Archive for June, 2011

At its June 16, 2011 meeting, the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority board unanimously approved a new auditor rotation policy. The policy would entail that the AATA not use the same auditor for longer than two four-year terms – a total of eight years.

Sue McCormick, who also serves as the city of Ann Arbor’s public services area administrator, was the board member who originally suggested looking into the issue of implementing an auditor rotation policy. She had raised the issue at the board’s Sept. 16, 2010 meeting, when board members approved a contract with Rehman as its auditor, but only for one year.

Among the risks cited by the AATA in adopting the rotation policy were the potential for needing to hire … [Full Story]

At its June 16, 2011 meeting, the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority board unanimously approved a living wage policy that is roughly parallel to the living wage policy expressed in the city of Ann Arbor’s city code. It applies to the wages paid by AATA contractors to their employees. The AATA living wage policy would apply to contractors who have a contract worth more than $10,000 per year and employ or contract with more than five people. It would apply to nonprofit contractors only if they employ or contract with 20 or more people.

The minimum wage to be paid to their employees by AATA contractors would be at the same level stipulated by the city of Ann Arbor. In May 2011, the city … [Full Story]

At its June 16, 2011 meeting, the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority board passed a resolution endorsing Volumes 1 and 2 of its countywide transit master plan (TMP) as revised and amended. The plans had been previously released to the public at its April 21, 2011 meeting.

A “whereas” clause in the board’s resolution provided some additional description of a transitional governance structure, which could lead to an eventual countywide authority established under Michigan’s Act 196 of 1986. The transitional structure would be “an interim and  ’unincorporated’ Act 196 Authority Board (‘U196 Board’) which will act as an ad hoc committee to establish an organizational framework and funding base for an expanded transit system, and to work toward formally creating and incorporating a … [Full Story]

University of Michigan’s tuition will increase 6.7% in the coming year for in-state first- and second-year (lower division) undergraduates, following approval by the board of regents at their June 16, 2011 meeting. (A year ago, tuition increased 1.5% for in-state undergraduates at the Ann Arbor campus.) Tuition and fees for lower division in-state students will be $6,317. Tuition for non-resident lower division undergraduates will increase 4.9%, to $18,891. Voting against the tuition increases were regents Denise Ilitch and Larry Deitch.

University officials emphasized the context for these increases: The FY 2012 budget reflects a $47.5 million cut in UM’s state appropriation to $268.8 million – a decline of 15% compared to FY 2011. The budget also includes $9.2 million in student … [Full Story]

The FY 2012 annual report and business plan for the Michigan Health Corp. was unanimously approved by the University of Michigan board of regents at their June 16, 2011 meeting. MHC is a nonprofit founded in 1996 that’s part of the UM Health System, with 10 subsidiaries. The subsidiaries are operated as partnerships with other entities statewide. [.pdf of annual report and business plan]

Changes highlighted in the plan include a decision to leave the Central Michigan Community Hospital Radiation Oncology venture. MHC officials are also considering participation in the Particle Therapy Institute of Michigan, and possibly establishing gastroenterology and/or geriatrics joint ventures. MHC is also investigating moving UMHS nurse managed centers to MHC, in preparation for achieving the … [Full Story]

At their June 16, 2011 meeting, the University of Michigan board of regents voted unanimously to amend bylaws of the UM Hospitals and Health Centers Executive Board, as well as the regents bylaws – in both cases adding the position of UM Health System’s chief medical officer as a voting member of the HHC executive board, effective July 1, 2011. The current CMO is Darrell Campbell Jr. According to a staff memo, the CMO is responsible for communication between the medical staff, the HHC executive board and UMHS executive leadership, and for educating these entities on clinical quality performance, expectations and necessary revisions to practice and policy.

This brief was … [Full Story]

At their June 16, 2011 meeting, the University of Michigan board of regents signed off on eight 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 three licensing and four option agreements with various companies, including several based in Ann Arbor, and the reassignment of international patent rights. The items related to the following companies and individuals: Electric Field Simulations Corp. (formerly known as EngXT); FlexDex; ImBio; NanoBio Corp.; ONL Therapeutics; Xondas; and Dr. Richard Laine.

This brief was filed from the regents meeting in the boardroom of the Fleming … [Full Story]

At their June 16, 2011 meeting, the University of Michigan board of regents authorized two projects for the UM Hospitals and Health Centers. A $5 million project to tear down the Parkview Medical Center and Scott and Amy Prudden Turner Memorial Clinic buildings was approved without comment. According to a staff memo, the operations formerly housed in these buildings have been moved to the W.K.Kellogg Eye Center and Brehm Tower. In addition to demolishing the buildings, the project includes renovating the existing east side of the Kellogg Eye Center that connects to these buildings, adding a new entrance, and expanding the parking lot for a net gain of 75 parking spaces.

Regents also approved an $8.5 million renovation of a … [Full Story]

At their June 16, 2011 meeting, the University of Michigan board of regents authorized staff to issue bids and award contracts on a $23 million addition to the Institute for Social Research building. The board had previously approved the project’s schematic design at their July 2010 meeting, and had given initial approval of the overall project in April 2010.

A four-level addition is planned, adding 44,700 square feet to the existing building at 426 Thompson St. Another 7,200 square feet will be renovated. The project will be paid for in part by federal stimulus funds via a grant from the National Institutes of Health. The expansion will allow the institute to house its research programs under one roof.

This brief … [Full Story]

At their June 16, 2011 meeting, the University of Michigan board of regents approved a $2 million renovation to the sixth floor of the Medical Science Unit II building. The project includes modernizing roughly 5,200-square-feet of research labs for the UM Medical School, with upgrades to heating, ventilation, air conditioning, plumbing, and electrical systems, and installation of new energy-efficient lighting.

This brief was filed from the regents meeting in the boardroom of the Fleming administration building on UM’s Ann Arbor campus. A more detailed report will follow: [link]

A $14 million renovation of Yost Ice Arena was approved by the University of Michigan board of regents at their June 16, 2011 meeting. The project includes replacing seating on the east, south and west sides of the rink, improving accessibility and emergency exits, converting the west side media balcony into a series of loge boxes, adding a new level five on the west side for media, and constructing new corner and stair platforms for additional seating. The project will be paid for out of athletic department revenues.

Regents also approved hiring Rossetti Architects Inc. of Southfield, Mich. to design the project.

This brief was filed from the regents meeting in the boardroom of the Fleming administration building. A more … [Full Story]

At a recent Saturday morning forum held for city of Ann Arbor Democratic Party city council candidates, participants were asked by the moderator to characterize the relationship between the city of Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County. None of their responses highlighted some parade examples of existing collaboration between the two governmental units: a combined city/county office of community development; and a shared data center with a shared full-time position to manage it.

A Washtenaw County 911 dispatcher. Ann Arbor and county dispatch operations are currently co-located at Ann Arbor’s Fire Station #1 on Fifth Avenue. (Photo courtesy of Washtenaw County sheriff’s office.)

Also not cited as an example of possible future city/county collaboration was police dispatching. However, the topic did at least receive a passing mention by Ward 3 incumbent Stephen Kunselman, who told the audience that his grandmother was a police dispatcher in the late 1950s for the East Ann Arbor police department.

A recent city press release – sent out the Wednesday before the June 11 candidate forum – described a renewed effort to consolidate Ann Arbor’s 911 police dispatch functions with the Washtenaw County sheriff’s office.

So The Chronicle sat down with Ann Arbor chief of police Barnett Jones and Washtenaw County sheriff Jerry Clayton to walk through the possible consolidation, under which the city would contract with the county for dispatch service. Based on that interview, it’s clear that it’s not just talk.

The city and county dispatchers are already working in the same building in the same room –  on the second floor of Fire Station #1, across Fifth Avenue from the new municipal center at Fifth and Huron. Clayton has developed a staffing model for implementation. And over the next few weeks, Jones will be sitting down with the police officers union – dispatchers are members – to discuss the proposal. Jones said that from the standpoint of collective bargaining, a consolidated dispatch operation could not be blocked by the union.

But Jones and Clayton will not have the final say. That decision will be made by the Ann Arbor city council and the Washtenaw County board of commissioners. [Full Story]

The New York Times reports that University of Michigan professor Juan Cole was targeted by White House officials in the administration of president George W. Bush. They wanted the CIA to gather sensitive information to discredit Cole, who writes a blog – Informed Comment – about Middle Eastern and American politics, and who has been critical of the Iraq war. From the Times report: “It is not clear whether the White House received any damaging material about Professor Cole or whether the C.I.A. or other intelligence agencies ever provided any information or spied on him. [Former CIA official Glenn Carle] said that a memorandum written by his supervisor included derogatory details about Professor Cole, but that it may have been … [Full Story]

Joint working session of the Ann Arbor park and greenbelt advisory commissions (June 7, 2011): Even with a fan blowing, the meeting room at Gallup Park was hot and stuffy. But members of the city’s greenbelt and park advisory commissions toughed it out for about 90 minutes to hold their second-ever joint working session earlier this month.

From left: Peter Allen, Julie Grand, Ella and Jennifer Santi Hall, Dan Ezekiel. Grand is chair of the park advisory commission. Allen, Hall and Ezekiel are greenbelt advisory commissioners. Jennifer Hall has served as GAC chair, but her term is ending on the commission – this was her last meeting. Ella Hall also had attended the first GAC meeting with her mother seven years ago – she was three weeks old at the time. (Photo by the writer.)

They covered many of the same topics that they’d discussed at their first joint meeting in April 2010 – funding issues, land preservation and acquisition strategies, as well as specific projects like the Allen Creek greenway and support for small farms.

Ginny Trocchio of The Conservation Fund, which has a contract to manage the greenbelt and park land acquisition programs, gave commissioners an overview of finances, projects and goals. Both programs are funded by a 30-year, 0.5 mill tax for land acquisition, called the open space and parkland preservation millage, which Ann Arbor voters approved in 2003. Two-thirds of the millage proceeds are used for the greenbelt program, and one-third is allotted to park land acquisition. To get money upfront for land acquisition, the city took out a $20 million bond in fiscal 2006 that’s being paid back with revenue from the millage. Current combined fund balances for the two programs total nearly $9 million.

Trocchio also highlighted an upcoming event to celebrate the greenbelt program. On Thursday, June 16, an open house will be hosted at the Braun farm – one of the program’s protected properties in Ann Arbor Township. The event is free and open to the public, and starts at 5:30 p.m. – parking is available at 4175 Whitmore Lake Road.

At the end of the June 7 meeting, commissioners congratulated two GAC members for their service – it was the final meeting for Gil Omenn and Jennifer Santi Hall, who has served as chair. Their terms expire June 30, and it’s not clear when appointments to replace them will be made. [Full Story]

Washtenaw County commissioner Yousef Rabhi has organized a community forum to get input on future plans for property at 2270 Platt Road, where the county’s juvenile court was previously housed. The juvenile court was recently relocated to the downtown county courthouse, and county officials are now deciding what to do with the vacated property on Platt. The forum begins 3 p.m. on Saturday, June 18 at 2270 Platt Road, Ann Arbor. [Source]

The Ann Arbor Public Schools (AAPS) board of education held a five-minute meeting on June 15, 2011 to tie up some loose ends. The meeting took place at the Balas administration building immediately preceding a board study session on student achievement.

Board president Deb Mexicotte explained that there were two items that were erroneously omitted from the list of second briefing items at the previous board meeting, but that are timely and require board action.

These items – the third quarter financial report and the 2011 millage resolution – were approved unanimously by the board. The board also acknowledged David Torres, an AAPS student who has won gold and silver medals in culinary competitions, and who cooked dinner for the … [Full Story]

The 11-member Ann Arbor city council is composed purely of Democrats. Of the five incumbents who are seeking re-election this year, three have contested primaries. So two of them already have a spot on the Nov. 8 ballot – Sabra Briere in Ward 1 and Marcia Higgins in Ward 4. Higgins will face Republican Eric Scheie in November.

Sabra Briere (Ward 1) at the June 11 forum hosted by the Ann Arbor Democratic Party. (Photos by the writer.)

But unless an independent candidate files by Aug. 15, Briere’s path to re-election is completely free of opponents.

Still, the Ann Arbor Democratic Party invited all Democratic candidates to a forum on Saturday morning, June 11. Unlike primary elections themselves, which cost the city about $7,000 per ward to administer, the only additional cost to the extra invitations was two minutes of the public’s time.

The forum was held in the context of the Ann Arbor Democratic Party’s regular monthly meeting at its usual location in the Ann Arbor Community Center on North Main Street.

At the forum, the seven Democratic candidates in those wards with contested primary races were asked to respond to a series of questions from party co-chair Mike Henry. Briere and Higgins were also invited to deliver some remarks at the conclusion of the event. Higgins was not able to attend, but Briere accepted the invitation.

After the break, we summarize what Briere had to say in her allotted two minutes, after she listened to the other candidates respond to questions posed by Henry. We also provide a sampling of photos from Saturday’s event. Summaries of responses made by candidates for seats in Ward 2, Ward 3 and Ward 5 are presented in separate articles.

It’s also worth noting that the last day to register to vote for the Aug. 2, 2011 primary is July 5. [Full Story]

A post on The Michigan Messenger reports that a fundraising video for Greenhills School in Ann Arbor claims its $20,000-per-year tuition isn’t enough to support the school, which Gov. Rick Snyder’s daughter attends. From the report: “At the same time that the school to which Snyder sends his own child can’t make ends meet with funding of $20,000 per pupil, the governor recently pushed through and signed legislation that cuts per pupil public school funding by $370 per student, bringing state funding to $6,846 per student. Some schools could qualify for an additional $100 per student if they adopt what Snyder and GOP lawmakers call ‘best practices.’ Those practices include reducing employee costs by forcing an increase in insurance cost sharing … [Full Story]

Two special education teachers originally from Brooklyn, New York, participated in a forum for Ann Arbor city council Democratic primary candidates held on Saturday, June 11. The New Yorkers – incumbent Mike Anglin and Neal Elyakin – are both candidates for the Ward 5 city council seat.

The forum was hosted by the Ann Arbor Democratic Party for all city council candidates in contested wards for the Aug. 2 primary election. The event was held in the context of the Democratic Party’s regular monthly meeting at its usual location in the Ann Arbor Community Center on North Main Street.

Ann Arbor's Ward 5 is the yellow highlighted wedge on this city map. The image links to the city of Ann Arbor's My Property page. Type in your address for definitive information about which ward and precinct you live in, along with other information.

The winner of the Ward 5 primary will face Republican Stuart Berry in the general election on Nov. 8. Currently, only Democrats serve on Ann Arbor’s city council.

Republicans have also filed in Ward 4 (Eric Scheie) and Ward 3 (David Parker). In Ward 2, the lack of a Republican challenger means that spot is almost sure to be decided in the Aug. 2 Democratic primary. For the open Ward 1 seat, currently held by Sabra Briere, no partisan challenger filed. Independent candidates have until Aug. 15, 2011 at 5 p.m. to file petitions to run in November.

The last day to register to vote for the Aug. 2, 2011 primary is July 5, 2011.

In this report, we give paraphrased summaries of responses from the Ward 5 candidates. Summarized remarks made by candidates for seats in Ward 2 and Ward 3 are presented in separate articles. [Full Story]

Contesting the Ward 2 Ann Arbor city council Democratic primary this year are incumbent Stephen Rapundalo and Tim Hull. Both candidates participated in the Ann Arbor Democratic Party forum on Saturday morning, June 11.

The event was a combined forum for all Ann Arbor city council candidates in contested wards for the Aug. 2 primary election. The forum was held in the context of the Democratic Party’s regular monthly meeting at its usual location in the Ann Arbor Community Center on North Main Street.

Ann Arbor Ward 2 is the highlighted magenta wedge. The image links to the city of Ann Arbor's My Property page. Type in your address for definitive information about which ward and precinct you live in, along with scads of other information.

The winner of the Ward 2 Democratic primary will almost certainly be the winner of the general election on Nov. 8. No Republican filed nominating petitions, and no independent candidate has yet filed. Independent candidates have until Aug. 15, 2011 at 5 p.m. to file petitions to run in November.

Currently, only Democrats serve on Ann Arbor’s city council. Republicans have filed in Ward 3 (David Parker), Ward 4 (Eric Scheie) and Ward 5 (Stuart Berry). For the open Ward 1 seat, currently held by Sabra Briere, no partisan challenger filed.

The last day to register to vote for the Aug. 2, 2011 primary is July 5, 2011.

After the break, we report in paraphrase form what the Ward 2 candidates had to say. Summaries of remarks made by candidates for seats in Ward 3 and Ward 5 are presented in separate articles. [Full Story]

Mark’s Carts, a new collection of food cart vendors in a plaza next to Downtown Home & Garden, is featured in a Detroit Free Press article. From the report: ”Think of Mark’s Carts in downtown Ann Arbor as a blend of international smorgasbord and American picnic – a place where you can taste everything from Asian steamed buns and breakfast burritos to vegan stew and Spanish paella. Opened last month by businessman Mark Hodesh, the paved, open-air lot on West Washington is southeast Michigan’s first food cart courtyard – home to seven independently owned carts serving hot food seven days a week. A cart center is ‘a fabulous incubator for small business,’ Hodesh said. ‘I think it would be a tremendous … [Full Story]

On Saturday morning, June 11, the Ann Arbor Democratic Party hosted a forum for Ann Arbor city council candidates in contested wards for the Aug. 2 primary election. The forum was held in the context of the Democratic Party’s regular monthly meeting at its usual location in the Ann Arbor Community Center on North Main Street.

City of Ann Arbor Ward 3 is the highlighted blue wedge. Image links to the city of Ann Arbor's My Property page. Type in your address for definitive information about which ward and precinct you live in, along with scads of other information.

Candidates for Ward 3 could not exactly square off – there are three of them. Plus, the linear seating configuration (determined by drawing playing cards) separated Ward 3 incumbent Stephen Kunselman from challengers Ingrid Ault and Marwan Issa with a buffer zone consisting of the two Ward 5 candidates.

The winner of the Ward 3 primary will face Republican David Parker on Nov. 8 in the general election. Currently, only Democrats serve on Ann Arbor’s city council. Republicans have also filed in Ward 4 (Eric Scheie) and Ward 5 (Stuart Berry). But in Ward 2, the lack of a Republican challenger means that spot is almost sure to be decided in the Aug. 2 Democratic primary. For the open Ward 1 seat, currently held by Sabra Briere, no partisan challenger filed. Independent candidates have until Aug. 15, 2011 at 5 p.m. to file petitions to run in November. The last day to register to vote for the Aug. 2, 2011 primary is July 5, 2011.

After the break, we lay out in paraphrase form what the Ward 3 candidates had to say. Summaries of remarks made by candidates for seats in Ward 2 and Ward 5 are presented in separate articles. [Full Story]

After a 16-year tenure, Jean Carlberg attended her last meeting as an Ann Arbor planning commissioner on Tuesday, June 14 – a working session held in the city council workroom at city hall.

Carlberg is a Democrat whose 12 years on city council  (1994-2006) representing Ward 3 overlapped with her time on the planning commission. She will not be serving on any other city government boards or commissions, at least for the moment. She is a board member of the Washtenaw Housing Alliance, a nonprofit consortium of groups working to end homelessness in the county.

Carlberg indicated that she had talked with mayor John Hieftje about a year ago about her decision not to seek reappointment. The mayor is responsible for … [Full Story]

Over the past two months, more than a half dozen people holding key positions in Washtenaw County government have left or announced plans to leave their jobs, for a variety of reasons. Most notably, the county’s deputy administrator, Bill Reynolds – who’s been on medical leave since April – has turned in his resignation, effective June 17.

In this Chronicle file photo from May 2010, Bill Reynolds, right, talks with Washtenaw County commissioner Wes Prater. Reynolds was interviewing for the deputy county administrator job – he was hired for that position in June 2010, but has been on medical leave since April. He recently resigned, effective June 17.

Two other departures were announced at the June 1 board of commissioners meeting and June 2 working session: Joanna Bidlack, who has served as support staff for the board for several years; and Anya Dale, with the county’s economic development and energy department, who has been taking the lead in a Washtenaw Avenue corridor improvement project.

Dale has accepted a job at the University of Michigan’s Office of Campus Sustainability. She also serves as a board member of the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (AATA) – that position is appointed by the city of Ann Arbor’s mayor, and Dale says she plans to remain on the AATA board. Bidlack, who recently completed a master’s degree at Eastern Michigan University, has taken a job at General Electric’s operation in Van Buren Township.

Reynolds, who was hired as the county’s No. 2 administrator a year ago, began paid medical leave in early April, citing post-military issues. [He was hired at a salary of $138,000.] On Tuesday, county administrator Verna McDaniel told The Chronicle that Reynolds turned in his resignation in late May, effective June 17. He has been interviewing for county administrator jobs elsewhere, and had been one of three finalists for the county administrator job in St. Croix County, Wisc. When The Chronicle has pressed for additional details about Reynolds’ leave of absence, county officials have characterized it as a personnel matter and declined further comment.

The staff changes come a year after the May 2010 retirement of county administrator Bob Guenzel, who had worked for the county for 37 years. Now under the leadership of McDaniel – herself a long-time county employee – the county is also addressing a roughly $17 million deficit for 2012 and 2013, and is undertaking some departmental reorganizations in part as a response to declining property tax revenues. The county employs 1,331 people, including elected officials and 1,090 employees who are represented by unions.

In interviews this week with The Chronicle, both McDaniel and Conan Smith – chair of the board of commissioners – said this kind of turnover has been anticipated, in light of the county’s financial situation and the overall economy. There’s an understanding among employees that the workforce will be shrinking, Smith said, and that if someone finds an opportunity elsewhere, they’re taking it.

McDaniel said there is no mass exodus of employees, but acknowledged that there will be additional departures – including retirements – before the end of the year. She’s developing recommendations regarding her administrative team, in light of the recent departures, and plans to update the board at their Thursday, June 16 working session. [Full Story]

Transportation issues, regional cooperation and economic development were the focus of two presentations at a working session for the Washtenaw County board of commissioners earlier this month.

Ann Arbor planning commissioners and staff on a late April bus tour along Washtenaw Avenue, focusing on a project to improve that corridor between Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor. The iconic Ypsi-Arbor Bowl sign has since been removed. (Photos by the writer.)

The board got an update on the Washtenaw Avenue corridor improvement project, an effort to revitalize the county’s most congested – and, in many sections, blighted – commercial stretch. The project is focused on the roughly five miles between Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, which also crosses land within Pittsfield and Ypsilanti townships. All four communities are involved in the project and several government leaders from those jurisdictions attended the working session, including Ypsilanti city councilmember Pete Murdock, Ann Arbor councilmember Tony Derezinski, Ypsilanti Township supervisor Brenda Stumbo and clerk Karen Lovejoy Roe, Ypsilanti Township planning commissioner Larry Krieg, and Craig Lyon, director of Pittsfield Township utilities and municipal services.

Anya Dale, the Washtenaw County planner who’s been coordinating the project, briefed commissioners on both the history and the current status of efforts along the corridor. One of the main questions – how the four communities will formally partner on the project – remains undecided. One option would be to form a corridor improvement authority (CIA), a tax increment finance (TIF) district that would provide revenues to fund improvements. Though governing boards and councils for each jurisdiction have passed resolutions of intent to form a CIA, Dale said they’re waiting on possible state legislative changes that would allow for one CIA to be formed along the entire corridor.

Another uncertainty relates to staff: Commissioners learned that Dale is leaving the county to take a job at the University of Michigan’s Office of Campus Sustainability. She’s been spending about a third of her time on the Washtenaw Avenue project, and it’s unclear who will pick up that work.

The same meeting also included an update from Michael Ford, CEO of the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority, on a possible countywide transit system. That presentation will be included in an upcoming Chronicle report. [Full Story]