Archive for November, 2010

At its Nov. 9, 2010 meeting, the Ann Arbor Public Art Commission unanimously approved a pilot program to create murals throughout the city. A task force will be formed to identify two city-owned sites during the first year for locating the murals, at a cost between $2,500 to $10,000 each, and funded through the city’s Percent for Art program. The pilot program – proposed by AAPAC commissioner Jeff Meyers, who’ll serve as the program’s task force chair – calls for selecting artists from Michigan. The goal is to have the first mural installed by the summer of 2011.

This brief was filed from AAPAC’s meeting on the 7th floor of the City Center offices. A more detailed report of the meeting will follow: [link] [Full Story]

In this video, Robert Fishman, a UM professor of architecture and urban planning, explains how decades-old postcards of downtown Detroit help him envision possibilities for the city’s future. In a related post on the AIGA Detroit website about its Wish You Were Here project, Fishman is quoted: “I wanted to have a counter vision to put in place of what was right in front of my eyes which was the ruins, the decay, the failure. If you only see the failure you’re not seeing the real history and you’re not seeing the real future. To have a future you have to really understand what these places stood for, what they achieved, so that you might be able to imagine … [Full Story]

Writing on the Shrink in the Kitchen blog, Scott Haas reviews five restaurants on a recent trip to Ann Arbor, a town with “depths of charm and lassitude,” he writes: “It started with Grange: A snout to tail kind of place. Starters of pig’s head, fried chickpeas, and a croquette of cheese. All fried, which flattened taste and texture, but all good. Entrees of chicken, gnocchi, and lake fish followed. The gnocchi were fluffy and buttery. The chicken moist with a crispy exterior. The fish? No wonder Alan Richman sang its praises. The waitress had a great sense of humor and was glum in a pleasant way.” [Source]

Ann Arbor City Council meeting (Nov. 4, 2010): At its first meeting of November – held on Thursday instead of the usual Monday to accommodate Tuesday elections – the Ann Arbor city council transacted a fair amount of business in its relatively short session.

That business ranged from authorization of a coordinated human services funding approach to approval of new GIS software.

The coordinated funding approach to human services would extend the collaboration among the city of Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County and the Urban County to include two nonprofit funders – United Way of Washtenaw County and the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation.

The GIS software will allow remote monitoring of engine and system performance on board the city’s vehicle fleet. The vehicle monitoring software has the ancillary benefit of allowing residents to view a real-time map of snowplow activity during a snowfall. At Thursday’s meeting, the council also authorized the purchase of $330,000 worth of road salt that city trucks will, if necessary, spread on the roads this winter.

In other business, the council gave final approval to a new stormwater code, which requires some kind of mitigation any time more than 200 square feet of impervious surface is added in residential areas.

The council again took no action on a $160,000 request from the 15th District Court to purchase furniture. The request had been postponed at the council’s previous meeting, pending production of a list of items to be purchased. The list was not ready, and the issue was again postponed.

The council received a presentation on the installation of a new HAWK pedestrian crossing signal at Chapin and Huron, which was in substance identical to one the board of the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority had received the day before.

A range of topics were addressed during comments from the public, perhaps most significantly remarks from Nicholas Nightwine, who spoke on behalf of the Local 369 AFSCME union on the issue of privatizing the city’s composting operation. The city council is due to hear a presentation at a Monday, Nov. 8 work session on the proposal, which they may vote on as early as Nov. 15. [Full Story]

In a Nov. 8, 2010 article about a presentation on police services at the Nov. 4 Washtenaw County board of commissioners working session, we incorrectly stated that Leah Gunn was chair of the committee that created the police services steering committee. In fact, she was chair of the committee that came up with the concept of a police services unit (PSU). We note the error here, and have corrected the original article.

Washtenaw County board of commissioners working session (Nov. 4, 2010): A presentation last week to the county board by sheriff Jerry Clayton represented more than 18 months of research, and aims to put to rest an issue that’s caused tension within the county for decades: What does it cost to put a sheriff’s deputy on patrol?

During Thursday’s working session, Clayton told commissioners it’s important to agree on the cost of delivering police services, before moving on to the question of price – or what the county will charge for that service, presumably a lower amount. He also outlined several policy issues that the board needs to address, including what metrics they’ll use to determine future adjustments in cost and price.

Currently, there are 74 county deputies paid through contracts with local municipalities, including Ypsilanti Township, Ann Arbor Township and Superior Township, among others. The current price is $144,802 per police services unit (PSU) – a term that includes direct costs like salary and fringe benefits, as well as indirect costs and overhead. Current contracts call for a 4% increase next year, bringing the price to $150,594.

The police services steering committee (PSSC), appointed by the board of commissioners, has been studying the cost of delivering this service for well over a year. Its recommendation, delivered by Clayton to the board at Thursday’s working session, is to set the cost per PSU at $176,108. Setting the price will be an issue to tackle next, and is likely to be a more contentious one. Current contracts run through 2011, and negotiations will begin next year for 2012 and beyond.

The idea of agreeing on a cost should help address the price issue, Clayton said, and should help to assure contracting municipalities that the dramatic price escalations of recent years will stabilize. County officials have said those increases were necessary because the price of the contracts has been significantly lower than the true cost of delivering police services.

Several PSSC members attended Thursday’s session, including leaders of Manchester and the townships of Ann Arbor, Dexter and Superior. They spoke to commissioners, in some cases quite poignantly, about the value that these contract deputies provide to the county as a whole – a value that’s not just limited to the municipalities that pay for the deputies, they stressed. The argument is meant to persuade the board to offset the cost of those deputies by charging a lower price. In the past, some commissioners have argued that the county is subsidizing the patrols in a way that’s unfair to residents of cities like Ann Arbor, who also pay for their own police force.

Notably absent from the meeting were representatives from Ypsilanti Township, the largest unit that contracts for deputies and a member of the PSSC. A year ago, voters defeated a millage that would have paid for police services, and township officials cut the number of deputies it uses from 38 to 31. [See Chronicle coverage: "County Board OKs Ypsi Twp. Deputy Cuts"] On Nov. 2, however, township voters approved a police services millage, with support from 58% of voters. A similar millage proposal in Augusta Township was voted down the same day. Meanwhile, Ypsilanti Township has been in talks with the city of Ypsilanti about consolidating the two municipalities’ police services – Ypsilanti has its own police force.

Then there’s the lawsuit that the townships of Ypsilanti, Salem and Augusta filed against the county in 2006 over the issue of contract deputy prices – commissioner Jeff Irwin pointed out during Thursday’s meeting that the case is “still lingering.” A judge will be hearing a motion on that case this Wednesday, as the county tries to recoup more than $2 million from two of the three townships.

The board did not take action on Thursday. Comments from commissioners indicate mixed views on the proposed cost model, with some arguing that more indirect or overhead costs should be included. However, nearly all of them praised Clayton for his leadership on this issue, thanking him for bringing civility to the discussion. It’s an indirect commentary on the board’s rocky relationship with Clayton’s predecessor, Dan Minzey, who was aligned with Ypsilanti Township and was defeated by Clayton in 2008. [Full Story]

The Detroit News reports on last weekend’s closing of the Village Corner party store, an Ann Arbor landmark, which will be moving its location from South University and South Forest to make way for redevelopment of that site. The store, run for four decades by Dick Sheer and his wife Sally, offered a variety of libations, from cheap beer for college students to fine European wines. Customer Leslie Roberts says of the store: “I know good things can come in dingy packages.” While Dick Sheer, the owner, plans to reopen, he has not yet found another location.  “We’re moving,” he promises. “We’re not quitting.” [Source]

Ypsilanti Velo announces on its website the 2010 edition of Cranksgiving, a bicycle race that serves as a fundraiser for Food Gatherers: Nov. 20, 3-5 p.m. Start and finish will be at the Veterans Memorial Park Shelter in Ann Arbor, at the corner of Jackson Avenue and North Maple Road. Cyclists will compete in two categories: speed and bulk. [Source] Update: Note location change to Food Gatherers on Dhu Varren Road. Details at [Source]

Washtenaw County board of commissioners meeting (Nov. 3, 2010): The day after Tuesday’s general election, several newly elected county commissioners attended the board’s meeting, sitting in the audience for now – they’ll be sworn in at the first meeting in January 2011.

Wednesday’s meeting included discussion of the main challenge the next board will face – balancing the county budget. Jennifer Watson, the county’s budget manager, gave a third-quarter update, which shows that the county is projecting a total net surplus of $4.5 million for the year. However, the original budget passed by commissioners for 2010 called for carrying over a surplus of $5.289 million into 2011 – they’re still $773,986 short of that goal.

The board also took an initial vote on a resolution making adjustments to the 2011 general fund budget. Among other things, the resolution directs county administrator Verna McDaniel to make proposals for cutting $1,034,988 out of the original budget of $98,493,155. A public hearing on the 2011 budget adjustments is set for the board’s Nov. 17 meeting.

Other budget-related actions included giving final approval to levy an economic development tax, and an initial vote to make changes in the pension plan for commissioners.

Public commentary at Wednesday’s meeting focused on the coordinated funding model for human services – an effort that the board ultimately approved, though concerns were expressed at length by commissioner Ronnie Peterson. The idea is to formalize a partnership of the Washtenaw United Way, Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation, Washtenaw County, city of Ann Arbor and the Urban County, a consortium of 11 local governments. Allocation of roughly $5 million in funding from these entities will be coordinated by the office of community development, a joint county/city of Ann Arbor department. [The Ann Arbor city council subsequently approved the partnership at its Nov. 4 meeting.] [Full Story]

Ann Arbor Public Schools Board of Education special regular meeting (Nov. 3, 2010): At Wednesday’s special regular meeting of the Ann Arbor Public Schools (AAPS) school board, a slim majority of trustees approved a motion by president Deb Mexicotte to set the annual salary for the new superintendent “in the range of $245,000.” It was one of two unusual split votes for the board.

The board also voted 5 to 2 to allow themselves access to the full set of candidate applications, ultimately resolving a conflict they have been grappling with for several weeks. While it grants access to applications, the motion passed by the board prohibits individual trustees from directly selecting specific candidates out of the pool for consideration. The motion stipulates that if trustees’ review of the applications leads them to feel that the established search criteria were not well-applied to the candidate pool, a majority of the board may request an additional review of the pool by the search firm.

The meeting also saw less contentious resolutions of the other remaining aspects of the search process, including: the candidate profile, promotional materials, application form, advertising plan, and timeline. [Full Story]

Writing on the Wake Up, Washtenaw! blog, Larry Krieg analyzes the Nov. 2 election results in terms of the impact on transit issues, at the local, regional, state and national levels: “Governor-Elect Rick Snyder appears to understand the need for mass transit and the benefits it can bring – including attracting talented young people to our state and providing a life-line for people who don’t have access to automobiles for one reason or another. His results-oriented investment budgeting philosophy is encouraging, since in state after state, investment in rail transit has brought spectacular dividends.” [Source]

The Detroit Free Press profiles UM law professor Bridgette Carr, who runs the country’s only law school clinic focused on fighting human trafficking. She describes how she was influenced by her work in the Americorps program, teaching English to immigrants and refugees in Ft. Wayne: “It was an amazing experience to meet these families and hear their stories. I think what was galvanizing to me was the commonality in their stories. Despite seeing the worst of humanity – from rape, war, torture or persecution – almost to a person, they believed in the best of humanity.” [Source]

[Full Story]

Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority board meeting (Nov. 3, 2010): The DDA board passed a single resolution at Wednesday’s meeting: to reorganize its committee structure to include a communications and economic development committee.

But board members heard a series of reports, including a look at the financial picture from the first quarter of FY 2010. Fund balances are lower than they’ve been historically – something the board knew to anticipate with the construction of the new underground parking structure along Fifth Avenue. The report from the capital improvements committee indicated that the project is proceeding apace, with headway being made on solving a problem with de-watering the site. During public commentary, the board heard from proponents of putting a community commons on top of the underground parking garage once it’s completed.

At the meeting, the board indicated that they’d take an extended look at their 10-year budget projections at a board meeting in early 2011. Affecting the DDA’s 10-year plan are at least two major items: (1) the Fifth Avenue underground parking garage construction, and (2) ongoing negotiations with the city of Ann Arbor on the amount of “rent” to be paid by the DDA to the city as part of the parking contract under which the DDA manages the city’s parking system.

Other reports from the meeting with a potential effect on the DDA’s budget included an update on the City Apartments project planned by Village Green and located at First and Washington. The DDA is slated to purchase the parking deck component of the project on its completion – for $9 million. Included with the board’s packet were a series of proposed amendments to the parking agreement between the city of Ann Arbor, Village Green and the DDA. Village Green is scheduled to complete its purchase of the First and Washington parcel in May 2011.

Other potential impacts to the DDA’s budget included a report from the board’s partnerships committee that noted a request for grant funding from the Ann Arbor Housing Commission, plus an additional grant funding request from the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County.

The report from the board’s transportation committee included discussion of enhanced service between Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor, as well as the possibility of adapting the #17 route to serve a partial circulator function for downtown. Also related to transportation, the board received a presentation from Pat Cawley, a city of Ann Arbor traffic engineer, on the installation of a new HAWK pedestrian crossing signal at the intersection of Chapin and Huron.

The board also heard from representatives of the Main Street Business Improvement Zone on the delivery of a blueprint for creating other such zones in the downtown. [Full Story]

Shirley Verrett, an internationally known opera singer who taught at UM, is memorialized in The New York Times following her death Friday morning in Ann Arbor at age 79. From the Times’ obituary: “In the early days, like black artists before her, she experienced racial prejudice, as she recounts in her memoir, ‘I Never Walked Alone.’ In 1959 the conductor Leopold Stokowski hired her to sing the Wood Dove in a performance of Schoenberg’s ‘Gurrelieder’ with the Houston Symphony, but the orchestra’s board would not allow a black soloist to appear. To make amends, a shaken Stokowski took Ms. Verrett to the Philadelphia Orchestra for a performance of Falla’s ‘Amor Brujo,’ which led to a fine recording.” [Source]

Although local restaurant wine markups vary widely, you might figure that wine prices in the cutthroat-competitive supermarket world would be more consistent, one to the next.

You’d figure wrong.

One fine example: Italy’s ubiquitous Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio. Fuhgedabout its modest crowd-sourced ratings; the wine’s a staple on most grocery store shelves, including seven of the eight Ann Arbor supermarkets I visited in late October.

If you’re a west-sider who shops at Plum Market, you’ll pay $17 to take home the current 2009 vintage.

Wanna spend more? No problem. On the south side, Meijer sells the same bottle for $19. Joe’s will Trade one in exchange for $21. And if buying the wine at Whole Foods makes you no healthier, its $24 price tag is likely to perk up the chain’s bottom line.

But if you really have money to burn, head east toward Hiller’s for the daily double: you’ll settle for the prior year’s vintage and they’ll soak you for $26 – a whopping $9 (53%) more than Plum’s price.

This may be an outlying example, but it’s far from atypical. The survey found prices on individual bottles can vary as much as 80% among the eight local markets, and your total tab for the identical assortment of wines will be 30% higher or lower, depending on where you shop. [Full Story]

At the Nov. 4 Ann Arbor city council meeting, Stephen Rapundalo (Ward 2) announced that the city  has received two responses to its request for proposals (RFP) regarding the Huron Hills Golf Course.

One proposal, submitted by a group called Ann Arbor Golf, calls for operating Huron Hills as a public, 18-hole golf course via a new nonprofit entity, the Herb Fowler Foundation of Huron Hills. The structure would be similar to the Leslie Science and Nature Center, which was previously a city entity and is now a nonprofit. [.pdf of nonprofit proposal]

The second proposal was submitted by the local firm Miles of Golf. It proposes moving the business to the Huron Hills site. The current 11 holes on the south side of the Huron Hills property would continue to operate as a golf course. The first 7 holes on the north side would be converted to a golf center similar to the current Miles of Golf operation at Carpenter and Packard roads in Pittsfield Township, with a teaching center, a practice facility (driving range), and a retail shop. [.pdf file of Miles of Golf proposal] [Full Story]

On the Huron Beacon blog, Donald Michael Schwartz describes his experience being interviewed by a Detroit News reporter about being homeless in Ann Arbor. Schwartz says he was “grossly misrepresented” in the article: “My homeless experience has shown me that, a wide range of people can find themselves homeless. Recently, I sat next to a man, at the free St. Andrews breakfast, who was a graduate of Columbia University. He worked most of his life as a social worker, but has come upon hard times. There is a mechanical engineer who sleeps on the same floor as me in the Delonis shelter. The list can go on. So what have I learned from the homeless – … [Full Story]

Whenever you see a TV spot promoting college football, you can be sure they’ll include a shot of the Wolverines running out of the Michigan Stadium tunnel to jump up and touch the “M Go Blue” banner. It’s one of the sport’s truly iconic images.

But like most traditions – most of the good ones, anyway – this one started organically and quietly before becoming a public pillar of Michigan football.

Fifty years ago, Michigan’s head coach was a guy named Chalmers Elliott – which might explain why his friends called him “Bump.” As a player, he’d been an All-American and national champion, but coaching was tougher.

In 1962, the Wolverines lost five of their first six games, including four straight Big Ten losses – three of them, shutouts.

The head hockey coach, Al Renfrew, had been a classmate of Elliott’s, and the two had remained good friends. So Renfrew and his wife Marjorie decided to do something to help boost the football team’s morale. Marjorie went to work in her sewing room, stitching a yellow block “M” on a blue sheet, about six feet across. [Full Story]

At its Nov. 4, 2010 meeting, the Ann Arbor city council passed a resolution to extend a model of integrated funding it currently uses to allocate human services funding to nonprofits. The approach, which currently includes the city of Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County, will add three more  organizations to the mix: United Way of Washtenaw County, the  Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation (AAACF) and the Urban County. The Washtenaw County board of commissioners voted at its Nov. 3 meeting, the previous day, to approve the coordinated funding approach.

This brief was filed from city council chambers. A more detailed report of the meeting will follow: [link] [Full Story]