Volume 4 Number 2: Fall 2007 Ned Notes: Thoughts from our Association President After a brief absence from this space, I am happy to report that my hip replacement surgery went well and I have been out walking around the neighborhood for some time.  My thanks to all who wished me well. Although I was still using a cane, I was able to see the great job that Lisa Bartkowiak did once again this year for the Easter Egg Hunt.  Thanks also to the Easter Bunny for his excellent and much appreciated appearance.  By summer, I had ditched the cane and thoroughly enjoyed the fantastic day that was our neighborhood picnic.  Special thanks to John and Karin Hogan who provided activities for the children. Our next event is the annual meeting that will take place on Tuesday, October 16th    at 7:15 p.m. in the Sacred Heart Parish Hall.  Again this year, we will have a brief business meeting to deliver our financial report and elect officers.  As I write these notes, we still need a volunteer to serve as block captain for Law.  Following the meeting, there will be a presentation by the City Engineer, Godfrey Udoji. I am pleased to report a new benefit of membership in the Riverbend Neighborhood Association.  By special arrangement with the Dearborn Racquet and Health Club (DRHC), we are able to offer a 15% discount on all fees at the club for all dues paying members of the Association.  (See the enclosed flyer for details.)  The Club, which is just south of Michigan Avenue on Gulley Road, has recently completed a total refurbishing and is eager to expand its membership among Dearborn residents.   Contact your block captain to obtain the special program code that will entitle you to the discount. ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈Annual Membership Meeting≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ Tuesday, October 16, 2007 7:15 pm Business Meeting 7:30 pm CSO Presentation ≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈Sacred Heart Parish Fellowship Hall≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈≈ Holiday Wishes To our neighbors who have just celebrated the high holy days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we wish a happy new year and a solemn time of atonement.  To our neighbors who are observing Ramadan, we wish a holy and profound month and a joyous Eid. CSO to be Annual Meeting Focus Big changes are coming to the riverfront in our neighborhood.  To give all neighbors the opportunity to ask questions and share their concerns, Godfrey Udoji, Chief Engineer for the City of Dearborn will be the guest speaker at our annual meeting.   The federal government has mandated that Dearborn, along with several other municipalities along the Rouge, implement changes to prevent untreated sewage from being dumped into the river.  The Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Project is a multi-million dollar, multi-year project that will drastically alter the area from the edge of the river to within 50 feet of neighboring properties.  Most trees and vegetation will be removed in the early stage, beginning in January.  A 110-foot diameter concrete retention tank and a pumping station will be constructed along Military between the river and Alexandrine. The city is aware that neighbors have concerns about how the project will proceed.  Noise, dirt, parking, hours of operation, heavy equipment, traffic, replanting of the woodlands, preservation of the wetlands, the appearance of the pumping station and the safety of the chemicals stored at the station are some of the concerns that have been voiced.  The city has been responsive to concerns we have raised in the past. Special Congratulations Ed and Doreen Makara of Long Boulevard recently celebrated their 41 year wedding anniversary.   They bought the house on Long from Doreen’s parents in 1973. Welcome to our new neighbors Craig and Cindy Wetzel of Alexandrine.  Both work as Engineers for Ford Motor Company and Cindy is a Dearborn native.  Theirs is a mixed marriage – she went to U-M and he went to OSU! Steve and Jolie Behmlander of Long Boulevard moved from Fairlane Woods.  Steve works for Xerox and Jolie is the Clinical Coordinator at Oakwood Common Assisted Living. They have one daughter. Mousa Ahmad and Kristina Andreone of Long Boulevard and their two children: Evelynn- 7yrs and Ahmad- 7months.  Mousa owns the Sigma Financial Group in Dearborn. Condolences To the family of Mrs. Ardith Laskowski of Cherry Hill on her passing in June. Bon Voyage and Good Luck Jon and Diane Pepper of Long Boulevard have moved to New York.  The Peppers were long-time residents, and Diane was a very informed and active Block Captain. Congratulations Karen andTom Milligan’s home on Alexandrine was selected as a “Citation Winner” in the Dearborn City Beautiful Commission’s Residential Standard of Excellence Program.  The history of their house is recounted by Margaret Moon in the Our House feature of this web site. Home