BIZ

What’s The Biz -- March 2010 1

What’s the

March 2010 Vol. 5 # 3

Oxford Area’s Monthly Business News & Info

Representatives from Oxford headed down to Pontiac Feb. 18 for a pep rally cel-
ebrating the 10th anniversary of Main Street Oakland County and the fact that nine
communities, of which Oxford was one, were officially certified as Accredited Main
Street communities. See story on Page 5. Photo provided.
2 What’s The Biz -- March 2010
Group offers advice, assistance to job-seekers
By C.J. Carnacchio
Biz Editor
In these tough economic times, there’s
only one thing worse than searching for a
job and that’s feeling like it’s you against the
whole world, like nobody else understands
what you’re going through or even cares.
But the truth is, you’re not alone and there
are people who not only understand, but also
want to help you.
That’s why the North Oakland County af-
filiate of Love In the Name of Christ (Love
INC) has joined forces with churches in the
Oxford-Orion area to create an employment
networking and career guidance program
called Transitions.
The faith-based, volunteer-run assistance
group is open all local individuals who have
found themselves jobless during these diffi-
cult times and are seeking advice and assis-
tance in their search for employment.
Transitions meets every Friday morning
at the Oxford United Methodist Church (21
E. Burdick St.). Meetings will start promptly
at 9 a.m. and conclude no later than 10:30
a.m.
“I think it will be a tremendous benefit to
people in this time when there’s so many
people looking and so few jobs,” said Jeff
Davidson, former president and Chief Execu-
tive Officer of Oxford Bank, who will serve as
the group’s moderator.
Davidson knows what it feels like to be
searching in this job market because he’s in
the same boat as many others.
“I’m unemployed, too,” he said.
After 24 years with the bank, including
five years as president and CEO, Davidson
and the local financial institution parted ways
in late May 2009. Nearly eight months later,
he’s still searching for a new position.
“I haven’t been without of a job since I
was 15 years old,” he said. “I started working
summers at Oxford Hills while I was in high
school.”
After many years of reading countless re-
sumes and interviewing a multitude of people
at the bank, Davidson believes he can be a
real resource to others as Transitions’ mod-
erator.
“I think I have the expertise to be able to
help people and it will help me stay focused
on my own job search,” he said. “It’s about
sharing. And my job is really not to critique
people, but to help them.”
Davidson attended a similar employment
assistance program in Rochester and is ex-
cited about doing one here. “I found my vis-
its to the Rochester group to be helpful and
if I can share some of that with other people,
we’re all better off for it,” he said.
He found the “give-and-take” between the
Rochester members to be invaluable.
One gentleman discussed his experiences
of knocking on doors and asking to speak
with the person in charge of hiring.
“He said it was amazing the success he
was having by showing up at an employer’s
door,” Davidson said. “His success rate at
getting a short visit with them was intrigu-
ing.”
The group also offered networking op-
portunities as members shared contact infor-
mation for people they knew at various com-
panies. “I think it will be a tremendous
Although he found the exchange of job
search techniques and contact information benefit to people in this time
most helpful, Davidson said the best part of when there’s so many people
the group was being with other people who
“are working hard towards the same end.” looking and so few jobs.”
“It makes you feel like you’re not all by – Transitions moderator Jeff Davidson
yourself,” he said. “You’re not sitting at home,
in front of the computer, feeling bad, feeling
like you’re spinning your tires.”
In addition to group discussions that will
involve sharing ideas, advice, information,
experiences and feelings, Davidson said Tran-
sitions will help its members by having vol-
unteers and outside experts do things like
conduct mock job interviews, help write re- Jeff Davidson (left), moderator of Transitions, and Rev. Doug McMunn, pastor
sumes and cover letters, and look over exist- of Oxford United Methodist Church, are ready to support and aid those seek-
ing resumes. ing jobs in this tough economy. Photo by C.J. Carnacchio.
“My goal to bring in Human Resources
experts to tell people what to expect in an
interview these days,” he said. Potential vol- North Oakland Dental Group
unteers are always welcome to stop in dur-
ing meetings and offer their services.
Davidson would also like to bring in coun-
selors from time-to-time to help members over-
come feelings of being “odd or alone.”
“They can tell them the emotions you are
feeling are normal,” he said. “These are the
things you should expect to feel.”
Area pastors, such as OUMC’s Doug
McMunn, will take part in the weekly group
on a rotating basis. They will offer spiritual
guidance and support to all.
“We’ll always have one present from one
of the churches,” Davidson said. “For me,
my pastor and my faith has been a tremen-
dous support mechanism.”
Although Transitions meetings are ex-
pected to be informal affairs, the group will • Comfortable Family Care • At Home and In-Office
have one hard and fast rule. • Warm Friendly Staff ZOOM® WHITENING
“If a member lands a job between one meet- • Cosmetic Dentistry • Join Us In Our
ing and the next, they have to show up with • Make Over Consultations Newly Remodeled Office Today
coffee and doughnuts for everyone at the • Most Insurances Accepted • Quality Care In Our Community
next meeting,” Davidson said. Since 1981
For more information about Transitions, I-69 Exit #155
DOWNTOWN
visit www.oumc.us or call (248) 628-1289. OXFORD
“If you are reading this and happen to be 830 S. Lapeer 830 South Lapeer, Oxford
an employer, or if you know of open posi-
Drahner Rd.
tions within your company, please call the
LAKE ORION
church office and share your contact infor-
I-75
mation with us,” Davidson added. Exit
81
www.northoaklanddentalgroup.com

No will – now what?
Perhaps the best counsel a lawyer can give
is to maintain an up-to-date estate plan and
to discuss those documents’ content and
location with loved ones. Estate planning is
one of the most important steps any person
can take to make sure that their final property
and health care wishes are honored, and that
loved ones are provided for in their absence.
However, most people die without even a
simple will or “intestate”.
If a deceased person
owned no property titled in
his or her name alone, then
there is no property to ad-
minister and no need for
“probate” or court admin-
istration of a deceased
person’s estate. However,
cars, houses, bank ac-
counts, stocks, bonds, etc.
Phillip Maxwell that were in only the
deceased’s name will require the opening of
a probate estate and their property must be
distributed in accordance with the provisions
of Michigan’s “intestate succession” law.
In Michigan, probate administration is un-
der the “jurisdiction” (authority) of the pro-
bate court, which is a
“county” court. Several
detailed forms, documents,
and “sworn statements”
must be filed with the pro-
bate court in order to open
an estate. The family of the
deceased person is not re-
quired by law to have an
attorney to open an estate.
However, most people find Molly B. Maxwell
it is much easier and faster to have an experi-
enced lawyer handle the legal paperwork in-
volved in administering an estate.
When the estate is opened, a. “Personal
Representative” will be appointed to “admin-
ister” the estate, which means sign the docu-
ments, pay the deceased’s debts and distrib-
ute the property.
The Personal Representative is granted
“Letters of Authority” that allow him or her
to sell property, access safe deposit boxes,
etc. It is the duty of the Personal Representa-
tive to first pay the debts of the deceased
out of the proceeds of the estate, including
burial expenses. Then the Personal Repre-
sentative must distribute the in strict accor-
dance with the laws of “intestate” inherit-
ance.
The term “heirs” refers to those persons
entitled to the property of the deceased un-
der the “intestate succession” law. There is a
very specific “order” in which property will
be distributed to a person’s family.
An attorney can analyze and explain to
you how the laws of “intestate” inheritance
will be applied in your specific situation.
If a family member has died without a will
our office can help make a difficult situation
a bit easier. Call our office to set up an ap-
pointment.
What’s The Biz -- March 2010 3
Are you a member of the
Phillip B. ‘Sandwich Generation?’
Maxwell
This designation — which applies to
people caring for their aging parents while
supporting their own children — may be ap-
&
plicable to you if you’re either a younger
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Basically, you should
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4 What’s The Biz -- March 2010

Good Enjoy A Michelle High,

owner of
A Familiar Taste in

Familiar downtown Oxford.

Photo by

Eats
C.J. Carnacchio.

Taste for
WTB’s
Out For Lunch lunch
21 S. Washington St.,
Sit Down Oxford, 248-969-2801
Golden Dragon (Chinese)
Dining 32 S. Washington St.,
American Legion Post 108 Oxford, 248-628-9800
130 E. Drahner Rd. Italia Gardens (Italian)
Oxford, 248-628-9081 1076 S. Lapeer Rd.,
Big Boy - Oxford Oxford, 248-628-4112
955 S. Lapeer Rd., Thai Cuisine (Thai)
Oxford, 248-628-3841 180 S. Washington St.
Honey Tree Grille & Coney Oxford, 248-236-9205
978 N. Lapeer Rd.,
Oxford, 248-236-4161
Coney Joint
Ken’s Coney Island Country Coney
212 S. Washington St. 1040 S. Lapeer Rd.,
Oxford, 248-969-3665 Oxford, 248-628-7712
Lakeville Inn Honey Tree Grille & Coney
1318 Rochester Rd. 978 N. Lapeer Rd.
Lakeville, 248-628-4460 248-236-4161
Louie’s Food & Spirit
600 Lakeville Rd., Pizza Place
Lakeville, 248-628-2440 Cottage Inn Pizza
(The) Nugget 51 S. Washington St.
1055 S. Lapeer Rd
Oxford, 248-628-2503
Ox Bar and Grill
Oxford, 248-628-9500
Guido’s Premium Pizza
1396 S. Lapeer Rd.,
Downtown eatery offers delicious homecooking
22 S. Washington St. Oxford, 248-969-2111
248-628-1400 Isola’s Pizzeria & Restaurant
Wouldn’t it be great to enjoy home- grandmother’s back in the kitchen cooking A Familiar Taste offers Chicken & Dump-
Oxford Hills Golf Club 80 N. Rochester Rd. cooking on your lunch hour without up a storm just for you. ling, Red Beans and Rice, Turkey Black Bean,
(Seasonal) Addison Twp., 586-752-3585 having to spend your precious time in From chicken and tuna salad to corned beef Mac & Cheese, Corn Chowder, Clam Chow-
300 E. Drahner Rd. Jet’s Pizza the kitchen? and smoked turkey, there’s something to suit der and Red Chicken Chili.
Oxford, 248-628-2518 204 S. Washington St. Well, downtown Oxford’s new res- every taste. All soups come with freshmade cornbread
Oxford Tap Oxford, 248-969-5387
5 S. Washington St. Little Caesar’s Pizza taurant, A Familiar Taste, has got you The Zippy BLT sounds good to us. Ba- and the selection changes daily.
Oxford, 248-236-0380 89 W. Burdick St., covered. con, mayo, spring mix, tomato, red onions, A Familiar Taste is open Monday through
Red Knapp’s American Grill Oxford, 248-628-6302 Located at 33 N. Washington St., the salt and pepper, all for $5.95. Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and on Saturday
2 N. Washington St.,
Oxford, 248-628-1200 Fast Food eatery offered a fantastic selection of
homemade sandwiches, soups and sal-
Given winter’s far from over, how about a
nice, piping-hot bowl of soup to fight off the
from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.
For more information, call (248) 572-6333.
24th Street Tavern Burger King
13 S. Washington St 583 S. Lapeer Rd. ads that will make you think your gray skies and wet snow? – Biz Editor C.J. Carnacchio
Oxford, 248-628-1217 Oxford, 248-628-3636
Tami’s Grill Dairy Queen
1386 S. Lapeer Rd.
Oxford, 248-236-0900
Victoria’s Delights
Oxford, 248-628-3690
McDonald’s
280 N. Washington St.
Forget ham and cheese – try a veggie sandwich
12 S. Washington St. Oxford, 248-628-2780 Make a spread out of the follow- bread. Place finely shredded purple cabbage
Oxford, 248-969-3477 Subway Sandwiches ing ingredients and place on a thick Place well drained sauerkraut, Dijon mus- and shredded carrots in a bowl and mix with
‘Wiches 95 W. Burdick St. slice of whole-wheat bread. Natural tard & Swiss cheese on a thick slice of rye plain yogurt, crumbled blue cheese & lemon
40 N. Washington St. Oxford, 248-969-6920
Oxford, 248-572-4790 Uncle Boomba’s Mr. Pita/
peanut butter, honey, wheat bread and broil until the cheese is juice.
germ & brewers yeast. melted. Spread on thickly sliced bread and top
Ethnic Dairy Queen
1010 S. Lapeer Rd., Spread cream cheese Cover a thick slice of rye bread with with alfalfa sprouts.
Casa Real (Mexican) Oxford, 248-969-2222 over raisin bread and top spicy mustard, horseradish, provolone Spread cream cheese over thickly sliced
with chopped dates, roasted & coleslaw. bread and cover with avocado slices, thinly
walnuts & apple slices. Saute’ bell peppers and onions with sliced tomatoes & alfalfa sprouts.
Restaurant managers Finely dice water chest-
nuts, spinach, toasted al-
Italian, Mexican, Greek or Indian
spices, until soft. Place on bread and
Cover bread with Russian dressing,
Havarti cheese, coleslaw, tomato slices &
-- call us if you would like to monds & peeled cucumbers. top with grated, Parmesan, pepper red onion slices.
have a menu item featured! Mix with cream cheese and Mary Forte jack, feta or cheddar cheese, and broil Mary Forte is an Oxford Village Resi-
248-628-4801 spread on your favorite until cheese is melted. dent.
 Hello Main Street!
Always abuzz with traffic and activity, downtown Oxford is once again an
accredited Main Street community. Photo by C.J. Carnacchio.
Downtown program regains national accreditation
By C.J. Carnacchio
Biz Editor
Downtown Oxford has once again been
certified as a Nationally Accredited Main
Street community.
“Basically, what it means is they’re one of
the better managed downtowns in Oakland
County, in Michigan and in the country,” said
Main Street Oakland County (MSOC) repre-
sentative Bob Donohue, Jr., who works as
the principal planner for downtown develop-
ment.
“MSOC is an economic development pro-
gram specifically targeted to provide techni-
cal assistance to the traditional downtowns
in the county.
Oxford scored a perfect 10 out of 10 dur-
ing the annual year-end assessment con-
ducted by MSOC.
“It was a very good year,” said Donohue,
noting the assessment is “a checkup to make
sure they’re doing everything they can to
manage the downtown as best they can.”
Oxford became an official Main Street com- projects – like they did some parking lot im- became official when it was approved by the
munity in 2004 and received national accredi- provements. . .They’re getting more people National Trust for Historic Preservation.
tation in 2006 and 2007. involved on the committees. They really value Founded in 1980, the National Trust’s
However, in 2008 and 2009, the downtown the public’s opinion.” Main Street Center’s Four Point Approach –
didn’t receive the necessary points to retain “I just think they’re doing a great job over- organization, design, promotion and eco-
the title. all,” Donohue added. nomic restructuring – has been successfully
F o r t u n a t e l y , “You can definitely see signs of Donohue gave utilized in more than 2,000 downtowns in 40
things have changed. progress throughout Oxford. much of the credit to states.
“I think there’s DDA Executive Direc- According to Donohue, being a Nation-
closer cooperation There’s a very low vacancy rate. tor Madonna Van ally Accredited Main Street community comes
lately with the village There have been a lot of store- Fossen. with many promotional opportunities for a
hall,” Donohue said.
“Because of politics,
front improvements. Some new done“I athink Madonna’s
great job of get-
downtown.
“We will be doing press releases and fea-
there’s no perfect situ- businesses coming in.” ting more people in- ture stories in different media outlets,” he
ation, but I think there – Bob Donohue, Main Street volved,” he said. said. “They could be potentially eligible for a
have been definite im- Oakland County “She’s out on the feature story in the National Main Street
provements made street, which is impor- News.”
over the past couple of years.” tant. You can’t be a desk jockey. You’ve got Oxford will be one of the communities rec-
“You can definitely see signs of progress to be out on the street a significant amount ognized at the National Main Street Confer-
throughout Oxford,” he continued. “There’s of time, listening to the property owners and ence in Oklahoma City May 2-5.
a very low vacancy rate. There have been a businesses. That’s something that has im- Currently, there are 11 Main Street com-
lot of storefront improvements. Some new proved with Madonna.” munities throughout Oakland County, nine
businesses coming in. New signage. Big Downtown Oxford’s 2010 accreditation of which are accredited.
6 What’s The Biz -- March 2010

Council intends to offer tax abatement to LED company

By C.J. Carnacchio
Biz Editor
It’s by no means a done deal and nothing’s for sure yet,
but a local company looking to move into the Village of Ox-
ford, expand its operations and hire hundreds of additional
employees got one step closer to obtaining the state and
local tax incentives needed to help make it all happen.
On Tuesday night, the village council voted 5-0 to ap-
prove a letter of support indicating the municipality’s intent
to offer a Public Act 198 tax abatement to Relume Technolo-
gies, a leading-manufacturer of light-emitting diode (LED)
products for outdoor lighting.
“This is exciting, new technology and I appreciate
(Relume’s) desire to come to the Village of Oxford,” said Coun-
cilman Tony Albensi. “To me, this is a no-brainer to support
this.”
Relume has not been given a tax abatement by the village
at this point. Council has merely indicated its intent to offer
one.
Village Manager Joe Young said the actual process to
apply for an abatement is “rather involved.”
“There’s a lot of paperwork to fill out and public hear-
ings,” he said.
Under P.A. 198 of 1974, local units of government have
the ability to reduce property taxes on new investment by 50
percent for manufacturers and high-tech businesses. These
abatements can provide relief on both real and personal prop-
erty taxes.
The proposed P.A. 198 abatement for Relume could trans-
late into a $241,029 savings in local property taxes over an
11-year period. Included in that total is a $79,217 (or 50 per-
cent) abatement of village taxes, which currently total 10.12
mills.
Relume’s operations are presently housed in a 35,000-
square-foot space located in Oxford Township at 925 N. Lapeer
Road, right across the street from Meijer. But Relume CEO
Mike McClear indicated the facility is inadequate to meet the
growing company’s needs.
“That building is probably not going to be suitable for
the plans that we have for expansion and so we’re actively
seeking to relocate,” he told council. “We have a number of
opportunities in Michigan, in Mexico, and also in California
to relocate the business.”
But McClear indicated Relume wants remain in Oxford.
“The support that the village has given us so far, particularly
the support that Joe (Young) has given us, has been amaz-
ing,” he said. “We would really like to stay here in Oxford.”
That’s why the company is currently negotiating to lease
a 60,000-square-foot building located at 575 S. Glaspie St.
The vacant facility used to house Saturn Electronics and
Engineering, Inc.
Relume needed a letter of support from the village, so it
can be considered for tax incentives from the state, which are
needed to make the potential relocation happen.
Relume is scheduled to be on the Michigan Economic
Growth Authority (MEGA) Board’s Feb. 25 agenda.
“In order for the MEGA Board to even consider our appli-
cation, you must have local support,” McClear said. “With-
out that local support, we would not even be in a position to
be able to make an application.”
The MEGA Board can approve a refundable tax credit for
projects that will create high-wage, high-quality jobs in Michi-
gan.
“MEGA Tax Credits are offered selectively, and benefits
are negotiated based on multiple factors including the num-
ber of jobs created, average wages of those jobs, total capi-
tal investment and the economic development assistance
provided by the local unit of government.
“The whole purpose of the MEGA Tax Credit is to provide
an incentive for businesses to either relocate to Michigan or
to stay in Michigan,” McClear explained.
“Back in late December, the Michigan Economic Devel-
opment Corporation (MEDC) sent a letter to Relume in which
the agency put forward an economic development package
of state and local tax incentives totaling up to $4.6 million.
Included was a $2.629 million MEGA Tax Credit based on
job creation.
This package was based on Relume’s estimated project
parameters, which, according to the letter, included making a
qualified capital investment of $6.6 million.
“The $6.6 (million) represents what we’re forecasting our
investment is going to be,” McClear said. “That would in-
clude property, you know, plant and equipment. That’s bro-
ken down into various types of tooling, production assem-
bly lines, things like that. That $6.6 million is what we’re
projecting that we will have to invest in order to sustain that
business.”
That investment would create at least 436 new jobs over
five years, according to the MEDC letter.
“I can say, with some certainty, that we expect to add
between 50 and 75 jobs in 2010,” McClear told council.
That includes 10-12 “high-level, professional jobs” such
as design engineers, mechanical engineers, quality engineers
and additional administrative staff. The remainder would be
production staff that earns an average of about $12.50 per
hour.

Relume donates wireless system for street lights

By C.J. Carnacchio
Biz Editor
A local company is going to give the
Village of Oxford a gift worth $50,000 and
all the community has to do in return is be a
test site for one of its new products.
On Feb. 9, the village council voted 5-0
to accept the Oxford-based Relume Tech-
nologies’ offer to install its new Sentinel
Wireless Lighting Control System free of
charge. The system will operate the down-
town area’s 78 ornamental street lights dur-
ing a 90-day test period
“Thank you for using us as your test
village,” said village President Teri Stiles.
“I think it’s terrific.”
“It would definitely be something very
good for the (village),” said Relume CEO
Mike McClear.
Transceivers will be placed in each of
the lights so as to allow them to be con-
trolled and monitored using secure, FCC-
allocated, public safety radio frequencies.
The system would either get its own fre-
quency or share one with noncritical mu-
nicipal services.
According to McClear, the Sentinel sys-
tem will allow the village to not only turn
the lights on and off, but also meter their
power, report outages and other problems,
and dim them, a feature that is presently not
available with the existing system.
“It’s a very flexible system. It’s leading-
edge technology,” said Steve Fister, of
Relume Technologies. Being able to dim the
street lights could result in a significant cost
savings for the village.
“At certain times of the night, let’s say
weekdays from midnight till 5 a.m., you could
turn them to half-power and save half the
energy during that time period, which could
be significant – literally thousands of dollars
over the year,” McClear told this reporter.
Based on an earlier survey of the village’s
street lights, assuming the lamps were
dimmed to 50 percent of their normal inten-
sity for 50 percent of the time, the municipal-
ity would save approximately $3,200 annu-
ally once the Sentinel system is installed,
according to an e-mail from McClear.
Councilman Dave Bailey asked if it would
be possible to have it where, with the push
of a button, the system is able to turn off
“every other lamp” in the middle of the night.
“The system has that capability,” Fister
said. “We can do that.”
“I think that would be so cool,” Bailey
replied. “It’s just so much of a waste at 3 a.m.
to have all those lights on. You could prob-
ably get away with one quarter of them on at
that time because there’s no traffic, no pe-
destrians crossing the street.”
Oxford would be one of two test commu-
nities for the Sentinel system. The other is
Ann Arbor. “We’re at the point that we’d like
to do Beta testing, which is actually real-world
(testing); put it up on the street and see how
it performs,” Fister said.
In Oxford, Relume will test how the Senti-
nel system works controlling high intensity
discharge (HID) street lights, which is a
catchall term for traditional lamps such as
metal halide, high-pressure sodium and mer-
cury vapor.
“This will be the first community in the
world that has this fully-wireless control sys-
tem to control their HID lights,” McClear said.
In Ann Arbor, Relume will test how the
Sentinel system performs operating 50 of the
city’s light-emitting diode (LED) street lights,
previously installed by the Oxford company.
According to McClear, the test period in
Oxford should last about 90 days. The target
date for installation of the Sentinel system is
April 1 and it would take about a week to do.
Once the three-month test period is over,
the village gets to keep the system – valued
at a little more than $50,000 – free of charge.
“We don’t have any plans of taking it
down,” McClear told this reporter.
Should the village ever convert its down-
town street lights to LED fixtures, McClear
said the Sentinel system can be easily up-
graded to accommodate the change.
Unfortunately, the village was recently
notified that its application was rejected for
a $90,000 Energy Efficiency and Conserva-
tion Block Grant to upgrade its 78 down-
town street lights to LED fixtures controlled
by a wireless system.
However, council voted 3-2 Feb. 9 to ap-
ply for an Urban Revitalization 3.0 grant to
pay for just the 78 LED lights.
If received, the grant would mean
$25,000 for the project, but require $35,000
in matching funds from the village.
As part of their approval, council plans
to ask the Downtown Development Author-
ity to participate in the funding.
The grant normally requires a 50/50 lo-
cal match, but because the process is very
competitive and there’s only $400,000 avail-
able, the village opted to raise its match by
$10,000 – making its contribution 58 per-
cent – in the hopes of increasing the prob-
ability of being awarded the money.
McClear indicated converting the
village’s 78 street lights to LED would save
approximately $8,200 annually not includ-
ing savings from the Sentinel system.

Lights, camera, Oxford!
Downtown house becomes film location
By C.J. Carnacchio
Biz Editor
On the outside, the house at 109 N. Wash-
ington St. appears to be just another vacant
space for lease along M-24.
But inside, there was something sinister
and supernatural going on. A mesmerist had
taken control of a deceased old man’s soul.
And it seemed the only thing in the world
that can stop this shady fellow is a director
yelling, “Cut!”
Downtown Oxford experienced a bit of
movie magic in late January as the Michigan-
based independent production company,
Legend of the Hawk Productions, filmed “The
Mesmer” inside the house owned by Lapeer
resident Chuck Schneider and his wife, Diane
Flis-Schneider
“It’s basically an update and rewrite of a
lesser known Edgar Allen Poe story,” said
Garden City resident Michael Sneed, who
wrote the screenplay and is directing the short
film, which he expects to be 18-20 minutes
long.
Written in 1845, the Poe story is called
“The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar.”
“When you talk to people, no one remem-
bers that one except real Poe fans,” Sneed
noted. “When people say the name Edgar
Allen Poe, that’s the first story that leaps to
my mind. That story just stuck with me all
these years. I’ve never forgotten it.”
“It’s basically the story of an old man
who’s about to die,” he explained. “This du-
bious mesmerist comes in at the last minute,
mesmerizes him and keeps control of his mind
and soul after this poor fellow’s body is no
longer functioning.”
Coined in the 19th century, mesmerism was
a pseudo-science in which hypnotic induc-
tion was believed to involve animal magne-
tism.
The process later developed into what we
know today as hypnosis.
Sneed is playing the old man while actor
George Pagocich, portrays the mesmerist, Dr.
Persaud.
According to Sneed, the story is really
about the dilemma faced by the old man’s
son John, played by Tim Oestriech. He
doesn’t believe in mesmerism, but neverthe-
less, he has some difficult choices to make.
“I don’t want to give too much of it away,”
Sneed said.
The film’s action involves three time peri-
ods – 1940s, 1990s and present day.
Sneed plans to enter the short film in fes-
tivals and competitions at the local, national
and possibly international levels.
He also hopes to have it screened at other
venues as well.
What’s The Biz -- March 2010 7
“There are a growing number of show-
ings of Michigan films at places like the Main
Art or Maple Art theaters (in Royal Oak and
Bloomfield Hills, respectively),” Sneed said.
“Some local TV stations are starting to show
Michigan work. Film in Michigan is a really
hot thing right now.”
In addition to providing the film’s loca-
tion, Flis-Schneider is providing all of the
movie’s props and serving as the set designer
and decorator.
“It’s my job to make the script come alive,”
she said.
Most of the props are owned by Flis-
Schneider with the exception of a fireplace
mantle that’s on loan from downtown’s Will-
iams Art Glass Studio (22 N. Washington St.).
This is the second film project Flis-
Schneider’s been involved with. She got bit-
ten by the movie bug back in the summer
when she rented props for a Rob Reiner movie TOP: Director Michael Sneed (left) and
called “Flipped” that was filmed in Ann Ar- Camera Operator Aaron Kluck, of
bor and downtown Manchester last summer. Metamora, discuss some technical as-
Now, Flis-Schneider wants to get into the pects of the film.
business.
RIGHT: Makeup artist Lauren Greyharrison
“I’m trying to get a union card as a set (left) prepares actress Jamie Lynn
decorator and a set designer,” she said. Boatwright for a scene. Boatwright plays
She must work a certain number of hours Virginia, a nurse in the movie.
before she can be sponsored at the union
hall. The card costs about $1,300. BOTTOM: Actress Anne Klauke, of Roches-
Once she gets her card, Flis-Schneider has ter, rehearses a scene with Sneed, who’s
also playing the dying old man in the film.
no plans to move to Hollywood.
“I’d love to work here in Michigan and I Photos by C.J. Carnacchio.
hope the industry stays here in Michigan,”
she said. “I hope our legislature continues to
support this. It’s done a wonderful job of
employing a lot of people.”
Sneed agreed.
“I know the film incentives thing is quite
the big, heated debate, but I think in our ter-
ribly depressed economy, it’s kind of hold-
ing people up a little bit,” he said.
“In addition to luring Hollywood people
and films to the state, Sneed said Michigan’s
burgeoning movie industry is helping de-
velop local talent.
“The really great thing about what’s go-
ing on in Michigan now is that there’s a lot of
good crew people coming out of the schools
and actors are getting experience,” he said.
“There’s some really good actors around
here. You don’t have to go to L.A. or New
York to find an actor.”
Besides helping her own career, Flis-
Schneider saw this film as an opportunity to
help stimulate the local economy a little bit.
“I went to all the Oxford restaurants, got
menus and put together a binder so people
working on the film can get something to eat.
I’m encouraging them to patronize our Ox-
ford restaurants.”
8 What’s The Biz -- March 2010

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 What’s The Biz -- March 2010 9

James R. Porritt, Jr.

ATTORNEY
30 Years Real Estate Experience
Protecting his, hers and theirs
Licensed Broker • Chairperson of County Bar R.E. Comm A living trust can protect both the surviving
Member American & State Bar R.E. Sections
spouse and the children of the deceased
248-693-6245 An issue that estate planners of- that protection is through a living trust.
SIMPLE WILLS Fre ten face is the protection of children The assets of the married couple
• Self directed disposition of assets Con e Init from a previous mar- would be assigned to the trust.
sul ia riage in the event of The provisions of the trust would
• Your choice of administrator tati l death of their parent. restrict the use of the assets and im-
• Your choice of Guardian for minors on
• Your choice of Trust for minors to be set up after your passing. The ability of the pose a duty to maintain that estate for
surviving spouse to the ultimate benefit of the named ‘ben-
“Avoiding Probate” does not justify the cost or inconvenience of setting up a Living Trust and maintaining it for the
rest of your life. Michigan’s unsupervised probate procedure is inexpensive, uses preprinted forms, avoids formal dissipate the estate eficiaries.’
accountings, court appearances, or approval of asset disposition. can thwart the de- Once either of the spouses passes
ceased parent’s plan away the trust becomes irrevocable.
to provide for his or The beneficiaries are to be pro-
For Sale By Owner her children. vided periodic accountings so they can
TRANSACTION Short Sales A simple will can Attorney James be assured the assets are still intact.
Procedures & Negotiations provide a modicum of R. Porritt, Jr. In the interim, the trust allows the
• Advice, preparation of Purchase Agreement, protection by including a provision iden- use of some or all of the trust assets
Mandatory Disclosures & related documents. If You Must Sell Your Home tifying the instrument as a contract be- for the continuing support and mainte-
• Coordination of financing, inspections, surveys, And Cannot Without A tween the parents to provide for their nance of the survivor.
appraisals, title work & closing Reduction In Your Mortgage respective children. The use of a living trust can pro-
Cash To New Mortgage Transaction 1/2of 1% Balance, Call For An Such a provision can afford to the vide the means of protecting both the
Seller Financed Sales 1% Appointment. affected children a right to enforce that surviving spouse and the children of the
(Land contracts, private mortgages, lease with option) contract. deceased.
A more effective means to provide
436 S. Broadway (M-24) , Suite C • Lake Orion

Liquor license transfer OK with twp.

By C.J. Carnacchio
Biz Editor
Oxford’s newest restaurant is one step
closer to opening its doors thanks to the town-
ship.
Last week, township officials voted 6-0
to recommend approval of the proposed
transfer of an escrowed Class C liquor li-
cense (with dance/entertainment permit)
from Oxford Bank to Chardonnay.
Chardonnay is a soon-to-open restaurant
located at 595 N. Lapeer Rd. and owned by
Sterling Heights resident Andy Stamevski.
“He has every intention of being suc-
cessful,” said Joseph Langlois, the Warren-
based attorney representing the 54-year-old
Stamevski. “I have no doubt he’ll be suc-
cessful and be a very positive attribute to
the community.”
Final approval of the license transfer is
up to the Michigan Liquor Control Commis-
sion.
Stamevski purchased the restaurant
building from Oxford Bank for $875,000. From
2000-08, it housed the now-defunct
Kalloway’s Restaurant and Pub.
“In addition to the loan he received from
Oxford Bank, he’s putting between probably they’re excellent,” noted the attorney, refer- ity and Stamevski, which basically states the
$250,000 to $300,000 of his own money in this ring to the Russo Bakery, a wholesale opera- liquor license will stay in the township.
venture,” Langlois noted. tion that Stamevski owns in Clinton Twp. However, township Supervisor Bill Dunn
The attorney indicated the building “is Treasurer Joe Ferrari’s main concern was noted he doesn’t believe it’s enforceable.
being remodeled right now.” that should Stamevski ever decide he no “Isn’t this basically a deal between the
“Nothing substantial, mainly cosmetics,” longer needs or wants to serve alcohol, or township and the owner? It’s probably not
he told officials. “The goal is to open up some- even sells the business, the liquor license binding. I don’t know,” he said. “I think it’s
time in March, maybe remains in the town- just an understanding between us and the
mid-March, maybe re- ship. owner that we would like to keep it here, pe-
alistically at the end of “I have no doubt he’ll “When Italia Gar- riod.”
March, if everything dens came in, they had Ferrari indicated that technically, under
goes well.” be successful and be a to get a fresh license state law, liquor licenses can be transferred
Stamevski plans to
offer family dining on very positive attribute from us because the old
owner sold that one to
anywhere in the county. The agreement is
merely stating, for the record, that the prefer-
the main floor, use the
lower floor for enter-
to the community.” Novi Fondue,” he ex-
plained. “We lost a li-
ence is to keep Chardonnay’s license here.
Langlois indicated neither he nor his cli-
tainment such as – Attorney Joseph Langlois, referring quor license in our com- ent have any issues with the agreement and
karaoke and dancing, to the owner of Chardonnay, set to munity.” they understand the township’s position.
and create a “lounge- open sometime in March Based on the 2000 “It’s not a problem with us,” he said. “I
type atmosphere” on U.S. Census, the liquor certainly understand where the township’s
the upper floor. license quota for the township is eight and coming from. As far as we’re concerned,
When the weather’s warmer, he plans to there are currently eight licenses held in the we’re agreeable to that.”
utilize the outdoor seating area. community, which leaves no available li- “(Stamevski) has no intention of walking
Entrees will range in price from $8-15 and censes for anyone in the future who wishes away from this business or selling the license,”
the restaurant would open at 6 a.m. to serve to open a bar or restaurant. Langlois noted. “I think if he were to ever sell
breakfast, according to Langlois. Given this, the township voted 6-0 to ap- at some point in time, it would be at that loca-
“If you ever get to try his bakery goods, prove an agreement between the municipal- tion and the license would stay there.”
10 What’s The Biz -- March 2010

School district
wants to buy
Meriam bldg.
By C.J. Carnacchio
Biz Editor The Meriam building at
10 N. Washington St.
Oxford Community Schools has nixed its
plans to buy a local church to house its pre-
school programs and is instead, looking to
purchase a historic building in downtown
Oxford with the intention of moving the
district’s central administration and board of
education offices there.
During a Jan. 29 special meeting, the
school board approved the issuance of a
purchase agreement for the Meriam building
(shown right), located at 10 N. Washington
St. and owned by local builder Dave Weckle. Sister Margaret Therese (left) and Sister Virginia, both from the Dominican Sisters
When asked what the price tag is for the of Peace in Oxford, along with Tori Krans, 3½, of Oxford, pose for a photo with Dora
building, Superintendent Dr. William Skilling the Explorer at the Big Boy restaurant in Oxford. Photo provided.
replied, “I can’t share that right now because
the seller doesn’t want to divulge that in case
we don’t purchase it.”
“Once we know for sure we’re closing on
it, the seller has no problem with us disclos-
ing the price,” he said.
Due diligence will be conducted by the
district over the next 60 days to determine
whether the building, constructed in 1912, cording to the superintendent.
meets all requirements and if it will be cost- “Once the central administrators move into
effective to remodel. their new downtown digs, their old building
The district wants a “downtown pres- at 105 Pontiac St., which is a little over 8,000
ence” along M-24 because it’s beneficial from square feet, will be converted into a preschool/
a marketing standpoint. childcare center.
“Being on M-24 brings a lot more expo- Originally, the district had planned to pur-
sure to the school district,” Skilling said. “You chase the First Baptist Church of Oxford (150
have thousands of cars that drive up and Pontiac St.) for just under $1 million, then
down M-24 everyday. It gives us the ability spend another $1 million renovating the build-
to better market our school district to people ing to suit its needs. Loran S. Coffman, CPhD, RFC
driving up and down M-24 on a daily basis.” The district planned to pay for it by using
It also helps stimulate the local economy, $1.5 million from the $32.735 million bond WPS-Investments Inc.
according to the superintendent, because it approved by voters in November, then bor- Stone Pine Complex
gives district employees the opportunity to rowing an additional $500,000. 189 W. Clarkston Rd.
patronize downtown businesses when they However, after conferring with the state
Lake Orion, MI 48362
visit the central office for professional devel- on what it would take to bring the building
opment meetings.
“At lunchtime, those people are in walk-
up to code, it was determined that an addi-
tional $500,000 in renovations would be nec-
248-693-5599
ing distance to eight different restaurants in essary, bringing the total project cost up to www.WPSinvestments.com
the downtown area,” Skilling said. $2.5 million.
“The Meriam building offers plenty of “It simply got beyond our cost and means
room for the central office. The first and sec- to be able to do that project,” Skilling said.
ond floors have a combined 7,200 square feet, “It got to the point where we didn’t feel com-
plus there’s a lower level with two very large fortable borrowing $1 million with the opera-
rooms, which Skilling said would be perfect tional budget being as tight as it is. It was
for professional development sessions. just too risky for us to continue to pursue it.
“Not much remodeling work needs to be That’s why we had to look for an alternative
done outside of some cosmetic changes, ac- solution for the preschool program.”

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