Sherwood Forest

February 2003

Feb 17, 2003

WE ARE WELCOMING SPRING WITH A PARTY!

SUNDAY, APRIL 13
4 TO 6 P.M.

AT THE HOME OF EMMA AND ORVILLE FOSTER
19200 WARRINGTON

THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A CASUAL SUNDAY VISIT WITH NEIGHBORS. WE HOPE TO MAKE IT A REGULAR EVENT.

BRING A COLD HORS'D OEUVRE OR SALAD TO SHARE. DRINKS, CUPS, PLATES, NAPKINS AND UTENSILS WILL BE PROVIDED. NO SMOKING OR ALCOHOL PLEASE.

INVITE A FRIEND AND JOIN US

SPONSORED BY THE SHERWOOD FOREST ASSOCIATION


WE ARE LOOKING FOR FORMER SHERWOOD FOREST RESIDENTS

Do you know a former resident who would like to come home again for at least one evening by joining in our celebration of Sherwood Forest on June 5 at the Detroit Historical Museum? It may be the person from whom you bought your house, a friend or a former neighbor. If every current resident who bought his or her home from someone who is still living in the area sent us that former homeowner's name and address, we would be well on our way with our ambitious project to locate as many former Sherwood Forest residents as we can find. We are compiling a list of their names and addresses so we can send them a special invitation to the June 5 celebration. If you have names that you can add to our list, please call or e-mail Gail Rodwan at 342-5827, Rodwan@sbcglobal.net or e-mail Sandra Ham at sjh909@aol.com.

Remember to mark June 5 date on your own calendar. We don't want anyone in Sherwood Forest to miss this wonderful event. In particular, we are celebrating our recent designation as an historic district. The Honorary Chairperson of the event is Sherwood Forest resident and Director of the Detroit Historical Museum Dr. Dennis Zembala.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT
STARTING A NEW LIST?

For many years, we have maintained our very successful "This Old House" list. Now we have had a suggestion for a second list, and we want to know what you think about it.

Would residents find it helpful to have a list of the professions and businesses of our own Sherwood Forest neighbors? For example, a doctor, lawyer, accountant, tax preparer, etc. could choose to have his or her service included on the list. The owner of a business could have that business included as long as the business did not pertain to home maintenance and thus overlap the "This Old House" list.

There would be no charge for inclusion on this list, but there would be two requirements: 1) the person listed must be a resident of Sherwood Forest; 2) the person listed must be a member in good standing of both the Sherwood Forest Association and the Sherwood Forest Patrol.

Unlike the "This Old House" list, this new list would not require a recommendation from a satisfied user of the service or business. The Sherwood Forest Association's compilation of this list would NOT serve as an endorsement of any service or business that appears on the list. It would simply be a list of neighbors who want to make other neighbors aware of the services they provide or the businesses they own and who support this community through membership in the Association and the Patrol.

If you would like to see us begin to keep such a neighborhood list, or if you would like to have your business included on such a list, call Gail Rodwan at 342-5827 or e-mail her at Rodwan@sbcglobal.net.

WE ARE LOOKING FOR SPONSORS
FOR OUR PARTY

We need business support to help make our June 5 celebration a success. We have three levels of sponsorship at $275, $150 and $75. Sponsor names will be listed on the formal invitations that will be mailed to every Sherwood Forest resident as well as to former Sherwood Forest residents living in the metropolitan area. Sponsors also will receive complimentary tickets to the party. If you do not wish to make a contribution at the sponsorship level but would nonetheless like to make a financial contribution to the success of this event, your donation in any amount will be gratefully accepted. For questions about sponsorship opportunities, call Linda Jones at (313) 861-8443. To make a donation in any amount, send your check, made out to the Sherwood Forest Association, to: Treasurer, Sherwood Forest Association, 19494 Shrewsbury, Detroit, MI 48221. But remember that a minimum contribution of $75 is required to have your name included in our sponsorship list.

A TAX TIME LAMENT

At last year's May membership meeting of the Sherwood Forest Association, residents submitted written questions or comments to the members of the Board of Directions. We are answering one question in each edition of the Tattler.

RESIDENT'S QUESTION: How do we address the high rate of property taxes?

ANSWER: We are experiencing a good news-bad news situation. The value of our homes is increasing. Because the value of our homes is increasing, our property taxes are increasing as well. The notice of assessment that each homeowner received from the city in January reflects the amount of last year's increase. That written notice also tells the homeowner how to appeal the valuation placed on his or her home. Written or in-person objections were to be filed between February 1 and February 15, 2003. If the homeowner is not satisfied with the review decision of the Board of Assessors, the homeowner must file a written request to appear before the Board of Review. An appearance at the Board of Review is necessary to protect the right to further appeals to the Michigan Tax Tribunal. The details of this process are explained on the notice of assessment. Review that document carefully if you wish to challenge your taxes. And be forewarned: the procedure can be time-consuming.

Many residents have said that they would feel less unhappy about the increases in their property taxes if they were receiving superb city services, but that our city services are far from superb (or even halfway decent). That is a topic for another day (but on a related note, see the next article).
CITY DISCONTINUES
TREE-PLANTING PROGRAM

We were disappointed to learn that the city has decided to discontinue, at least temporarily, its longtime program of planting new trees in parkway areas. This has been a very popular program in Sherwood Forest, with the city charging $50 per tree, and the Sherwood Forest Association underwriting half of the cost. The Association has been trying to come up with a replacement program for tree planting, but so far we have not done so. If you have any ideas, please call Florence Gantz, the chairperson of our Reforestation and Landscaping Committee, at 861-1315.

A reminder: Since the parkway areas are city-owned property, a homeowner is still to get permission from the Parks and Recreation Department before planting a tree in the parkway in front of his or her home.

ATTENTION MUSIC AFICIONADOS

If you like great music, check out the free noontime concert series at the Main Library in the Cultural Center.
You can savor blues, gospel, jazz, classical, Latin music, show tunes and standards while enjoying the bag lunch you bring with you to the elegant Old Fine Arts room. Concerts begin at 12:15 and end at 1:00 p.m. The remainder of this season's schedule appears below. You can also find it on the library's web site at www.detroit.lib.mi.us

FEBRUARY

25th - Blues guitarist BOBBY MURRAY

MARCH

4th - NADANTA, INC., dancers exploring traditional and contemporary Indian dance.

11th - SHAHIDA NURULLAH, the voice that has impressed jazz aficionados around the world.

18th - Harpist KERSTIN ALLVIN

25th - TRILLIUM, THE JAPAN SOCIETY OF DETROIT WOMEN'S CHORUS
APRIL

1ST - The husband and wife team of URSULA WALER AND BUDDY BUDSON, with the sounds of the legends of big band and jazz.

8th - Classical piano of KAZIMIERZ "KAZ" BRZOZOWSKI

15TH - Sandy's School of Dance presents the ALOHA DANCERS, HAWAIIAN AND POLYNESIAN DANCE.

22ND - PAULA CLARK weaves jazz and gospel with the band BRONZE.

29TH - Pianist WILLIAM HARRISON.

After the performances, the library invites you to explore the materials in the Music and Performing Arts Department on the 3rd floor and the E. Azalia Hackley collection of works by famed African-Americans in the performing arts.


CHECK OUT OUR OWN PERSONALIZED COMMUNITY CALENDAR

One of the easiest ways to keep up to date on what is going on in our community is to click on our own neighborhood web page at www.neighborhoodlink.com/detroit/swoodforest and then go to the section called "Community Calendar." The "Community Calendar" is updated on a weekly basis and includes the dates of meetings, special events, invitations to Sherwood Forest residents from various organizations and neighborhood groups, as well as the dates of our monthly bulk pickups. If you have an event that you would like to have included on our community calendar, call Gail Rodwan at 342-5827 or e-mail her at Rodwan@sbcglobal.net. E-mail her as well if you would like to start reading your Tattler on-line, rather than by a copy sent through the mail.


ANNUAL MEEETING TO BE HELD ON
MAY 13

The Annual Meeting of the Sherwood Forest Association will be held at All Saints Church on Tuesday, May 13. A potluck supper will precede the business meeting. You will receive a special notice of this meeting at the beginning of May. Save the date!

DUES REMINDER

If you received a bright green postcard reminder in early February stating that you have not yet paid your Sherwood Forest Association dues, and you have not responded, please do so today. Annual dues were to have been paid by October 1, 2002, so your payment is seriously overdue, and we need your $45 to support our many vital community projects.

Have questions about the status of your membership? Call our treasurer, Sue McMillan, at 862-6366.





























SHERWOOD FOREST RESIDENTS
INVITED TO UNIVERSITY DISTRICT
GARAGE AND YARD SALE

The University District Community Association will hold a district-wide garage and yard sale on June 14 and 15 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Refreshments will be sold to raise funds for activities of the community's Youth Committee. Sales will be held in garages and yards throughout the area. Signs will be posted prior to the event. Among the items offered for sale will be tools, clothes, antiques, toys, furniture, crafts, jewelry and sports equipment.






DATES TO REMEMBER:

April 13 - Spring Party at Home of Emma and
Orville Foster

May 13 - Potluck Supper and Annual Meeting of the Sherwood Forest Association at All Saints Church

June 5 - Gala Event at the Detroit Historical Museum to Celebrate 85 Years As a Neighborhood and Recent Designation As an Historic District