Archive for May, 2011

At its May 19, 2011 meeting, the board of the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority approved a new employment contract with its chief executive officer Michael Ford, who was hired in the summer of 2009. [For a report on Ford's April 2009 final interview: "AATA, CEO Candidate Start Talks"]

The contract, which is renewable each year on October 1, pays Ford $160,000 a year – the same compensation he received last year. Ford is not receiving a raise this year, but will receive a one-time additional payment equal to 4% of his annual salary – his base salary will not change.

Board members at the meeting praised Ford’s work over the last year in leading the AATA’s countywide transit master planning effort.

This brief was filed from the boardroom of the downtown Ann Arbor District Library, where the AATA board holds its meetings. A more detailed report of the meeting will follow. [Full Story]

At its May 19, 2011 meeting, the board of the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority authorized a contract with Spence Brothers for up to a total of $384,000 to oversee two major construction projects: (1) demolition and reconstruction of the Blake Transit Center on Fourth Avenue in downtown Ann Arbor [$253,000]; and (2) expansion of the bus storage facility at the AATA headquarters located at 2700 Industrial [$131,000].

The need for a construction manager was identified by representatives of the Federal Transit Administration after reviewing AATA projects that are being funded with federal dollars.

This brief was filed from the boardroom of the Ann Arbor district library, where the AATA holds its meetings. A more detailed report of the meeting will follow. [Full Story]

In a move that one regent called unprecedented, the University of Michigan board of regents voted at their May 19, 2011 meeting to support the rights of graduate student research assistants to determine for themselves whether to organize and be represented by a labor union.

UM president Mary Sue Coleman spoke out against the resolution, as did regents Andrea Fischer Newman and Andrew Richner, who both voted against it. Both regents expressed dismay that they’d only received notice of the resolution shortly before the meeting.

Coleman read an extensive statement before the vote, telling regents that she feels passionate about the issue personally, and is deeply concerned about it on an institutional level. She sees research assistants as students, not employees. This … [Full Story]

Lisa Rudgers was appointed University of Michigan vice president for global communications and strategic initiatives by the UM board of regents at their May 19, 2011 meeting in Dearborn. Her appointment takes effect June 1, with a salary of $270,000. She replaces UM’s previous vice president of communications, David Lampe, who stepped down from that job earlier this year. He now serves as executive director of research communication in the office of UM’s vice president for research.

Rudgers was the university’s vice president for communications from 2000-2007. She left the university to start her own consulting firm, but in 2009 took a part-time job as special counsel for communications in UM’s Law School.

In her new role, Rudgers’ responsibilities include developing the … [Full Story]

A $2.2 million water main project on Beal Avenue was approved by University of Michigan regents at their May 19, 2011 meeting. The project involves a 60-year-old, 12-inch water main, which serves all university buildings along Beal Avenue between Hayward Street and Bonisteel Boulevard, on UM’s north campus.

According to a staff report, recent breaks have reduced water service reliability, and buildings in the area have experienced water infiltration from flooding. A recent study recommended that installing a storm relief sewer is the best way to reduce the surface flooding. UM’s Department of Architecture, Engineering and Construction will collaborate with Hubbell, Roth & Clark Inc. to design the project. Construction is scheduled to be completed in the spring of 2012.

This brief was filed from the regents meeting at the Fairlane Center on UM’s Dearborn campus. A more detailed report will follow: [link] [Full Story]

Residence hall rates at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor campus will increase 3% this fall, following a vote by the UM board of regents at their May 19, 2011 meeting, held at UM’s Dearborn campus. [.pdf of proposed rate increases] The proposed rate increase for Northwood Community Apartments – housing primarily for graduate students and families on UM’s north campus in Ann Arbor – will be 1% for the 2011-12 academic year.

A staff memo accompanying the proposal indicates that the 3% increase for residence halls is divided into two components: 1% for increased operating costs; and 2% for residence hall renovations. Room and board costs for a single residence hall room would increase from $10,970 to $11,300. … [Full Story]

At its May 19, 2011 meeting, the University of Michigan board of regents authorized 17 items that required disclosure under the state’s Conflict of Interest statute. The law requires that regents vote on potential conflict-of-interest disclosures related to university staff, faculty or students. Often, the items involve technology licensing agreements or leases.

This month, the items included six lease agreements, 11 licensing agreements and three research agreements with various companies, including several based in Ann Arbor.

This brief was filed from the regents meeting at the Fairlane Center on UM’s Dearborn campus. A more detailed report will follow: [link]

Two projects for the University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers’ University Hospital – totaling $9.7 million – were approved by the UM board of regents at its May 19, 2011 meeting.

A $4.8 million project to improve access to the hospital’s computed tomography angiography (CTA) technology includes renovating two radiology rooms to house a new CTA scanner system. The architectural firm Integrated Design Solutions will design the project, which is expected to be complete by the fall of 2011.

In addition, regents approved $4.9 million to replace an existing CT simulator with a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, and to renovate roughly 1,800 square feet in the hospital to accommodate the new MRI. The architectural firm Project and Design Management LLC … [Full Story]

At its May 19, 2011 meeting, the University of Michigan board of regents approved a $13.7 million renovation project at the North Campus Research Complex (NCRC) – the former Pfizer site. The project entails renovating 120,000 square feet in Building 16, where UM’s Medical School plans to locate several units that are now in different buildings. Five floors, three conference rooms and a fitness center will be renovated as part of the project.

SmithGroup will serve as architect for the project, which is expected to be completed in the spring of 2012.

This brief was filed from the regents meeting at the Fairlane Center on UM’s Dearborn campus. A more detailed report will follow: [link]

At its May 19, 2011 meeting, the University of Michigan board of regents authorized naming the College of Engineering’s Engineering Programs Building as the Gorguze Family Laboratory. Vincent T. and Gloria M. Gorguze donated $5 million to fund an expansion of the building, located on UM’s north campus.

Vincent Gorguze received a bachelor’s degree from UM in metallurgical engineering in 1941. He worked for Ford Motor Co. and Curtiss-Wright Corp. before joining Emerson Electric in 1962, eventually becoming president and chief operating officer. Gorguze is now co-founder and chairman of Cameron Holdings Corp., which specializes in acquiring and operating manufacturing, industrial services and distribution companies.

This brief was filed from the regents meeting at the Fairlane Center on UM’s Dearborn campus. A more detailed report will follow: [link] [Full Story]

At the May 19, 2011 meeting of the University of Michigan board of regents, the board approved the schematic design for a Crisler Arena expansion project. The board had given its initial approval of the project at its January 2011 meeting, and had selected TMP Architecture and Sink Combs Dethlefs as the architects. Regents had also previously approved (at their October 2010 meeting) a renovation of the arena’s infrastructure and a replacement of seating to a capacity of 12,800.

This $52 million project will add about 63,000 square feet of new construction. The renovation includes building new spectator entrances, retail spaces, ticketing areas and a private club space. In addition, roughly 54,000 square feet would be renovated to accommodate accessible seats, increase … [Full Story]

At their May 19, 2011 meeting, the University of Michigan regents approved a variety of uses for $419,000 in estimated income from the Julian A. Wolfson and the Marguerite Wolfson Endowment Funds, which support the UM law school faculty. The uses include paying for faculty to attend professional meetings, equipping faculty offices, and sponsoring the Wolfson Scholar-in-Residence program, among other things.

Regents also approved continued use of the Wolfson reserves –unspent endowment income accumulated from prior years – as recommended by the law faculty for emergency and housing loans to the faculty.

This brief was filed from the regents meeting at the Fairlane Center on UM’s Dearborn campus. A more detailed report will follow: [link] [Full Story]

Ann Arbor city council meeting (May 16, 2011): Ann Arbor’s city charter requires that the city council amend and adopt a city budget by its second meeting in May. If it fails to act, by default the unamended budget proposed in April by the city administrator is adopted.

During public commentary, Sue Maguire addressed the council on the topic of proposed reductions to the fire department. (Photos by the writer.)

But Monday, at its second meeting in May this year, the city council did not act, choosing instead to recess and continue the meeting the following week, on May 23. The decision to delay was prompted by uncertainty about revenue from the public parking system. The Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority and the city were poised to ratify a new agreement on parking revenue on May 2, but that agreement was put off when questions were raised about the DDA tax increment finance (TIF) capture. The DDA later called a special meeting on Friday, May 20 to address that issue.

Even though the council did not act on the budget, most of the evening’s discussion was dominated by budget talk, including extensive public commentary on the proposed cuts in the police and fire departments. The council also got a briefing from its chief of police and interim fire chief, Barnett Jones, who responded to an article published in AnnArbor.com about fire department response times, calling the calculations presented in the piece inaccurate.

In addition to putting off action on the FY 2012 budget, the council also tabled decisions on human services funding, funding for a water system study, and fee increases for next year.

However, the council did transact some business. It authorized an increase in taxicab fares in light of rising gas prices. The council also approved neighborhood stabilization funds for demolition of three houses on North Main Street to prepare the site for construction of the Near North affordable housing project. Two large vehicle purchases – a street sweeper and a sewer truck – that had been postponed from the previous meeting were authorized.

The council also revised its administrative policy on how the 2006 parks millage is to be spent. Funds outside the general fund can count as general fund money for the purpose of the policy, as long as those funds are not drawn from the parks millage. The council also gave initial approval to an ordinance on design guidelines for new buildings downtown. [Full Story]

At its May 18, 2011 meeting, the Washtenaw County board of commissioners gave final approval to the brownfield plan for the Packard Square project in Ann Arbor, on the site of the former Georgetown Mall. The board also approved a $1 million grant application to the state Dept. of Environmental Quality for brownfield cleanup at the proposed $48 million development. Commissioner Wes Prater voted against the brownfield plan and the grant application.

However, the board tabled action until June 1 on a $1 million loan from MDEQ, as well as a request to authorize designation of the county’s full faith and credit as a guarantee for any loan that might be awarded, up to $1 million. Four commissioners – Barbara Bergman, … [Full Story]

At its May 18, 2011 meeting, the Washtenaw County board of commissioners gave final approval to several items that were initially approved at its May 4 meeting.

The board voted to accept funding from a U.S. Dept. of Energy weatherization assistance program that would provide $241,863 in federal dollars to the county. Administered by the county’s Employment Training and Community Services (ETCS) department, the funding would help weatherize 31 properties to eligible residents – homeowners or renters with a family income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level ($45,088 for a family of four).

The hiring of Michael G. Smith, Jr. as the county’s veteran services director, effective May 23, 2011, was also given final approval.

Also approved on May … [Full Story]

At its May 18, 2011 meeting, the Washtenaw County board of commissioners gave initial approval to the brownfield plans for the LaFontaine Chevrolet redevelopment project in Dexter. During a public hearing on the plan, Josh Bloom of Bloom General Contracting spoke in support of the project on behalf of the owner. Thomas Partridge also spoke, saying more information is needed about the project.

The LaFontaine brownfield plan would enable the use of up to $330,330 of tax increment financing (TIF) for 4 years to pay for cleanup work, including asbestos and lead abatement. Of that amount, $25,410 would support the county’s brownfield program management, and $50,820 would be depositing into the county’s Local Site Remediation Revolving Fund. The project is expected to retain 76 jobs and create 50 new ones, and to increase the annual tax revenues to the county from $4,516 to $11,119 after the TIF ends.

Final approval from the county is expected at the board’s June 1 meeting.

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. [Full Story]

At its May 18, 2011 meeting, the Washtenaw County board of commissioners gave initial approval to establish the 2011 county general operating millage rate at 4.5493 mills – unchanged from the current rate. Several other county millages – including those for parks & recreation, emergency communications and the Huron Clinton Metroparks Authority – are levied separately, bringing the total county millage rate to 5.6768 mills.

Final approval is expected at the board’s June 1 meeting. A public hearing on the millage rates will also be held at that time.

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.

At its May 18, 2011 meeting, the Washtenaw County board of commissioners gave initial approval to the Washtenaw Urban County annual plan from July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012. The plan must be submitted to the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), outlining specific projects and programs that the Washtenaw Urban County will undertake with HUD funding from the federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, HOME grants and Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG).

The Urban County is a consortium of 11 local governments that receive federal funding for programs that serve low-income residents and neighborhoods.

The county is expected to receive $3,602,480 from these programs during the coming fiscal year. A $448,920 in-kind county match is required.

Final approval is … [Full Story]

At its May 18, 2011 meeting, the Washtenaw County board of commissioners gave initial approval to apply for a federal Dept. of Justice grant worth nearly $500,000 to support the Washtenaw County Cyber Citizenship Coalition (WC4), a community‐policing model focused on preventing cyber crime.

The grant would support the hiring of a senior management analyst, with the goal of creating and distributing the WC4 “best-practice toolkit” to other communities nationwide. The funding would also help develop a pilot program that would be set up to respond to cyber crime complaints. Similar to 911, it would be a single number that could be called if someone falls victim to a cyber crime. WC4 is working with the FBI Cyber Division in Washington, D.C. and the Southeast Michigan United Way … [Full Story]

At its May 18, 2011 meeting, the Washtenaw County board of commissioners gave initial approval to allocations for $507,500 in children’s well-being and human services funding for 2011. Tentative approval for additional funds in 2012 and 2013 were also approved, contingent on the board’s approval of those budgets later this year. Commissioner Dan Smith voted against the allocations, citing an objection to one line item. He later clarified for The Chronicle that he objected to funding for Planned Parenthood.

The allocations for these awards were recommended by a coordinated funding review committee. The process is being managed by the joint county/city of Ann Arbor office of community development, which is coordinating the funding efforts of the county, the city of Ann … [Full Story]

At its May 18, 2011 meeting, the Washtenaw County board of commissioners gave initial approval to hire the professional services firm Experis (formerly known as Jefferson Wells) to perform internal auditing services for the county for one year, with the possibility of extending the contract over additional years. The board had authorized administration to issue requests for proposals for these services at its Dec. 1, 2010 meeting. The county received 10 responses, and a review team narrowed the selection and held interviews with three firms. The team’s recommendation for Experis was unanimous, according to a staff report.

The total cost for internal audit work in 2011 is $87,500. It would include: (1) overall internal control review and risk assessment; (2) more detailed internal control review for two county departments; (3) establishing a fraud hotline; and (4) eight hours of internal control training for county staff.

The contract was originally proposed for a five-year period. Several commissioners raised concerns about the expenditure to an outside firm, and the resolution was amended to shorten the contract to one year. Final approval is expected at the board’s June 1 meeting.

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. [Full Story]

Rose B. Bellanca has been selected by the Washtenaw Community College board of trustees to be WCC’s next president, according to a statement released May 18 by the college. She’s been given a verbal offer, contingent on potential site visits and contract negotiations. If finalized, Bellanca would begin her tenure on Sept. 1, 2011, replacing Larry Whitworth, who announced his retirement last year. She would be the institution’s first female president.

Bellanca has been Northwood University‘s Florida campus provost and chief operating officer since 2008. Before that she was president of St. Clair County Community College, and provost and chief academic officer of Macomb Community College, where she also served as vice president for planning and development. Bellanca also … [Full Story]

The Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority board has called a special meeting for noon Friday, May 20, 2011 at the DDA offices at 150 S. Fifth Ave. At the board’s May 2 meeting, it had put off voting on a new contract with the city of Ann Arbor under which the DDA manages the city’s public parking system.

The board had been expected to vote on the measure at that meeting, but postponed it amid questions about the administration of the city’s ordinance on distribution of DDA TIF capture. [Chronicle coverage: "DDA Delays Parking Vote Amid TIF Questions"]

The delay in settling the parking contract has led to a delay in the Ann Arbor city council’s willingness to approve its fiscal … [Full Story]

Ann Arbor District Library board meeting (May 16, 2011): With little discussion, the library board approved their $12.034 million budget for fiscal year 2011-12 on Monday night, reflecting a 2% revenue decrease from this year. The budget keeps AADL’s millage rate unchanged at 1.55 mills – well below the 1.92 mills that the district is authorized to levy.

A sign directing patrons to the Ann Arbor District Library Friends Book Shop, operated by the nonprofit Friends of the AADL in the lower level of the downtown library, 343 S. Fifth Ave. (Photos by the writer.)

Also on Monday, trustees voted down a proposal to videotape monthly board meetings for broadcast. Nancy Kaplan raised the issue at last month’s meeting, and brought forward a formal resolution this month. It was defeated on a 2-4 vote, with support only from Kaplan and Barbara Murphy. No trustees spoke about their reasons for voting against it.

Last month, library staff cited limited resources and quality control as reasons for not videotaping the public meetings, which typically last less than an hour. The governing bodies of most public entities that receive tax dollars from Ann Arbor residents videotape their meetings. Besides the library, the few governing bodies that do not videotape their meetings are the University of Michigan board of regents and Washtenaw Community College board of trustees.

In other action, board chair Margaret Leary reported on the board’s annual evaluation of AADL director Josie Parker. Leary read aloud a letter to Parker that effusively praised her leadership and the library’s success, but noted that because of economic conditions, she would not be receiving a raise in the coming year.

Trustees also had praise for the nonprofit Friends of the Ann Arbor District Library, and unanimously authorized a one-year extension on the space use agreement that allows FAADL to operate its bookstore in the downtown library’s lower level. Proceeds from the store support the library. [Full Story]

On Tuesday, May 17, 2011 the Washtenaw County board of commissioners spent three hours at a special working session continuing a discussion of the Packard Square brownfield project in Ann Arbor, and debating how to craft a broader policy related to issuing the county’s full faith and credit for projects with private developers. The board is expected to take an initial vote on the Packard Square project at its May 18 meeting.

The board had been asked at its May 4 meeting to give initial approval of a $1 million grant application and $1 million loan from the Michigan Dept. of Environmental Quality, for brownfield cleanup at the proposed $48 million Packard Square development – site of the former Georgetown Mall. The board was also asked to authorize designation of the county’s full faith and credit as a guarantee for any loan that might be awarded, up to $1 million. It was that guarantee that raised concerns among some commissioners, who were uncomfortable putting the county potentially on the hook for a private developer – especially since back taxes are owed on the property, and the county is facing a large deficit in the coming years.

Instead of voting, the item was taken up at a May 5 working session, and then again at Tuesday’s special working session, where the same issues were raised during a wide-ranging debate. The meeting was attended by Ann Arbor city councilmember Marcia Higgins, who represents the area (Ward 4) where the project is located, and Matt Naud, the city’s environmental coordinator. Representatives of the developer, Bloomfield Hills-based Harbor Companies, were also on hand, as were several members of the public and county staff.

Ultimately, commissioners tentatively agreed to move ahead with an initial vote on the Packard Square brownfield plan and state grant application at their Wednesday, May 18 meeting, but to hold off on a vote for the state loan. Board chair Conan Smith also agreed to draft a full faith and credit policy to give to commissioners on Wednesday, drawing on the discussion at Tuesday’s special working session.

Elements of the policy could include: (1) ensuring that the project has a clearly articulated public benefit; (2) setting a cap on the county’s financial exposure, as expressed by a dollar amount or as a percentage of its cash reserves; (3) requiring taxes to be paid before the project moves forward; and (4) requiring that the local munipality where the project is located put up its full faith and credit as well.

Packard Square’s 6.5-acre site includes land contaminated by a dry cleaning business that operated there. The developer is proposing a mixed-use development, with retail and office space along with 230 apartments. The project’s site plan and brownfield plan had been approved by the Ann Arbor city council on Monday, May 2.

This brief was filed shortly after adjournment of Tuesday’s working session, which was held at the county administration building at 220 N. Main St. in Ann Arbor.  [Full Story]

At its May 16, 2011 meeting, the Ann Arbor city council recorded on its agenda of written communications a memo from its financial services staff that its living wage, as defined by city ordinance Chapter 23, Section 1:815, will be raised slightly in order to conform with the ordinance.

The new wage is set at $11.83/hour for those employers paying health insurance, and $13.19/hour for those employers not paying health insurance. That’s an increase from previous levels which have remained flat for a few years at $11.71 per hour for employers offering health insurance and $13.06 per hour for those who don’t offer health insurance.

The Ann Arbor city ordinance applies to the wages that must be paid by companies who have contracts with the city worth more than $10,000. Passed in 2001, the city’s living wage ordinance stipulated in that year that workers vendors who held contracts with the city had to pay their employees a minimum of $8.70/hour if the contractor provided employee health care and $10.20/hour if not.

The ordinance provides a mechanism for increasing the living wage based on federal poverty guidelines. Ann Arbor’s living wage is to be increased each year by “… a percentage equal to the percentage increase, if any, in the federal poverty guidelines as published by the United States Department of Health and Human Services …” This year, the guidelines showed a 1.0% increase, and the living wage has thus been increased as well. [.pdf of poverty guidelines]

[Previous Chronicle coverage on the living wage ordinance: "Living Wage: Insourcing City Temps"]

[Full Story]

Ann Arbor Public Schools (AAPS) board of education meeting (May 11, 2011): After hearing significant public commentary on the matter, and following a spirited discussion, the AAPS board voted 5-2 to eliminate a plan to share principals among elementary schools from the proposed 2011-12 AAPS budget. A public hearing on the budget will be held as part of the next regular board meeting at 7 p.m. on May 25.

Public commentary was also rich with concerns regarding a proposed expansion of the parking lot at Haisley Elementary, which was discussed by the board at length as a first briefing item. It will come up for a vote at the May 25 meeting.

At the May 11 meeting, which lasted past 1:30 a.m., the board also approved upgrades to the district’s PowerSchool communication system, SISS assistive technology, and the elementary math curriculum. They also heard a first briefing on a proposal to purchase a new standardized assessment tool to complement the Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP), and were updated on the progress of the Widening Advancement for Youth (WAY) Washtenaw program. [Full Story]

Writing on his blog, John Roos of Roos Roast reviews some of the more recent additions to the Ann Arbor food scene, including Mark’s Carts, Mani Osteria and The Ravens Club. “In one week, Ann Arbor brought home the bacon and cooked it up in a pan. The food revolution will not be televised, it will be eaten.” [Source]