Happy Holidays from your friends and neighbors in the Grandmont Community. Best Wishes for a safe and Happy New Year.

One of the benefits of living in Grandmont is our Street Snow Service. Plus, many family-friendly activities are provided from our dues collection. As a recent example, if you and your children didn’t participate in the GCA-Bushnell Harvest Fest - Halloween Party at Bushnell Church in October you missed a wonderful event. So please pay your GCA dues of only $25.00 to help support activities right in your neighborhood. Donations are also gladly accepted to help defray costs and continue our community activities.

This is the time for a Friendly Reminder:
MOVE CARS, GARBAGE, AND RECYCLING CONTAINERS OFF THE STREETS! Please be a considerate neighbor. Whether or not there is snow predicted, it’s a good safety & security habit to keep your cars parked off the street.

Not only is there a more opportunistic danger of theft or vandalism, but icy streets create the opportunity for side-swiped vehicles or accidents that can be especially stressful at this busy time. Slow down and promote safe passage for all pedestrians and traffic! If snow is predicted close to our pickup days, please place your cans, leaf bags, and bulk items on the City berm & not in the street. Remember that Monday, December 10 is our last scheduled collection for branches & yard waste.

Do not place branches or leaf bags out on the street after that date. You could be ticketed. You will need to take those items to the Southfield Yard south of Schoolcraft for proper disposal after December 10. Thank you.

Don’t count the days, make the days count!
There will be Street Improvements to Grand River Avenue coming in 2019. Although Grandmont advocated for the area East of Southfield to Greenfield, the City and MDOT contracted for improvements in this Initial Phase to begin from Southfield west to Berg Road. Expect to see street trees, new sidewalks, pavers & pedestrian lighting, bus shelters, benches, trash cans, striped parking stalls, bike lanes, crosswalks, gateway signage and neighborhood branding.

Vacant property update:
There are two Land Bank Rehabbed & Ready properties in Grandmont. One on Asbury Park and the other on Archdale, with another potential home in the works. Many formerly vacant homes are being repaired and renovated and that is good news. Foreclosure Prevention is still ongoing and help is available through GRDC/United Housing Coalition. We are still being promised by the City that 14034 Southfield will be demolished by end of year. That certainly would be a wonderful holiday present for our community. We are trying to keep money in our (Grandmont) GRDC/Vacant Property funds to maintain and enhance this lot once the house is demolished.

Block Captain – and Resident Appreciation
I would like to thank the block captains – and encourage more participation from others – regarding notifying me or Ethel Smith of new residents or new vacant houses on your block. The sooner we get notified, the quicker we can determine legal ownership and take any appropriate action to help keep these homes safe and well maintained and squatter-free! Block captains who actively pay attention and report issues are contributing to our safer neighborhood and you are very much appreciated. Please continue to be watchful, take notes, get license plates and if possible pictures if you can do so safely! We can’t do it alone – we need your help. If you live on a block with a vacant home, you need to be the eyes and ears...and the nosy neighbor!

If you want a better neighborhood – be a better neighbor!
We are a community of “Good Neighbors.” Grandmont has a long history of involvement and activism. Good neighbors equal good neighborhoods. We are fortunate that Grandmont carries that belief as part of its DNA (Doing Neighborly Acts). Longtime residents are very effective and vital, but we always have a need for younger volunteers and new people to lessen the load of older members to take part in the building of future community. Grandmont strives to include everyone in the process. Your ideas are important – after all we are a community neighborhood and you might have what it takes to better your surroundings. Why not make a commitment to your community in 2019 as a part of your New Year Resolution.

Did You Know?
You need to sign up for the GIN (Grandmont Information Network) as well as the neighborhood Google Group Crime Alert System. Sometimes the Grandmonitor doesn’t get to you in time to take advantage of programs offered. The GIN regularly notifies residents of upcoming community events. The Crime Alert is a separate service that can be helpful when bad things happen by alerting the community of what’s going on! Please make sure you send your email information to Mary Muhammad (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) to be included in this valuable service.

Sincerely,
Diane Patterson, (313) 836-3736