May 27 | Five of the 11 Washtenaw County commissioners met to start talking about a county policy for animal control services. They are part of a task force that is scheduled to meet four additional times in the coming months. The intent is to set policy that will guide a request for proposals that the county plans to issue later this year, for its next contract to provide animal control services. Those services are currently handled by the Humane Society of Huron Valley in a contract that expires at the end of 2012. [Full Story]

May 25 | Part 1 of this May 21, 2012 Ann Arbor city council report covers the non-budget items at the meeting, which lasted until 1:30 p.m. The agenda included adding to a task force to study the North Main Street and Huron River corridor, increasing water, sewer and stormwater rates, annexations, and tweaks to the city's sidewalk repair ordinance. [Full Story]

May 25 | Though its intentions might have been noble, writes columnist John U. Bacon, "Friendship Day" at Burns Park Elementary was wrong-headed. It eschewed competition, but at the loss of everything that competition teaches: respect, fair play and good sportsmanship. "We are raising a generation of domesticated kittens," he writes. [Full Story]

May 24 | Budget issues threaded through most topics raised at the Washtenaw County board of commissioners meeting on May 16, 2012. Items included a first-quarter budget update, a vote to set the county's annual millage rate, approval of the Urban County annual plan, and updates an efforts to develop a policy for animal control services. [Full Story]

May 23 | At a combined retreat and monthly meeting held on May 16, 2012, the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority board received a number of updates on a range of service initiatives. The board also took action, approving two documents that are necessary for the possible expansion of the AATA to a countywide authority. In an environment of legislative uncertainty, the board's mood was optimistic and forward-looking, in light of some good budget news. [Full Story]

May 22 | Part 2 of The Chronicle's report on the May 16, 2012 Ann Arbor Public Schools board of education meeting focuses on two issues: starting the evaluation process for superintendent Patricia Green, and a discussion of the district's "differentiated instruction" approach. A budget discussion at this meeting was reported in a separate Chronicle article. [Full Story]

May 22 | At its May 21, 2012 meeting, the board of the Ann Arbor District Library passed a $12.183 million budget for fiscal year 2012-13, which runs from July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013. A separate vote set the millage rate at 1.55 mills, unchanged from the current rate. The board also approved a one-year space-use agreement with Friends of the Ann Arbor District Library, which operates a used bookstore at the library's downtown building. [Full Story]

May 22 | At its May 21, 2012 meeting that adjourned after 1 a.m., the Ann Arbor city council approved the city's FY 2013 budget. The amendments approved by the council included modifications that added a secretary position to the 15th District court, increased human services funding by $46,899, an added $78,000 to the Ann Arbor Housing Commission budget, and elimination of a contract with RecycleBank to administer a coupon program to encourage residents to recycle. [Full Story]

May 21 | At its May 16 committee of the whole meeting, the AAPS board of trustees gave direction to the administration on the FY 2013 budget. A final budget will come to the board at its May 23 meeting. Trustees identified $4.8 million in cuts, but still face a gap of $7 million. Teaching positions, transportation, and the Roberto Clemente Student Development Center look like they'll be mostly preserved. [Full Story]

May 19 | Chronicle editor Dave Askins previews some of the budget amendments that could be brought forward on Monday, May 21, when the Ann Arbor city council considers its FY 2013 budget. He analyzes three amendments in detail, all of which are meant to add additional firefighters. One amendment identifies recurring revenue in the form of an alternate interpretation of the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority's TIF capture. [Full Story]

May 19 | The lineup of candidates for the Washtenaw County board of commissioners primary race is changing and Democrat Eric Borregard will no longer be on the ballot for District 2. The state Bureau of Elections weighed in on a decision by county clerk Larry Kestenbaum that had allowed Borregard to change his filing paperwork after the May 15 deadline. [Full Story]

May 18 | Reflecting on his own experiences with overprotective parents of kids he coached, columnist John U. Bacon gives advice based on the wisdom of his parents, and their strategy of letting him learn life lessons on his own. [Full Story]

May 16 | Nearly a year after Ann Arbor planning commissioners were briefed on a draft report for zoning changes for Ann Arbor’s near-downtown residential neighborhoods, commissioners were presented at their May 8, 2012 working session with the final report from the R4C/R2A zoning district study advisory committee, which has been working on the issue since December 2009. [Full Story]

May 16 | At the second of two public forums, hosted by the Ann Arbor Public School on on the proposed FY 2013 budget, attendees expressed concerns about proposed reductions to staff that could increase class sizes. Another main concern was the possible disparate impact of proposed budget cuts on students who are already struggling. [Full Story]

May 16 | In his May 2012 "In it for the Money" column, David Erik Nelson reflects on a occasion in 2005 when he had the chance to shove Mitt Romney into a fountain. Romney was governor of Massachusetts at the time. Nelson and Romney attended the same private high school – Cranbrook. [Full Story]

May 14 | Ann Arbor is one of only three Michigan cities that have partisan local elections. Former Ann Arbor city attorney Bruce Laidlaw traces the history that illuminates why Ann Arbor local elections are partisan. He starts at the beginning – in 1851. That's when a special act of the Michigan legislature incorporated the city. [Full Story]

May 14 | At its May 9, 2012 meeting, the Ann Arbor Public School board heard extensive public commentary on the proposed fiscal year 2013 budget, which it needs to approve by June 30. The board heard from supporters of the Roberto Clemente Student Development Center, music camp program, as well as from Ann Arbor Open supporters – who face possible transportation cuts. Some board members were keen to get more information about possible collaboration between AAPS and the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority. [Full Story]

May 13 | Part 2 of the May 7, 2012 Ann Arbor city council meeting report includes time the council spent rehashing a debate it's had previously on public art. The discussion related to approval of a $150,000 piece of art for the new Justice Center, which had been recommended by the city's public art commission. The project was ultimately approved. Also in Part 2 is a discussion of sidewalk permits, a tax abatement for Sakti3, a roundabout at State & Ellsworth, a public hearing on the FY 2013 budget, and a landfill contract. [Full Story]

May 12 | At its May 8, 2012 meeting, the Washtenaw County parks and recreation commission authorized staff to pursue an ordinance change that would increase the amount that could be set aside for stewardship of land in the county's natural areas preservation program (NAPP). The commission also authorized two new NAPP purchases in Scio and Northfield townships, adding a total of 53 acres of protected land. [Full Story]

May 11 | At its May 7, 2012 meeting, the Ann Arbor city council discussed several parkland-related issues, including the future use of 415 W. Washington, 721 N. Main and the MichCon property near the Broadway bridges. This part of the meeting report is focused only on those parkland and open space issues. Other items are reported in a separate article. [Full Story]

May 11 | On the 40th anniversary of Title IX, columnist John U. Bacon takes a look at the early days of that transformative legislation, and how the issue of gender equity was highlighted by an unlikely "Battle of the Sexes" between Bobby Riggs and Billy Jean King. [Full Story]

May 10 | At its May 1, 2012 meeting, the Ann Arbor planning commission recommended rejecting rezoning related to a parking project for the Chalmers Place Retail Center on Washtenaw Avenue. Also rejected was a proposed revision to the city's medical marijuana zoning ordinance. Commissioners voted to postpone action on the Maple Cove Apartments & Village development, to get more information from the city's traffic engineer. [Full Story]

May 10 | Game was played Wednesday, May 9, 2012 at Bedford High School in Temperance, Mich. [Full Story]

May 9 | Concern about the possible closure of Roberto Clemente Student Development Center dominated the discussion portion of the district's first community budget forum, held Monday evening at Pioneer High School. This Chronicle report includes the set of suggestions small groups of attendees produced, along with the specific questions they'd like answered by AAPS administration. [Full Story]

May 7 | Several items of information resulted in some lengthy discussions at the May 2, 2012 meeting of the Washtenaw County board of commissioners. Chief among those was a report regarding the debt crisis in Sylvan Township. The county picked up a $175,000 interest payment on May 1 that the township couldn't afford to make. Commissioners also discussed a one-year extension to administer the Head Start program, and got an update on efforts to address how the county handles animal control services. [Full Story]

May 6 | The May 2012 adventures of Bezonki take flight for a brief moment of winged ecstasy before dashing back to Earth, where our green, scaly hero must contend with law enforcement, mysterious underwater surveillance, and the harsh judgement of history. At least, that's one interpretation. [Full Story]

May 5 | At its May 2, 2012 meeting, the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority passed a resolution directing its operations committee to explore a demand-based pricing system for monthly permit parking in Ann Arbor's public parking system. The goal of the system would be to encourage patrons to use structures farther west of the University of Michigan, instead of those immediately adjacent to campus. Board members also heard public commentary from advocates for a public plaza for the top of the new underground parking garage on South Fifth Avenue, which is set to open this summer. [Full Story]

May 3 | At its April 25 meeting, the Ann Arbor Public Schools board of trustees received a formal presentation of the administration's proposed budget for fiscal year 2013. Proposed cuts to staff and transportation received considerable discussion. Also proposed is the the combination in one physical location of two alternative high school programs. Several people addressed the board during public commentary, asking the board to preserving the Roberto Clemente Student Development Center. [Full Story]

May 3 | To write this month's local history column Laura Bien took the risk of reading a dangerous old book – one laced with arsenic. The volume, called "Shadows from the Walls of Death" consists mostly of pages of wallpaper samples with no words. It was "authored" by Civil War surgeon and University of Michigan alum Robert Kedzie. [Full Story]

May 3 | Game was played Wednesday, May 2 at Pioneer. Skyline goals: Bacon; Wegryn (2); Bollick; Hiltner; Schneider. [Full Story]