The Year Ahead: Grosse Pointe 2012

This year is likely to bring more challenges to the Grosse Pointes especially with as many changes as were implemented in 2011. While not an exhaustive list, here are a few of the issues likely to be a focus for officials.

Schools

For , the administration will adapt to after seeing off . The transition is anticipated to be somewhat smoother because Harwood already worked for the district.

Among the topics likely to surface in 2012 for the schools and school board:

• Harwood needs to fill his own former position, assistant superintendent of human resources, for which interviews are scheduled next week.
• Officials are working to determine exactly how the changes in state measures of education will affect the district and what changes may be necessary to ensure the district continues to rank highly in all areas.
• for teachers and all unionized staff, which may be challenging given the financial hardship the district is feeling in light of the changes in funding from the state and the ever-growing retiree healthcare costs.
• School board members will likely need to tackle requiring board members to be elected during even numbered years, which changes the cycle currently established in Grosse Pointe.
• The district's strategic plan and goals, which were talked about a lot last year but then the goals reached were not approved by the board last month. Some board members felt the goals were not specific enough or forward-thinking enough to keep the district ahead of the curve.

Cities

Meanwhile, each of the five Grosse Pointe municipalities will grapple with what will likely be another year of dwindling budgets. Last year, officials from all of the cities said employees had already trimmed the fat, so to speak, which could mean they will have to make tougher decisions this year.

Of particular concern in all of the Pointes, as expressed in a variety of meetings and public settings, are the conditions of the roadways. Such projects and attention have fallen to the wayside as the mayors and councils concentrated on making the budget work for the bare minimum operation of each city for the last few years.

With the exception of the City completing two small road projects, none have completed major upgrades to any of the roadways in a number of years. Council members have said this is of particular concern because the deterioration of the roadways will start becoming more obvious if no updates or maintenance plans are put into motion. 

Consolidation is yet another topic likely to continue being discussed in various contexts.

Many of the officials say consolidating the municipalities would not be of cost-savings to the residents and say it would risk the quality of services to which residents are accustomed. Meanwhile, others say it would lend the Grosse Pointes to saving valuable taxpayer dollars and help keep what many classify as a unique community well represented in politics beyond the local arena.

The in 2012. Additionally, the Grosse Pointe Public Safety Ad Hoc Committee , including training and equipment purchasing.

Housing

Then there is the housing market, which local officials say is beginning to stablize. According to figures from the president of the Grosse Pointe Board of Realtors the number of houses on the market is far fewer now than when the housing market first took a plunge. While values are not climbing, a smaller pool of homes for sale should help maintain their current value rather than seeing any additional devaluation.

Voters will be asked in , which has dealt with a dwindling budget because of repeated drops to home values.

Business

Business in the Grosse Pointes is another story, at least at the moment. While there are a host of small businesses opening or that have recently opened, the larger corporate businesses seem to be moving out.

across from Parcells Middle School. Then due to the company's bad financial situation and eventual bankruptcy.

Now with the and , the area is likely to see additional change in 2012. Regardless of whether Grosse Pointers shopped at either of those stores, it certainly is telling of the need for economic development in the area.

Public Safety

Each of the Grosse Pointe Public Safety Department's will compile their annual reports in the coming month. Last year according to the numbers each report to the FBI for uniform crime reports collected nationwide. There were a handful of what the FBI classifies as a violent crimes in 2010 and the numbers usually released early in the new year will tell if 2011 was similar. Officials have said as much.