January,  Newsletter, 1993
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Bromley Homeowners Association--upcoming meetings.

Please mark on your calendar the dates of March 18, 1993 and June 17, 
1993.  They are both
Thursday nights and we will meet as ususal in the Thurston Library at 
7:30 p.m.  These dates
correct a previous miscommunication.  Come join us; we try to make the 
meetings interesting!

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Newsletter News.

      Thanks much to all of you who have joined the Homeowners 
Association.  Your dues pay for
the Newsletter.  Here is a rough idea of how things work.  We are trying 
to create self-sustaining
modules in the budget.  The Directory has become self-sustaining through 
the adoption of yellow
pages (with some left over for Bromley Grants for neighborhood 
projects).  The Newsletter is
printed from Homeowners Association dues.  The costs for producing the 
Newsletter and
distributing it vary from roughly $20 to $50 per month.  There are also 
special issues that
respond to unusual situations.  So, at the outside it costs about $600 
per year to print and deliver
the Newsletter to the 231 homes.  Thanks so much to all of you who have 
remembered to send
in your dues.  If you have not already done so, please send them to the 
Treasurer, Viviane
Shammas, 2260 Prairie, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48105.
      The reason for organizing the Association in these modules is for 
sustainability of services.
BHA has term limits for its Board members, as is appropriate in order to 
promote diversity in
viewpoint.  The mechanics of running the organization can get in the way 
of creative progress.
By having these mechanics organized in a simple fashion, the transfer of 
power and materials
should be facilitated as officers change.  This coming year, as of 
September 1993, Jim
Henderson and Sandy Arlinghaus will have completed their maximum of four 
consecutive years
of service.
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----DOLFINS POOL--Open meeting and election of officers.

     Watch your mailbox for a letter from the Pool Board announcing their 
annual meeting at
which officers are elected.  Then, consider coming to that meeting and 
running for one of the
slots on the Board--bring your neighbors, too!  If you are looking for an 
opportunity to get
involved, join this group of friendly, active people!
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SIDEWALKS

     This issue has been a particularly difficult one, with inputs from 
various sources in a state of
flux.  Hence there is understandably some confusion concerning this 
issue.  Here is the state of
affairs as of writing this Newsletter.
     1.  There is an extension so that the deadline for completed repairs 
(don't forget to have them
inspected, too) is JULY 1, 1993.
     2.  We have a written response to a letter (sent to many 
contractors) asking for group bids,
only from Liberty Contractors.  There is verbal follow-up on this issue, 
as follows.  Liberty
Contractors just recently offered to initiate contact with 
homeowners/renters who require or wish
replacement.  What they propose is a bulk mailing to affected residences 
within Bromley
explaining the group rate issue and how to proceed.  So, if this 
interests you, watch for it in the
mail.  To qualify for the lowest possible group rate, cited by Liberty as 
$3.60 per square foot (a
typical non-driveway square is about 25 square feet), Bromley would need 
to have at least 5000
square feet (probably 50 or more homes).  Liberty does replacement, not 
lifting.  Also, we would
hope that the bulk mailing would address as well, and in response to 
comments on the
questionnaire circulated last summer, possibilities for homeowners to get 
other cement work
done at the same time, and also the issue of tree roots.  If you are 
contemplating drain tile
replacement, you might wish to consult with your various contractors 
prior to sidewalk
replacement.  (As always, of course, the Bromley Homeowners Association 
cannot endorse,
either implicitly or explicitly, any firm or the quality of its 
craftsmanship.)  BHA has copies of the
sidewalk study done in Burns Park (South) prior to sidewalk 
replacement--it, and a summary of it,
is available to any interested Bromley residents; of course, it is 
somewhat out of date.  Call
Sandy if you wish to see it or if you wish to discuss this entire matter.
     3.  Block captains who were given a small packet quite awhile ago 
really have little to do--
main thing is to encourage people on your block to get their repairs 
inspected by the Sidewalk
Office of the City (Transportation Department) so they are truly all set 
by early summer.  The
spring is probably a good time to talk to people.  Or, wait until after 
the group effort has taken
place (once the weather warms up).
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Report on Homeowners Association Meeting.

At the last meeting, we had presentations from two sets of invited speakers.

Community Oriented Policing
1.  Three representatives of the Ann Arbor Police Department came to our 
meeting.  Adele
Akouri,  (the Neighborhood Watch Coordinator), Officer Thomas Kolpacki, 
and Officer Connelly.
The discussion centered on the topic of Community Oriented Policing 
(C.O.P.).  Tom Kolpacki
has recently been assigned as "our" policeman.  The idea is that he will 
work interactively with
the neighborhood in identifying and solving problems related to making 
our neighborhood a nicer
place for all of us.  BHA has enjoyed fine relations  with many arms of 
the City in the past and it
was a pleasure to hear that now, with C.O.P., we will have an avenue for 
interactive
communication with the City through a City official who is in continuing, 
direct touch with our
neighborhood, with Neighborhood Watch,  and with BHA.  You may have seen 
Tom in his car on
the street at Halloween, talking to the kids and admiring their 
costumes.  Indeed, that is where I
met him.  So, if you see a police car drive by your house; wave hello!  
Encourage your children
to do the same.  Tom is very friendly--get to know him.  Tom said that 
Police Chief Smith
brought the concept of Community Oriented Policing to Ann Arbor from 
Minneapolis.
      Adele Akouri brought along a great deal of literature concerning 
Neighborhood Watch.  We
are working with the Police to coordinate Neighborhood Watch with the 
Homeowners
Association.  The point of doing so is to get organized before there is 
any problem, rather than
doing so in response to a problem.  Sandy has some flyers and information 
that Adele left; if you
were unable to come to the meeting and would like them, give Sandy a call:
a.  "The Watcher's Guide to a Safe Community"
b.  "Operation Identification:  An Important Step"
c.  "Suspicious Activity" flyer.
d.  "Neighborhood Watch Crime Log"
e.  "Free Services Offered by the Ann Arbor Police Department Crime 
Prevention Unit"
f.  "Anonymous tip line--996-3199.

     Tom Kolpacki's phone number is 994-2875--feel free to call him.  It 
is to be included in next
year's Directory and will become part of the Editorial Box of the 
Newsletter.  When Mayor Brater
came to a BHA meeting last year, she asked us for a "wish-list"--of 
course, one never expects to
get everything on such a list but we have done astoundingly well.  Tom 
Kolpacki also thought
that a list might be useful.  BHA can come up with items for such a list 
and will do so.  Because
Tom is in constant contact with the neighborhood, it will be possible to 
give him requests on a
continuing basis, although obviously he does need to prioritize the 
requests.  So, talk to him, or a
BHA Board member, about any concerns you might have.

    Some advice from the Police, mentioned at the meeing--there is much 
more.  Look for it on a
regular basis in the BHA Newsletter (as space permits).

Going away?? Tell Tom about it.  Consider leaving a key with a trusted, 
willing neighbor who will
come in, open drapes in the morning, close them in the evening.  Leave 
lights on timers.  Avoid
predictable behavior patterns that might be a tip as to when you are away.

Outdoor lighting--Tom suggested a lamp mounted on a pole with a lit 
address on it.  In any
event, make sure that your address is highly visible day AND night--this 
is a matter of
homeowner safety.  Police, fire, and rescue vehicles have difficulty in 
responding to homes
whose addresses are hidden from the street--either by shrubs or by the 
dark of night.

 Tom is willing to help to organize community events; how nice it is to 
see the message
transmitted directly that the Police are here to help us enjoy our 
lives--how clever--to help with
enjoyable community events.

Water, water, everywhere?
2.    There was no Ancient Mariner at the December BHA meeting, but there 
was Larry Sanford,
Assistant Superintendent of the Water Treatment Plant of the City of Ann 
Arbor.  We
congratulated him on taking the initiative to contact us so that we, as a 
neighborhood, might
become better educated about the treatment of City water.  Look for 
Newsletter material supplied
directly by him.  How lucky we are to live in this State surrounded by 
large sources of fresh
water.  Few others in the world are so fortunate.  Sometimes it is easy 
to take water, water
treatment, and water distribution for granted.  Look for periodic 
educational material on this topic
in the Newsletter.  Next month there will be an article written by Larry 
Sanford on "Lead in
Drinking Water."
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CUT-THROUGHS
    Awhile back a group of very kind residents on Nixon Road got together 
and cleaned out the
cut-through from Nixon to Briarcliff.  Of course such clean-up is not 
permanent and it would be
unreasonable to expect continued efforts of this sort from small groups 
of individuals whose
property does not directly abut the cut-throughs.  Tom Kolpacki and BHA 
have worked, from
different directions, to get at least partial City maintenance of the 
cut-throughs (with a request
coming back for Homeowners Association cooperation in encouraging 
neighborhood support).
Here is the content of two letters concerning this issue:
1.  from Alfred Gatta, City Adminstrator, to Sandy, dated Dec. 14, 1992:
     "This is a follow-up to your recent letter to Mayor Elizabeth S. 
Brater regarding maintenance
of the Bromley neighborhood public access walkways.  Ron Olson, 
Superintendent of Parks and
Recreation, informed me he had talked with you last week about the 
specific concerns raised in
your letter.
     Neighborhood access easements exist throughout the City and most are 
maintained by the
abutting property owners as we are unable to provide regular maintenance 
at a standard
acceptable to most neighboring property owners.  Therefore, we hope the 
following action steps
will improve the maintenance of the walks:
     1.  General [maintenance] by Park workers--Cleanup and 
trimming--Deadline:  March 1, 1993
     2.  Monthly maintenance by Park workers--the areas will be checked 
and trimmed, and litter
removed as necessary--deadline:  once/month (between April 1 and November 30)
     3.  Cooperate with neighborhood volunteers--assist in periodic 
clean-ups, as necessary--all
year long.
The City Ordinance Chapter 40, 3:14 Trees and Other Vegetation  requires 
that `trees and other
vegetation on private property be maintained so that no part thereof 
intrudes upon the public
right-of-way in the space 8 feet above the surface of the right-of-way."  
Therefore, we ask for the
cooperation of the homeowners association to inform the owners adjacent 
to the walkways to be
sure they are maintaining the edge of their property in accordance with 
the ordinance.  Thank
you for your cooperation and I hope this plan will resolve the 
neighborhood concerns.  Please
contact Ron Olson at 994-2780 if you have any further questions about 
this plan."
2.  From Elizabeth S. Brater, Mayor,  to Sandy, dated Dec. 22:
     "Thank you very much for your letter dated December 14 regarding 
overgrown shrubs along
paths in the Bromley area.  I appreciate your concern with this problem.
     I understand that you have spoken to Ron Olson, Superintendent of 
Parks and Recreation,
and have reached a cooperative arrangement to maintain these areas.
     I appreciate the time you have taken to write and bring this to our 
attention.  Best wishes for a
happy holiday season."
 So, next time you go for a walk, use a cut-through--then do so a bit 
later,  notice the
improvement, and thank Tom Kolpacki for his efforts the next time you see 
him.  If you see an
empty soda pop can as you pass through the cut-through, pick it up and 
dispose of it--a tiny bit of
help from each of us, when focused, can work wonders.
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NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH

     BHA will be working constructively and assertively with the Police 
Department and
Neighborhood Watch--look for more information in the next Newsletter.  
For now, we note that
there is still room for anyone wishing to volunteer to become a block 
captain.  Interested??  Call
Sandy.
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WELCOME!!

     As we welcome in the new year, let us also make sure to welcome the 
new residents in our
neighborhood!  Trash pick-up is from the curb on Wednesdays.  There 
should be recycling bins
that come with your house:  one for Newspaper and one for certain kinds 
of containers (often
noted in the Ann Arbor Observer which is distributed free to each home, 
once a month).  There is
weekly curbside recycling pickup.  It is a good idea to get your 
materials out on the curb fairly
early in the morning.  There is interesting nocturnal wildlife (skunks 
and possums) in the
neighborhood; so, you might not want to put the trash out the night 
before.  Many people have
dogs, and most are very good about complying with Ann Arbor's leash law.  
BHA thanks the
many considerate pet owners who walk their dogs on leashes and clean up 
after them (including
in Bromley Park).
     Our neighborhood has an outdoor swimming pool which is active in the 
summer.  The dues to
join Dolfin Pool are quite reasonable.  BHA strongly supports this pool; 
children and adults enjoy
it and it is a valuable neighborhood asset. The pool was built when the 
neighborhood was built,
about 30 years ago.  The Pool Board asks each year that Bromley residents 
contribute their fair
share of $30 per household--this share is simply to pay for the taxes on 
the pool, building, and
volleyball/play lot.  Pool memberships, for pool use, are a separate 
matter.   Invest in your
neighborhood--BHA Board members Ken Reader and Marie Kilbane are also 
members of the
Dolfins Pool Board.  Give one of them a call for more information on the 
Pool.

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Parke-Davis proposal mentioned in last month's newsletter--news from the 
Planning Department.

     Wendy Rampson of the Planning Department is in charge of this 
project.  The proposed site
is about 10 acrees, between the south edge of Parke-Davis and the north 
edge of Hubbard.  The
proposal was tabled:  Parke-Davis would like more time to map the 
site--it contains a wetland.
Both the City and Parke-Davis are concerned that the parcel project an 
attractive appearance
from Huron Parkway.  The wetland is a narrow strip at the east of the 
parcel.  Parke-Davis
apparently foresees using the high ground for lab and office buildings of 
a character similar to its
existing newer buildings.  Apparently Parke-Davis has an agreement with 
UM to relocate the
main entry to north campus, downsizing the role of Hubbard, and making 
Hayward, the street to
the south of Hubbard, the main entry.  BHA and others might wish to 
follow this; it seems
possible that such a shift would create a new parcel of land just to the 
south of Parke-Davis, but
still north of the main entry to north campus, that might once again be 
an attractive target for
further rezoning.  The Board discussed this issue, noting that 
Parke-Davis has been a good
neighbor.  They own the parcel in question; it was sold to them this past 
summer by UM.
Bromley residents wishing direct information might call the Planning 
Department; the proposal
may come before Council in late January, so calling in early January, if 
you are interested, would
seem appropriate.
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Letters/phone calls received; miscellaneous issues of continuing interest 
discussed at BHA
meetings.

1.  From Mayor Brater:  A letter sent, concerning the traffic issue at 
Huron Parkway and Nixon,
elicited a response from the Mayor's Office that she has referred this 
concern to Engineering for
furth study.
2.  Huron Parkway facade:  Engineering called Sandy to say that they 
would soon have a plan
concerning the restructuring of Huron Parkway (including apparently 
repaving) and the strip of
City-owned land adajacent to that land.  They have copies of all the 
questionnaires circulated in
the neighborhood and will work with BHA on this issue.
3.  Lexus dealership:  phone conversation with Planning revealed no 
activity on this issue.
Lexus has still not done anything.
4.  Dumpsters at the school--two phone calls received from Bromley 
residents.  BHA will work
with Tom Kolpacki on this issue.
5.  Early emptying of dumpsters in Plymouth Mall--Kolpacki is working on 
this issue.
6.  Trucks on Huron Parkway--Kolpacki is working on this issue.  
Residents who note increased
activity might wish to keep a log of dates and times at which they note 
trucks.
7.  A Bromley resident raised concern over an issue on Tuebingen:  BHA 
has a whole packet of
material in response to a request for materials (call Sandy to see 
them).  Here is just a brief
indication from a letter from Gerald Clark, Park Planning and 
Development:  "...the Department
of Parks and Recreation is working with the neighborhoods in the vicinity 
of Foxifre to construct a
tot lot on the land that would have been the street 
extension."--extending Tuebingen from Placid
Way to Dhu Varren.
8.  Parke-Davis has other requests in at Planning.  Again, call Planning 
for further details if this is
of interest.
9.  Thank you notes received from various Bromley residents; also from 
Thurston School Library
for books donated, and from the Thurston PTO.  Thank yous received for 
directories.

Treasurer's report.