[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6096404,"mediaKeyId","2833122-c96e9f00bc24ba40b24c261b125438b4","parentId",2833122,"title","Baldwin Public Library trustees raise alarm over higher city administrative fee and warn against reallocating library millage","audioSeconds",811,"startMs",2759000,"endMs",3570000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2833122-c96e9f00bc24ba40b24c261b125438b4&start=2759&end=3570","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2833122-c96e9f00bc24ba40b24c261b125438b4/thumbnail_2759000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6096404/Birmingham-City/Oakland-County/Michigan/Baldwin-Public-Library-trustees-raise-alarm-over-higher-city-administrative-fee-and-warn-against-reallocating-library-millage","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6096404-41912b799233643223d8525e3717f2be/orig.mp4?Expires=1771138372&Signature=KEJi7dB~IONZnSmRaIQddElLM3JDEqIjlSAWFcEwi4lg7khs3Ff-DV0hDTXL1tep4gIaO~nBzganNHvJieGEALDyChqShVUOpZN2GevXOYKnhT-IDxSZO~xCVroGXvRH8mHVWg43W6f2rfsRKLdOb9u1IPoKAeWI0ns4nxF-Co89OsmtgYnTj1Sbzi3DqqdOqDl2x2NaZkk3Jt7jrvL7TtFACW3owny07TsJexWHgYIFdygwE138sGkfDV10itU6mtuNL-qFvOV7y2~UR-lqrZG9kYEtquvM5CjPnFb~bnWvx78R3RyEQjibrzSCAJJVFvhUbmPaWDlHAQXYQtggcg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Birmingham, MI","date","2025-03-24T00:00:00Z","article","Baldwin Public Library trustees and the library’s director urged the Birmingham City Commission on March 24 to halt any attempt to shift library funding toward a proposed Community and Senior Center and to revisit a recent administrative-services contract the city presented to the library board.

Why it matters: The library board said the city sent a draft administrative-services agreement that would raise the library’s annual administrative fee from about $104,000 under the 2009 arrangement to approximately $219,000 — a roughly 109% increase. Trustees said the timing and delivery of that notice, coming two days after a regular library board meeting, denied trustees adequate time to evaluate the proposal and caused “inappropriate” process concerns.

Claims and legal status: Baldwin Public Library Director Rebecca Craft and multiple trustees told commissioners the library is established under Public Act 164 and — under Michigan statutory practice the board has the authority to set the annual millage rate within its legal maximum. Trustees said the library’s millage was reduced by the city in 2009 and restored in phases for the library renovation project beginning in 2016. They said any plan to take library millage to fund other municipal priorities would be legally and politically complicated and urged the city to negotiate with the board rather than proceed unilaterally.

Service consequences stressed: Library speakers listed concrete program and materials impacts if library revenue were reduced: longer holds and fewer e-books, reduced digital subscriptions and databases, smaller program offerings for all ages, and possible reductions in open hours or imposition of fees for lab services. Trustees also warned that federal grant reductions to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) add pressure to local budgets.

Process concerns and next steps: Trustees and the director asked for improved advance communication and more time to evaluate contract terms; they urged the commission to take no action that would reduce Baldwin’s millage without a negotiated approach. Commissioners acknowledged the trustees’ concerns and directed staff to pursue direct discussions with the library board before any decisions about millage reallocation or the administrative-services agreement.

Ending: City staff and commissioners said they will return to discussions and that any broader funding reallocation would require additional legal review and at least public hearings; no fiscal measures were approved at the March 24 meeting.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","03.24.2025 City Commission Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Baldwin Public Library trustees told the commission they had received a proposed administrative-services contract from the city that would more than double the library’s annual administrative fee and cautioned against repurposing library millage to support a proposed community center.","taxTitle","Birmingham City, Oakland County, Michigan","taxId",48746,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6096409,"Commission reviews two schematic test fits for proposed Birmingham Community and Senior Center as bond timing and funding options draw public scrutiny",334,5443000,5777000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2833122-c96e9f00bc24ba40b24c261b125438b4&start=5443&end=5777","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2833122-c96e9f00bc24ba40b24c261b125438b4/thumbnail_5443000.jpg","/articles/6096409/Birmingham-City/Oakland-County/Michigan/Commission-reviews-two-schematic-test-fits-for-proposed-Birmingham-Community-and-Senior-Center-as-bond-timing-and-funding-options-draw-public-scrutiny","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6096409-9ff7e3719fa265ddc343a81e086b0ac7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771138372&Signature=AyBbp~yt4CjkhZX448o796RhriHFJhdeUcRiG2KfG82LUJKckqiKvLdVFdZp7LCBc2CZGq75HhuZqLdKcSKVoj9P7HLuTl5OzKTIfy~wSTHhuJs-7ZX3JPbgETZvmPkxvoy8qbeJkr42UmYk-M6Hukj6ahIFUoeyJEU7bJGclOF3AH231AzdQB0ZCLToHsmOXDExx7Pu4r23ZtkRoNFTjESCAdI6qAHnVLeBxHFVvx94uxzIfHTFoKnU4999JZmH1VLqfMaMG3I8P7tTG7OqrPfnWaiglE8xpfBi19R842ofTBiqQtUrkuJM17eFEpF9ZCbgHf9ggBkgS0w7BTQesA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Architects from Newman Smith presented two schematic “test-fit” layouts March 24 for a proposed Birmingham Community and Senior Center, showing alternate ways to fit a gym, pool, walking track, multipurpose rooms and shared admin space on the YMCA/NEXT site at Edgewood and Lincoln. The commission and the public spent more than an hour probing parking, pool depth and whether the city should seek voter approval for a construction bond this year or later.

Why it matters: The building plan would replace the existing YMCA/NEXT space and is being developed as a city-owned facility intended for mixed use: senior services, recreation programming, meeting rooms and a community pool. That combination raises questions about capital cost, ongoing operating responsibility, who will run the facility and whether the city should seek a bond from voters — and if so, how long the debt should run.

The two test-fit options showed similar program area totals (about 35,000 assignable square feet) and a total gross building size of roughly 50,000 square feet; differences centered on how the gym and pool are sited and whether the team reduced exterior massing by sinking the gym 16 feet to preserve neighborhood scale. Architects said sinking the gym reduces visible wall height on the Lincoln–Edgewood corner from about 36 feet to about 18 feet, which some commissioners and neighbors favored.

Pool and aquatics: The city’s aquatics consultant provided three pool concepts. Options 1 and 2 offered a 25-yard pool with ramp access and therapy features; option 3 included an 8-foot-deep end suitable for diving starts and lifeguard training. Several commissioners and parents representing swim teams pressed for option 3 or a depth sufficient for competitive starts. Architects said they would revise pool depths and confirm requirements for competitive use in later design steps.

Parking and park impacts: The design team counted available parking on and around the site: 74 spaces on YMCA property, 55 in Saint James Park, about 17 parallel spaces on Floyd, roughly 15 on Edgewood and about 23 along Lincoln; property-owner discussions could add another 33 spaces in a bank/dental lot after hours and on weekends. In the test fits, a layout that angled 90 degrees parking plus shared agreements produced roughly 140 spaces on site and up to 103 nearby (for a total near 200). The architects’ site option moves the building footprint up to 42 feet into Saint James Park to gain necessary parking; the team said the ball field would remain usable, but commissioners asked the parks department to study recreational impacts and share options with neighbors.

Operating model, tenants and ballot language: Commissioners repeatedly asked whether the city or outside organizations would operate the pool and facility. City staff and counsel said the bond question should describe the building and its program elements but need not (and typically should not) name private tenant operators in the ballot language because tenants and operating arrangements can change over a 20–25 year financing horizon. Bond counsel noted that when a portion of a publicly financed building will be used by private nonprofits, state law generally requires a public hearing on proposed private use before bonds are sold; that hearing would occur after voter approval and before issuance.

Bond duration, cost and timing: Staff presented two financing options produced with the city’s financial advisor: (a) a 20-year bond and (b) a 25-year bond for a principal amount not to exceed $32 million. Rough estimates included a first-year millage impact range and an average annual millage; a 25-year bond reduces annual levy but increases total interest cost over the life of the bonds. City bond counsel reiterated that the ballot must show the principal amount and the proposed maximum term; interest and total debt service will be determined at sale. Staff recommended further refinement of budget and schematic design before deciding on an election date; commissioners asked whether August (special election) or November (general election) made more sense. Staff warned that delaying to November could add an estimated $395,000 in project escalation and earlier construction cost increases; a special August election would cost the city roughly $35,000–$50,000.

Public reaction and library dispute: The public comment period included substantial testimony from Baldwin Public Library trustees and the library director, who said a recent city administrative-services contract proposed to boost the library’s annual administrative fee from ~$104,000 to ~$219,000 and that any plan to reallocate library millage to support the center would be legally and politically fraught. Library trustees said Baldwin Public Library is established under Public Act 164 and retains authority to set its own millage within legal limits; trustees urged the commission not to reduce library funding or assume library millage can be repurposed without negotiation. Commissioners asked the city manager to pause and seek direct, negotiated options with the library board rather than rushing reallocations.

What’s next: Architects said they will revise the schematic designs to reflect committee and commission feedback (pool depths, NEXT living room entry location, rooftop amenity, circulation, and parking agreements). City staff and the owner’s representative expect a revised schematic and a refined construction cost estimate in April; that estimate will inform whether the commission places a bond question on the ballot and the timing (August versus November).

Ending: Commissioners did not vote on any bond question or on a schematic; the meeting closed with direction for additional outreach, further refinement of the design, and follow-up discussions with the Baldwin Public Library and potential parking partners.

","Architects presented two schematic test fits for a proposed Birmingham Community and Senior Center and commissioners and residents pressed for clearer answers about parking, pool depth, operating arrangements and whether to ask voters for 20- or 25‑year bonds.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6096391,"Commission adopts zoning amendment adding rules for residential standby generators after public safety concerns",860,9298000,10158000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2833122-c96e9f00bc24ba40b24c261b125438b4&start=9298&end=10158","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2833122-c96e9f00bc24ba40b24c261b125438b4/thumbnail_9298000.jpg","/articles/6096391/Birmingham-City/Oakland-County/Michigan/Commission-adopts-zoning-amendment-adding-rules-for-residential-standby-generators-after-public-safety-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6096391-a88a865e89c370709c162881b49c86c8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771138372&Signature=i-~3-Q2GDf~XcwDLykxBG90B3JxOZSJSWf7J528Tdcb2apWaF1n35JAZuDnob6nxcjat4yHJz8yUCcwG7secbUU~~RXDSeaCOQYwm4QgqAWxaO8lPMaYfOkM5QUL~TkzCBrwN5T-5K9ZsEuYA1AigYo2kkaFgZjyH~hN6L1ad-wgYSI79-4mRemjo-W9dZI1Zx9p7hEBFqOTRlgpxtkwrriDUqp3JzBN6-YRfmMAm7lj~YkIeVaD1i~itkSivz8DCmCZdMQ37G3SAaNFhl59IbAk84vpMvfqZZqNXIqbNj7Xia1ozaHy~QfNxQLQEOjCRaVzuI2Z2jGaMoXZh6NWvA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Birmingham City Commission voted on March 24 to amend the municipal zoning ordinance (Article 4, Section 4.03) to add specific standards for the placement, screening, exhaust direction and maintenance of standby generators on residential lots.

What the ordinance does: The amendment narrows where generators may be located (generally rear yards away from habitable building openings), specifies minimum clearances needed for safe operation and routine maintenance, restricts exhaust outlet orientation so exhaust is directed into open space and not toward habitable windows or entrances, requires permits for new or replacement units, and provides a nonconforming‑use clause with a safety pathway: if the fire marshal deems an existing generator unsafe, it may be required to be relocated or modified.

Why it changed: City staff and the planning board drafted the amendment after the fire and building departments reported repeated carbon-monoxide incidents and other safety calls related to improperly sited residential generators. The planning board reviewed the text and recommended approval to the commission.

Vote and implementation: The commission adopted the ordinance by roll-call vote at the March 24 meeting. Staff said the fire marshal will enforce unsafe installations and the building/zoning staff will administer permits and nonconformance reviews. For existing generators the ordinance allows continued use unless the unit is declared unsafe; in that case the owner must correct the hazard.

What residents should know: Homeowners planning to install or replace a standby generator must obtain city permits and meet the new siting and exhaust-direction rules. City staff advised owners to consult manufacturer specifications and to contact building and fire departments for guidance before installation.

Ending: The amendment becomes the standard for new and replacement residential generators; enforcement will proceed through the building and fire codes and the zoning nonconformity provisions adopted by the commission.

","The city adopted an amendment to the zoning ordinance (Art. 4, Sec. 4.03) to regulate placement, exhaust direction and maintenance of standby generators; the planning board had recommended the change following calls to fire and building departments about carbon-monoxide incidents.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6096394,"Oakland County treasurer urges residents to seek help ahead of March 31 tax foreclosure deadline",281,437000,718000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2833122-c96e9f00bc24ba40b24c261b125438b4&start=437&end=718","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2833122-c96e9f00bc24ba40b24c261b125438b4/thumbnail_437000.jpg","/articles/6096394/Birmingham-City/Oakland-County/Michigan/Oakland-County-treasurer-urges-residents-to-seek-help-ahead-of-March-31-tax-foreclosure-deadline","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6096394-5fc7d253235b8eacb6b6bb17ac9c5a1a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771138372&Signature=cHAzi2y6AN3RIJXZbydt27WySe4auyY2hfqbrXoTReZJKnuI9WcnKMR4P7jnjvyHLTjpLzH-NjyFBsGeMShIk5OtN3qvbLxGp84g7t5mr~D3jRuNpAY1tbXXBqnSYwIjmc3CipMxoJjWpYaLouMzRLQP1WbRrLtaK9W0Ulfj-4f-lGayc4u23U7i6gMGJ5Qk4rEjlcOu~Oa30Ei6j1yWxSIWKmxXx0No39Ls3sUvCpFCzgRRpn41CAuzp~-RRmM0MjcnIdj~ZsM0qkcrcasThrs2Y4YnjkGxeDE9NVdHr~ffRUvvFLYDws1nvdSdYwcUe4P7dpWGnbNaMkvBpi5CWw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Oakland County Treasurer Robert Wittenberg presented an outreach briefing to the Birmingham City Commission on March 24, urging homeowners with delinquent taxes to contact the county ahead of the March 31 foreclosure deadline.

What he told the commission: Wittenberg explained the county’s three-year tax enforcement timeline: year one is delinquent status, year two becomes forfeiture (a lien), and year three may progress to foreclosure and a tax sale. He said each tax year is treated independently. Wittenberg said his office’s goal is tax collection — not foreclosure — and described taxpayer assistance options the county offers: repayment agreements, in-person taxpayer-assistance meetings, financial coaching through a county “financial empowerment center,” and referrals to low-income legal aid such as Lakeshore Legal Aid.

Local statistics and process detail: For Birmingham specifically, Wittenberg summarized county records showing, for the 2023 reporting year, 337 delinquent parcels and 47 forfeited parcels, with one foreclosure in the year cited. He said countywide for the 2021 tax year roughly 41,000 parcels became delinquent in the county and a much smaller number reached tax sale; the county’s foreclosure and sale totals have trended lower in recent years. He described the statutory interest and fees (including 1% per month in the first year and 1.5% retroactive rates thereafter) and the statutory process that allows surplus sale proceeds — after the county makes itself whole — to be claimed by prior interest-holders via a court process.

How residents can get help: Wittenberg offered local contact points: Oakland County Treasurer’s Office at (248) 858-0611, county treasurer website oakgov.com/treasurer, county equalization office phone number for assessor inquiries, and Lakeshore Legal Aid at +1 (888) 783-8190 for eligible legal help. He also encouraged residents to check county outreach materials and upcoming informational videos posted online.

Commission response: Commissioners thanked Wittenberg for the presentation and said they would share county resources on social media and via city communications to alert residents about assistance options and the impending deadline.

Ending: No policy action was taken by the commission at this hearing; staff and county personnel plan continued outreach to homeowners with delinquent taxes.

","Oakland County Treasurer Robert Wittenberg briefed the Birmingham City Commission on outreach and programs designed to prevent property tax foreclosures, described the three-year delinquency/forfeiture/foreclosure timeline, and outlined county assistance including repayment agreements and a financial empowerment center.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6096399,"Commission confirms finance director, reappoints planning, multimodal and parks members",608,1069000,1677000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2833122-c96e9f00bc24ba40b24c261b125438b4&start=1069&end=1677","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2833122-c96e9f00bc24ba40b24c261b125438b4/thumbnail_1069000.jpg","/articles/6096399/Birmingham-City/Oakland-County/Michigan/Commission-confirms-finance-director-reappoints-planning-multimodal-and-parks-members","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6096399-02c68fcd132474283b2a8aed8b5ff62c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771138372&Signature=KW5LZntDRonivkMA61P6xFmrap7c9AQZCGxPEsD62L-yoofv5Usr841P1ol6KtEAezgXn6T-l-M1n-HF5gHqcvfm8nTkuqAkFarqadP4NB54aWTS-vHZgeI5IFVo~uxhPH~TQ2QzsgaJjrtpRutOQ6D22A7oZImQsjfsPMlKxH6Rf4QV9aOvBmD54YP4xqqgk2dMStNpjnN~yuXyAy-dEVaF0tCNjHLe~wL6bfp-xanz-uR7EfisOIfBeqJcmEdIp0cSn2iGW4p~~73lEqHQjbzTw4CCIpDGVRfisX6d7TXA~RzkMZnGKmfdal79dmjg-ie40606vCUhkiL0WJu-gQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Birmingham City Commission on March 24 confirmed several municipal appointments and reappointments and administered oaths for new and returning volunteers.

Key appointments and votes:
- Finance director/treasurer: The commission confirmed the city manager’s appointment of Mary Chavez as finance director and treasurer effective March 31, 2025, and authorized her to be the primary authorized signer on city bank accounts. The commission moved and seconded the motion and approved it by voice vote; the oath was administered in the meeting and Ms. Chavez signed the official oath.

- Planning Board: The commission reappointed Scott Klein and Robin Boyle as regular members for three-year terms expiring March 28, 2028, and appointed Duncan Curry as an alternate to complete a term expiring March 28, 2027. Motions carried by voice vote; no oppositions were recorded.

- Multimodal Transportation Board: The commission appointed Rosie Cool to a regular term expiring March 24, 2028. Motion approved.

- Parks and Recreation Board: Anne Lipp was reappointed to a three-year regular member term to March 13, 2028, and Narlu Castellano was appointed to a three-year alternate term to March 13, 2028. Motions carried and the new appointees were sworn in.

Why it matters: The confirmed finance director will take over city fiscal responsibilities at the end of the outgoing director’s tenure. The reappointments help preserve continuity on planning and transportation issues; the parks appointments fill vacancies after turnover and expand citizen participation.

Procedure and next steps: Oaths were administered for the appointees present; the clerk will follow up with paperwork for remote appointees and finalize appointment notifications. No appeals or challenges to the appointments were raised at the meeting.

","The commission confirmed Mary Chavez as the city’s finance director and treasurer and reappointed/appointed members to the planning board, multimodal transportation board and parks and recreation board; all motions passed unanimously at the March 24 meeting.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Baldwin Public Library trustees raise alarm over higher city administrative fee and warn against reallocating library millage

Commission reviews two schematic test fits for proposed Birmingham Community and Senior Center as bond timing and funding options draw public scrutiny

Commission adopts zoning amendment adding rules for residential standby generators after public safety concerns

Oakland County treasurer urges residents to seek help ahead of March 31 tax foreclosure deadline

Commission confirms finance director, reappoints planning, multimodal and parks members