banner
In This Issue

Contact Us
City Hall
151 Martin, P.O. Box 3001
Birmingham, MI 48012 
Ph. 248.530.1800
Fax 248.530.1080
 
AROUND TOWN
February 2016


Welcome to the February 2016 edition of the Around Town e-Newsletter from the City of Birmingham. We hope you enjoy this e-newsletter and forward it along to others who may be interested in the City of Birmingham!
One More Week: Savor Birmingham Restaurant Week!
February 1 - 5, 2016


Delicious, affordable meals are offered throughout Birmingham during the last week of the 11th annual Birmingham Restaurant Week event from February 1-5. Take advantage of specially created menus from Birmingham's top chefs. Enjoy three-course lunches for $15 and three-course dinners for $30. Visit  www.BirminghamRestaurantWeek.org for event menus and participating restaurants. Bon appetit!
Public Input Sought for Poppleton Park Site Concept Plan

Share your ideas and feedback during a Public Workshop to assist in developing a Poppleton Park Site Concept Plan on Tuesday, February 2 at 6:30 pm. The workshop will be held during the Parks and Recreation Board Meeting in the DPS Conference Room located at 851 South Eton. A representative from M.C. Smith Associates will receive public input for a Poppleton Park Site Concept Plan. This will be an opportunity to identify strengths and weaknesses of the current park configuration and usage patterns, and to identify opportunities for future amenities and/or the reconfiguration of the existing park features. For more information, call the Department of Public Services at (248) 530-1700.
Important Information about the March 8th Election

With the election just over a month away, please take note of the following:
  • If you are not already registered to vote, the last day to register to be eligible to vote in the March election is Monday, February 8th.
  • To confirm you are registered to vote and your polling location, log on to:  https://webapps.sos.state.mi.us/mivote/.   
  • Will you be out of town for the March Election?  
    Apply for an absentee ballot today!  Log on to www.bhamgov.org/voting.  Complete the form and mail or fax it in.  A ballot will be mailed to you.
  • On Election Day, the polls are open from 7:00 AM - 8:00 PM.
  • Log on to the City's website to view a sample ballot and view the list of precincts.  www.bhamgov.org/sampleballot  
For more information regarding the election, contact the Clerk's Office at 248-530-1880.
Birmingham Welcomes New Businesses

Stop by soon and support the following new businesses that recently opened in Birmingham:

Woolly & Co., 147 Pierce Street.  Woolly & Co. welcomes knitters of all ages and levels. They feature a large variety of yarn brands with hand-picked colors, gauges and textures. Learn more at 
http://woollyandco.com or call 248.480.4354.

Arthur Avenue, 260 North Old Woodward. True to the legendary Arthur Ave. street in The Bronx, the Arthur Ave. restaurant in Birmingham offers no-nonsense Italian fare. Learn more at  http://www.arthurave.com/ or call 248.480.0768.
Birmingham Historical Museum Reaches $40,000 Goal 

The Birmingham Historical Museum recently announced it has raised the target amount of $40,000 to complete the construction phase of the Hill School Bell Outdoor Structure Project. This goal was met with generous donations from the Rosso Family Foundation, in addition to other private donations and several grass roots fundraising efforts undertaken since 2011.
 
The Hill School Bell Outdoor Structure is a visually appealing and protective gazebo-like structure inspired by the original cupola from the Hill School. It will be installed this spring/summer in the plaza area between the Allen House and the Hunter House, with greater visibility and accessibility to passers-by.

Learn more by calling the Birmingham Historical Museum at 248-530-1928.

Stay Active with Ice Skating Opportunities in Birmingham

Barnum Ice Rink

The Outdoor Ice Rink at Barnum Park is currently closed due to mild temperatures. Before heading to Barnum Park this winter, call the  Department of Public Services at 248-530-1700 t o learn whether or not the rink is open for skaters. When temps are too warm for outdoor ice, don't forget about the Birmingham Ice Arena, located at 2300 East Lincoln. Now through May, you'll find offerings including: Parent & Tot Skate, Adult Skate, Open Skate, Parent & Tot Hockey and more! For more information, visi www.bhamgov.org/icearena  or call  (248) 530-1640 .
Become a 2016 Election Inspector

The City Clerk's Office is recruiting individuals to work at the precincts during the 2016 elections.  
 
Election inspectors are assigned to one of the nine precincts in the City.  They process voters, issue ballots, etc.  Election inspectors work from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM and are paid $10.00 per hour.  (Half day shifts are available if needed.)  Election inspectors are required to attend a training session prior to each election and must have strong computer skills.  
 
Interested individuals must be a registered voter, resident of Michigan, and at least 18 years of age or older. Download the Election Inspector Application here. Visit the City's website for additional information or contact the City Clerk's Office at carft@bhamgov.org or 248.530.1803.

New Art Installation Coming Soon


Recently, during the December 16, 2015 Public Arts Board meeting, members of the Board reviewed and subsequently approved an application for a sculpture to be donated to the city and put on display. The piece entitled "Sound Heart" was sculpted by Jay Lefkowitz in 1989 using corten steel (as shown to the right). The current owners of the piece, Richard and Christina Heidrich, have generously proposed to donate the sculpture to the City of Birmingham.

DPS coordinated with the artist to safely remove the sculpture from the owner's backyard and transport it to a storage facility until a location is chosen this spring.

The Public Arts Board currently has a vacant seat and is looking for a new member. If you are interested in becoming a member of the Public Arts Board or have any additional questions regarding the Board, please contact City Clerk at 248.530.1880.
Register Now to Sponsor or Participate in the Celebrate Birmingham Hometown Parade


The annual Celebrate Birmingham Hometown Parade will be held on Sunday, May 15 th at 1:00 PM.   Register your group today!
 
The theme this year is "Outdoor Adventures". Celebrate how you or your organization love to spend time outdoors by participating in the theme - select from biking, camping, boating, sports, etc. Be creative!   
 
Parade participants and sponsors may register their groups at  www.bhamgov.org/parade or call 248.530.1880.
Learn about Birmingham's Snow Ordinance

It's a good time of year to be sure you understand everything you need to know about Birmingham's snow ordinance. Take measures to ensure you don't find yourself in violation of the snow ordinance regarding snow removal and snow parking bans. Here are the two most important requirements:
  
1) You're required to clear the sidewalk in front of your home of any snow and ice. 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 pm 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 the 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.   
February News from the Baldwin Library    
 
AARP Tax Assistance
Thursday, February 4, March 3, April 7 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Trained AARP Tax-Aide counselors will be available to assist in filing tax returns with special attention given to those 60 and older. Call 248-554-4650 for an appointment.
 
Χορός Ας! A Celebration of Greek Folk Dancing
Monday, February 8 at 7:00 p.m.
Learn all about Greek folk dancing and its traditional costumes and jewelry with the KYKLOS Hellenic Society.
 
When Elections Were Fun, with Bruce Zellers
Saturday, February 13 at 2:00 p.m.
Take a look back at American presidential campaigns of the 19th Century. Unlike today, candidates were presented through agents and advertising rather than personal appearances. It worked: voter turnout was far higher than it is today.
 
The Baldwin Public Library is located at 300 W. Merrill Street in Birmingham. 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,