It has now been another year that I have been on Eastpointe City Council. What a year this sixth year has been. Hopefully your family and friends have been healthy and continue to be. 

We hired a new City Manager, Elke Doom. Fortunately, she has been able to continue many projects approved by City Council, even with an active pandemic, including those that are more convenient while there is less traffic on the roads. We of course did not plan ahead for this, but many projects have been completed on City infrastructure this year. We paved streets, the County paved streets, and the State paved streets. And I-94 is planned to be reconstructed in the near future.

In addition to streets, we also replaced the water main on Donald Street, every lead service line between Toepfer and Stephens, and many storm sewers and catch basins. The City is taking seriously its responsibility to rid the water system of lead pipes. It will take some time, but as long as we continue to treat our water, there is no harm to the public.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg has left a positive impact on the world that anyone would aspire to. She worked hard for gender equality, and was successful in many ways. Before RBG's legal career, there were laws that distinguished on gender with jobs, rights, and even jury duty. 

Feel like you need a decoder ring to understand your water bill? No longer! Your water bill, explained.

Links to additional information regarding your bill can be found on my website, under Infrastructure and Public Works.

Sign up here to auto-pay your water bill from your bank account, and (optionally) have the bill emailed to you!

Also, you can view your water billing history here.

Recently, Governor Whitmer issued an Executive Order (EO) requiring individuals to wear maks in indoor spaces and crowded outdoor areas. The EO also requires businesses that are open to the public refuse entry/service to people not wearing a mask, with some exceptions. This is of course a change from the previous recommendation.

There are two ways to look at wearing a mask. One way is: the government requiring me to wear a mask is tyranny and overreach. The second, and better way is: of course I don't want to wear a mask, but I also do not want to be the one responsible for someone else getting COVID-19, and possibly dying. The most important reason for everyone to wear masks is so that healthy, asymptomatic folks are not unknowingly infecting others. Your "right" not to wear a mask does not outweigh the health and safety of anyone you come into contact with.

It is essential that we conduct successful elections in the State next week, as well as in August and November. Eastpointe does not have an election next week, but it will in August and November.

The United States conducted elections during the Civil War, in the midst of World War II, and while the Spanish Flu pandemic was ravaging the country in 1918. Read why it is important to have on time elections in August and November, from two of the folks that help conduct elections in our State, including our own County Clerk, Fred Miller.

The Macomb County Health Department has now released specific numbers on confirmed cases of COVID-19 by zip code in Macomb County. Below is a map of the county by zip code, with confirmed COVID-19 cases by zip code, as of April 1, 2020. 

The Governor announced the Stay Home, Stay Safe, Save Lives program to protect the public health amidst the COVID-19 (commonly referred to as coronavirus) pandemic. Please review the Governor's webpage regarding this program, and do your best to keep your neighbors safe.

There are now at least 445 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Eastpointe. Everyone please Stay Home, Stay Safe, and Save Lives. Please treat this very seriously. At the City, we are continuously analyzing the situation with coronavirus / COVID-19.

All large events have been canceled (or postponed) in the City. City workers are being careful, and we are taking the necessary precautions to stay healthy.

It's been a year! Time for an update on the proposed medical marijuana ordinance. (I am going to use the "j" spelling of marijuana for my own consistency, while State Law uses the "h" spelling)

• December 4, 2018: There was a Public Hearing at the City Council meeting. Many residents spoke at hearing.
• May 28, 2019: A Joint City Council and Planning Commission meeting was held to discuss a potential medical marijuana ordinance.
• June 18, 2019: City Council voted to direct the City Attorney to draft a medical marijuana ordinance.
• August 6, 2019: City Council discusses proposed medical marijuana ordinance with input from joint meeting.
• December 17, 2019: City Council votes to confirm the Planning Commission continue with its review of the proposed medical marijuana ordinance (yeas: DeMonaco, Lucido, Curley; nays: Owens, Baker)
• February 13, 2020: Planning Commission holds Special Meeting to continue discussing proposed medical marijuana ordinance. 
• March 17, 2020: Medical marijuana ordinance on City Council agenda. Click here for the ordinance modifying building regulations, and here for the zoning ordinance change.
• June 16, 2020: Second Reading and adoption of Medical Marijuana Facility Ordinances - Building Regulations and Zoning.

City Council has been provided maps showing potential parcels for medical marijuana facilities according to our proposed Ordinance language, as well as a few other maps for illustrative purposes. The maps have been created using GIS, and were provided by our professional planner, McKenna Associates.

[Updated July 8, 2020]