Candidates Use Web to Reach Voters in Ferndale Mayor’s Race (Crystal A. Proxmire, Sept. 24, 2013) Politicians through the ages have understood the need to get their name out in front of voters, and the internet gives them one more low cost way to do it. In the Ferndale Mayor’s race, campaign websites provide information…
Participating organizations gathered at Dino’s Lounge on Sept. 12 to discuss their ideas with members of the Mayor’s Business Council, Ferndale Area Chamber of Commerce and the Downtown Development Authority.
Ferndale Businesses Talk Woodward Rapid Transit (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, Sept. 17, 2013) Big changes could be coming to Woodward Avenue if plans go forward for a rapid transit bus line going from Downtown Detroit all the way to Pontiac. The project is being contemplated by the recently formed Regional Transit Authority and other stakeholder…
The first of at least four candidate forums took place at the Kulick Center on Aug.28, hosted by the Ferndale Seniors. There about 50 people, mostly over age 50, got a chance to listen to candidates for mayor and a city council candidate talk about why they are running.
Ferndale Seniors Host Candidate Forum (video) (Crystal A. Proxmire, Aug. 29, 2013) The first of at least four candidate forums took place at the Kulick Center on Aug.28, hosted by the Ferndale Seniors. There about 50 people, mostly over age 50, got a chance to listen to candidates for mayor and a city council candidate…
The long-vacant property on Woodward just north of W. Cambourne is now quickly being transformed into what will be known as Ferndale Avenue Shoppes. With two single-story buildings, most likely housing four storefronts each, the Shoppes could be open and adding businesses and jobs…
The ARTWN event (“Art Town”) raised money to help the DDA purchase at least two sculptures from the public art exhibit that was temporarily installed around town last year. The decorated parking meters were auctioned off, with some fetching several hundred dollars.
Volunteers came together for two mass yard sales on June 8. The Trunk and Treasure Sale was held in the parking lot of City Hall, where vendors rented tables with the fees going to support Ferndale Recreation. Across the street at FernCare free clinic there was a yard sale of donated items, with proceeds helping provide health care for the needy.
All school district parents , other parents, high school students, teachers and district staff, administrators and board members, as well as community members are invited to the third of four public Champions Meetings Thursday, June 6 at 6:30 pm at Coolidge Intermediate School.
The City of Ferndale has released a video to teach people how to use the multi-space parking meters which are expected to be back online March 25.
Ferndale City Council has voted to extend free parking until March 24th, and to revert rates back to 50 cents per hour until further study can be done on what rates would be appropriate.
While the DDA has urged the city to improve the system, it has also become a partner with the city as a member of the City’s Parking Management Team. The DDA advocates for increased capacity and better management with professional audits and ongoing vetting of best practices in downtown parking management.
In order to quell some of the uproar, Ferndale City Council has extended a parking holiday until the next City Council meeting, March 11. Parking is free in Ferndale during that time, and the rates will be discussed at that meeting. Council has also approved the purchase of 14 more multi-space meters to help with the congestion. The machines have been rush ordered so they will come within the next two weeks.
The City of Ferndale has declared that free parking will be available in all parking lots and on-street spaces through Monday, February 25th. City Manager, April Lynch stated that, “the bottom line is that we need to provide the best product to our customers…
The rates and the central payment stations were approved by City Council on Jan. 14, with no public comment or objection. Problems arose at the stations, including long lines, bill jams, poor lighting, machines not accepting change nor giving change, and other general confusion. At the Council meeting on Monday, Jan. 18, one person came out to complain. But outside the public meetings, there has been online buzz and multiple complaints by people at the stations themselves or when they go into the Downtown businesses.
Changes to the parking system have been creating confusion and frustration throughout Ferndale’s parking lots. The new central pay stations went live last week, leaving some visitors literally out in the cold as people waited in line to figure out how to use the multi-space kiosks. The new machines come along with higher parking rates, further upsetting visitors are used to putting a quarter in at their respective space and walking away.
At about 10:30 a.m. the victim was loading groceries into her vehicle when she was approached by a black male (approximately 30 years old, clean shaven and well dressed). The suspect came in a maroon colored mini-van (make or model unknown). He asked the lady for directions, went to his van, and retrieved a sign that said he had a gun. He then told the woman not to scream.
People who park in Downtown Ferndale will notice some changes in the next month and a half, including possible increases in parking fees and the removal of individual parking meters from the street and city lots, with central payment centers installed and waiting to go online.
The changes are part of a long-term parking plan created by the DDA and the City of Ferndale to help raise money for more parking, most likely in the form of a parking structure. Over the past few years, the DDA and the City have taken several steps to make the parking system more profitable so that money can be set aside for improvements and growth.
Parking meters in Ferndale have had the money stolen from them at least four times so far this year. Other local communities have been experiencing the same problem. Early on Sunday morning (12/02/12) at about 5:00 a.m. Ferndale Patrol Sgt. Daniel Simon noticed a suspicious person…
The Challenge launched in 2009 and emphasized energy efficiency projects in an effort to help local governments prepare for and make the best use of federal Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) funds. Over the last year, a team of graduate students from the University of Michigan worked with Challenge participants and the staff of partner organizations to update the program.