Ducks Unlimited invests $2 million in Michigan

Wildflowers bloom on a Ducks Unlimited project in Michigan | Press photo

Ducks Unlimited and its partners are investing $2.3 million to protect, enhance or restore 2,100 acres of wetland habitat across 10 Michigan project sites in 2019. This will greatly improve water quality and wildlife habitat.

The milestones in 2019 added to a sizeable historical investment in Michigan. Over the last 30 years Ducks Unlimited has invested $46 million to protect, restore or enhance more than 85,000 wetland and grassland acres on more than 420 project sites across the state.

Partners included the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Six Rivers Land Conservancy, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, corporate partners such as Axalta Coating Systems, major donors and Ducks Unlimited members. Vital federal funding also came from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act and the North American Wetlands Conservation Act.

“Michigan’s wetlands have a significant impact on Great Lakes and continental waterfowl,” explained Kali Rush, Ducks Unlimited regional biologist in Michigan. “But our wetlands are also crucial for water quality for drinking and recreation. Michigan has lost 50% of its wetland habitats, which filter rainwater before entering the Great Lakes. More wetlands mean cleaner water and less severe algae blooms and flood damage.”

The group highlighted three particular projects from 2019.

Upper Peninsula habitat revamped
Ducks Unlimited and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources enhanced water level management capabilities at Sturgeon River Sloughs State Wildlife Management Area in Baraga and Houghton counties. The Sloughs are one of the Upper Peninsula’s most productive wetland areas.

Major Monroe County marsh enhanced
Ducks Unlimited completed the third phase of a 900-acre coastal wetlands enhancement at Erie Marsh in North Maumee Bay of Lake Erie. This project will provide improved wetland habitat for waterfowl and other migratory birds that depend on the western Lake Erie basin of Michigan.

Saginaw Bay donation ready for restoration
In 2019, James and DeAnn Sattelberg donated 250 acres of former farmland to Ducks Unlimited for wetlands restoration. Since then, Ducks Unlimited has secured funding to design water level management infrastructure which will produce healthier habitat for waterfowl and wildlife. When complete, the property will be transferred it to a professional conservation organization for permanent protection.

For a complete report of 2019 activities, and a look into what’s planned for 2020 and beyond, view the Michigan Conservation Report. For all Ducks Unlimited events and programs in Michigan, visit www.ducks.org/Michigan.

This post is a part of this blog's semi-regular Friday Focus series, which endeavors to highlight news and opinions that, in my opinion, don't get as much attention as they deserve.

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Community meeting next Wednesday

Home in Warrendale - Photo by Frank Nemecek

The City of Detroit will host the community meeting for District 7 next Wednesday, October 9. This event will take place in the Adam Butzel Recreation Center (10500 Lyndon St.) from 6 - 8 p.m. District 7, of course, is the section of Detroit that includes Warrendale and its surrounding neighborhoods.

Items on the agenda for this meeting include the Detroit Water & Sewage Department as well as Halloween in the D. Representatives from all of the other departments in city government will also be on hand. This is an excellent opportunity for residents to express any concerns about city city services because the people you need to talk to will be right there.

I look forward to seeing lots of Warrendale residents at this meeting on Wednesday, October 9.

How to report a problem to the city government

Reporting | Stock photo from Pixabay

It happens - a Detroiter sees a problem that isn't an emergency but still requires the attention of city hall. Maybe the storm drain in front of their house is clogged. Perhaps someone has dumped a pile of trash in a vacant lot. It might be that a fire hydrant on their block needs repairs. Whatever the issue is, you need to get the city involved and navigating through the City of Detroit's every changing but always a bit more complicated than it needs to be bureaucracy can be a daunting task.

The City of Detroit has a simple yet effective way of reporting non-emergency problems. Residents with a smartphone should download the Improve Detroit app from either the iTunes or Google Play Store. This app enables Detroiters to report non-emergency issues to the City. It also enables them to track the City's response to it; even to communicate directly with the employee tasked with handling it and/or his or her supervisor.

Residents who don't have a smartphone can also report non-emergency issues. Instead of using an app to report it, though, they should instead file their report here on the City of Detroit's website.

I posted about the Improve Detroit app and website when it first came out a few years ago. Regardless, after talking with a few of my fellow Warrendale residents, it was clear that a reminder was needed.

The Improve Detroit app and website are your Tip of the Week for the week of March 18,2019.

These tips are brought to you by the Warrendale (Detroit) Blog as part of our semi-regular Tip of the Week feature. Please check back every Monday for more advice on your home, money, and life.

Also, be sure to follow the author, Frank Nemecek, on Twitter and Instagram as @fnemecek for more great information.

Prepare for floods, Detroiters

Flooding | Stock photo from Pixabay

During the next three days, the weather forecast shows a rapid change in the temperatures – a possible 60-degree swing – and expected rainfall starting Sunday. Both of these factors bring the possibility of severe flooding. The Detroit Water & Sewerage Department encourages residents and businesses to follow the recommended tips this weekend and into the upcoming week.

• Call DWSD at (313) 267-8000 if you see standing, gushing or bubbling water;
• Avoid driving through standing water;
• Clear snow, ice and debris from above and around the catch basins (storm drains) near your property; offer to help nearby senior citizens do the same;
• Look at your downspouts and remove any snow or debris that may be at the point where the water exits;
• Move snow away from the outside walls of your house or building. Rapid snowmelt could seep into basement walls that are not properly sealed;
• Check your basement drain to make sure it's not clogged. Any water that enters your basement needs to drain properly;
• Stay clear of standing water in your basement if the area includes electrical appliances, outlets, or a fuse box.

DWSD appreciates the patience of residents and businesses as we respond to an increase in water main breaks during and following the deep freeze. They temporarily re-assigned staff who normally work on sewer maintenance to assist with assessing and repairing the pipes. More than 200 DWSD employees are working in the field.

With temperatures rising today and into the weekend, DWSD and its contractors are now able to work on the backlog of repairing the water mains. It was unsafe for crews to perform underground repairs during extremely cold temperatures. Crews will be working through the weekend.

Report street flooding by calling DWSD at (313) 267-8000, or use the Improve Detroit SeeClickFix mobile app for Apple and Android devices.

The water is safe in Warrendale

Water in Detroit - Photo by Frank Nemecek

Nine people have reached out to me by phone, text, or Facebook this morning, asking about the boil water advisory for portions of Detroit that was issued by the Great Lakes Water Authority and that has been all over the news today. The key point for everyone to know is that the Warrendale neighborhood is not impacted by this.

Let me repeat this, the water in Warrendale is perfectly safe. The portion of our city that is impacted by this is basically downtown Detroit as well as the area between downtown and Belle Isle. The City of Detroit and the Great Lakes Water Authority have more information about this on their website.

And now that everyone knows that the water is safe in Warrendale, I'm going to go have a glass of the stuff myself.

Cheers!

Miss Michigan is my new hero

Emily Sioma, Miss Michigan 2019 - Photo by Yachin Parham/Miss America Foundation

Nia Franklin of New York was crowned Miss America at the pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey. However, it was Miss Michigan Emily Sioma whose introduction caused the most stir and excitement.

At the beginning of the Miss America pageant, each of the 51 contestants took center stage to introduce herself briefly to the audience. "From the state with 89% of the U.S. freshwater but none for its residents to drink," she began, "I am Miss Michigan Emily Sioma."

To say that the internet exploded with comments regarding Emily Sioma and her comments at the Miss America pageant is an understatement. Everyone seemed to understand that she was referring to the ongoing water crisis in Flint, Michigan. Unfortunately, though, her comments could also apply to Detroit public school students and others around the Great Lakes State who lack a reliable source of clean drinking water.

I am incredibly proud of Emily Sioma for using her platform at the Miss America pageant to keep the problems of clean drinking water in Michigan in the public consciousness. There are a lot of people in this state, particularly in Lansing, who would like the issues associated with our water to go away so they can go back to cutting taxes and regulations. However, when people like her keep water at the forefront of everyone's mind, it makes it hard to impossible for this issue to die a quiet death without someone finally fixing the problem.

I feel like I should mention a few other things about Emily Sioma to put her life thus far into perspective. She was born and raised in Grass Lake, Michigan, which is along the I-94 corridor between Ann Arbor and Jackson, but closer to Jackson. She is also a graduate of the University of Michigan where she received a degree in women's studies.

Emily Sioma is a survivor of a sexual assault. She used her personal experiences and her education to further the "I Believe You" initiative as part of her reign as Miss Michigan. Its mission is to support those who also survived a sexual assault.

It is for all of these reasons that Emily Sioma, Miss Michigan 2019, is my hero.

One of the things that I normally do on this blog is to publish a Tip of the Week feature; something to make someone's life a little easier or better. This Monday, my tip of the week is simple: be more like Emily Sioma.

I want to be more like her. I want everyone in Michigan to be more like Emily Sioma. That's why it gives me great pleasure to make "be more like Emily Sioma" this blog's Tip of the Week for September 10, 2018.

These tips are brought to you by the Warrendale (Detroit) Blog as part of our semi-regular Tip of the Week feature. Please check back every Monday for more advice on your home, money, and life. In the meantime, please feel free to check out the author, Frank Nemecek, on Twitter and Instagram for more great content as @fnemecek.

Mayor Duggan to meet with the neighborhood

Mayor Mike Duggan of Detroit - File Photo

The City of Detroit recently announced that Mayor Mike Duggan will have his annual District 7 Community Meeting on Monday, August 20. This event will start at 7 p.m. at the Straight Gate International Church (10100 Grand River Ave.) and is expected to conclude at 8:30 p.m.

This meeting is an opportunity for residents, business owners, and other interested parties in Warrendale and the surrounding neighborhoods to bring any questions or concerns they might have directly to Mayor Duggan in a public setting. Representatives from the various City departments will also be on hand.

The annual meeting is required by the Charter for the City of Detroit, which mandates that the Mayor hold at least one of these meetings each year in each of the seven City Council districts.

Anyone with any questions or concerns about our local government is invited to attend this meeting.

Warrendale on SciTech Now

Back in October of last year, I reported that a crew from the show SciTech Now on PBS was coming to Warrendale. They did a report on how some of the vacant lots in our part of Detroit are being used bioretention gardens as well as the impact that these garden have.

Detroit Public Television interviewed Barb Matney of the Warrendale Community Organization and myself on behalf of the show. They also spoke to several other people in the area and included lots of footage from our neighborhood.

I'm thrilled that this episode of SciTech Now has aired on PBS. It is available to watch on Detroit Public Television's website or by clicking the embedded video above.

As cities around the nation continue to look for better ways to meet environmental challenges, I'm excited that Detroit is able to showcase one solution. I'm also grateful to Detroit Public Television and the rest of the PBS family for shining such a positive spotlight on the neighborhood.

I was only featured in this episode very briefly. However, SciTech Now also used several photos that I provided them that showed what my basement looked like after Detroit was hit with record rainfall in August of 2014.

That flood was a painful - and expensive - moment for everyone in Detroit. I'm glad that it seems to have served as an impetus for improvements to our water and sewage system. 

PBS looks at rain gardens in Warrendale

Film crew from Detroit Public Television sets up - Photo by Frank Nemecek

I was interviewed yesterday by a film crew from Detroit Public Television, who was working on behalf of the show SciTech Now on PBS. An upcoming episode of the show will examine the four bioretention gardens in the Warrendale neighborhood as well as their impact on our neighborhood and the rest of Detroit. Barb Matney, president of the Warrendale Community Organization, was also interviewed for this episode.

The four bioretention gardens in Warrendale were designed by researchers at the University of Michigan. They are designed to soak up and help treat some of the rainwater that would otherwise go into Detroit's sewage treatment stream. More information about these rain gardens is available from my friends at CityLab over on their site.

I am personally glad to see some of the vacant lands in Detroit put to a productive use. These rain gardens improve the local environment. They also make it less likely for flooding to happen in our neighborhood and improve our overall quality of life.

The four bioretention gardens in the Warrendale neighborhood of Detroit are located at:

• 8027 Greenview Ave.;
• 8287 Evergreen Rd.;
• 8084 Stahelin; and
• 8091 Vaughan St.

SciTech Now air regularly on PBS (channel 56 in Detroit) and online. The producers were certain when the episode focusing on Warrendale's rain garden will air. As soon as I learn the date that it will air, I will share it here and on this blog's Facebook page.

All of this is why PBS and their look at the bioretention gardens in Detroit are my Cool Warrendale Thing of the Week for this week.

City of Detroit releases water quality report

Water

The City of Detroit released their annual water quality report for 2016 earlier today. It documents that the water coming out of our taps meets or exceeds all state and federal standards. A copy of this eight-page report is available on-line here.

Copies of their previous water quality reports from 2008 - 2015 2006 are also available on-line as is their report from 2007. All of these reports can be viewed or downloaded here.

These reports document the quality of tap water throughout Detroit and its surrounding suburbs that are serviced by the Great Lakes Water Authority.

Update @ 2:53 p.m.
After I posted this article, I realized that this is the 2,000th post that I have published on the Warrendale (Detroit) Blog since its inception in December of 2005.

Detroit responds to flash flooding. Again

Flooded street in Warrendale
Photo by Frank Nemecek

Southeastern Michigan was once again hit with heavy rainfall that flooded streets, stranded motorists and caused problems throughout the region. Mayor Mike Duggan released a report this evening that broke down how the city government has responded to this crisis.

The information below represents the City’s response as of 5 p.m. Agencies will continue to respond to flooding as long as needed. Residents who would like to report water and sewer emergency issues can call (313) 267-7401 or use the Improve Detroit - SeeClickFix” mobile app for Apple and Android devices.

More than 275 flooded street drains have been fully cleared by City agencies. The Mayor's Office released the following numbers to break down exactly how they have responded.

Detroit Water and Sewerage Department
Crews dispatched from West Yard: 5
Crews dispatched from Huber location: 24
          Sewer investigation crews: 3
          General crews: 21
Vactor Trucks dispatched: 8

Detroit Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management
Partially activated Emergency Operation Center
Coordinating efforts between Police, Fire, Public Works, General Services, Public Lighting and the Department of Transportation

General Services Department
5 crews reassigned to assist with flooding response
4 members per crew
Crews continue to canvass streets to identify and clean street drains

Department of Public Works
18 crews deployed
2 person crews
Crews continue to canvass streets to identify and clean street drains

Detroit Fire Department
Responded to and conducted 9 rescues in response to flooding

Detroit Department of Transportation
Through morning and afternoon hours, DDOT experienced minimal service interruptions. However, routes were behind schedule due to traffic and flooding issues.

For the evening commute, DDOT will have its normal deployment level on the road. They will work to keep delays to a minimum.

Water deal on the line

The deal to create a regional water authority for southeastern Michigan is in trouble, according to published news reports. The City of Detroit's bankruptcy plan called for such an authority to be created no later than June 14. Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel doesn't appear inclined to go along with it.

If Hackel doesn't like the deal, that's between him and the people of Macomb County. I'm okay with this deal falling apart.

If there is no deal on a regional water authority then there is nothing to prevent the City of Detroit to retain ownership of that portion of water system that is within its city limits but sell the suburban portion of it. Such a sale would not only remove the water system's debt from the City's books, it would likely also leave us with more than $1 billion in cash.

The cash from such a sale could then be used to pay down some of the other debt that Detroiters carry - either debt from the City of Detroit itself or from the Detroit Public Schools. Either way, paying down our debts would enable us to lower our property taxes.

And lower property taxes - either as reduction in debt service levied by the City of Detroit or a reduction in what the Detroit Public Schools levy - would be welcome in a city like Detroit which has the highest taxes in Michigan.

If Hackel isn't happy with the regional water deal, that's between him and the people of Macomb County. I simply hope that Mayor Mike Duggan, Councilman Gabe Leland, and the other members of the City Council use this opening as a chance to advance the interests of our residents.

Let the deal fall through, if Hackel continues to object.

Sell the portion of our water system that is in the suburbs to any number of private investors.

Use the proceeds from such a sale to pay down debts - for either the City of Detroit or the Detroit Public Schools.

Once the debt is paid down, lower the debt service levy on Detroiter's property taxes.

The choice is clear. The only question that remains is: what will Detroit's leadership do?

Friends of Rouge Park to meet tommorow

Rouge Park on a foggy day
Photo by Frank Nemecek

The Friends of Rouge Park will hold their next meeting tomorrow, Tuesday, January 20. This meeting will start at 6 p.m. and is expected to last until 7 p.m. They will meet at the Don Bosco Center (9356 Westwood), which is half a mile north of the Warrendale neighborhood at West Chicago.

The agenda will include:

• Update on the Master Plan for Rouge Park;
• Update on the DWSD Green Infrastructure Project;
• Update on plans for Brennan Pools area; and
• Report from the Buffalo Soldiers Heritage Association.

Additional updates and news about Rouge Park will also be included at this meeting. The minutes from their most recent meeting are available here.

Anyone who is interested in the future of Detroit's largest park is invited to attend this meeting.

Volunteers need in Rouge Park

The Greening of Detroit is planning a tree planting on Saturday, October 4 from  9 a.m. - 1 p.m. on the east side of Spinoza just north of Tireman. They are asking  the community to help them plant trees. Training and tools will be provided.

As an ongoing effort to support its mission, they will be working in the park to replace the lost tree canopy.  By planting trees on the city owned property between the sidewalk and the street, this will assist in reducing basement flooding, that is caused from storm water overflow.

There will be planting along the Southfield service drive as well. This planting will benefit help to produce clean air by absorbing the carbon dioxide from vehicle emissions, also creating a green barrier which will produce sound reduction.

10 Things Detroit's Emergency Manager Should Do

I would like to welcome Kevyn Orr to his new job as emergency financial manager for the City of Detroit. I'm not thrilled that the City of Detroit has an emergency financial manager. However, I believe in making the best of things. Therefore, I want to share with him, and everyone else, the following 10 suggestion as to what he should do over the next eighteen months that he will serve in this capacity.

#1. Don't Take It Personally.

You are going to be called a lot of names in the coming days by a lot of different people, Mr. Orr. Much of the name calling will come from people who have their own agenda to serve. Some of it will come from people who are mad about the condition of their hometown and need to vent. Others are frustrated at how little their elected representatives listen to them and fear that an emergency manager will listen even less. More still will come from people who are simply piling on.

No matter what you do in this position, Mr. Orr, please don't take any of it personally. Turning around one of the most troubled cities in the industrialized world is a big job with tremendous consequences. We don't have time for anyone to take these things personally.

#2. Bring Back Warren Evans

Former Chief Warren Evans

Crime is rampant in Detroit. It is quite literally destroying our city as residents, businesses, and visitors flee for their own safety.

When Warren Evans was chief of the Detroit Police Department, violent crime dropped dramatically and police response times improved by 29% in less than a year. Plus, he did it all while reducing the amount that DPD spends on overtime by almost $7 million. He was so much better than either of the police chiefs that Detroit has had since then that it's not even funny.

I don't think there is anyone else who is as prepared to hit the ground running as chief of police for Detroit.

Some critics will argue that Warren Evans was too much of a showboat to be in a high-ranking position. He did, after all, have a pilot for a reality television show. However, as far as I'm concerned, if he can effectively reduce crime and improve police response times then he can be on whatever television show he wants.

#3. Fire Ralph Godbee

Ralph Godee resigned as chief of the Detroit Police Department last year. However, according to a report from Fox 2 News, he is still on the payroll as a DPD employee. Neither Mayor Dave Bing, Mr. Godbee, nor anyone else have refuted their report nor offered any explanation as to why someone could still be an employee of the department long after resigning.

For all of these reasons, as well as the fact that he was flipping incompetent as a police chief, Ralph Godbee should be fired immediately. Whoever decided to keep him on the payroll long after he resigned should also be fired.

The Detroit Water & Sewage Report That Wasn't

Mayor Dave Bing released a report yesterday, which claimed that Detroit Water & Sewage Department could cut its staff by 81%, save approximately $900 million over the coming decade, and hold off rate increases. The Detroit Free Press has more on this report here, including a link to actual report that Mayor Bing released.

Much has already been written about this in other outlets. I would like to focus on three points that no one else seems to have picked up on.

First, I have a quick note to Mayor Bing and everyone who works for him. A series of bullet points (in a 14 point font, no less) coupled with a series of numbers that you don't back up does not qualify as a report. Unfortunately, that is exactly what the DWSD report is. Nothing but bullet points and unsubstantiated numbers.

I used to work on Wall Street in a previous life. If I had turned in something like what Mayor Bing released yesterday, I would have been fired on the spot.

In addition, the cost savings that DWSD is projecting by outsourcing employee responsibilities to private contractors seem really dubious. The report doesn't specify how they arrived at those numbers, but - as someone who has gone through more financial reports than I care to think about - their numbers just don't past the smell test.

Finally, I also have concerns about their plan to cut chemical usage by 15%. Those chemicals are used to treat sewage and make sure that our drinking water exceeds clean drinking water standards. If we cut their usage by 15%, will everything still be as clean?

Detroit Water & Sewage to Hold Public Hearing for Sewage Project

Stock Photo from Stock.Xchng

The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department will hold a public hearing regarding its draft Project Plan covering a proposed new Combined Sewer Overflow Control Facility. This will be built at the Puritan Outfall, which discharges into the Rouge River at a location that is in the Warrendale neighborhood.

DWSD will seek low interest loan from Michigan's Clean Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund in order to fund the construction of this new facility. This fund provides loans for construction of pollution control facilities to communities throughout Michigan.

The public hearing will be held at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, June 27 in the 5th floor board room of the Water Board Building (735 Randolph). More information about this water project is available here.

7 Things That Should Be Changed in the Proposed Consent Agreement

Governor Rick Snyder unveiled his proposed consent agreement last Tuesday. Since then, there has been almost unending amount of howling from certain quarters within our community. Those complaints, by the way, came from many of those who were also opposed to the various reforms that we written into the new City Charter that was overwhelmingly enacted last year. Regardless of how much those individuals might protest, the fact of the matter is that consent agreement is likely coming very soon and it's probably the best thing for Detroiters.

With that in mind, I would like to offer seven specific suggestions that I believe Mayor Dave Bing as well as everyone on the City Council and Lansing should carefully consider.

#1. Guarantee Public Involvement in the Process

No matter what someone somewhere might plug into a spreadsheet, the fact remains is that it is our tax dollars that are being spent here and our futures that are at stake. While Governor Snyder was busy building his fortune, thousands of middle class families were fighting to make Detroit a place worth living in. Their efforts, quite frankly, are the main reason why this town is still standing.

If those families are going to be asked to continue the fight, and if new ones are going to asked to join in, then they must be guaranteed that they will have an opportunity to have their objections heard and their suggestions duly considered. There will unquestionably be a loud outpouring of people that my friend Jeff Wattrick of MLive.com refers to as "grape throwers" in his columns. It could be tempting to shut them out out of the process, but shutting them out also means shutting out the ordinary middle class families who have kept Detroit afloat for this long, which only gives those families yet another reason to leave.