In the News

The National Trust for Historic Preservation announced today that Rochester, Mich., was chosen as a 2013 Great American Main Street Awards^® (GAMSA) winner. Recognized as a leader in implementing the Main Street Four-Point Approach^®, embracing sound historic preservation practices and building strategic partnerships, the Rochester Downtown Development Authority (DDA) was honored today at the annual National Main Streets Conference in New Orleans.

The National Main Street Center’s annual GAMSA awards recognize exceptional accomplishments in revitalizing the nation’s historic Main Street commercial districts. The Rochester DDA has succeeded in transforming a mill town that had fallen on hard times into a thriving suburb of Detroit built around a strong sense of place and community. A robust mix of public events, creative use of social media and a broad spectrum of volunteer involvement has attracted a loyal following to downtown Rochester. The DDA’s Big Bright Light Show, for example draws 1 million visitors each holiday season to enjoy 1.5 million lights—lighting up merchants’ cash registers in the process.

“The Rochester DDA is a true innovator in marketing and small business assistance, and has the vibrant downtown to prove it,” says Valecia Crisafulli, acting director of National Main Street Center. “At a time when many municipalities are losing population, Rochester has experienced a 20 percent increase in population. With a 4 percent vacancy rate downtown and 132 new businesses since adopting the Main Street Approach, the DDA can take great pride in creating an inviting place for people to live, shop and open businesses.”

The other two 2013 winners are H Street Main Street in Washington, D.C., and Ocean Springs Main Street in Ocean Springs, Miss. Winners were selected by a national jury composed of former award winners, community development professionals, and governmental agency representatives who are active in community economic development and historic preservation. Criteria for winning include: active involvement of the public and private sectors; broad-based community support for the revitalization effort; innovative solutions to significant problems and commitment to historic preservation.

To learn about previous GAMSA winners, visit http://www.preservationnation.org/main-street/awards/gamsa/.

The Main Street Four-Point Approach^® is a proven methodology for historic preservation-based economic development. It was developed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation more than 30 years ago and has been implemented by more than 2,000 communities throughout the U.S.

Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson's Budget Task Force has announced that the county will maintain a balanced budget through fiscal year 2017 without having to assign any new budget reduction tasks to county departments.

According to the county's latest budget framework report, there are some positive signs that the market values of homes are stabilizing with fewer foreclosures. The county is on pace to have 3,400 foreclosures in 2013, a 46 percent reduction from the 7,371 in 2012. It also predicts a one percent increase in taxable value this year against the budget.

"Our proven track record as a team of elected officials and committed leaders that focuses on long-range planning coupled with early, remedial action is what allows Oakland County to maintain its AAA bond rating," Patterson said. ”Our AAA bond rating will be a critical factor in the refinancing of a significant debt issue later on this year, an action that will save Oakland County taxpayers tens of millions of dollars over the next decade."

The framework report will be the basis for supporting the county executive's July 1 budget recommendation to the Board of Commissioners for fiscal 2014 through fiscal 2016. In his recommended budget, Patterson is expected to propose a modest, two percent salary increase for fulltime employees. This follows two years of salary reductions totaling four percent followed by two years of freezes at the reduced rates. At the current pace, it will be several more years before county employees return to 2009 salary levels.

"The continuing collaboration between the county-wide elected officials, the Board of Commissioners and our dedicated employees in sharing the economic burden for the betterment of the county is a qualitative asset of immense value in these times," Patterson said.

A priority in the coming fiscal year will be the conversion of the county's Certificates of Participation debt issue, which paid off the county's retiree health care obligation, to lower-interest bonds. The framework report estimates this action will save taxpayers a net of $140 million in overall savings during the 10-year life of the bonds.

The framework report's budget projections are made in an environment of international economic and diplomatic uncertainties, escalating federal debt, and implementation of federal health care, among others. To read the complete framework report, go to the oakgov.com homepage.

Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson and Oakland Schools Superintendent Dr. Vickie L. Markavitch recognized the 173 Oakland County schools that have attained Michigan Green School status for the 2012-2013 school year during a ceremony held on April 24 at Oakland Schools in Waterford.

Now in its sixth successful year in Oakland County, the program challenges schools to initiate energy savings activities and introduce programs to further environmental education. Three levels of green status are recognized depending on the number of activities undertaken by a school.

"The green schools initiative enhances the quality of life in Oakland County through energy savings and makes our county a cleaner, healthier place to live," Patterson said.

The following public school districts have schools which have attained Michigan Green School status: Avondale, Berkley, Birmingham, Bloomfield Hills, Brandon, Clarenceville, Clarkston, Clawson, Farmington, Ferndale, Hazel Park, Holly, Huron Valley, Lake Orion, Lamphere, Novi , Oakland Schools technical campuses, Oak Park, Oxford, Pontiac, Rochester, Royal Oak, South Lyon, Southfield, Troy, Walled Lake, Waterford , and West Bloomfield. In addition, 30 private/other schools achieved green school status.

Thanks to the dedicated effort of the school community, students and their families are learning firsthand the importance of protecting our resources and saving energy. Getting kids involved in learning to be environmentally responsible is an integral part of developing a green and sustainable future.

The Michigan Green Schools program began in 2006 as a grassroots initiative in Livingston County. In Oakland County, the county government and Oakland Schools partner to administer the program. It is open to all public or private, K-12 schools.

For more information on the Michigan Green School program, visit oakland.k12.mi.us, and select "Michigan Green Schools" in the center "Educators" column.

Middle school students in seventh- through ninth-grade seeking a behind-the-curtain look at the nursing profession will find it at Camp RN@OU, hosted by Oakland University's School of Nursing.

Camp RN@OU is designed to introduce future health care professionals to the challenges and benefits of patient care in a clinical setting through job shadowing and simulation labs.

The School of Nursing is now taking applications for the two-week camp, which will be held July 15-26, 2013, on the OU campus. Space is limited. 

"Middle school is the perfect time to engage future nursing professionals," said Kristina Aaron, director of the Camp RN@OU program. "Being captivated by a profession early, students can take the necessary math and science courses during high school to be better prepared for a nursing education." 

Campers will get a taste of the nursing curriculum as they get classroom instruction in nursing forensics, pharmacology, and clinical calculations and nutrition; as well as earn CPR and First Aid certification. Additionally, campers will tour the campus, shadow nurses in a hospital setting and participate in other hands-on and technological activities to learn more about the human body. 

"So much of nursing is done beyond the bedside. We want to give young people a broader understanding of nursing and the variety of areas where nurses can practice," said Kerri Schuiling, dean of the School of Nursing. 

With the impending shortage of nurses and a wider variety of career choices for students, The School of Nursing hopes to get students excited about the nursing profession. Seats fill up quickly as Cam RN only accepts 50 participants.

Qualifications to attend the camp include a 3.0 GPA, letters of recommendation and a personal statement identifying the student's goals for the future. For more information or to register for one of the Camp RN@OU sessions, contact Kristina Aaron at (248) 364-8755 or camprnou@gmail.com, or visit http://www.oakland.edu/RNatOU.

A partnership formed between Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG), a not-for-profit association based in Southfield, and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), will provide incentives for Michigan’s small- and medium-sized automotive companies interested in launching or expanding exports to China.

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The Oakland County International Airport will start offering flights to Chicago's Midway International Airport starting in June through the small passenger airline Lakeshore Express. 

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Tiny tweak, big results. That’s the theme of the May 10^th & 11^th Lake Orion Flower Fair. Changes include moving the event to a Friday & Saturday, securing a date that coincides with Mother’s Day, revamping the layout and selecting vendors based on quality and appropriateness. The 13^th Annual Flower Fair is sure to impress while giving patron the opportunity to find the perfect Mother’s Day gift.  “We are really proud of the work that’s been put into overhauling the DDA’s Flower Fair. Our goal was to make this event a Mother’s Day tradition along with providing great exhibitors and vendors plus a good selection.” said Suzanne Perrault, Director of the Lake Orion DDA.
 
Here’s a rundown of what to expect:
Flower Alley is home to ten well known green houses and boutique nurseries such as Wojo’s and Hens and 2 Chicks.  Flower Alley is located on West Flint St. between Lapeer & Broadway Streets.
 
Arts & Crafts Blvd, new to the Flower Fair, consists of more than twenty five juried artists, crafters and specialty food vendors selling quality handmade goods and gifts. Expect to see everything from repurposed garden décor to painted slate tiles to botanicals soaps to the tastiest fudge. Something for everyone. Located on South Broadway between Flint & Front Streets.
 
Home Improvement Way is where you’ll find plenty of idea starters and the companies who can transform your dreams into reality. With everything from irrigation to brick pavers to windows to landscaping and much more, if you’re in the market for summer home improvement, visit this area of the show located on North Broadway between Flint & Shadbolt Streets.
 
Bizness Showcase, as the name suggests, houses both local and regional businesses and organizations.  They include the Orion Township Public Library, Sprint - Lake Orion, Lake Orion United Methodist Church, who will be handing out carnations to the first 50 Moms, and many others. The Bizness Showcase is located across from the Green Thumb Café on East Flint Street between Broadway & Anderson Streets.
 
Feeling hungry? Green Thumb Café is the answer. With lots of mouth watering options, this pop-up café features French fries, yogurt, sandwiches and goodies from Lake Orion’s Great Harvest Bread Co. and many others. Come hungry.  
 
With all that said, there isn’t a better reason to round up your friends, family (and don’t forget Mom) for a day of shopping at the 13^th Annual Flower Fair presented by the Lake Orion DDA! While you’re at it, take some time to visit all the great shops Downtown Lake Orion has to offer! Show Hours: Friday 11am-7pm & Saturday 9am-4pm. FREE Admission & FREE public parking. For more information visit www.LoFlowerFair.com.

The Brooksie Way foundation made a $2,500 donation to the One Fund Boston relief effort, established to support the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings.

The contribution was announced by Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, who is also chairman of The Brooksie Way foundation.

"A tragedy of this magnitude calls for some type of response," Patterson said. "Runners, whether in Boston for the marathon or at Oakland University for The Brooksie Way, have a common bond and a mutual love and respect for each other."

Four time Boston Marathon champion Bill Rodgers is a member of the Brooksie Way Board of Directors as is Greg Meyer, last American male to win the Boston Marathon. Meyer and his sons ran this year's in Boston. They were not injured. Both Rodgers and Meyer have participated in The Brooksie Way.

Brooksie Race Director Deb Kiertzner communicated news of the contribution and expressed support for the Boston running community and victims of the attacks to Boston Marathon Race Director Dave MacGillivray.

"The running community a close-knit community," Kiertzner said. "When something like this happens to that community, it affects us all."

The HealthPlus Brooksie Way is one of Oakland County's premier quality of life events. Named in honor of his late son, Patterson began the race to promote Oakland County and encourage healthy active lifestyles.

The sixth running of the event takes place Sept. 29. Over 6,000 runners and walkers are expected to take part in the half marathon, 10K and 5K races.

Two Oxford High School students took first place in the Michigan state final of the annual Ford-AAA Student Auto Skills Competition for perfectly diagnosing and repairing electrical and mechanical “bugs” deliberately placed in a 2013 Ford Focus SE in just 29 minutes,10 seconds. 

Read more. 

Residents of the 12 North Oakland Household Hazardous Waste (NO HAZ) communities have two chances to get rid of their household hazardous waste this spring: May 4 at Oxford Middle School in Oxford; and June 15 at Oakland University in Rochester.

The collection is open to residents of Addison Township, Groveland Township, Lake Angelus, Lake Orion, Leonard, Oakland Township, Orion Township, Oxford, Oxford Township, Rochester, Rochester Hills and Waterford Township. Residents should bring ID with their current address included in order to participate.

"I encourage all residents in the NO HAZ communities to participate in our spring hazardous materials collections," said Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson. "We enjoy a great quality of life in Oakland County in part because we foster a healthy environment and protect our natural resources with initiatives such as this."

The following communities must pay $10 to participate: Addison Township, Groveland Township, Leonard, Oakland Township, and Rochester Hills. The fee will be collected at the site in exact cash or a check made payable to: Oakland County NO HAZ. Participants also must fill out a registration form that bills the remainder of the collection fee to their communities. The form is available at the site or online at www.nohaz.com, where it can be downloaded and filled out in advance.

Waterford Township residents must obtain a voucher from the township hall before the collection events. The voucher can be purchased for $10 on the third floor of town hall at the Building Department counter, 5200 Civic Center Drive. Quantities are limited and are on a first come first served basis.

Residents of Lake Angelus, Oxford, Oxford Township, and Rochester must obtain a free voucher from their community offices IN ADVANCE. Residents of non-participating communities should contact their city, village or township office or visit their websites for disposal options.

Residents of Lake Orion and Orion Township are free. No voucher is required.

Residents of other communities can participate for a $60 charge to be paid at the event.

The Wixom Public Library kicked off its "Million Penny Project" in April, a fundraising effort to raise $10,000 as part of the Library's 40th Anniversary Celebration.

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Mead may be the next frontier in the world of craft -- craft beer, craft food, craft wine -- and Ferndale will soon be home to two meaderies.

The latest, Schramm's Mead, is under construction at 327 W. 9 Mile and will open in May. It's just a couple of miles from B. Nektar Meadery, which opened a production facility and tasting room several weeks ago.

Schramm's is owned by Ken Schramm, a connoisseur of mead and go-to guy in honey wine circles that are buzzing as mead finds its niche.

Schramm authored The Compleat Meadmaker, the Bible for mead-makers, and founded The Mazer Cup international mead competition.

His meads, often fruity or spiced, will be produced and sold at the new store in downtown Ferndale. There will be a tasting room and food menu. Schramm and his family will run the business and hire several employees.

During a presentation before the Ferndale City Council, when Schramm requested a small winery license, he said he and his family are carrying on a family tradition that goes back to ancestors who came here from Germany, fought for the union in the Civil War, and are still in possession of family farms that go back 100 years in their family.

"The Schramm family has a 160-year history of providing food and drink to metro Detroiters," Schramm says, pointing out that his mother came from Ferndale. "We are thrilled at the opportunity to do business in Ferndale."

Writer: Kim North Shine
Source: Ken Schramm, founder, Schramm's Mead

The Village Fine Arts Association has hired its first employee, Director of Development Andrea Perry, granddaughter of one of the founders of the art association. Her first task is creating the Suzanne Haskew Art Center.

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Walking a dog this spring is a great way to improve physical fitness. That's why the Oakland Pet Adoption Center features a program called Fitness Unleashed, where working residents can come and take a dog for a walk or visit with a cat on their lunch hour. It is part of Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson's vision to improve the quality of life in Oakland County through more active and healthier lifestyles.

"It's a great way to get a little exercise in, and help a shelter animal stay socialized," Administrative Supervisor Joanie Toole said. "When it comes to getting fit, dogs make great accountability partners."

Dog owners are more likely to be physically active, decreasing their risk for heart disease and other cardiac conditions.  Dog walking also strengthens bones and helps to prevent osteoporosis because it is a weight-bearing exercise.

While dogs can get the heart rate up and rev metabolism, cats can enhance mental and circulatory health. Spending 15 minutes with a pet will cause chemical changes in the brain that reduce levels of cortisol, a hormone produced by stress that may lead to cardiac problems.

"Cats provide numerous wellness benefits. Petting a cat can naturally lower your stress and blood pressure levels. Animals are great at cheering you up because they love you unconditionally," Toole said.

Families looking to volunteer at the shelter can participate in one of the monthly volunteer training orientations for cat comforting or dog walking. Children must be 12 years and older to volunteer at the shelter. The Oakland Pet Adoption Center is located at 1700 Brown Road in Auburn Hills. For more information, please visit oakgov.com/petadoption or call 248-391-4100.

About OPAC
The Oakland Pet Adoption Center's mission is to provide a temporary safe haven for animals until it finds them permanent homes. The shelter, under the leadership of County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, offers housing and medical care to more than 5,000 animals on an annual basis. It has the best save rate in Michigan among public open-admission shelters whose intakes are greater than 5,000 animals. OPAC also is the public agency charged with enforcement of Michigan's Dog Law of 1919. It is responsible for animal control services in 40 Oakland County communities.

Registration for the 5K Hometown Hustle on May 11, the signature fundraising event for the Rochester Community Schools Foundation, is now open. The event drew in 850 runners in 2012 and raised $22,000 for the Rochester Community Schools Foundation. They hope to raise $25,000 this year. 

Read more.