Eastpointe, MI - New City Manager Ready to get to Work

Published: August 16, 2006
By Robin Ruehlen C & G News Staff Writer




With 16 years of experience, including two years as a city administrator in financially strapped Highland Park, Darwin Parks isn’t afraid of a challenge. The newly appointed Eastpointe city manager is welcoming the chance to boost economic development and work with local business owners in what he describes as a beautiful, well-maintained community. I think my greatest challenge and top priority will be managing redevelopment here, Parks said. Eastpointe, like Highland Park, is a mature community, but there’s always the opportunity for quality redevelopment. The City Council approved Parks one-year contract at a special meeting Aug. 8, and expressed enthusiasm at welcoming a new face to the table. Mayor David Austin congratulated Parks and told him to prepare for a whirlwind start to his new position. You’d better have your running shoes on, cause we’re going to be on the go, he joked. After his first official day Aug. 9, Parks was already busy familiarizing himself with the community, exchanging information with interim City Manager Gary Shripka and settling into his office at City Hall. Parks, a native of Rochester Hills, attended Siena Heights University in Adrian, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in human services and public administration. He went on to earn his master’s degree in public administration from Golden Gate University, and began his career in Wixom as assistant city manager. Parks then served as the city manager of Litchfield in Hillsdale County, as well as city manager of the communities of Linden, Oxford and Standish. Most recently, Parks spent six years as the city manager of Richmond, before taking the position of city administrator in Highland Park in 2003. I've always believed a vital Detroit and suburbs is important to the entire state, so I wanted to help out. It was a huge challenge, Parks said. When a new financial manager was appointed recently, Parks said, the city administrator position was phased out. That position only exists as long as the state emergency loan board deems necessary, he said. So, here I am in Eastpointe. Parks, age 40, will receive an annual salary of $94,000, as well as a monthly gas allowance. He currently lives in Ferndale with his 13-year-old son, but is in the process of putting his house up for sale and finding a new home in Eastpointe. In the meantime, he’ll already be spending plenty of time getting to know the city. I intend to be very visible, and get out and talk to business owners and see how the city can better meet their needs, he said.

Eastpointe, MI - Eastpointe & Roseville join in regional 911 feasibility study

Published: August 16, 2006
By Robin Ruehlen C & G News Staff Writer

EASTPOINTE. A local emergency dispatch system might be a thing of the past, if a regional feasibility study with five southeast Macomb communities is successful. Eastpointe joins Roseville, Fraser, St. Clair Shores and Clinton Township in participating in a study conducted by Clinton Township-based Plante Moran to see if a regional 911 dispatch system could save communities time and money.
On Aug. 1, the Eastpointe City Council approved allocating $10,010 from special federal funds to join in the study. The money does not come out of taxpayer dollars or affect the general fund. Councilman Ron Selvidge said he’s all for looking into new ways to make the city more efficient. Right now it’s just a study, so when they come back with the results, I’m sure residents will have more say about it, Selvidge said. (Plante Moran) could come back and say it’s not feasible or cost-effective for us at all, or one person can’t handle all those calls. Or, they could tell us it’ll save thousands of dollars and be a great thing for Eastpointe. Inspector John Calabrese said local police chiefs came up with the idea of streamlining their organizations to help cut costs and decided it was important enough to be looked at by a professional consultant firm. It would basically be one centralized location dispatching all the emergency calls for participating jurisdictions, he said. All the pros are hard to say, since we’re still in the study stage, but the long-range positives would be saving money in our department and maybe greater efficiency. Calabrese said although there’s a concern residents wouldn’t get the same treatment or service as they would with a local dispatcher, those problems could be easily remedied with proper training. This is already done in parts of the state and in multiple locations across the country, he said. Roseville City Manager Steve Truman said the Roseville City Council isn’t scheduled to vote on the study for another week, and will look at preliminary data to see how much of the study the city can conduct itself. There’s no question there’d be cost savings, and we’ve been looking at this for a year now, he said. It’s hard to go to our residents for a 5-mill increase and not try to find ways to save money. The study should be wrapped up before the end of the year, a decision made and a plan implemented.

Airline Travelers - Carry-on's Allowed & Banned

Items Allowed and Banned from Carry-on Luggage
For Domestic Flights (Per TSA rules, effective August 13, 2006)

Personal items permitted
Baby formula and breast milk if a baby is traveling
Solid lipsticks and Chapsticks
Prescription medicines with a name that matches the passenger’s ticket
Up to 8oz. liquid or gel low-blood sugar treatment
Up to 4 oz. of non-prescription liquid medications, including cough syrup, eye drops, contact lens solutions and nasal spray
Laptop computers, cell phones, pagers, handheld devices and cameras

Personal items banned
All creams, all lotions, sunscreens, first-aid creams such as Neosporin, moisturizers
Bubble bath, including gel or liquid-filled bath balls or bath oils and moisturizers
Baby teethers with gel or liquid, Children’s toys with gel inside
Lip gels, glosses or liquids including Carmex
Gel candles, Bug sprays
Gel deodorants, Gel cap pills
Gel shoe inserts, Hair styling gels
Hair sprays of all kinds, Hair straighteners or detanglers
Liquid foundations, Liquid sanitizers
Liquid soaps, Lighters
Makeup remover or face cleaner, Mascara
Mouthwash, Nail polish and removers
Perfumes or colognes, Shaving creams
Spray deodorants, Toothpaste
All beverages, Jell-O’s
Puddings Gel-based sports supplements
Yogurts or gel-like substances

* Remove your shoes and sending them through the x-ray machine is now mandatory. Shoes with gel filled heels, like running shoes, are acceptable to wear on a flight to wear on a flight but gel filled insoles are prohibited and must be put in your checked luggage.

* Any carry-on bags or personal items may now be subject to a secondary hand search at the gate or in the concourse.

* Any liquid or other product purchased in the airport, or anywhere for that matter, must now be completely consumed prior to entering the security check-point area.

* Products purchased in the concourse after passing security must be completely consumed before boarding the aircraft. Nothing is permitted to be carried on-board.

* You are now much more likely to have your carry-on bags hand searched rather than just x-rayed. If there is anything you are uneasy having a TSA person see, avoid packing it in a carry-on.

Eastpointe, MI - Inflated Water Bills & New Meters

Inflated water bills upset Eastpointers
City's attention-getting action turns off some

Published August 11, 2006
By Christina Stolarz The Detroit News

EASTPOINTE -- When Kevin Grand opened a recent water bill, he thought there had to be a mistake.
The 37-year-old truck driver said there was no way he and his wife could have used $300 worth of water this summer -- a bill nearly three times their normal usage.
"I was actually kind of surprised," said Grand, who has lived in Eastpointe for about a decade. "I thought there was a glitch in their computer. I didn't think it was going to be anything of major consequence."
But he soon learned his bill was inflated on purpose -- and he's not happy about it.
The city overcharged hundreds of residents as a way of calling their attention to a new meter replacement program that requires city workers to enter people's homes.
City officials say some residents were ignoring their requests to set up a time to replace the meters, so they raised rates of up to 698 households as a last-ditch effort to call the department and set up appointments.
When City Council members found out about the practice, however, they put a stop to it -- much to Grand's relief.
"If I owe for a service, I'll be more than happy to pay for what I owe," he said.
"But when they jack up the amounts … I take issue with that. They're trying to make residents jump through hoops to make their jobs easy. That's not how it works."
The overcharged households were charged for using 50 units of water -- even if they didn't come close to that amount -- as a way to encourage cooperation with the project, said David Bankes, supervisor of the Public Works and Services Department.
The average water usage for a family of five in the summer is 26 units for three months and costs about $146, said Sue Mancanni, the city's finance director.
The City Council last week said it was a practice it would do without. Council members said they were unaware of the tactic, which was approved by former City Manager Wayne O'Neal and Public Works Director Greg Brown, until they received complaints from residents.
"Obviously, I don't think that's how you go about getting residents' attention," Mayor Pro Tem Veronica Klinefelt said. "I don't see any reason to inflate a water bill. I was blown away by that."
However, Bankes said the department had used the tactic before when it couldn't get into people's houses to read the meters. He said bills were inflated only for homeowners who had received -- and not followed up with -- several notices left by the contractor that is replacing the meters. Their water account will be credited with the overcharge after their new meter is installed. Eighty residents so far are expected to have their accounts credited.
"I wasn't surprised that we had complaints," said Bankes, who declined to comment on his opinion of the practice. "We need to get in and change these water meters because it's a benefit for the whole city."
Eastpointe officials approved the estimated $3 million citywide water meter replacement project in December, Bankes said. More than 7,830 of the city's 13,628 meters have been replaced since February with the more efficient meters.
The entire project is expected to take 18 months, but Bankes said it could wrap up sooner.
Once the new meters are in place, the water usage will be read digitally twice a day from one of four readout poles that will be erected in the city. The readouts will then be downloaded to the water department's computer system to more accurately charge each customer.
However, Grand is not impressed with the project. He said it's been difficult to find a stretch of time in his hectic work schedule to be home so the workers can replace the meters.
Resident Peggy Koczab shared that sentiment.
"I'm disgusted, almost embarrassed. You can't do that to people," said Koczab, 49, who had her meter replaced this week. "There's all kind of reasons why somebody isn't home."

Meter replacement
More than 7,830 of the city's 13,628 water meters have been replaced since February.
Officials in the city's Public Works and Services Department urge residents to set up appointments to have their meters replaced.
For information or to set up an appointment, call the department at (586) 445-5053. Source: David Bankes, supervisor of the Public Works and Services Department.

Detroit Suburbs - Water rates rise slower

Communities forge ahead with study of suburb system

Published: January 6, 2005
By Jameson Cook Macomb Daily Staff Writer

While Macomb County officials are pleased that the Detroit water system plans to hold down increases in water rates next year, a handful of them also are looking at creating a separate suburban system that could cost as much as $1.42 billion.
The Detroit Water & Sewerage Department is proposing to increase the rates it charges its suburban wholesale customers an average of 3.9 percent beginning in July 2005, the lowest increase in more than a decade and below projections. Rates in 2002-03 rose by an average of 14.9 percent and last year rose an average of 7.1 percent.
"We're happy," said Tim Haney, director of finance in St. Clair Shores, which likely will see its rate drop by 7.1 percent, one of five Macomb communities that would see a decrease. Each community will decide whether to pass along its rate from Detroit to its residents and business owners.
"We hope that we'll be able to pass that decrease on to our residents, that's our intent," Haney said.
Despite Shelby Township's proposed 6.8 percent increase, Supervisor Ralph Maccarone said he is encouraged by the rate compared with this year's 12.64 percent increase.
"Four years ago they (DWSD officials) said there would be double-digit increases for five years and beyond," Maccarone said.
The relatively low rate increases come amid a dispute between the suburbs and city of Detroit over water rates that has escalated in recent years. The city of Warren led the current charge and filed a lawsuit against the city, and a consortium was formed to facilitate relations after some lawmakers attempted to exert outside control over the DWSD.
DWSD spokesman George Ellenwood said the department was able to hold down costs better than expected for a variety of reasons.
"It's because of the continuing monitoring of how the department spends money, keeping an eye on overtime and always looking to improve business processes -- streamlining and consolidating where we can," Ellenwood said.
Warren Deputy Mayor Mike Greiner, however, said he doesn't buy Detroit's explanations, arguing that Detroit is playing political games to combat a recently completed study of constructing another water system, a competitor, to serve 23 communities or more. Keeping rate increases minimal will help usurp the effort.
"We think the city of Detroit is trying to take the steam out of this movement to create another system," Greiner said.
Ellenwood retorted: "That's easy to say."
The $200,000 study was completed by O'Brien & Gere Engineers in New York on commission of the communities, including the Macomb communities of Warren, Center Line, St. Clair Shores, Eastpointe and Fraser. Fifteen communities in Oakland County and one in Wayne also participated in the study.
It proposes three options in detail and two additional options that need further study. The trio of top options are:
Construction of a water treatment plant to serve 23 communities and costing $1.42 billion.
Construction of a water treatment plant to serve only the Macomb communities and the single Wayne County community involved in the study at a cost of $363 million (the six Macomb and Wayne communities make up about one-third of the usage)
Taking advantage of existing capacity and expanding treatment plants in Mount Clemens, Highland Park and Grosse Pointe Farms at a cost of $310 million.
The remaining options that would require further study are:
Including Genesee County and the city of Flint in a regional solution.
Purchasing treated or untreated water from Genesee.
Roy Rose, president of Anderson, Eckstein & Westrick, which the communities hired as a consultant, said the study not only provides potentially viable options but served another purpose.
"We hope and feel that doing this has helped Detroit keep rates under control, although Detroit would never say that," Rose said.
Whether any of the options is viable remains in question, Rose said. The biggest obstacle would be cost, especially paying for the construction at the same time still paying Detroit for water.
Bonds would be sold to pay for a system, and payments from taxpayers could be kept relatively low by being spread out over 20 or 30 years. For instance, $1.42 billion spread among the households holding approximately 800,000 people would result in a cost of $1,774 per household. That equals $59 per year for 30 years, excluding interest.
A major downfall would be the planning and construction period of about five years, during which time the bond payments also would have to be made.
"It would be like if we were a homeowner and had to make payments on two mortgages for five years," Maccarone said.
Delaying payments for five years likely would increase the interest rate by a significant amount, Rose said.
On the other hand, if a large number of other communities joined in, in addition to the 23 that paid for the study, the costs could be reduced to a more viable amount, officials said.
Based on projections, once the new system is built, its rates would be lower than Detroit's after only three years of operation, Rose said. But he noted that projections can be iffy, pointing out that Detroit officials projected an average increase of 7.4 percent from 2005 to 2010 and 5.4 percent from 2011 to 2020, but next year proposes a rate increase far below the projections.
"The question is, 'What's Detroit really going to charge?'" he said.
Maccarone commended DWSD Director Victor Mercado and his staff for working better with suburban officials since protests first intensified more than two years ago. DWSD and suburban staffers and officials have been working together in technical advisory committees. Suburban officials are learning about the 11 to 14 factors that go into each community's rate.
"I don't know if it lowered rates, but they have a better understanding of the way rates are formulated and have more confidence in them," Ellenwood said.
A rainy first half of 2004 also likely contributed slightly to the lower rates because it reduced the peaking factor, Ellenwood said.
Despite the drawbacks to a creating a separate suburban system, a steering committee and a committee of all 23 communities will continue to look at the study and determine whether to proceed to "phase two," which would involved drawing up plans at a cost of $160,000, Rose said. One avenue would be to obtain details, including costs, of the fourth and fifth options.
Rose said he sees this exercise as a necessary evolution in the regional water system's development.
"This is the first time, as far as I know, that this (a separate, regional suburban system) has been looked at, that anyone has come up with any numbers," Rose said.

Eastpointe, MI - Seeks 4 percent water hike

Eastpointe City Manager D. Wayne O'Neal has proposed a 4 percent increase in water rates.

Published: May 30, 2005
By Tom Watts Macomb Daily Staff Writer

O'Neal will ask the City Council to approve a new rate of $53.16 a month -- a break down of $17.72 for water and $35.44 for sewer.
"The Board will have an ordinance that will come up in June," O'Neal said Friday. "They will vote on the increase and I see no opposition."
O'Neal said there were three areas that affected the rate hike: an increase of 3.5 percent for water from the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department; a 14 percent increase for sewerage disposal; and the removal of the Lake St. Clair Clean Water Debt to the Chapter 20 debt millage.
"I see it as one of the lowest water rate increases we've had," he said. "The increases passed to us through the city of Detroit for its water and sewer is a big reason for the increase."
O'Neal said the city of Eastpointe is providing its residents with ongoing upgrades on its water mains and repairs on its many drains and sewers.
"We're looking at a new meter system for the city," he said. "We're preparing a flyer that will explain the need for a new meter system. The residents deserve to have upgrades in water and sewer."
The water and sewer rate analysis exhibit reflects an increase of $2.18, but O'Neal said he is recommending $2.16 for "rounding purposes."
Capital improvement funds in the amount of $1.5 million are included in the rate for ongoing improvements to the system, O'Neal said.

Eastpointe, MI - Hopeful of brighter future

Mayor points to new business construction and District Court as pluses

Published: January 20, 2005
By Tom Watts Macomb Daily Staff Writer

Eastpointe Mayor David Austin admits the city of 35,000 people has been through tough financial times with recent budget reductions, but new construction and a new district court are just some of the areas helping make up for a loss in revenue sharing from the state.
Austin presented the state of the city address to business leaders at L.F.A. Hall on Wednesday and acknowledged residents and businesses are surviving state revenue cuts and looking forward to a better future for the city.
"The good news is we have a fund balance of $3.9 million," Austin said. "The bad news is it wouldn't take much to lose it."
Instead, Austin highlighted the positive changes the city experienced in 2004 including, improvements in the Finance Department; water bill accounts online; infrastructure upgrades by the Public Works Department including storm sewer replacement; and a public library that had 175,000 people visit last year.
"In many ways 2004 was a successful year," Austin boasted. "The most important achievement was the City Council acknowledging our capital improvements must take priority, like roofs and park bleachers."
Wednesday's annual event, which was hosted by the Eastpointe Area Chamber of Commerce, included some of the city's top officials such as Police Chief Michael Lauretti, Fire Chief Danny Hagen, Building Supervisor Gary Young and District Court Judge Norene S. Redmond.
Young said city officials are excited about a $3 million building permit for construction of an indoor climate-controlled storage facility on the city's south side, among other building construction and infrastructure improvements.
"We're experiencing our own building boom," Young said Wednesday. "Construction of a new Flagstar Bank and strip mall is a good sign, and the reconstruction of the 100,000-square-foot Drummy Oldsmobile building on Eight Mile Road is good news."

One of the most successful stories of 2004, Austin said, was welcoming a new 38th District Court with Judge Noreen Redmond presiding.
"It has been one exciting year," Redmond said. "We have one of the most progressive and serviceable courts in the state. We have done so much."
Redmond said additions to the district court since it opened last year include a payment drop box; new court hours; evening hours for probation officers; a suggestion and comment box and $25,000 in new computers.

Veronica Klinefelt of the Eastpointe City Council presented business leaders with an update of the Downtown Development Authority, including steps taken to make traffic safety a top concern for officials.
"We are making downtown more pedestrian-friendly," Klinefelt said. "Instead of buying something and leaving, we want people to spend more time walking downtown."
Among the things the city is doing to keep people downtown, she said, include the purchase of two bike racks and street banners, while the planting of more trees and flowers is helping shape the city through the Beautification Committee.
Klinefelt, however, said there seems to be a false perception that Eastpointe has a crime problem.
"There were no murders last year. No fatal accidents. Robberies were down 28 percent. Assaults were down," Klinefelt said.

For interest - Warren, MI Water rate hike

Residents may pay 7 percent more to absorb cost of replacing meters

Published: December 31, 2005
By Norb Franz Macomb Daily Staff Writer

Warren residents in January may be hit with a nearly 7 percent jump in combined water and sewer rates.
Mayor Mark Steenbergh has recommended a 6.9 percent increase, in part to pay for replacement of water meters across the city.
"Most of our meters are at the end of their useful lives and need to be replaced," Steenbergh told council in a report outlining a proposed $34.1 million budget for the city's water and sewer system in 2006. "We have been talking for years about moving to an automated system where we can retrieve more timely information from system users for billing purposes and to be aware of significant spikes in usage that could indicate a problem on the user end.
"It is an expensive undertaking but one that we must seriously consider," he said.
The Warren City Council has not yet voted on the spending plan.
If officials approve an increase, it is expected to be the first of two water rate jumps in Warren in the new year. Residents might get socked in July, when the city of Detroit -- which supplies water to most suburban communities -- is expected to increase the rate it charges Warren for water by 13 percent.
"It's totally unjustified," council President James Fouts said.
Although the water/sewer budget is separate from the city's general fund, Fouts suggested Steenbergh give up his police chauffeur in an effort to cut costs.
"We have to look closely at every penny," Fouts said. "I don't think (a mayoral chauffeur) can ever be justified, least of all now."
In the past, the city's legislative officials have been leery of voter backlash over water bills, and slashed the mayor's recommendation by approving smaller increases or freezing rates.
A year ago, Steenbergh proposed a 7.9 percent increase. Council voted to raise the water/sewer charges by 4.9 percent. The smaller increase, officials predicted, would force Warren to put some water main and sewer projects on hold. Macomb County's most populated city records approximately 400 water main breaks a year, and some sewer lines are almost 70 years old.
In 2003, council members opted for a 2.6 percent hike after the mayor suggested a 3.9 percent jump.
Detroit's cost increase in July to supply water to Warren will be heavily scrutinized. Warren filed a lawsuit against Detroit a few years ago, alleging the bill from the utility incorrectly included wastewater treatment charges that should not be passed along to Warren because, unlike most suburban communities, Warren operates its own wastewater treatment plant.
Last July, Detroit reduced the cost of water to Warren by 5.35 percent. Warren officials passed that savings to households and businesses.
But with higher water bills looming, Warren resident Henry Krzystowczyk said he and some of his neighbors are considering whether to dig a well and use that water for their lawns.
Tom Pawelkowski, a former council candidate who has studied water fees in his hometown, hopes the council keeps any increase in check.
"As I see it, this budget has a lot of fat in it and it needs to be scrubbed down," he said.
But city administrators insist a 6.9 percent increase is needed, even as officials expect the recent years' decline in water use across the city to continue.
They said homeowners reduce water consumption -- such as watering lawns less frequently -- as municipalities raise water/sewer rates, resulting in less water "sales" and thus less revenue. Officials point out that's a Catch-22, and hurts communities because employee wage and benefits costs continue to go up, and the cost to replace or maintain water mains and sewers also rises.
Administrators insist notions that Warren or other communities profit by marking up Detroit's charges are erroneous because the rates set by the Detroit water board is only for delivery of water to city boundaries. Any mark-up is needed to maintain, repair or replace water mains, they said.
In addition to the $10 million automated meter replacement program recommended by Steenbergh, the mayor has proposed 16 construction projects and a $300,000 inspection of all water lines and sewers in the city.

Eastpointe, MI - New City Manager at Work

New manager ready to pound the pavement.
He will tour local businesses, neighborhoods.

Published: August 9, 2006
By Mitch Hotts Macomb Daily Staff Writer

Eastpointe Mayor Dave Austin had a word of advice for new City Manager Darwin Parks, who begins work today -- put on your tennis shoes and get out on the streets to learn about the community.
"I'd like to see him out there walking and driving around Eastpointe so he can see our business corridors and learn about our neighborhoods and get to work," Austin said.

The Eastpointe City Council on Tuesday afternoon formally approved a 1-year contract for Parks, who will earn a $94,000 salary along with four weeks of vacation and a $500 monthly automobile allowance.
Parks, 40, had been employed as administrator for Highland Park for the past two years as that Wayne County community worked its way out of state receivership due to chronic financial problems.
He's familiar with Macomb County after formerly working as city manager in Richmond, where city officials were reluctant to see him leave.
Parks said he's eager to come up with new ideas for development in Eastpointe, which is an older, inner-ring city bordering Eight Mile and the Detroit border.
"I believe Eastpointe has its best days ahead of us," Parks said immediately after his appointedment as manager. "Many communities have financial problems, but this city has become very proactive in identifying and addressing its problems. We have a lot of work to do, but there are many opportunities here."
Parks was one of 16 applicants to express an interest in Eastpointe after the council fired former City Manager Wayne O'Neal, who left in June.
Council members said O'Neal did not reach out to the business community and had poor relations with the economic development and building departments. The council expects Parks will have better communication with those departments in order to attract new development to Eastpointe. He's been a proponent of supporting Detroit and inner-ring communities in order to make the entire tri-county region more economically viable.
"I've had state representatives from Macomb and Oakland counties tell me 'We have the money we need, why should we help Detroit?' and that made me realize there are people in Lansing who don't understand how the region depends on a vital Detroit and inner-suburban cities. We are a reflection of the state of Michigan," Parks said.
His top priority is watching public spending after voters last year approved a 7 mill increase and there is talk of building a new City Hall.
"We have to be very responsible to make sure we are spending the taxpayer's money effectively and efficiently," he said.
Parks, a 1984 Oxford High School graduate, earned a bachelor's degree with cum laude honors in human services with a concentration in public administration from Siena Heights College and has a master of public administration degree with high honors from Golden Gate University. He is certified with the International City/County Management Association.

Eastpointe, MI - Sidewalk repair program

Eastpointe eyes new proposal to simplify sidewalk repair

Published August 13, 2006
By Mitch Hotts Macomb Daily Staff Writer

A member of the Eastpointe City Council has offered a new proposal designed to simplify the city's controversial and costly sidewalk replacement program.
Councilman Ron Selvidge suggests charging all households an annual $25 fee to create a pool of money to pay for the sidewalk program, which has caused a financial hardship for numerous homeowners.
With 13,500 households in the south Macomb County community, the plan would raise $370,000 a year, not counting the business sector. Eastpointe currently spends at least $350,000 annually on fixing sidewalks with the costs passed on to property owners.
"We have so many people out of work and our seniors who just can't afford to pay to have their sidewalks fixed when the city is demanding it," Selvidge said. "Under this plan, everyone shares in the cost, which would become lower, and maybe make it easier on everyone."
Currently, homeowners who are notified by the city to replace cracked or pitted sidewalks have to pay $66 per slab. Many residents have complained to the council about bills they've received in excess of $1,000.
"If we put the fee on their water bills, people would have greater flexibility in paying it because you can spread the payments on water bills," Selivdge said.
Two weeks ago, the City Council temporarily suspended implementation of the sidewalk program due to complaints from residents.
Residents have said not only is the program costly, but there's a dispute over how it's implemented. City inspectors mark slabs that have cracks or surface deterioration, but also small pits that officials consider potential tripping hazards.
Residents say the pitting criteria is too subjective and don't believe the pits present a true hazard.
"If we remove just that one word, it would make the ordinance so much clearer," said resident Walt Jakubiec, a frequent critic of the current process.
While the program is suspended, the council ordered city administrators to review the ordinance with an eye on extending the payment time to six months and possibly altering the standards that inspectors use to decide whether the slabs need to be replaced.
"We have to be much more specific on what the inspectors are looking for," City Attorney Robert Hribar said.
Hribar said when the municipality is sued over a trip-and-fall case, judges often ask if the city has a sidewalk inspection in place. Absence of an inspection program, the judge often rules against the city, Hribar said.