Highland Park Business Association

First African American Hired by Ford Motor Company

William Perry In February 1914, William Perry went to the Ford Motor Company automobile plant in Highland Park, Michigan. The 61-year-old African-American bricklayer had developed a heart condition and could no longer continue working at his trade. In an era before Social Security and retirement plans, Perry needed a job to support himself and his family. When Perry arrived at the Highland Park Plant, he asked to speak to Henry Ford.

After being under three successive state-appointed emergency financial managers since June 2001, the state has given control of Highland Park's finances back to city officials -- but with conditions and state monitoring. Advertisement

The city is still under a financial emergency and will continue to be until the states Local Emergency Financial Assistance Loan Board makes a recommendation to Gov. Jennifer Granholm that it be lifted.

"This is just another step in the process of returning complete control to local officials," said Caleb Buhs, a spokesman for the state Treasury Department.

The 90-day contract with financial manager Robert Mason ended Friday.

Before departing, Mason issued a directive that city officials are expected to follow through July 17, 2010, or risk having another financial manager appointed.

The order calls for:

� Giving the Treasury Department monthly cash flow reports that will be reconciled with bank statements.

� Providing monthly reports for amounts more than $5,000.

� Submitting monthly copies of all payment records.

� Keeping the state informed as to how it will resolve a $3.3-million debt to DTE Energy.

Gov. John Engler appointed the first emergency financial manager in June 2001, after the city fell behind in pension fund payments and had a deficit of $3.5 million.

Over the years, two others managers have overseen the citys finances, making cuts, closing the citys library and contracting police service. Arthur Blackwell II was appointed the emergency manager in March 2005. The state fired him after he was accused of overpaying himself more than $260,000.

4th Annual Golf Outing

This years event will be held on

Thursday, June 18, 2009,
at the well-manicured Rogell Golf Course in Detroit.

Registration begins at 12:00 p.m., with tee-off at 1:00 pm.

The event will help raise funds to provide college scholarships for Highland Park High School Students.

Please return the pre-registration form by fax
(313) 736-5260 or by mail to:

HPBA
P.O. Box 3627

Highland Park, MI 48203

New Leader In Highland Park

Highland Parks state-appointed leader said his main objective is to help the city return to local control.
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But Robert Mason, the citys new emergency financial manager, has uncovered a few financial problems that appear to complicate the process. The city owes $3.2 million in overdue lighting bills to DTE Energy, $4.4 million in sewerage costs to Detroit and more than $1 million to the Wayne County Sheriffs Office, which previously provided law enforcement to the city, Mason said.

While acknowledging that those expenses present a challenge, Mason said he remains "cautiously optimistic" that the city will be ready for a return to local control by the time his three-month term ends in July. "Thats my driving factor," he said.

Mason, a former Chrysler executive for strategic planning who served on the Farmington Hills City Council last year, was named April 17 to replace Arthur Blackwell II, who state officials said improperly paid himself $264,000. Blackwell, who has denied wrongdoing, is being investigated by the Wayne County Prosecutors Office.

State and local officials agree that the city is in better shape than when Gov. John Engler appointed Ramona Henderson Pearson the emergency financial manager in 2001. The 2.9-square-mile city was struggling with declining population, an underfunded pension system and a debt that was more than twice as high as the $6.5 million estimate at the time.

Caleb Buhs, a spokesman for the state Department of Treasury, said the citys financial picture has improved enough that the three-month term given to Mason was appropriate. The state, however, can opt to extend the term if need be.

Highland Park officials have been eager to regain control of the city, and Mason has tried to put them at ease.

"I do not believe you can have an eight-year emergency," Mason said during the April 20 City Council meeting that served as his introduction to most of the city.

Local officials insist they are ready to take over and had expected to do so beginning this month. "Our financial emergency is over," said Councilwoman Isabella Thompson, citing progress made during Blackwells 4-year tenure.

Thompson credited Blackwell with shoring up the citys pension system and helping to clean up blight.

"We accomplished a great deal with him," she said.

Opportunities for Involvement

The opportunity for involvement as a Highland Park Business Association member are endless. Members can become active in one or more of the committees, volunteer on an ad hoc basis as needs arise, or simply attend the luncheon networking events and meetings - whatever your schedule allows. At any rate, members of the HPBA have the satisfaction of knowing they are contributing to a great cause.

The HPBA Committee Structure is as follows:

Executive Committee

Purpose: To regularly assess the organization's activities and progress consistency with goals and objectives and the long-term direction of the organization.

Business Planning

Purpose: To promote exisiting and attract new business.

Membership

Purpose: To recruit and retain membership, and plan quarterly luncheon meetings and networking events.

Marketing

Purpose: To promote the organization and its activities to other businesses and the community as a whole.

Public Safety

Purpose: To support exisiting police force to more adequately protect local businesses from crime.

Fundraising

Purpose: To identify and organize appropiate fundraising activities, including grant opportunities, to support HPBA programs.

Benefits of Membership

There are many benefits with joining HPBA.

Membership keeps you apprised of activity and opportunity within the city.
Network with other businesses, organizations and religous institutions.
Support and benefit from public safety and beautification efforts impacting local businesses.
Gain business referrals.
Make an immediate and positive impact in the community.
Be a contributor to nonprofit organizations through the HPBA to improve the quality of life in the area.
Enjoy access to local, atate and county government officials.
Keep insurance rates down by participating with the law enforcement community on strategies to reduce premiums.
Increase your exposure with a link on the HPBA Web site.

Highland Park 1920 - Conclusion

By the early twenties relatively high wages, immigration, a post-war agricultural depression that sent more workers to the cities and stabilized auto production combined to provide Detroit auto makers with a steady supply of labor. In the process, Southeastern Michigan became one of the nation’s most ethnically rich communities as well as one of its most prosperous.

Highland Park 1920 - Problems

The ability of the mass production techniques to profitably employ this vast and largely unskilled workforce was both one of its greatest achievements and greatest failures. Despite the obvious production advantages of the assembly line, the resulting work was mind-numbingly dull to the individual. One employee wrote that "workers cease to be human beings as soon as they enter the gates of the shop. They become automatons and cease to think. They move their arms spontaneously to and fro, stopping long enough to eat in order to keep the human machinery in working order for the next four hours of exploitation...Many healthy workers have gone to work for Ford and come out human wrecks."

Highland Park 1920 - Technology

The incredible production figures of the automobile industry were made possible by the radical changes in manufacturing techniques pioneered at Ford’s Highland Park Assembly Plant. The principle features of that system were strict labor management practices, the breakdown of the production process into ever smaller and simpler tasks, the use of specialized tools, and the moving assembly line. Without these critical changes, the automobile would have been out of reach for the vast majority of Americans.
In 1910, automobiles were constructed primarily by skilled craftsmen.

Highland Park 1920 - Community

By establishing the Highland Park plant, Ford helped to create the city of Highland Park. A contemporary newspaper account related,