Introduction

Highland Park is a small city of 17,000 residents with a rich history of unparalleled economic success early in the century, followed by unprecedented economic downfall toward the end of the 20^th Century. The city, whose claim as the ‘birthplace of mass production’ was once considered a model community boasting the best schools, an excellent housing stock, and retail that drew people from throughout the Detroit area. However, the exodus of the Ford Motor Company, Chrysler Corporation, and countless other manufacturing establishments has disintegrated the tax base and burdened the City with an aging and oversized infrastructure.

Highland Park’s manufacturing downturn has been accompanied with a 68% decline in population since 1930. The residents of Highland Park today are conscious of what this community once was, and have the vision to restore its reputation as a model city. Throughout its volatile history, Highland Park has always maintained a strong sense of community and continues to boast a hard-working and dedicated collection of residents and other stakeholders committed to seeing this historic community through a revitalization. It is this spirit of progress that led to the convening of the Highland Park Leadership Steering Committee and this Community Report to Governor Jennifer M. Granholm.

During the Summer and Autumn of 2003 a number of residents and business owners were communicating with members of The Governor’s Office for Southeast Michigan about various issues affecting Highland Park. As a result of this community interest, Governor Jennifer M. Granholm asked her Southeast Michigan Office to work directly with the community in Highland Park, and a subsequent meeting of community stakeholders was convened on August 20, 2003. The purpose was to discuss challenges facing the community and to begin formulating a plan to facilitate an active and participatory community-driven process. Out of this meeting came the Highland Park Leadership Steering Committee. This Committee met regularly throughout the Autumn and Winter to develop this process and organize a “Day of Dialogue” event which has held on December 13^th.

This Highland Park Community Report to Governor Jennifer M. Granholm is the culmination of this entire process. It includes a description of the Steering Committee and the community challenges and solutions prioritized at the widely attended Day of Dialogue. A number of attachments are also included to further describe our community’s rich history, demographic conditions, and the results of a business survey.

It is the aspiration of the Highland Park community to present this report to the Governor so that she and her staff may assist this exceptional community in working towards fiscal stability and the solutions outlined in this report.

Table of Contents

City of Highland Park

Background

Highland Park is a city rich with heritage as the birthplace of mass production and the former headquarters of two of the big three automakers – Ford Motor Company and the Chrysler Corporation. Like many communities across America, Highland Park is discovering new possibilities as it reinvents itself in the post-industrial age. Almost $300 million in new commercial, industrial and residential development has been invested in the city in the last decade, positioning Highland Park as a vibrant community for the future.

There are over 300 businesses in Highland Park, which benefit from the city’s central location to metro Detroit. Highland Park boasts immediate access to three major expressways – the Chrysler (I-75), Lodge (M-10) and Davison (M-8) – as well as Woodward Avenue, Michigan’s main street and National Scenic Byway, which runs through the city.

New commercial possibilities along Woodward allow businesses to join 30 other national and regional retailers successfully operating in thriving Highland Park Place and the Model T Plaza, national models of urban redevelopment.

The citizens continue to show their involvement and commitment to restoring and revitalizing Highland Park as well as honoring its historic heritage as individuals and members of community groups.

Despite the many positive aspects of Highland Park, years of disinvestment and a steady decline in population have led to the city’s current financial crisis. Services to residents and businesses have been reduced to the bare minimum as the state appointed Emergency Financial Manager struggles to keep the city solvent.

Governmental Context in Which Day of Dialogue Occurred

The City of Highland Park has been under the control of the State of Michigan, through the appointment of an Emergency Financial Manager, since July 2001. Before that, it had been under the review of a State appointed monitor for ten years. During the monitoring period, the financial situation continued to decline and debt increase although the debt was unauthorized by Treasury as required by various state laws and regulations. This included debt through unauthorized loans and increased liabilities through expending or committing more funds than were available from revenues as well as by not paying many obligations. These unpaid liabilities included required sums owed to the Internal Revenue Service, to the each of three defined benefit pension funds, to vendors, to required reserve funds and to employees.

The situation was made worse by the almost complete failure to do required maintenance on either public facilities or infrastructure. Questionable use of restricted funds resulting in losses, suspensions and penalties of Act 51 funds for road maintenance and repair.

During the time the monitor was in place, the State issued over $3,000,000 dollars in fiscal stabilization bonds to the City in an effort to have Highland Park pay its debts, reestablish fiscal solvency and avoid the necessity of a state appointment of an Emergency Financial Manager. Those bonds were given to the City in October of 2000. By late June 2001, when the situation continued to deteriorate and required that an Emergency Financial Manager be put in control of the City, all those funds had been spent; the debts were increasing, and the budget was severely out of balance.

Compounding the situation was the fact that there were more than 40 lawsuits in process against the City. The City had failed to respond in some cases—resulting in more than $5,000,000 in judgments against the city—and was in court on many others

Spending outside budget limits and failure to amend budgets to reflect realistic revenues resulted in an excessive number of judgments being placed on the tax rolls, some of which went unchallenged Most recently, in addition to charter and special millages, the City tax rate included about 15 mills of judgment levies. These taxes were continuing to increase until the Emergency Financial Manager and her team took strong action to remedy real problems and halt payments for which the citizens and city should not be liable.

Pension liabilities are a major concern. The unfunded pensions, if no other actions were taken, would require a pay as you go funding of the prior vested pension obligations and would absorb approximately 65% of the total General Fund revenue or require judgment levies of 40 mills annually for payment on a pay-as-you-go basis to handle unfunded pension payrolls and funding obligations under previously approved benefits. The total of unfunded pension liabilities for which there had not been legally required actuarial reports since 1999 are now estimated at more than $30,000,000. Actions have now been taken to begin to address this and to avert either default on pensions or ruinous payment plans, which would further cripple current city services.

During the first year under the Emergency Financial Manager, painful steps were taken to stem the financial hemorrhage. City services were slashed, payless paydays occurred and numerous previously unidentified debts, liabilities and other financial problems were uncovered. The Emergency Financial Manager and her team were able to stabilize the situation sufficiently to restore basic services at a reduced level. During this time, both the structural deficits and the ongoing financial requirements were assessed. The depth and breadth of financial mismanagement including failure to make required payments, misuse of funds, undocumented expenditures and missing records is so pervasive that all the detail would require a book length report to enumerate; but a few examples illustrate the depth and pervasiveness of the problems:

· The financial records were declared unauditable by Plante & Moran and major liabilities and prior period adjustments to the 2000 audit were required

· Many critical records were missing, incomplete, and/or inaccurate

· Money had been withheld from employees’ pay but not remitted to the Internal Revenue Service, the State, nor to the employees’ pension plan or 401(a) plan

· Employees were not able to get any reports or records of their 401(a) pension accounts

· Income Tax refunds were not made for 2000 or 2001 and liabilities for them had not even been fully recorded in the financial records

· Unauthorized loans were taken by the Administration from the pension plans

· Grant funds were not accounted for

· Payments to individuals were recorded but not actually paid

· Payments to individuals were made which cannot be reconciled with proper records or legal authority for the payments

· City operations were, by labor agreement, on a 4 day work week, with

an average 61 paid days off for employees. Officials on that 4 day

schedule were also paid for four hours more per week than worked.

Therefore, the challenge became how to put into place a viable plan which will:

· restore fiscal stability,

· gradually reduce the overwhelming tax burden on the remaining taxpayers, both individuals and business, who are committed to Highland Park and are paying their taxes and bills; and

· prevent a recurrence of the local environment that resulted in the current crisis.

The Emergency Financial Manager and Interim City Administrator worked non-stop to develop and present a Comprehensive Recovery Plan to the Engler administration in October 2002; but the plan was not addressed.

The election of Governor Jennifer Granholm became an opportunity for renewed attention to the plight of Highland Park. The Granholm administration has devoted considerable attention to the status of and possible options for a situation as severe as that in Highland Park. Even during the transition period following the election, transition team officials were familiarizing themselves with the specific issues in Highland Park. One fact identified in the Recovery Plan has become apparent to all as this process has unfolded—prior existing State law never contemplated a community reaching such a severe deficit status before the state interceded. Several legislative changes have already been sponsored by the Governor and by local legislators to provide a mechanism to begin to address some of these problems.

Since State of Michigan resources are also severely constrained, significant financial assistance from the state has been unavailable. State Revenue Sharing changes enacted in the 1990s, coupled with a severe downturn in state revenue, has resulted in a reduction of nearly $1,000,000 in annual revenue to the city from Revenue Sharing between 2000 and today. This same downturn, coupled with the failure of the City to make income tax refunds for 2000 or 2001, resulted in a reduction of city income tax collections as well.

The Emergency Financial Manager, Interim City Administrator, and team have been successful in making a number of the essential changes needed to achieve fiscal stability and provide basic services. While the full list is too long for this report, some of the major accomplishments include:

Negotiation of revised settlements for previous judgments, saving more than $3,000,000
Worked with the Michigan Department of Transportation to get street funding for maintenance, plowing and paving restored—bringing back more than $1,100,000 a year which had been stopped due to prior administration fiscal improprieties and violations
Negotiation of reduced service costs for essential professional services, saving $200,000 annually
Negotiation of an agreement with Wayne County and the Wayne County Sheriff to provide supplemental policing services for the community to assure viable policing and public safety services within a workable budget
Refinancing of debt and liabilities at lower interest rates and for reduced amounts, saving more than $1,000,000
Won or settled at reduced liability more than two dozen lawsuits
Restoration of 5 day work week at City Hall, elimination of pay for no work and reduction of paid time off through negotiation with labor representatives of two employee groups
Implementation of the same work and compensation changes for exempt personnel
Consolidation of city services and facilities into one location, reducing operating costs and improving service convenience for the public
Prevention of pension defaults and resolution of a threatened expulsion of the City from the Municipal Employees Retirement System (MERS) because of the failure of the city to remit Constitutionally required city contributions or employees’ own payments
Designed and negotiated an insured bond offering which was proposed in the Recovery Plan to partially fund the MERS and ERS pension plans in an affordable and sustainable manner

These accomplishments have moved the City toward fiscal and operational stabilization. With the assistance of the Emergency Loan Board, the Governor’s Southeast Michigan Office staff, the Department of Treasury, local officials, local legislative representatives, employee groups and numerous citizens, businesses and groups in the community and the region, much progress has been made. A number of major issues remain and must be addressed to restore the City to local control.

Legal limitations on what can be done by the state have also been examined with a focus on proposing such changes as are needed to allow implementation of recovery steps, which required state approval or even legislative changes. As part of the on-going effort to assess all these factors, positive and negative, which are affecting Highland Park and to determine the most feasible way to provide assistance to a resolution for Highland Park, the Day of Dialogue was held to assure dialogue between the Governor and the community in the painful recovery process.

Table of Contents

Summary of Challenges and Solutions

The major challenges and solutions are ranked below in the priority order of the participants in each breakout session. Subsequent pages describe the outcomes of each session in greater detail.

Challenges	Solutions
Business, Jobs & Training
1. Decreasing Population	Create Redevelopment Strategy for additional housing
2. Security Concerns	Increase public safety services
3. Need Improved Government	State/Fed assistance for sustainability; Function within financial means
4. Improve Cleanliness	Need Community group efforts; Code enforcement
5. Inadequate Quality of Workforce	Increase training possibilities
6. Untapped Resources	Find new sources of workers locally

Education
1. Lack of Parental Involvement	Break down invisible wall through events, classes
2. Lack of Community Involvement	Improve communication- outreach to businesses, and the faith community
3. Wall Between Educators And Community	Educators should reach out to community
4. Teaching Skills w/ Today’s students lack materials	Stronger curriculum, professional training, develop materials
5. Closure of McGregor Library, H.P. Community College	Re-open historical institutions; develop courses
Lack of Cultural/Historic [activities]

Housing & Neighborhoods
1. Public Image & Stereotypes	Publicize successes
2. Abandoned Properties	Demolition blitz; improve court review process
3. Locating Resources for Demolition	Fund and expand State programs; offer tax-credits
4. Code Enforcement	Hire inspectors, expedite court reviews
5. Owners/Residents Need to Keep Property Clean	Inform, ticket, fine as necessary

Public Safety
1. Future of Highland Park Public Safety	Develop effective local public safety program
2. Lack of Business Development due to Community Safety Concerns	Educate public about public safety possibilities, improve response time, better traffic signals
3. Community Participation	Establish and/or strengthen available programs
4. Demolition of Private & State Owned Unsafe Structures	Increase demolition programs
5. Court Resources to Address Public Safety	Establish new ordinances, improve court processes

Seniors
1. [Inadequate] Senior Housing/Health Services	Fund in-home programs; increase types of health services
2. Community Services	Create variety of housing types with built-in services
3. Safety	Offer info to seniors on home safety; improve transportation for seniors
4. Information [about services lacking]	Create and distribute Service Directory
5. Financial Services	Increase info on available financial services

Water
1. No Local Representation	H.P. Human Rights Coalition meet with Governor
2. [Need Moratorium] On Shut-Offs	Set moratorium on shut-offs
3. Sewer And Water Rates Too High	Compare with others; check meters; reduce rates
4. Timely Bills [not received]	Improve system for billing
5. State Is Taking Too Long [To Resolve Problems]	Restore local control, Build administrative leadership capacity of local government officials

Table of Contents

BUSINESS / JOBS AND TRAINING BREAKOUT SESSION

Facilitators: Leo Carr, Terrance Hicks, Mark Kelly, Ben Mason, Cheryl Sanford and Anne Zobel

Approximately 25 individuals including residents, business owners and other stakeholders participated in this session. Business was combined with the Jobs and Training session because they are similar topics in nature; however, each topic was discussed individually. A lively discussion ensued regarding the challenges faced in Highland Park by both residents and business owners. Participants were asked to identify a solution to any challenge that they pointed out. This kept the discussion positive and solution-driven. While a number of serious challenges were identified, the participants did not seem to think that the city’s problems were irreversible. A high level of optimism was present.

The list below reflects the top four priorities for the Business discussion and the top two priorities for the Jobs and Training that participants identified during the voting process. However, the complete list reflects additional concerns brought out during the discussion.

Top Priorities

Rank Challenges Solutions

Business

1 Decreasing population Redevelopment strategy for new housing

2 Security concerns Create Long-term solution to increase public safety

3 Need improved government Request State & fed assistance to achieve sustainability

Need to function within financial means

4 Improve cleanliness Initiate Small group clean-up efforts

Provide effective Code enforcement / Report dumping

Jobs and Training

1 Inadequate quality of workforce Training for both workforce and employees

Michigan Business Roundtable

Establish a Roundtable locally with link to state

2 Untapped resources Employer gap analyzed

[a needs assessment based on model of Maryland business roundtable]

Mandate business to hire trained H.P. residents

Other Concerns

Challenges Solutions

Need for more demolition [Develop] new housing / [attract more] residents

Decreasing population Demolish unsafe buildings

Devise Redevelopment Strategy for new housing

Approach state for funds (MEDC)

Need plan for getting more grants and incentives

Nonprofits collaborate with city [to pursue funding]

HP Devco should take lead and serve as champion

Non-political entity should also have strong role

Maintain cleanliness Small group clean-up efforts

Wayne County Alternative Workforce – work release inmates

Work with Jerome Drain of Operation Weed & Seed of HP

Develop a schedule/strategy for clean-up efforts

Identify root cause of problems & fix

Put pressure on business to maintain property

Code enforcement / Report dumping

Follow Richton Street model [for community clean-up efforts]

CB patrol [to report dumping]

Purchase garbage can for businesses

No city building department Employ someone to specifically handle permits & generate revenues for city

[Lack of] skilled city employees laid-off Bring former city employees back

Security (Public Safety) Need long-term solution

Need functioning city government State & fed assistance to achieve sustainability

Need to function within financial means (fiscal responsibility)

State Police Command Center (Calumet Center)

Other Concerns

Challenges Solutions

Unemployment Need State initiated incentives for companies coming to Highland Park

Utilize ‘Distressed Community’ Designation by state

Table of Contents

EDUCATION BREAK-OUT SESSION

Facilitators: Mr. Carl Pettway, Greg Roberts, Dr. Theresa Sanders, and Hon. Senator Martha G. Scott

The working breakout session consisted of educators, concerned parents, community leaders and others interested in the educational future of the students in Highland Park. It was a consensus that we needed a "Back to the Future" approach to restoring the high standards and expectations that were once "commonplace" for the Highland Park School District. In the not so distant past, the Highland Park School District was one of the top districts in the State. The graduation rate was high, the dropout rate was low, the McGregor Public Library was opened and those graduating had a community college to attend. The recommendations and priorities reflect the need and desire to return the Highland Park School District to being one of the top districts in the State. It was strongly felt, by consensus that the implementation of the following recommendations/priorities would, in fact, do just that.

Top Priorities

Rank Challenges Solutions

1 Lack of parental involvement Break down the invisible wall

Offer Parenting classes/events

2 Lack of community involvement Create more involvement w/business,

faith-based organizations, events and meetings

[Improve] communication

3 Wall between educators & Engage Educators to venture into community

the community

Provide More information to community

4 Teaching skills to today’s students Offer Stronger curriculum, professional training

Lack of materials More materials & resources for teachers and

students

5 McGregor Public Library Re-open

Highland Park Community College Re-open

Lack of cultural/historical [activities] Add more culture/language courses to

curriculum

Other Concerns

Challenges Solutions

Need competitive pay scale for teachers Help teachers go back to school

Lack of student empowerment Offer training & assistance to students to

Improve academic performance

Lack of cleanliness in schools Require staff accountability

Weak infrastructure Obtain funding for capital improvements

(Charter Schools?)

Lack of hands-on resources Develop additional hands-on resources

Challenges Solutions

Lack of balanced curriculum -- Create new balanced curriculum

academic & elective

Lack of connection between kids Create the connection between kids &

& administration administration

Kids being raised by grandparents/ Understand family types – take into

foster family consideration

Busy parents 2+ jobs

History of Highland Park Stronger curriculum

Lack of dialogue between unions Financial resources for an audio/visual

& teachers modules

Lack of materials (kids are bored) Accommodate all learning styles

Lack of authority for teachers to Create authority for teachers

discipline

Lack of post-ed opportunities Highland Park Community College

Lack of funding (books to take Find more money

home)

Lack of parental access to Inform parents of education laws/

education laws/legislation legislation

Possible influx of Charter Schools Maintain dialogue between community

(drain public school resources) and state

Lack of open dialogue between Create dialogue between parents and

parents & administration & administration & community

community/community orgs.

Need to increase tutoring & Scholarship programs (in non-traditional

mentoring areas)

Lack of involvement from faith- Weed and Seed (more involvement of

based community program)

McGregor Public Library Closed Re-open make available to students

Highland Park Image (negatively Change image (business & industry would

portrayed in the media) come money)

Challenges Solutions

Lack of parental involvement Break down invisible wall

Parenting classes – something to attract

More parents

Lack of strong belief that children Parents & teachers motivate kids

can learn Encourage and up-lift children

Let kids know they can succeed

Table of Contents

HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOODS BREAKOUT SESSION

Facilitators: Harriet Saperstein, Vickie Thomas

About 40 stakeholders, representing a broad section of the community attended the session. The participants included residents, business owners, community leaders, religious leaders and others. The majority of participants were residents who shared openly and passionately about the day-to-day problems and challenges they face as Highland Parkers. The session lasted for nearly two hours and could have extended even longer. Residents not only discussed the critical issues in the city but also came up with possible solutions to some of those problems. Despite the tremendous challenges that the city has faced and continues to face, it was crystal clear that residents and others are willing to do whatever they can to help turn the city around. They are looking forward to brighter days ahead.

There were at least 30 interconnected challenges identified by the group with a variety of suggested solutions. The list below reflects the top five critical issues that stakeholders identified during the voting process at the end of the breakout session. However, the complete list reflects additional concerns brought out in the active and engaging discussion.

Top Priorities

Rank Challenges Solutions

1 Public Image and Stereotypes Improve image by publicizing success stories and positives Bring back Home tours Initiate Business Tours

2 Abandoned Properties Demolition blitz; Create separate housing court/administrative review;

Ticket/fine: Make owners pay

3 Locate Resources for Demolition Fund State Programs (CMI, Revitalife)

Private fundraising campaign; Demolition Tax Credits/other benefits for business; Use National Guard

4 Code Enforcement Hire more officers/inspectors; improve

court system for ticketing & fines.

5 Owners/Residents need to keep Inform owners/residents of their

property clean responsibilities, ticket and fine where necessary

Other Concerns

Challenges Solutions

Code Enforcement

Code enforcement Hire more officers/inspectors

Code enforcement tickets Reorganize court process to

go through same system as criminal, expedite ticketing & fines

delaying court response for up to a year

Residents/Owners need to know Provide information/ticket & fine them

Responsibilities to keep property clean. if necessary

Stores have too much material hanging

outside on streets

City-Yard full, can’t take more trash Need more space

City hire back employees to remove

trash

More dumpsters needed -- only two Locate additional funds for dumpsters

dumpsters available for clean-ups

Dumping

Dumping at night Install cameras/signs. Ticket violators

Bulk trash dumping: where to report? Provide information

Abandoned Properties

Abandoned properties: Locate funding for demolition blitz

500 + need to be demolished - Weed&Seed has done 30; Revitalife’

cost $3 million about 50, much more needed.

Priority to demolish and clean up by Identify drug havens or drug activity

schools in and around schools

Dumping in front of abandoned buildings Ticket/fine

Abandoned cars: alleys, streets, backyards Provide info on existing program

(313-224-0458)

Demolition

Insufficient funds Businesses to tear down houses in

(Need $10 million for total cleanup) exchange for tax credits/other benefits

Radiothon/telethon or other fundraising

strategy

Approach philanthropists

Use National Guard

Involve MSHDA and other state agencies

Ford should meet its responsibilities to city

Concentrate for redevelopment

Challenges Solutions

65% of properties privately owned Make owners pay for repair or change

law to get lien on property elsewhere for demolitions costs.

Title clearance is difficult procedure New law to clear titles more easily

State to alleviate environmental costs

Selection of houses for demo Revitalife – state owned properties

doesn’t always seem to work selected internally-need city input

How to put house on list for demolition Need information

Owners may not have the resources or Locate private owners

may not cooperate Create a law which penalizes disinvestments and walking away from property

Need specific housing court for demolition

Prosecutors office program promised Need funding resources to accelerate

expected demolition didn’t take place program.

Hamilton Ave has many buildings that

need demolition Pilot or CMI to tear down some of larger buildings to get ready for redevelopmt.

Public Image

Stereotypes on Highland Park Success stories need to be publicized

Poor media image outside of city

Safety concerns Focus on positives

Positive changes in community not Bring back home tours

reflected in larger community Do business tours

Unite neighborhoods and increase block clubs.

Need improvements to build houses & Encourage rehab & construction of apt

apartments houses

Other

Materials stolen from renovations while Improve public safety

underway Increase & utilize new CB patrol

Hamilton – too many resale shops using Control what outside of stores look like

sidewalk

People work on cars in streets/garages Improve system to require business

license. Ticket & fine violators

Trash thrown out of car windows Create effective grass-roots reporting -

dumping, trash throwing, etc.

Not enough parks or facilities for youth Approach Wayne County to use funds

& earmark them for Highland Park.

Property and Land Information- Provide central information on property for developers and citizens

Challenges Solutions

No one calls you back when you ask for Improve City response

information.

Homeowners need both help & referral Need home owners repair assistance

system program

Table of Contents

PUBLIC SAFETY BREAKOUT SESSION

Facilitators: Angelo Flemings, John Holloway, Hon. Bridgette T. Officer & the Sheriff’s Department

About 15 stakeholders, representing a broad section of the community attended the session. The participants included residents, business owners, community leaders, religious leaders and local law enforcement representatives. Participants felt that key to the survival of the city is having a long-term, stable “local” policing solution devoted to the continuation of Highland Park as a community wherein the residents, business owners and visitors feel safe.

Top Priorities

Rank Challenges Solutions

1 Future of Highland Park Public Safety Develop an effective “local”

public safety program, develop and publish working contact numbers, establish infra-structure, improve relationships between officers internally and with other agencies, local dispatcher familiar with the community

2 Lack of Business Development due to Educate businesses with

Community Safety Concerns public safety roles & responsibilities, replace street signs and improve traffic flow problems in busy areas, improve and report response times for police & fire services

3 Community Participation Re-establish D.A.R.E.

program, T.E.A.M. implementation, community participation with patrols, increase communication between the community and our police force, Preventive means at conflict to involve families & schools

4 Demolition of unsafe structures Remove old/unused

structures, & health concerns declare a state-of-emergency, grant writing/funding needed

5. Court resources to address public safety Establish working group to

develop new ordinances, work with present legislature, working relationship between public safety and the judicial system, recruit new talent

Other Concerns

Challenges Solutions

Community participation in patrol Community participation

Preventive means at conflict D.A.R.E. Program (re-establish), T.E.A.M

resolution to involve families implementation

& schools

Community Policing

Civilian participation w/patrols

Community organization

Future of Highland Park Public Develop an effective Public Safety Prog.

Safety

Develop and publish working contact numbers

Relationship between officers Establish infrastructure

Internally and with other agencies

Present legislation Grant writing/funding

Reporting response time w/policing Release actual v. perceived records

& fire services

What is the proper process for a Educate community in regards to

citizen to receive police response policy

Publish correct working numbers

Local dispatcher familiar with Prepare a document for citizens as a

the community reference as to exactly who called

Lack of street signs & traffic flow

problems in busy areas

Public Safety services offered to Provide P.O.C. with public safety in

businesses regards to business

Educate business with public safety roles & responsibilities

Remove old/unused structures (declare state of emergency)

Challenges Solutions

Court staff resources to adequately Work with present legislature

address public safety

Establish working group to develop charter - building block

Recruit new talent

Working relationship between public safety & judicial system

Table of Contents

SENIORS BREAKOUT SESSION

Facilitators: Ameenah Omar, Margaret Lewis, Jan Lazar

Seven people attended the Seniors breakout session and provided cross-generational views of Challenges for seniors. Because the group was small, each person had ample opportunity for full expression of their views. The resultant priority listing shows that there is a consensus of opinion among seniors and/or primary caregivers for seniors of seniors needs.

Of particular note is that although Financial Assistance ranked 6^th in the priority listing, providing funding from the lottery and creating a dedicated revenue stream patterned after the Pennsylvania Program are among the Solutions given for meeting seniors’ challenges under Health Services which tied for 1^st with Housing and Community Services.

Top Priorities

Rank Challenges Solutions

1 Health services/in-home services Percentage of lottery proceeds

Pharmacist coordinate medicine schedule

Medical staff making in-home visits

Check medicines, visiting nurse, podiatry

Social worker – home visit, assist in applying for insurance or other assistance

2 Senior Housing – affordability Creation of authority/financial assistance

Services, taxes

Accessibility housing for disabled Condos or one level

Senior complex Senior village, multi-level

Out displacement Independent, assisted living & right to nursing

Maintenance & rehab Financial assistance

Community volunteer programs

ACORN

Habitat for Humanity

Activate historic pres. Comm..

Challenges Solutions

3 Community Services Obtain senior grants

Recreation/senior day care

Indoor programs – year around, add craft

Programs, sewing, ceramics, instructor for

programs

4 Safety – inside home Training for in-the-home safety

Emergency kits, Locks – update safety checks, fire alarms, better lighting

[Provide] fire extinguishers - donations

Safety in community – walking Buddy system – all network

Group shopping, medical visits

Senior Transportation

5 Information services available Directory – Highland Park Community

mailed, on-line, telephone -- updated regularly

Distribution [of directory] to churches, neighborhoods, groups, individuals

6 Financial assistance Information or availability

Social Worker – assistance in insurance and grant assistance

Primary Caregiver Support Information, hours of service, availability

Flexibility

Dedicated Revenue Like Pennsylvania Program

Adopt a Senior Donate services -- matching young volunteers

Foster Grandparents Groups to seniors

Cross General Assistance Daily interaction with every senior

Added meals in home and at Aging Consortium

facilities Maintenance of recreation facilities

Recurring background checks DRMM personnel

Food Handler license

Continuous monitoring of any violation

Background, license

Challenges Solutions

Used computers Get donated used computers

Health Services In-Home services

Primary caregivers support

Table of Contents

WATER BREAKOUT SESSION

Facilitators: Steve Egen and Stephen Goodfellow

Although there are severe short-term problems, the long term prospect for Highland Park water is good news. Built by Henry Ford with the purpose of supplying two major motor industries and 60,000 people, the city's water plant can produce more water than the city could ever consume. The problem is presently that the underutilized resource is a burden on a dwindling tax base. If the water could flow to the cities surrounding Highland Park, the utility would be capable of generating much needed income for the city.

Short term problems and proposed solutions are listed below by the citizenry. The frustration and tension expressed is palpable, even to the casual observer. It is a grim mood that must be defused. The issue is singly the most divisive subject in Highland Park. It is a powder keg.

Top Priorities

Rank Challenges Solutions

1 No local reps – human rights Highland Park Human Rights Coalition

related to water meet with Governor

2 Shut offs Moratorium on shut offs – turn water back on for

residents until solution is developed

3 Sewer rates & water too high Investigate meters, new meters, compare

to other cities’ rates

4 Untimely bills More efficient, more lead time [6 to 9 month billing cycle] until
bills are due, new people in department

5 State is taking too long to solve (2 years) New representation (new legislation)

Now the state control is draining the city Restore local democracy

financially

Other Concerns

Challenges Solutions

High bills, low number of users More users (G.P.F., Hamtramck, etc)

Customers without Ford &

Chrysler

Challenges Solutions

Sewer – rate cost Investigate why rates are so high

Water too [rate cost} Why so high – compare with other communities

Respect for customers by Need New people, local people

employees/poor customer Provide Training in dealing with public

relations

Meter accuracy Install New meters-tested by neutral source

Lack of local control and Audit costs

Representation Utilize Local people

Shut offs Moratorium on shut offs and bill taxes

Turn water on

No privatization Water as utility like gas, electric

Human rights violated, esp. poor Restore democracy, local voice

grass roots people

Water off Turn water on

Unclear on finances and basis for Communicate web/internet Michigan

Rates, not transparent Citizen – legally open the books

For all the water problems Water strike escrow

Including crooked billing

Now draining the city, including Restore local democracy

the county (i.e. sale of abandoned

houses at low cost)

Infrastructure – what is spent? More people – personnel worker

Why not in better shape?

Human rights – related to water Highland Park HRC meet with Governor

Estimated bill Get actual readings

Table of Contents

Attachment 1

HIGHLAND PARK, MI: Renewal Built On Its Heritage

Preserving Highland Park’s historic places is uppermost in our hearts and minds. Your history, unlike your education, can be taken away!

The industrial feats and cultural milestones accomplished in Highland Park, Michigan – not Illinois – are legendary all over the world. The fact of and impact of those feats is published and publicized in print and other media-type industries. Even though Highland Park, Michigan, specifically, is generally not mentioned, people from all over the world pass through Highland Park, Michigan to see the physical sites where those milestones went from dreams to reality:

Some of the landmarks include:

The moving assembly line that resulted in making the Model T Ford automobile affordable to the common man and changed the way industry did business, as highlighted in the recent smash hit movie, Seabiscuit.
Highland Appliance store - the forerunner of the ABC Warehouses-type stores.
Davison Freeway - the country’s first expressway.
The second-oldest community college in Michigan until its recent closure and reopening as a career academy.
The original site of the Lawrence Institute of Technology (1932-1955 in Highland Park). Begun in September 1932, it was the next-door neighbor of the Henry Ford Trade School (1917-1932).
The home of Canners Warehouses, the institution that “sold merchandise by the single can or carload at warehouse prices direct from the canners to you,” according to a December 3, 1931 article that appeared in The Highland Parker weekly newspaper.
The McGregor Library whose archives contain all of this history.
The Highland Park museum located at the McGregor Library

Highland Park’s history is inextricably tied to Highland Park’s future. A large part of Highland Park’s future can be attracting significant tourist dollars to it, as a standalone automotive, industrial and residential historical site where modern manufacturing was born, and/or as part of the corridor of communities comprising Woodward Avenue, one of the country’s nationally recognized American Byways. Highland Park has two nationally registered historic districts, one of which has the largest number of arts and crafts historic homes outside of California. Highland Park is the birthplace/world headquarters of Chrysler Corporation (with an historic marker to prove it) until the late 1990s, and has other historic accomplishments too numerous to mention in this preface.

Building on Highland Park’s rich historic past in its present task of reorganizing itself can only enhance Highland Park’s stable, self-sufficient economic future.

Table of Contents

Attachment 2

Participants in the Highland Park Community Process

(partial list based on sign-in sheets)

Attachment 5

Changes in Tax Revenue, Population and Employment

City Tax Revenues

Year

Property

Income

Total

1990

$4,930,893

$6,612,098

$11,542,991

1995

$3,859,694

$4,891,345

$8,751,039

2000

$3,516,515

$2,664,001

$6,180,516

Source: City of Highland Park

Population by Decade

Year

Population

1910

4,120

1920

46,599

1930

52,959

1940

50,810

1950

46,393

1960

38,086

1970

35,444

1980

27,909

1990

20,121

2000

16,746

Source: Census & School District of Highland Park

Employment Change in Major Sectors

Industrial Class

1990

1995

2000

Change 1990 - 2000

Manufacturing

7226

1253

1197

-83%

Transportation, Communication & Utilities

325

253

247

-24%

Wholesale Trade

1214

1506

n/a

Retail Trade

1470

1253

1364

-7%

Finance, Insurance, & Real Estate

161

141

159

-1%

Services

4120

3105

2190

-47%

Public Administration

389

203

n/a

Total Employment

14905

7714

7616

-49%

Table of Contents

Attachment 6

Day of Dialogue Narrative

On Saturday December 13^th, 2003, more than 140 interested and committed citizens met at the Highland Park Community High School to discuss, dialogue and prioritize the challenges facing the City of Highland Park, Michigan. The Day of Dialogue was the culmination of a community-driven planning process that had begun six weeks earlier at the request of a number of community stakeholders. Ms. Daedra A. McGhee, Director, Government and Business Affairs, Governor’s Office for Southeast Michigan facilitated this process. Utilizing the leadership and expertise of a broad based Steering Committee, a Day of Dialogue Planning Sub-Committee was convened and met throughout November and early December to structure, design and eventually implement this community-centered event.

A decision was made at the beginning of the planning process that the Day of Dialogue should be:

(a) as open and accessible to as wide an array of interested citizens (residents, business people and others) as possible; (The event was publicized through newspapers, radio, television, flyers, telephone outreach and website: www.hpfolks.com)

(b) forward-looking as well as grounded in the present day;

(c) structured around a set of topics identified by the Steering Committee: business, jobs and training, education, housing and neighborhoods, public safety, services for seniors and water – and that the opinions and ideas of the community be gathered through a series of breakout sessions;

(d) as concerned with solutions to the challenges facing the city as with recitation of problems and concerns.

Accordingly, facilitators were selected whose role it was to administer and record the discussion, dialogue and prioritization of challenges and solutions presented at each of the breakout sessions. Student volunteers from the Center for Urban, Labor and Metropolitan Affairs’ Masters Program, Wayne State University, Detroit, also staffed each breakout session. Their task, along with the facilitators, was to accurately record the discussion and debate in each group and assist the community in their prioritization of the challenges and the solutions. The deliberations of each group were recorded on flip charts.

The Day of Dialogue started at 1:00 pm on December 13^th, with the community gathering in the atrium of the School. The event began with an introduction by Ms. Margaret Lewis, Highland Park resident and publisher of the local paper. She was followed by Professor Robin Boyle, Wayne State University, acting as coordinator of the event. After his explanation of the process and of the “rules” that would apply across all the breakout sessions, the community was invited to make their selection of the breakout session they wished to attend. Each breakout session was allocated some 90 minutes for discussion and debate. In mid-afternoon, refreshments were served, enticing participants to return to the dining hall for a reporting session from each group. In turn, speakers from each breakout session were invited to introduce the challenges and solutions discussed and prioritized by their group. This also provided an opportunity for participants to comment more broadly on the issues facing the city. It is these data that are presented in this report.

Table of Contents

Attachment 7

Supplemental Business Survey

Summary

Summary and Analysis of Highland Park Business Survey

HP Devco prepared and disseminated a survey designed to identify the positives and negatives of doing business in Highland Park. The survey was initially sent to the largest 15 businesses in the city. A follow-up phone call was made to each survey recipients and eight surveys were returned. The survey consisted of three simple questions:

1.      What Are The Three Most Important Benefits Of Locating In Highland Park?

2.      What Are The Three Most Serious Problems Of Doing Business In Highland Park?

3.  What Are Your Three Highest Recommendations For Improving The Business Climate In Highland Park And The State Of Michigan?

The survey revealed a number of consistent responses particularly pertaining to the benefits and problems affecting the business environment.  
Highland Park’s central location and access to freeways was a unanimous response to the first question regarding benefits.  
This appears to be a crucially important factor in a company’s decision to locate and remain in the community.  
In response to the second question regarding the problems affecting the business climate, three major themes were recognized: 
aging infrastructure, crime, and inadequate city services. 
 The respondents were very thoughtful in their suggestions for solutions to the city’s problems.  
These solutions appropriately responded to the problems identified and included: investment in infrastructure, 
strong police force and crime prevention measures, and providing city operating support.  
The table below further details the most common survey responses.

Major Issues Affecting Business

Benefits

Problems

Solutions

Location

• Centrality

• Access to freeways

Aging Infrastructure

• Poor condition of roads

mitigates benefit of location

Investment in Infrastructure

• “Fix-it-first” (repair existing roadways)

• Utilize enhancement & other grants

Crime

• Security cost for businesses

very high

Maintain County Sheriff Department

Support other Crime Prevention

Programs

Inadequate City Services

• Limited City Hall office hours

• Tax payment ≠ city services

Provide City Operating Support

• Need human power / additional staff

• Hire full-time Development Director

Additional themes were recognized in the survey relating to workforce issues, property values, overall condition of city, and image. The table below summarizes these secondary issues.

Secondary Issues Affecting Business

Benefits

Problems

Solutions

Availability of Light Industrial Workforce

Difficulty Attracting Employees with Quality Skills

Improve Image

• Public relations assistance

Low Tax Assessments

• Benefits businesses with longevity here

High Tax Millage Rate

• Difficult to attract new development

• Insurance redlining

Assistance with Tax Abatements

• State support of initiatives

• Abatements to make new projects comparable to existing properties

Competitive Lease Rates

High Rates of Abandonment & Derelict Buildings

• Deters business investment

• Creates poor image

Coordinated Demolition Strategy Assistance w/ Code Enforcement

Surveys were also distributed to the current members of the Highland Park Business Association. This membership includes a diverse variety of small, medium and large, mostly independent business and non-profit organizations. Seven surveys were returned and identified many of the same themes as the responses from the city’s largest businesses. Location stood out as the primary benefit, while crime, image and redlining were repeatedly identified as problems.

Table of Contents

Attachment 8

Acknowledgements

The following organizations made significant contributions to the Day of Dialogue Event and the Transforming Communities Process of community-wide engagement:

Acme Photo Works

Budco

Diverse Solutions, Inc.

Eastown Distributors

The Governor’s Office for Southeast Michigan

Highland Park Business Association (HPBA)

Highland Park High School

HP Devco, Inc.

Model T Shopping Plaza/Farmer Jack

The Highland Park Leadership Steering Committee

Wayne State University, Center for Urban, Labor and Metropolitan Affairs (CULMA)

HPfolks.com

Table of Contents

Background

Governmental Context in Which Day of Dialogue Occurred

Other Concerns

Other Concerns

Other Concerns

Other Concerns

PUBLIC SAFETY BREAKOUT SESSION

Other Concerns

Other Concerns

Highland Park Leadership Steering Committee

Sub-Committees

Day of Dialogue Planning Sub-Committee

Facilitated By: Professor Robin Boyle – Wayne State University,

College of Urban, Labor & Metropolitan Affairs (CULMA)

Demographics for the City of Highland Park

Changes in Tax Revenue, Population and Employment

Attachment 6

Day of Dialogue Narrative

Summary and Analysis of Highland Park Business Survey

Benefits

Problems

Secondary Issues Affecting Business

Benefits

Problems