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THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE

April 28 - May 4, 2010 Page A-7

Mayor Bing names Patton chief service officer

Mayor Dave Bing recently announced that he has

chosen Barbara Jean Patton to serve as the chief service officer for the City of Detroit. Detroit was one of 10 cities chosen to receive a Cities of Service Leadership Grant, awarded by Cities of Service and funded by the Rock- efeller Foundation. The grants allow recipient cities to hire a chief service officer, a senior city official

dedicated

to developing and implementing a city- wide plan.

“I am honored

to have the oppor- tunity to help create partnerships that will maximize the power of volunteerism to help address our community’s great- est needs,” said Patton. “The Cities of Service Leader- ship Grant provides an opportunity for Detroit to further in- crease its tradition of service and enlist new volunteers in significant initiatives that will create an even better city.”

Barbara Jean Patton

The Cities of Service Leadership Grants provide re-

cipient cities with $200,000 over a two-year period to hire a chief service officer (CSO). As CSO, Patton is charged with developing and implementing a citywide plan to in- crease volunteerism and targeting volunteers to address Detroit’s greatest needs. To develop their local plans,

grant recipient cities will convene strategic committees of service experts and stakeholders, conduct assess- ments of existing service levels, and identify collaborative partnerships to deepen the effects of local volunteerism. Each city will launch its comprehensive service plan by this fall.

Patton has more than 30 years experience in develop-

ing strategic partnerships in the Detroit community. She most recently served as director of community relations for ARAMARK Corporation, where she created local and statewide programs that improved the well-being of chil- dren and their families.

During her tenures at New Detroit, Inc., Holy Cross

Children’s Services, and Communities in Schools, Patton created community engagement initiatives that included grant making for local and national organizations.

She is specialized in volunteer development, having

more than 20 years experience in creating and imple- menting training curricula for individual and organiza- tional service engagement. She sits on a number of local boards including the Youth Development Commission (vice president), Business Professionals of America (vice president), and the National Association Of Negro Busi- ness & Professional Women’s Clubs, Inc. (president).

“Barbara’s broad range of experience in volunteer

coordination with a variety of community stakeholders ensures that Detroit is positioned to achieve great suc- cess with the Cities of Service initiative,” said Mayor Bing. “Barbara’s professional portfolio will allow us to leverage our resources and further build upon Detroit’s generous spirit of volunteerism.”

Additional information about the coalition can be found at www.citiesofservice.org.

City Year to recognize Bobb as its ‘Idealist in Action’ at 8th Annual Ripples of Hope benefit dinner

City Year Detroit will honor Detroit Public Schools

Emergency Financial Manager Robert C. Bobb with its “Idealist in Action” award at its annual “Ripples of Hope” dinner at the Max M. Fisher Music Center April 29.

“We look for extraordinary leadership, courage, ide-

alism and commit- ment to Detroit and its children when we choose our Idealist in Action honoree,” said Penny Bailer, execu- tive director of City Year Detroit. “Robert Bobb has displayed these qualities with the exceptional lead- ership he has dem- onstrated in over- hauling the District’s finances, rooting out corruption and ex- panding educational opportunities for our youth.”

Gov. Jennifer

Granholm appointed Robert Bobb emer- gency financial manager for DPS in March 2009 to begin eliminating the District’s crippling deficit and restore public confidence in the school system. Last fall, the gov- ernor extended his appointment for an additional year.

Robert Bobb

Mayor Dave Bing and First Lady Yvette Bing will serve

as honorary chairs of the Ripples of Hope Benefit Dinner, which will begin at 6 p.m.

“We are so proud to have Mayor Bing and Detroit’s

First Lady Yvette Bing serve as honorary chairs of our dinner. They are totally committed to the success of DPS and to partnering with Robert Bobb to transform the edu- cational outcomes for Detroit’s children,” said Bailer.

As emergency financial manager, Bobb has instituted

major reforms and demonstrated fearless and coura- geous leadership in initiating several bold initiatives, in-

cluding the establishment of an Office of Internal Audit, which identified dozens of cases of fraud and abuse, freeing up critically needed funding for the education of Detroit’s children. In addition, he has closed and con- solidated schools and streamlined operations in order to serve children more efficiently and cost-effectively while instituting transformational educational reforms.

“This kind of bold and courageous leadership is clearly

what Detroit needs in confronting this tragic educational and financial emergency,” said Bailer. “Our children de- serve nothing but the best, and while dramatic change is often painful, the alternative is too grim to contemplate.”

Bobb led a successful $500 million bond campaign,

supported by 61 percent of voters, to modernize and build new DPS schools. He also spearheaded the “I’m In” Blue Door student retention campaign, stemming a downward enrollment trend and increasing funding for DPS. Other reforms include creating the DPS Summer School Academies, which retained $30 million in Title I funding for the District.

Bobb is a pro-active champion for civil rights and con-

tinually finds time to mentor urban youth and young pro- fessionals. Under his direction, several successful out- reach programs have been de-signed and administered to foster urban youth in civic responsibility, educational achievement and competitiveness in the employment market. Recently, Bobb initiated the highly successful Detroit Reading Corps, to ensure that every third grade student is reading at grade level by 2015. This initiative has inspired over 5,000 volunteers to tutor Detroit chil- dren, and Bobb proudly serves as a reading tutor him- self.

A former president of the National Forum for Black

Public Administrators, Bobb has received its Marks of Excellence award. Previously, he was elected president of the Washington, D.C. Board of Education after serving three years as its city manager. In addition, he served as the city administrator of four other cities, giving him the distinction of being the longest tenured African-American city manager/administrator in the nation. He is currently the president/CEO of the LAPA Group LLC, a multifac- eted private/public consulting firm.

Delinquent tax collections up 20 percent in March 2010

Record-breaking collection the result of community outreach

Despite an extraordinarily

challenging economic climate that has resulted in thou- sands of Michigan residents losing their jobs, losing their home through mortgage fore- closure, and too often losing hope, the Office of the Wayne County Treasurer neverthe- less managed to collect a record amount of delinquent property tax revenue during the month of March for the second year in a row.

Treasurer Raymond J. Woj-

towicz once again credits the extensive outreach efforts by his office as a primary reason for this surprising success which has occurred in the midst of Michigan’s – and

wicz. The amount of delinquent

Raymond J. Wojtowicz

the nation’s – worst economy since the Great Depression.

“Quite frankly we were both

surprised and gratified that so many Wayne County taxpayers were able to find the means to satisfy their property tax debts, especially given the bur- dens of this terrible economy. I realize it was a great sacrifice and I want them to know that Wayne County greatly appreci- ates their efforts,” said Wojto-

taxes collected in March of this year was $46,227,244.76, which is an increase of 20.09 percent over the (then) record-breaking amount of $38,494,010.75 collected in March, 2009. For the fiscal year (October 2008 through March 2009 vs. October 2009 through March 2010) there was an increase in collections of nearly 6 percent. There was over 7 percent increase from the calendar year of January through March 2009 vs. the same period this year.

Anyone still experienc-

ing difficulties paying their delinquent taxes is encour- aged to contact the Taxpayer Assistance Department at (313) 224-6105. In addition to record collection activity, the Office of Wayne County Trea- surer has assisted the owners of nearly 8500 parcels meet their tax liability.

Earth Day ‘breezes’ into Detroit Metro Airport

Airport Authority begins testing new wind energy technology

Wayne County Airport Authority (WCAA)

marked the celebration of Earth Day 2010 with the debut of its recent $75,000 investment in exploring the feasibility of putting Detroit Metro Airport’s (DTW) wind to work supplementing the Airport’s power supply.

Members of the media joined Airport Au-

thority staff and partners to view several of the six wind turbines being installed this week at DTW and to discuss the testing planned for the new technology at the airport over the coming months. These state-of-the-art turbines, man- ufactured entirely in Michigan for Windspire Energy, represent the latest technology avail- able to harness wind energy at lower wind speeds (4.5-5 mph). Windspire’s unique design is also ideal for the airport environment, where airspace is heavily regulated and traditional wind turbines are more difficult to install and operate.

Following installation of the turbines this

week, WCAA and local Windspire distributor Southern Exposure Renewable Energy Co. will begin an intensive beta-testing process during which the performance of this new technology

will be measured and evaluated to determine the practicality of further implementing it both at DTW and in other, similar environments worldwide.

The new turbines represent just the latest

investment in the Airport Authority’s ongoing effort to explore and implement sustainable operational practices – including the use of al- ternative energy sources to reduce our environ- mental impact and offset the airport’s carbon footprint. For eight of the past nine snow seasons, DTW has been the leader in aircraft de-icing fluid recycling among airports world- wide. Recently, the Airport Authority and its logistics contractor launched a new program to transform used cooking oil from airport con- cessions into biofuels to power airport service vehicles. DTW has also spent nearly $1.15 mil- lion on more than 5,000 new, LED fixtures for its taxiway edge lights, which save the Author- ity thousands of dollars in energy costs per year compared to the incandescent fixtures they replaced.

The Authority’s Environmental and Infra-

structure groups are currently evaluating a number of additional environmental initiatives including installation cutting-edge technolo- gies involving solar/photovoltaic energy, green roofs and gray-water recycling.

NINETY HIGH SCHOOL students from throughout Wayne County received $500 college schol- arships from the Wayne County Vision Fund, a non-profit started by Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano. – James Wallace photo

Students win scholarships from Ficano’s Vision Fund, Cass Tech senior among 90 recipients

T

eonna Gary of Detroit leaves a positive im- pression wherever she goes.

Her mentors and teachers at Cass Techni-

cal High School describe Teonna as a leader, a high achiever and a young lady with integrity, morals and a heart filled with affection and empathy for others. She’s also a good student with a 3.65 grade point average.

Teonna was among 90 high school students

awarded $500 college scholarships last week from the Wayne County Vision Fund, a non- profit organization started by Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano.

The countywide winners were chosen from

220 applicants and recognized at a luncheon at the Atheneum Hotel. The fund has awarded nearly $300,000 in scholarships since its in- ception.

“Our young people are the greatest assets

of Wayne County,” said Ficano. “And judging from the accomplishments of this group of high school seniors, our future is bright.”

Teonna Gary plans to study mass communi-

cations at Michigan State University or Central Michigan University. She’s interested in jour- nalism and computer technology.

In her essay application for the scholarship,

Teonna said her parents are unemployed and lack the resources to pay for her college educa- tion. But she remains positive and upbeat.

“What keeps me going,” Teonna said, “is the

goal of walking across the stage, receiving my high school diploma and the arrival of the day when I leave home for college and the joy on my parents’ faces as they witness my accomplish- ments.”

Winners of the scholarships were required to

have at least a 3.0 grade-point average, submit an essay and include recommendations from a principal or counselor.

Among the Detroit winners were: Fahmida

Abdallah, Pershing; Haileh Ahmed, Universal Academy; Mubarak Algazzaly, Oakland Inter- national Academy; Zainab Al-Khafaji, River- side Academy West; Kathy Almansoob, Uni- versal Academy.

ROBERT FICANO, Wayne County Executive, with Teonna Gary.

Daniel Aponte, Westside Christian Acad-

emy; Sadia Begum, Frontier International Academy; Mykeita Brown, Cesar Chavez Academy; Shanara Burke, Mumford; Neosh- ua Butler, Demetrius Edwards and Adrienne Llanes, Cass Tech; Neekiyah Carter, Martin Luther King; Latonya Cobb, Winans Acad- emy.

Antonio Douthet, Northwestern; Sharde’

Fleming, Renaissance; Michael Foster, Old Redford Academy; Dominique Harris, West- ern International; Nadia Khalyleh, Universal Academy; Amany Killawi, Star International Academy; Rosetta Kornegay, Finney; Luis Lomeli, Southwestern; Antonia Rambus, Denby; Nakole Smallwood, Robichaud; Ar- netia Vaughn-Scott, Detroit School of Arts; Ciera Walker, Henry Ford; Allison Warren, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, and Nakeisha Waugh, University of Central Prep. Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32