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SEMCOG releases annual report on population and households in region Southeast Michigan's population grew steadily from the 2000 Census through July 1, 2005, according to Population and Households in Southeast Michigan, 2000-2005. SEMCOG estimates that the region's population grew by 1.6 percent during the past five years — each day adding an average of 39 persons and 35 households. Southeast Michigan gained 76,000 persons, bringing the region's total to 4,908,997. Households grew slightly faster, adding 67,000 (a 3.6 percent increase), bringing the region's total number of households to 1,912,314. The number of people in each household continues to decline, from 2.58 persons in April 2000 to 2.52 persons in July 2005. The report also explains in detail a phenomenon happening in many of the region's mature communities — stable-to-slightly increasing households with declining population. The vitality of a community, however, should not be gauged based on population change alone. In fact, many communities in Southeast Michigan are primarily losing population because of the combined effects of an aging population, smaller household sizes, and limited space for additional residential development. Moreover, the number of communities in Southeast Michigan that will experience this phenomenon is expected to grow, as the baby boomer generation ages. Copies of this report are available from SEMCOG Information Services for $20. It can also be downloaded in PDF format from SEMCOG's Web site — www.semcog.org. SEMCOG updates population data on its Web site monthly; link to these estimates directly from the home page. Contact: SEMCOG Information Services.
Eminent domain issues will be discussed on October 7 Local elected officials and administrators are invited to a dialogue on the power of eminent domain on Friday, October 7, 2005, at 9:30 a.m. at SEMCOG. Clifford Stone, Principal with Miller, Canfield, Paddock, and Stone (Lansing) will lead the discussion that will answer the following questions:
This featured discussion will occur at the beginning of the regularly scheduled Community and Economic Development Advisory Council meeting; normal advisory council business will follow. Contact: Robert McMahon, Manager, SEMCOG Community and Economic Development.
Innovative funding for transportation discussion will be held on October 11 SEMCOG's Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Development Committee will host an important discussion on transportation funding on Tuesday, October 11, 2005, at 1:30 p.m. in our downtown Detroit office. Three prominent leaders in this area will speak on new revenue-raising strategies and new partnerships in delivering transportation services:
This is part of an ongoing project focusing on the importance of having sufficient funds for managing our region's transportation system. Contact: Christopher Mann, SEMCOG Transportation Coordinator.
Health care costs for local governments is topic of SEMCOG University on October 12 Information on the new financial reporting requirements for post-employment benefit plans and solutions to help local elected officials fund these benefits will be the topic of an important SEMCOG University workshop for local governments — Governmental Finance: Keeping up with Health Care Costs — on Wednesday, October 12, 2005, from 9-11 a.m. (registration begins at 8:30 a.m.) in SEMCOG's Buhl Building office in downtown Detroit. The workshop will discuss new financial reporting requirements from the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB 43 and GASB 45); the impact of the new requirements on your bottom line; the Retiree Health Funding Vehicle offered by the Michigan Employees' Retirement System; the advantages of using trusts to prefund retiree health care; and the experiences of two local counties in funding retiree health care. Now, more than ever, local governments need to be financially savvy in order to sustain high-quality services while revenues continue to be squeezed. New financial reporting requirements will result in disclosure of the full costs of post-employment benefit plans. These costs will be large and will affect local governments' bottom line, creating the need to look at various funding strategies. SEMCOG University workshops are free-of-charge for SEMCOG members and partner organizations; there is a $75 charge for nonmember local governments. Seating is limited, so you are encouraged to reserve a spot by Wednesday, October 5, 2005. Contact: Raymonia Dale, SEMCOG Executive Administrative Assistant, to RSVP. You can also register online at www.semcog.org; the link to the workshop is under Planning Issues on the home page.
Ozone Action season ends Southeast Michigan's Ozone Action season ended on September 30 with five Ozone Action days called. Despite a very hot summer, only three days in June and two in July were Ozone Action days. Temperature is one of the factors considered in forecasting Ozone Action days along with lack of cloud cover, wind speed and direction, rainfall, and existing ground-level pollution. The average number of Ozone Action days per season is 11. In 2004, just one Ozone Action day was called; the highest was 25 in 1999. Contact: Anita Blasius, Manager, SEMCOG Public Outreach.
Regional operations Web page debuts at www.semcog.org SEMCOG and its partners — the Michigan Department of Transportation and the Michigan State Police — invite you to take a look at the new addition to SEMCOG's Web site — www.semcog.org/tranplan/regionaloperations. The regional operations Web page provides:
Contact: Tom Bruff, Coordinator, SEMCOG Transportation Engineering
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