Stephanie Buttrey asks a question during a discussion at the Ann Arbor greenbelt advisory commission’s Jan. 2, 2014 meeting. Other commissioners in this photo are Peter Allen, Shannon Brines and Jean Cares. (Photos by the writer.)

Land acquisition is one topic that’s allowed as an exemption in Michigan’s Open Meetings Act, which allows a public body to meeting in a closed session. Emerging after about 30 minutes, commissioners voted to recommend that the city partner with Scio Township for the purchase of development rights on a property in that township, just west of Ann Arbor. Until properties are put on the council agenda, they are identified only by application number, not by specific location or ownership.

Also on Jan. 2, commissioners got an update on Preserve Washtenaw, a group of local governments and organizations – including the city of Ann Arbor – that are involved in long-term land preservation efforts. The goal of Preserve Washtenaw is to provide a forum for discussing how these various entities can collaborate and coordinate.

Commissioners also voted to approve GAC’s 2014 meeting schedule, and created a new committee focused on outreach. Members include John Ramsburgh, Stephanie Buttrey and Jean Cares.

No one spoke during the meeting’s two opportunities for public commentary.

Preserve Washtenaw

Ginny Trocchio, who provides staff support for the greenbelt program, gave commissioners an update on Preserve Washtenaw.

The group was formed in 2005, two years after Ann Arbor voters approved the city’s 30-year open space and parkland preservation millage, which funds the greenbelt program. Several other entities in Washtenaw County are also working on land preservation initiatives. Those include the Washtenaw County natural areas preservation and farmland preservation programs, and land preservation efforts in Ann Arbor Township, Pittsfield Township, Scio Township and Webster Township.

In addition, several land conservancies were also active in local land preservation, including the Legacy Land Conservancy, Southeast Michigan Land Conservancy, and Raisin Valley Land Trust.

The intent behind Preserve Washtenaw is to provide a forum for discussing how these various entities can collaborate and coordinate efforts, Trocchio said. The group has been meeting quarterly since 2005 and is open to any organizations and communities that are working on permanent land preservation in the county.

Preserve Washtenaw is not set up as a formal nonprofit, Trocchio explained, but it does serve as a single entry point for landowners who are looking for options to protect their land. If a landowner applies to the greenbelt program but the property is located outside of the greenbelt boundaries, for example, then the city staff shares the application with the appropriate land preservation entity, she said.

The Preserve Washtenaw website is hosted by the county, and will be updated soon. They also hope to provide an interactive map at some point to show the locations of protected land.

Preserve Washtenaw: Commission Discussion

In response to a commissioner question, Trocchio said that she typically attends the Preserve Washtenaw meetings on behalf of the city of Ann Arbor, but any greenbelt advisory commissioners would be welcome to attend.

Stephanie Buttrey asked if this was the only forum for exchanging information – she guessed that people were communicating regularly throughout the year, not just at the quarterly meetings. Trocchio confirmed that view, saying that she talks regularly with representatives from the county and other land preservation groups. But the quarterly meetings allow people to all gather at one time, she said.

There were no other questions.

Outcome: This was not a voting item.

2014 Meeting Calendar

Commissioners were asked to approve GAC’s meeting calendar for 2014. Except for the August meeting, GAC will meet on the first Thursday of each month at 4:30 p.m. In August, the meeting will be held on Aug. 14 due to a conflict with a rescheduled city council meeting. The city council typically meets on the first and third Monday of each month. But because of the primary election on Tuesday, Aug. 5, the council meeting that week will be held on Thursday, Aug. 7.

Most GAC meetings are held in council chambers and are broadcast live via Community Television Network. However, the calendar indicates that GAC’s November and December meetings will be held in the basement conference room at city hall, which is not set up for broadcasting. [.pdf of GAC 2014 meeting calendar]

Outcome: Commissioners approved the calendar without discussion.

Staff Update

Ginny Trocchio reported that she hasn’t yet received word about whether the city has received any grants from the USDA Farm and Ranchland Protection Program (FRPP). She said she’d update commissioners when she receives additional news.

Trocchio also reported that the greenbelt registry program is still being reviewed by the city administrator and city attorney’s office. A database has been compiled of about 250 landowners with large properties – 40 acres or more – that are still in active use as farmland or have undeveloped open space. These are landowners that the city could approach about the greenbelt program, she said.

The registry was part of an updated strategic plan that the commission approved at its April 4, 2013 meeting. From the updated strategic plan:

In addition, recognizing that over the next 3-5 years, the Greenbelt will likely shift in program focus and will not be able to acquire as many properties or easements annually, it is important that the Commission maintain contact with landowners in the Greenbelt District who may be interested in protecting their land in the future. Therefore, the Greenbelt will prioritize establishing a Greenbelt Registry Program.

A land registry program is a listing of the properties that contain “special” natural features or has remained in farmland open space that landowners have voluntarily agreed to protect. This is an oral non-binding agreement between the City of Ann Arbor and the landowner. The landowner can end at any time, and the agreement does not affect the deed. The landowners agree to monitor and protect specific features of the property and notify the City if the landowner is planning on selling the property or if major threats have occurred.

The purpose of the land registry is to identify significant parcels of land and, through voluntary agreements with landowners, take the first step toward protection of the land’s natural resources. Furthermore, a land registry program recognizes landowners for protecting significant open space/natural features. Ultimately, these lands could be protected permanently through a conservation easement.

The landowner, by voluntarily agreeing to register their land, agrees to the following:

• Protect the land to the best of their ability
• Notify the City of Ann Arbor Greenbelt Staff of any significant changes they are planning or any natural changes that have occurred.
• Notify the City of Ann Arbor Greenbelt Staff of any intent to sell the property.

Outcome: This was not a voting item.

Outreach Committee

Catherine Riseng, GAC’s chair, reported that the executive committee had discussed the issue of outreach, and that Ginny Trocchio is interested in getting help with suggestions from commissioners. Riseng asked if any commissioners were interested in volunteering to serve.

Three commissioners volunteered: John Ramsburgh, Jean Cares and Stephanie Buttrey. Trocchio said she’d be in touch with them about setting up a meeting.

Outcome: This was not a voting item.

Land Acquisition

Most meetings of the greenbelt advisory commission include a closed session to discuss possible land acquisitions. The topic of land acquisition is one allowed as an exemption by the Michigan Open Meetings Act for a closed session. On Jan. 2, commissioners met in a closed session that lasted about 30 minutes, then emerged and voted on one resolution that will be forwarded to the city council.

Before appearing on the city council’s agenda, details of proposed greenbelt acquisitions are not made public. Parcels are identified only by their application number, with the first four numbers signifying the year in which the application was made.

On Jan. 2, commissioners voted on a resolution recommending that the city council approve partnering with Scio Township for the purchase of development rights on a property identified in application #2013-04 and contribute up to 30% of the purchase price, not to exceed $25,200.

Outcome: The resolution passed unanimously, without discussion.

Next meeting: Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014 at 4:30 p.m. in the second-floor council chambers at city hall, 301 E. Huron. This meeting will also likely include a driving tour of greenbelt properties. [Check Chronicle event listings to confirm date] The meetings are open to the public and include two opportunities for public commentary.

Present: Peter Allen, Shannon Brines, Stephanie Buttrey, Jean Cares, Jennifer Fike, John Ramsburgh, Catherine Riseng, Christopher Taylor. Staff: Ginny Trocchio.

Absent: Archer Christian.

The Chronicle survives in part through regular voluntary subscriptions to support our coverage of publicly-funded entities like the city’s greenbelt program. If you’re already supporting The Chronicle, please encourage your friends, neighbors and coworkers to do the same. Click this link for details: Subscribe to The Chronicle.

Rendering of “Bucket Cascade” proposal by Mags Harries and Lajos Heder. It’s one of two finalists for public art at the city’s Argo Cascades.

Commissioners were briefed about the city’s capital improvements plan (CIP), which will now be integral to the public art program. AAPAC and city staff will identify projects in the CIP that might be candidates for public art “enhancements” – if the council agrees and provides additional funding for that purpose. It’s a change from the previous Percent for Art program, which the city council eliminated earlier this year.

Deb Gosselin, who oversees the CIP process, attended AAPAC’s meeting and described a decision-making matrix that’s used to help city staff prioritize capital projects. AAPAC plans to use that matrix as a model for developing its own method of prioritizing potential public art projects.

Commissioners also briefly discussed four possible capital projects that might include public art enhancements, including an enclosure of the farmers market, and a retaining wall to be built as part of a Stadium Boulevard reconstruction.

Some of these issues will likely be picked up during a retreat that’s set for Nov. 20. The idea of a retreat was proposed by one of the newer commissioners, Ashlee Arder, as a way to get to know each other better, as well as to discuss the creation of AAPAC’s annual plan, which is due to the council in early 2014. Arder also hopes to assemble a “curated team” from different sectors of the community, to help AAPAC develop ideas for fostering public art as well as the broader creative sector.

Also at their most recent meeting, commissioners acted on a specific project that’s already underway. They authorized applying for a $40,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan to fund a public art project in the Arbor Oaks/Bryant neighborhood on Ann Arbor’s southeast side. But they tabled another proposal – for artwork at the roundabout on South State and Ellsworth – until their February 2014 meeting, allowing time for commissioners to see how it might fit into an overall public art plan.

Updates were provided during the meeting on several other projects, including the Coleman Jewett memorial at the farmers market, finalists for artwork at Argo Cascades, and a plan to add an artistic element to the city’s new bike share program.

Capital Improvements Plan (CIP)

Deb Gosselin, who manages the city’s capital improvements plan (CIP), attended AAPAC’s meeting on Oct. 23 to review the CIP process. [.pdf of CIP for FY 2014-2019] She had previously briefed the commission at its Feb. 27, 2013 meeting, prior to changes in the way that the public art program is funded. Since then, the city council has eliminated the Percent for Art funding mechanism. That happened at the council’s June 3, 2013 meeting.

Deb Gosselin, who manages the city’s capital improvements plan, attended the Oct. 23 AAPAC meeting.

Now, city staff will work to determine whether a specific capital improvement should have enhanced design features “baked in” to the project – either enhanced architectural work or specific public art. The funding for any of the enhanced features would be included in the project’s budget and incorporated into the RFP (request for proposals) process for the capital project.

Required by state statute, the CIP must be developed and updated each year, looking ahead at a six-year period, to help with financial planning for major projects – permanent infrastructure like buildings, utilities, streets and parks. It’s intended to reflect the city’s priorities and needs, and serves as a guide to discern what projects are on the horizon. More than 300 projects are part of the CIP, including both projects that are funded as well as those for which funding hasn’t yet been identified.

The document must be approved by the city’s planning commission, not the city council. The planning commission approved the most recent CIP at its Dec. 18, 2012 meeting. The city council then uses the CIP in its budget planning process.

In her Oct. 23 briefing, Gosselin noted that the CIP schedule now affects when the city makes decisions about public art. She told commissioners that Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator, had looked through the CIP to find projects where it might be appropriate to incorporate public art.

Gosselin reviewed the CIP process, and described the decision-making matrix that’s used to help city staff prioritize capital projects. [.pdf of CIP prioritization matrix] She said the matrix is a tool that AAPAC might want to modify and use for its own decision-making on projects that might incorporate public art. Seagraves indicated he’d work with Gosselin to draft a similar matrix for AAPAC.

In theory, virtually any of the capital projects in the CIP could incorporate public art, Gosselin said. To do that, AAPAC would first need to identify a project in the CIP and request that it be enhanced, she explained. Although the planning commission is charged with approving the CIP, the city council is the entity that approves the budget for specific projects.

For capital projects that the city council has already funded for fiscal 2014 and 2015, it’s too late to build a public art enhancement into the budget. However, Gosselin noted that AAPAC could decide to use funds from the previous Percent for Art program that are unspent, and apply those funds toward capital projects that are already underway.

Beyond that, now is the time for AAPAC to look at items in the CIP starting in fiscal 2016, as projects that could potentially be enhanced with public art. In AAPAC’s annual report that’s due to the city council in early 2014, commissioners should flag projects that commissioners would like for the city to enhance, Gosselin said. AAPAC should also identify a specific budget amount that would need to be added to the project, in order to cover the public art enhancement and maintenance. That budget enhancement requires city council approval.

The lead time also helps managers of capital projects to work with designers and artists from the very early stages, she noted.

Summary chart of projects in the 2014-2019 Ann Arbor capital improvements plan (CIP).

Capital Improvements Plan (CIP): AAPAC Discussion

Connie Brown wondered about setting a public art enhancement budget at such an early stage, when it might be difficult to know how much is required. How much flexibility would there be to increase the amount at a later date? Deb Gosselin acknowledged that since this process of incorporating public art is new, it’s a bit hard to know how it will work. She thought there will likely be some flexibility, but the public art estimated budget needs to be as close as possible to the actual amount. “You’re in essence saying ‘Give me a budget and I’ll figure out what to do with it later,’” Gosselin said.

Connie Brown.

Craig Hupy, the city’s public services area administrator, noted that it’s not unusual for a capital project’s budget to change dramatically, from the time it’s first entered into the CIP to the time the budget is approved by the council. If the project is slated for Year 6 of the CIP – that is, six years in the future – it’s not as critical for the budget to be as precise.

For projects in which public art is part of the design process, Gosselin explained that the public art budget would be incorporated into a project’s construction contract, which would require city council approval. But if the artwork is conceived of as a standalone piece, it might have its own separate budget, with separate council approval.

Hupy described two approval thresholds: (1) when a capital project is approved, with an estimated budget; and (2) when a specific construction contract is approved for that project. “That is where the final release of money comes from,” he said.

John Kotarski wondered whether it would be appropriate to suggest a specific genre of public art when AAPAC recommends an enhancement – like a mural or street stamping. Hupy replied that it depends on the timeframe. A more general suggestion would work for projects that are in Year 6 of the CIP, he said. But for projects that are closer to being built – in Years 1 or 2 – then AAPAC should be more specific about what it would like to do and how much it would cost.

Seagraves then presented four projects from the CIP from fiscal 2016 and beyond that he had identified as having potential for public art enhancements. The budgets in the CIP do not yet include amounts for public art:

• Farmers Market enclosure ($90,000). Possible public art incorporated into design.
• Stadium Boulevard reconstruction from Hutchins to Kipke, including sidewalks ($3.84 million). Possible artwork on new retaining wall.
• Springwater subdivision street reconstruction ($2.18 million). Possible standalone artwork.
• Annual sidewalk repair program, citywide ($9 million): Possible sidewalk stamps.

Seagraves plans to meet with managers for these projects, to get more details about what the projects will entail.

Ashlee Arder clarified with Gosselin that any public art budget would be added to these existing budgets. Gosselin noted that some capital projects might have multiple funding sources, which means that public art enhancements might also draw from multiple funding sources. Hupy cautioned that some projects have a funding “twist” in that they might be funded in part with federal, state or county dollars. “And they will say no to art – that’s not their purpose,” he said.

Gosselin noted that capital projects for the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority and the Ann Arbor housing commission are now being listed in the city’s CIP. The AAHC has several large projects on the horizon, and Gosselin reported that AAHC director Jennifer Hall had made a point of saying she’d welcome public art added to those, if possible. This might be a case where AAPAC could solicit private funding for a project, Gosselin said. [For background on the AAHC effort, see Chronicle coverage: "Work Progresses on Public Housing Overhaul."]

South State Roundabout

On the agenda was an item to approve the budget for a public art project at the roundabout at South State Street and Ellsworth. The proposed budget was between $70,000 to $100,000 using funds that remain from the now-defunct Percent for Art program, tied to street projects. [.pdf of roundabout public art proposal]

Bob Miller, chair of the Ann Arbor public art commission.

This project had been previously approved but then suspended by AAPAC several months ago, because commissioners had wanted to coordinate it with the city’s South State Street corridor plan. [By way of background, both the planning commission and city council subsequently approved the South State Street corridor plan to be added to the city's master plan. The council took that action on June 15, 2013.]

Connie Brown said she didn’t feel like she could make a decision on this project right now. She wanted to evaluate it in concert with other projects that AAPAC is considering, rather than take a piecemeal approach. Because AAPAC would be looking at long-term projects in the CIP, Brown proposed holding off on a decision about the roundabout until the broader context was clearer.

John Kotarski said he tended to agree with Brown, but he thought that it might take a longer time to put together the broader context. He said he felt comfortable moving forward with this project, because the proposal contained the level of detail that he had asked for. He thought AAPAC should start moving forward with some of these projects.

Commissioners discussed whether they could reverse their decision, if they approved it now but later decided that there were other projects that should take priority.

Brown wondered what the impetus was for doing it now. Bob Miller replied that it was brought to AAPAC as a project and it was “smiled upon.” Craig Hupy, the city’s public services area administrator, pointed out that construction of the roundabout was finished, and it’s “not going to pick up and move anywhere in the next six months or six years.” He indicated that AAPAC could take some time to make a decision.

Marsha Chamberlin weighed in, saying that if AAPAC takes two or three months to develop its prioritization matrix, modeled after the CIP matrix, then they’ll have a more objective, defensible way of approaching the selection of projects.

After further discussion, Kotarski moved to table the roundabout item until AAPAC’s February 2014 meeting.

Outcome: Commissioners voted to table the item until their February 2014 meeting.

Grant for Arbor Oaks Public Art

Commissioners were asked to approve the application of a $40,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan. It would fund a public art project in the Arbor Oaks/Bryant neighborhood on Ann Arbor’s southeast side. [.pdf of draft grant proposal]

Marsha Chamberlin.

By way of background, at AAPAC’s June 26, 2013 meeting, commissioners had approved setting up an exploratory task force for possible artwork in the Arbor Oaks Park, located in the Bryant neighborhood on the city’s southeast side. [.pdf of Arbor Oaks intake form] Task force members include public art commissioners Malverne Winborne and Nick Zagar; Derek Miller, deputy director of the nonprofit Community Action Network (CAN); and CAN board member David Jones, as well as local residents.

The task force has met twice. Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator, reported that the ideas being discussed all focus on having some kind of community project with a lot of involvement from residents, similar to the approach taken for the mural in Allmendinger Park.

The problem, he noted, is funding. There is currently no clear funding source from the city, but a grant is available from the community foundation. The deadline to apply is Nov. 15.

Marsha Chamberlin expressed some concern about the time it would take to write the grant application. She noted that Seagraves was being asked to do a lot, and his position is only part-time. Craig Hupy, the city’s public services area administrator, indicated that the Arbor Oaks project was a very valuable investment in a part of the community that some people view as underserved.

Chamberlin replied that she wasn’t against the project, but she wanted commissioners to be aware of how Seagraves is allocating his time. Hupy suggested that other city staff could help Seagraves complete the application.

Responding to a query from Connie Brown, Seagraves reported that no matching funds are required from AAPAC.

Outcome: Commissioners voted to approve application for the $40,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan.

AAPAC Retreat

Ashlee Arder, who was appointed to AAPAC in March of 2013, put forward a proposal to schedule a retreat. The purpose would be to create a forum for commissioners to get to know each other better, as well as to discuss the creation of AAPAC’s annual plan.

John Kotarski and Ashlee Arder.

Commissioners were supportive of this proposal. The discussion focused on whether to have a facilitator and how formal it should be. Arder said she’d conceived it to be relatively informal, but she could see the advantage of having a facilitator. This idea is to share each commissioner’s skill sets and personal interests, and tie those into the goals of AAPAC. “Let’s get together and figure out what we’re doing and who we are,” she said.

There was also discussion about a venue, with Arder advocating to hold it at a location other than AAPAC’s usual meeting spot – which is a basement conference room at city hall. Craig Hupy, the city’s public services area administrator, reminded commissioners that the retreat would need to be posted and held in a place that’s accessible to the public, in order to comply with Michigan’s Open Meetings Act.

Outcome: Commissioners voted to set a retreat for Wednesday, Nov. 20 at 4:30 p.m. at a location to be determined.

Outreach Committee

Ashlee Arder also proposed creating a community engagement committee to develop strategies for program participation, resident input and public art education.

John Kotarski contended that AAPAC already has an outreach committee that was created at AAPAC’s June 26, 2013 meeting. Some commissioners, including Arder, Connie Brown and Marsha Chamberlin, said they didn’t realize such a committee existed. [According to both the minutes of that meeting and The Chronicle's report, commissioners on June 26 voted to appoint Kotarski to the role of community outreach and engagement, and Chamberlin to the role of media relations. From The Chronicle's report: "During the June 26 meeting, commissioners also voted on appointments related to outreach – making John Kotarski responsible for community outreach and engagement, and Marsha Chamberlin for media relations. Those roles were not defined, and do not appear to be connected to existing AAPAC committees."]

Kotarski urged Arder to join the outreach committee, and asked her to withdraw her resolution. She agreed, and talked about the kind of work she hoped to do, which in part involves bringing together a “curated team” from different sectors of the community to develop ideas for fostering public art as well as the broader creative sector. She intends to bring forward a formal proposal about this effort at a future meeting.

Outcome: Arder withdrew her resolution to create a community engagement committee.

Project Updates

Several other projects were discussed briefly during the Oct. 23 meeting, by way of updates. These projects were either already in progress when the city council temporarily halted spending on public art late last year, or don’t use Percent for Art funds. Here are some highlights.

Project Updates: Canoe Imagine Art

Marsha Chamberlin gave an update on a community project called Canoe Imagine Art. At a special meeting on March 7, 2013, AAPAC had voted to participate in the project, but did not commit to providing any funding at that time. On Sept. 25, commissioners voted to contribute $10,000 to the project. [.pdf of project intake form]

The project will use 30 old aluminum canoes from the city of Ann Arbor’s Argo canoe livery, which 10 artists and 20 community groups will turn into artwork that will be displayed throughout the downtown in 2014. Partners in the project include the Ann Arbor Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB), the Main Street Area Association (MSAA), the Arts Alliance, and the Huron River Watershed Council.

On Oct. 23, Chamberlin reported that the city attorney’s office had requested that she stop promoting the project until a legal review is completed of the application process for artists. She expressed some frustration that the project’s momentum had come to a “screeching halt.”

As of Nov. 11, the project’s website includes this notice:

Submissions temporarily on hold
Do not use this site to submit a proposal for Canoe Imagine Art. Applications are on hold awaiting resolution by the City of Ann Arbor as to the best way to handle submissions to Canoe Imagine Art. If you plan to submit, enter your email below and we will notify you as to how to submit a proposal.

Project Updates: Argo Cascades

Two finalists for artwork at Argo Cascades are Jann Rosen-Queralt of Maryland and Mags Harries & Lajos Heder of Cambridge, Mass. came to town on Oct. 17 to present their conceptual designs to the selection task force and the public at city hall. The presentations were recorded by Community Television Network, and include feedback from the task force. [link to Rosen-Queralt CTN presentation] [link to Harries & Heder CTN presentation]

Rosen-Queralt is proposing artistic embellishments on the bridge railing, as well as a drinking fountain with similar embellishments. The proposal by Harries and Heder is called a “bucket cascade,” and would involve an interactive feature that allows people to operate pumps – using a pedal device on the bridge – that would draw up water from Argo Cascades and send it cascading back into the river.

Rendering of Bucket Cascades proposal by Mags Harries and Lajos Heder.

Rendering of proposal by Jann Rosen-Queralt for Argo Cascades bridge.

Task force members are John Kotarski, Malverne Winborne, Cheryl Saam, Margaret Parker, Cathy Fleisher, Bonnie Greenspoon, Julie Grand, and Colin Smith. The project has a budget of $150,000.

There is currently a survey posted on A2 Open City Hall to solicit additional input.

Seagraves reported that John Kotarski and Bob Miller will be attending the meetings of other city boards and commissions to make presentations about these two proposals and to get feedback. The task force will then make a recommendation to AAPAC, which will in turn make a recommendation to the city council.

Marsha Chamberlin wondered how much difference it makes to do the kind of outreach that Kotarski and Miller are undertaking. They made a similar effort before the task force made a recommendation for the artwork at the East Stadium bridges.

Connie Brown explained that there’s a broader purpose – to help people understand the process, and to create opportunities to engage others in the city’s public art program. Kotarski recalled that when he and Miller attended a Ward 2 meeting, it started out fairly confrontational. But by the end, residents seemed to better understand the process and support it. He said the outreach will help enhance and support the task force’s decision.

Project Updates: East Stadium Bridges

In early August, Catherine Widgery of Cambridge, Mass. was recommended as the artist for public art on the East Stadium bridges in Ann Arbor. She was picked by a selection panel from four finalists who had submitted proposals for the project, which has a $400,000 total budget. [.pdf of Widgery's proposal]

The selection panel provided feedback to Widgery, who subsequently revised her proposal. Members of the panel are Wiltrud Simbuerger, Bob Miller, Nancy Leff, David Huntoon and Joss Kiely. A conference call with the artist was held on Sept. 6 with panel members to discuss the proposal. [.pdf of panel feedback]

The new design incorporates glass paneled louvers with tree images in three locations on and under the bridge, to connect the locations thematically. Widgery is still revising her design, according to Seagraves. It would need to be reviewed by AAPAC and get final approval by the city council.

Project Updates: Bike Share Program

Ashlee Arder reported that she’ll be working with the Clean Energy Coalition, the University of Michigan and the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority to figure out how to incorporate an artistic element into the city’s new bike share stations. The CEC is managing the bike share program, with a targeted launch of April 2014.

Arder said she was hoping to learn more about the bike community, and to develop some partnerships for this project. In addition to bike stations on UM’s campus, potential stations in Ann Arbor could be located at: (1) Ashley & Liberty; (2) Fifth Avenue & Library Lane; (3) Liberty & Division; (4) Kerrytown, at Detroit & Fifth: and (5) South State & Hoover.

Project Updates: First & Kingsley Rain Garden

At their Aug. 28, 2013 meeting, commissioners had approved Joshua Wiener‘s schematic design for public art at a planned rain garden, to be located at the southeast corner of First & Kingsley. [.pdf of staff memo, including itemized budget] Wiener is continuing to finalize designs, for installation in the spring.

The Denver artist is working with landscapers to incorporate public art into a new rain garden at that location, which is in a floodplain. The project has a $27,000 budget, though the artist’s contract would be for $23,380.

His proposal is for sculptures showing the outlines of five fish. They’re small mouth bass, in different sizes, made of white epoxy-painted steel and pointed toward the Huron River. The largest sculpture will be just under 8 feet tall, 20 feet wide and about 5 feet deep. Two of the fish will be large enough to serve as benches.

Project Updates: Coleman Jewett Memorial

Marsha Chamberlin gave a brief update on the memorial for Coleman Jewett. [.pdf of Jewett memorial intake form]

At a special meeting on March 7, 2013, AAPAC had voted to accept developing the memorial for Coleman Jewett as an official AAPAC project. The original proposal was for a bronze Adirondack chair at the Ann Arbor farmers market. Jewett was a long-time local educator who died in January. After he retired, he made furniture that he sold at the Ann Arbor farmers market. A private foundation has committed $5,000 to create a memorial at the market, in the form of a bronze replica of one of Jewett’s Adirondack chairs.

A memorandum of understanding has been negotiated between the Jewett family, the city, and the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation, which will act as a fiduciary for fundraising. The plan now calls for two full-sized replicas in bronze, at an estimated cost of $15,000 each.

The total budget is estimated to be $30,000 to $35,000. At AAPAC’s Sept. 25, 2013 meeting, commissioners voted to allocate $5,000 of AAPAC funds to help kick off the additional fundraising.

On Oct. 23, Chamberlin reported that she’d be going to the Ann Arbor farmers market on Saturday to meet with vendors and describe the project to them. Each stall would also be given a donation envelope, she said, in the hopes of raising funds from vendors for the project.

Commissioners present: Ashlee Arder, Connie Brown, Marsha Chamberlin, John Kotarski, Bob Miller, Nick Zagar. Also: Aaron Seagraves, the city’s public art administrator.

Absent: Devon Akmon, Malverne Winborne.

Next meeting: Instead of its regular monthly meeting, AAPAC has scheduled a retreat for Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2013 at 4:30 p.m. at a location to be determined. [Check Chronicle events listing to confirm date]

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Barbara Murphy, a trustee of the Ann Arbor District Library, reviews a brochure for AADL’s upcoming “America’s Music” series. The materials were shared at the board’s Feb. 18, 2013 meeting. (Photos by the writer.)

The meeting’s main presentation focused on AADL’s partnerships with the University of Michigan, primarily with the Proyecto Avance: Latino Mentoring Association (PALMA), a UM student group. The program, which meets on Tuesday and Thursday evenings in AADL’s downtown building, includes 100 participants of all ages who work with about 75 tutors to improve their English language communication skills.

Terry Soave, AADL’s manager of outreach and neighborhood services, encouraged board members to drop by the library when the tutoring is in session, saying, “it’s a pretty spectacular thing to see.”

The Feb. 18 meeting also included a report from the board’s new communications committee, chaired by Nancy Kaplan, which recommended adding a second opportunity for public commentary at the end of each monthly meeting. There was no formal vote on this recommendation, but board members indicated agreement. In fact, a second slot for public commentary had already been included on the agenda when it was posted the previous week.

Speaking at the first opportunity for public commentary on Monday, Kathy Griswold – an organizer of the Protect Our Libraries group – urged the board to allow its committee meetings to be open to the public. She noted that committee meetings are open for most other local governing entities – including the Ann Arbor city council, Ann Arbor Public Schools board, the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority board, and the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority board. There was no subsequent discussion of this suggestion among board members during the meeting.

Committee Reports

The board has six committees: communications, budget & finance, facilities, policy, director’s evaluation and executive. Two of those – communications and facilities – had been created as special committees at the board’s Jan. 21, 2013 meeting. Board president Prue Rosenthal noted that some of the committees haven’t met since the previous board meeting, so there would not be reports from all committees.

Nancy Kaplan, chair of the communications committee, told the board that the committee – she, Ed Surovell and Margaret Leary – had met. They were recommending that a second public commentary slot be added at the end of each monthly board meeting, in addition to the one at the start of the meeting.

She said it’s a modification that fits with the board’s previous decision to hold three meetings this year at library branches, rather than at the downtown location, to make it easier for the public to attend. [Those branch meetings will be held at: (1) the Traverwood branch at 3333 Traverwood Drive, at the intersection with Huron Parkway (June 17); (2) the Pittsfield branch at 2359 Oak Valley Drive (July 15); and the Malletts Creek branch at 3090 E. Eisenhower Parkway, east of Stone School Road (Sept. 16).]

No formal vote was taken on this recommendation and there was no discussion, although other board members indicated agreement. A second slot for public commentary has already been included on the agenda when it was posted the previous week.

No other committees had met during the past month. Meetings are scheduled in the coming week for the facilities committee (Ed Surovell, Rebecca Head and Margaret Leary) and the budget & finance committee (Nancy Kaplan, Barbara Murphy, Jan Barney Newman).

Rosenthal also noted that Newman is now chair of the director’s evaluation committee.

Public Commentary

During the first slot for public commentary, Kathy Griswold, an organizer of the Protect Our Libraries group, told trustees that for many years the community has taken the library’s services for granted, and that there had been only “minimal interest” in the library board until the recent new downtown library bond. [The board had put a proposal on the Nov. 6, 2012 ballot for a $65 million bond to fund construction of a new downtown library, but it was rejected by about 55% of voters.]

Now the public is interested, Griswold said, and people are requesting that the board be more transparent by holding open committee meetings. She cited four reasons to support holding committee meetings that would comply with the state’s Open Meetings Act. [Although the meetings of the board are required to comply with OMA, there is no requirement that committee meetings – attended by less than a quorum of the board – be open to the public.]

Kathy Griswold of Protect Our Libraries spoke during public commentary.

Most other public entities in the Ann Arbor area hold committee meetings that are in compliance with OMA, Griswold said, including the Ann Arbor city council, the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority board, the Washtenaw County board of commissioners, the Ann Arbor Public Schools board, and the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority board. Most public libraries that her group has contacted having open committee meetings, she added, including Grand Rapids and East Lansing. Kalamazoo’s public library is currently researching the possibility of holding open committee meetings, and West Bloomfield does not have committees.

Another reason cited by Griswold is that having open committee meetings ensures compliance with OMA “when there is limited deliberation at the board meeting.” Finally, and most importantly, she said, the AADL is a public entity, “thus the public has the right to transparency.”

At the end of the meeting, Lyn Davidge spoke briefly, thanking the board for adding a second public commentary time so that citizens could address issues at the end of the meeting. “I look forward to more conversation,” she said. [By way of background, Davidge has previously advocated for the board to add a second opportunity for public commentary, most recently at the board's Nov. 19, 2012 meeting.]

Jim Osborn stressed the importance of having public commentary at both the beginning and end of the meeting. Board president Prue Rosenthal clarified that this would be the case – as it had been at that meeting.  Osborn told the board it had been difficult to hear the board’s discussion: “Some of you speak softly.”

UM Partnerships, PALMA

Terry Soave, AADL’s manager of outreach and neighborhood services, gave a presentation describing several partnerships between AADL and various units of the University of Michigan, including the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital. Highlights of those efforts include:

• Monthly evening storytelling sessions with Laura Pershin Raynor, who goes to Mott and provides family-centric storytelling to patients and their families.
• Distribution of DVDs to the UM health system. Mott acts as the “front door” to distributing AADL DVDs throughout the entire health system, Soave said. To date, about 3,800 DVDs have been distributed through this program.
• Valentine’s Day cards – each year, AADL hosts a card-making program, with the cards distributed throughout Mott as well as to the Veterans Administration Hospital. Last year, over 400 Valentines were delivered.
• Temporary AADL cards are offered at no charge to hospital patients to take advantage of library services throughout their hospital stay.
• A “Read to Me” CD, produced in-house by AADL staff and some outside musicians, is distributed through UM’s Women’s Health Resource Center as well as by Mott. Over 400 CDs have been distributed.

Soave also talked about a partnership with UM’s human resources department. The university initially just directed job applicants to AADL’s computer courses, but over the years AADL has worked with UM to develop courses that better meet the needs of people seeking employment at the university. In turn, she said, UM’s HR staff has been offering quarterly classes at AADL about how to apply for jobs at the university, via UMjobs.org.

Terry Soave, AADL’s manager of outreach and neighborhood services, briefed the board about the library’s partnership with Proyecto Avance Latino Mentoring Association (PALMA), a University of Michigan student group.

The final partnership in Soave’s presentation was with Proyecto Avance: Latino Mentoring Association (PALMA), a UM student group. Soave noted that this is a special partnership for her, because it’s the first one secured after she became manager of outreach.

PALMA operates through the UM Residential College’s Spanish language program, supervised by faculty member Cristhian Espinoza-Pino. Each semester, PALMA enrolls 100 Latino community members as learners, and recruits 75 tutors. This is PALMA’s 10th year as a student organization, and their sixth year at AADL.

Each semester, PALMA offers free bi-lingual, weekly one-on-one English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) tutoring and mentoring. The program is offered to all ages starting at age 3, although some people also bring their infants, she said.

PALMA has looked at barriers that typically prevent people from accessing this kind of tutoring: Time, cost, and childcare. PALMA addresses these issues by providing consistent, bi-weekly sessions that include the whole family, Soave said. So a family with two working parents, three kids and a grandparent who lives with them can all come to the sessions, and each person is given their own tutor to work with while they’re there. “There’s no other program that equals that,” Soave said. “Not even close.”

Most tutors work with the same person for the entire semester, so there’s a lot of consistency. The nearly 200 people who participate come to the downtown library, pair up and then disperse throughout the building for their session, Soave explained. “So if you’ve never been here on a Tuesday or Thursday evening, I’d encourage you to come check it out – it’s a pretty spectacular thing to see.”

Beth Manuel, a library technician at the Ann Arbor District Library who works closely with PALMA.

Preschool kids are taken to a room where educational activities are provided, with several adults there to supervise.

AADL staff also works with PALMA by meeting with tutors at the start of each semester during an orientation session to describe the library resources that are available to help their tutoring. And staff meets with participants at an orientation offered in Spanish and English, providing library card applications and a tour. “We try to make them feel as welcome as possible right from the very beginning,” Soave said.

She noted that Beth Manuel, the AADL staff member who works most closely with PALMA, was attending the board meeting that evening. Manuel facilitates the orientations and works at the youth desk on Tuesday evenings, “so PALMA participants are able to see a regular, familiar face every week when they come in,” Soave said.

Soave also reported that one session each semester is dedicated to presentations by local community service agencies. The library helps connect PALMA with these groups, looking for services that might be a benefit to participants – for example, Washtenaw Literacy and translation services.

Soave’s presentation concluded with a video of PALMA, created by one of the group’s tutors, Katherine Cook. [.pdf of PALMA video]

UM Partnerships – PALMA: Board Discussion

Prue Rosenthal clarified with Soave that PALMA brings in its own tutoring staff. All tutors are UM students, Soave explained. The tutors come from all different UM departments, not just Spanish language students, she said. Now there’s also a PALMA course for students who want to combine a classroom setting with their tutoring experience.

Nancy Kaplan wanted to know who promotes the program. That’s handled by PALMA, Soave said.

Rosenthal noted that student organizations are often “fluid.” She wondered if the tutors are consistent and committed – so that the library doesn’t face a situation where a tutor doesn’t show up. Soave said that rarely happens. The faculty advisor, Cristhian Espinoza-Pino, is “extremely passionate and dedicated,” she said. The current PALMA board of students works with the incoming board, to ensure continuity. Soave noted that at one point in 2009, 120 Latino community members were part of the program, with 100 tutors. But PALMA organizers decided that the size didn’t work as well, so they pulled back on the number of participants. There’s doesn’t seem to be a shortage of volunteers, she said.

Prue Rosenthal, president of the Ann Arbor District Library board.

Families also participate for many years, Soave said. The video included some comments by a Washtenaw Community College student who first started attending PALMA sessions when he was in elementary school.

Margaret Leary congratulated the work of staff, for their enthusiasm in helping the program continue. Another benefit is offering a consistent place for people to come, Leary said. It’s much easier for the general public to come to the downtown library, right next to the AATA transit center. It would be harder to find a regular, easily accessible place on campus.

Soave noted that although they can’t track this information formally, the AADL staff has seen over time that people who participate in the program are coming back to the library and using it, because of the trust and relationship they’ve built through PALMA. They’re coming on days when they aren’t being tutored, and they’re coming to all library locations, she said.

Rebecca Head noted that the library is often characterized as the “epitome of a democratic institution – and this proves it.”

UM Partnerships: Board Discussion

Ed Surovell asked about the budget for some of the distribution programs that Soave had mentioned. Soave explained that the materials distributed to UM’s health system come from AADL’s collection. Some staff costs are involved, Soave said. They select items they believe would be most useful. But there’s very little cost, she said.

Josie Parker added that the library bore the full cost of developing the “Read to Me” CD, which is distributed to first-time mothers.

Surovell wondered if there was capacity to expand any of these efforts. Parker replied that there are probably endless opportunities to expand outreach. Funding to do that comes from the library’s general operating budget, she said. Surovell asked what the budget was for this program. Soave said her department has a staff budget, but there’s no separate budget for these individual projects.

Sherlonya Turner, AADL manager of youth & adult services and collections, came to the podium and explained that the distribution of materials is very streamlined with other departments, and incorporated into work they already do.

Director’s Report

During the Feb. 18 meeting, AADL director Josie Parker elaborated on several items that were included in her written director’s report. [.pdf of February 2013 director's report]

AADL director Josie Parker.

She noted that Eli Neiburger, AADL’s associate director of IT and product development, is touring Germany as a guest of the U.S. State Department and Zukunftswerkstatt (“Future Workshop”), visiting libraries in several cities. Neiburger is helping organize a U.S.-German library video game tournament, using software developed by AADL staff, with winners of the online competition getting the chance to come to Ann Arbor to compete. Parker noted that this is an outgrowth of a partnership that began in 2005 when she had been invited by the State Department to travel to Europe and talk about AADL’s lending model.

Parker noted that the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Reads event on Feb. 7 – featuring Connie Rice, co-director for the Advancement Project – had been a big success. She praised the Washtenaw Community College for hosting the event, along with other AADL partners: the Ypsilanti District Library and University of Michigan. It was a great crowd, she said, “for what are often hard conversations” about race. [The 2013 Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Reads selection is "The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration In The Age Of Colorblindness" by Michelle Alexander.]

Parker also highlighted the fourth annual Preschool Expo, held on Jan. 27 at UM’s Palmer Commons. The library has partnered with UM and other institutions to bring together information about preschool options, so parents can go to one place in a “vendor-type environment” to find what they need, she said. The expo is in its fourth year, though AADL has been providing this kind of information for a lot longer than four years, Parker noted. With national and state attention now focused on the importance of preschool education, Parker said she wanted the board to know that AADL has recognized this for a long time.

Board members also received a brochure that’s part of the national “America’s Music” project, a partnership of the Tribeca Film Institute in collaboration with the American Library Association, Tribeca Flashpoint, and the Society for American Music. The brochure lists events to be held at AADL, including the opening concert on March 13 with Mr. B.

Finally, Parker highlighted a partnership between AADL and the American Association of University Women (AAUW) on a program called “Let’s Read Math.” It began as a remedial math program for young girls with math phobia, she said, but is now offered to any student with math phobia. This year, there were three sessions on Saturdays in late January and early February. The turnout was good, she noted, despite the fact that it took place on Saturday for elementary students talking about math at the library. “Those are all negatives,” Parker said, but these are motivated students – or motivated parents, she joked. On one Saturday, 38 students attended. Other Saturdays drew 50 and 21 students, she said. Parker praised Ryan Case, a teacher who also works at AADL as an information desk clerk, for his efforts on this program.

Financial Report

During the Feb. 18 meeting, Ken Nieman – AADL associate director of finance, HR and operations – updated the board on AADL’s financial statements for January 2013. [.pdf of January 2013 financial report]

By Jan. 31, 2013 the library had received just over 97% of its budgeted tax revenues for the year, or $10.9 million. The library’s unrestricted cash balance was $12.35 million as of Jan. 31, with a fund balance of $8.126 million and an operating surplus of $139,000. Two line items are currently over budget: communications and software. Both are expected to come back in line with budgeted amounts by the end of the fiscal year, Nieman said. The AADL’s current fiscal year runs through June 30, 2013.

Board members had no questions about the financial report.

Present: Rebecca Head, Nancy Kaplan, Margaret Leary, Barbara Murphy, Jan Barney Newman, Prue Rosenthal, Ed Surovell. Also AADL director Josie Parker.

Next meeting: Monday, March 18, 2013 at 7 p.m. in the fourth-floor conference room of the downtown library, 343 S. Fifth Ave. [Check Chronicle event listing to confirm date]

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The $42,587 grant would be awarded to the Washtenaw County sheriff’s office by the U.S. Dept. of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance. The funds would be used to support the sheriff’s community outreach program, according to a staff memo. Specifically, the grant would fund a part-time community engagement coordinator and two of the program’s five peer outreach workers.

Commissioners also set a public hearing for Sept. 7 to get input on how the grant will be used.

This brief was filed from the boardroom of the county administration building at 220 N. Main St. in Ann Arbor. A more detailed report will follow.