schools. A series in 4 parts.

2012-02-27T10:15:00.002-05:00

Once upon a time, technology in the classroom was a television set rolled in on a cart, to watch a rocket launch into outer pace. Pocket Calculators replaced slide rules depending on your income level in either the early, mid, or late 1970's. Then there were colleges and universities that insisted every incoming freshman must have a computer and to that end provided one and tacked it on the bill. Until very recently technology was a device one used and some debated the wisdom of said. Is it a crutch that replaces discipline with convenience ? Is it necessary or just fad ? Is it like TV which in overdose levels is purported to be mind numbing ?

Today in the classrooms of the Bloomfield Hills Schools, technology is the way of doing everything. If you are younger than 30 that goes without saying. If you are older than 50 you may find what follows a revelation.

In explaining what's new we will also explain what once was. Like flannel boards,spirit duplicators, Mr. Wizard, and Winky Dink.

We start with Multi Media. What's that ? It is using many creative way of getting your attention and developing an interest. That's why movies have web sights and some government agencies have blogs.

What you see above right is what happens when you inadvertently hit the pause button while reviewing a tape of the Principal's Instructional Show Case which is part of every Bloomfield Hills School Board meeting. The student in the center is speaking at podium. The green tint and word "I am not plastic" come from an refillable water bottle she designed in a campaign to stamp out plastic water bottles. That image is is superimosed on the campaign's web site. In the lower left is a bit of a poster from the movie Tapped which the student screened as fund raiser. Her presentation and that of other students will be discussed in our neext post titled Multi Media in the Classroom of Model High School. Bloomfield Hills School Series Part 1

Next we will talk a teacher who flipped. The classroom that is. Students do homework in class and a home they can review the lesson and see their teacher showing them, step by step, how to solve the problems on -of all things -"You Tube." Also of interest here and in the next selection are the instructors themselves who are probably younger than 2X (two times) the age of their students. Their ability to use (as opposed to adapt to) the new technology creates new learning opportunities for their students. Read about it. Have Math Will Travel. BHS Series Part 2.

Don't know anything about You Tube ? It's a life long learning opportunity. Learn more in You Tube for You. BHS Series Part 2a.

Technological classroom devices get their due when we look at ~~black~~ ~~white~~ brainy boards.See Promethean Boards, BHS Series, Part 3.

We remember, Winky Dink and You the first interactive TV show. Check out Winky Dink and You, BHS Series Part 3a.

Last but not least we visit The Bionic Barons, the combined Andover and Lahser Co-ed Robotics Team , preparing for the state Tournament. Times, dates, and locations available in "Varsity Sport of the Mind." BHS Series 4.

Oscar Night

2012-02-26T02:04:00.000-05:00

Last year I went to the Oscars. Virtually. I forget how much it was. $3.95 or $6.95. Something like that if I recall correctly. By manipulating a mouse I was a white circle on the red carpet. That was fun. I could move around and with my special Oscar camera I could see all the stars or walk right though them. In the main auditorium wandering around wasn't allowed. You could by switching cameras go back stage or visit the press room where the winners were being interviewed, but by doing so you missed the actual award presentations. Then there were the post Oscar parties. No one really paid attention to you and you couldn't eat anything. They pulled the plug on the parties around 1 am which I thought was rather chintzy. By then I was paying bills and not really watching or moving my circle but I expected more. I wondered if they were going to have virtual Oscar visits again this year. I didn't plan on buying but I was curious. Either they didn't have it or I was such a stick in the mud I wasn't invited back.

Hollywood and the Oscars is the greatest celebration of Americana this side of the fourth of July. World wide they love our movies. Why exactly is hard to say. Maybe we just lucked into it because we are the good guys. Or Maybe our movies just made us good.

. y.

Frank Capra, the only member of his family to graduate from college was also the only family member to be chronically unemployed. He was 37 when the movie he directed "It Happened One Night" won Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Screen Play, and Best Director in 1934. Before the decade was over Capra would will two more Best Director Oscars.

Of course Hollywood had competition.History tells us s and other countries started with a more definite purpose in mind.In 1917 in the final days of World War I, disturbed by their own anemic efforts to use the cinema to incite patriotism the German military created UFA Univerasum Fillm Aktion Gesshellsaft. Under private ownership Ufa made a number of notable and imagainative films in the Wiemar era. In 1933 the company was taken over by the Nazi Regime. For the next twelve years the studio located in Babelsburg produced a record number of movies but none of serious critical acclaim. After the war Babelsburg which lies in what used to be East Germany fell under Soviet Control. Thus DEFA, the or Deutsche Film-Aktiengesellschaft t was born. In Layman's' terms DEFA is the films of East Germany. When the wall came down so did DEFA. Today That leaves "Studio Babelsburg" which in 2012 will celebrate it's 100th Anniversary. On it's web site claims...

Studio Babelsberg is the oldest large-scale studio complex in the world. Deutsche Bioscop, UFA, DEFA, Studio Babelsberg – no other film studio in the world can look back on such a moving history. Studio Babelsberg went through and survived four political systems: Monarchy, Weimar Republic, National Socialism and GDR. Countless renowned filmmakers have worked with Studio Babelsberg, engaging the studio to produce legendary films including Fritz Lang's Metropolis and Josef von Sternberg's The Blue Angel, starring Marlene Dietrich. Current references are Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds, Roman Polanski’s The Ghost Writer and Roland Emmerich’s Anonymous.

It also quotes the Hollywood Reporter as saying, "You are in Berlin.Nothing will go wrong.

Recent Studio Babelsburg films of note include The Reader and Inglorious Bastards.
Recently DEFA films have enjoyed a vogue. The University of Massachusetts hosts a DEFA library.Wolfgang Staude's 1949 Film Rotation is available at the Baldwin Library. Today DEFA Films are recognized as being innovative small budget films that were the first to depict what happened under National Socialism.

The bottom line ? Hollywood is still the standard by which the world film industry measures itself and good films big budget or small budget don't fade away

In terms of the 2012 Oscars the writer of this blog regrets that he only saw all the nominees in the category of Best Picture and Best Director. This publication regrets the lapse. Predictions are a dime a dozen we will join the other critics in predicting a best picture win for The Artist. In order to provide variety however, we will list the top Oscar nominated pictures in reverse order of lasting importance ala David Letterman Drum please...

The Artist: predicable and boring. The dog and John Goodman steal the show. In a year in which big actors often appear in more than one big movie Goodman is also in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.
Midnight In Paris: even Marlon Cotillard (La Vie En Rose) can't save this dog. Owen Wilson (You Me and Dupree ) delivers a career best which figures.
The Help a good film but not a best picture. Lots of strong rolls for females. Every time there is a problem between the lady of the house and the "help" hubby takes a powder. Actress Viola Davis deserves an Oscar for her role in this film, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, and Doubt. Ditto Octavia Spencer for The Help.
Director Terrence Mallick was Phi Beta Kappa at Harvard University. In Tree of Life he talks the metaphysics of a universe beyond the comprehension of those of us who got degrees from diploma mills. Brad Pitt (who also stars in and is a Best Actor nominee for Moneyball) and (Jessica Chastain nominated for Best Supporting Actress in The Help) should have been nominated for this confusing picture.
War Horse is a beautifully filmed two hour plus movie about the first world war which jerks a few tears before delivering...well you get the picture.
Moneyball a good business/sports movie destined for motivation seminars everywhere.
Descended star .George Clooney (who also stars and wrote the script for Ides of March) deserves best actor. This Picture deserves it's Best Picture nomination. It is a very competent movie. This year however two other films out shadow it.
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close and Hugo. It is hard to imagine two more different films covering the same ground. Both Hugo and the boy in Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close have lost their father. Both look for a memory or anything they can find about their father throught searches or quests. Hugo has a flip book and a the remains of Robot. He believes if he can make the Robot work he can get a message from his deceased dad. Eventually he finds a friend who has the key to the robot. That's because because befor it was Hugo's Robot itbelonged to her father. The boy inExtremely Loud and Incredibly Close has a key he found which he believes will open something from his deceased father. The idea of a quest in which a protagonist who is looking for something (holy grail ?) meets people along the way who teach him things is a very old literary device. Like Keys and locks there are literarly thousands of examples. Hugo a very pleasant movie that is fun for whole family and a bit of a fairy tale.Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is searing, gut wrenching and as real as today's headlines. Oddly enough the later film asks you to suspend belief more than Hugo. If you buy into the fairy tale all else follows. With Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close the realness prompts you to question anything that probably couldn't happen.Both are drawn from works of Fiction. Hugo has a happy ending Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close has a positive ending which is mildly up lifting.
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close before it's release had all the Oscar buzz. What can you say bad about a movie staring Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock.Then it premiered to heavy criticism.The depiction of 9-11, and a slightly nutso kid made it m a movie not for the young at heart or the faint of heart. The movie was however a a surprise Best Picture nomination but the director was not nominated for Best Director (always the kiss of death with the Academy ).Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close is a picture you should see once and maybe that's as often as you want will want to see it.
Hugo a family movie is a magical illusion one will want to see many times. When the DVD comes out, standing in line at Midnight probably won't be necessarily. Visiting the store during normal business hours will suffice which is a shame. Hugo is our favorite picture of the year.

The Baldwin Public Library Board of Directors and the Birmingham City Commission agree that it is time to explore the future of the Baldwin Public Library building.

2012-02-20T16:57:00.000-05:00

PROPOSED CHARGE TO JOINT BUILDING COMMITTEE
February 16, 2012

The Baldwin Public Library Board of Directors and the Birmingham City Commission agree that
it is time to explore the future of the Baldwin Public Library building. To further that goal, they
have agreed to form a Joint Building Committee consisting of three representatives from the
Library Board, three representatives from the City Commission, and one representative from
the City of Birmingham Planning Board.

The meetings of the Joint Building Committee will be publicly noticed, and all interested parties
will have the opportunity to attend the meetings or otherwise offer input.

The objectives of the Joint Building Committee are:

1. To develop a timeline for the work listed below.
2. To clarify the responsibilities of the Library Board and City Commission in the building
renovation and/or expansion process.
3. To determine, through benchmarking and other studies, where Baldwin currently stands
in relationship to public library best practices, and to undertake an analysis of probable
future library trends and how they will affect library building utilization and
configuration.
4. To develop, through public input, a consensus on what kind of Library the citizens of
Birmingham need, want, and are willing to pay for.
5. To consider the role of the Baldwin Library’s three contract communities in this process.
6. To list the most critical features that will appear in the updated building.
7. From the above information, to determine which path is more desirable:
A. A renovation of the building’s current footprint, or
B. An expansion of the building, or
C. A combination of the two
The selected plan might or might not resemble either of the plans already sketched out
and presented to the public.
8. To recommend the appropriate method of obtaining professional assistance to develop
the building plan fully.
9. To explore funding options for the building plan and make a recommendation on which
option(s) to pursue. The funding options may include, but are not limited to, current
Library and City millages and cash reserves, a new voter-approved millage, and private
fundraising.
10. By December 2012, to present to the Baldwin Public Library Board and the Birmingham
City Commission a set of recommendations on how to proceed.

With the information provided by the Joint Committee, the Library Board and City Commission
can then budget for the next stage of the project in FY 2013-14. That stage would include the
preparation of an architectural plan as well as detailed financial estimates.

Black Hawks is the new Mascot Name for the New Bloomfield Hills High School. Black Purple and Silver Are the New School Colors.

2012-02-15T15:39:00.000-05:00

SOON COMING FALL 2013

Students selected the name and colors. Black Hawks got 52 % of the vote with Chargers and Royals getting 24% each. The selected colors are Silver, Purple and Black which beat out Black and Blue and Blue and Gold.

Valentine's Day Invitations Fly as the City Puts on The Ritz for the Big Occassion !

2012-02-14T08:47:00.002-05:00

Valentines day is here and residents of the City of Bloomfield Hills residents are mulling over the many invitations to civic functions scheduled for this evening .
Click below for the Agenda Packet for tonight's meetings.

4pm Planning Commission Meeting

7:30 pm City Commision Meeting

The Bloomfield Hills City Commission is ready to propose. It just has released a

“Citizen Engagement Assessment” nee “Residents Satisfaction Survey” in draft form.
To show you that their intentions are honorable the City has also released a draft of the also proposed code of ethics. Both Drafts are available on request at City Hall at 45 E. Long Lake.

The Engagement Assessment pops 24 questions in four pages. “Yes and No” are replaced by strongly agree, disagree, are neutral, agree, strongly, and don’t know. Topics include, Programs and Services, Transportation and Streets, Community Characteristics and Quality of Life, Planning and Budget and City Commission. Commissioners reading the draft recommended modifications about questions that implied the possibility of services or amenities the city financially can not provide.

The Code of Ethics is intended to be “preventive not punitive.” Ethical conduct is listed by items from “A” To “K”. Many of the items are matters to interpretation. Item “G” says “public officials shall prepare themselves for public issues, .... and listen politely,”. Nothing in the two page document is said about the ethics of deciding issues prior to a public meeting which is not only unethical it is a violation of the Michigan Open Meetings Act. The document says laws take precedent but provides no suggestions or requirements about how a city official of approached about possible pre-arranged decision should act or comport himself.

Both drafts will be fined tuned for Big Date which is appropriately February 14th.

The fun begins at exactly 4pm which is the absolute drop dead moment that nominating petitions can be accepted for candidates to run the City Commission Election on May 8th. Three challengers and two incumbents are expected but will a last minute suitor appear as the clock bongs four ?

At 4:01 the City Planning Commission will try to unravel the tangles of Tree Ordinance.

At 7:30 City Commission will seek the hand of city residents with a finalized Engagement draft.

Remember that couple last seeing sitting a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G ? Good news ! You may see them this evening !

While maybe not the most romantic date, Valentine’s day at City Hall will quickly determine if either half of a love struck couple has the necessary interest in civic or municipal affairs to prolong the relationship. History and a lifetime of experience say it is better to learn such things early on.

A Draft of a Code of Ethics for Elected Officials and Members of Appointed Boards, Commissions, and Committees of the City of Bloomfield Hills.

2012-02-14T07:34:00.001-05:00

Backround: This draft is the work of City Commissioner Sarah McClure, City Manger Jay Craven, and City Clerk Amy Burton. Residents were not invited to participate nor was the provisions of the Michigan Open Meetings Act applied because one city commissioner and two city employees does not constitute a quorum. When asked why he didn't appoint more commission's to have enough for a quorum, Mayor Zambricki said said it was hard to find commissioners willing to attend addition meetings. The first the whole of the commission saw of this draft occurred on February 7th. The first public viewing this. The draft may be discussed or altered at the February 14th regular city commission meeting. We will critique it later in a future post

City Commission Releases Rough Draft V1 of Citizen Engagement Assesssment (Citizen Satisfaction Survey)

2012-02-12T15:45:00.001-05:00

The following is a draft of the Resident's survey that will be sent to all registered voters in late February or early March. The $9500 cost of the survey was approved at a Special Meeting/Work Session of City Commission held at 5 PM on December 6th. At the January 10th regular City Commission meeting it was announced that the questions for the Survey were to be determined in a conference phone call involving City Commissioner Sarah McClure, City Manager Jay Cravens and people from Cobalt communications the survey providers.

City Commission ponders satisfaction survey

The draft was first presented at the City Commission work session meeting held on February 7th. It will be discussed further at the Tuesday February 14th City Commission Meeting. Proponents of the survey say it will gauge current satisfaction and provide a bench mark for future commissions. Opponents say the survey is political and meant to enhance the current commission. This publication will critique the survey in an upcoming post.

Baldwin Library Board Building Committee To Meet Monday Feb 13th. Expected To Discuss Draft of Charge For Proposed City/Library Modernization Sub Commitee.

2012-02-11T16:44:00.002-05:00

Notice of Meetings

A meeting of the Baldwin Public Library Board Building Committee will take place on Monday, February 13, 2012 at 4:00 p.m. in the Board Room of the Library.

A meeting of the Baldwin Public Library Board Finance Committee will take place on Monday, February 13, 2012 at 5:00 p.m. in the Board Room of the Library.

A meeting of the Baldwin Public Library Board will take place on Monday, February 20, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. in the Tribute and Donor Rooms of the Library.

Discussions for an expanded Baldwin Library, the first remodel considered in 32 years continue to move forward.

Currently Library Director Doug Koschik, and Birmingham City Manager Robert J. Bruner Jr. are working on a Draft of Charge.

The draft is to be ready for the Library Building Committee meeting of February 13^t.h meeting

It will tell a special committee of selected Library Board members and City Commissioners how to proceed and what the overall goal of the committee be should be.

Koschik said that one of the charges of the special committee will be to determine, through benchmarking and public comment, what the Library really needs in terms of space and functionality.

Then based on the findings about the Library’s needs, the committee will then decide which of the following is needed: a renovation or an expansion.

Koschik said, “Only if an expansion is recommended will the issue of design need to be addressed.

The Director added “All plans will have to be tempered by financial reality. Money for any renovation or expansion would have to be covered by some combination of a higher millage rate, a bond issue and private contributions.”

He stressed, “We are at the start of the process. No decisions about the building have been made yet, other than we need to look at the issue.

There will be plenty of opportunities for the public to express their opinions.

The process will take a long time. Within a year I hope that we will decide which path to take. But to make the ultimate plan a reality will take several years beyond that.”

Revamping the library was a topic of informal and internal discussion for over decade by the library staff A serious proposal offering two possible modernization solutions was presented to the library board in December of 2011.

The first solution, called the Fanning Howey proposal after the firm that designed it was an internal only remodel of the library’s first floor first floor.

At 2.8 million dollars the proposal was intended to be the fiscally prudent solution.

It would trade shelf space for functionality, aesthetics, way finding, and the opportunity for modest expansion of computer stations and study rooms.

It would also maintain the 1980’s external design of internationally acclaimed noted architect Gunnar Birkerts.

According Library Director Koschik E-books are decreasing the need for shelf space and the library of the 21^st century is assuming more of a community center role.

The second solution, proposed by local Birmingham architect Victor Saroki is complete remodel of all three of the library’s floors and the building’s exterior.

The Basement would be enhanced to include a Friend of the Library Gift Shop, Café, and possible outdoor seating which could extend the cyber café concept.

The first floor would have two entrances one on Martin Street and the other on Merill.

The second floor would be expanded to include a roof garden and terrace overlooking Shain Park for Library or Civic functions. In total the Saroki plan would increase the library’s total space by 42% at an estimated cost of upwards of ten million dollars.

Both options were presented to the Long Range Planning Session of the Birmingham City Commission.

Many commissioners found the Saroki plan of particular interest.

That plan has its detractors and supporters.

Russ W. Dixon a member of the City’s Museum Board is a strong supporter of keeping the exterior design of internationally acclaimed architect Gunnar Birkerts which was the basis of the last remodel. Other residents find the Birkerts design controversial.

Jeffery Van Dorn president of a Birmingham homeowner’s association, is a supporter of the Saroki design and believes that any enhancement to the popular library will increase property values for the city’s residents. Mr. Van Dorn was instrumental getting architect Victor Saroki to make a presentation.

Skype with Loved Ones at Baldwin Library Feb 14th 7pm

2012-02-11T16:23:00.000-05:00

To register for an event call 248-554-4650.To register on line or to see all upcoming and many recurring monthly events (like book clubs or story time) in a calendar display click on

Baldwin Library Events

Events requiring registration are underlined. All provide detailed information with mouse clicks. If registration is required a form will appear. As a resident of the City of Bloomfield and a Baldwin partner community (along with Beverly Hills and Bingham Farms) you will be given first preference for all events.

Main entrance is on Merill Street which runs parallel to Martin Street. To the right of library and across Bates is Shain Park Upper left hand structure is Chester Street Garage with free parking for two hours. Estimated Distance from Chester Street Garage to Baldwin Library is one tenth of a mile or a two minute walk. Top of picture is Maple Rd (15Mile).

Andover Head Coach Jim Dewald named Head Coach Seaholm

2012-02-11T16:12:00.002-05:00

School consolidation did not provide job security. The head coaching position at the New Bloomfield High School would not be made until November 2012. It would be a choice between Dewald who did amazing things with a minimum number of player’s and Lahser Coach Dan Loria who had taken twice the Knights to the State play-offs and is expected to have another contender this fall.

Bloomfield Hills Andover Head Football Coach Jim Dewald has accepted the head coaching position at Birmingham Seaholm High School for the 2012 season. In three seasons at Andover Dewald teams posted a very misleading 3 and 24 record. When asked about the hiring process, Seaholm Athletic Director Arron Frank said, “We flipped through the phone book and found Coach Dewalt on top of page 38.” Seriously...Frank detailed a through process involving numerous committees and in depth research. Many involved in the selection process had direct experience with Coach Dewald. Frank said “Wins and losses were nor as important than the character of the Individual. Jim was an outstanding Coach, teacher and Leader at Pontiac Northern and Andover. Andover was difficult situation with the schools combining.”

Declining enrollment meant that the Andover Barons struggled to man a 24 player roster. In 2011the team was winless but scored dramatic foruth quartercomebacks against state play off teams like Lahser and North Farmington which kept the outcome in doubt until the final gun. In October Andover Football faced a Near Death Experience School Superintendent Robert Glass said the 2012 Varsity football team might canceled due a lack of players. A district wide effort which produced 30 possible players granted a December reprieve.

Dewald is expected to start calculating X’s and O’s for Seaholm almost immediately. The first game is tentatively schedule for August 23rd.

“ Most people in the community have no idea how much is involved.” Frank said. When asked about compensation for the Head Coach, Frank said, “I’ll tell you exactly. It is a matter of public record. $6699 and that probably won’t even pay for the gas.”

February New Book and DVD Titles at Baldwin Library.

2012-02-04T00:35:00.001-05:00

The Fear Index by Robert Harris: A visionaryscientist creates a revolutionary form of artificial intelligence that predictsmovements in the financial markets with uncanny accuracy. His hedge fund, basedin Geneva, makes billions. But after an intruder breaks into his home, he hasto try to discover who is trying to destroy him.

Click here to Check Status at Library

Home Front by Kristin Hannah: From a distance, Michael and JoleenZarkades seem to have it all: a solid marriage, two exciting careers, andchildren they adore. But after twelve years together, the couple has lost theirway; they are unhappy and edging toward divorce. Then the Iraq war starts. Anunexpected deployment will tear their already fragile family apart, sending oneof them deep into harm's way and leaving the other at home, waiting for news.When the worst happens, each must face their darkest fear and fight for thefuture of their family. Click here to Check Status at Library

The Big Year (DVD): Looking to shake up their routine lives, three amateur bird watchers compete to become the ultimate 'birder' by spotting the greatest number of species within a single calendar year. But the friendly rivalry soon turns into a hilariously complicated cross-country adventure as each man begins to realize that the quest for success comes at a price, and that's not chicken feed! Click Here to Check Status at Library
The library DVD status check for this DVD works a little differently than other titles..
The first screen produced by clicking on our red link tells you that the the title is not available here because format. Click on "OK" in the middle of the screen. You will then see the availability status of the DVD title.

The Double (DVD): When a United States Senator is brutallymurdered, the evidence points to a Soviet assassin code-named Cassius, who waslong-thought to be dead. Two men who know Cassius best are thrown together tocatch him. Paul Shepherdson is a retired CIA operative who spent his careertracking Cassius around the globe. Ben Geary is a hotshot young FBI Agent andfamily man who has studied the killer's every move. Ben thinks he knowsCassius, but Paul knows he is dead wrong.
Click Here to Check Library Status

Contagion (DVD): A thriller centered on the threat posed by a deadly disease and an international team of doctors contracted by the CDC to deal with the outbreak. (No cover picture available).
Click here to Check Library Status

If a book or video you seek is not currently available Baldwin Card Holders may place a hold on line with their library card number.

Work Session to reveal Satisfaction Survey, Ethics Policy, and Sticky Points of Contract Negotiations ?

2012-02-03T22:20:00.000-05:00

EVENT CALENDAR

City Commission - Work Session
Tue., Feb. 7, 2012 from 5:00pm - 7:30pm @ Commission Room - City Hall
The Commission will discuss:
1. Proposed Citizen's Satisfaction Survey and survey document.
2. Proposed Ethics Policy.
3. Possible Health Insurance Options.

The City of Bloomfield Hills Commission has scheduled a “work session” for Tuesday May February 7th at 5 pm. Don’t let the name “work session” fool you. According to City Clerk Amy Burton here is no difference between a work session and a special meeting. Minutes of both are recorded as part of the permanent record. Items can be voted on at special meetings / work sessions, under the Open Meetings Act. The public is welcome to attend and attendance is well advised . In addition to publishing notice of the meeting on the City’s web site a mini agenda (an unusual but welcome additional) is provided as well. The topics listed are important and have generated public interest in the past.

The expenditures for a $9500 Citizen’s satisfaction survey was approved at a December 6th 2011 5PM Special Meeting. This will be the public’s first chance to see to see the document, the format utilized, and the questions asked. The Jan 10th City Commission meeting in regards to agenda item 8 “The commission will discuss the topics / issues to be addressed in the
citizen’s satisfaction survey,” it was decided that Commissioner Sarah McClure and City Manager Jay Cravens would discuss the topics and issues in a conference call with the survey company Cobalt Communications. Next Tuesday’s meeting will the first opportunity residents have had to learn what those topics and issues are.

The Proposed Ethics Policy was presented at Jan 10th City Commission Meeting as agenda item 11. The commission will discuss the development of an ethics policy. After a brief discussion a committee consisting of Commissioner McClure, City Manger Jay Cravens, and City Clerk Amy Burton was appointed as a committee to research and discuss the matter further. Next Tuesday’s meeting will be the first opportunity residents have had to learn what the the committee has been discussing. Many residents have expressed an interest in this topic but have been invited to the sub committee meetings. Permitting public attendance at the meetings is not mandatory under the Michigan Open meetings Act because one city commissioner is insufficient to form a quorum.

The third topic, Possible Health Insurance Options sounds rather innocuous doesn’t it ? It may relate to agenda item 15 presented at the Jan 10th meeting, “The Commission will move closed session to discuss union negotiations with the City Labor Attorney. City Manager Jay Cravens in
reference to June expiration dates of Department of Public Service (Police and Fire) and Department of Public Works Unions was quoted as saying, “we will be looking at health insurance as soon as possible.”

May 8th is the date of the City Election voters will chose between two incumbent city commissioners and possibly four challengers. A change of two commissioners a way from a generally acknowledged 4 to 1 majority could create a new 3 to 2 majority taking the City in a new direction.

The City’s most experienced officers, current Mayor Michael Zambricki, and commissioners Michael McCready and Pat Hardy whose terms expire in 2013 will continue. Any of them or the two commissioners elected in May could be the next Mayor who serves a one year term. While the Mayor
has no more powers than that any other City Commissioner, the Mayor elected by the City Commission after the City Election , will be the titular head of City’s negotiating team. Residents are well advised to ask this year’s crop of commission candidates who, if elected will they vote for Mayor. Prior to last year residents had no such opportunity as the position of Mayor was simply rotated among commission members based on seniority.

Rainy Night at East Hills Middle School.BHSD Town Hall Meeting Schedule and Survey.

2012-01-27T23:21:00.000-05:00

At a recent Town Hall meeting at East Hills Middle School, Bloomfield Hills SchoolDistrict superindant Robert Glass made a promise to the audience.

Ifthe proposed bond issue, failed, Glass would be a firm believer that thepeople’s answer to a new high school, hybrid or otherwise was firm “No.”

Therewould be no more bond issues for years to come. The School Board would workwith what it had and make the best of it

Perhapsin five years if and when things became desperate the issue could be revisited.

According to Robert Glass eight years ofcontroversy was enough and the time had come to resolve the matter one way oranother, and to move on.

Glassthen detailed the eight year history of the bond issue.

In 2003 the Board asked for $123 million fornew high school and the voters rejected it . In 2007 the amount of $146 millionwas voted down. In 2010 $97.5 was sought and failed to pass.

Thesuperintendent said the bond issue were indicative of failure for five reasons.

Theplans were too elaborate and expensive. The people wanted a reasonable plan.The public was left to ask, “Where’s beef?” The public felt like it wasproviding a blank check. The public wanted to keep both schools.

Glasssaid that when he first came to Bloomfield Hills, he wondered why the districtwould abandon two schools with excellent reputations. The high cost ofmaintaining two facilities that averaged more than fifty years of age convincedhim of the nee of a new high school.

Thepurpose of the many town meetings the school board has scheduled is to get the public’s opinion, and provideinformation.

Is the message getting through and going both ways?

According to Chris Fellin a spokesperson for Bloomfield20/20 the answer at East Hills was the connection was less than 40%.

Media room/Library at East Hills is a wide series of interconnected rooms. A computer lab is far right.

He counted 39 people in attendance. 16 of which he believedwere either school board members, members of Bloomfield Hills EducationAssociates, or teachers.

Eight others he knewto be members of One Bloomfield United an organization which usually supportsthe school board or 20/20 which often opposes the board.

That left 15 members of the community as true participants.

The meeting at the East Middle School was the second in the series. Future Town Hall meetings arescheduled for...

Monday, Jan. 30 7-9pm West Hills MS Cafeteria

Tuesday, Jan. 31 1:30-3:30pm Bloomfield Township Library Meeting Room 1

Tuesday, Jan. 31 7-9pm Conant Elementary Media Center

Wednesday, Feb. 1 9:30-11:30am City of Bloomfield Hills Commissioners Auditorium

Monday, Feb. 6 10am-12pm Bloomfield Township Library Meeting Room 1

Tuesday, Feb. 7 7-9pm Lone Pine Elementary Media Center

Wednesday, Feb. 8 10am-12pm Bowers Farm Farm Schoolhouse

Wednesday, Feb. 8 7-9pm Bloomfield Hills Middle School Cafeteria

Wednesday, Feb. 15 7-9pm Eastover Elementary Fine Arts Rooms

Jan 19th BHSD Students Recognized for Noteworthy Achievements.

2012-01-24T00:42:00.000-05:00

Grand Prize, Chairman's Award

Elizabeth Sabol, Lahser High School

Patriot's Pen Essay Contest

Lilyana Wolberg, Mandy Lu, and Jeremy Taiqman

Three Bloomfield Hills Schools eighth graders took the top three local awards out of more than 350 essays submitted to the Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest. Sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the essay contest askedmiddle school students to answer the question, “Are you proud of your country?”

Answers, in essay form, submitted by Jeremy Taigman (first place), Many Lu (second place) and Lilyana Wolberg (third place) earned each student a $50 prize and an award ceremony dinner hosted by the VFW Post 2269 in Wixom. These students now advance to the VFW Post 1146 district competition on January 9, 2012.

Patriot’s Pen provides sixth, seventh and eighth grade students the opportunity to express their opinion on a patriotic theme and improve their writing skills while they compete for worthwhile awards and prizes. Awards are given at the local, district, and state levels. The state winners compete for $91,000 in U.S. Savings bonds at the national level. The national winner receives a $10,000 U.S. Savings Bond and an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington D.C. where they tour the city.

Daughters of the American Revolution

Piety Hill Chapter Essay Contest

Emily Hong

Emily Hong was unable to attend and wiil receive her award at a later date.

West Hills Middle School Rolling Robots

Recognized as part of the West Hills Rolling Robots, Benjamin Kaufman, Bradley Kaufman, Adrain Ashtari, Jacob Fishkind, Husain Rasheed, Charles Gertner, Tamaer EL-Gamal,Erza Kalmowitz

Bloomfield Hills Middle School

Mega-Bites Robotic Team

Recognized as part of the BHMS Mega-Bites robotic team, Alp Aydin, Beste Aydin,Sarah Gerendasy, Kathryn Jorgesen,Hannah May, Andrianna McKendrick,Max Perimuter, Zack Piper.

Jan 19th Bloomfield Hills School Board Meeting

2012-01-23T10:48:00.000-05:00

At the recent Bloomfield Hills School Board Meeting, SuperintendentRobert Glass said that if Bond issue failed the price tag for deferredmaintenance on the two existing high school buildings could be as high as $29million.

He said the $65 million dollar Hybrid High School (36%remodel 64% new construction) was (excluding athletics) “a one and done for 30to 40” years of normal maintenance.

The superintendent said the choice was one of continualpatch up or doing it right.

According to Glass eight years of debate had taken its tollon the community. It was time to bring the issue to resolution. By the end ofFebruary the dollar amount asked for in the bond issue and the election datewould be decided.

In seeking Publicopinion By Glass said he chose the “town hall” concept to engage the community.

Polling or statistical survey would not in the superintendent’sopinion get the right input.
The number of townhall meetings has been increased from to 7 to 12. Next week two town hallsconsisting of 45 minutes of input and ninety minutes of public comment anddiscussions are scheduled.

Tuesday board memberswill be at Way Elementary 7pm to 9pm and Thursday from 7pm to 9pm at East HillsMiddle School.

The board continues to debate and seek public input into howmuch cash to contribute to the bond issue kitty. Last month that figure was 7to $11 max. Upon further review it can now be increased to $11 to $20 millionmax.

If all cash monieswere run to zero and anticipated income is included the figure could be 50million plus. Tina Kostiuk AssistantSuperintendent of Business warned that large cash depletion would jeopardizethe school system’s triple a bond rating. Realistically Tina she said it would not beprudent to go over 20 million.

School District residents and 20/20 Leader Chris Fellin speakingat public comment said he saw $55 million that could spent. $25 million which hesaid was stolen from his children. “Money that should have been spent on mychildren’s education rather than squirreling it away. “

Superintendent Glass said the school board was obligated tostay within the budget but having reserves was no good if you couldn’t usethem.

In other matters the school boardannounced that it was favor a full day kindergartens schedule and would approvesuch at the next Board Meeting.

Assistant Superintendent forInstruction Laurie McCarty said this move had already been adopted by schooldistricts throughout the county.

The consensus is that in today’s completiveworld which emphasis early learning. Kindergarten is the new first grade.

One or two half day kindergarten sessionswould however be maintained for circumstances that required it.

Lahser student Elizabeth Sabol wasrecognized for winning the North American International Auto Show PosterContest.

Her design combining man and machine was usedfor the cover of programs and posterspromoting the NAIAS better known to locals at the Detroit Auto Show..

Assistant superintendent Ed Bretzlaff saidthat personnel decisions concerning the coaching staffs would be announced atthe end of each 2012-2013 sports season.

For example the Head football Coach forthe combined schools will be announced inNovember.

Bretzlaff also reported that the newMascot/School colors competition to be decided by the students was entering thethird round.

Mascot survivors are Blackhawks,Chargers, and Royals. School Colors finalists are Black and Blue, Blue andGold, and Silver, Purple, and Black.

Michael J. Dul, city resident, takes issue with time given to residents at public hearings. Also questions Tree Ordinance. Preservation versus Owner's Rights in open letter.

2012-01-23T01:12:00.000-05:00

MIichael J.Dul

Baldwin Library remodel piques Birmingham City Commission's interest. Meeting with City Manager to follow. Joint Library-City Commission exploratory sub committee a possibility.

2012-01-21T22:43:00.000-05:00

The City of Birmingham’s Saturday January 21^stLong Range Planning Agenda was a big half day, annual event.Before it occurred, it was widely discussed, analyzed and much anticipated. Therewould be pastries for breakfast. The Press would be there. There would tenpresentations in varying form and length . Some sort of eat-on-the-spot15 minute lunch would be provided. Finance, Building, Engineering, the PrincipalShopping District, Fire and Safety, Planning, The Historical Museum, the CityClerk’s office and the Baldwin Library would all have their say. Some Agendaslots were thought to be better than others. Comments from the commission wouldbe good. Silence would be awful.

The Baldwin Library had been preparing for the meeting for along time. Library director Doug Koschik said the remodel had been a topic ofinternal casual conversation for tenyears. Now it was time to seek other opinions. At the December 18th Library Board Meeting, the public was treated two re modelling presentations intended to presentpossibilities and start conversations.In prior posts on this blog readers can find the written and graphic version of these presentations. Click on Baldwin Library Considers Expansion Options
for a written version of the Library's presentation. It is currently in second place on our top ten post ranking found on the lower right hand corner of the blog page. Click on Baldwin Library Presentation of Proposed Building Plans by Fanning Howey and Victor Saroki.

At the library’s lastbuilding meeting (click on Baldwin Library Board Building Committee Meeting of January 6th) the art of think and double think had advanced to the point of asking “what if the commissionasked the library board what theythought of the two plans. To that endthe library board drafted a statement at the last library board meeting saying in essence the Fanning Howley plan wouldbe practicality at a reasonable price but the Saroki Plan if any way possiblewould be the ultimate. A slide to that effect was tacked on to the Saroki presentation.

Both Plans were presented at the Long Range Planning meeting and the dreaded silence did not occur. As a matter of fact the Saroki Plan stole the show.

The Mayor began by saying it seemed "other communities look at our library as though it's their library." He said the Baldwin Library board was doing a great job in initiating the current dialogue and maybe it was time to take the next step. Then asked the commissioners for input.

Commissioner Rinscher advised against getting too hung up on design too early. He advised looking at how the City managed three park project. He reminded the Library that it now served 35,000m people only 20,000 of which were Birmingham Residents. All in all he thought a sub committee to discuss things further might be a good idea.

Commissioner Mc Donald thought the Saroki design very compelling which presented a classic fund raising opportunity.

Commissioner Hoff wondered why Fanning Howey addressed one floor instead of three. Library Director Koschik said it was intended to be a modest solution. He said he felt Fanning Howey did not address the needs of the handicapped. The Mayor then asked what was wrong with the library's current meeting of those needs. Wasn't there that big ramp by the front door ? Koschik said there was but it wasn't particularly popular because it was considered steep.
Commissioner Hoff would suggest a sub committee and suggested looking at other libraries and getting public opinion.

Mayor Pro Tem Dilgard wouldn't rule out a millage and mentioned recent projects like the YMCA or the United Methodist Church which encountered road blocks along the way.

Commissioner Sherman said all related to how one saw the library fitting into the community.the he said "I like where this is going. That's Good." Public Feedback was needed. Library's were changing. E-Books, smaller collections, etc.

City Manager Robert J.Bruner Jr.

Public Comments

One speaker mentioned the Novi Library upgrade at $15 million, Bloomfield Township at $26 million and concluded the Birmingham Saroki plan could be done on a low per capita bond issue. Another resident preferred improving the library's collection first. A third said the library should not overlook operational costs and wondered if one of the the city's two golf courses could be sold to provide money for the Library.

Time Table ?

At the Baldwin Library building meeting, Director Koschik said maybe ten years. The plans and the interest they have generated indicate something sooner. Saturday January 19th 2012 it was obvious that the the library has done it's home work but there is much work to be done before the project leaves the drawing board. Could the Sarioki plan be done in modular stages ? Could both the Fanney Howey Plan and the Sarioki be implemented. The Next step is for Library Director Doug Koschik to meet with the City Manager. That wouldn't happen if the City Commission had no interest or the timing wasn't right or the city didn't think the library had done it's homework. That meeting could take place this week. The next step after that would be the formation of a Library-City Commission sub committee. That would indicate need for more discussion and a mutual quest for answers. Last Saturday an enhanced Baldwin Library went from being a conversation starter to something that important people who don't have time to waste are willing to plan. That is a big leap forward.

To the readers of this blog who live in Birmingham ( We are told there are more than a few) who are interested in the other presentations made at the Long Range Planning Agenda, the Birmingham Patch covered them all in quite comprehensive detail. You may connect to them here by clicking on Birmingham Patch

The Invention of Hugo Cabret (book) and Hugo (the movie) A world worth visiting.

2012-01-19T12:38:00.000-05:00

How good is the movie Hugo? Well when you walk out of the theatre you have a half a mind to get in linefor tickets to see it again. From thefirst scene the film takes you to a world you will never physically get to butwhich is certainly worth visiting more than once. That world is not the just the Paris of 1931, but a world of dreams, machines, magic,and movies.I avoided this this movie because I thought it might be a biography of Victor Hugo, and it was directed by Martin Scorsese who had yetto direct a movie I enjoyed seeing. I relented only because the Golden Globespicked him for Best Director but Hugo did not get Best Picture. That sort ofsplit almost never occurs with the Academy.

I went with Uncle Mike whoscreens four to six movies a day and is a tough critic. Believe me if UncleMichael sits through the credits the picture has scored a knock out. Hugo put himdown to for the count.

The only disappointment was my inability to explain thepicture to my wife. Face wrinkling and asarcastic, “sounds wonderful,” greeted my explanation of orphan living in the walls of a Paris train station who encountersa mean old man and….” I’m usually good a movie synopsis but I struck out onHugo. Must have been the sports analogies.

So the next day I struck out on the internet to see whatcould be said that I wasn’t saying. What always amazes me about art is how collaborativeit is. It’s not just the skills or Martin Scorsese. It is also the book by Brian Zelznick and the creative genius of a magician turned movie maker, Georges Melies. The movie which is fantasticallyand beautifully portrayed on the screen is based the real life of the latter.

Should you see it in 3D $8 or 2D $5 Birmingham Palladium(which currently does not offer the 3D version)? See it in 2D for the full effectwithout distraction. Even in 2D you can get an idea of how
fantastic the moviewill be in 3D. Then see with the added dimension because George Melies would have wanted you to see it that way.For Mr. Melies in the last years of the 19^th century the illusion of film knew no bounds so why stop at two when you could go on to three D. Then you can buy the book, read it and enjoy the illustrations.Finally knowing you have exhausted all aspects for the time being, you can buy the DVD for posterity in the dimension of your choice.

From November 15 2011 to January 13 2012 342 city residents got Baldwin Library cards.1411 items were checked out by residents in 2011.

2012-01-18T23:55:00.000-05:00

Click here for Agenda Packet for January 18th Baldwin Library Board Meeting

Of particular note to Bloomfield Hills residents is an article, Library Director Doug Koschik, contributed to the current issue of the Hills Highlight our city's official newsletter on the subject of Baldwin's services to the students of Bloomfield Hills. To further than end the the Director has scheduled an meeting with The Bloomfield Hills School District.The Book return and lending shelf at the Bloomfield Hills is similar to the one Baldwin has established in Beverly Hills. The books promised, Koschik said would be good books. Recent best sellers where the library purchased many copies. The honor system will employed although it seems in Beverly Hills bringing replacement books for ones taken has proved popular.

You have friends at the Baldwin Library

In a very short time all residents of the City of Bloomfield Hills will receive postcard like the one displayed below. They are a welcome from the Friends of the Baldwin Library Look for yours shortly and prepare a spot on your fridge.Full of useful information this card is a keeper.The Friends are generously paying for the cost of printing and postage. The group also sponsors many of the programs held at Baldwin. Barbara Suhay is the Friends of the Library Baldwin Liaison and her husband James W. Suahay was just elected to the Library Board for a three year term that will expire in 2015.

Some of the programs sponsored by the Friends of The Baldwin Library

2012 Student Members of the Baldwin Library Board

The Baldwin Library a selected a young man and a young woman from Beverly Hills to share the duties as 2012 student member of the Library Board. Aside from voting they will be in essence be board members performing all duties of a board member and providing the board with a young person's point of view. The Library did not have a difficult decision to make since the students selected were the only two who applied.

"Kid are too busy," the wife explained when I mentioned it. Yeah well we adults have been known to die for a crack at the school or library board. If I were16, my year on the Baldwin Board would be the keystone to my community service oriented application to Stanford or Yale. I'd have recommendations on letter head. from the Mayor of every community that contracted with the library plus still more from all the captains of industry and civic dedication currently on the Library Board.

"Your not sixteen," the wife said. True and when I was 16, if I recall correctly I had.very few thoughts that might have been regarded as ambitious.

Congratulations to the Baldwin Library for sponsoring such a program and to the inaugural participants from Beverly Hills who will make it a success.For the rest of the Baldwin communities who had no applicants there is always the rallying cry of the Brooklyn Dodgers. "Wait until next year."

Baldwin Library at City Hall. Hills Highlights out of hiatus.Tree ordinance more than a hat rack?

2012-01-17T10:45:00.000-05:00

The Baldwin Library will soon be as close to residents of Bloomfield Hills as our beloved city hall at 45 East Long Lake Road. A collection of Baldwin Books will be available for residents on the honor system. Take it and read it but please bring it back.No library card necessary. No questions asked. If you have good books you would like to bring by for others to read this might be the ideal opportunity. In addition a book drop for books you have checked out at the Baldwin Library will also be available for easy returns. The project was a campaign promise by the Baldwin Library and one I assume they took the initiative in fulfilling. Our city Government can at times be hesitant but Baldwin Library Director Doug Koschik, however said that our City Manager Jay Cravens and Library Liaison Commissioner Pat Hardy had been been active participants in the process. At he last City Commission Meeting Cravens was very upbeat about the mini library and book drop due in March.

More details are expected to be forth coming in The Hills Highlights the official newsletter of the city which is reportedly due any day now. Fans of the Hills Highlights know that the publication has been on hiatus since the last edition appeared in June 2011. At one time City residents received as many as four glossy editions mailed to their home. In the last issue residents were offered either two glossy editions or if they opted out of home delivery six bare bones (words only) electronic editions. So far the six electronic editions have not materialized. With a website already in place cost is not a factor in an electronic newsletter nor is there ant reason why graphics and pix need to be omitted. It seems our City Commission the actual publishers of Hills Highlights have been too busy slaying dragons and conquering worlds to communicate with us. In that regard Hills Highlight author and City Commissioner Connie Salloum has promised an article explaining the tree ordinance, it's origins and it's implications. Look for it when the newsletter arrives. Also look here for Hills Highlights reviews and critiques from your unofficial City of Bloomfield Hills Blog which is proud to publish three times a week.

You have the expression. "that is using your head for more than a hat rack". Well maybe the mechanics of the Tree ordinance can work for other things besides trees.

For example the upcoming mini library at City Hall. Say you saw a book there you really wanted . Not only to read but to keep.The City Commission is not in any way shape or form trying to limit the number of books you may own but there has to be management . If you announced at the City Hall desk your desire to keep the book the clerk could via the tax rolls look up the size of your home in square feet and tell you how many replacement books would be necessary to facilitate the request. Of course there would be an appeal process that either you or the city could utilize but the arbitrating board is already in place. The City already has a Board of Review to assist you with your tax assessment which is coming up in March. The rest of the year the Board is relatively y idle. Why not make better use of the board as the year round Board of Book Reviews. Who better to decide if a paperback edition of the third Harry Potter novel is balanced by a bound (high quality vinyl) volume of Readers Digest Condensations which includes Ernest K. Gann's novel The High and The Mighty (the movie featured John Wayne).

While pie in the sky at present, there is no denying that the city is ready for a literary leap. Why at the public hearing of the tree ordnance a former mayor referenced Thomas Paine the author of Common Sense down to the very day of the meeting. Another quoted John Donne( up to the semi colon) Meditation 17, Devotions upon Emergent Occasions.

"No man is an iland, intire of it selfe; every man is a peece of the Continent, a part of the maine; if a clod bee washed away by the Sea, Europe is the lesse, as well as if a Promontorie were, as well as if a Mannor of thy friends or of thine owne were; any mans death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankinde; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee...."

Two world class "go to the head of the class" literary references beginning and ending a paragraph. of less than 100 words. Is that inspiring or what? Maybe it will inspire a member the newly minted Board of Book Reviews to assist in publishing the Hills Highlight on a more frequent basis.

Are city residents invited to witness and observe development of city ethics code ? When will meetings be held ? Don't tell us it is a back room, behind the scenes deal which doesn't sound very ethical. Early media accounts don't mention city residents. Please Advise!

2012-01-16T23:48:00.002-05:00

In an article in Downtown Birmingham Bloomfield (the on line section dated 1/13/2012) the following appeared.

"The Bloomfield Hills City Commission announced at their Tuesday, January 10 meeting, they were beginning the process of writing an ethics code to govern all city officials, leaders and employees."

What follows is excerpts from the article and are are printed in blue. If you would like to read the entire article click here.City Commissioner, Sarah McClure is the only commissioner quoted, states "Our city charter has some broad ethics guidelines, but in today's day and age, some of us felt we needed some more specific criteria, so myself, city clerk Amy Burton, and city manager Jay Cravens are looking at some other communities' ethics codes, and will be developing a specific code for our city,"

The development of a code of conduct for those hired, elected or appointed to serve our city of 4000 people is very important to our residents and many would like to observe the workings of our city commission in developing such a code. We believe we are entitled to do so by the Michigan Open Meetings Act. We realize our participation may be limited to observation only particularly in the draft stages but that is better than being kept in the dark.
The second paragraph of the article indicates that meetings may have already started yet we see no notification of said on the city website.

(Commissioner Sarah) McClure said they have begun looking at ethics codes from Troy, Bloomfield Township, West Bloomfield, and some municipalities from the western part of Michigan.

Dear Commissioner McClure:Maybe you call each other on the phone but that is not what Open Meetings is all about and because you are public figures you do owe the people the City of Bloomfield Hills more than that. You close the article by saying

We're trying to adopt best practices, and the ethics code has become an objective."

Well best practices is not something you find only in Troy, West Bloomfield or cities west Grand Rapids. The residents of the City you were elected to represent may not look like much but someday they may surprise you.

Dear Residents:If you are interested in researching municipalities and ethic codes it is really very easy. There is a search engine in top this page. A box beside it says "Search". Underneath are the the words "powered by Google." Type in Ethics Codes and click the search box.Then you will be presented by three boxes.This Blog-Linked From Here-Other News Sources. Choose Other News Sources and relevant stories from The Patch, The Eccentric., The Eagle, and Downtown Birmingham Bloomfield will appear. The mini search engine by Google's own admission, works better with distant matters than more recent ones. To simplify even further there is an excellent article by Lisa Brody in Downtown Publications which relates to Ethics codes in adjacent cities. The article dated March 2011 mentions Public Act 196 of 1973 and says that is it remains the gold standard for ethics policies and standards of conduct for public officers and employees throughout the state. There is also Handbook for Municipal Officials Published by the Michigan Municipal League, November 2005. That is 200 pages long. If you just with the five or so pages they devote to Ethics click on the red highlighted words.

P.S.The above is just a start. Do plan to attend ethic code development meetings when announced.

“Remembering Jacobson’s” presented by author Bruce Allen Kopytek Tuesday, January 24 at 7 p.m. at Baldwin Public Library.

2012-01-11T13:35:00.001-05:00

On Tuesday, January 24 at 7 p.m. at the Baldwin PublicLibrary, Bruce Allen Kopytek will give a talk based on his book Jacobson’s:I Miss It So!, published this year.

Return to the elegance of Jacobson’s, a beloved Michigan institution

for well over one hundred years. Reenter the marvelous stores

and meet the personalities who transformed Jacobson’s

from its humble Reed City origins to a staple of sophistication

throughout the region and in Florida.

The brainchild of a retail genius, this deluxe specialty store

gave customers a peerless social, shopping and dining destination.

Experience anew the refined beauty of its Williamsburg-style Grosse Pointe store,

the chic designer world of its Birmingham ensemble or the charm

and allure of its original Florida branch in Sarasota

revealing along the way, secrets that made Jake’s the dazzling store it was

and why it remains so profoundly missed

by anyone who entered through its solid wooden doors.

(Over 100 illustrations, most never published

before - a true scholarly study of this

beloved, lost specialty department store)

Jacobson’s department store was founded in Reed City, Michigan in 1868, expanded to Jackson in 1904 and to Dearborn in 1920. The Birmingham Jacobson’s opened in 1950 and remained a local favorite until its closing in 2002.

Mr. Kopytek willshare his stories of Jacobson’s with us, including some special anecdotes aboutthe Birmingham store. He will have his books available for signing andpurchase.

One of Mr.Kopytek’s particular interests is the American department store. He maintains ablog, “The Department Store Museum” where he pays homage to the great American independent department stores, a dyingbreed, with photographs and facts.

Bruce AllenKopytek was born and raised in Hamtramck in what he describes as “a veryinquisitive Polish-American family.” He earned an architecture degree from theUniversity of Detroit and pursued an extensive career in this field, bothcommercial and residential.

This program issponsored by the Baldwin Public Library and the Friends of the BirminghamHistorical Museum & Park.

For moreinformation, visit the Baldwin Public Library at 300 W. Merrill, Birmingham,Michigan, call Adult Services at 248-554-4650, or visit the Library’s website

Tonight Another Tuesday Triple Header

2012-01-10T14:01:00.001-05:00

Planning Commission Meeting City Hall 4pm

Tree Ordinance Public Hearing

Agenda and Packet

16 page unabridged tree ordinance draft

Birmingham Community House Travel Presentation 6pm

The Amalfi Coast

City Commission Meeting 7:30 pm

Agenda and Packet

Key agenda items for tonight's City Commission's meeting.

The City is paying about $10,000 for this survey. That is about 1/5 of a new fire engine. Do you think our surveying satisfaction is worth that ? I think not. So let's look for an alternative motive. The Commission has some thing up their sleeve that they would like us to "approve of " before they announce it. Then when everyone screams bloody murder they can trot out the satisfaction survey and say "see it says you said.."
In October when survey companies made presentations to the commission two possible topics were suggested by commissioner Sarah McClure (See our post of October 15th,) who said

" the point of the survey was to help us (city commission) answer more controversial issues. Like should we move elections from May to November or have one city wide trash hauling company."

At the time we wrote

These were not casual "for instances" and commissioner McClure knows that or should. The residents of the City don't consider the topics mentioned as particularly controversial and most probably believe they have been resolved. In 2009 at a special town hall meeting residents stated a definite preference for the multiple trash haulers. A change in election date changes much more than date and would require a city wide vote to amend the city charter. In 2010 at a public hearing residents stated a strong desire for keeping the election dates the same. The mention of such relics which even in their day weren't exactly "controversies" may presage a resurrection of these topics as agenda items.

Or packaged in a satisfaction survey One of the Survey Groups who made a presentation but was not invited back touted their efficiency at changing people's minds.

When you have a City Commission that oversees an Ordinance Subcommittee which spends six months working on a tree survey which will impact on all city lot owners without seeking any public input, and then decides it needs to spend $10,000 on Citizen Satisfaction Survey, Paranoia may be prudent.

Where to begin ? How about adhering to The Michigan Open Meetings Act. That is not ethics. That is the law. The Baldwin Library Board abides by Open Meetings Act with no deviations.

The City Commission is pretty good in most cases about publishing meeting announcements. Two notable exceptions lapses were Tree Ordinance Subcommittee and the Dec 6th City Commission meeting which received , as far as we could ascertain little or no notice. The meeting was on a Monday at 5pm and at that meeting the decision to spend $10,000 on a citizen satisfaction survey was made.

Where the Commission is at is worst is in the publication of timely minutes. Here the Michigan Open Meetings Act is quite specific. It says

3) Proposed minutes shall be available for public inspection not more than 8 business days after the meeting to which the minutes refer. Approved minutes shall be available for public inspection not later than 5 business days after the meeting at which the minutes are approved by the public body.
History: 1976, Act 267, Eff. Mar. 31, 1977;—Am. 1982, Act 130, Imd. Eff. Apr. 20, 1982.

There are two types of minutes. Approved and unapproved. You as a concerned citizen have to the right to read the draft or the unapproved minutes of tonight's meetings no later than eight business days at the place where the meeting occurred (City Hall). The Baldwin Library published "unapproved minutes" on their web site no later than eight days after meeting. Eight business days from today is one week from Friday. To inspect the minutes or (even to make a copy of them which you are allowed to do) you will have to go to city hall and demand them. Otherwise the City Commission simply waits until next month's meeting and puts them in the Agenda Package. The meetings in this month's agenda package (From December 2011) bear the notation "Draft" and a date no more than eight business days after meeting. They do that to show that they are "complying" with the law. They do not tell you that the seldom changed draft that appears a month later in the agenda packet must be by law must be made available to you at City Hall eight business days after meeting. They will be say nobody ever asked. Now we are asking. The point of the Michigan Open Meetings Act is to inform the public.The point of an ethical open and transparent Government should not be any different.

Tour the Amalfi Coast with Community House in May. Sneak Preview Tonight at 6pm.

2012-01-10T10:36:00.001-05:00

Anhour south of Naples, near Salerno (famous World War II Battlefield) and thirtyKilometers due south of Pompeii lies the Almalfi Coast overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea. Duewest is the Isle of Capri. Due south is Sicily. The Sicilian city of Messenialines up almost exactly with Salerno. The whole of the Almalfi coast is maybetwenty miles long. Shorter than a tripfrom the City of Bloomfield Hills to St. Clair Shores or half way to Ann Arbor.In good weather, traffic permitting, it is maybe a thirty five minute drivealong Strada Statale 163, or the Via Amalfi.

Google maps

Tonight that spectacular coast line is the featured attraction of a Travel Presentation at the Birmingham Community House. The presentation is intended to highlight an eight day May 2nd to May 10th Community House Trip to the Almalfi Coast. There is no charge for the presentation but a RSVP is requested to provide adequate seating. Those attending will discover a delicious sense of deja vu. If you go to the movies you have seen the Amalfi Coast. Along with Rome and Venice it is one of the most filmed and photographed pieces of real estate on the Italian boot.The Community House May Tour will spend seven nights in Maiori and visits nearby Pompeii, Capri, Sorrento, Positano, and Pasestum. A Community House escort will be provided The price for the eight day trip is $3199 per person double occupancy which is very reasonable considering it includes airfare and breakfast and dinner daily. The single supplement, $3499, is not ridiculous. A $400 deposit will reserve your space. The deadline for deposits is January 25th.

Google Maps

The GI's who landed at Salerno and fought their way to Naples used to say,"See Naples and die." It was not an original expression however. People have been saying that for centuries for a variety of reasons. In fact in the last hundred and twelve years two Italian movies released in 1924 and 1950 receptively have used the phrase as their title.

Should you see (in person) the Amalfi Coast before the game is over ? Most definitely. No one goes to Italy just once. It's just not done. Where you put the 25 kilometer SS 163 drive in the mix with Rome, Venice, Florence, Milan, Genoa,the Ligurnian or Adriatic coast, Sicily, Pisa, or Sienna is up to you but it belongs high on the list. The Amalfi Cost is spectacular enough to rate World Heritatge recognition

Will you ever really get to the Amalfi Coast in person ? Probably not. Most people don't. Other things come up. You know. That's what makes this Community House trip so tempting. See the free sneak preview tonight at 6pm. RSVP by calling 248-644-5832. To Rsvp on line click on The Birmingham Community House located directly across the street from the main entrance to the Baldwin Library.

Baldwin Library Board Building Committee Meeting of January 6th.

2012-01-09T00:34:00.000-05:00

On Thursday, November 17, a sellout crowd of over 250 people attended a fundraising event to benefit the

Youth Room of the Baldwin Public Library. With proceeds from sponsorships, donations, ticket sales and

the auction, the Library raised over $22,000. This money will be put to use to enliven the early learning

corner of the Youth Room and to expand access to the early literacy computers. Many thanks

to all who made this event a success

-Baldwin Books and Beyond Winter2012

Youth Room Renovation Project

How the money raised at the Books and Bites fund raiser might be spent was the first topic of conversation .Board members expressed a desire to show people who participated in the fund raiser where their donated money was being applied and to show the Birmingham City Commission that the Library was continuing to adhere to the fiscally responsible Purchase Guidelines published on the Baldwin Library web sight and made available at the meeting. One would think since the library raised the money on it's own via a fund raiser that that would be self evident but the Baldwin Library Board under Director Doug Koschik likes to dot all the I's and cross all the T's. For example the library's strict adherence to the rules and principals espoused in the Michigan Open Meetings Act is rare in civic or library arenas where deviations, lapses, and omissions are frequently shrugged off. In the past under other boards and other directors The Baldwin Library's fiscal responsibility was reported to be less than exemplary. The document below indicates the Library's goals in regards to the Youth Room and preliminary cost estimates. Much of the discussion concerned previous library dealings with both companies, prior satisfactions and how the dollars could best be allocated. Shopping locally was suggested and a couple toy stores were mentioned. It was remarked however that the puppet stage mentioned had to be of industrial strength to withstand the pounding of what could be thousands of children.

Report for the Long_Range Planning Session of the Birmingham City Commission to be made on January 21st 2012

A copy of this report was deliver in print and via a Power Point presentation at the last Library Board meeting and is available on the Library's website in written form, power point with pictures, and in a televised and archived version of the meeting In addition a copy of the written proposal and artist renditions have appeared in this blog as well.

The library's agenda position has been moved up to a 9:45 am time slot which in a day of discussions is prime time. Director Koschik said that it would be premature to expect a recommendation of the City Commissionat this time. He would however appreciate an opinion. That much was offered by board members and guests at the Building Committee meeting. The consensus seemed to be that the less expensive Fanning Howley option was more practical for now and served the immediate need. But one never knows what might happen in the future.Perhaps a donor with ten million dollars would come forward Kochick said he thought the fanny holly plan was lacking in two areas. Windows to open up the south side of the building to sunlight and handy capped access. There were also parts of the Victor Saroki planhat everyone seemed to like that could be incorporated. Two entrances one from Martin Street the other from Merill were mentioned. As was a cafe.One suggestion was cafe on the west side of the building and a third entrance with a ground level access for the handicapped. An outdoor seating portion of the cafe could then provide 24 hour electricity, wi fi access similar to what was done at the Leelanau County Library in Northport Michigan (see our post Pure Michigan. Pure Library. Northport, MI 49670.

Front from left: Sheila Brice, Andrew Harris, James W. Suhay
Back from left: David Underdown, Frank Pisano, Bob Tera

In terms of a time table, Koschik suggested perhaps by the end of the decade. The Fanning Howey plan by itself would require a year to make the decision and two years to implicate. Board Member Shelia Brice sasid the next steps would be to open the dialogue up to the public and involve the contract communities Board MemberJames W. Suhay favored a phase one Howley, phase two Saroki possibilities approach. Assistant Director Mark Church said if you were going to double the size of building you might think of doubling the staff because the library currently had a stopped toilet (which he excused himself to go fix) because te Mr Fixit was no longer available. Board Member Terra also said that he read of two metro area libraries carrying as much as a million and a half in annual debt money that would have to repaid even if revenue from declining property values housing values continued to drop.

All of the above and more will be open for discussion at the next library board meeting on Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. in the Tribute and Donor Rooms of the Library.

The Library will make it's presentation to

The less than 50 word "elevator pitch" and the 1608 word "Cliff Notes" version of the Tree Ordinance. Public Hearing Tuesday January 10th at 4pm Planning Commission Meeting.

2012-01-08T01:09:00.000-05:00

Does this ordinance affect or concern you ? You be the the judge. The Ordinance in its sixteen page entirety is on the City Website and linked to our previous post.. What is presented here are excerpts that will concern almost all lot owners in the City of Bloomfield Hills. Got ten seconds? In fifty words or less....

To remove more than 3 or 6 trees on your lot in a two year period, Youneed a permit. If you want to cut more you must supply a replacementtrees for each one cut. There is an appeal process but it will, win or lose, you cost money.

For the more adventurous a 1608 word abridgement.

Sec. 22-21. Applicability
A. With the exception of the exemptions set forth in Section 22-23 of this ordinance, no
tree shall be cut or otherwise removed without a tree removal permit.
B. Any tree removal which is not subject to exemption must comply with the Section 22-24
of this ordinance.
The application for a tree removal permit shall be submitted to the building official for
review and approval pursuant to Sections 22-24 and 22-25.

Sec. 22-23. Exemptions
Notwithstanding the provisions of this article, the following activities are exempt from the
provisions of this Section unless otherwise prohibited by statue or ordinance.

H. Existing Lot Exemptions. The owner of an existing lot that is one acre or smaller may
remove up to three (3) trees ten (10) inches DBH or less in a two (2) year period.

The owner of an existing lot that is greater than one acre may remove up to six (6) trees
ten (10) inches DBH or less in a two (2) year period.

Sec. 22-24. Tree Removal and protection on existing Lots (Excluding subdivisions of three or more lots.
A. Submittal Requirements. A tree removal permit shall be required when removing more
than the number of trees permitted under Existing Lot Exemptions (22-23.H). The tree
removal permit shall be reviewed by the building official. The application and
development proposal shall conform to the provisions contained herein.
B. Permit Application. A completed tree removal permit application on a form prescribed
by the city which shall include the following information:
1. The name, address and telephone number of the applicant and/or the
applicant’s agent;
2. The name, address and telephone number of the owner of the property;
3. If the applicant is not the owner of the property, a written authorization from
the owner allowing the proposed activity;
4. The project location, including as applicable, the address, the street, road or
highway, section number, lot or unit number and the name of the subdivision
or development;
5. A detailed description and statement of the activity to be undertaken;
6. A sketch shall be provided showing the location of the tree(s) to be removed
with a DBH of ten (10) inches or greater and replacement trees that satisfy
Section 22-31. The sketch plan shall also identify all landmark trees within the
limits of Activity; and
7. A tree removal permit application fee in the amount established by the City
Commission.
C. Review Standards.
A tree removal permit shall be granted when application and tree replacement
requirements specified herein are satisfied based upon one or more of the following
circumstances:
1. Where the location of an existing tree provides no other practical alternative
but to place a structure outside the permitted building setbacks.
2. Where no other practical alternative exists for the placement of a building,
building addition, structure, driveway, deck, patio, recreation facility or lawn
area for use by the inhabitants of the building or dwelling, or any other
authorized improvements, but in the vicinity of an existing tree.
3. Where the location or growth of a tree inhibits the enjoyment of any outdoor
pool, patio, recreation facility or deck.

4. Where the location, angle or growth of an existing tree makes it a hazard to
structures or human life.
5. Where the selective removal of trees will result in a healthier and more
sustainable woodland environment without adversely impacting the character
of the surrounding area.
D. Reviewing Body.
The building official shall be the reviewing body for Existing Lots (Excluding subdivisions
of three or more lots.)
E. Planning Commission Review.
If, in the opinion of the building official, the request for tree removal does not satisfy the
above criteria, then the application may be forwarded to the Planning Commission for
review and decision.
F. Appeals.
If, in the opinion of the Planning Commission, the request for tree removal does not
satisfy the above criteria, then within 30 days from the Planning Commission’s decision,
an applicant may appeal in writing to the Zoning Board of Appeals (or City Commission)
for review and decision.

Sec. 22-26. Terms of Permit
A. Any and all tree removal permits issued by the City to a developer shall expire (unless
extended) at the same time as the contemporaneous approval granted by the City, for
the development, if any (i.e. tentative preliminary plat, preliminary site plan, special
land use, site plan approval, etc.).
B. Any and all tree removal permits issued by the City to any persons for an activity
regulated under this Section for which a contemporaneous approval of the development
is not required by the City (i.e. removal of trees by a builder in connection with
construction of a residence upon a parcel) shall expire one (1) year from the date of
issuance.
C. Any activity regulated under this Section which is to be commenced after expiration of a
tree removal permit shall require a new applicant, additional fees and new review and
approval.

Sec. 22-27. Display of Permit

The permit holder shall conspicuously display the tree removal permit on-site. The permit shall
be displayed continuously while trees are being removed or while activities authorized under
the permit are performed and for ten (10) days following completion of those activities. The
permit holder shall allow the City to enter and inspect the premises during reasonable business
hours or any other time during which activity is conducted as regulated by this ordinance.
Failure to allow an inspection authorized under this Section is a violation of this Sections 22-24
or 22-25 above. Fences and tree protection devices shall be maintained during all development
and construction activities and construction materials, supplies and equipment shall be kept
outside of the protection area.

Sec. 22-28. Enforcement and Administration

To ensure enforcement of this Section and the approved plan for tree removal, various
inspections will be performed at the site at the direction of the City. The applicant will be
responsible for all inspection fees in accordance. The City shall have the authority to promulgate additional regulations to implement the terms of this Section.

Sec. 22-29. Violations

A violation of this Article shall be treated as a violation of the Zoning Ordinance and shall be

subject to the same penalty provisions as violations of the Zoning Ordinance.

Sec. 22-30. Variance

Applicants may seek variances from the provisions of this Ordinance by fining a written request

with the Zoning Board of Appeal (or City Commission) which variances may be granted by the

Zoning Board of Appeal (or City Commission) upon a showing of practical difficulty.

Sec. 22-31. Relocation and Replacement

A. Replacement ratio. The permit holder shall provide a number of replacement trees for

each regulated or landmark tree to be removed in accordance with the following

schedule based on the location of the tree to be removed. When the number of

replacement trees results in a fraction, any fraction up to one-half shall be disregarded,

and any fraction over and including one-half shall require one replacement tree. The

minimum size for replacement trees is 8 feet in height for coniferous trees and 2.5

inches in caliper for deciduous trees.

B. Minimum requirements. All replacements trees shall satisfy current American standards

for nursery stock and shall be as follows:

1. Nursery grown or comparable, relocate from the same parcel.

2. Tree spade transplanted while in the dormant state or if not in the dormant

state, balled and burlapped with a solid, well laced root ball when in the

dormant state.

3. Number one (1) grade, with a straight, unsecured trunk and a well-developed
uniform crown.
4. Guaranteed for one (1) year from the time of planting.
5. Approved through inspection by the City.
6. Of a species included on the list of acceptable replacement trees on file with
the City.
7. The applicant and any person who applies for a building permit in connection
with the proposed activity shall be responsible for planting replacement trees
as required by this Section.
8. For existing lots ten acres or larger in area, replacement trees shall be planted
within three years or prior to a change in use, whichever occurs first.
C. Location. The location of any replacement tree shall be on the same parcel as the
removed tree whenever feasible, as determined by the reviewing body. If the tree
replacement on the same parcel is not feasible the reviewing body may:
1. Designate another planting location for the replacement tree within the City.
2. Allow the permit holder to deposit into the City General Fund, Tree
Preservation Line, an amount determined to be acceptable by the City for tree
replacement that would otherwise be required. These funds shall be utilized
for the planting, maintenance and preservation of trees and woodland areas
within the City.
D. Maintenance. Replacement trees shall be staked, fertilized, watered and mulched to
ensure their survival in a healthy, growing condition.
E. Property Owners are responsible to take all measures necessary to ensure the health
and vitality of replacement trees.
F. Performance guarantees. The applicant shall post an acceptable form of an irrevocable
letter of credit, cash escrow, certified check, or other city-approved performance
security. The performance guarantee shall be an amount determined by the building
official, equal to one and one-half (1-1/2) times the amount required for the require
replacement trees according to the approved landscape plan, together with reasonable
administrative expenses. Required performance guarantees shall be provided to the
city after approval of the proposed tree removal permit but prior to the initiation of any
tree removal.
After determination by the building official that all replacement trees are in compliance
with the approved landscape plan, the letter of credit or other securities shall be released.

Revised 16 page Tree Ordinance to go before Planning Commission on Tuesday Jan 10th.

2012-01-07T08:46:00.001-05:00

The complete text of of the Ordinance is available on the City's website where it is called a "woodlands ordinance."The official title of ordinance being considered at the Tuesday January 10th 2012 meeting which starts a t 4pm is however

An ordinance to amend Chapter 22, Vegetation, Article II, Tree Regulations of the Bloomfield City Code.

To read a complete copy of the ordinance's latest and perhaps final draft click on the above in red.

Very simply this ordinance will regulate and control what you may do with the trees on your property.

If you have no problem with that you may stop reading right now and go on to other things.

If you have questions about this ordinance you may be begin by reading it. If passed it will be come the law and you best find out what it says before being told you can't do what you want t or that you are in violation. For that reason we have provided a Cliff Notes, Facts in Five, Version of the Tree Ordinance (called exactly that) in a subsequent post.

If you would like to speak for or against this ordinance you will have the opportunity to do so at the public hearing to be held at Tuesday's Planning Commission meeting. For your information at that last Planning Commission Public Hearing to discuss an ordinance relating to the placement of fences and gates no residents showed up and the hearing was cancelled. At the last meeting of the Planning Commission meeting five or so residents and the entire commission with two notable exceptions (Kauper and Monaghan who asked intelligent questions) voiced enthusiastic approval. A worst case scenario was often provided as a reason as to why the this ordinance is necessary. At the December Planning Commission meeting as at the January meeting the only topic is the tree ordinance. We have included included a portion the December minutes so you get a feel for what people were saying.

What happens Next ? The Planning Commission's may accept the ordinance as is (most likely), request more revisions (next most likely) or reject the proposed ordinance (not at all likely). If the ordinance is accepted it would be sent to the City Commission where there would be another public hearing. Mayor Zambricki said this would not happen until February, which means the ordinance couldn't be implemented till then. It is also theoretically possible that if no residents chose to attend the public hearing (even money on that one) the Planning Commission could pass the ordinance and the City Commiseration after breezing through a not so crowded agenda and having no residents in attendance (the norm) could decide approve it on the 10th.

City of Bloomfield Hills New Home for Sierra Club General Membership Meetings.

2012-01-05T13:27:00.002-05:00

General Membership meetings are open to the public and free of charge. You may attend as many as you like with no obligation. They are will be held on the Thursday of the month and will not conflict with school board meetings which are usually scheduled on Thursdays later in the month.The location is the Birmingham Unitarian Club at 38651 Woodward Avenue just North of Lone Pine. According to the map provided the Church parking lot can be accessed from both Lone Pine and Woodward.
Of note to City Residents with small pets is "The Controversial Coyote" presentation on March 1st at 7pm. You are invited to come as early as 6:30 for light refreshments and a chance to meet your neighbors.
The Sierra Club is about enjoying the earth's natural features as well as preserving them. They have many trips nationally (Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia) and internationally to likes of Outer Mongolia (we are not kidding). In the local area they have many weekend hiking, or birding, or bicycling outings. All have a $1.00 fee unless otherwise noted like the 3/11 Hike and Explore the Zoo which also has an admission fee. The 5/20 Seven Lakes State Park 6 mile Hike is $1.00 and may include an optional restaurant stop This outing group will meet behind the CVS Pharmacy at Square Lake and Woodward. The outing descriptions provided in The Activist published by the Southeast Michigan Group of the Sierra Club (SEMG) tells how arduous the of an activity is planned and what you should bring. The Zoo and Seven Lakes State Park are but two of literally dozens of outings planned. For an online copy of the Activist and more information about outings, changes and updates click on Sierra Club . For membership information including a limited time, available only on line, $15 introductory annual membership offer: which and includes a free back pack (limited time only);a one year subscription to Sierra, the organization's full color glossy magazine; membership in your local chapter(SEMG); members only outdoor adventures, and discounts on club merchandise click on Sierra Club Membership The $15 introductory membership price is more than half the normal $39 annual membership.

2011 Short List For Person of the Year.

2011-12-31T23:56:00.001-05:00

What would Robert Glass Bloomfield Hills School Superintendent. say about Doug Koschik ? He might say that Koschik is man who excels at doing what he does best. So does Robert Glass who came to a school district divided and healed it to the point where people managed to get along without going for the jugular. At least for now. Glass is a master showman. If you are an educator it comes with the territory but the ability of Robert Glass go far beyond he classroom. By clever positioning which more or less said "If I don't acknowledge you, you not there"himself he helped deflate the recall campaign. Fielding Nair cost $800,000 but it played to packed house. Then there was the scene stealer Plan B which has already spun a humorous sequel Son of Plan B subtitled Trailers Up and Down Long Lake. Regardless One School (not two) on one campus or two became the reality most people could live with. This month the the superintendent and the school board will be at seven town hall meetings gathering information and the resident's opinions of what they want and what should be put on the ballot. His biggest challenge in 2012? Talking to people who do not go school board meetings or PTO's.,ave no kids and won't want to spend the dough.

What would Mayor of Bloomfield Hills Michael Zambricki say about Robert Glass ? He might says that Glass is a man inspired and driven. The same could be said about the Mayor. When you've been Mayor five times and on City Commission since 1989 what do you do for an encore ? Micheal Zambricki has never lost a city election. If he gets re-elected in 2013 he will pass the quarter century mark. A Politician you say ? Hardly. This year he has raised hackles without much notice of the vox populi. by asking questions the sacred cows weren't keen on answering. He poked and prodded the beloved City Manger into acute awareness which caught a DTE over charge and prompted an $85,000 refund to the City from DTE. Zambricki also took on the most sacred of all the cows Public Safety. Questions about new hires, overtime, and disability costs rained down and tempers flared. The City is solvent and even in the black but with diminished tax revenues it isn't easy. Zambricki manages quite well but now it gets tougher. He and the Ordinance Task Force are about unveil a long and involved and some say controversial city tree ordinance, Politically it is not advisable. Zambricki doesn't care He is proceeding because he believes it is the right thing to do and it's next the agenda.His biggest challenge in 2012 ? The Tree Ordinance.

What would City Commissioner Pat Hardy say about Mayor Zambricki ? She might say he is a legend in the City of Bloomfield Hills. So is she. Hardy was first elected to City Commission in 2003 and has been elected ever since.You will always find her in the Society pages (called Social-Lights) in the back or Downtown Birmingham Bloomfield Magazine. Her accomplishments this year are many. By a tradition of rotating the position of Mayor among sitting city commissioners based on seniority she was supposed to be Mayor this year. The Commission dec instead elected Michael Zambricki. The City Charter, essentially the laws of how the city is governed, requires an election. The rotation was something the City Commission decided to on it's own with no basis in law a number of years ago.It further marginalized the rights of the people. While disappointed Hardy, a master politician who knows how the game is played remained a team player on the commission. She was on the committee that negotiated with Baldwin and is now the city's library liaison. Once again she is the chair person for Preservation Bloomfield. Her biggest challenge in 2012. Letting go of the past (specifically the City Commissions of 2007-2009.) If she can do that she will be a big part of the City's future.

The Andover and Lahser Football teams. What would they say about Pat Hardy? If they knew her they would say she is a lady who does things for the City. Lahser and Andover do a lot too. Lahser started the season by remembering Mom and wound up by making the State Play-offs. Quite a turn around for a team that won but one game the year prior. For the Knight Football the team work continues. This Christmas Players raised $600 for needy family and contrinuted to nine familes in Eastpointe via a food drive. Lahser Coach Loria told the Birmingham Eagle, "I have always believed there is a responsibility to give back and I think the guys embraced that." Andover struggled all season with a shortage of players. Their play on the field was an inspiration to all who saw it. Their last offensive play was a dramatic score from midfield on on third and long . There is an old saying in sports played in a finite period of time. It is "we didn't lose. Time ran out on us." Luckily for our community Time did not run out on the Andover Barons Football. All indications are that they will back for 2012 after a community wide effort of all concerned to find players. As usual the big challenge in 2012 will be the last game for either school, the Battle for the Sword before both schools become the new Bloomfield Hills High School.

If you have read this far you are in for a pleasant surprise. You are on our 2011 Short List for Person of the Year. You say you don't Live in the City of Bloomfield Hills ? People weren't picked based on geographic location of residence. They were picked for their contribution to the City. What do we know about you ? A lot thanks to Google, guess, and by golly. Google tells us that since our blog began on June 1st of 2011, we have a 1395 visitors who chose to look at 5,356 pages. At any given time 75% percent of our readers are returning and 25% are new. 1338 of our visitors are from the United States.1042 of our readers are from the communities of Birmingham, Franklin, Bloomfield Hills and Keego Harbor.The average visitor spends 11.45 minutes on the site. People from the four above communities averaged 15 minutes. We guess that in trying to measure communities as small as ours from a global perspective there is some overlap or margin of error. Apparently we have no readers from Bloomfield Township and we wonder if Franklin and Keego Harbor might be them since we have never reported on the latter communities.While we are flattered by the many Birmingham readers are reported, aside from the library we don't cover many the aspects of that city like City Commision , The Schools, Shopping, Dining and more.We don't even know where or what the railroad district or the triangle district is. Does it matter ? Of course not. Sometimes we are chastised by the realization that the City of Bloomfield Blog which purports to take a cosmopolitan and global view of everything frets over the signs of city limits. More than likely if you are reading this you read other things as well. You think about things you read and may share those thoughts with others. Your interest in community affairs civic or otherwise is lauditory regardless of where you live or what community you choose to read about. Do not underestimate your contribution. To quote Edmund Burke, No one could make a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little. You do a lot. Therefore we pleased to include all 1395 of you in our short (now much longer) list of Persons of the year. Thank you for your support in 2011 and best wishes in 2012.

A little boy once asked President Kennedy how he became a war hero. "It was absolutely involuntary." The President replied."They sank my boat." City of Bloomfield Hills Blog 2011 Person of the Year.

2011-12-31T19:20:00.001-05:00

Baldwin Library Director Doug Koschik

2011 Person of the Year

Our Person of the Year is Doug Koschik, the Director of the Baldwin Library. Of all the possible candidates we could have picked, he is the one who in our opinion had the greatest impact on our city and the surrounding communities. What he accomplished, was accomplished in a position he held for less than a year. In 2011 he took on the added responsibility of negotiating a library contract with the City of Bloomfield Hills. That would involve going beyond Birmingham and Baldwin to The City of Bloomfield Hills and when things blew up to Bloomfield Township on behalf of Baldwin contract communities Beverly Hills and Bingham Farms.Totally devoid of acrimony Koschik waited for six months until the City of Bloomfield Hills passed judgement on the path this man had taken, and by the slimmest of margins (37 affirmative votes) allowed him to carry on even more audacious plans.Since that fateful election day, to start a dialogue, he has presented dramatic plans for a new and improved Baldwin library. He and the Baldwin Library have also already promised to cooperate fully with all schools, public or private serving City of Bloomfield Hills students. Whether the schools will cooperate with Baldwin to enhance the education of City of Bloomfield Students remains to be seen. In the past City of Bloomfield Hills students suffered as the Bloomfield School District simply routed assignments through the Township Library which City students could not use. The Baldwin Library was the first to speak on their behalf. (See December 30 post Baldwin Library to Cooperate Fully With All Schools Serving City of Bloomfield Hills Students.)

Most of what Baldwin Library Director Doug Koschik overcame or accomplished in the last year is available in writing via meeting minutes in various communities. We want you the reader to know the whole story. We are compiling all the minute meetings and providing commentary which we will publish in the next couple of days. It is rather lengthy but we feel it is a story we should tell and you should read. If reading it now does not suit your busy schedule save it for later. At least there will be a record of it. One advantage of a blog is that we are not limited by space.

Congratulations to Mr. Doug Koschik, an unwitting and involuntary Hero/Role model and the City Of Bloomfield Hills Blog 2011 Person of the Year.

Baldwin Library to Cooperate Fully With All Schools Serving City of Bloomfield Hills Students.

2011-12-30T01:32:00.001-05:00

In a prepared statement sent to City Manager Jay Cravens for inclusion in the January issue of the City Newsletter, Hills Highlights, Baldwin Library Director Doug Koschik wrote the following:

As a result of its new contract with the City of Bloomfield Hills, the Baldwin Public Library will be cooperating fully with all schools serving the students of Bloomfield Hills. This includes the Birmingham Public Schools, the Bloomfield Hills (Public) Schools, and all private schools.

The Baldwin Library already has a longstanding and close relationship with the Birmingham Public Schools, and carefully coordinates its programming and collections with them. In early 2012, Baldwin will reach out to the Bloomfield Hills Schools and private schools located in the Hills, and intends to establish a close and fruitful relationship with those as well..

So remember: Every student living in the City has full privileges at Baldwin. These include unlimited checkouts of print and audiovisual materials; the ability to place holds on items; interlibrary loan of materials not available at Baldwin; full use of the Library’s e-books, downloadable audio books, and subscription databases; and participation in all programs, including the summer reading program.

And if you are homeschooling your children, be sure to take advantage of Baldwin’s materials and programs. You might be especially interested in the Parent and Teacher Resource collections in our Youth Room.

The telephone number of the Library’s Youth Services Department is 248-554-4670. The Adult Services Department, which helps students in middle and high school, can be reached at 248-554-4650. Feel free to call and seek the advice of our friendly and knowledgeable librarians!

In the past,when the City had no formal relationship with a public library, students in the City of Bloomfield Hills we unable to use the Township Library where the Bloomfield Hills Schools routinely sent Homework assignments. The willingness of Baldwin to cooperate with all schools serving our students both public and private could make a dramatic difference in the ease of learning.

It is also not the first time the Baldwin Library has been ahead the curve in developing ways to serve the City of Bloomfield Hills. Our City commission was considering the above but had not gone beyond the exploratory steps. The Bloomfield Hills School Board in 2012 will be seeking support of a $65 million dollar Bond issue from City residents.They had been told by this author that assistance in something as mundane as the routing of homework assignments might prove valuable to the support of the bonds issue. As a body however this did not seem to register.

Hopefully the Baldwin outreach to begin in 2012, based on the success they have had with Birmingham Schools,and perhaps with the aid of our Library liaison , Commissioner Pat Hardy will produce results in the new year.

End Of 20/20 Recall Campaign.2012 Bond Issue Election Numbers to Think About.

2011-12-30T00:24:00.000-05:00

The following E-Mail was sent to us by Chris Fellin one of the Bloomfield 20/20 leaders with instructions that it could be shared so we will share it.

Bloomfield Hills School Board Recall Update

Dear concerned district residents and families,

Led by Bloomfield 20/20, volunteers collected thousands of signatures over a 120-day window, but not enough as required within a 90-day window. Signed petitions continue to come in. Petition volunteers learned a lot of people were surprised the combined high school plan was still alive. They thought the proposal had been rejected in November 2010. Petition signers told volunteers they are angry with the board obsession for combining high schools and are committed to reject any high school merger bond proposal.

Petition signers were grateful we took the bold step to initiate a recall effort and expressed thanks to volunteers who hit the streets with petitions. This grass roots team was remarkably successful despite aggressive tactics deployed by board supporters.

I implore you to pay close attention to what the board is saying and what they aren't saying. Their information/propaganda blitz has already begun and behind the scenes the architectural and construction management firms they have hired will support this bond campaign as well. These firms have a lot of money riding on bond passage. I will continue to work tirelessly to provide you with facts, and continue to ask questions of the board and press for answers.

Finally, I encourage you to be prepared to vote against this bond proposal in a likely "stealth" May or August election. A November election ensures the highest turnout and delivers the only valid voice of district residents on such an important issue as a bond proposal.

Thank you for your interest and participation. Please feel free to forward this to your family, friends and neighbors.

Sincerely,

Chris (Fellin)

The part about the Recall reads like a concession speech which it is . Recalling the entire board was audacious and seemingly miscalculated. Not to have recalled a single board member is major defeat. In politics nothing need be irreparably fatal however. There are many voters through out the district who do not have children in the school system, don't know anything about Fielding Nair or a new high school and thought all that was resolved in 2010. 20/20 knows who they are. The School Board/Bloomfield One United people will just be finding out that the vast majority of district voters are not like the people who attend school board meetings or even Town Halls. The days of preaching to the choir are over.

Do pay close attention to what everyone on both sides are saying and not saying. Remember the old poker adage. If you are in the game for 20 minutes and don't know who the patsy is, your the patsy.

A November election insures the highest turnout but it is not necessarily a "valid voice." People in November are there to vote for the President of The United States. That and other important state and national issues will mean the high school issue will be of secondary importance and have little chance of being heard. A November election is likely to insure a No vote. When in doubt or confused or fatigued by a lengthy ballot it's easier to say no a $65 million dollar request than "yes".
In August if there are primaries going on the same confusion occurs but on a smaller scale.
May is the best alternative that focuses directly on the issue of a new a high school. The turn out will be smaller and favor the group that is best able to rally its supporters and get them to the polls That used to be 20/20. Maybe it still is.

How many petition signatures to you think 20/20 has ? To recall a single school board member 5000 or so were needed or 35,000 for the entire board. They didn't get that and we surmise they may not have got enough to recall one or two. Do you think they got 2,000 signatures per board member ? Maybe 3,000 ?
Maybe somewhere in between. say 14,000 to 18,000. Signatures don't cost money but they do provide a name and address. In The Bloomfield Hills School District 45,000 live in Bloomfield Township. 4,000 live in Bloomfield Hills.Maybe there are 10,000 elsewhere in West Bloomfield, Pontiac and Auburn Hills.That's 60,000 thousand. What will the turn out be in a one issue May Ballot ? In November it would be 60%. In May 40% would be very good. That's 24,000 voters. How many signatures did we decide 20/20 had 14,000 to 18,000 ? That's enough to win.

2011 In City of Bloomfield Hills, The Year of Doer.

2011-12-29T07:52:00.000-05:00

In 2011 Time Magazine's person of the year was The Protester, From the Arab Spring to the Athens, From Occupy Wall Street to Moscow.....Demonstrations Have Regained the Power to Make History.

Once I thought I thought so but I was much younger then and I had the benefit of living in a relatively free society. The Nixon Administration may have it's repressive aspects but it was no match for a free press. In many parts of the world the idea of the free press is a dream pursued with a great deal of risk. In 2011 in the City of Bloomfield Hills there were more one than one who criticized the users of such freedoms when their viewpoints did not coincide.

Then for as many gone by years as the Nixon administration was ago I did nothing except the job which paid bills. I do however recall on occasion lifting my feet when the wife came by with the vacuum. Doing nothing as it so happens is doing something. Edmund Burke and Father Niemoller told us so with famous quotations. Curiously lesser know quotations by both individual seem more immediately pertinent to our city.

Burke: No one could make a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little.

Neimoller: Whoever wants peace, must learn to live together with their opponents.

Somewhere along the line I roused myself enough to write the words you read. Why exactly I don't know. Maybe it was my dead parents talking to me from beyond the grave. I think a lot like they did, now. Maybe it is what you arrive at by process of elimination when you get tired of wishing things might be different.

At any rate I was so unfamiliar with the verb "Do" that "Doer" in which the suffix "er" makes it the verb a noun looked peculiar on the printed page. Is one who does really a doer or am I just misspelling the scotch whiskey that often turns up on holiday "open bars" . So I looked it up.

In 2011 The City of Bloomfield Hills was changed for better or worse by people who did things. Much was accomplished and much more was planned.

The Position of Mayor is now to be elected by the City Commission rather than rotated among the sitting commissioners was arrived at but not without pain. The City Charter calls for such an election but for a suggested period of 30 years the City Commission chose to ignore the charter at the expense of the people.
A Library, the community chose to contract and partner with as opposed to simply refunding individuals who purchased cards became a reality.Now plans for a revamped and improved version of that Library have appeared in this publication and are being considered.

The Bloomfield Hills School Board wants build a $65 million dollar high school to replace two that either are or are not falling apart. A citizens group opposing this request wanted to and reportedly still is planning to impeach the entire school board. The football teams of both high schools who's replacement is suggested gained fame in different ways. One made the state play-offs. The other lost all it's games but be came the talk of the town.
While the school issue and the library threatened the City's splendid sense of isolation by at the very least suggesting some sort of involvement with Birmingham and or Township there was also the realization that it might not be all that bad. In fact at a City Commission meeting when the City Manager revealed that the County (Oakland) had been taking down on Country roads (Woodward and Long Lake) the City's beloved black and gold signs and replacing them with green ones the sense of outrage lasted only minutes before it was suggested ," moving on to more important matters."
On November 11th 2011 the Cranbrook Art Museum, after a two year remodel threw an 11 day gala grand re-opening that restored the City's place in the world. Manhattan has MoMA, the Guggenheim, the Frick,and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Paris Has the Louvre. Madrid the Prado. Florence has The Uffizi. St. Petersburg has The Hermitage and the City of Bloomfield Hills has The Cranborok Art Museum. Need we say more ?
On a similar note of civic pride bursting at the seams, New York, New York in it's heyday had seven daily newspapers to serve 7 million people. With the addition of two new electronic publications The City of Bloomfield Hills has five publications (three newsprint, two electronic) which claim to report it's affairs to a population of 3800. All of the five have an internet component which can be updated or published daily. All include the word "Bloomfield" in their published name. Two add the word "Hills" and one has the expressed written intent of writing exclusively about the city or when it is necessary to deviate from that roll to do in a manner reflecting the interest, spirit, and charms of City of Bloomfield Hills.

Conveniently enough the last of the above is the one you are now reading. This week we promise a thorough review of all of the above and more. You will meet the doers and some who did not. You will know what was done in 2011 and you will know what needs to be done or not done in 2012. If you are a new reader or an occasional reader you may be shocked at what is already on the drawing board for 2012

On New Years Eve we will pick our Person the Year. This year many things were accomplished and planned by doers.One of whom we believe stands above the rest. It is a person regardless of residence who in our opinion had the most impact on the City. This not an award. There is no plaque or banquet and the person we pick will not be notified in advance. That person will find out just like you by visiting our blog on the Oakland Press online blog page or by going to cityofbloomfieldhill.blogspot.com. It is not a selection we will necessarily make every year, but in 2011 the year of the doer we will.