Berkley eNews - November 2016
City of Berkley, Michigan sent this bulletin at 10/31/2016 04:39 PM EDT
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City Clerk's Office Important information regarding the upcoming November election: Presidential General Election Absentee Ballot Request Information Deadline to Request an Absentee Ballot to be Sent by Mail Deadline to Request an Absentee Ballot in Person *Absentee Ballot Applications are available by clicking here. PLEASE NOTE: The City Clerk's Office will be open from 9AM - 2PM on Saturday, November 5, 2016 for election business only. Voter Precincts
Anyone interested in becoming an election worker may find out more information by visiting the Clerk’s Office or by clicking here. Connect with the City Berkley Online Upcoming City Council Meetings
Upcoming Planning Commission Meetings
Upcoming Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) Meetings
City Council Meetings begin at 7 PM. Planning Commission meetings and ZBA Meetings begin at 7:30 PM. City Council, Planning Commission and ZBA meetings are held at the Berkley City Hall. You can watch the meetings live on the city's website or on cable.(WOW-ch. 10, Xfinity-Ch. 17). A taped version of the Council and Planning meetings are available on the City's YouTube channel 3-4 days after the meeting. *ZBA meetings are not televised or recorded* Hours of Operation City Hall offices are open M-F from 8:30 AM to 5 PM; closed from 1-2 PM The Department of Public Works office is open M-F from 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM ALL city offices will be closed on:
in observance of Veterans Day and the Thanksgiving holiday.
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Message From the Mayor November begins with a worldwide tradition that goes back to the 7th century; it is the celebration of All Saints Day, a day to honor exemplary people who are said to have lived saintly lives. We might describe them as good role models, and all of us have known plenty of them: family members, neighbors, and mentors. On November 1st, we remember them with gratitude and seek to emulate their admirable qualities in our own lives. We “fall back” an hour on Nov 6th as Daylight Saving Time ends. That extra hour of sleep may be useful preparation for Election Day on Tuesday, November 8th. Every eligible voter is encouraged to cast a ballot and help end this turbulent and troublesome election campaign. November 11th is Veterans Day when we honor all those who served our country. Take a moment to say “thank you” to a veteran you know. Their families also make great sacrifices and deserve our gratitude and respect. The State of the City presentation was given at Farina’s on Friday, October 28th. It was sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce and was attended by residents, the business community, school district leaders, and elected officials. It was a great honor to share our progress over the past year, and our vision for the years ahead. The speech will be shown on the city’s government access channel, WBRK. Essentially, our report depicted a city that is thriving and continuing to accumulate national and statewide accolades. Realtor.com just reported that the “Berkley housing market is the 13th hottest” in the nation. People are investing heavily in Berkley. New homes built, in addition to home improvement projects in the last year, account for approximately $15.6 million of investment dollars. The most reliable measure of a city’s financial stability is its bond rating. Our bond rating affirms our financial stability and according to the Fitch rating house in New York we continue to have an “AA Stable” bond rating. While our books are balanced, it is often accomplished at the expense of deferred maintenance. This is the story of most cities in our state. As a member of the board of directors of the Michigan Association of Mayors, I have had the opportunity to develop a statewide perspective. According to the Michigan Municipal League, the State of Michigan revenues are up 29% yet revenue from the State to Local Government has declined by 56%. Michigan is the only state in the Union to continuously cut funding for cities. Since 2002, $7.5 billion has been diverted from municipalities and redirected to balance the state budget. In other words, they pass the financial shortfall to local communities. Over five million dollars has been diverted from the city of Berkley in the last 10 years, averaging about $550,000 per year. Our ability to create strong communities across this state is at risk, and we must begin to change the system to properly fund what matters most: local services. We are on the front line on almost every issue our residents care about: public safety, emergency services, local roads, water and sewer services, snow removal, parks and recreation -- the list goes on. At the state level, we need a new way forward. The present path is unsustainable and it is time to tell our state leaders and representatives that their system is destructive to the cities, villages, and townships of Michigan. Being ranked absolute last among the 50 states should be enough to embarrass Lansing leaders. Local communities are left to issue bonds or raise millage rates to avoid reducing services. On a more productive and optimistic note, we gratefully welcome Ms. Sabrina Lilla as our new Finance Director. She replaces David Sabuda who recently retired from our city. Ms. Lilla brings a wealth of experience to the important task of carefully managing our taxpayer’s money. After 42 years of continuous operation, the ice arena has experienced a serious equipment failure. Arena staff and professional contractors are diligently working to identify the source of the failure. In the coming weeks, viable options will be explored. Meanwhile, this situation creates a great difficulty for our High School hockey teams, our recreation teams, and others who use our ice. Finally, Thanksgiving Day is Thursday, November 24th. Despite the Ice Arena problem and the ongoing state budget games, we have much to be thankful for this year. Meaningful ways to express our thanks are to remember those who depend on food assistance, experience difficult health challenges or are trapped somehow in the brambles and briars of life. Helping them, in turn, enriches our Thanksgiving experience. May I extend to all our residents and visitors a Happy Thanksgiving.
Public Works Garbage and recycling pick-up scheduled for Friday, November 25 will be delayed until Saturday, November 26 as a result of the Thanksgiving holiday.
Free yard waste pickup continues through November 30th. During this time, leaves and yard debris may be raked to the curb or placed in yard waste bags at
 no charge to the residents. Yard waste bags (50 lbs. limit) will be collected on garbage days and the street debris will be removed by DPW staff on a rotational basis, depending on workload. Residents along Greenfield Rd. and 11 Mile Rd. may only rake leaves and yard debris to the curb for pickup on Tuesday, November 15 and Thursday, December 1.90 gallon trash toters (cans) can be purchased from the DPW for $60 each. These are wheeled cans with attached lids that are dumped mechanically by City refuse hauler. Any homeowners leaving the City during the winter months are encouraged to contact the DPW to temporarily change the mailing address for utility bills and shut off the water service at the curb to limit the possibility of pipes freezing.
Snow plowing season is almost here! We urge residents
 and businesses to follow the guidelines below:
Any questions on the above, please call the Berkley DPW at 248-658-3490.
We encourage all residents to sign up for Berkley email updates. In addition to receiving the monthly city newsletter, residents will be sent alerts related to water main breaks, road construction and snow removal. Homeowners can sign up online by clicking here. Building/Planning
Code Enforcement
 Robina Plaza Project Robina Plaza, a temporary destination for community engagement, will be in place until November 18. Reminder: Your favorite Robina shops in the plaza area, Reforming  Foundations, the Recipe Kit Warehouse, Berkley Shoe Repair, Magic Alterations or Have You Any Wool, remain open during their regular business hours. Free parking is available on 12 Mile road and behind the Robina shops. Parking lots are accessible from Wakefield and Griffith Street, on the north and south side of Twelve Mile Road.For a list of scheduled events taking place during the temporary closure, click here.
Robina Plaza is a great venue  for family friendly group events or informal gatherings. To reserve the space, contact the Parks & Recreation Department (248) 658-3472 or email Amanda Slusarski at aslusarski@berkleymich.net. The last day for plaza events is November 18, 2016.
For more information on the Robina Project, including updates and conceptual drawings, click here.
Comments and suggestions on the Robina Plaza Project are welcomed by email sent to robinaplaza@berkleymich.net Berkley Historical MuseumThe November 2016 election contains a ballot proposal concerning a new mass transit system for this area. The picture on the right, taken in 1902, displays the corner of Woodward an It is not easy to see the tracks for both the train and transit system that existed during that time, however, the shed served as a waiting location for those riding on the northbound Detroit United Railway. The system ran from downtown Detroit to downtown Pontiac. *If you have not already, make sure to check out the Historical Museum's new sign along Coolidge Hwy.!* The Berkley Historical Museum is located in Berkley's old Fire Hall at 3338 Cooldige Hwy. The Museum is open on Wednesdays from 10 AM - 1 PM and on Sundays from 2 PM - 4 PM. |
Library
Adults Tbone Paxton w/ the RJ Spangler Trio Cocktails & Coloring at Amici’s Origami Club at Berkley Library Afternoon Book Club Berkley Rock Hounds Youth Family Craft Night Family Movie: Finding Dory Family Game Night Lapsit Storytime Preschool Storytime Parent-Toddler Storytime Library Hours:
For more information, call 248-658-3440, visit our website here. or find us on Facebook at by clicking here.
Parks and Recreation
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d 12 Mile Rd. The farmhouse on the left later became Cotter's Tavern. 
The library will be closed on Friday, November 11 in observance of Veterans Day and Thursday, November 24 through Saturday, November 26 in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday.