Sherwood Forest

February 2004

Feb 12, 2004

MEET AND GREET YOUR NEIGHBORS ON SUNDAY,
MARCH 14

?“Spring Is Around The Corner,?” is the theme of our next neighborhood Meet and Greet, which will be held on Sunday, March 14, from 3-6 p.m., at the home of Pat and Bill Vance, 19255 Berkeley. Please bring a cold or hot hors d?’oeuvre or dessert to share. Beverages will be provided.

After this long winter, what fun to spend a few hours on a Sunday in March celebrating the coming of spring with your Sherwood Forest Neighbors. We look forward to seeing many of our residents at the Vance home on March 14.

If you have questions about the party, call Social Committee chairperson Al Greene at (313) 861-0554 or Pat and Bill Vance at (313) 341-8213.


SHERWOOD FOREST TAX CREDIT WORKSHOP SLATED FOR
THURSDAY, MARCH 4

One of the benefits of historic designation is the 25% state income tax credit available for improvements to historic homes. Because we do not want to see any eligible resident lose this benefit due to lack of information, the Sherwood Forest Association?’s Historic Committee is sponsoring a tax credit workshop tailored specifically to the need of our community. The workshop will be held on Thursday, March 4, from 7:30-9:30 p.m. at New Prospect Missionary Baptist Church at 6330 Pembroke, just west of Livernois. A staff member from the Detroit Historic District Commission will lead us through the process for obtaining the credit.

Because this will be a WORK session, bring your application for the tax credit (if you already have one), a pen, photos or drawings of the work you have done to your property and, most important, receipts to verify the cost of the improvements you have made. The workshop will include expert assistance in filling out your application.

Call Linda Jones at (313) 863-8310 for more information.


DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE TWELFTH PRECINCT NEIGHBORHOOD COALITION?

One of the little known, but very important, community organization in northwest Detroit is the Twelfth Precinct Neighborhood Coalition. This group, which is made up of representatives of approximately a dozen neighborhoods, all within the boundaries of the Twelfth Precinct, was founded in the belief that there is strength in numbers and that many neighborhoods working together to achieve common goals can accomplish more than many neighborhoods working in isolation from one another.

Sherwood Forest has been a member of the organization since its inception. Board member Roosevelt Wise is our longtime representative to the coalition. Because this
group is involved in an increasing number of important projects, it would now like to have two or more representatives from each neighborhood. Could this be the community project for you?

The group meets on the fourth Saturday of every month from 10 a.m. to noon at the New Prospect Baptist Church, on Pembroke at Livernois. It is currently working on a wide range of issues, some of which are: 1) business development on Livernois, including a project to put new facades on many of the existing businesses; 2) proposed demolition of the Eight Mile Bridge; 3) non-partisan voter education, including the sponsorship of Candidates?’ Nights; 4) proposed special assessment districts (SAD), which the Sherwood Forest Association has supported, but which has been stalled in Detroit City Council for years; 5) zoning issues throughout the precinct; 6) the development of the State Fairgrounds, including support of the most recent proposal to turn the fairgrounds into a metro park.

As you can see, there is no dearth of interesting issues to get involved in, and there is a need for greater participation by dedicated and energetic residents. If you think this could be the group for you, please call Roosevelt Wise at (313) 345-5340 or coalition chairperson Dave Marquardt at (313) 861-5629.

STREET SNOW REMOVAL

We have contracted with a new street snow removal company this year, B&L Landscaping. This is the company that has plowed streets in Greenacres for the last several years. It also has a contract with the Detroit Public Schools. B&L does good work, but when it came into Sherwood Forest in early January to plow for the first time, it met with the same problems every snow removal contractor has faced in this community. First and foremost, there were too many cars on the streets! At the risk of sound like the proverbial ?“broken record,?” we repeat that it is impossible for any snow removal company to do a good job where there are four or five cars parked on each block. It is not difficult to figure out when vehicles must be removed from the streets. Whenever there is a snowfall of more than four inches, we can anticipate that there will be street snow removal. We do not always know if it will occur overnight or during the day, so we must keep cars off the streets day and night until the plows come through. Do not hesitate to call or knock on the doors of the neighbors on your block if you see that they need a gentle reminder about moving their cars.

Our first big snowstorm of the season happened to come on a Wednesday. Thus removal was complicated by the presence of courville trash containers at the curbs. When there is a snowstorm on a Wednesday or a Thursday, do not put your courville out any earlier than absolutely necessary, and place it above the curb so the plows will be able to clear the snow right up to the curbs.

Our second snow removal of the season was on Friday, January 30. Because we had a day?’s notice of when the plow was coming, we were able to alert all the residents on our e-mail list. This seemed to help a lot. Streets were clearer, and the plow, with some exceptions, was able to get right up to the curbs. We will provide notice in the future whenever possible.

It is optimistic to think that this winter?’s storms are all behind us. Next time we have four or more inches of snow, be a good neighbor and keep your cars and courvilles out of the way of the snowplows.

HELP WITH SIDEWALK SNOW REMOVAL

The Wayne County Sheriff?’s Department has a snow removal project for seniors and citizens with medical disabilities. If you or someone you know needs this service, leave a name, telephone number, address and zip code with the community relations police officers at B.U.O.Y. 3 Activity Center, 3041 W. Vernor, (313) 596-5370.
BULK PICKUP

This is a reminder to all residents that our bulk pickup day is the fourth, not the last, Monday of each month. While the fourth Monday normally is the last Monday, that is not always the case. In December, several residents put their bulk at the curb on December 29, the fifth Monday that month. Most of those residents received written notices about their error and promptly responded by removing the bulk items to the rear of their property. Our thanks to all for such great cooperation.

The next bulk pickup dates are February 23 and March 22. Please note that March is another month with five Mondays.
DETROIT HISTORICAL MUSEUM

Many residents have fond memories of our party last June at the Detroit Historical Museum. The museum relies on the volunteer efforts of many Detroiters. No matter what your interests or talents, there is a place for you at the Detroit Historical Museum. Just call Director of Volunteer Services Eleanor Austin at (313) 833-0481 or check out the museum?’s award-winning website at www.detroithistorical.org.


READ YOUR TATTLER ON THE WEB

For the fastest, most up-to-date information on all you need to know about Sherwood Forest, join the increasing number of residents who are getting their Tattler, and other notices of neighborhood interest, on the web. To begin receiving this free service today, send your web address to Rodwan@attglobal.net. And remember that Sherwood Forest?’s own website is www.neighborhoodlink.com/detroit/swoodforest.
E-mail subscribers can access our continuously-updated ?“This Old House?” list, as well as our new ?“Sherwood Forest Business Directory.?” We are soliciting new entries for our business directory, which appears below. You are eligible to be included in this directory free of charge if you live in Sherwood Forest, are a member of the Sherwood Forest Association and the Patrol, and own a business that you would like your neighbors to know about. Send your information, as you would like it to appear on the list, to Rodwan@sbcglobal.net.

SHERWOOD FOREST
BUSINESS DIRECTORY

BEAUTY SALON

Paula Hardin-Sellers (313) 342-4403

CHIROPRACTIC

Rosemond Chiropractic Health Center
Luther ("Skip") Rosemond, D.C.
(Chiropractic Physician)
Barbara Rosemond, B.A., L.M.T.
(Licensed Massage Therapist)
17701 Schoolcraft
Detroit, MI 48277
(313) 837-9355
COMPUTER SERVICES

MY COMPUTER INC., 19330 Livernois, Detroit MI 48221 (313)863-0588 or jlmycomputer@cs.com. Owned by Sherwood Forest Residents Leon and Jametta Lilly. MY COMPUTER, INC. offers computer training, products and services. We build computer systems to meet individual needs, troubleshoot and diagnose your existing system, and provide computer repair and maintenance. We offer training to businesses, schools and individuals. Call or e-mail for an on-site discussion of your needs.

DENTIST

Dr. Carlos M. Jones, D.D.S.
Family Dental Center
14807 W. McNichols
(across from Sinai-Grace Hospital)
Detroit, MI 48235
(313) 493-0110

MUSICIAN

Brassworks Entertainment
A professional music management company to provide Detroit area entertainment for your special occasion. Brass ensembles, solo performers, orchestras, vocalists, string quartets, woodwind quintets.
(313) 342-1939

TITLE AGENCY

Ace 1 Title Agency
1386 E. Jefferson
Detroit, MI 48207
(313) 877-9000 Office
(313) 877-9009 FAX
srhodes@ace1title.com;

Detroit Tax Forum Website

The Detroit Tax Forum (previously referred to as the "Tax Action Group" in this newsletter) will soon be launching a website: www.detroittaxforum.org. The Forum is an organization of residents from Sherwood Forest, Palmer Woods, University District, Indian Village, and other Detroit neighborhoods. They are concerned about the way Detroit's property taxes make it difficult to attract and retain homeowners in the City, and they are pursuing various political and legal avenues to address this problem. The purpose of the website is to raise awareness of such issues; look for it to appear sometime by the beginning of March.

Also, residents should soon receive notices from the City indicating their tax assessments for this year. The S.E.V. ("State Equalized Value") is supposed to represent half the true market value of your home. If the S.E.V. seems high (relative to recent sales of comparable homes), the Detroit Tax Forum encourages you to appeal it. Instructions for doing so are on the form that the City sends; the deadline for appeal should be sometime in March.

Check www.detroittaxforum.org in a few weeks for more information. Or call Sherwood Forest resident John Corvino (313-861-0979) for more information.