Village of Brooklyn Manager's Blog

Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day

2010-05-28T15:22:00.002-04:00

Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day will be held again on Saturday, June 26, 2010. Residents can drop off their hazardous waste to the Jackson County Health Department located at 1715 Lansing Ave. Additional information can be found at the about link (PDF file).

Village Clean-Up May 15th

2010-05-14T11:31:00.004-04:00

Spring Clea-Up Day
Saturday, May 15th ^{For the Residents of
Columbia Township and the Village of Brooklyn}

Curbside pick-up of house hold refuses beginning at 8:00am, for the residential properties only.

These items will NOT be collected:

Tree stumps, brush, tree limbs or any yard waste
Building demolition materials
Liquids
Full paint cans
Insecticides, herbicides and/or hazardous materials
Car batteries and tires
Propane tanks
Large appliances
Appliances containing Freon must be evacuated
Bricks and concrete
Refuse not bagged or tied into bundles

For further information call: Columbia Township at 592-2000

Village of Brooklyn at 592-2591

New Brush Pick-Up Policies

2010-04-02T15:39:00.006-04:00

Per the action of the Village Council please see the updated policies regarding Brush Pick-up within the Village:

Curbside Brush Pick-Up Policy

April through October

On Monday’s the DPW personnel will pick-up grass clippings ONLY.
On Tuesday’s the DPW personnel will pick-up all other yard waste (NO GRASS CLIPPINGS) including bundled braches.
All grass clippings and yard waste should be placed out at curbside or the street edge by 8:00am, but no sooner than 48 hours before the scheduled pick-up
All grass clippings and yard waste should be placed in paper bags or trash containers (NO PLASTIC BAGS or EASY CARTS WILL BE PICK-UP)
Maximum total weight of bags, bundles or containers should not exceed 40 pounds. Brush or branches will be picked-up in trash containers provided they do not exceed the 40-pound weight limit.
Maximum size of bundled (tied) branches should be no longer than 4 feet in length and 12 inches in diameter. Tie brush bundles with rope or twine, no wire please.
Large quantities of brush/branches that do not meet these restrictions WILL NOT BE COLLECTED. Private haulers are available to assist residents with such removal.
Approved yard waste bags will be available for purchase at the Village Office during normal business hours at cost to the residents.
Christmas trees will be picked-up during the first two weeks of January.
The Village tree limb chipper will be out for the first FULL week of May, August and October to give the residents a chance to have fallen or trimmed tree limbs chipped by Village employees. Tree limbs should not be put out for pick-up any sooner than ONE WEEK PRIOR to the chipper being out. It will also come out for the period of four weeks in the event of a severe storm that has caused extensive damage.
All limbs must be stacked neatly with cut ends towards the street. Limbs are not to exceed 5 inches in diameter. No messy piles, logs, root clusters or vines will be chipped or hauled by the Village.

National Safe Digging Month

2010-03-30T14:33:00.001-04:00

The Common Ground Alliance and its stakeholders have designated April 2010 as National Safe Digging Month. This month is dedicated to increasing awareness of safe digging practices across the country and to celebrate the three-year anniversary of 811, the national call-before-you-dig number.

Throughout the busy digging month of April, CGA and its members are encouraging homeowners and contractors to call 811 before they dig to prevent injuries, property damage and inconvenient outages.

Did you know?

More than 200,000 underground utility lines are struck each year in the U.S.?
37% of all U.S. digging damages result from not calling before digging.
Utilities are buried only a few inches underground, making them easy to strike even during shallow digging projects.

Here are some ways you can participate:

Join us in National Safe Digging Month by calling 811 before beginning any outdoor digging project, large or small.
If a neighbor is planning a digging project, remind them to call 811 before they break ground.
If you have a web site, personal blog or or e-newsletter, you can post our "We Support Safe Digging Month" button on your profile to show your support for safe digging.
Encourage your organization or company to sign a "Safe Digging Month Proclamation."

2010 Census

2010-03-23T08:27:00.002-04:00

As you are fully aware 2010 is a census year. Most likely you have already received a census form in the mail. Completing the form is extremely important for our community.

"The U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 2 mandates that an apportionment of representatives among the states, for the House of Representatives, be carried out every ten years (decennially). Apportionment is the process of dividing the 435 seats in the US House of Representatives among the 50 states. Congress decides the method to carry out the apportionment and, since 1940, has used the method of ‘equal proportions’ in accordance with Title 2, US Code.

Using equal portions, each state is assigned one congressional seat (as provided by the Constitution). The apportionment formula then allocates the remaining 385 seats one at a time among the 50 states until all 435 seats are assigned.

In addition to apportionment, the decennial census results are used to:

distribute almost $200 billion annually in Federal and state, local, and tribal funds;
draw state legislative districts;
evaluate the success of programs or identify populations in need of services;
and many other purposes. The URL http://www.census.gov/dmd/www/content.htm has a comprehensive review of each of the questions and why it is asked.

While the federal government uses census data for many purposes, businesses, students, and many others also user census data. Businesses may use the data to decide where to locate an outlet, or to select products for a specific area. Students research neighborhoods and cities for class projects and the local parent-teacher organization may use data to track trends in the local area. Historians, writers, and other researchers use census data to get a flavor of what the country looked like at a particular point in time. "

Automotive X prize

2010-01-14T14:08:00.002-05:00

From the Detroit Free Press:

Speedway to host X-Prize competition

The Automotive X-Prize, a competition to develop the most fuel-efficient, safe and durable vehicles with three winners splitting $10 million in prize money, will be hosted from April through August at Michigan International Speedway.

Sponsored by Progressive Insurance and subsidized by a $3.5-million Department of Energy grant, the prize has attracted 41 teams that have developed 51 vehicles.

The competition will begin April 26 with what organizers call the shakedown stage. Over two weeks, judges will evaluate the driving dynamics, safety, braking, acceleration and refueling or recharging time.

Check out the office competition's website for me details of this great event!!

Sidewalk Shoveling

2009-12-24T11:30:00.002-05:00

As the snow continues to fall we would like to remind you of policies the Village has regarding sidewalks in front of your home or business:

It is the responsibility of the property owner to clear the snow or ice on the sidewalk abutting their property within four hours of snow fall or prior to the business day, whichever is sooner. If that is not done the property owner will receive a ticket from the Village Code Enforcement Officer. Please keep the sidewalks clear for everyone the uses these pathways.

When you shovel snow and clear ice

Shovel the sidewalks on all sides of your property, the full width of the sidewalk down to the bare pavement.
Remove all ice from sidewalks. After the sidewalk is cleared, sprinkling a little sand or salt can help prevent slipping on frosty sidewalks.
Deposit all snow onto your own property, do not dump into the street.

Remember

You are as responsible for clearing ice on your sidewalk as well as snow. Ice can be more dangerous and intimidating than snow.
The sooner and more completely you shovel, the less likely ice will form.
Arrange for someone to shovel while you are on vacation.

Holiday Hours

2009-12-22T14:09:00.002-05:00

The Village Holiday hours are as follows:

Christmas Eve - Office closes at Noon

Christmas Day - Office closed all day

New Year's - Office closes at Noon

New Year's Day - Office closed all day

MIS' Own Tim Booth wins Home Depot NMPA 2009 Humanitarian Award

2009-12-04T08:48:00.001-05:00

MIS Director of Guest Services receives $100,000 for a charity of his choosing

BROOKLYN, Mich. (Dec. 3, 2009) ¬— When his name was called as the winner of the 2009 Home Depot NMPA Humanitarian Award, Michigan International Speedway’s Director of Guest Services Tim Booth didn’t feel like he had won — his charity had.

Booth was selected as the winner of the Humanitarian Award ahead of NASCAR drivers Tony Stewart and Greg Biffle, who were also finalists. For receiving the prestigious honor from The Home Depot and National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA), Booth will receive $100,000 that will be donated on his behalf to the Spirit of America Blood Drive.

Booth, Stewart and Biffle were recognized during the NASCAR NMPA Myers Brother Awards program in Las Vegas on Thursday. Stewart and Biffle will be awarded $25,000 for their respective charities for being named as finalists.

“Just to have been nominated is truly a great honor, and I am humbled,” Booth said. “The reality is this award is not about any one, single nominee or finalist, but rather about donating one’s time for a cause that you believe in – any amount of time and any cause will do. It’s about giving, isn’t it? So thank you to Home Depot and the NMPA for this great honor, and thank you for supporting my charity. Greg, Tony and I are all winners on our charities’ behalves.”

Booth was nominated for the Humanitarian Award for his efforts in making the Spirit of America Blood Drive at MIS the nation’s largest 9-11 blood drive event. The Spirit of America has collected a grand total of 6,213 units of blood, potentially benefiting 18,639 people since its inception in 2002. (Each unit of blood can be transfused to up to three people.)

Booth has made countless efforts to support various non-profit organizations in his community, but none as much as the Great Lakes Region of the American Red Cross. His creation of the Spirit of America Blood Drive, which began at MIS in 2002, was a way to honor the victims and heroes of September 11, 2001. The blood drive’s success caught the eye of the NASCAR Foundation, which has since created the NASCAR Foundation Blood & Marrow Drive, which is hosted at 30 race tracks across the country on September 11.

Booth is also a regular blood donor who has personally given blood 146 times, which amounts to more than 18 gallons in his lifetime.

“Tim is an exceptional person who has a true passion for giving back to his community, and that is what has made the Spirit of American blood drive so successful,” said Jamie Bates, production planning manager for the American Red Cross Great Lakes Region.

Those sentiments echoed across all Booth’s colleagues and peers when the announcement was made.

“I’m so happy for Tim. His dedication and hard work has made the Spirit of America Blood Drive the successful event it is today and it’s nice to see that dedication rewarded. He is very deserving of this honor,” MIS President Roger Curtis said.

The finalists for the 2009 Humanitarian Award were selected by the Humanitarian Award Selection Committee comprised of representatives of the NMPA and The Home Depot. All of the nominees were assessed based on their community commitment and dedication, impact on the community and charitable giving of their time and talents. The three nominees with the highest scores were named finalists for the award.

“What he’s done is truly amazing, and it displays the best of the human spirit. Here’s one person acting on their own and starting something, and look at how it’s grown and how it impacts people across the country,” said Dustin Long, president of NMPA and member of the voting panel. “To me, that’s the true spirit of what this award means. One person truly can make a difference and that is what Tim has done.”

Biffle was nominated for his work in raising awareness to the importance of animal welfare. Establishing the Greg Biffle Foundation in 2005, Biffle’s work has lead to more than 200 animal welfare agencies in the United States receiving financial assistance which has allowed the receiving agencies to better care for sheltered animals. Biffle is active in the fund raising, support and publicity for the foundation and serves as the national spokesperson for the North Shore Animal League’s Spay USA which is a nationwide network and referral service for affordable spay/neuter services.

Stewart was nominated for his annual event Prelude to the Dream which supports injured and fallen service members and their families. Stewart launched the annual event in 2005 and it has grown in stature and notoriety every year. The event includes participation from the world’s top drivers, an exclusive HBO Pay-Per-View television package and a sold-out race event. The 2009 Prelude brought 25 world-class drivers to a short-track shootout in an effort to raise money. Proceeds from the event were used to help organizations such as Wounded Warriors, Operation Homefront, Intrepid Fund and Fisher House.

The NMPA Home Depot Humanitarian Award was established in 2007. The inaugural Humanitarian Award winner was Don Miller, a former Penske Racing executive. Miller started the Stock-for-Tots program as a holiday event to collect toys and raise funds for Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN). Richard Childress, president and CEO of Childress Racing, won the 2008 edition of the Humanitarian Award. Childress established the Childress Institute for Pediatric Trauma at the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in 2008. Traumatic injury is the leading cause of death for children in the United States, and the Childress Institute focuses on research, education, treatment, prevention and raising awareness of childhood injuries.

The Home Depot is the world's largest home improvement specialty retailer, with 2,238 retail stores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, 10 Canadian provinces, Mexico and China. In fiscal 2008, The Home Depot had sales of $71.3 billion and earnings from continuing operations of $2.3 billion. The Company employs more than 300,000 associates. The Home Depot's stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: HD) and is included in the Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor's 500 index.

Nestled in the lush Irish Hills of Southeastern Michigan, Michigan International Speedway is the Great Escape, a venerable NASCAR national park where fans can get away and enjoy the very best in racing and camaraderie. It’s the love of racing and the thrill of a great time for race fans and drivers alike.

The best, guaranteed lowest prices in 2010 will go to customers who make a $30 goodwill deposit. New customers can log onto www.MISpeedway.com or call 800-354-1010 to leave a deposit. That deposit ensures race fans get the best pricing for 2010.

Michigan International Speedway - 2010 Schedule

Friday, June 11 ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX Racing for Wildlife 200

Saturday, June 12 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

Sunday, June 13 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series LifeLock 400

Friday, Aug. 13 Gatorade Pole Day

Saturday, Aug. 14 NASCAR Nationwide CARFAX 250 Series

Sunday, Aug. 15 NASCAR Sprint Cup CARFAX 400 Series

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

2009-12-02T09:46:00.001-05:00

The Brooklyn Village Council will meet at 7:00 P.M. on Monday, December 14, 2009, in the Brooklyn Village Office building, 121 N. Main Street; to receive public comment on variance requests from ACI – Avance Construction Inc. (Dollar General) new construction at 300 S. Main St which will require the following:

Constructing a building closer than (5’) required 35’ side setback, as stipulated in the Village ordinance 62-181 (62-186) and,

Reduce the north side yard setback distance from 35’ to 24.5’ as stipulated in the Village ordinance 62-181 (62-186) and,

Reduce the Landscape strip width along a public street from 20’ to 10.5’ as stipulated in the Village ordinance 62-182

All persons wishing to comment on this variance request, for or against, should appear at the stated place and time or submit written comments prior to that time to Village of Brooklyn, Box 90, Brooklyn, MI 49230 or to victorcardenas@villageofbrooklyn.com.

Holiday Tree Lighting and Parade

2009-11-19T09:21:00.000-05:00

Annual Holiday Tree Lighting and Parade

November 27th

Festivities begin at 6 p.m.

Cookie Decorating
Santa's Reindeer
Christmas Cards for the Troops
And much, MUCH more!

Parade Line-up is at 6:30 on Irwin St.

Parade Begins at 7:00 p.m.

Questions call 592-2591

Fall Clean-up Day

2009-10-30T13:01:00.003-04:00

Columbia Township is Hosting a
Fall Clean-Up day
Saturday, November 7th
8 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Residents of Columbia Township and the Village of Brooklyn are encouraged to bring items to the Columbia Township Hall

(Passenger vehicle tires will be accepted for $3.00 each off rims and $7.00 each with rims)

Car batteries will be accepted at no charge

Branches 2" or less will be chipped on site by the Village DPW

No Hazardous materials
No Liquid Paint
No Compost
No Propane Tanks

Appliances containing coolant/FREON MUST BE EVACUATED.

Proof of Residence will be required. Either by divers license, State Identification Card or tax bill.

For further information call 592-2000

Fire Hydrant Flushing

2009-10-27T08:00:00.002-04:00

Today (October 27 - October 29) the Public Works Staff will be flushing fire hydrants throughout the Village. This is a part of the Village's annual maintenance of it's infrastructure. If you experience rusty or discolored water, run cold water from a faucet or outside hose for a couple of minutes to clear the water. If the water doesn't clear after about 15 minutes, contact the DPW at 592-5873.

Adopt a Planter

2009-10-14T10:37:00.006-04:00

Congratulations to Premiere Properties for winning the 2009 Adopt-a- Planter beautification contests!

Thank you for all the other sponsor/participants who helped Brooklyn look beautiful during 2009 by caring for a planter on M-50/Main St.

Premiere Properties
Village Dry Cleaners
Sacred Touch Massage Therapy
Pat Sanders
The Exponent
Janet Witt
Dawn Chudzinski
Lisa Downy
Columbia Medical Center
Flagstar Bank
Fran Benjamin
Swiss Swirl
Region 2 Area Agency on Aging
Village Peddler

If you are interested in participating in the program for 2010 please contact Max Kay at 592-5873.

Curbside Leaf Removal

2009-10-13T10:26:00.003-04:00

October 15 through December 10

1. Leaves will be removed from the curbside of the street edge of properties from October 15 through December 10, weather permitting. DPW staffs will pick-up leaves on Monday, Wednesday and Friday (additional days if required).

2. Leaves must be piled at the street edge or curb and must not include other debris. Piles containing debris such as stones, sticks, branches etc. WILL NOT BE COLLECTED.

3. Leaves should be as close to the edge of the road as possible, but no further from the edge of the road than 6 feet. Keep leaf piles at least 4 feet from either side of poles, signs, mailboxes, etc., the hose cannot reach around these items.

4. In areas that connot be served by the large equipment, bagged leaves will be collected by the DPW during this period. Residents need to call for this service. Please call 592-5873.

Another great Village event!

2009-10-13T08:52:00.004-04:00

This past weekend (October 10th) the Village Downtown Development Authority (DDA) organized another great Pumpkin Quest. This year they added another feature, "Touch-a-Truck." Several trucks from numerous organizations brought their BIG trucks to town for kids to climb over and honk the horns. Thank you to Sue Reichel and the members of the DDA for organizing this great community event!

Household Hazardous Wast Collection Day

2009-09-30T08:59:00.000-04:00

Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day
Saturday, October 10, 2009
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Not for commercial, business or agricultural use.
No Propane Cylinders will be accepted.
No Latex Paint will be accepted.

You may dispose of unwanted chemicals, oil-based paints, insecticides, old gasoline, etc.
Propane tanks and latex paints will not be accepted.

Cost: $5.00 / Vehicle

Radon Test Kits will be available during this event for $10.

Location: Jackson County Health Department, 1715 Lansing Ave.
Enter at the drive south of the bus stop.
Exit at north drive

http://www.co.jackson.mi.us/HD/Documents/HHWOct2009Flyer.pdf

First Post

2009-09-30T08:54:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the Village of Brooklyn's blog! We will use this blog to release important information to the community along with events that community members might find interesting. I'm not going to promise for a daily posting but I will strive to keep them frequent. If you have any suggestions please feel free to contact me at victorcardenas@villageofbrooklyn.com.