Ferndale Patch welcomes letters to the editor. The following was submitted by Ferndale Mayor Dave Coulter. _______________________ Friends & Neighbors, Please know that we at the city have heard your comments, complaints and suggestions (and yes, compliments) on the new parking sytem. I value your input and respect how frustrating this has been for many of us. We knew when the DDA proposed the system it would require an adjustment period, but frankly the amount of issues has been surprising. Please also know that: 1) we're committed to getting this right, and we will evaluate all aspects of …

Ferndale Patch welcomes letters to the editor. The following was submitted by Ferndale resident and business owner Chris Johnston, partner at Woodward Avenue Brewers, The Emory and The Loving Touch. _______________________ I love Ferndale and want the best for it. Period. I don't believe that $1 per hour parking during weekend hours represents the Ferndale I envision. For 16 years we have operated Woodward Avenue Brewers. Like many other Ferndale businesses, we choose to set our pricing as close to "what we HAVE to charge" vs. "what WE CAN GET AWAY WITH charging". To me, that is the Ferndale …

Ferndale Patch welcomes letters to the editor. The following was submitted by Ferndale Public Schools Board of Education president Keith Warnick. _______________________ House Bill 5923 was introduced and referred to the House Education Committee. This is one of the bills initially offered by Gov Snyder through work by Richard McClellen last year.  Richard McClellan was the author of the Voucher legislation proposed by Betsy DeVos during the Engler era around 1999. The bill amends the Revised School Code by changing and adding several sections to allow for several new forms of charter and …

Ferndale Patch welcomes letters to the editor. The following was submitted by Ferndale Public Schools Board of Education president Keith Warnick. _______________________ Current legislation introduced, HB6004/SB1358, are part of legislation designed to dismantle your local public school district. These identical bills were introduced in the House and the Senate to create the Education Achievement Authority (EAA) in law. Testimony on these bills were allowed for proponents only, and denied of the opponents. This Authority will manage a statewide school district that will be overseen by a board…

Ferndale Patch welcomes letters to the editor. The following was submitted by Ferndale school board candidate Jim O'Donnell. _______________________ As a candidate for Ferndale School Board with more than 16 years of financial management and strategic planning experience, I propose several initiatives that will improve the financial standing of the school district. These initiatives are supported by the BOLD team of Amy Butters, Jim O’Donnell, Raylon Leaks-May and Kevin Deegan-Krause. First, we will insist that all new programs will be approved only after board and committee review of budgets…

Ferndale Patch welcomes letters to the editor. The following was submitted by Keith Warnick, current Ferndale Board of Education president, who is seeking re-election. _______________________ Why are Collins, Warnick, Pfleger and Parks the right choices?  Because leadership counts! There has been much rhetoric, hearsay and innuendo during the last several months about what is best for Ferndale Public Schools.  Which candidates are the right candidates to lead the school board for the future?  The right candidates are Collins, Warnick, Pfleger (incumbents) and Parks.  Why?  Each one of them …

Ferndale Patch welcomes letters to the editor. The following was submitted by Ferndale Board of Education candidate Brad Parks. _______________________ TALKING ABOUT THE 'F' WORD IN FERNDALE SCHOOLS - SCHOOL FINANCEIn the past several weeks as the race for Ferndale Board of Education seats has heated up, I am surprised to see very little discussion about the "F" word in Ferndale schools- namely,  school Finance.  While the Citizens for Better Education endorsed candidates have stressed Ferndale's balanced budget and the growing general "rainy day" fund  (a rarity in Oakland county schools …

Ferndale Patch welcomes letters to the editor. The following was submitted by Oakland County Commissioner Craig Covey, of Ferndale. _______________________ As residents prepare to make their choices and cast their ballots for the upcoming elections, they would do well to remember how certain county elected officials reacted these past couple of years to the decriminalization of medical marijuana which was passed by overwhelming majorities of Michigan voters.  Instead of a mindful and accommodating attempt to follow the wishes of residents, Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard decided to …

Ferndale Patch welcomes letters to the editor. The following was submitted by Ferndale Board of Education member Chuck Moeser. _______________________ The reason I support the CBE candidates for the Ferndale School Board, is as simple as Councilman T. Scott Galloway’s reasons.  Over the last 22 years of elected service on the School Board I can honestly say that Keith Warnick, Katrina Collins, Jim Pfleger and Brad Parks have 10 times the School related experience of the other candidates and are ready to serve.  Look at the record over the last 10 years:  worked with the community supporting 2…

Ferndale Patch welcomes letters to the editor. The following was submitted by Ferndale City Council member T. Scott Galloway in response to a previous letter to the editor on school board endorsements. _______________________ The reason I support the BOLD candidates for the Ferndale School Board is simple. When I first ran for Ferndale City Council eleven years ago the top  concern of residents was our schools.  After almost three terms on Council the top concern of Ferndale residents remains our schools. During this time most of the individuals elected to Ferndale’s School Board were …

Ferndale Patch welcomes letters to the editor. The following was submitted by Ferndale resident and City Council member Dan Martin. _______________________ I appreciate former Councilwoman Helen Weber’s questions posed in her October 11th letter to the editor regarding City Council member’s endorsement of school board candidates. I have a great deal of respect for her and her accomplishments in the city, so I think it is important to answer her concerns. Considering the number of times that she and I have interacted over the course of the last few weeks I do find it disappointing she did not …

Ferndale Patch welcomes letters to the editor. The following was submitted by Ferndale resident, volunteer and former City Council member Helen Marie Weber. _______________________ It seems impressive that so many elected officials in the Ferndale area are listed as endorsers of the CLEAR candidates for the Ferndale School Board. In the city of Ferndale the elected officials are nearly unanimous in their support of the CLEAR slate. Amazing? Or regrettable? Are the City of Ferndale elected officials ganging up on the current School Board members and trying to replace them?Seven people sit on …

Ferndale Patch welcomes letters to the editor. The following was submitted by Ferndale Board of Education Trustee Darcey McLaughlin. _______________________ As a School Board member, I am offended by the charges from the newly formed group CLEAR that tough questions have not been asked or answered by the current board regarding our district. This is simply not true. Through its committees, the board has always carefully considered and debated the district’s important issues while our meetings have been facilitated effectively, and cooperatively. CLEAR also accuses our district of being non-…

I am running for re-election as the Democratic Oakland County Commissioner for the new 18th district, which now includes Huntington Woods, Oak Park, Hazel Park, Charter Township of Royal Oak, and Ferndale.  Having served the people of Ferndale and the surrounding region for the past 13 years as a councilman, mayor, and county commissioner, I would like to ask you to vote in the Democratic primary coming up on Tuesday August 7, and to consider a vote for me in that election.  Republicans in control of the state, the county, and the courts forced redistricting on us this year.  That greatly …

As the operations chair for the Ferndale School Board, I want to publicly thank the committee that gave up most of their Thursdays last summer to discuss and agonize over what to keep in this bond. I am so proud to serve a community that takes stewardship and volunteerism so seriously. Thank you Mary Schusterbauer, Jim O'Donnell and Marie Haener-Patti for chairing the committee that gave us a bond proposal that the community could rally around. You all are appreciated! Sincerely,   Nancy Kerr-Mueller Ferndale District Trustee

I am writing to urge Ferndale school district voters to vote YES for the school bond this Tuesday.  I have two children in the school district, and I believe strongly in giving my kids and all other children in our district safer buildings, warm food cooked in real kitchens, cool air to allow them to think on hot days, and the technological infrastructure to compete with surrounding districts. I am a member of the Board of Operations committee and worked on the bond committee this summer. I believe the Operations team is committed to careful oversight of our tax dollars. I urge everyone to …

Last summer when I was thinking about my position on the school bond election, this was my thought process.   I have three daughters in Ferndale schools. If this bond passes, they will definitely benefit. Their school playground will be resurfaced. The high school auditorium they perform in occasionally will be updated and more comfortable. The middle and high school they will eventually attend will have better mechanical systems, no asbestos and more efficient lighting. Technology they use will be updated. But how much will it really affect my three girls if this bond doesn’t pass? So what …

Advocating the position that the Ferndale School District Voters should vote “NO” on the school bond issue on the ballot this Tuesday and that we should not invest in the maintenance of our school buildings UNTIL AFTER our students get better standardized test scores is as logical as saying "THE BEATINGS WILL CONTINUE UNTIL MORALE IMPROVES"! This is an extension of an existing millage to raise money for building maintenance and new technology installations. If you believe that well maintained schools that offer smart boards, internet access, decent restrooms, reasonable temperatures and new, …

By Keith Warnick Why? Well, first of all, I have always support School Bond proposals.  I believe, and numerous studies have confirmed, that a quality, safe and healthy learning environment promotes improved student achievement.  We need to finish the work proposed by the citizen’s committee in 1994.  Great schools will continue to attract great students. We will be upgrading our mechanical systems for efficiency; adding energy efficient lighting to reduce utility costs and garner rebates; eliminate the asbestos at the HS/MS complex completely, not just while doing other work; offer freshly …

One of my favorite things about the DIY Street Fair is being a volunteer. Last year my husband and I were volunteers with the Ferndale TimeBank at the festival. On Saturday and Sunday afternoon, we manned the information/first-aid booth, directed festival goers to particular vendors or the port-o-johns, signed in festival workers and helped vendors get things or people that they needed. On Sunday morning, before the official start of the day, we helped with clean up from the night before and helped vendors set up. As a former smoker, I feel that I paid my karmic penance that morning for any …