Most likely the majority of residents in Birmingham would agree on one thing about The Community House (TCH) in the city: It would be ideal if the iconic building on Bates Street in the city remains as is and continues to serve as a gathering place for the community. The only question is who will own the building, a decision that will most likely be made by Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Michael Warren of the business court division where the case is pending. So it could

This is not the first time that we have questioned what two Oakland County members of the state House of Representatives are either drinking or smoking. We refer to the recent proposal by six House members to eliminate school district property taxes for homeowners who do not have children attending public schools. The two representatives we single out from the pack are Republicans Matt Maddock from the Milford area of Oakland County and Republican Shriver of the Oxford area.

Like the rest of the Birmingham community, we are watching with interest to see how the issue surrounding The Community House building shakes out in the next few weeks. Officials with The Community House announced in early November that the organization was going to change the name of the group as it forms a community foundation to continue the non-profit mission of the organization and in the process sell off the iconic building on Bates Street in the downtown area. As part

Transparency is the current government buzzword. Yet it remains remarkably illusive in all levels of leadership, from federal to state to county levels, which not only jeopardizes the government itself, but leaders who represent us, and those of us ‘every day folk’ who rely on the decisions they make. Michigan is one of just two states in the entire country which exempts the governor and state legislature from the state's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Along with Massachu

During the past week we could almost feel a collective sigh of relief in Birmingham when the city commission announced, following a closed door session allowed under the state Open Meetings Act, that the city would be involving itself in the issue of the day – the proposed sale of the iconic building known as The Community House on Bates Street in the downtown area. The Community House on November 3 had announced plans to evolve into the Birmingham Area Community Foundation t

Birmingham's Baldwin Public Library has long been a jewel in the center of the city. It was first established in 1907, through a city referendum, following the formation of the library association in 1869 by Martha Baldwin and 19 others, with 48 volumes. In 1871, the First Methodist Church was purchased on the northwest corner of Bates and Merrill streets, and by 1879 they had 724 books. The cornerstone of the current building was laid in 1927. Today, Baldwin Public Library h

Oakland County officials – specifically the county board of commissioners – would be wise to make as a priority in coming weeks the ethics and financial disclosure proposal recently introduced by Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter. In early October Coulter put forth a financial disclosure proposal that would apply to all county elected leaders, including members of the county board. The financial transparency regulations would also apply to “senior appointed” officials. Al

So let’s see if we have this straight when it comes to the city of Birmingham's effort to find a home for the 501(c)(3) non-profit group...