Hamtramck Star

PRELIMINARY MATTERS

1. Call to order
2. Roll call
3. Pledge of allegiance to the flag
4. Proclamations/presentations/recognitions
a. KELLY STANFORD. Ms. Stanford is member services manager for the Michigan Municipal League and will speak on membership services.
b. REPRESENTATIVE BERT JOHNSON. Representative Johnson will make a presentation on issues confronting the Michigan legislature.

5. Public comments concerning agenda items

SECTION I: PUBLIC HEARINGS

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
CITY OF HAMTRAMCK

The City of Hamtramck is holding a Public Hearing on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 at 7:00 PM in the City Council Chambers on the 2nd Floor of City Hall, 3401 Evaline, Hamtramck, MI 48212, to receive comments from the public on the proposed 2008-2009 city budget.

The public is invited to attend and make comments during the Public Hearing or to make written comments on or before May 12, 2008. Written comments should be made to the attention of the City Clerk, 3401 Evaline, Hamtramck, MI 48212.

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The following is Hillary's recording of tonight's special meeting of the Hamtramck City Council.

An all-girls prom, open to both college and high school girls, will be held on Friday, May 9, from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., at Wayne State University in the ballroom of the Student Center. Advance tickets are available for $10 from Sharmin Hakim.

Help is needed at the Holbrook Garden this Saturday, May 10, from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Regular work times will follow on Tuesdays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. beginning May 20, and new this year, the ACCESS Ladies Garden Club will meet at the Holbrook garden on Thursdays.

The community garden at the Knights of Columbus will also have a work session for planting on Saturday at 2 p.m.. Stop in to see their new rain barrel system, or contact Nadine to be added to their mailing list of garden workshop opportunities in Detroit.

An opening reception for the latest exhibit at Design 99, "not necessarily functional furniture", is this Saturday, May 10, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m..

The Annual H-CAT spaghetti dinner is Saturday at the Knights of Columbus from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.. The $10 ticket price for adults ($8 for seniors, $5 for children) includes spaghetti with meat or meatless sauce, salad, bread, juice and pop, dessert, a performance by The Badways and a special presentation video of cat rescues.

Bill Jamerson, formerly of Hamtramck, will present music and a storytelling program about the Civilian Conservation Corps at the Albert J. Zak Memorial Library on Saturday, May 10th at 2 p.m.. Jamerson and many other Hamtramck boys worked for the CCC at Camp Raco, a work camp in the Michigan's Upper Peninsula run by reserve army officers.

Over 75 organizations in the Detroit area will celebrate contemporary art and artists at Art Detroit Now this weekend at the Russell Industrial Center, 1600 Clay Avenue. HATCH will have a 2000 square foot booth there on Saturday, May 10, from 2 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. to showcase member work.

Two sisters divided by "urban renewal" are living side by side again. The new housing was also featured on Detroit Today.

Parents and members of the community are needed to join a new local chapter of an organization called, "Students Against Violence Everywhere" (SAVE). Interested persons should contact Nadine Gizak.

Production has resumed at GM Poletown with parts from suppliers other than American Axle.

Tom Tyler was mentioned by an Akron newspaper.

Our city manager has been interviewing in South Lyon and Beverly Hills, MI.

A 68-year-old Hamtramck man was killed when he fell from, and subsequently run over by, a SMART bus.

If you haven't checked in on Ced N Teri lately, there are now eight episodes on YouTube.

Ginnah Muhammad, an American-Muslim woman who refused to remove her veil in Hamtramck's district court, has had her day in a Federal court. A written opinion should be issued soon, though Muhammad's lawyer has promised to appeal to the US Supreme Court if the ruling is not in her favor.

The National Brownfields conference was in town this week. Hamtramck recently received a $400,000 grant to test up to 16 properties for environmental contamination.

The Michigan Supreme Court has approved class-action status for a lawsuit against the city of Warren, filed by residents whose property was damaged by city trees.

Fathers Forward, a program through the Wayne-Metro Community Action Agency, offers free eight-week classes using a curriculum designed to generate an individual's employments options. After completion of the eight-week class, individuals have the opportunity to receive on the job training as well. For more info, contact Anthony Carroll at (313) 369-4600 ext. 275. (via Representative Bert Johnson)

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NOTICE OF SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
May 6, 2008 and May 7, 2008

The city council of the city of Hamtramck will hold special meetings on May 6, 2008 at 7:00 PM and May 7, 2008 at 7:00 PM in the 3rd Floor Conference Room in the Hamtramck City Hall at 3401 Evaline Street, Hamtramck, Michigan for:

Preparation of the 2008-2009 budget.

Notice issued in accordance with the Michigan Open Meetings Act.

NOTE: Anyone planning to attend the meeting who has need of special assistance under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is asked to contact the city clerk’s office at (313) 876-7700. Staff will be pleased to make the necessary arrangements.

The 40th Annual St Florian Strawberry Festival is this weekend. As always, the Strawberry Festival promises Polish food, polka, raffles and games, strawberry baked goods, and more. The 10th annual Firefighter March will begin at the firehouse on Saturday at 3 p.m., followed by a Mass honoring firefighters at 4 p.m..

Images from last year: Strawberry Festival, Firefighter March

Also on Saturday, May 3:

The HHS Student Council will hold their first annual Cosmos Carnival at the High School Community Center, 11350 Charest, from noon to 4 p.m.. The carnival promises a puppet show, face painting, and art show, performances, games, crafts, and poetry.

Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) will hold a candlelight vigil to protest violence in Hamtramck Schools at Zussman Park from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m..

Holy Cross PNCC, 2311 Pulaksi, will hold a rummage sale from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.. Lunch from the kitchen will also be available for purchase.

Preserve Our Parks will plant trees on Yemans Street, east of Conant, from 9 a.m. to noon. Bring shovels and gloves if you have them. Refreshments will be provided.

The following is Hillary's recording of tonight's special meeting of the Hamtramck City Council. The proposed police and fire budgets are also available in PDF format.

The following is Hillary's recording of tonight's special meeting of the Hamtramck City Council. Also available in pdf format is the Proposed 2008 Public Services Budget.

NOTICE OF SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS
April 29, 2008 and April 30, 2008

The city council of the city of Hamtramck will hold special meetings on April 29, 2008 at 7:00 PM and April 30, 2008 at 7:00 PM in the 3rd Floor Conference Room in the Hamtramck City Hall at 3401 Evaline Street, Hamtramck, Michigan for:

Preparation of the 2008-2009 budget.

Notice issued in accordance with the Michigan Open Meetings Act.

NOTE: Anyone planning to attend the meeting who has need of special assistance under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is asked to contact the city clerk’s office at (313) 876-7700. Staff will be pleased to make the necessary arrangements.

City manager applications: Thirteen applications were received, and a preliminary review by the MML narrowed the number to six. The council needs to decide whether or not to interview them. Because of employment laws, the council was not provided with resumes. The applicants were lettered A through F. The first two candidates were approved for interviews without objections.

Gordon was concerned that management experience in an ethnically diverse community was a requirement, and the communities listed by applicants are not urban. She wanted candidates to be more matched to the city's needs. Klein said that would be hard to do. Gordon repeated that she wants more urban applicants. Ahmed said they have to deal with what they have. Shulgon said they could start all over.

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