2010-2011 BudgetsFor copies of the proposed 2010-2011 budgets, please click here.
Departments - City Manager Departments - City Treasurer
|  | Community Survey ResultsThe community survey, conducted by Oakland University on behalf of the City, Davison Township, and the Davison Community School District, results can be reviewed here. Thank you to all who participated and completed and returned the surveys. In general, the respondents indicated a very high level of satisfaction with the area. I hope to conduct another survey in three-five years in order to see if things continue to be satisfactory.
Departments - City Manager Departments - Community Development Information - City Council
| | Manager Musings- May 25In cooperation with Republic Services, the City will take part in a pilot program related to solid waste collection. This program will be implemented (at no cost) to those residents north of Flint Street and west of State Street, which includes the following streets:
- N. Genesee Street (north of W. Flint Street)
- JFK Court
- Moore Street
- Charles Street
- Village Drive
- Meadow Drive
- Kay Street
- Oda Street
- Bay Street
- W. Hill Street
- Gary Ray Drive
- Leona Drive
- Maxine Drive
The documents here (which will also be provided to the affected residents) describe the program and the recyclable items, which have been significantly expanded. This program will run for approximately ten weeks. After a review of the surveys returned (residents, please complete and return the surveys to City Hall), the City and Republic Services will make a determination how to best proceed with the City's solid waste and recycling program. Thank you for your cooperation.
Departments - City Manager Information - Compost and Recycling
| | Manager Musings- May 13The Presbytery of Middle Tennessee had its first formal gathering since the flooding in late April/early May. The Presbytery is the administrative organization of several area chruches in the Nashville area. After a brief worship service during which our recovery effort was promoted and acknowledged, our team left for a different meeting.
This next meeting was a meeting of Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters, or VOAD. The meeting was hosted by Mr. Brian Williams, the Executive Director of Hands on Nashville, a regional volunteer agency. The meeting was the first step in organizing a Long-term Recovery Committee (LRTC) to coordinate the efforts and funding of the recovery. Several other agencies attended: FEMA, the American Red Cross, and the United Way to name a few.
Following this meeting, our team traveled to one of the more damaged areas in north Nashville. This area is primarily populated by low income and minority residents. We met with local leaders of the Beech Creek Missionary Baptist Church to discuss our ability to assist their residents with long-term recovery. A representative from the United Methodist recovery organization participated in our discussions, demonstrating that the recovery will truly be a community effort. It turns out that the area of the Beech Creek Missionary Baptist Church has a heavy Flint influence, with one of the most notable area personalities being Mr. Ricky Hampton, a former sports writer for the Flint Journal. We were presented a list of approximately forty homes in need of immediate assistance- clearing them out and preparing them for rebuilding.
One of the critical questions to be answered by the area government is how the rebuilding will occur. in many of the flooded areas, the government may restrict or prohibit rebuilding. Many of the destroyed homes, especially in the poorer sections of town, were quite old and not in compliance with current buildign codes. Will the City require new buildings to meet current codes? While the obvious answer would be yes, many of the poorer homeowners may not be able to afford the necessary equipment and materials to meet the current codes. That will be a difficult political decision.
Departments - City Manager
| | Manager Musings- May 12Today saw us visit three more churches. While two of the churches sustained damage themselves, our primary purpose of the visit was to view the damage in the surrounding areas of the churches and to determine in the churches would support volunteer missions to rebuild the damaged homes. The damage continues to be incredible. Below is a picture of a neighborhood named River Plantation.
This neighborhood is in Bellevue, and the Harpeth River runs behind the homes pictured. To give you some reference as to how high the water rose, silty residue was seen as high as the middle of the shutters in the lower floor windows. I would estimate that sixty-eighty homes in River Plantation were filled with water. Entire streets were covered with debris as shown above.
The picture below is from another neighborhood on the Harpeth River, also in Bellevue. Fences were knocked down by the surge of the water and roads were washed out. We observed a hot tub that had been ripped up by the water and left on top of other patio furniture and walls as the water receeded.
This neighborhood, Riverside, is a series of cul-de-sacs, all similar in design, and sadly, appearance, to that pictured above. The road in the foreground runs parallel to the Harpeth River, which is approximately twenty feet below the road and nearly a hundred yards from the road. Again, for reference, the green utility box with the water jug resting upon it was completely submerged.
I have several more pictures, but they all convey the same sense of extensive damage. These are the people that will need to rebuild their homes and their lives in the face of this disaster. Keep these people in your thoughts and wish them well on the long road toward recovery.
Again, thank you for your support.
Departments - City Manager
| | Manager Musings- May 11Greetings (still) from Tennessee. Today we made contact with another church interested in hosting volunteers. We're scheduled to visit that church as well as another that suffered some damage tomorrow.
The bulk of our day was spent in consultation with representatives of the Westminster Presbyterian Church, a large church located on the west side of Nashville. The church, which has an annual budget of $2.6 million (the same as the City of Davison's General Fund, by the way), has expressed support and made a commitment to host 30-36 volunteers in week-long sessions. Our job is to coordinate the logistics of hosting the volunteers, who will be used to clear homes of debris and assist in rebuilding the homes.
Our discussions covered issues such as sleeping arrangements, food, a site manager, hot water capacity, chores, church access, tool storage, parking, quiet areas, work orders, construction management, shower facilities, emergency and medical information, and municipal and neighbor relations. Many of those issues had not been considered by the church, which, in its desire to do good, wanted to recruit and host volunteers immediately. One of my teammates, Kelly Buell of Midland, Michigan, has had extensive experience managing volunteer villages on the Gulf Coast in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. His advice and recommendations to the church representatives was eye-opening and invaluable.
At the end of our day, we decided to visit some additional flood damaged areas to see if we might be able to offer logistic assistance. We went east to Opryland. Surprisingly, once in that area, we couldn't go very far: the roads are still closed (ten days after the event) and traffic is tightly controlled. Entire resort communities have been vacated. An area mall was closed, its parking lot filled with tents and restoration and recovery vehicles and equipment. The state color of Tennessee might as well be bright green, the color of the dozens of Serv Pro trucks that are everywhere. Recovery is not just long; it is expensive.
Today's briefing from the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency reported that 23,000 individuals and families had registered for FEMA assistance. FEMA has approved over $45 million in Individual Assistance, of which over $42 million is for housing assistance. Nearly 8,500 FEMA inspections have been completed. FEMA has opened six Disaster Recovery Centers to facilitate assistance. The likely final tally of fatalities directly attributed to the disaster stands at 23.
Given the magnitude of this disaster, how many of you in Michigan were aware of the effects of this disaster? Not many, I am sure, and had I not been part of my organization, I honestly would have likely missed how much western Tennessee has suffered. The media, which folka around here contend never did offer much coverage, have moved on to fresher stories. The impact will continue to be felt for years. I look forward to my continuing work here and sharing more with you upon my return.
Thank you for your support.
Departments - City Manager
| | Manager Musings- May 10It was a cloudy and rainy day today in Nashville: not a heavy water, but probably heavy enough on many of the area rsidents.
We spent the bulk of the day coordinating sites to host volunteers. Offers to assist with the recovery pour in from across the country via telephone calls and email messages. People want to come and help. The problem is housing and coordinating the work of such volunteers.
Our principal contact here is Phil Leftwich. He is local representative that made the official request for the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance National Response Team (PDA NRT or NRT) to assist the community. On the other end of the spectrum, despite numerous attempts to contact him, Phil's counterpart in the adjacent region (western Tennessee) has made himself unavailable for any contact. We struggled to determine the extent of damage in western Tennessee, which was hit by the same severe weather as middle Tennessee.
according to the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA), 18,000 residents have registered with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for Individual Assistance. Government assistance to disaster victims typically comes in two forms: Public Assistance and Individual Assistance. Public Assistance is for governments and non-profit organizations to repair and rebuild public facilities, such as roads, buildings, treatment plants, etc; Indiviidual Assistance is for individuals and households.
4,400 inspections have been completed by FEMA, and another 14,000 are scheduled. We spotted a FEMA representative as we ended the day by touring some of the affected neighborhoods. We drove through two neighborhoods: Cottonwood and Fieldstone, both of which are in the city of Franklin and located along the Harpeth River. Cottonwood was crushed. Rob, our team leader who has been here since Friday, reported that what we saw was nothing compared to two days ago. Most of the debris had been removed by the city, giving the appearance that it was a well-kept neighborhood. Plenty of debris was still piled throughout the houses, though. The houses were destroyed from the inside out: the rising waters ravaged the contents of each home, not the structure itself. In some areas, it was a ghost town as the residents, after clearing their homes, left. Given the economy and the difficulty of some families with their mortgages, who knows how many will return?
Fieldstone did not have as much damage, but it was still heavy. One home burned as the fire department watched, unable to reach the fire due to the flood waters. The adjacent house caught fire, too, and lost most of its roof. The remnants of the burned house were being knocked door as we passed. We observed the family and neighbors sorting through the debris and rubble.
In Cottonwood and Fieldstone, the neighbors (and the community) had the resources to aid each other. Other less affluent areas, such as northern and eastern Nashville, will present a more long-term challenge, as those areas simply do not have the "internal" resources to foster recovery. It will be those areas that will benefit from the efforts of outside agencies and volunteers. We hope to visit those areas within the next day or so.
Thank you for the messages of support that many of you have sent to me. I have shared them with the people with whom I am working. I hope to return soon. I'll continue to share my experiences from here with you.
Departments - City Manager
| | Manager Musings- May 9Happy Mothers Day to all of the deserving women.
I write to you from Franklin, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville, and the site of some recent and extensive flooding due to heavy rains. As I write this, nearly half of Tennessee's counties (43 of 95) have been included in President Obama's disaster declaration. I have been deployed to this area as part as the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance National Response team (PDA NRT) to assist in getting the long-term recovery started. Two other colleagues from the PDA NRT are with me (Rob, our team leader from Tennessee; and Kelly, from Midland, MI). We arrived late this morning.
As we will not officially meet with local officials until tomorrow morning, let me provide a brief backgground on my church's role. Funds given to the Presbyterian Church (USA; or PCUSA) and designated for disaster response are used in three primary ways:
- To provide immediate financial support to the Presbyterian's response to the needs of the community in the wake of the disaster.
- To set-up the long-term recovery program in the community. The Red Cross, FEMA, and the Salvation Army assist with food, clothing, and shelter; however, no governmental funds and very few non-governmental funds will support the cost of the organization to coordinate and supervise the ongoing use of volunteers, donated materials, and case management. This is my principal role for this current deployment.
- To provide support for spiritual and emotional care for the care givers.
A large portion of funds are used for building materials, covering the unexpected costs of rebuilding, and volunteer management.
In addition to the three main purposes governing disaster funds listed above, the use of the funds is further guided by six core values:
- Disaster response is need-based- those most in need and least likely to recover without church assistance are helped first.
- Church funds are used strategically- because need always outstrips resources, those resources are allocated where they will do the most good.
- Church funds are used last- other agencies and governmental programs are mandated to provide resources in disasters, meaning that limited church funds should not replace those mandated funds, but supplement those programs.
- The PCUSA encourages local churches to get engaged ecumenically and with interfaith organizations for disaster recovery.
- Church assistance is provided on an 'affiliation neutral' basis- being Presbyterian is neither a benefit nor an obstacle to assistance, nor does one need to be a Christian to receive assistance from the Church.
- Neither Church funds nor volunteer labor may be used to enrich a third party.
Although this organization is based within a church, the purpose of the PDA NRT is to assist in community recovery.
I haven't had an opportunity to see the effects of the flooding firsthand. From the airplane, I did observe some accumulated debris in several neighborhoods as I arrived. The fact that the PDA NRT was requested to provide support indicates that the damage from the flooding is widespread and extensive. Other PDA NRT personnel are being sent to Rhode Island and West Virginia due to recent flooding, Mississippi due to a tornado, and possibly Louisiana due to the oil spill.
The business of the City of Davison will continue while I am in Tennessee. I am confident that the staff at City Hall and elsewhere will operate with their typical professionalism. I will be in daily contact with the staff (probably several times) to answer questions and address various issues that arise. I will do my best to keep you informed on how this disaster has affected communities in Tennessee similar to Davison. The length of my stay is indeterminable at this time, but I expect it to be about one week. Please keep the residents of Tennessee in your thoughts and prayers.
For further information about the Tennessee disaster, please visit FEMA. For more information related to PDA NRT, please visit here.
Departments - City Manager
| | Manager Musings- Apr. 19The City's monthly water and sewer bills were mailed last week and, with today being the first day that many customers have been able to pay their bills, it has been interesting to hear how many customers are surprised that the rates were increased. Discussion of the rate increase (for both water and sewer) was prevalent in the Davison Index, the Davison Flagstaff, the City's electronic monthly newsletter, the City's Facebook page, and this site. I'm not sure how much more effort the City could have made to inform customers of the impending increase.
The rates were increased primarily due to the fact (and oversight) that the rates had not been increased in several years. The previous rates provided for a minimum water usage (3000 gallons) and a flat fee for sewer usage. The revised rates have removed both of those features: water and sewer are now both billed on consumption. A base charge is also included for water and sewer which is necessary to pay for the City's debt service on the water treatment plant and the County sewer charges levied against the City.
The specific numbers are: water base charge- $22.45, water consumption- $2.53 per thousand gallons; sewer base charge- $22.03, sewer consumption- $1.03. If you have a multiple-unit dwelling, such as a duplex or apartment building, you are levied the base charge (for both water and sewer) for each unit.
The new rates do represent a sizable increase. The various costs to operate the City's water system and the costs passed onto the City by the County for the sanitary sewer system have risen remarkably since the last increase to the City's rates to its customers. The water and sewer systems are to be operated as businesses, and as such, revenues must meet costs. Other costs have continued to rise for utilities and services due to increasing expenses, as well: gasoline, telephone, gas, electric, cable television. The City's water and sewer system are no different.
Departments - City Manager
| | Manager Musings- Apr. 15Many residents have contacted me regarding my decision to not open and eventually eliminate the City's compost site. While the status of the budget (especially staffing and processing costs) played a role in my recommendation, the key issue, which is generally overlooked, is the City's compliance with previously awarded grants from the State to acquire and develop park property. The conditions of those grants required that a park for which grant funds were used to acquire or develop land had to be maintained for public outdoor recreation in perpetuity. On at least two occasions (see correspondence), the Department of Natural Resources instructed the City to comply with orders to mitigate (remove) the compost site. On both of those occasions, the City conveniently ignored those orders. I have been informed that a third letter will be delivered to me shortly. Given this correspondence, when combined with the budget situation, I made the determination to cease compost operations rather than further jeopardize the City's ability to compete for future grants which could continue to enhance other park facilities and operations.
The City is no less "green" due to this decision. The City's solid waste hauler, at no additional expense to residents, will collect yard waste on the same two-week schedule to which residents are accustomed to with recycling. Yard waste needs to be in proper containers (a labeled container or a biodegradable bag) and placed at curbside. After collection, the yard waste is taken to a larger compost site operated by the hauler.
I hope that this information clarifies the factors that led to my recommendation and decision. If you have any questions, please contact me.
Departments - City Manager
| | Manager Musings- Apr. 14Following the actions in March of both the City Council and the Township Board to continue the discussions related to consolidation, I have worked with two entities to prepare for those additional discussions. The two groups are Prima Civitas and the Engineering Society of Detroit Institute (ESDI) . Today, our work has led to this press release. I believe that this presents the Davison community with opportunity to become a leader in the transformation of local government. In accordance with the conditions of the respective resolutions, the efforts of Prima Civitas, ESDI, and Michigan State University have been funded solely through private funds from a variety of foundations (total amount committed to date is approximately $30,000). If you have any questions, please contact me.
Departments - City Manager
| | Manager Musings- Apr. 5With spring pretty much here now, I've had plenty of residents express concern about the City's compost site, which will not open this year. Many residents have offered a variety of suggestions as to how to staff and operate the compost site in light of the budget concerns facing the City. Thank you for those suggestions and, especially, the offers to volunteer to staff the site.
While those offers perhaps address the budgetary issues related to the compost site, the more prevailing factor in the decision to permanently close the compost site is related to compliance with conditions imposed on the City as part of grant awards. The City has received numerous grants from the State to expand and develop the Abernathy Regional Park. Those grants require the property to be developed and maintained for "outdoor recreational activity." According to the State, compost operations do not meet that definition. The State, since at least 2006, has directed the City to close the compost site. Conveniently, the City has ignored those directions (in both 2006 and in 2008).
With the loss of the seasonal labor positions which staffed the compost site (among other park-related functions), I believed it to be an appropriate time to comply with the State's directives. Failure to do so would not only jeopardize future grant eligibility for the City but also risk the return of previously awarded grants. It is primarily for this reason that the compost site will not be opened. No amount of volunteer staffing or revised fees address the directives from the State.
I am scheduled to meet with representatives from Republic Waste Services (the City's garbage hauler) tomorrow afternoon. Our discussion will include the introduction of curbside yard waste collection (to begin as soon as possible). If successfully implemented, residents will be able to rid themselves of yard waste by placing it out with typical garbage and recycling. This is how many other communities dispose of residential yard waste, and it should work in this community, too.
The remaining compost will be sold or properly utilized or removed. The site will be redeveloped for suitable outdoor recreational activities as required by the State. Thank you for your understanding. If you have any questions, please contact me.
Departments - City Manager
| | Manager Musings- Mar. 31The University of Michigan Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy (CLOSUP) released the results of a 2009 survey of county administrators and board chairs, city mayors and managers, village presidents and managers, and township supervisors, clerks, and managers (from 1,303 jurisdictions). In the words of the authors, "These results illustrate a deeply-strained state-local relationship in Michigan, and may raise concerns about the ability of state-level officials to produce policy solutions that depend on local implementation." The State has been kicking sand in the face of local governments for years, so these results do not surprise me.
More than half (53%) of local officials give the Governor a "poor" performance rating. Local officials gave even lower marks to the Legislature: 61% rated its performance as "poor." Nearly half (49%) of local officials say that they seldom or never trust state government to do what is right.
The report also says: "Michigan's Legislative Commission on Statutory Mandates released a report in December 2009 that chronicled the failure of the state government to abide by constitutional restricts against unfunded mandates to localities. That report stated that the imposition of unfunded mandates 'has fostered a climate of resentment and revolt [among local units of government] that will impede economic recovery and the cooperation this State so badly needs.' This warning is reinforced by academic studies showing a lack of trust in government can decrease acceptance of and support for policy innovation. Thus, distrust of state government by local government leaders raises questions about the ability of state-level officials to produce policy solutions that depend on local implementation."
Yet another example of the immediate and critical need to change the way that state government functions. So many of us want to stay and reinvigorate the state instead of fleeing, but the current systems and leaders have continued to be ineffective. What a sobering end to March.
Departments - City Manager
| | Manager Musings- Mar. 25Congratulations to one of my peers and best friends, Mr. Lynn Markland, the City Manager of Fenton. At last night's Durand Area Chamber of Commerce banquet, Mr. Markland was honored as Durand's 2010 Citizen of the Year. Prior to taking the Fenton City Manager position in 2008, he was the manager in Durand for 16 years. Lynn represents himself, his family (father, Howard, and two sisters), his city, and his profession with exceptional class and dedication. Due to the political environment that managers necessarily operate in, it is somewhat rare that a manager receive such an honor. Lynn Markland is well-deserving of that honor and I again offer my congratulations to him for his professionalism and his friendship.
Departments - City Manager
| | Draft 2011 General Fund Budget (revised) For a copy of the draft 2011 General Fund budget that includes several changes from the previous drafts presented to the City Council on March 22 and March 29, please find that document here.
Unfortunately, due to budget constraints, several City positions are eliminated: three patrol officers, two Public Works laborers, the Community Development Director, and two part-time positions. An additional position, dispatcher, will not be re-filled following a scheduled December retirement. In total, this budget reflects a 28% reduction in City staff. This has been a difficult budget to prepare and present to the community. If you have any questions related to the proposed General Fund budget, please contact a City Hall representative.
Departments - City Manager
| | Manager Musings- Mar. 19Spring arrives tomorrow (although it's bringing rain)! With the sunshine and the warming weather, everyone is itching to get back to some of the wonderful outdoor activities we get to enjoy. I enjoy doing several activities with my daughters: golf, baseball, going to the beach. I like sitting in the evening with family and friends, with good food and laughter. We (as in nearly all of us) simply don't take enough time to enjoy life.
Try to spontaneously gather your friends for a relaxing evening. Meetings, kids' activities, travel, and the like simply overwhelm our schedules, making such festivities so difficult to coordinate. Why do we run the "rat race" if we never see or get to the finish line? I know that families, like city government, is facing tough times and decisions, but that doesn't mean that we can't continue to celebrate what is good and plan for improving our lot in the future. Lamenting about our situation is not going to make it better. Without losing sight of the fact that some of our neighbors are struggling, we still have much for which to be thankful and happy. Can we remember those things once in a while and return a smile to our faces and laughter in the air? If not, what, then, are we doing?
Departments - City Manager
| | Manager Musings- Mar. 15After even a longer travel day than on the way down to Arkansas, I'm ready to get back into a somewhat normal routine (although the lack of a routine is something I like about this job).
After completed our orientation and getting "sworn-in" as members of the National Response Team, our group visited the Clinton Presidential Library. Unfortunately, the only wing of the facility that was open was the restaurant, so we enjoyed an excellent Sunday brunch. I was hoping to visit the library and the related gift shop, but our the timing of our flights forced us to head to the airport before those areas opened.
My appointment to the National Response Team requires a commitment of four weeks each year (for which I'll use my accrued vacation time): one week for a national conference, one week for training, and two weeks for deployment to disaster sites. The disaster sites may be as small as a church fire (affecting one church) or as large as a hurricane/tornado/flood (affecting dozens). The primary mission of the response team is to observe, assess, and coordinate resources to aid in the community or church recovery from a disaster.
I'm looking forward to helping other communities as a representative of Davison.
Departments - City Manager
| | Manager Musings- Mar. 12Greetings from Arkansas! After a lengthy day of travel (including a two-and-a-half hour delay in leaving Flint, American Airlines), I arrived the the Little Rock facility for my weekend orientation. I have been appointed to a three-year term to serve on the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance National Response Team. After this orientation, I will be expected to serve approximately four weeks annually to support disaster relief efforts throughout the country. This should be a very rewarding opportunity to support other communities in times of great need. I'll share more with you upon my return.
Departments - City Manager
| | 2010-2011 Budget and Annual City Manager EvaluationOn March 22, at the regularly scheduled City Council meeting, the City Manager will present to the City Council the first draft of his proposed budget for the 2010-2011 fiscal year (July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011). Given the difficult financial circumstances of the general economy, the budget will face astere cuts. The City Staff continues to work diligently to limit the potential impact on personnel and services.
At the same meeting, the City Council will conduct its formal annual evaluation of the City Manager. Although permitted by state statute to conduct the evaluation in a closed (executive) session, the City Manager prefers to conduct the evaluation as part of the regular meeting. In addition to the Council's comments, the public is encouraged to provide comments related to the Manager's evaluation.
Departments - City Manager
| | 2010 Census You should have received your Census forms. As of late March, approximately 40% of Davison residents had returned the completed forms. If you have not, please take the time to complete the Census. Since this national count is only conducted once every ten years, it is critical that area residents get counted. The results from the Census are used for a variety of purposes, from assigning U.S. Congressional seats to funding numerous governmental programs. A more detailed explanation of the Census and a copy of the Census form can be found here.
Departments - City Manager Information - City Council
| | Manager Musings- Mar. 5 On Wednesday, the City welcomed two Russian exchange students for a brief visit at City Hall. Mayor Fred "Mac" Forter presented Miss Elizavetha (Liza) Kuzavanova (left, age 13) and Maria (Mary) Fomkina (right, age 15) with an official welcoming proclamation. Council member David Martin (far left) also had the opportunity to visit with the two students. Liza and Mary are from Surgut, Russia, a city of approximately 300,000 in Siberia. The exchange is part of a new effort on behalf of the Lingua Foundation for the Arts and Humanties under the direction of Dr. Ludmila Zhuravleva. Students participate in a city-wide essay-writing contest, examining "America and Russia: Is a Dialogue of Cultures Possible?" The winners of the contest, in this case Liza and Mary, receive a trip to the United States. Dr. Zhuravleva wishes to develop a sister-school relationship with a Michigan school, encouraging students and teachers to visit Surgut as part of this cultural effort. I will also work with Dr. Zhuravleva, who sits on the Surgut City Council, to foster a sister-city relationship. It was a pleasure to meet such wonderful ambassadors from a distant and "mysterious" place such as Siberia. With visits such as this, our fascination and respect for each other will continue to grow. Thank you, Dr. Zhuravleva, for your efforts, and best wishes for safe travel home, Liza and Maria. Do svidanya!
Departments - City Manager
| | Manager Musings- Mar. 2Recently,the City Council revised the City's snow removal ordinance. As a result of the discussions at City Council meetings, I believe that more residents became aware of the need to clear their sidewalks. Students, postal carriers, residents unable to drive, and those who simply want to walk require clear and safe sidewalks.
The last two snowfalls in the final weeks of February offered the first opportunity to see how area residents would respond to the new ordinance. Actually, I do not believe that residents clear sidewalks due to the threat of enforcement, but rather because it is the responsible and right thing to do in a community such as ours. Nevertheless, sidewalks clearance was remarkable! Thank you to everyone in the community who promptly cleared the sidewalks. I posted a note on both this web site as well as the City's Facebook site encouraging anyone who needed assistance to contact me. I received one request, and when I asked for volunteers to help this resident, plenty of volunteers immediately offered and, as a result, the resident's sidewalk and driveway were cleared. This is how a "sense of place" or community is developed and nurtured.
We're not quite clear of winter yet, so keep up the good work. Like you, I look forward to green grass and blue water soon.
Departments - City Manager
| | Intern Insights- Mar. 1Just an update on my internship and what's new. I've received my own personal project and I'm looking forward to it. Dale has given me the opportunity to organize an event for Flag Day on June 14th. I'm planning to get some local youths involved and allow them to express what our Country's flag means to them. It will be a fun-filled day and hopefully include food and music for those in attendance. Anyone looking to get involved with this event or help in any way can contact me at City Hall.
I also wanted to note that I attended the consolidation meeting on Tuesday and enjoyed every minute of it. I was glad to see that people came out an expressed their opinions and participated in the discussion. I was also proud to see that a couple of young adults voiced their concerns. With continued involvement, things can only get better for everyone.
-Matt Mariconi
Departments - City Manager
| | Manager Musings- Feb. 25Whew, finally a moment to catch my breath. It's been a busy week. Monday was typically busy as we prepared for the City Council meeting. Tuesday was spent preparing for the consolidation forum and Wednesday was spent re-counting the discussions of the forum to other officials, public, staff, and media that were not at the forum.
The feedback that I have received regarding the forum has been overwhelmingly positive: positive in the sense that we should continue the discussion to determine if any benefits would result from merging additional services, including governments. Residents are concerned about the cost of any such analysis or discussion. We'll have to find a way to continue with no cost to area taxpayers.
I want to thank everyone that took the opportunity to participate in the forum Tuesday evening. I thought the the crowd (approximately 250 people) was, for the most part, respectful and courteous. Most people were skeptical, as well they should be. We don't have any answers because we first wanted to hear your questions. Thank you for sharing your concerns that we will do our utmost to address should the discussion continue.
I welcome your comments on the forum. If you are interested in being part of any future discussions or dialogue, please also contact me at dmartin@cityofdavison.org.
Departments - City Manager
| | Manager Musings- Feb. 22With the heavy snowfall this morning, I left home earlier than usual. I stopped at a local coffee shop for a cup of coffee. The woman behind the counter made the comment that if the schools were closed, then everything should be closed. I told her that I worked for the City and that we couldn't close. In the worst of circumstances (and this snowfall does not rise to that level of severity), residents will expect city services to continue to operate. Roads need to be cleared, water still treated and pumped, police and fire still responsive, and office staff available. If a real emergency or disaster, city staff may have to provide these services with limited resources (power may be out, fuel may be in short supply, etc.) or while dealing with the same event on a personal level (is my family safe and well-provisioned?). Residents unquestionably expect critical city services to continue, and the staff is prepared to meet any challenges that would otherwise interrupt those services. We don't get snow days, and we're proud to assist and serve the residents on days like today.
Departments - City Manager
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