The Ann Arbor Chronicle

Ann Arbor OKs Accounting Help

At its Feb. 21, 2012 meeting, the Ann Arbor city council approved an amendment to an existing employee contract for extra help in the financial services area as the city heads into peak season for preparations to finalize the fiscal year 2013 budget. FY 2013 begins on July 1, 2012.

The existing contract with Diane Koski started May 2, 2011 for $23,400. The amendment extends the contract for an additional $15,600 for a total of $39,000. She is paid for actual hours worked at a rate of $15 per hour. The staff memo accompanying the resolution indicates that the financial services unit needs the extra assistance due to a resignation in accounting services.

This brief was filed from the city council’s chambers on the second floor of city hall, located at 301 E. Huron. A more detailed report will follow: [link] [Full Story]

AATA, CEO Candidate Start Talks

Word cloud based on interview questions and answers from Michael Ford's third interview. The cloud was generated by www.wordle.net. (Image links to higher resolution file.)

AATA Board meeting (April 22, 2009): In their deliberations Wednesday evening, the AATA board assessed CEO candidate Michael Ford’s interview responses as “mushy” and not as “crisp” as they’d ideally prefer, with board chair David Nacht describing Ford’s communicative style as “modern management parlance.”

So often was the word “crisp” invoked that Thomas Partridge, who spoke at the conclusion of the meeting during public commentary, gave one of his standard talking points a little extra flourish: He asked the board to articulate a vision for expanded countywide service “in the same crisp language” that they expected from their next CEO.

In fact, it appears that the next CEO of the AATA will be Michael Ford. The board looked past a lack of crispness in his interview answers and voted unanimously to make him an offer and enter into negotiations. Assuming the two sides can reach an agreement, Ford might be able to take over the reigns of the AATA relatively quickly. Ford operates his own consulting firm, MG Ford Consulting, and there would be no coordination with a current employer to consider.

In other business, the board (i) heard a report from their auditor (who was roundly lambasted by board chair Nacht), (ii) got an update from their own financial staff (AATA is on course to keep its current year’s budget balanced), (iii) passed a resolution to charge the full cost of service for its purchase-of-service (POS) contracts, thus increasing the cost to municipalities like Ypsilanti by roughly 30% by 2012, and (iv) gave support only in concept for Ann Arbor’s Transportation Plan Update. [Full Story]

Civic News Ticker

Brown Recommended for N. Main Group

At its May 23, 2012 meeting, the Ann Arbor public art commission (AAPAC) unanimously recommended that Connie Rizzolo Brown be nominated for a position on a task force to study the corridor along North Main Street and the Huron River. That recommendation will be forwarded to mayor John Hieftje.

The task force was established by the city council at its May 7, 2012 meeting, with membership to include the following: one member of the park advisory commission, one member of the planning commission, one resident representing the Water Hill neighborhood, one resident representing the North Central neighborhood, one resident from the Old Fourth Ward, one resident representing the Broadway/Pontiac neighborhood, two business and property owners from the affected area, and one member of the Huron River Watershed Council.

At its May 21 meeting, the two sponsors of the resolution that created the task force – Ward 1 councilmembers Sabra Briere and Sandi Smith – proposed adding three additional representatives: a member of the city council, someone from the boating/fishing community of river users, a representative from the Huron River Citizens Association. Tony Derezinski (Ward 2), who also serves on AAPAC, then proposed an amendment to add an AAPAC member to the task force. The AAPAC addition was passed by council on a 6-5 vote. [See Chronicle coverage: "Positions Added to North Main Task Force"] Appointments are expected to be made at the council’s June 4 meeting.

At AAPAC’s May 23 meeting, Derezinski told commissioners that “basically, we need someone at the table.”

The task force is charged with delivering a report to the city council more than a year from now – by July 31, 2013 – that describes “a vision to create/complete/enhance pedestrian and bike connection from downtown to Bandemer and Huron River Drive, increase public access to the river-side amenities of existing parks in the North Main-Huron River corridor, ease traffic congestion at Main and Depot at certain times of a day and recommend use of MichCon property at Broadway; …”

Earlier than that – by the end of 2012 – the task force is to make recommendations on the use of the city-owned 721 N. Main parcel.

Brown has served on AAPAC since early 2009, and has chaired the commission’s projects committee. She is a principal of Rizzolo Brown Studio, an Ann Arbor architecture firm.

This brief was filed from the basement conference room of city hall at 301 E. Huron, where AAPAC held its meeting. A more detailed report will follow.

Annexation Rezonings Get Final OK

Water, Sewer Rate Bumps Get Initial OK

Ann Arbor Accepts Sustainability Grant

Allen Creek Preschool Site Plan OK’d

Positions Added to North Main Task Force

Council Gives Initial OK for Sidewalk Repair Law

Old Media Watch

A2: Race for the Cure

The Detroit News published a column by Jenn McKee, entertainment writer for AnnArbor.com, about why she’s not participating in Saturday’s Race for the Cure, a fundraiser for the Susan G. Komen Foundation: ”This past February, when news broke about the Susan G. Komen Foundation’s decision to pull grants from Planned Parenthood – grants that fund breast cancer screenings for low-income women – I felt angry, betrayed and disappointed by an organization I’d supported for years. Even though Komen eventually reversed its decision, after days of heated debate and pushback, I didn’t feel elated about, or even satisfied with, the reversal. Not because I suspected that the fight wasn’t over for good but because I lost my innocence regarding an organization that has had great personal meaning for me.” [Source]

Scio: Camp Take Notice

Pittsfield Twp.: Plane Crash

A2: Restaurant Review

Serious Eats reviews the burgers and patty melts at Zingerman’s Roadhouse. The reviewer praises both, but writes: “As good as the burger was, the gut-busting patty melt was better. …The thick slices of rye bread, which naturally comes from Zingerman’s Bakehouse, is simply the best I’ve ever had the pleasure of eating. It’s loaded with flavor, has a particularly thick and chewy crust around a soft interior, and will make virtually any sandwich ever invented taste better. The mountain of grilled onions and wild mushrooms add a sweet and juicy umami bomb to the patty melt, and the baby Swiss from Deppeler Cheese Factory in Monroe, Wisconsin, brings a nice coating of creaminess.” [Source]

Washtenaw: Skunk Rabies

A2: Music

A2-Ypsi: May 8 Election

Coordinated Funding Clarified

An article about the May 16, 2012 meeting of the Washtenaw County board of commissioners included a mention of the coordinated funding model – a partnership of the county, city of Ann Arbor, United Way of Washtenaw County, Washtenaw Urban County, and Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation. We clarify here that the funds are not “pooled” together in a way that makes it impossible to associate funding from a particular agency with a particular nonprofit. Rather, the coordinated funding model allows for each of the funding partners to make specific allocations to specific nonprofits, at the discretion of the funding partner. We note the clarification here, and have changed the wording of the original article.

His Name is Ralph

2008 Ward 5 Was Hohnke vs. Floyd

UM Parking Structure: 700 Spaces

Current 618 S. Main Proposal Clarified

Name Spelled Wrong

City Council Approval Not Required