This year's Breakfast will take place on Friday, May 14th, at 7:30 a.m. at Walnut Middle School. Tickets may be purchased from West Bloomfield Parks and Recreation.

Apple Island Tours

The Apple Island Tours are taking place on May 15th and May 16th. Click here for more information.

Garden Club

The Sylvan Lake Garden Club will hold park cleanups from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon on Thursday, May 20th, and Thursday, June 10th. Everyone is invited to join in. Come and join us at Memorial Park with your gardening tools.

Plant Exchange

The Garden Club Plant Exchange at Memorial Park will take place on Saturday, June 5th, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Just bring plants to exchange with your neighbors. Plants that are not exchanged will be used in Memorial Park and on the Trail. People who do not have plants to exchange may purchase plants that are brought.

Please call (248) 682-1082 for more information.

City-Wide Garage Sale

This year's garage sale will take place from May 27th to May 29th. The cost for a permit is $20. This cost will cover ads in the Oakland Press and Eccentric newspapers, garage sale signs on Orchard Lake Road, and a list of participants' addresses at City Hall and the Sylvan Market. The deadline for the addresses to be put on the list is May 25th. Please fill out a form and place the form in the box at City Hall. If you have any questions, please call Char at 248-681-3724.

Memorial Day Parade

This year's great parade will take place on Monday, May 31st, at 10:15 a.m. Sylvan Lake's service will begin when the parade ends(around 11:45 a.m.). A flower drop and lunch will Be held at the Oakland County Boat Club at 12:30 p.m. Your help is needed for volunteering or providing a donation. A form is available at City Hall to register to participate, volunteer, or donate. You can also register online at www.sylvanlake.org. Contact Mel Hager, the Committee Coordinator, at 248-875-9773 or email him at tascmel@comcast.net with questions.

Home and Garden Tour

Thank you for your continued support of the Sylvan Lake Home & Garden Tour. It is with your hard work and time that we have been able to provide "The prettiest city" in Michigan with valuable improvements such as the industrial grade kitchen, the remodeling of the storage facility, the irrigation system ,and the new welcome sign all for our Community Center. We are very proud of these accomplishments and could not have done them without you.

We have decided to take 2010 off and postpone this year's Tour until June 2011, so that we may rejuvenate, take some more time, and bring the City an improved Tour that will bring with it new amenities and hopefully increased attendance.

Stay tuned for more information.

May Calender Of Events

May 12th - ZBA Hearings at 6:00 p.m. City Council begins at 7:30 p.m.
May 14th - Michigan Week Breakfast
May 20th - Water bills due; Memorial Park Work Day
May 27th - Study Session
May 31st - Memorial Day Parade

News/Announcements

ZBA Hearings and City Council Meeting/Budget Public Hearing

There will be two Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) hearings beginning at 6:00 p.m. on May 12th.

2650 Island Court - request to grant two variances (one variance for each proposed lot) that will allow a lot split for a lakefront lot.

*The zoning ordinance requires each lot have at least 65 feet of frontage on a street. The original parcel is at the end of the dead-end street. The street is only 40 feet wide, so both properties will split the 40-foot wide street for access to each property. Each property will have 20 feet of frontage on the street, requiring a variance of 45 feet for each lot.

2242 Garland - request to grant two variances to construct a staircase and landing on the left side of the house, requiring a variance for the total of both side yard setbacks.

The regular City Council meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. On the agenda will be a public hearing for the budget to set millage rates for the 2010-2011 fiscal year. Also, City Council will consider approving an anti-idling diesel ordinance.

Tri-City Fire Board Opening

This opening is a two-year term. We would like to thank Bill Wright for all of his time on the Board. Please complete the "Application for Committees and Commissions" found on the website and drop it off or email it to City Hall.

Cable Board Opening

There will be at least one, possibly two, openings on the Cable Board on July 1st. Please contact City Hall if you are interested. Please complete the "Application for Committees and Commissions" found on the website and drop it off or email it to City Hall.

Spring Cleanup

This is a reminder. There is no spring curbside leaf collection. To dispose of your leaves, please put them out for collection as yard waste (see below). All garbage cans must be stored so they are not visible from any street.

Yard Waste Program

The Yard Waste Program has begun. Yard waste will be picked up on the same day (Wednesday) as your trash,, but in a separate yard waste truck. Pickup is on a weekly basis. Please place your trash and yard waste a few feet away from each other for pick up so it can be easily seen. Yard waste includes:

cut grass,

leaves,

cut weeds,

shrub trimmings,

brush,

twigs,

small branches,

sod, and similar items.

Yard waste will be accepted only in brown paper yard waste bags or trash cans clearly marked COMPOST or YARD WASTE. Yard waste stickers are available at no charge at City Hall.

Small branches, three inches in diameter or smaller, will be accepted if securely tied in manageable bundles, no more than four feet in length.

Yard waste in any type of plastic bag WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED!

Yard waste may not be placed at the street earlier than 5:00 p.m. the night before collection day.

Boat Ramp Keys, Park and Sports Tags

These are now on sale. The park tag is $20 ($15 for seniors) and will allow your family and eight (8) guests to use our park facilities. You must have the park tag with you at all times. The Park Ranger will be checking to make sure residents have a tag.

The sports tag is $10 and will allow you and up to three (3) guests to use the bocce and volleyball courts. All guests must be accompanied by the resident. Please abide by the rules that are posted at each court. If you have more than three guests, you must borrow a sports tag from a Sylvan Lake resident to make sure you have one tag for every three guests.

The boat ramp key is $20. You do not need to own a boat to purchase a boat ramp key. However, you must have a day pass or boat ramp sticker for the watercraft you are launching. To purchase a watercraft sticker, you must apply at City Hall and supply your original boat registration and proof of Sylvan Lake residency. To purchase a day pass, you must apply at City Hall and supply the information for the watercraft being launched. The day pass is good for one day only. When using the boat ramp, be sure to lock the gate when you are done. There will be no replacement ramp keys sold if you lose yours.

Don't Drive on the Grass!

Our parks are being destroyed by people driving across them to access their dock spaces to install their docks and/or hoists. We try very hard to maintain the beauty of our parks and need your help. Do not drive in the parks under any circumstance! Doing so may result in a ticket. In addition, you will be charged for any necessary repairs. It is the responsibility of the dock holder to inform anyone sharing your space, or a company installing your dock, of this rule.

Due Dates

If a due date is on a weekend or a Monday, your bill is still due. Please use the mail slot by the front door at City Hall. Penalties will not be waived if they are received after the due date.

Don’t pay another late fee for your Taxes or Water/Sewer Bills

You may have your water/sewer bills and tax bills automatically deducted from your checking or savings account on the due date. It is very easy to set up. Please contact City Hall for more information.

Online Bill Payment

Pay your water/sewer bills, permits and park and recreation fees online. Payment can be made using Visa, Master Card, Discover or electronic check. An enhanced access fee will be added to your payment. Go to www.sylvanlake.org for further details and the link.

Drop Box

You can also drop your payment off at the mail slot next to the front door of City Hall. You may drop off tax bills, water bills, dock renewal fees, etc. at your convenience when City Hall is closed. Please do not leave cash in the box, only checks.

RVA Spaces Available

There are still some RVA Storage Spaces available but they are going fast. If you are interested, please call City Hall. The annual fee will be prorated for your first year based on the number of months rented. If you are not interested this year but would be next year, please make sure you put your name on the wait list.

Parks and Recreation Committee

The Parks and Recreation Committee will meet on the first Thursday of every month at 7:00 p.m.

Sylvan Lake Crafters

Bettie Pitchford and Josephine Ondik invite you to join their crafting group which will meet at the Community Center on Tuesdays from 12:00 noon to 4:00 pm. Bring your quilting, knitting, stitching, or crafts. What a great place to meet others with the same talents and interests and share your knowledge!

Detroit Edison Customers

You can now report street light outages online at www.dteenergy.com/streetlight. To report a street light out at a home or business, customers need only to fill in the address on the online form. If you spot an outage elsewhere, simply type in the city location, the intersection nearest to the affected light, and the contact information.

Rewards for Recycling

This program encourages curbside recycling. Residents can go online to register at www.rewardsforrecycling.com. To encourage recycling, the City is selling green, wheeled recycling bins at City Hall. There are three sizes: 35-gallon for $20, 64-gallon for $22, and $96-gallon for $25. Each has a 10-year warranty.

Your identifier tag was sent to you. If you did not receive one or lost it you can call Richfield at 877-609-6753. Participation in the program gives you access to valuable savings with local merchants. To see items which can be recycled, a recycling flyer is at www.sylvanlake.org, click on City Services.

Wheeled Trash Cans

Richfield Equities (trash collection company) is selling large wheeled garbage cans to Sylvan Lake residents at a great price. Cans are available to purchase at City Hall. There are three sizes: 35-gallon for $41, 64-gallon for $46, and 96-gallon for $52. Each has a 10-year warranty.

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CDBG Funds Available

The City has limited funds available through the State of Michigan and Oakland County for a Home Chore and Minor Home repair program. The purpose of this fund is to help Senior Citizens and low/moderate income households by assisting them with home chores and minor home repair requests. The Home Chore program, is for things such as raking leaves, shoveling snow, painting, cleaning, etc. for Senior Citizens and low to moderate income families. The minor home repair program is for larger tasks such as furnace repair/replacement, water heaters, roofs, electrical, plumbing, etc. and is available for low/moderate income families. If you would like to fill out an application to benefit from this program, please contact City Hall. The funds are available so let’s take advantage of them.

"Help Wanted" List

We are updating our handyman list. We are not asking you to donate your time. City Hall often has residents call asking if we know of somebody they can hire to do odd jobs, babysitting, driver, rake leaves, shovel snow, etc. for them. We are especially looking for people willing to clear snow from driveways. If you would like to be on our list of names to give to people, please call City Hall and let us know what type of work you can do. Thank you for those that have responded. The City does not endorse the people on the list, we simply pass the names on.

Boat Trailer and Recreational Vehicle Storage (NOW IN EFFECT)

Please remember when storing your boat to keep your registration with you. You will need to provide it to register your boat and dock space next year. We do have a recreational vehicle (RV) storage ordinance that governs where recreational vehicles may be stored after October 31st. This includes boats and boat trailers. Here are some of the requirements:

All RV’s must be placed within a completely enclosed building or located behind the required front yard setback (appx. 45' from the street) and at least three feet from the side and rear lot lines.

You cannot store an RV on vacant property.

You cannot hook up an RV to water, sewer, or electricity and they must remain unoccupied.

No more than two RV’s may be stored on one piece of property at one time. (A boat hoist is considered an RV)

RV’s may not be stored in the road right of way at any time.

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Community Center Rental

Most of you have seen the beautiful Community Center and we want it to be used more. During the summer, we had a few residents volunteer to be attendants at the Community Center for various times of the day. Because of that, anybody could drop in to play cards, games, watch TV, etc. That has slowed down for the winter, but we look forward to having it open more in the spring and summer of 2010. However, we cannot do that without your help. If you would like to volunteer as an attendant for a four-hour block of time, please contact City Hall. The attendant(s) could be an individual or a small group that would like to use the Community Center and allow others to use it as well. The following information for Sylvan Lake Crafters is an example. Please check the Community Center calendar on the Sylvan Lake website for dates and times it is open.

Community Center Virtual Tour

A virtual tour of the Community Center is available on the Sylvan Lake website as well as a list of amenities it offers.

Community Center Brochure

We are going to create a brochure to "show off" our Community Center to entice prospective renters. We want to show the many ways the building can be used. What we need to make this work are pictures from different activities that were held there. If you have good quality photos that show different ways the Community Center was decorated and used and are willing to share them, please email them to City Hall. Examples could be weddings, showers, family reunions, parties, etc.

Dead Trees

Remember that dead trees can be dangerous for not only your household, but your neighbors' as well. Dead trees allow animals to harbor within them and could fall on a house. Please take care of them properly. A permit is not required to remove the dead, diseased, or dangerous branches, trees, or shrubs. Please wait to prune back diseased trees, shrubs, and other woody-stemmed landscape plants until the frost period.

Website

Make sure you visit our website at www.sylvanlake.org for regular and current information.

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CRWC

The Clinton River Watershed Council (CRWC) is a non-profit organization to help protect and improve the health of the Clinton River. The CRWC also wants to assure that the river's natural, economical, and recreational attributes enhance the quality of life for those who are directly affected by it. The CRWC is made up of four full-time and two part-time staff along with a 15-member board of directors. They provide programs in areas of watershed management, such as Stream Leaders, Adopt-A-Stream, River Day, and Clinton Clean-Up Programs. The Clinton River, as some may know, runs through Sylvan Lake. Click here to learn how the CRWC has such an impact on Sylvan Lake.

Clinton River Trail

Trail enthusiasts are encouraged to volunteer their time to help clean, trim, and maintain the Trail. We are looking for a list of people willing to help in the late winter to trim trees and bushes (prior to leaves growing). Later in the spring, we will conduct a trail cleanup. If you are willing to help, please call or email City Hall with your contact information. You will be notified with cleanup dates. We thank those that regularly volunteer to beautify the trail.

Clinton River Trail Website

The old railroad that is now a trail that goes through Sylvan Lake is part of the Clinton River Trail system. For all of you trail users and enthusiasts, the Clinton River Trail's website is full of news and updated features. It is updated by the Friends of Clinton River Trail (FCRT). Thanks to John Hensler, and FCRT member, the website is getting better and better. For any words of appreciation or any suggestions, please contact John at john@sunkenanchor.com

Sylvan Lake History

We would greatly appreciate any assistance you could offer to expand this important and interesting section of the newsletter. We are looking for any interesting articles relating to the City's history. We are also looking for photos relating to the City, such as:

the Oakland County Boat Club,

Memorial or Veterans Park,

Ferndale Park,

the beach on Lakeview,

the Interurban,

City Hall,

Free Press Fresh Air Camp,

the Community Center, and

the Daniel Whitfield School.

Family photos and any and all events around Sylvan Lake will also be accepted and reviewed. Please label your photos and bring them to City Hall. They will be scanned and returned promptly. There are also two City Council Meeting Minute books missing. The book that dates before 1928 is the first City Council book. It would be interesting to read about how Sylvan Lake became a Village. Another missing book is for the years from 1946 to 1950, when Sylvan Lake became a City. Please look around your home for these missing books and return them to City Hall.

Oakland County Boat Club

The Oakland County Boat Club was started by seventeen men in 1912. They held monthly meetings at their homes until 1916 when the present clubhouse was built. Community meetings for the Sylvan Lake City Council and the Garden Club were frequently held at the Boat Club. The Club was built on pilings and had boat wells under the structure. In the 1930’s, the clubhouse was moved back seventy feet to the present location.

Power boats dominated the Club until World War II when sailboats took over with the fuel restrictions. Every Sunday morning in the summer, a canon would fire signaling a sailing race. The boat club had 19 members in the Armed Services at this time. After the war, the Club returned to their annual power boat regatta and had one or two every year up to the present time. They also sponsor the annual fireworks display along with the City.

These photos were taken in 1949. We are looking for someone to take or has taken photos in 2010 from the same vantage points.

Special Thanks/Kudos

Darby Hansen, Jim Smith, Nancy Hunger and her dog Otto, and Don and Fran Hines for making the Clinton River Trail look amazing for the up and coming seasons!

Project Updates

Community Programs



Fur-e-tails Newsletter

A new electronic newsletter for pet lovers, fur-e-tails, has been launched by Sylvan Lake resident Linda Wasche. Every monthly issue contains information and news covering all topics ranging from pet care and nutrition to the latest in pet products and pet lover events. For your FREE subscription contact editor-fur-e-tails@oaklandpetfund.org. All proceeds from fur-e-tails advertising will go to benefit Oakland pet fund, bringing the No-More-Homeless Pets movement to Oakland County.

Cat Adoption

If you would like to read some information about adopting a cat or kitten, click here.

Prevent Littering

Pet Supplies Plus of Bloomfield Hills is encouraging pet owners to be kind to the planet and prevent littering by getting their dogs and cats spayed and neutered. Pet owners can prepay from April 1st to April 16th to have their pet spayed or neutered on April 17th for only $50 for dogs and $30 for cats. Pet Supplies Plus is at 2057 Telegraph Road, north of Square Lake Road.



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We want and need your input. It is very important to help keep our newsletter different and exciting each month.

Would you like to let your neighbors know more about what your committee is up to? Or maybe you have news and information you would like to share, such as family announcements, recipes, decorating ideas, or crafts. We invite you to submit content that you think your neighbors will want to know about.   We will include information as space allows. All submissions must follow the Newsletter Guidelines for Outside Submissions at the end of this newsletter.

Please encourage neighbors who have not signed up for this newsletter to do so. While those not on our email list will receive a print version of the newsletter, it will be in black and white, only contain basic information, and they will not receive our reminders and updates.

We need your photographs!

If you have any photos related to the City that you would like to share, please forward them following the guidelines in this newsletter. The photos can be from a special event, sunset, or just a "nature" photo. Click on "Newsletter Guidelines for Outside Submissions" above to see how to do it.

And don't forget to visit the Sylvan lake Website.

-- John Martin, City Manager

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Newsletter Guidelines for Outside Submissions

The City of Sylvan Lake welcomes articles, news and updates from members of the community. Such information should be relevant to Sylvan Lake, to its residents and to living in the community. The editor reserves the right to accept or reject any such information. All such information will also be edited for style and space.

In submitting information, please follow the guidelines below.

Submit your information, preferably in electronic form, to:

Newsletter Editor

Sylvanlakenmailto:Sylvanlakenewsletter@gmail.com

248-682-1440

1. Articles and updates

Limit articles, updates and other information to no more than 200 words. Such items must be written from the perspective of an outside objective third party. We do NOT accept editorials or opinion pieces. Let readers know where they can go for more information, where appropriate, by including a phone number, email address or website. Also, be sure to include your contact information in case we have questions.

2. News releases

We welcome news releases on upcoming events and programs, but cannot run releases in their entirety due to space limitations. Be sure to include contact information.

3. Photos

Color photos are welcome IF THEY ACCOMPANY ABOVE DESCRIBED NEWS OR INFORMATION. All photos MUST be in ELECTRONIC format as a .gif or .jpg. If photos include human subjects, be sure you have their permission to submit the photo. Be sure to include a caption explaining what is in the photo as well as a name and contact information for the person submitting the photo. If a photo was taken by someone other the person submitting it, you will need his or her written permission to allow us to use the photo.

4. Deadlines

Information for the newsletter is due as follows:

The 12^th of the month preceding the issue (For example, information for the December issue would be due November 12th and so on.)

Sylvan Lake Spotlight

Sylvan Lake Spotlight is published by the City of Sylvan Lake, 1820 Inverness, Sylvan Lake, MI 48320. Resident news and information are welcome, but must follow newsletter editorial guidelines. To request a copy of the Editorial Guidelines, contact City Manager John Martin at martinsylvanlk@comcast.net.

In the future, Advertising may be accepted from residents and local businesses. Please watch future newsletters to obtain advertising rate information, or to place an ad in the Community Service Directory or Classified Advertising section..

LEGAL NOTICE: This email may be considered an advertising or promotional message. If you no longer wish to receive this email, please unsubscribe using the link found at the top of this newsletter. Views expressed or implied herein are not necessarily those of the City of Sylvan Lake, City Council or its affiliates.

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