BROMLEY HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, MARCH, 1995, NEWSLETTER
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CRIME PREVENTION SPECIALIST AKOURI WAS GUEST SPEAKER AT BHA MEETING
     Adele Akouri, Crime Prevention Specialist with the Ann Arbor Police 
Department and Coordinator
of Neighborhood Watch for the city, provided an informative session to 
homeowners at the February 9
meeting of BHA.  Akouri began her comments by noting that Bromley is one 
of the safest neighborhoods
in the entire city of Ann Arbor.  Surely this is a fact in which we 
should take pride and one that we
should work hard to maintain.  Indeed, it was the underlying thrust of 
Akouri's comments that "nipping
things in the bud" is a critical aspect of crime prevention.  It was in 
this context that her comments about
street gangs were placed as she encouraged parents to work constructively 
with the schools.
     Akouri, when asked to single out just a few things that are 
particularly helpful in making a home
safe, commented that good lighting, outdoors and indoors, is an excellent 
deterrent.  A well-lit home is a
safe home; she suggested that in addition to having shrubbery pruned and 
good lights around the house,
having lights on timers in the home, to establish regular patterns, is 
useful, as is having a radio on a
timer and leaving it on a talk station at a volume sufficient to give any 
would-be prowlers just a hint of a
conversation going on inside.  She also suggested that we not neglect the 
late afternoon hours in the
winter weather when it gets dark early--make sure timing devices are 
adjusted to correspond with seasons
of the year.  In addition, she commented on the appropriateness of 
locking doors to homes, garages, and
cars.
     Homeowners wishing to have a risk assessment of their homes may call 
the Neighborhood Watch
office (994-8775) for further information.  Individuals wishing to 
participate in Operation Identification
are also encouraged to call that number to borrow the engraving tool to 
mark items and obtain
information.  Akouri also commented on the importance of having an 
adequate inventory of possessions--
be that a written log or a video tape (with copies stored off site).
     It is nice to know that our neighborhood is one of the safest--let's 
work to keep it that way.  Many
thanks to Adele Akouri for her valuable comments designed to guide us 
along the path toward an even
safer neighborhood.

 LETTER TO MAYOR SHELDON--FOCUS OF FEBRUARY 9 BHA MEETING
    As newly-elected President of the Bromley Homeowners Association 
(BHA), I write to offer the
support of our Association, in any way we can help, in fostering 
communication between neighborhood
and central administration.  In the past, we have published a 
neighborhood newsletter on a monthly basis,
and we are resuming that practice (enclosed is a copy).  We also have 
published a neighborhood directory
and that, too, we will continue to publish:  an informed, alert 
neighborhood is a lively, healthy
neighborhood.
     Some of the issues we might work on are of internal concern to the 
neighborhood; others have more
obvious ties with the city or broader regions.  So that you might know 
what some of these are, I list them
below:

External:
     a.  Helicopter traffic--some concern, previous to recent crash 
adjacent to Bromley, for increased
traffic over the neighborhood.  To understand people's perceptions, and 
to have quantitative evidence to
offer them, I have asked several people in the neighborhood who are at 
home all day on a regular basis to
keep a log of the helicopter traffic that they hear.  When residents of 
the neighborhood comment about it,
we find it is useful to have some numbers to tell them and then work from 
there.  Naturally, we will
share what we find with you so that we can learn how well perceptions 
match facts.
     b.  Thurston Nature Center--we have had an ongoing interest in the 
welfare of this attractive nature
center.  We hope to have a board member work in constructive ways with 
the various other groups that
are concerned with this particular facility (Thurston School and Orchard 
Hills/Maplewood) and also with
groups interested in the broader drainage environment of which Thurston 
Pond is only a part.  Again, we
are interested in mutual sharing of information.
     c.  Traffic/mall problems surrounding Bromley--trucks and buses on 
Huron Parkway are a persistent
problem to residents on Briarcliff south of Aurora.  Indeed, most of us 
notice severe traffic problems
near the intersection of Nixon and Huron Parkway at various times during 
the day (although at other
times there is no problem--making it difficult, using standards that 
calculate an average number of cars
per hour (or some similar measure) to offer numerical evidence of the 
problem).
     Residents on lower Briarcliff also complain of restaurant odors--it 
may well be that just some sort of
simple ventilation pipe out the back of the mall, directing oil vapors 
and other cooking odors toward
Plymouth Rd. and away from Bromley would solve this problem.  Of course 
it is prudent to work
directly with the stores, initially at least.      There are a number of 
issues of the latter sort that are small
from a broad perspective but which are all-consuming to the small number 
of individual residences
affected.  Situations of this sort can be quite problematic because one 
can easily get lost in the shuffle of
being sent from one office to another.  At this stage, all we can do is 
make you aware that there will no
doubt be issues of this sort, and hope that we can get pointed in the 
right direction to solve problems in a
constructive manner.

Internal:
     a.  Bromley facade--the City landscaped the City property, kindly 
using input from BHA, a couple of
years ago.  We wish to continue our cooperative relationship with Urban 
Forestry in the Parks
Department to ensure that this strip is maintained--perhaps through a 
combination of efforts.
     b.  Dolfins Pool.  Our neighborhood pool is in need of any form of 
help it can get.  When the pool
was built 30 years ago, the builder "donated" it to the neighborhood and 
no deed restrictions were put in
place to ensure its maintenance.  Thus, over the years, it has not always 
been well-maintained, and not
everyone in the neighborhood pays to support the pool.  We have trouble 
determining how, therefore, to
raise sufficient funds to pay taxes (our first priority) and also to 
maintain the pool building.  It used to be
the case that there were grants of some sort that got funding for life 
guards.  That has apparently dried
up.  At any rate, we are always looking for ideas and sources of funding 
to maintain, and improve, this
valuable neighborhood resource.
     c.  Cut-through maintenance.  There are cut-throughs that get 
overgrown; when this happens, these
are havens for individuals who might have something to hide and further, 
an unkept cut-through
discourages traffic, such as couples out for a walk and bike-riders, that 
is supportive of neighborhood
security.  Previously BHA had an arrangement worked out through Mr. 
Gatta's office and again, we
would hope for cooperative and constructive continuation along previous 
lines.
    d.  Backyard drainage problems.  When the stretch along Huron Parkway 
was improved a couple of
years ago, the City installed connectors to the new water pipes so that 
individuals in yards on Briarcliff
(south of Aurora), that were known to flood, could get relief.  Since 
that time, we have become aware of
other locations in different parts of Bromley that also have serious 
flooding in the spring--we will try to
work constructively with the residents on this matter, encouraging them 
to consult with nurseries about
tree planting.  Again, it may well be the case that various divisions 
with the City also have good advice
on this matter.
     e.  Neighborhood Watch.  Bromley has an open and active Neighborhood 
Watch network.  Indeed,
Adele Akouri will be our invited guest at our next meeting.
     f.  Signs identifying the neighborhood.  We've noted that many 
people know of Bromley but do not
know where it is when they are out driving around in their cars.  We 
might approach the City in the
future concerning the possibility of putting signs or landscaping out 
(perhaps on City land) to identify the
neighborhood--again, a consideration for the future.

     I am sure that there will be many more issues that come before us; 
generally, we wish to serve as a
source of ideas and constructive interaction in supplying information to 
concerned parties.  There seemed
to be some appreciation for this sort of approach to neighborhood 
situations in my previous term as
President of BHA (1990-1993) and, with the fine Board we are once again 
fortunate to have, would hope
to continue that apparently well-regarded tradition from earlier times.
     Please let me know how I might be of help to you.  With very best 
wishes, I am,

PUBLIC HEALTH MATTERS
     As the snow melts, grass is uncovered and flowers begin to poke 
through the ground.  What other
little surprises might be uncovered?  Please remember that droppings from 
pets should be scooped and
that garbage and trash on the lawns, as well as fecal material, presents 
a possible health hazard to our
children--either through direct contact with the material or through 
indirect contact with an animal that
comes in contact with the offending substance.  Be kind to your neighbor; 
please remember to clean up
any trash or garbage.  Accumulating garbage offers a haven for animals 
(such as rodents of various types)
that many of us would rather not have move into Bromley.

FIELD TRIP TO ANN ARBOR CITY AIRPORT
     February 17 a subcommittee of BHA (Stock and Arlinghaus) spent two 
hours talking to Ann Arbor
City Airport Manager Chuck Ferguson about matters of interest concerning 
the air space over Bromley
and about air traffic in general (as an educational session).   Ferguson 
kindly accepted a copy of BHA
board member Thurston's log of helicopter traffic as a point of departure 
for discussing matters of
particular interest to (at least some) Bromley residents.  The point of 
the conversation was to open
channels so that we might all learn more about the general issues 
involving air traffic--over Bromley and
elsewhere.  The meeting was informative and we look forward to a 
continuing, constructive relationship
in this direction.

LETTERS/PHONE CALLS
    From Mayor Sheldon--in response to letter from BHA--offer to work 
constructively with BHA.
    From State Representative Elizabeth Brater--supportive note.
    Anonymous letter
    Phone call from Chuck Ferguson, Manager of Ann Arbor City 
Airport--offer to open a dialogue.
    Electronic mail from (and interview with) UM student studying 
Neighborhood Watch and security in 	
	an urban environment
    Thank you note sent to Adele Akouri
    Thank you note sent to Chuck Ferguson.

NEIGHBORHOOD GARAGE SALE DAY
     Remember--May 13 is the Bromley Neighborhood Garage Sales Day--if 
you are considering a garage
sale sometime this year, please think about holding it on that day--in 
the past, people have come from all
over Ann Arbor, and elsewhere, for this day.  Maximize your sales 
potential--sell when the crowd comes
to the neighborhood!
     Call Mary Ann Gasiorek at 996-4633 for details.

BROMLEY HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION--DUES FOR 1994/1995.
     What a bargain!  Just five dollars per year per residence brings you 
a monthly newsletter, a free
neighborhood directory, guest lectures at Homeowners Association 
meetings, and a set of dedicated
volunteers with ties throughout the area that enable them to get things 
done for the neighborhood.
Nearby homeowners associations charge 10 dollars per year.  Our 
newsletter costs are about 600 dollars
per year; the directory is about 500 dollars per year (self-sufficient 
from advertising).  There are 231
homes in Bromley. With the surplus, BHA invests in neighborhood 
projects--as Bromley Grants for
which any homeowner with an interesting idea is eligible.  So, please 
remember to pay your dues.  BHA
functions on an academic calendar--dues cover a period from September to 
September.  We are still
collecting dues to cover the period from September 1994 to September 1995.
      Mail checks to Rev. Irene Stock, Treasurer, Bromley Homeowners 
Association, 2848 Briarcliff, or
drop your dues--checks only--in the BHA box on Irene's front porch.

A NOTE FROM THE BHA TREASURER--
DUES PAYABLE
by Irene Stock
    Bromley Homeowners Association is known throughout Ann Arbor as one 
of the best neighborhood
groups in the city.  Support your associatoin now by paying your yearly 
dues of five dollars to Irene
Stock, treasurer, 2848 Briarcliff.  Thank you for your promptness.


Feel free to clip off the form below to return with your check:
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BHA DUES--SEPTEMBER 1994-SEPTEMBER 1995.
     Enclosed is a check for five dollars to cover dues for the Bromely 
Homeowners Association,
September 1994 -- September 1995.

NAME:
ADDRESS:
TELEPHONE NUMBER:
Do you have any requests concerning your entry in the current BHA 
directory (with a rose on the cover)-
-please enumerate them below.  Thank you.




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DOLFINS POOL
     Ideas for fundraising, and people to implement them, are needed 
during the slack season at the pool.
Remember, Dolfins is a valuable neighborhood resource.  The BHA has 
strongly supported Dolfins and
continues to do so.

BHA ELECTIONS RESULTS
     New Board members, first term expires in September, 1996:  Sandy 
Arlinghaus, Rajeev Batra,
Elfriede Hofacker, Howard Schafer.   Officers elected as noted in the box 
below.  Continuing board
members:  Tushar Gadhia, Joan Johnstone, Irene Stock, Colleen Thurston