Eastpointe, MI - "Let Eastpointe Residents be heard"

A campaign committee has been formed known as:
"Let Eastpointe Residents be Heard"

The sole purpose of this committee, it's campaign intentions and goals is to circulate a petition asking The Voters in the City of Eastpointe if they should have the opportunity to vote on such a bond request for a new or refurbished city hall.

The following notice was published in the Macomb Daily News, Sports Section, Saturday 1/13/07. Please read this information carefully and note the process and obligations that will take place.

NOTICE From The CITY OF EASTPOINTE
OF INTENTION OF ENTERING INTO LIMITED TAX-SUPPORTED CONTRACT OF LEASE AND OF RIGHT TO PETITION FOR REFERENDUM THEREON TO THE TAXPAYERS AND ELECTORS OF THE CITY OF EASTP0INTE. MICHIGAN:
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the City of Eastpointe intends to approve and execute a Limited Tax Full Faith and Credit General Obligation Contract of Lease with the Eastpointe Building Authority pursuant to Act No. 31, Public Acts of Michigan, 1948 (First Extra Session), as amended. Such Contract will provide, among other things that said Building Authority will acquire, construct. furnish, equip a new City Hall facility, undertake site improvements, together with all necessary appurtenance and attachments and demolish the existing City Hall building.
THE BUILDING AUTHORITY WILL ISSUE ITS BONDS TO FINANCE THE ESTIMATED COST OF THE SAME (New City Hall) FOR THE CITY IN THE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF NOT TO EXCEED $4,500,000. Said bonds when issued will mature in not to exceed 30 annual installments (meaning 30 years) and will bear interest not exceeding 6 per % annum on the outstanding principal balance. (Interest is not included in the $4.5million) or items required to convert Senior Center and then remove/relocate temp city hall.
The Contract will further provide that the City will lease said facilities from the Building Authority and WILL PAY AS RENTAL TO SAID BUILDING AUTHORITY ALL SUMS NECESSARY TO RETIRE THE PRINCIPAL OF AND INTEREST ON SAID BONDS. TOGETHER WITH ALL COSTS OF OPERATING AND MAINTAINING SAID BUILDING AND ALL COSTS of said Building Authority in connection therewith, regardless of whether the building is tenantable. The principal amount to be borrowed by the Building Authority will be indebtedness of the City for purposes of statutory and constitutional debt limitations, and said principal amount, together with the City's rental obligation for payment thereof, may be increased to cover increased costs of acquisition, construction, furnishing and equipping of the City Hall building.
CITY CONTRACT OBLIGATION
BY VIRTUE OF SAID PROPOSED CONTRACT AND SAID ACT, ALL OF THE CITY'S REQUIRED PAYMENTS UNDER THE CONTRACT TO THE BUILDING AUTHORITY WILL BE A LIMITED TAX FULL FAITH AND CREDIT GENERAL OBLIGATION OF THE CITY PAYABLE FROM ANY AVAILABLE FUNDS OF THE CITY, AND THE CITY WILL BE REQUIRED TO LEVY AD VALOREM TAXES ON ALL TAXABLE PROPERTY WITHIN ITS BOUNDARIES TO THE EXTENT NECESSARY TO MAKE THE PAYMENTS REQUIRED TO RETIRE THE BONDS AND INTEREST THEREON IF OTHER FUNDS FOR THAT PURPOSE ARE NOT AVAILABLE AND AS LIMITED BY LAW. THE OBLIGATION TO LEVY TAXES IS LIMITED BY APPLICABLE CONSTITUTIONAL, CHARTER AND STATUTORY TAX RATE LIMITATIONS.

SAID PROPOSED CONTRACT SHALL BECOME EFFECTIVE WITHOUT VOTE OF THE ELECTORS OF THE CITY, AS PERMITTED BY LAW, UPON THE EXPIRATION OF 45 DAYS FOLLOWING THE DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE, UNLESS A PETITION REQUESTING AN ELECTION ON THE QUESTION OF WHETHER SUCH CONTRACT SHOULD BE EFFECTIVE, SIGNED BY NOT LESS THAN 10 % OF THE REGISTERED ELECTORS OF THE CITY IS FILED WITH THE CITY CLERK WITHIN SAID PERIOD. If such petition is so filed, the Contract described in such petition shall not be effective without an approving vote by a majority of electors of the City voting on the question.

This Notice is given pursuant to the requirements of Section 8b of the afore-said Act 31, as amended. Further information concerning the details of said Contract, the acquisition and construction of the Improvements being financed and the matters set out in this Notice may be secured from the City Clerk's office. A copy of said Contract will be on file in the office of the City Clerk for public inspection.
Darwin D. Parks, city clerk M.D. – 1/13/07

A group of concerned individuals have stepped up and assembled a campaign committee since many other residents have also expressed "Why dont' the residents of Eastpointe get a chance to vote on this item" ? Apparently our elected officials, Do Not Need, Feel or Want to give the residents an opportunity to vote, on the matter of going into further debt or not over the issue of a new city hall!

This issue of not allowing the city voters (electors/residents) a chance, which should be one of our rights to vote on such a commitment will, of course affect all of us for many years to come. Many of us can't even keep up with the current city taxes, water rate increases, safety milage (which will be back for approval in a few short years), state increases, and we haven't even mentioned the unknowns we all need to save for. Additionally, there are several other major points of concerns in this city notice of intent (you must read this very carefully as there are a few got-chas). These major concerns will affect many of our cities future financial obligations as well as proper city growth, proper city maintenance, lack of residency, along with many more, far greater, important city items that will need to be put off, if not totally, deleted in Eastpointe.

The committee (for the people) is in need of volunteers who are registered voters in Eastpointe to assist in the collection of required signatures within the next few weeks. Collection of signatures is currently scheduled to start this weekend 1/20/07.

This is your opportunity to stand up, speak out and support your rights. As of now, the citizens are being passed over, no formal opportunity to "let the Residents of Eastpointe be heard".

The committee sincerely asks for your support on this campaign, through a donation of time by collecting signatures and/or a modest monetary donation to cover the cost of materials.

This E-mail address leteastpointeresidentsbeheard@yahoo.com is available so you may contact them on your support allowing residents an opportunity to vote on such a bond commitment of $4.5 million spread over the next 30 years.

Do you really think this will be the end amount?

Have you noticed how the amount has been going up just over the past month or two? Remember what occurred with the building of the Police and Court House?

A disaster in city building management, poor and lacked important contractual items, it's already falling apart and improperly maintained just as with all the other city buildings. This is our Building Authority?

If you are a registered voter and interested in signing the petition, list your name, phone number, address with cross streets and the best time of the day to reach you and a volunteer will stop by.

Volunteers, as well as those that would like to sign the petition, may also contact James Collins between the hours of 9:00 am - 7:00 pm @ 771-1319. Please allow a fair amount of time for a committee volunteer to get back with you.

This is clearly not a fair, nor proper way for any city charter, elected officials to conduct such a process. Spending of our hard earned money, at the liberty of such a small group. Let's see, 1 mayor, 4 council members and 3 building authority members, some retired from the city of Eastpointe, one that does not even reside in Eastpointe and one that is a finance director. Is this a conflict of interest or what? Exactly what is the requirement to be on the building authority?

Many other surrounding cities allowed their residents to vote on their new city hall commitments, why not Eastpointe officials? Our elected officials never mention this, only that, "They have a new city hall, why don't we"? The real question here is, "Why don't you let the PEOPLE VOTE?"

The committee "Let Eastpointe Residents be Heard" is asking and inviting each and every one of the Eastpointe residents as well as business owners, to please attend the next council meeting at City Hall on January 23rd at 7:00 pm. Come and express your support even by attendenace, on the issue of an open vote by the residents on the bond for a new city hall $4.500,000.

Press release to follow in local papers on this petition.