Sherwood Forest

MAY 2003

Apr 27, 2003

MAYOR KWAME KILPATRICK IS COMING TO OUR ANNUAL MEETING ON MAY 13

This year the annual meeting of the Sherwood Forest Association will be held on Tuesday, May 13, at All Saints Church, West Seven Mile Road. We are pleased to announce that our special guest speaker will be the Mayor of the City of Detroit, the Honorable Kwame Kilpatrick. Mayor Kilpatrick has been asked to address, among other topics, what we can do to help reduce our property taxes and thereby encourage new residents to move into Sherwood Forest. We will have the opportunity to submit written questions to the Mayor. The schedule is as follows:

6:30 p.m. - Potluck supper. Bring a hot dish, a salad, dessert or bread for eight to ten people. Everything else will be provided.

7:30 p.m. - Business meeting and welcoming of new residents. Special guest Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.

A representative of Pinkerton Security Services will be present at the meeting to respond to questions and concerns about the patrol service.

If you would like to assist with the potluck supper, or if you have questions, call Florence Gantz at 861-1315.

Remember that even if you cannot make it to the 6:30 potluck supper, your presence at the 7:30 meeting is important to all of us.

We look forward to meeting neighbors, old and new, on Tuesday, May 13.

Lois Primas, President
Michele Davis, Vice-President
Sherwood Forest Association


YOU ARE INVITED TO A SPECIAL NEIGHBORHOOD CELEBRATION ON THURSDAY, JUNE 5, AT THE DETROIT HISTORICAL MUSEUM

THE DETROIT HISTORICAL MUSEUM WILL BE OURS FOR AN EVENING.

WE WILL FEAST ON A STROLLING SUPPER PROVIDED BY A PREMIER DETROIT RESTAURANT - OPUS ONE.

THERE WILL BE MUSIC AND THE LAUGHTER OF GOOD FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS.

THERE WILL BE A PHOTOGRAPHIC DISPLAY FEATURING THE ARCHITECTURE OF OUR OWN BEAUTIFUL HOMES.

WE WILL BE RECOGNIZED FOR THE HONOR OF HAVING BEEN DESIGNATED AN HISTORIC DISTRICT. THIS WILL BE A MAGICAL EVENING AND YOU ARE INVITED. YOU WILL SOON RECEIVE YOUR INVITATION IN THE MAIL. IN PARTICULAR, WE ARE CELEBRATING OUR RECENT
DESIGNATION AS AN HISTORIC DISTRICT, BUT IN GENERAL WE ARE CELEBRATING OUR WONDERFUL COMMUNITY AND ITS RESIDENTS PAST AND PRESENT. THE HONORARY CHAIRPERSON OF THE EVENT IS SHERWOOD FOREST RESIDENT AND DIRECTOR OF THE DETROIT HISTORICAL MUSEUMS, DR. DENNIS ZEMBALA.

THE FESTIVITIES WILL BEGIN AT 6 P.M. AND END AT 9 P.M. THE COST IS $35 PER PERSON. WHEN YOU RECEIVE YOUR INVITATION, SEND A CHECK, MADE PAYABLE TO HISTORIC DESIGNATION CELEBRATION, TO 19494 SHREWSBURY, DETROIT, MI, 48821. NO TICKETS WILL BE MAILED TO YOU. YOU WILL SIMPLY GIVE YOUR NAME AT THE DOOR ON THE EVENING OF JUNE 5.

WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF LOCATING AS MANY PAST RESIDENTS AS WE CAN (INCLUDING ADULT CHILDREN OF CURRENT RESIDENTS) BECAUSE WE WANT THEM TO BE A PART OF THE EVENING. IF YOU HAVE THE ADDRESSES OF PAST RESIDENTS WHO ARE STILL LIVING IN THIS GENERAL AREA, PLEASE CALL OR E-MAIL GAIL RODWAN AT 342-5827, RODWAN@SBCGLOBAL.NET OR E-MAIL SANDRA HAM AT SJH909@AOL.COM.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE EVENT, CALL THE CHAIRPERSON OF OUR HISTORIC COMMITTEE, LINDA JONES, AT (313) 861-8443.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THERE!

THREE OPPORTUNITIES FOR US TO HELP MAKE DETROIT MORE BEAUTIFUL

Every Saturday in May, Motor City Makeover will sponsor a citywide campaign to make Detroit cleaner and more beautiful. You can join the effort by calling the Northwest Neighborhood City Hall at (313) 578-7580 or by calling (313) 224-4425. Here is what you can do:
?· Volunteer for assigned clean up
?· Organize a clean up team
?· Clean up around your own property
?· Report areas of blight to the Northwest Neighborhood City Hall
A second opportunity will occur on Saturday, May 3, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., when the Detroit Recreation Department, Comerica Bank, Trammell Crowe Company, The Salvation Army, Safeway Transportation
and Viacom Communications will sponsor The H.U.G. (Help Uncover the Gem), the day when friends of Detroit's island gem - Belle Isle - are encouraged to bring friends, roll up their sleeves and help clean up the park. Lunch will be provided for those who register for this event. To register, call (313) 852-4208.

A third opportunity to make Detroit more beautiful exists right here in Sherwood Forest and will continue throughout the spring and summer. We are looking for volunteers to donate and plant flowers and help maintain our pocket parks and the areas around our Sherwood Forest signs. To volunteer, call Florence Gantz at (313) 861-1315.



ELECTION NOTICE

The Board of Directors of the Sherwood Forest Association is made up of fifteen members, with each member serving a three-year term. The terms are staggered so that the terms of five of the fifteen members expire each year.

It is the time of year when we elect five members to the board. According to the by-laws, nominations for these positions are made in the following ways:

1. By recommendation of the nominating committee.
2. By any five members of the association nominating a candidate by the following procedure:
a. Obtain the consent of the candidate to serve.
b. Furnish a letter containing the name of the candidate to a member of the nominating committee no later than May 9, 2003. The letter must be signed by at least five association members and should include the candidate's address, occupation and a brief statement of his or her interest and aspirations for Sherwood Forest.

Candidates must be willing and able to attend monthly meetings and participate in committee work. Each board member has at least one committee assignment. We encourage residents to run for these positions. Our board and community are only as strong as the residents who volunteer their time and talent to help maintain Sherwood Forest. Only members of the Sherwood Forest Association may participate in the election. Call our treasurer, Sue McMillan, at 862-6366 to verify that your dues are paid.

Respectfully,

Marcia Baum and Gail Rodwan
Nominating Committee


NEIGHBORS IN TOUCH WITH NEIGHBORS:

Keys: A set of keys was found in April in front of a home on Roslyn in the block between Stratford and Chesterfield. The key ring had a "Jamaica" logo on it. If these keys are yours, call (313) 345-6992. If no one answers, leave a message and your phone number, and the finder of the keys will call you back.

Lights Off: Much of Sherwood Forest has been without street lights for several weeks. Bill Vance of our Property Maintenance Committee has been in touch with the Lighting Department, which reports that workers were in the process of fixing a gas leak on Berkeley when they damaged a water main, and that affected the lighting system. Everything should be fixed very soon.

Gesu School: The school, which is located at Six Mile and Oak Dr., is now enrolling students for preschool through eighth grade. Class size is limited to 25 students, and children of all faiths are invited. For enrollment information call (313) 863-4677.

Sherwood Forest Business Directory: Residents who own their own businesses and are members in good standing of the Sherwood Forest Association and the patrol service, are invited, at no cost, to be a part of the Sherwood Forest Business Directory, which is currently being developed. The purpose of the directory is to encourage our residents to buy goods and services from our own residents. The directory will be made available to all of our residents through the Tatttler and through www.neighborhoodlink.com/detroit/swoodforest. If you would like to be included, submit your business information to Gail Rodwan at Rodwan@sbcglobal.net or (313) 342-5827.
Thank You to the Fosters: Everyone who attended the April 13 Welcome Spring Party at the Warrington home of Emma and Orville Foster thanks the Fosters for their warm and gracious hospitality. A good time was had by all, and we hope to have another such event very soon. If you would like to offer your home or yard for a neighborhood gathering, call the chairperson of our Social Committee, Alfred Greene, Jr., at (313) 861-6286.

A Safety Alert: Although we live in a very safe community, we are not immune to crime. In a recent incident, a neighbor was robbed at gunpoint after pulling into her driveway and getting out of her car. This occurred around 10:00 at night. The robber fled down the driveway and, apparently, into a car that was waiting on the street. As the weather turns warmer, more people are out and about, and vigilance is very much in order, particularly when returning home at night or unloading packages from one's car. Remember that if you are a member of the patrol service you have the option of requesting escort service when entering the neighborhood.


A REMINDER ABOUT THE
"THIS OLD HOUSE" LIST

May is the month when homeowners traditionally think about fixing up their homes, both inside and out. If you are thinking about home improvement, don't forget to consult the "This Old House" list of recommended specialists who work on older homes. This list is continuously updated as residents submit new business names. You can read the list by going to www.neighborhoodlink.com/detroit/swoodforest.

Remember, too, that the Detroit Historic District Commission, located at 65 Cadillac Tower, Suite 1300, keeps lists of roofers, window companies and general contractors. It also keeps a resource file on products and manufacturers, with information on doors, windows, painting, roofing materials and decorative elements such as molding, trim and shutters. You can make an appointment to view the commission's materials by calling (313) 224-8907 or (313) 628-1094 or faxing your request to (313) 244-1310.

ON THE WEB

For the most up-to-date information about what is going on in the neighborhood, go to www.neighborhoodlink.com/detroit/swoodforest. If you want to receive special notices and bulletins that go only to e-mail subscribers, make sure that the Sherwood Forest Association has your e-mail address by sending it to: Rodwan@sbcglobal.net.
TAX ACTION GROUP

Several residents in Palmer Woods, Sherwood Forest, and surrounding communities have been organizing to protest the excessively high tax assessments in the area. Homes sold in the last two years are typically appraised at 110-130% of their sale price. The high taxes that result not only burden new homeowners; they also drive down real estate prices in the rest of the neighborhood. If you have recently purchased a home in the neighborhood or are simply concerned about this situation, contact John Corvino at 313-861-0979.