REVIEW and some NEW ISSUES at the Township

Hi All,
I received my E-NEWS from the township today (in my computer "in-box")  written by our Public Relations Director, Greg Kowalski, formerly Editor of The Birmingham Eccentric.
   
I do recommend that anyone that has access to email should sign up for this communication service from the Township. E-NEWS gives you information that the Township considers important for you to know.
  
To read this copy and other archived editions click here.

OOPS...sorry... the Township forgot to UPDATE their website..again..since 2013??? 
This current issue (Aug. 7, 2014) of E-NEWS is  NOT available at that link as of Thursday, Aug. 7, 2014 at 6 pm.   ( I did not find it anywhere on the township website.)

You can contact Mr. Kowalski : GKowalski@bloomfieldtwp.org    or :   248-433-7700
OOPS again.... the Township offices are closed on FRIDAY. 
Try on Monday.   Ask for the website to include current and past E-NEWS posts.

...............OR..................

Being informed is important.
 
So...I write a blog about what is happening (or not) in Bloomfield Township.   
You are on my blog site right now:     BloomfieldTwpHappenings 
You can always find my archived blogs on the right side column going back to my first blog in 2011.  Some blogs are still relevant today :) or :(   depending...     Do you see them?

My blog also has links to local papers/websites in the right side column so you can read what articles they are writing.  Check those links every day!!!     Do you see them?
  
FYI:  The Oakland Press taught me about blogging.  Thus, I am also found on their website under News/Blogs/Community  - Bloomfield Twp Happenings

Another choice:  sign up to receive Twitter :   HIALLMARCIA     I always tweet my blogs.    I don't do anything else on Twitter... however, I am going to learn more about twitter...soon...maybe...

So... Here is what I am thinking TODAY  ....
My comments, opinions and facts.

A.
Too bad the Township did NOT mail a  letter to all 17,000 + households  informing them of the four millage proposals on the AUGUST BALLOT.   Would that have made a difference in voter turn out?  Don't know.  There are over 35,000 eligible voters.  Less than 10,000 voted.

A letter and postage stamp would have cost a little more than ONE HALF  (about $8500 ??) of what the township paid for the 300 person survey ($13,000 Survey found at  June 23, 2014 Board of Trustees board packet agenda item 2 )
EVERYONE  (17,000 + households/ or 42,000+ people) would have received a notice  by first class mail that an election was being held and what issues would be on the ballot.  This was NOT done.

B.
Hmmm......I wonder if the Senior Center used THEIR  list of emails and phone numbers... from THEIR ..... reported 11,000 "profiles"  (that are mandatory to fill out) just to get the ID card to attend the facility?  There are lots of seniors willing to do volunteer work.  Were phone calls or emails sent out to some people with reminders to vote from the Senior Center facility or Senior Center lists? 
Don't know. 

Hmmm......I wonder if the Senior Center will get a brand new BUS for the TRAVEL CLUB?  The old bus doesn't work and I heard Seniors talking ....that IF....just IF... the millage passed.... hooray... a new bus will be bought!!!   Will that really happen???    Currently they are using the SMART vehicles for trips.  Not right.

C.
By the way....the senior services is a DEPARTMENT of the Township...and should not be a "special club"with enrollment and ID cards.    We don't get ID cards to get OTHER services at the township.  Should we be required to "sign up"  for police and fire?  What if we don't???   Will they show up anyway???   We don't need an ID card for the Road Department... we just need our checkbook for 15 years to redo many of the subdivision roads.  Is your subdivision next? 

D.
We seem to be paying a lot of FEES ... on top of our taxes via millages to get our services.  The senior services classes and trips cost extra money.  The building/planning/ordinance/zba  etc.  has LOTS of fees to builders and homeowners that want to improve their property or build new.  The cable department has been able to save more than $5 million dollars from money collected from your bill and much of that can be spent at the township in OTHER departments for ANY reason.    I think that is wrong. The fire department has switched over to basically an ambulance (taxpayer vs private) company and collects money from the insurance companies...or you.  And the list goes on....

E.
There is A LOT that the Bloomfield Township E-News won't tell you that I will...  and the reverse is true.  I am not going to write about all the stories that Greg Kowalski does either. 
Main problem... I don't have the same data base of phone numbers, emails, and names and addresses as the Township to get my message out.

F.
FYI:  The NEXT round of millage "renewals" come up in 2016.   Public Safety ..... roads.... who knows what  else!   The employees will need a new contract in 2016.  What will that contract say?  How much will that cost?  Also, the township leadership positions all expire in 2016.  Who will run for Supervisor, Clerk, Treasurer, 4 Trustee positions?   
OR.... keep reading...  

G.
If we start talking NOW.... apparently it is legal in a Township.... to NOT have an elected SUPERVISOR.  We, the taxpayers, could actually HIRE and potentially FIRE (vs electing)..... a TOWNSHIP MANAGER (see this classified ad for a Township Manager for Delta Township).    

BUT... we (as a community) need to do that thinking and talking and DECISION making....real soon BEFORE  the 2016 election process.  Elected terms are for 4 years.  

We should also be talking about WHO actually does the contract negotiations and how long those contracts should be.  Is it still just the Treasurer and ???? doing the negotiations?  Does he actually negotiate his own salary?  I know, the BOARD has to approve the contracts.  They all get some kind of pay...

H. 
The Aug. 5, 2014 ballot proposals did NOT have the outcome that I had hoped .... however.... I'm still interested in getting to a more OPEN and TRANSPARENT government in Bloomfield Township.  Change often happens slowly...but could go faster if more people would become involved. 
  
Thanks for reading.  Hope you clicked on all the links to learn more.    

Marcia