PPalmeralmer WWoodsoods PPostost Quarterly Newsletter of the Palmer Woods Association • www.palmerwoods.org • March~May 2007 P.O. Box 21086 • Detroit, Michigan 48221 Palmer Woods: Year in Review It was a good year... Gatherings, friendships, improvements d Save the Dates d Palmer Woods Classical Concert Palmer Woods Annual Meeting Sunday, March 18, 2007 • 3 pm Tuesday, March 27, 2007 • 7pm 1760 Lincolnshire in Palmer Woods All Saint’s Episcopal Church RSVP: Dr. Perkins, 892-7002 3837 West Seven Mile (see page 9 for more info) (see page 5 for more info) Palmer Woods Post 1 March~May 2007 2007 Palmer Woods Association Board My View NANCY GALSTER Nancy Galster, President President, Palmer Woods Association 891-1090 If you are searching for spring warmth and the flowers that will Robert Perkins, Vice President finally peek out of the ground soon, join the club. If you are Culture Committee 892-7002 searching for ways to get involved with friends (new and old), Deborah Copeland, Secretary Palmer Woods activities may be the “club” you want to join. 369-1327 I want to point out how to get more information about Palmer Woods and its many Gerald Primak, Treasurer opportunities for becoming informed and involved. The annual meeting, scheduled for Membership Committee 368-5898 Tues., March 21, is the place to learn what has gone on during the previous year in the Rochelle Lento, Legal Advisor neighborhood. That evening our various committees will offer reports to the members 891-5662 of the Association. Friends from the greater Detroit community, including personnel Pat Brochstein, Preservation Committee from the Mayor’s office and other city officials, will be on hand to review what is hap- 893-6967 pening in the city. Our association is also involved in the business activities group along Fredie Carter-Bonner, Culture Committee Woodward between McNichols and Eight Mile. Learn more from that report as well. An 892-2851 important proposal from the city’s Department of Forestry regarding the ash trees in our neighborhood has been promised. Many people are working for the betterment of our Brian Johnson, Children’s Committee neighborhood. Won’t you come and learn about them at the annual meeting? 891-6345 Time to celebrate! Yes, once again we have scheduled our annual classical concert in Helen B. Love, Communications Committee March and spring dinner dance in April. Please see the articles in this issue and join 368-0068 your friends here in Palmer Woods for an afternoon of classical music, and next month Johnny Lunsford, Security Committee for an evening of dining and dance. You will remember your dance steps, we’re certain. 366-5813 Sandra Powell, 893-7372 Contributors this issue: Barbara Barefield, Fredie Carter-Bonner, Elaine Driker, Michael Einheuser, Joe Rogowski, 248-302-7051 Nancy Galster, Mimi Helveston, Brian Johnson, Helen Love, Jane Strand Ruth Stallworth, 892-3848 Jane Strand, Home Tour Committee 891-1203 Motor City Makeover 2007 Steve Williams, Historian 613-4178 Help make Detroit beautiful The Board meets monthly to address neigh- This year’s Motor City Makeover will take place the first three Saturdays in borhood concerns. Annual Association Members’ May by sector. Palmer Woods is part of sector 10, so mark your calendar for May meetings are held to elect new officers and re- view, with our residents, the status of the previous 19. year’s business.The annual cost to join the associ- The makeover is still a bagged litter campaign, and the litter must be deliv- ation is $495. The money is allocated to the up- ered to designated locations that will be available through our local Neighbor- keep of the neighborhood, including the mainte- nance of the garden areas, street snow removal hood City Hall and on the city’s website. There will be no curbside pickup of and private security, and a subscription to the bagged litter. neighborhood newsletter, The Post. Dues provide To volunteer for any or all of the Saturday clean-ups, call 313-224-4415. To the means for the Association to sponsor and or- ganize various “get-to-know-your-neighbor” work with residents in our own Palmer Woods neighborhood, call Nancy Gal- events such as the annual Holiday Home Tour, Jazz ster, 891-1090. and Classical Concerts, and activities for children. To join,email Brian Johnson or Deborah Copeland: Saturday, May 19 for our area [email protected] For more info: www.ci.detroit.mi.us KEEP in TOUCH General Info Nancy Galster: [email protected] or 313-891-1090 Advertising Deadline for May-July 2007 issue: June 10, 2007 Security Info [email protected] Prices & Dimensions Mail your ad (include hard copy, logos Dispatch: 313-874-3576 or Full page (7.5 wide x 10 tall) . .$135 and photos to scan and CD). Include a Main: 800-368-7600 Half (7.5 wide x 4.825 tall) . .$85 check made payable to Palmer Woods Home Tour Info Quarter (3.625 wide x 4.825 tall) .$50 Association and send to: [email protected] Business card size . .$30 Barbara Barefield Palmer Woods Post E-mail your ad: Grayscale, high resolu- Editor, Palmer Woods Post Barbara Barefield tion PDF or tif (300 dpi at 100% size of 19550 Argyle Crescent Detroit, MI 48203 Editor & Graphic Designer ad, or 600 dpi for black line art). Info: Call Barbara, 313-891-2514 [email protected] • 313-891-2514 E-mail to [email protected] Need help? We can design your ad! Palmer Woods Post 2 March~May 2007 Conversing with the Mayor Kwame M. Kilpatrick visits Palmer Woods neighbors On Tuesday, November 14, 2006, Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, accompanied by members of his staff, shared several hours of honest and open dialogue with a number of Palmer Woods residents, including the Palmer Woods Association Board members. Michael Ein- heuser and Diane Willard hosted the gather- ing at their home. BY MICHAEL EINHEUSER almer Woods residents don’t merely like Detroit, they love Detroit. But Pwe don’t always get the feeling that Detroit loves us back. This is especially true when we have to deal with the various departments and bureaucracies of city d government. That’s why the phone call l e i f e r from Mayor Kilpatrick’s office came as a a B a r pleasant surprise. Mayor Kilpatrick a b r a wanted to meet with the people from the B : s o t Palmer Woods neighborhood for a “Con- o h P versation with the Mayor.” “What’s the Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, members agenda?” I asked. “Whatever you want it to of his staff and police department be,” came the reply. dialogued with PW neighbors. We took the Mayor up on his offer. premier neighborhoods, I often About 40 Palmer Woods residents spent wonder if people in city government almost three hours with Mayor Kwame M. regard us as snobbish or elite. The Kilpatrick, Police Chief Ella M. Bully- Mayor saw a group of thoughtful Cummings and the directors of several city and concerned residents who clearly departments discussing issues important care about Detroit and are dedicated to our neighborhood. I came away with to its future. Great cities must have great safety in Palmer Woods and throughout several impressions from the meeting. neighborhoods. That point was clearly the city, the elevated cost of all insurance First, it’s clear that Mr. Kilpatrick wants made to the Mayor and his staff. for Detroit citizens, the revitalization of to be a very good mayor. He exhibited Our conversation with the Mayor was Livernois and other areas of the city and strong listening skills and seemed gen- an important first step. Hopefully there the procedures for trash and bulk pickup. uinely concerned about the issues impor- will be many more meaningful conversa- We were hopeful as we listened to the tant to us. Given his relatively young age tions with the Mayor and the heads of City mayor’s proposals for improving the city and Detroit’s political dynamics, he is of Detroit departments as we deal with and our neighborhood. likely to have a long tenure as mayor if he specific neighborhood issues. As the conversation progressed, a guest chooses. His willingness to listen and de- commented on how bad the educational sire to do well was reassuring. BY FREDIE CARTER-BONNER, ED.D. system in Detroit had become. She did not Second, Mayor Kilpatrick was very well ayor Kilpatrick and his support think the teachers were teaching effec- informed on the issues. We had no pre- staff appeared excited to have an tively. She also lamented on negative expe- arranged agenda. Yet he talked in detail Mopportunity to communicate riences she had with some young males in about issues ranging from public lighting, with us. Mayor Kilpatrick openly shared Detroit and the poor conditions she en- crime forestry and the ash tree problem, his admiration and appreciation for the countered at work. Mayor Kilpatrick property taxes, and the accountability of residents in Palmer Woods. He stated that stated that the Skillman Foundation was city council. He had a clear understanding he planned to move to Palmer Woods beginning a project to determine the best of the issues and talked candidly about po- when his mayoral term ended. His humble way to restructure the Detroit Public tential solutions to problems and the lim- approach and great charisma facilitated a School System. its of what even a mayor can do. relaxed tone. Many issues were discussed. Prior to the end of the exchange, I was Third, I think the Palmer Woods resi- Mayor Kilpatrick and his staff addressed given an opportunity to share some com- dents made a strong impression on the our concerns about high property taxes, ments.