Comments on: Greenbelt Commission Reviews Finances

By: Mary Morgan

Mary Morgan — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 18:01:42 +0000

@Steve Bean: I forwarded your questions to Kelli Martin, financial manager for the city’s community services unit. She sent me the bond schedule, which shows that the city makes two bond payments each year, on April 1 and Oct. 1, totaling about $1.2 million combined. [.pdf file of bond schedule] The payment schedule runs through 2033, and includes $15.7 million in interest payments through 2033. (The bond schedule breaks out the payments based on interest and principal. The city pays 4% interest through 2018, with rates then incrementally rising to 4.5% by 2028.) There are no plans to pay it off early. Kelli said that she and Ginny Trocchio of The Conservation Fund, which manages the greenbelt program under contract with the city, will be putting together a financial forecast regarding the millage that they'll present to the park and greenbelt advisory commissions in the next month or two. She thinks the forecast will address your second question, and we'll report it in The Chronicle.

By: Steve Bean

Steve Bean — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 00:42:54 +0000

“In FY 2006, the city took out a $20 million bond that’s being paid back with revenue from the open space and parkland preservation millage.”

Characterizations of the program aside, we’ve committed to it for some period and some amount (though purchases could be suspended at some point if deemed to no longer have the value originally envisioned.) What is the balance remaining to be paid on the bonds, and what’s the current estimate for when the fund will have accrued enough to pay them off? I couldn’t determine either of those from the financial statement.

By: John Q.

John Q. — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 02:38:00 +0000

“Perhaps more voters will come to their senses and put an end to some of this nonsense.”

The “nonsense” that was approved by a large majority of Ann Arbor voter and voters in several surrounding townships? The “nonsense” that’s been able to leverage millions of dollars in outside funding for local land preservation? The “nonsense” that’s been successful in keeping productive farmland in use even as it changes ownership? Right, I’m sure voters would be outraged by the “shortcomings” of this program.

By: Jack F.

Jack F. — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 13:29:13 +0000

Guess if you have political friends dropping by for ‘breakfast’, including members of the local media, you don’t have to worry about a thing vis a vis regulations, as long as you are politically correct. That is, until someone get sick from food poisioning…

By: ROB

ROB — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 01:02:16 +0000

Glad to see that this black-hole for taxpayer dollars is sucking them up like a champ. Anyone who voted for this boondoggle of a millage totally deserves to see their money vanish, as Hizzoner & company down at Hieftje Hall squander it on overpriced farmland, for no particularly good reason. They say we get the government we deserve, so I guess it’s not surprising that we have leaders with upside-down priorities when we have an electorate that speculating in out-county raw land is more important than basic services. I hope we can revisit some of these silly millages at the polls in a couple of years, when the budget problems will be much more acute and difficult to dance around, as they did this year. Perhaps more voters will come to their senses and put an end to some of this nonsense.

By: John Dory

John Dory — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 21:04:21 +0000

Selma Cafe is run by Jeff McCabe.

There was a complaint made against his establishment by a local homeowner, but I understand that he ironed everything out with the county.

I found it amazing that he was able to operate with very little oversight and registartion for so long.

But who knows, it may have set a precedent as a business model for other eateries.

Jeff is currently a director for the People’s Food Coop.

By: Jack F

Jack F — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 20:28:43 +0000

“Mike Garfield asked why the line item for personnel and IT (information technology) had nearly doubled between FY 2008 and FY 2009 – from $22,905 to $42,999. (It dropped slightly in FY 2010, to $41,130). Martin said that previously, the greenbelt and park acquisition program hadn’t been properly charged for computers and IT services it used. The increase also reflects a percentage of administrative salaries from staff in the community services unit – such as herself and the director, Sumedh Bahl – to pay for the time they spend on the program.”

Uh huh…this is called robbery with a suit and tie.

By: Jack F

Jack F — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 20:26:16 +0000

“Locally, five restaurants have signed up so far: Jolly Pumpkin, Grange Kitchen & Bar, Selma Cafe, Logan and Zingerman’s Roadhouse.”

Uh huh. “Selma Cafe”. Must be nice to run a restaurant, even a ‘non-profit’ in a residential neighborhood and have a busload of political friends who go along for the ride. Yeah, just a simple little ‘salon’ and friends dropping by. With an ad budget. And not regular regulatory cares of worries in the world. Lol.