|
General Assembly meets on March 29 The General Assembly (GA) of SEMCOG will meet on Thursday, March 29, 2007, at Cobo Center, Room W2-63 (One Washington Blvd, Detroit) beginning at 4:30 p.m. SEMCOG will present the 30-year regional forecast of population, households, and employment. A panel of prominent regional leaders (N. Charles Anderson, Detroit Urban League; Joe Ohren, Eastern Michigan University; and Doug Rothwell, Detroit Renaissance) will engage the audience about how the private sector, education, and local governments must respond. Given how daunting the economic challenge will be, this information is essential to helping SEMCOG member governments make critical decisions on their budgets and services now and into the future. All delegates and alternates, as well as other elected officials and staff, are encouraged to attend. Also at the meeting, the GA will be requested to adopt:
Contact: Kathleen Lomako, SEMCOG Deputy Executive Director.
Member Outreach election results SEMCOG announces the new members of the Executive Committee elected at the Livingston, Washtenaw, and Macomb County Member Outreach workshops. Livingston County Washtenaw County Macomb County Elections are for a one-year term beginning July 1, 2007. Contact: Amy Malmer, SEMCOG Membership Manager.
SEMCOG hosts informational forum on Phase II stormwater permits on March 21 As a result of a Kalamazoo County Circuit Court ruling, townships now have the opportunity to terminate or modify their Phase II stormwater permits depending on the extent of the separate storm sewer systems they own or operate. SEMCOG will host a forum for townships on March 21, 2007 at 1 p.m. in our Buhl Building office. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) will be at the forum to answer questions. MDEQ has developed guidance for townships and other local units of government to help them determine if they are subject to permitting in accordance with the court ruling and state and federal rules. This guidance is available at www.semcog.org; under Planning Issues, click on Phase II stormwater guidance update. Townships considering a permit termination or modification may send a letter of appeal justifying the population served by the separate stormwater sewer system they own or operate. Letters must be received by MDEQ by March 15, 2007. Address letters to: Mark Fife, Environmental Quality Specialist, MDEQ, Water Bureau, PO Box 30473, Lansing, MI 48909. Currently, permit fees are based on the population within the urbanized area of the township. The township may seek a lower fee, or no fee, to reflect the population served. As required by state law, MDEQ sent this year’s invoice in early February to all permitted townships. Contact: Amy Mangus, SEMCOG Environment Senior Planner.
SEMCOG speaks to state senate On March 6, 2007, Carmine Palombo, Director of SEMCOG Transportation Programs, made a presentation to the state Senate Transportation Committee. The presentation summarized the region’s transportation system, identified current and future deficiencies, and outlined transportation projects implemented over the last several years as called for in the Regional Transportation Plan. Although these projects have resulted in benefits for the region, there are still a number of major challenges that must be addressed including competing regional needs that must be balanced with available revenues. Unfortunately, these revenues, generated primarily through federal and state gas taxes, are eroding due to rising construction costs and increasing fuel and technological efficiencies. SEMCOG convened a group of experts over an 18-month period to research the issues and develop recommendations for both short- and long-term revenue generation, including an increase in the state gas tax. These recommendations were presented to the Senate Transportation Committee. The presentation was well-received and the committee will take the funding recommendations under advisement. A complete copy of the presentation is available on SEMCOG’s Web site at www.semcog.org/TranPlan. Contact: Carmine Palombo, SEMCOG Transportation Programs Director.
2007 Member Outreach workshops in Monroe, Wayne, and St. Clair scheduled SEMCOG's 2007 member outreach workshops are coming soon to Monroe, Wayne, and St. Clair Counties. Elections to the Executive Committee will be conducted. Below is the pertinent information on these upcoming meetings.
You can register online now for these meetings at www.semcog.org; click on the meeting calendar. Contact: Amy Malmer, SEMCOG Membership Manager.
Municipal training for clean water very successful Last month, SEMCOG conducted training sessions for local governments on "Keeping it Clean: Municipal Landscaping Practices." The three training sessions attracted 153 attendees representing 50 SEMCOG member communities. SEMCOG members unable to attend the workshops can access the information online at www.semcog.org, under Planning Issues. Training on maintaining municipally owned property is another requirement of the federal Phase II Stormwater Regulations. Over 160 communities in Southeast Michigan, including most SEMCOG members, that operate a separate stormwater drainage system, are required to obtain a stormwater permit. Contact: SEMCOG Information Services.
|
|||
