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City Hall
151 Martin, P.O. Box 3001
Birmingham, MI 48012 
Ph. 248.530.1800
Fax 248.530.1080
 
AROUND TOWN
January 2019


Welcome to the January 2019 edition of the Around Town e-Newsletter from the City of Birmingham. We hope you enjoy this e-newsletter and forward it to friends or family who may be interested in the City of Birmingham!
The City of Birmingham wishes you and your family a very Happy New Year!
Inside City Hall with Birmingham City Manager, Joe Valentine


Inside City Hall January 2019

Inside City Hall January 2019
Thank you and farewell

We'd like to recognize the distinguished service of newly retired Birmingham Fire Department Chief John Connaughton and Assistant Fire Chief John Donohue. 

The City wishes both of these dedicated firefighters a happy retirement. Former Assistant Chief Paul Wells is serving the City as Interim Fire Chief until further notice.
Who's Hungry? Birmingham Restaurant Week is Coming Soon!

Birmingham's favorite dining event is almost here!
Birmingham Restaurant Week will be held between January 28 - February 1 and February 4-8. Take advantage of specially created menus from Birmingham's top chefs. Enjoy three-course lunches for $18 and three-course dinners for $36. Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse is the first restaurant to submit their event menu. Our mouths are watering! Visit www.BirminghamRestaurantWeek.org for other event menus coming soon !
Skate into the new year with ice skating lessons at the Birmingham Ice Arena

Do you want to learn how to ice skate? Then the Birmingham Ice Arena is the place for you to be in early January!
 
Registration for the third session of Ice Skating Class takes place on Wednesday, January 2nd from 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. at the Birmingham Ice Arena, located at 2300 E. Lincoln. If you can't make it on January 2nd, a second registration will be held on Saturday, January 5 th from 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m., also at the ice arena. If you are unable to make the two registration sessions, you are encouraged to contact Skating Director Jill Kolaitis at (248) 530-1644. Further information about the program is available at www.bhamgov.org/icearena .
sparkling_gold_tree.jpg
Christmas Tree Collection

Please note Christmas trees are being collected through Friday, January 11. A separate service is used for disposal of holiday trees, so collection will not necessarily be at the same time your rubbish is picked up. The trees are ground into wood chips for recycling, so please remove all lights, ornaments, stands, etc. If you used a bag to contain the needles while removing the tree  from your house, please remove it and dispose of it in your regular garbage. For more information call the Birmingham Department of Public Services (DPS) at (248) 530-1700.
Be part of the  
Celebrate Birmingham Hometown Parade this spring
Sponsors, Volunteers and Participants Needed on May 19, 2019

The tradition continues in 2019 as the Celebrate Birmingham Hometown Parade marches down Old Woodward and Maple on May 19 th . The theme for the 2019 event is "Hats Off to Volunteers". 

"Volunteers are vital to the operation of the City and for providing services to the community, the state, and the nation," said Cherilynn Mynsberge, City of Birmingham, City Clerk. "Volunteers do so much and often don't receive the recognition they so greatly deserve. This year we are saying "thank you", Mynsberge added. 
 
Sponsorship of the parade is a great opportunity for area businesses to increase their presence in the community and to be an integral part of one of Birmingham's signature events. Sponsorship packages range from the $5,000 Grand Marshall Sponsor, which provides the broadest presence of company name and personnel, to the $100 Parade Friend Sponsor, which includes the company name displayed in Shain Park and on the City website. There are opportunities at all levels to sponsor a specific parade act or party activity.
 
Participants are being sought to march in the parade, create a float, entertain and proudly represent their organization. Contact the City Clerk's Office at (248)-530-1880.
 
For highlights from last year's parade visit www.bhamgov.org/parade.
Dreaming of Warm Weather? Get Your Passport!

usa-passport.jpg January is the busiest time of the year for passport applications, and appointments book up quickly. Appointments are required, so if you are traveling in late winter or spring please call the City Clerk's Office at ( 248) 530-1880  to make an appointment. 
 
For additional information visit www.bhamgov.org/passports or contact the National Passport Information Center at (877) 487-2778 or www.travel.state.gov.
Security website recognizes City as one of its leaders in safest cities rankings across Michigan

Did you know the City of Birmingham is among the safest cities in Michigan?
 
Safewise, the consumer oriented home security website known for its safe cities rankings, recently listed its top 20 safest cities in the state based on Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) crime statistics and population. Birmingham ranked as the 12th safest city in the Safewise top 20. In addition, in cities with a population of at least 20,000 residents, Birmingham is listed as the second safest city by Safewise.
 
"We are very proud of this distinction," said Birmingham Police (BIPD) Chief Mark Clemence. He noted that the department's use of crime fighting tools such as improved communications between law enforcement agencies, use of data analytics, improved data dissemination, specialization through law enforcement agency agreements and public engagement contributed to the City's safety ranking.
 
You can learn more about the Safewise safest cities rankings on the homepage of the city website at www.bhamgov.org .
Sound Heart sculpture adds to City's public artwork displays

The sculpture Sound Heart by Jay Lefkowitz was installed recently at the northeast corner of E. Maple and Woodward Ave. in the pedestrian plaza of Kroger.

S ound Heart contains an assortment of rectangular and curvilinear shapes. It stands over eight feet tall and two and half feet wide. It is comprised of corten steel - a metal that acquires a rust-like appearance with exposure to weather.

The sculpture previously belonged to longtime resident Christina Heidrich, who generously gifted it to the City. The Public Arts Board recommended the piece be placed in Kroger's pedestrian plaza. The City Commission accepted the recommendation, clearing the way for Sound Heart to become part of Birmingham's growing public art collection. The installation of Sound Heart also fulfills Kroger's 2014 site plan approval that had the condition of placing City-owned artwork within its semicircle pedestrian plaza.

Lefkowitz is a renowned abstract artist whose works can be seen in private collections and museums around the world.  
Understanding the Snow Ordinance


Take measures to ensure you don't find yourself in violation of the ordinance regarding snow removal and snow parking bans. Here are the two most important requirements:
  
1) You are required to clear snow and ice on sidewalks that abut your property. If the snow stops falling during the day, your sidewalks must be cleared by no more than 12 hours later. If the snow stops falling during the night, all sidewalks must be cleared by 6 p.m. the following day. Sidewalks that are not cleared of snow and ice will be shoveled by the city and the property owner will be fined.
 
2) When a Snow Emergency is declared, residents must remove their cars from city streets so the snow plows can get through. Cars in violation of this ordinance will be ticketed.
 
View more information about  snow removal on the  city's web site .
January News from the Birmingham Museum  

Haven't had the time yet to check out our award-winning exhibit "The People of Birmingham: Celebrating 200 Years of Stories"? Then we've got some great news for you, we've decided to extend the exhibit into the spring of 2019! And stayed tuned for information on our next exhibit.

The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and is located at  556 W. Maple Rd . Parking is available in the Chester St. structure on the south side of Maple. Admission is $7.00 for adults, $5.00 for students and seniors, children five and under are free. 

Please visit us on the web at www.bhamgov.org/museum or www.facebook.com/TheBirminghamMuseum
January News from the Baldwin Library    
 
Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with Miz Rosie
Monday, January 21, from 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Registration required.
Storyteller Rosie Chapman brings history to life with her reenactment of Civil War heroine Harriet Tubman, one of the most unique and courageous women in American History.
 
Eating Healthy with Try It Raw
Thursday, January 31, from 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Registration required.
Come experience delicious and healthy cuisine from Birmingham's own Try It Raw. Find out exactly what "raw" food is and why more and more people are eating raw.
 
2018 Income Tax Law Update
Tuesday, January 29, from 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Registration required.
Learn how recent tax law changes will affect virtually every taxpayer with Tom Hill, a retired CPA.
 
The Baldwin Public Library is located at 300 W. Merrill Street. For more information visit www.baldwinlib.org  or call (248) 647-1700.  
Thank you for reading Around Town, a monthly e-newsletter from the City of Birmingham.  We hope you find the information timely and useful. Please feel free to forward this e-mail to friends and neighbors who may be interested in Birmingham.  
 
Sincerely,