| Executive Committee meets February 26 | SEMCOG’s Executive Committee will meet at 1 p.m. on Friday, February 26, 2010, in SEMCOG’s downtown Detroit office. Action items to be considered by the committee include:
- Approval of SEMCOG’s FY 2010-2011 Annual Operating Budget and Work Program Summary for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2010; and
- Approval of a contract amendment that adds up to $30,000 to the Dykema contract for legislative tracking and lobbying assistance at both state and federal levels.
In addition to the action items, the Executive Committee will feature a presentation and discussion on transportation funding in Michigan from Greg Johnson of the Michigan Department of Transportation as well as discussion and input from members on SEMCOG’s Economic Development Strategy.
Executive Committee members received electronic versions of the meeting agenda via e-mail. Click here to see the agenda. Contact: Kathleen Lomako, SEMCOG Deputy Executive Director.
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| Local Government Shared and Collaborative Services: The Road to Success begins March 17 | All of us in local government know we face unprecedented fiscal challenges. At no point in our history has it been more important to explore every avenue to reduce costs and preserve essential services. Join your local government peers to further explore the opportunities and successes in providing services that can be achieved through shared services (purchasing services from another level of government or a neighbor) and collaborative services (joining with your neighbors to provide a service).
Lt. Governor John Cherry will announce the state’s response to this crisis and what tools and services will be available for local governments, to be held in conjunction with SEMCOG, on Wednesday, March 17, 2010, from 9 a.m.-noon at the Hilton Garden Inn, 26000 American Drive, Southfield, MI 48034. Following the announcement, SEMCOG and local government leaders will present case studies and successful approaches to: formulating the collaborative proposal, engaging the right stakeholders, resolving legal and fiscal issues and successful implementation. Please register online now for this very important event for local governments. Contact: Amy Malmer, SEMCOG Membership Manager.
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SEMCOG announces 2010 member outreach schedule
| SEMCOG’s 2010 member outreach workshops will be held in each of our seven counties during April. Please save the date and attend the program in your county. Elections to the Executive Committee will be conducted. Register now for these meetings by clicking on the highlighted county name.
- Livingston County — Monday, April 19, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.; Courtyard Marriott, Brighton;
- Macomb County — Thursday, April 22, 4:30-6 p.m.; Macomb Community College, Warren;
- Monroe County — Friday, April 16, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.; Cabela’s, Dundee;
- Oakland County — Tuesday, April 20, 4:30-6 p.m.; Hilton Garden Inn, Southfield.;
- St. Clair County — Thursday, April 15, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.; Thomas Edison Inn, Port Huron;
- Washtenaw County — Wednesday, April 21, 4:30-6 p.m.; Weber’s Inn, Ann Arbor; and
- Wayne County — Monday, April 12, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.; Crown Plaza, Romulus.
Specific election information will be sent to General Assembly delegates and alternates from cities, villages, and townships in each county. Contact: Amy Malmer, SEMCOG Membership Manager.
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Upcoming SEMCOG University workshops
| Five SEMCOG University workshops will be held in March 2010:
- The Michigan Heritage Route Program: Improving Michigan’s Economy and Quality of Life – March 4, 2010, 9 a.m.-noon.
- Southeast Michigan Environmental Conference: Environmental Regulations Affecting Municipalities – March 9 and 16, 2010, 8:15 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
- Safe Routes to Schools – March 17, 2010, 9 a.m.-noon.
- Avoiding Emergency Financial Management: Explaining your fiscal indicator score (Webinar) – March 23, 2010, 10-11 a.m.
- Designing Pedestrian Facilities for Accessibility – March 31, 2010, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
More information regarding these workshops is available on the SEMCOG University Web page. Unless otherwise noted, SEMCOG University workshops are hosted in the Ambassador Room at SEMCOG, Buhl Building, 535 Griswold St., Ste. 300, Detroit. Contact: Amanda Polanco, SEMCOG University Registrar.
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| Latest On the Road with Carmine blog discusses Michigan’s portion of high speed rail funding | In the latest instalment of his On the Road with Carmine blog, SEMCOG Transportation Director, Carmine Palombo, writes about Michigan’s portion of the $8 billion in stimulus funds earmarked for High Speed Rail (HSR) projects. To view Carmine’s blog, click here. Contact: Carmine Palombo, SEMCOG Transportation Director.
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| Visit Ask Amanda forum on SEMCOG’s Web site | If you’ve called SEMCOG with a reference question in the last 11 years, chances are you’ve talked to Amanda Polanco. A librarian by trade, Amanda knows where to go to find the answers. While you can continue to call her, you may benefit by collaborating with Amanda and other SEMCOG members on the Ask Amanda Web forum. Ask a question and join in the first conversation about master plans by clicking here. Contact: Sue Stetler, SEMCOG Communications Director.
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| Information on SEMCOG’s Web site regarding grants available to local governments | View SEMCOG’s Grants Web page to learn about grant opportunities available to local governments. Currently available grants focus on transportation, community-police partnerships, partnerships to reduce pollution, and Great Lakes funding. Contact: Karen Wieber, SEMCOG Planning Analyst.
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| New affiliation group newsletters on SEMCOG’s Members Web page | The latest editions of SEMCOG’s CED Conversations and Data Connections are available on SEMCOG’s Members Web page. SEMCOG’s affiliation group newsletters detail current topics of interest to local governments in Southeast Michigan. Please let us know if you’d like to be added to the e-mail distribution list for these newsletters. Contact: Karen Wieber, SEMCOG Planning Analyst.
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| No-cost budget development help available from SEMCOG | Having a tough time meeting your current budget or developing your next budget? SEMCOG can help by providing a comprehensive fiscal assessment for your local government – a no-cost, no-obligation service that is free to SEMCOG members. Our team will spend a half day on-site with you and your department heads to identify ideas to help balance your tight budgets using viable ideas to reach 15-20 percent cost savings that have been successfully implemented by other local governments across the region. Contact: Dave Boerger, SEMCOG Local Government Effectiveness and Collaboration Consultant.
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| SEMCOG to sponsor MCDA Spring Conference | SEMCOG is a sponsor for the Michigan Community Development Association (MCDA) Spring Conference, scheduled for March 4, 2010, at the Lansing Center, Lansing, MI. The conference, HUD Programs: Regulations and Reports, will focus on regulations and reporting requirements for various HUD programs, and will discuss several new HUD initiatives for revitalizing communities. In addition, HUD and MSHDA representatives will provide updates on various programs affecting local communities, including the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP). Contact: Ken Bishop, SEMCOG Community & Economic Development Assistant Planner.
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| Urban Land Institute to host Metro Marketplace conference March 24 | The Urban Land Institute (ULI) Detroit, in partnership with SEMCOG, will host its first annual Metro Marketplace: A Public-Private Partnership Forum at Oakland University on Wednesday, March 24, 2010, beginning at 7:30 a.m.
Attendess will have the opportunity to expand their knowledge of best practices in public-private partnerships through panel discussions, and explore specific topic areas such as incentives, landbanks, finance, entitlement, foundations, and the meaning of “redevelopment ready” through expert-led roundtable discussions. Municipalities will have the opportunity to showcase properties through an electronic list that will be distributed to attendees as well as at their exhibit table; the private sector will have the opportunity to showcase their services to the public sector community. For registration, exhibitor, and sponsorship information, click here. Contact: Shannon Sclafani, ULI Detroit Manager.
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| Application period open for Google Fiber for Communities project | Google has announced that it is planning to build and test high-speed broadband networks in select communities later this year. The project will provide up to 500,000 people in a small number of communities with Internet speeds more than 100 times faster than most Americans currently have. The purpose is to test new ways of building fiber networks, and develop new opportunities from ultra-high-speed Internet availability. Google is inviting interested communities to apply for this project by completing an online request before March 26, 2010. Google will assess local factors such as community support, local resources, weather conditions, approved construction methods, and local regulatory issues in making their choices.
Broadband is an essential infrastructure for the 21st Century that can help local communities and schools provide enhanced public safety, economic development, and education opportunities. Click here for more information on this project. Contact: Naheed Huq, SEMCOG Community and Economic Development Manager.
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