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Number 56 -- Sept. 16, 2003

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In this edition:

1) In interview, McDaniel calls for 'ombudsman' on sewers and fence-mending with businesses
2) Buzz closes forum, invites signed letters
3) Comment: Moore, seeking re-election, says we can keep what we love and allow change
4) Comment: Surprise! Buzz backs Julie Plotnik
5) Buzz archives are brought up to date
6) Comment: There you go again, Dante

1) In interview, McDaniel calls for 'ombudsman' on sewers and fence-mending with businesses

Sept. 16, 2003

An ombudsman dedicated to helping residents cope with sewer replacements and a subcommittee of the Birmingham City Commission devoted to mending fences with the business community are among the proposals Tom McDaniel would advocate if elected to the commission Nov. 4.

McDaniel is making several suggestions he says will restore confidence in the commission, make city government more responsive to residents and businesses, and help the city "recover positive momentum."

"City Hall's performance on the lateral sewer problem hasn't been very good and, until recently, has been totally unhelpful to residents," said McDaniel in a wide-ranging interview about issues facing the city. "The city does bear some responsibility for the Orangeburg problem, and I strongly endorse the process now underway involving a residents group and the city administration trying to find workable solutions acceptable to both sides.

The identification of a contractor who will repair laterals at much less cost is a start, and so is the encouragement of residents to have their sewer problems fixed while their streets are being rebuilt, said McDaniel.

"While the taxpayers cannot, and should not, write a blank check to repair sewer laterals, much more can be done. The city needs to approve several contractors, and their work needs to be monitored to make sure, over time, that they are doing quality work at the lowest possible price. This way, affected residents can get competitive bids with confidence that the low bidder will do the job right," he said.

"Beyond all that, residents need a knowledgeable City Hall sewer ombudsman to provide answers to technical questions, scheduling and general information about the approved contractors. Today, people are having too much trouble getting any information at all, and this cannot continue. If the Engineering Department needs additional people to address this issue, then so be it. They should be hired ASAP," McDaniel said.

With regard to the business community, "the commission has a lot of fence-mending to do," McDaniel said. "Rightly so, they feel abused, under-appreciated and traumatized by attacks from certain City Commissioners. This needs to be fixed, or we will have a very difficult time recruiting new businesses, much less retaining the ones we have."

McDaniel proposes forming a subcommittee of the commission to have a series of working sessions with representatives of the business community to determine what is needed to mend fences and make doing business with the city easier and less expensive. "I would propose working with the Chamber (of Commerce), the merchants association and the PSD to set up three or four meetings, after which the subcommittee would report to the full commission and suggest steps that need action to benefit businesses and, therefore, the city, McDaniel said.

After all, said McDaniel, the City Commission "is really the board of directors for a very large business -- the business of Birmingham. The commission needs people who have experience, the right temperament, good judgment and positive leadership skills," said McDaniel.

"Unfortunately, some current Commissioners come up short on these qualifications, and that is foremost among the reasons why relationships with the business community are at what is probably an all-time low," McDaniel said.

He noted that one commissioner, Dante Lanzetta, has consistently attempted to gain support by instilling fear of unnamed developers and other "powerful interests" committing unspecified sins in our city. He challenged Lanzetta, who is up for re-election, to "name these conspirators and identify their misdeeds -- or else retract the allegation."

With regard to the neighborhoods, McDaniel contends that "homeowners want, first and foremost, to be safe and secure in their homes. Secondly, they want dependable city services and amenities at an affordable cost. And they want reasonably stable taxes. These are the things the commission should focus on instead of trying to choke off sensible, quality development, harassing the business community, and passing ordinances that undermine our property rights."

On preserving the charm and character of the City, McDaniel said that he has "a consistent record of supporting historic preservation in Birmingham." He is a member and past president of the Birmingham Historical Society; he served more than three years on the Historical Board (and has been chairman for two years), and he served seven years on the Historic District and Design Review Commission. He also lives in a carefully restored 105-year-old historic home.

"I am a strong advocate of saving what is worthwhile and, with the exception of protecting some real architectural gems, we have pretty much done that in Birmingham. There are more than 40 homes officially declared historic, and much of our downtown area also has been designated. We also have the Historical Museum, whose mission includes the preservation and promotion of Birmingham's history for the benefit of future generations," said McDaniel.

McDaniel was instrumental in forming the museum, which opened in the spring of 2000. He led the Historical Society effort to convince the city to turn the Allen House into a museum, developed a business plan and raised an endowment of more that $350,000, the income from which goes to the city to help fund museum operations.

McDaniel described the recently proposed historic survey as "a complete money-waster. The study would not have produced the kind of detailed, research-intensive information required to justify historic designation," he said. Instead, he believes it was intended to give proponents ammunition to obstruct redevelopment of private property. "Motives aside," said McDaniel, the study would have produced much data that duplicates what the city already has and would constitute a massive information overload for the few volunteers and city staffers who would use it."

Continuing on the subject of preservation, McDaniel points out that "the commission, in the last decade, has been reluctant to force historic designation on unwilling residents." A better solution is what he calls "commemoration or recognition." A good example of this is the more than 30 Wallace Frost homes in Birmingham, many of which display plaques that identify them as having been designed by this famous local architect. McDaniel said the City should pay for similar plaques for homes that are identified as having significant architectural or historical value.

Commenting on the 2016 Plan, McDaniel said it is high time the City Commission is held accountable for the progress, or lack of it, in implementing the various elements. "Taxpayers have more than $750,000 invested in the plan and design work done on various parts of it, so it is time for a full accounting of where we are and where we are going," he said.

He proposes a second commission subcommittee that would "review, in detail, the status and recommend to the full commission what needs to be done, what the obstacles are, and a road map to completion." An important part of this review would be input from the various boards and committees as well as the business community. He would also establish a six-month timetable to complete the review.

"This process puts the ownership and accountability back together at the commission, where it belongs," he said. "We need more progress -- and closure -- on 2016".

McDaniel also commented on the one-size-fits-all ordinances dealing with lot coverage and building heights in residential areas. "This makes no sense whatsoever and needs to be corrected on a priority basis. Why the Commission ignored the original recommendations of the Planning Board, which called for differing standards based on lot size, is a complete mystery."

When the Commission passed the lot-coverage ordinance in 2000, several commissioners said the issue needed further evaluation and should be reconsidered. Three years later, the commission has neither studied the effects of the ordinance nor proposed any changes.

2) Buzz closes forum, invites signed letters

Sept. 16, 2003

The Birmingham Buzz has temporarily closed its discussion forum for the election season, but invites readers to submit signed letters for publication on its website and email newsletter.

"Outside the context of an election, the forum was a lively place for folks to exchange ideas -- often anonymously," said Clinton Baller, Buzz editor. "During the election season, however, our editorial board decided that anonymity was inappropriate and a more stringent editorial policy ought to be followed."

The Buzz welcomes signed letters. Please email them to info@bhambuzz.org, and be sure to include daytime and evening phone numbers so that authorship can be verified.

3) Comment: Moore, seeking re-election, says we can keep what we love and allow change

Sept. 16, 2003

The following letter to voters was written by candidate Scott Moore:

As we enter this beautiful Michigan fall season, it's time to begin thinking about the Tuesday, November 4 election to fill four positions on our City Commission. There will be much discussion within our community about the issues that concern us at this point in our city's storied history. Whether we discuss ways to preserve our neighborhoods without sacrificing individual property rights, ways in which to increase revenue (in order to maintain services without having to raise taxes), or ways of maintaining the vibrancy of our downtown without destroying its town-like feel, we need to ask the question: "Can we keep what we all love about Birmingham and still accommodate the future?" As a life-long resident and former Commissioner and Mayor, my answer is YES!

I feel so strongly about the issues facing Birmingham that I have decided to run, once again, for City Commissioner. Historically, it has been our city's ability to change with the times that has kept our neighborhoods healthy and our downtown vibrant. If asked, we all could probably list the aspects of Birmingham we love. We might include a favorite walk through one of our tree-lined neighborhoods, where older and newer homes combine to enhance the beauty of our streets. We might name a spot in a downtown restaurant, or in the park, where we sip coffee and people watch. Yet, to hear some of our Commissioners, our city is in jeopardy; with our neighborhoods in deep peril and our downtown in mortal danger, as the result of growth and redevelopment. I don't believe that for a minute!

Think back with me to the 1980's and early 1990's. Empty store windows and "For Lease" signs were prevalent in our downtown, and sidewalk traffic was a mere trickle. We were without a movie theater (a historical mainstay in Birmingham), and without the diversity of restaurants, retail stores, galleries and housing needed to create a living city. Many of our residential neighborhoods were showing age and real estate values were, for many parts of the city, stagnant. Then, in 1995, residents, realizing that our residential and downtown areas were uniquely interdependent, but in need of redevelopment, voted in a City Commission that understood that:

* Downtown is more than a place to shop, it is a place that unites retail with restaurants, entertainment, jobs, housing and civic functions.

* Healthy housing stock and "walkable neighborhoods" are essential to a community's economy, vitality, identity and sense of place.

* Healthy neighborhoods do not exist without a vibrant, living downtown, and visa-versa. And,

* Considerable investment along with public and private creativity is always going to be needed to maintain what Birmingham has been for generations of families and business owners.

Many citizens, along with that newly elected City Commission (of which I was honored to be a part), and "world class" experts shaped this understanding into what has been known as the downtown Birmingham "2016 Plan." This plan, with some necessary tweaking, was a resounding success during the ensuing six years. Some problems were confronted and dealt with, but most everyone would agree that his or her home is more valuable, and that our downtown is more vibrant, than was the case a decade ago.

Unfortunately, over the past two years this plan has been gutted and discarded by a majority on the City Commission. It is apparent that many commissioners view change and development as something to be feared, and those who wish to invest in maintaining the vibrancy of our downtown or in securing our property values as enemies to be turned away. This attitude by the Commission now threatens our tax base, meaning that either our property taxes will need to be increased, or city services will need to be cut. The beginning of this unsettling trend is evident in the current 2003-2004 budget, in which the City Commission voted to increase taxes. The present Commission's desire to somehow hermetically seal the present (or return to the past) ignores the need for managed and healthy growth, and will inevitably result in the decline of the very thing that residents want to safeguard, i.e., a healthy, secure and vibrant city in which to raise a family or retire.

Many of our surrounding communities have noticed the success and desirability of our City, and have put considerable effort towards attracting the financing and entrepreneurship to duplicate it. This competition for resources and creativity is real, and unless we remain competitive, we will notice a leveling off in housing values and decline in our downtown.

As one who has recently become qualified to belong to the AARP, I have come to learn that growth and change are inevitable. The question for us is whether this change can be managed to allow us to benefit from its freshness without losing those things that "make Birmingham, Birmingham." Those who embrace change and those who fear or fight change will have differences. Politics is, by definition, the management of competing interests, and the crafting of a path among those competing interests that leads to the greatest public good.

Who do you trust to manage the future of Birmingham? While each of you judge candidates for City Commissioner based on the issues you deem important, I believe that all candidates should also be evaluated on three important points:

* How well does the candidate cope with the challenges and consequences of valid, but opposing opinions? A candidate who is an extremist, who sees the world and the choices before us only in black and white, will have little to contribute when choices have a little white, a little black and a lot of gray. Oftentimes these candidates care more about achieving a preset agenda than in facilitating fair and open discussion. They fail to understand that different opinions can be valid and that an opposing view can contribute something of value. Birmingham deserves commissioners who have the ability to listen, who respect and accept different points of view without the threat of retribution, and who will govern fairly.

* Is the candidate knowledgeable and can he or she think independently? Commissioners who cast their votes according to who has the last word, or who serve as a "yes person" to another commissioner do the city a disservice. The same can be said for those who are appointed by the City Commission to the various boards based solely on their willingness vote for narrow special interests. Birmingham deserves qualified, well-prepared commissioners who vote fairly and independently.

* Does the candidate treat others, both privately and publicly, with civility and respect? Civility comes in many forms. An example that remains vivid in my memory was the opening of the Palladium. The building of the Palladium was not without controversy and division within our community, some of which was justified. Despite hard fought compromises with the developer, and despite the fact that the developer (who is now the second highest tax payer in the city) faithfully fulfilled all that it promised, not one of the sitting commissioners (who received gratis invitations) attended the opening gala event to wish the developer or the new tenants well. No matter the individual stance of any City Commissioner towards this huge investment into our city, civility dictated better treatment. Civility also dictates that residents, business owners, and city staff who appear before the Commission are treated respectfully. Birmingham deserves commissioners whose behavior is a credit to!
the city.

We ALL want what is best for Birmingham. Can we keep what we love and accommodate the future? I think so, and I ask for your support on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2003.

4) Comment: Surprise! Buzz backs Julie Plotnik

Sept. 15, 2003

The Birmingham Buzz endorses Julie Plotnik for City Commission.

Plotnik, 37, is indefatigable.

She ran on a shoestring two years ago and lost by a hair. But her campaign, as well as her ideals, were and remain admirable. She's a working mom with aspirations for her family, and all she wants is a fair shake from her city government. Whether it's getting a handle on the wavering rules about how you can improve your home, or dealing with the unforeseen high cost of replacing a pipe connecting your home to the city's sewer, Plotnik understands the challenges we face in dealing with the city, and is in tune with Birmingham's homeowners. She is truly representative of a wide spectrum of Birmingham residents.

(Unfortunately, so many of those whom she represents are unaware and uninvolved in the political process, and don't vote. Her challenge two years ago was to get them to vote; it remains her challenge.)

As a downtown worker, Plotnik also keeps her finger on the pulse of our central business district.

She's been attending City Commission meetings regularly for more than two years now, which gives her the ability to hit the ground running the moment she's seated.

And she is a proven leader: She was co-organizer of the so-far successful Birmingham Farmers Market. For that alone, she deserves our support.

We urge you to vote for Julie Plotnik on Nov. 4.

5) Buzz archives are brought up to date

Sept. 15, 2003

The Buzz archive of back issues has been brought up to date. It now includes all 55 editions published since our first issue on Jan. 1, 2002. The Buzz offers a comprehensive look at Birmingham city government over the past 21 months, and represents a valuable resource.

We urge voters and others to peruse our archive by clicking on the "Read back issues!" or the "Archive of back issues" links on our home page, or by visiting http://www.bhambuzz.org/archives.html.

6) Comment: There you go again, Dante

Sept. 12, 2003

We've known for some time that Birmingham City Commissioner Dante Lanzetta plays fast and loose with the truth, but we were truly astonished by a letter he sent to Birmingham residents this week.

Seeking support for his re-election bid, and betting that a significant percentage of recipients don't know any better, Lanzetta starts out by appearing to take credit for 18 years of good deeds: everything from timely garbage pickup to a "bustling" downtown. In fact, most of the credit for our smooth-running city belongs to our excellent city staff. And far from expressing appreciation for our downtown and its contribution to our tax base, he has repeated referred to it curiously and derogatorily as a "petting zoo."

Then, with the amazing bravura of someone who actually believes his lies, he says the following:

"Powerful interests -- principally some developers and property speculators -- want a city government that will let them do whatever they want -- without scrutiny. They will stop at nothing. They have already formed a political action committee to raise thousands and thousands of dollars to hire high-priced political consultants to help them 'buy' this election."

For the record, the facts (of which Lanzetta is aware but chooses to ignore) are:

* Neighbors for a Better Birmingham, the only PAC to be formed so far during this election and so the political action committee to which Lanzetta must be referring, was founded by Buzz editors Clinton Baller, Shelli Weisberg and Christopher Longe. Unabashed, one of our goals is to unseat Lanzetta.

* All of the PAC's founders are Birmingham residents; none are developers or property speculators, and none has nearly the power of a four-term commissioner like Lanzetta. Baller operates a credit card merchant services business; Weisberg is a member of the Birmingham School Board, and Longe is an architect.

* The PAC has raised some $5,300 to date, all in small donations from Birmingham residents who populate the neighborhoods about which Lanzetta claims to care so much.

For some reason, only Lanzetta seems shy about expressing the truth. His desperate actions would be laughable if his odds of success in persuading otherwise uninformed voters weren't so strong. He depends on scaring uninformed voters, and fear can be a powerful motivator. With his base of support eroding before his eyes, he's taking huge risks to remain in office. His campaign of lies and innuendo is off and running.

If you didn't receive one of these letters, which you can read by clicking here, there's a good chance one of your neighbors did. Talk to them. Don't be shy. Tell them the truth. Lanzetta has served our community for 18 years. In that time, he has done some good. But he's changed. Now, he's full of anger and resentment. If ever he was a positive force in our town, those days are over. Now, he'll cook up phony issues, divide the community, and lie about his opposition -- all in a single-minded attempt to hold onto power. We think it's time he gave others the chance to govern. If he chooses, he can remain an effective voice from the sidelines.

Don't let Lanzetta and his lies win him re-election.

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