City Administrator Buys Home in Ann Arbor

City records show that Ann Arbor city administrator Steve Powers and his wife, Jayne Powers, have purchased a home inside the city limits of Ann Arbor. Powers started the job as city administrator nine months ago on Sept. 15, 2011 and has been renting an apartment until recently. Jayne Powers has now joined him in Ann Arbor, moving from Marquette County, Mich., where Steve Powers served as county administrator from 1996 until taking the Ann Arbor job.

Previous Ann Arbor city administrator Roger Fraser often drew criticism for the fact that he did not live in the city he served. [.pdf of October 23, 2006 Ann Arbor News article: "Fraser Again Shuns City Life"]

The Powers’ 1,936-square-foot home, built in 1936, is located on Stadium Boulevard. They paid $290,000 for it in a transaction recorded on March 30, 2012.

Living in Ward 3, they will be represented on the city council by Democrats Christopher Taylor and Stephen Kunselman. On the Washtenaw County board of commissioners, their representative for the current District 11 is Democrat Yousef Rabhi. Their state legislators are also Democrats – Rep. Jeff Irwin, who represents District 53, and Sen. Rebekah Warren, who represents District 18.

At the city council’s June 18, 2012 meeting, among the year-final budget adjustments that were on the agenda was a $30,000 city administrator moving expense that had not been previously included in the budget.