Colin Smith, Ann Arbor's parks and recreation manager, signs sheets from more than a dozen local high school students attesting that they had attended the Feb. 28, 2012 meeting of the city's park advisory commission, as part of a class assignment. (Photos by the writer.)

The largest of the action items was a $865,190 contract for road, parking, pathway and other exterior renovations at Buhr Park and Cobblestone Farm. The work will include resurfacing the entry road off of Packard, and improving the path system to allow better access within the park area, as well as a connection from Essex Street into the park. The city council later approved the project at its March 5 meeting.

Commissioners also recommended approval of a 15-foot landscaping buffer in Riverside Park, next to a proposed new DTE Energy substation that abuts the park. DTE is seeking a variance from the city code, which requires a land use buffer for any commercial site that’s adjacent to a park – without the variance, that buffer would need to be located on DTE property. The new substation, to be located in the utility company’s Ann Arbor service center at 984 Broadway, will provide more electrical power to the downtown area due to increased demand.

Also recommended for approval was a $35,200 contract for restroom renovations at the Ann Arbor Senior Center. The facility will be closed in May while the project is completed, and activities will be scheduled at other locations. When PAC chair Julie Grand said she was impressed to see that so many companies had bid on the project, parks manager Colin Smith noted that it might reflect changes related to CUB agreements.

To comply with new state legislation, last summer the city council rescinded a resolution that had previously required contractors for city projects to execute Construction Unity Board (CUB) agreements. The agreements are negotiated between local trade unions and contractors, and require that contractors abide by terms of collective bargaining agreements for the duration of the construction project.

At their Feb. 28 meeting, park commissioners were also updated on a project to make exterior improvements – primarily related to pedestrian pathways – at the Leslie Science & Nature Center. The center, located at 1831 Traver Road, was previously part of the city’s parks system but since 2007 has operated as an independent nonprofit. However, the city still owns and maintains the buildings and property. The first stage of the project will focus on making pathways to the center’s popular raptor enclosures more accessible.

Commissioners also learned that during the week of March 12, the city will begin to install a new pedestrian bridge at the end of the Argo Dam bypass. Because of the construction, the recently renovated bypass will be temporarily closed. A stoplog will be put in to stop the flow of water into the bypass – the project will likely take a couple of weeks. The path along the bypass is expected to be paved later in April, with the end in sight for the entire project by May.

Smith reported that Argo Cascades will be the new name for the bypass – a series of drop pools that eliminates the need to portage along that stretch.

During an update on the parks and recreation budget, Smith reported that due to extra funds available from the park operations budget, plans are in the works to: (1) restore mowing to a 14-day cycle – the cycle has in recent seasons been every 19 days; (2) increase seasonal staffing between April 15 and Oct. 15; and (3) hire three park rangers from May through September, to deal better with maintenance and enforcement issues in the parks.

Several items were also raised during the time set aside for communications. Smith noted that the six-year, 1.1 mill parks maintenance and capital improvements millage will be coming up for renewal this fall. Staff has already started working on the renewal process, gathering materials in preparation for a March 12 city council working session. The millage was last approved in 2006.

It was also noted that two key staff members are leaving their jobs soon. Molly Notarianni, the city’s market manager, is stepping down at the end of March after about four years on the job. The position has already been posted. And long-time Rec & Ed director Sara Aeschbach will be retiring this summer. Both were praised for their service.

At the end of the meeting, commissioner Gwen Nystuen reminded her PAC colleagues about an upcoming sustainability forum on Thursday, March 8 at 7 p.m. in the downtown Ann Arbor District Library building. It’s the third in a series of four, this one focusing on climate and energy, and is part of a broader sustainability project that began last year and includes developing sustainability goals for the city. [See Chronicle coverage of the first and second forums in the series.] A public forum on the forums is also scheduled for March 29 from 6-8 p.m. at the downtown Ann Arbor District Library building, 343 S. Fifth Ave.

Outdoor Upgrades at Buhr, Cobblestone

Commissioners were asked to recommend approval of a $865,190 contract for road, parking and other exterior renovations at Buhr Park and Cobblestone Farm, located at 2781 Packard Rd. The contract would be awarded to Fonson Inc.

Fonson submitted the second lowest of 10 bids. The contract includes a $786,536 base bid plus a $78,654 (10%) contingency for possible change orders. Funding would come from the park maintenance and capital improvements millage, as well as the park rehabilitation and development millage. According to a staff memo, the lowest bid received was from Pranam Global Tech for $499,000. However, no paving subcontractors were listed and no testing fees were included, both of which were requirements of the bid.

Parks planner Amy Kuras described the proposed work in detail. Among other things, Fonson’s work would include resurfacing the road. Kuras showed slides of the current deteriorated roadway, including “unintentional pervious pavement,” she joked. The project would also expand the parking lot at Cobblestone by about 15 spaces, and create a pedestrian pathway system throughout the park area. The path system would include changes to allow better access within the park area, as well as a connection from Essex Street into the park. The project also includes stormwater management features, such as a bioswale, rain gardens, porous pavement in certain areas, and stormwater basins to improve water quality.

These improvements were recommended as part of a stormwater management master plan completed in 2000, Kuras said. The renovations were also recommended as part of the recently updated Parks & Recreation Open Space (PROS) plan. [The 9MB plan can be downloaded from the city's parks planning website.]

Proposed changes will also help the park facilities comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Kuras said.

Work is expected to begin this spring. The plan is to keep the park open while the project is completed, though that will be a challenge, Kuras said. The work will begin in the Buhr parking lot and gradually move toward the Packard Road entrance. The plan is to finish the project by the fall of 2012.

Outdoor Upgrades at Buhr, Cobblestone: Commission Discussion

Commissioners had several questions and comments about the plan. Sam Offen asked whether the project will have any impact on the scheduling of events at Cobblestone Farm. Kuras said she’s coordinated with Jessica Black, parks and recreation customer service manager, who manages events at Cobblestone. [The building is rented out for weddings and other events.] When the parking lot is closed, there will be parking available on the grass, Kuras said. The plan is to mill the asphalt rather than remove it, she noted, so that would likely allow people to drive on it during the project.

Parks manager Colin Smith added that most events are held on Friday nights or the weekend, when construction workers won’t be active. It will be a challenge to coordinate, he said, but there are options. Even if it rains and they can’t use the grass area for parking, a gravel lot is available. It wouldn’t be optimal, but it would work.

Offen asked when the Buhr Park pool opens. Memorial Day, Smith reported. The work at the Buhr parking lot will likely be done by then, he said.

David Barrett said he assumed that the parks staff has reached out to Ann Arbor Rec & Ed, noting that the organization schedules games in the park. Yes, Smith said, they’re being kept in the loop.

Christopher Taylor asked for more detail about the pedestrian pathway from Essex Street. Previously, Kuras replied, there’s been no access from Essex into the park – it’s just lawn. With the new path, people will be able to bike or walk to facilities in the park.

Gwen Nystuen asked whether pervious pavement will be used for the new parking spaces at Cobblestone Farm. No, Kuras said. There’s room within the park to handle stormwater treatment in other ways, she said, accomplishing the same environmental goals related to water quality. When Nystuen suggested that they could accomplish even more by using pervious pavement, Kuras replied that the same amount of water would be handled – it’s just a matter of the method used to handle it.

In response to a question from Offen, Kuras noted that the original raingarden in Buhr has been doubled in size, and another one was added there. Nystuen mentioned that it’s the location of the Buhr Park children’s wet meadow project, and Kuras said she’s worked closely with the project’s organizer, Jeannine Palms.

Smith told commissioners that this entire project is a good example of the city taking care of its existing parks infrastructure. Over the past 10 years, several parts of Buhr Park and Cobblestone Farm have been renovated, including improvements at the swimming pool and ice rink. By the time this current project is completed, the entire park will have been redone, he said. The city is lucky to have a large parks system, Smith said, but in reality many of the parks are quite old and in need of an overhaul.

Outcome: Commissioners unanimously recommended approval of the contract with Fonson Inc. for renovations at Buhr Park and Cobblestone Farm. The Ann Arbor city council subsequently approved the project at its March 5 meeting.

DTE Landscaping Buffer

The commission was asked to recommend approval of a 15-foot landscaping buffer in Riverside Park, next to a proposed new DTE Energy substation that abuts the park.

Site plan for DTE Buckler substation. (Links to larger image.)

DTE is seeking a variance of the city’s conflicting land use buffer. Chapter 62 of the city code requires a buffer for any commercial site that’s adjacent to a park – without the variance, that buffer would need to be located on DTE property. The code requires that the buffer be at least 15 feet wide, include one tree for each 15 feet of abutting land, and provide a continuous screen at least 4 feet high using a hedge, berm, wall, fence, or combination of those elements.

According to a city staff memo, DTE is building the new Buckler substation in the utility company’s Ann Arbor service center at 984 Broadway, to provide an increase in electrical power to the downtown area due to increased demand for electricity. Because of physical constraints on DTE’s property, the utility is asking the city to place the buffer – which will include 23 new trees – in Riverside Park. The buffer would remain city parks property. The parks staff recommended approval of the plan.

Parks manager Colin Smith walked the commission through the proposal. The current border between Riverside and the DTE property includes a fence, scrub, and a “haphazard” screen of trees of varying quality, he said. All of the substation’s construction would occur on DTE property, Smith said, and the city’s ownership of the park property would remain unchanged. He noted that the city’s forester would select the trees, and the area would include other landscaping as well. It will look much better than it does now, he said.

Smith also noted that the proposal will decrease the city’s maintenance costs – because of the landscaping, they won’t need to mow around the trees as they do now. He stressed that the proposed buffer is not an area that’s actively used, and that the city already has tried to create a buffer between the DTE facility and the park, so that park users won’t have to look at the DTE site. The project is an example of the city trying to be a good neighbor, he said, because the reality is that DTE needs a new substation to serve the electricity needs of residents.

DTE Landscaping Buffer: Commission Discussion

Sam Offen asked what is currently on the site where DTE plans to build its new substation. Scott Trowbridge of DTE Energy came to the podium to answer the question, saying that it’s a paved storage area for vehicles and equipment.

Offen asked if there were any other areas where the substation could be built, so that it wouldn’t abut the property line with Riverside. Trowbridge noted that the DTE property is on the edge of a floodplain, and if the substation is located closer to the river, it would require more floodplain mitigation. Underground conduits are also located in that area, he said, which will be used for the new substation – that also affects the choice of location.

Offen said he normally doesn’t like it when people don’t follow the city’s zoning code. It’s the property owner’s responsibility to provide a screen, he noted. On the other hand, he wants to be a good neighbor, so he was debating how to vote on this resolution. He trusted that DTE had considered alternatives, and that the company had determined this was the best option.

Offen said he said he assumed that since the buffer is on the city’s property, it would then be the city’s responsibility for maintenance? Yes, Smith replied, adding that most trees would come with some kind of warrantee. Offen wanted to ensure that the warrantee is at least the industry standard and that if a tree doesn’t survive, DTE would replace it.

Ann Arbor parks & recreation manager Colin Smith, left, talks with Scott Trowbridge of DTE Energy before the Feb. 28, 2012 meeting of the city's park advisory commission.

Smith said he agreed entirely with Offen’s points, and that if there had been a way to accomplish this within the zoning code, that would have been the way to go. But the proposal seems reasonable, he added, and DTE has been working with planning staff about it.

Offen then asked if the path running along the river would be affected by the new substation. The path would not be affected, Smith said.

Christopher Taylor asked if there would be a vertical or noise element as part of the substation. Trowbridge reported that there’s currently a cell phone tower on that site that’s over 100 feet tall. The equipment at the substation would be no taller than about 16 feet, he said, but because of floodplain issues, the project includes raising the grade of the land there about four feet.

Regarding noise, Trowbridge said you would probably be able to hear a hum at the fenceline, but not much more than that.

Taylor noted that based on a Google Earth map, it looks like there’s a park playing field close to the property line. Tim Berla added that there’s a goal located not too far from the existing fence, and that one corner of the field is close to the property line.

Smith said the buffer won’t impact the ability to schedule games on that field. If anything, he added, it will result in a better parks buffer. He also noted that DTE is planning to provide additional landscaping along Canal Street, which runs next to the park.

Tim Doyle wondered what DTE would do if the city denies this variance request. Does the company have an alternative plan? Trowbridge said the decision would involve many people, and would lead to a delay in meeting downtown Ann Arbor’s demand for electricity – there’s only so much load the current substation can provide. It would lead to choices about how DTE can serve new developments, he said. And when the load peaks in the summer, DTE might need to shut down some circuits to protect its equipment.

Trowbridge said there are two main drivers in selecting the current site for a substation. One is that DTE already owns the property. The other is the location of underground conduits with existing circuits and spare ducts. At that location, DTE could easily bring cables underground into the new substation. Distribution circuits now come out of the Argo substation, located across the street on Broadway. In response to a query from Doyle, Trowbridge said that building the new substation as proposed is the most economically viable plan for DTE.

Doyle noted that raising the grade by four feet was dramatic, and he wondered if anyone had looked at the impact of drainage into the park. Trowbridge said the plan called for capturing stormwater runoff on the DTE site, by using a detention pond and stone surface instead of asphalt.

Noting that parks staff supports the proposal, David Barrett said he wanted to make sure that staff was comfortable that drainage wouldn’t be a problem and that the field wouldn’t be deluged. Smith indicated that the staff felt fine about the proposal.

DTE Landscaping Buffer: Amendment

John Lawter said he assumed that the proposed 23 trees exceeds the amount required by code – that would help compensate for using parkland for the buffer. Trowbridge said he couldn’t speak to that.

Doyle suggested amending the resolution to require that a minimum of 23 trees be used in the buffer. There was some discussion about what the code actually required. From Chapter 62, Section 5:603 of the city code:

The conflicting land use buffer shall consist of the following:
(1) A landscaped buffer strip at least 15 feet wide. If there is an existing building or vehicular use area located within the required 15-foot landscape buffer strip, the landscape buffer strip may have an average of 15 feet in width over the entire length of the required buffer area, with no specific location along the buffer strip being less than 8 feet in width
(2) One tree for each 15 feet or fraction thereof of abutting land. At least 50% of the trees within the conflicting land use buffer shall be evergreen. Arrangement of trees in clusters or groupings is encouraged, but in all cases shall be between 15 feet and 30 feet apart on center. Plantings should be placed to screen the views between buildings that existed at the time of site plan approval, (especially windows and patio views) on the adjacent property.
(3) A hedge, landform berm, wall, fence or combination thereof forming a continuous screen at least 4 feet high. All gasoline or service stations shall employ opaque walls as the continuous screen. For parcels principally used or zoned for residential purposes the requirement for a hedge, landform berm, wall or fence is only required to screen vehicular use areas and refuse/recycling containers that are adjacent to the conflicting land use buffer.

Parks planner Amy Kuras said she had recommended that an additional 7-8 trees be added between the Riverside parking lot and Canal Street. [Kuras is overseeing a larger renovation project at the park – commissioners were briefed on that effort at their October 2011 meeting.]

At the direction of commissioners, Smith crafted an amendment to request that DTE provide an additional 10 trees in landscaping for a parking lot in the park, adjacent to Canal Street. It was considered a friendly amendment to the resolution, and was not voted on separately.

Outcome: The commission unanimously recommended approval of a landscaping buffer in Riverside Park, next to a proposed DTE substation, as well as additional trees between the Riverside parking lot and Canal Street. DTE also needs to secure a variance from the city’s zoning board of appeals and planning commission, as well as final approval by the city council.

Senior Center Renovations

On the Feb. 28 agenda was a resolution to recommend approval of a $35,200 contract for restroom renovations at the Ann Arbor Senior Center. Staff recommended that the contract be awarded to L.C. Construction, which submitted the lowest of eight acceptable bids. The facility will be closed in May while the project is completed, and activities will be scheduled at other locations.

The $35,200 includes a $32,000 base bid and a $3,200 (10%) contingency fund to cover possible change orders. Funds would come from proceeds of the park maintenance and capital improvements millage.

According to a city staff memo, the restrooms don’t meet the state’s Barrier Free Code. The center’s two existing restrooms – each with two stalls – would be converted to three single restrooms that would each meet the Barrier Free Code standards. The memo notes that because L.C. Construction only has three employees, it is exempt from the city’s living wage and human rights ordinances.

Senior Center Renovations: Commission Discussion

There was little deliberation on this item. Julie Grand said she was impressed to see that so many companies had bid on the project. Parks manager Colin Smith mentioned that it might reflect changes related to CUB agreements.

By way of background, at its Aug. 15, 2011 meeting, the Ann Arbor city council rescinded a resolution it had passed in November 2009, which had required execution of Construction Unity Board (CUB) agreements by contractors and subcontractors with the Washtenaw County Skilled Building Trades Council as a condition of award for all city construction contracts. The resolution also had required inclusion of the requirement in all construction bids issued by the city.

CUB agreements are negotiated between local trade unions and contractors, and require that contractors who sign the agreement abide by terms of collective bargaining agreements for the duration of the construction project. In return, the trade unions agree that they will not strike, engage in work slow-downs, set up separate work entrances at the job site or take any other adverse action against the contractor.

The council rescinded its CUB resolution because state Act 98 of 2011 – which became effective July 19, 2011 – prohibits municipalities from including as a requirement in a construction contract anything that would either require or prohibit contractors from entering into agreements with collective bargaining organizations. The act also prohibits discrimination against contractors based on willingness or non-willingness to enter into such agreements.

Outcome: Commissioners unanimously recommended approval of the contract with L.C. Construction. City council subsequently approved the contract at its March 5 meeting.

Renovations at Leslie Science & Nature Center

Amy Kuras, the city’s parks planner, gave an update on a project to make exterior improvements – primarily related to pedestrian pathways – at the Leslie Science & Nature Center. The center, located at 1831 Traver Road, was previously part of the city’s parks system but since 2007 has operated as an independent nonprofit. However, the city still owns and maintains the buildings and property.

This photo of raptor enclosures at Leslie Science & Nature Center was provided by city staff as part of the packet of materials for the park advisory commission's Feb. 28 meeting.

The goal of the changes is to make the center compliant with requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and to make the pathways and overall organization of the site less confusing, Kuras said.  The site includes a lot of paved impervious surface, and a lot of it isn’t necessary, she said. The project will also address soil erosion and water runoff issues.

The center’s raptor enclosures – housing owls, falcons, a bald eagle and other birds of prey – are located at the highest part of the site, Kuras said. The birds are very popular, she added, so it’s important to make the area as accessible as possible. In addition to pathways, there will be better signs indicating how to get to the enclosures, as well as directions to other parts of the center.

The city has hired JJR as a consultant on the project, Kuras said. There has been one public forum about the proposed changes, and staff has met with the center’s board as well.

After developing a master plan for the entire site, a more detailed design for the pathway to the raptor enclosures will be completed, Kuras said. Construction on that pathway will begin in the fall of 2012, after the center’s summer camps are over.

Leslie Science & Nature Center: Commission Discussion

Gwen Nystuen asked whether pervious pavement would be used in the project. As with all projects, Kuras replied, pervious pavement would be used where it’s appropriate. She’s looking at possibly using some innovative products, she added, including a product made from crushed recycled glass. Kuras said she hopes to find a local source for the glass, and that the pavement sparkles and is quite beautiful. However, there needs to be additional testing to see if it’s appropriate for the site, she said.

In response to another question from Nystuen, Kuras explained that the existing parking will be reconfigured from angled to perpendicular parking, which will allow for more spaces on the same footprint. They’re also looking at putting pervious pavement in the overflow parking areas, which are currently grass. Kuras said that instructional signs aren’t part of this project, but that the center’s staff will take care of that component.

Sam Offen noted that he also serves as a board member for the center, and reported that the board and staff are very excited about the project.

Kuras hopes to apply for a state grant to help fund the full project. Julie Grand clarified with Kuras that the pathways to the raptor enclosures would be handled first, followed by the rest of the renovations as funding allows.

The report was informational only – it was not an action item for PAC.

Financial Update

Colin Smith, the city’s parks and recreation manager, gave PAC a financial update on parks and recreation operations, for the period starting July 1, 2011 through Jan. 31, 2012. [.pdf of parks and rec quarterly financial update as of Jan. 31, 2012] The city operates on a fiscal year from July 1 through June 30.

From left: Ann Arbor city councilmember Christopher Taylor (Ward 3), and park advisory commissioners Tim Doyle and Gwen Nystuen. Taylor is an ex officio (non-voting) member of PAC.

Smith started by focusing on the recreational facilities supported by the city’s general fund. On the revenue side, some facilities are ahead of budget and some are behind, he noted. Overall, however, the forecast for the full fiscal year anticipates $2.368 million in revenues – about $2,500 ahead of budget. And expenses are projected to be $15,000 lower than budgeted, at $3.445 million for the fiscal year. That means the forecast for the year is now $17,500 better than budgeted from the general fund for parks and recreation, he said.

There are no alarms in any of the facilities supported by the general fund, he said. The forecast anticipates a $1.076 million general fund subsidy for parks and recreation for the year.

Smith then turned to the park system’s three enterprise funds – areas that are intended to be self-sustaining – the farmers market, Huron Hills golf course, and Leslie Park golf course. Revenues and expenses are on budget for the market, Smith said, at about $165,000.

The $369,875 forecasted revenues for Huron Hills is about $12,000 less than budgeted, while Leslie Park’s $896,319 in revenues is forecasted to be about $25,000 less than budgeted. Expenses at each golf course are about $5,000 less than budgeted, Smith said. The net forecasted loss for the two courses is $27,500 for the fiscal year. It’s not an insurmountable amount, he added, especially if the spring weather isn’t as wet as last year.

Financial Update: Commission Discussion

After reviewing some of the other line items in the parks and rec budget, Smith answered questions from commissioners.

Sam Offen observed a $17,500 drop in forecasted revenues for the Argo canoe livery. Is that because construction has been delayed? Smith replied that the drop relates to the offer by DTE to pay for the whitewater feature in the Huron River near the Argo bypass, if the city delayed action on that project. When the budget was developed in early 2011, the parks staff had assumed that the whitewater feature would be open during the summer of 2012, creating new revenue opportunities. Now, it’s likely that the river whitewater feature won’t be ready until 2013.

In response to a question from John Lawter, Smith clarified that the city subsidizes the parks and recreation budget by about $1.076 million from the city’s general fund. Tim Berla noted that the golf courses are subsidized with about $292,000 in general fund dollars.

David Barrett asked why the golf courses are forecast to have a total of $10,000 less in expenses than anticipated. Smith replied that when the weather is bad, staff at the courses are sent home. That’s primarily why expenses are lower.

Barrett also asked about the fitness center at Veterans Memorial Park. Revenues are only about $5,500, which Smith said reflected low usage of the center – revenues come from fees paid by users. He said the staff are exploring better ways to use that space, and think that perhaps a fitness center isn’t the best option. Karen Levin speculated that perhaps people in the neighborhood just don’t know about it, and that if the facility is marketed, usage might increase. Smith observed that the equipment is out of date, and it’s not really the park system’s main business.

Gwen Nystuen asked about the line item for administration – $159,171 in revenues. Smith clarified that it comes from a variety of sources, including parking rental from Fuller and Riverside parks.

Financial Update: Maintenance

Matt Warba, supervisor of field operations, briefed the commission about the portion of the budget related to maintenance. [.pdf of parks maintenance financial summary] He began with operations funded from the general fund, and noted that by the nature of the work, there are very few revenues. Regarding expenses, overall they’ll be well within the budgeted amounts, he said.

For operations funded through the parks maintenance and capital improvements millage, Warba highlighted a few line items. The Argo livery is over budget due to maintenance and the purchase of additional kayaks and canoes in anticipation of the new Argo Dam bypass. Expenses are also higher than budgeted for the Ann Arbor senior center, due to renovations there.

David Barrett asked whether the winter’s lack of heavy snowfall saved in expenses. Warba said he didn’t want to say, because there was still the chance that the region would get hit – the potential for snow isn’t over yet. Warba’s assumption is that there will be savings, “but you never know.”

Smith noted that a budget impact statement for field operations had been distributed at a Feb. 13, 2012 city council working session. Over the past three years, he said, there have been savings in park operations, primarily due to budgeted but unfilled job vacancies. [Responding to a follow-up email query from The Chronicle, Smith clarified that since fiscal year 2009, park operations has annually underspent its expenditure budget by an average of about $550,000.] As a result, he said, parks staff were asked to figure out how best to use that money in the parks system.

The parks staff are making several recommendations: (1) restore mowing to a 14-day cycle – the cycle has in recent seasons been every 19 days; (2) increase seasonal staffing between April 15 and Oct. 15 so that active recreation areas can be maintained better; (3) hire three park rangers from May through September, to deal better with maintenance and enforcement issues in the parks; and (4) increase seasonal staff at the city’s ice arenas to help clean the facilities.

Sam Offen asked how much enforcement capability the rangers would have. When the city had park rangers in the past, that was an issue – the rangers didn’t have much ability to act. Offen also asked whether PAC would get more details about these proposals at a later date.

Smith replied that yes, details are still being worked out and would be brought forward to PAC. Regarding rangers, Smith said they will be parks staff, not police. Warba added that the intent of the rangers is to be informational – they won’t even have the ability to write tickets. If there were a problem, the rangers would call the police. The rangers are seen as stewards of the park system, Warba said, and would do tasks like check restrooms or ensure that people don’t jump the fence and use soccer fields when it’s too wet, which damages the field.

Smith noted that the parks staff does some of this work now at special events. For example, someone is on hand to greet people when they arrive to a special event held at a park, and to take care of any details that need to be handled. It’s a way that the parks staff can respond to issues in a timely way, Smith said, rather than waiting for residents to call in a problem.

Tim Doyle suggested that the rangers wear more formal uniforms, saying this would create a kind of “sentinel effect.” He joked that it wouldn’t hurt to carry a squirt gun too. Smith quipped that perhaps they could plan a fashion show at the next PAC meeting.

Communications & Commentary

Every meeting includes opportunities for public commentary and communications from commissioners and staff. Two people spoke during time allocated for public commentary at the Feb. 28 meeting.

Comm/Comm: Public Commentary – Preserving Parkland

George Gaston indicated that he’d spoken at other PAC meetings. Several years ago, the community strongly supported a proposal to protect parkland, he said. [Gaston was referring to a voter-approved city charter amendment, which prohibits the sale of city parkland unless approved by voters.] That proved inadequate, he said, as evidenced by efforts to develop Huron Hills golf course and Fuller Road Station. [Fuller Road Station was a proposed joint project between the city and the University of Michigan. Its first stage was a large parking structure, but UM withdrew from that partnership last month.] Gaston urged commissioners to close the loopholes and protect the city’s parks, calling them a great asset.

He described the new bypass at Argo Dam as wonderful, saying he’s already seen kayakers using it and having fun. Parks are parks, not public land, he said. When the city wants voters to approve a millage, the city refers to the land as parkland, he noted. But when city officials want to develop the land, they call it public land. Gaston asked commissioners to protect parkland now and in the future.

Saying she echoed Gaston’s comments, Rita Mitchell noted that projects totally unrelated to parkland have been proposed on parkland, like the Fuller Road Station at Fuller Park. She said she was asking PAC to uphold the principle of using parkland for parks. She said 80% of voters had supported the charter amendment to prohibit the sale of parkland without a voter referendum. She urged commissioners to protect parks and keep them as people in the community intended.

Comm/Comm: Manager’s Report – Argo Cascades

Parks manager Colin Smith reported that during the week of March 12, the city will begin to install the new pedestrian bridge at the end of the Argo Dam bypass. PAC had recommended approval of the new bridge, along with other project changes, at its Aug. 16, 2011 meeting, and the changes were subsequently approved by the city council. [.pdf of Argo headrace design and bridge info]

Because of the construction, the recently renovated bypass will be temporarily closed, Smith said. A stoplog will be put in to stop the flow of water into the bypass – the bridge will likely take a couple of weeks to install. Then in early April, parks staff plan to install a rubber guide in one of the series of drop pools in the bypass, Smith said. The intent is to make the drops easier to navigate. If that guide seems to be effective, others might be installed later.

The path along the bypass is expected to be paved later in April, with the end in sight for the entire project by May. Smith said PAC will get a presentation in March or April regarding all the improvements, programming and marketing for the bypass area.

Smith also reported that based on a survey that yielded about 600 responses, Argo Cascades will be the new name for the bypass.

John Lawter asked about the whitewater portion of the project. By way of background, the original renovation of the Argo Dam bypass had included construction of a stretch of whitewater in the section of the Huron River next to the bypass. DTE Energy subsequently offered to pay for the whitewater feature of the project – about $180,000 – if the city agreed to hold off on construction of that piece until after DTE completes environmental remediation on its nearby property, as required by the state.

Smith reported that DTE has submitted a remediation plan to the state, but the whitewater feature won’t be built this year. The Argo livery is expected to open in early May, with a grand opening for the new bypass expected sometime later this year. The Gallup Pond livery will open April 14.

Comm/Comm: Manager’s Report – Millage Renewal

Smith noted that the six-year, 1.1 mill parks maintenance and capital improvements millage will be coming up for renewal this fall. Staff has already started working on it, gathering materials in preparation for a March 12 city council working session. PAC will be briefed at their March 20 meeting, and there will be several public forums as well after that. A recommendation for renewal will likely be considered by PAC in July, with the council making a decision in August about putting it on the November ballot. “We’re certainly starting to work on that quite heavily,” he said.

The millage was most recently deliberated by PAC at its May 2011 meeting, in the context of budget allocations and how millage proceeds are spent. See Chronicle coverage: “Council to Get Reminder of Parks Promise.”

Comm/Comm: Manager’s Report – Market Manager

In his final communication, Smith reported that the city’s market manager, Molly Notarianni, will be leaving that job at the end of March. She’s been with the city for about four years, he said, and has been extremely enthusiastic about her work and has taken initiative to improve the market. She’ll be missed, he said.

The city has already posted the job and he hopes to get someone on board quickly, Smith said. According to the posting, the job has a minimum salary of $38,082 with a midpoint of $48,793. In the interim, the work will be handled by Jessica Black, parks and recreation customer service manager. Smith noted that Black ran the market before Notarianni joined the staff. He told commissioners that if they see Notarianni in the coming weeks, “wish her well and thank her, please.”

Comm/Comm: Commissioner Updates – Rec & Ed

Tim Berla, who’s also a member of the city’s recreation advisory commission (RAC), reported that Ann Arbor Rec & Ed is excited about the city’s upcoming work on the ballfields. [See Chronicle coverage: "Major Renovations of City Ballfields Planned."]

Berla also reported that long-time Rec & Ed director Sara Aeschbach will be retiring this summer. He described her as a rock, and someone who provided exemplary public service. There’s been a lot of turnover in the city parks management, he noted, but Aeschbach has provided stability at Rec & Ed over the years. [Rec & Ed is a unit of the Ann Arbor Public Schools, but works closely with the city parks staff.] Berla hoped someone equally good would be hired to replace her.

Comm/Comm: Commissioner Updates – Sustainability

Gwen Nystuen reminded commissioners about the upcoming sustainability forums. As part of a broader sustainability project, the city scheduled four forums this year, one per month, starting in January. All forums are held at the downtown Ann Arbor District Library building, 343 S. Fifth Ave. starting at 7 p.m. [See Chronicle coverage: "Sustaining Ann Arbor's Environmental Quality" and "Land Use, Transit Factor into Sustainability"]

The two remaining forums are:

• March 8, 2012: Climate and Energy – including an overview of Ann Arbor’s climate action plan, climate impacts, renewable and alternative energy, energy efficiency and conservation.
• April 12, 2012: Community – including housing, public safety, public art, recreation, outreach, civic engagement, and stewardship of community resources.

All forums are being videotaped by AADL staff. The videos will be posted on the library’s website. Additional background on the Ann Arbor sustainability initiative is on the city’s website.

The four forums reflect categories in a framework that the city is developing to organize its existing goals as they relate to sustainability. The project, which began earlier this year, is being led by Jamie Kidwell and funded by a $95,000 grant the city received from the Home Depot Foundation. Four city commissions – park, planning, energy and environmental – participated in a Sept. 27, 2011 joint working session focused on prioritizing existing goals for the city that touch on sustainability issues. [For additional background, see Chronicle coverage of Kidwell's briefing at the Nov. 15 park advisory commission meeting.]

PAC chair Julie Grand reported that the parks perspective will be represented at the April 12 forum.

Grand also serves on a committee that’s developing the sustainability goals. Draft goals were presented at the Feb. 9 sustainability forum. Tim Berla said he’d seen the draft goals and they seemed generic. He wondered if there would be more details associated with each goal at some point. Karen Levin, who serves on the sustainability committee with Grand, said the idea is to have 15 broader goals, then develop more detailed objectives and targets for each goal. Grand added that by highlighting this smaller set of goals, the intent is not to negate all of the other goals that have been set by the city.

A public forum to discuss the goals is also scheduled for March 29 from 6-8 p.m. at the downtown Ann Arbor District Library building’s fourth floor conference room.

Present: David Barrett, Tim Berla, Tim Doyle, Julie Grand, Karen Levin, Gwen Nystuen, John Lawter, Sam Offen, councilmember Mike Anglin (ex-officio), councilmember Christopher Taylor (ex-officio). Also Colin Smith, city parks manager.

Absent: Doug Chapman.

Next meeting: PAC’s meeting on Tuesday, March 20, 2012 begins at 4 p.m. in the city hall second-floor council chambers, 301 E. Huron St., Ann Arbor. [confirm date]

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The $35,200 includes a $32,000 base bid and a $3,200 (10%) contingency fund to cover possible change orders. Funds would come from proceeds of the park maintenance and capital improvements millage.

According to a city staff memo, the restrooms don’t meet the state’s Barrier Free Code. The center’s two existing restrooms – each with two stalls – would be converted to three single restrooms that would each meet the Barrier Free Code standards. The memo notes that because L.C. Construction only has three employees, it is exempt from the city’s living wage and human rights ordinances.

This brief was filed from the PAC meeting in the second-floor council chambers at city hall, 301 E. Huron. A more detailed report will follow: [link]

The report stems from city budget talks in 2009, when city officials were looking to cut costs and said that closing the senior center would save about $150,000 annually from the city’s general fund. In response to protests from local residents, the city formed a task force to develop strategies to keep the center open.

In November 2010, the city council approved a $34,750 contract for the consulting firm Hooker DeJong to develop a long-term strategic plan for the senior center. The Ann Arbor Community Foundation funded $16,949 of that amount, with the remainder coming from the city’s general fund.

Hooker DeJong’s 60-page report makes 16 recommendations regarding the senior center. They include: (1) expanding senior programming to other locations, including North Community Center and Bryant Community Center; (2) exploring partnerships with senior centers outside Ann Arbor, such as Pittsfield Township’s senior center, which offers a popular travel program; (3) using more volunteers to expand programs and activities; (4) reaching out to affordable housing developments to do programming; (5) marketing to seniors over 70; (6) possibly eliminating the word “senior” from marketing materials; and (7) making future development program-based rather than facility-based.

The report also recommends that the current senior center at Burns Park be used for non-senior programming as well, and that the center be renamed to reflect that broader use – possibly as the Burns Park Community Center.

Colin Smith, manager of city parks & recreation, said the staff would be reviewing the report and returning to PAC in the coming weeks with a plan on implementing some of these recommendations.

This brief was filed from council chambers at city hall, 301 E. Huron St. A more detailed report will follow.

From left: Michael Morris and Leslie Morris, who are donating $50,000 to rehab South University Park, and Colin Smith, the city's parks and recreation manager.

In brief remarks to commissioners, Leslie Morris – a former Ward 2 city councilmember – explained how she and her husband had played a role decades ago in creating the park, which is located at South University Avenue and Walnut. They hope their donation will help develop the park based on current needs of the neighborhood, she said.

Michael Morris noted that before they became involved in forming that neighborhood park, their civic engagement primarily had been limited to voting. But getting involved in that project ultimately led to much deeper engagement, culminating in the service of Leslie Morris on council. ”It’s been a rewarding time for us,” he said, “and I’m pleased we’re able to do more to continue the life of that park.”

Later in the meeting, commissioners got updates on the Ann Arbor senior center and Mack pool. Both facilities rely on general fund support and had been at risk of closing, when city officials were looking to cut costs in 2009. Residents rallied, and the city formed two task forces to develop strategies – both for raising revenues and cutting expenses – to keep both facilities open.

The reports given at PAC’s June 21 meeting were updates for the first fiscal year that these strategies took effect. Neither facility completely hit its target budget goals, but each took steps toward closing the gap between revenues and expenses.

Commissioners also got a quarterly update on capital improvements in the park system, including plans to renovate the Island Park Greek Revival shelter and the pergola at West Park, and to replace a path at Leslie Science & Nature Center – a project that might use recycled crushed glass as a porous surface. PAC members voted to recommend approval for funding of two specific projects: renovation of locker rooms at Veterans Memorial Park, and of tennis courts at West Park.

At the end of the meeting, Steve Thorp spoke during public commentary, urging the city to give West Park a new name – Central Park West – and to possibly put a dog park there.

Gift for South University Park

One of the first items on the June 21 agenda was news of a gift to support South University Park, located at South University Avenue and Walnut. Colin Smith, the city’s parks and recreation manager, introduced Leslie and Michael Morris to make some remarks about their donation.

Leslie Morris described how their family had moved to the neighborhood in 1969, when they’d been among many families with young children there – it was less expensive than the Burns Park neighborhood, and located near Angell Elementary School. But there was one clear problem: Two vacant houses, in poor condition, were a source of trouble for the neighborhood. An absentee landlord had hoped to rezone the land and redevelop it, but when the rezoning was denied, he had abandoned the property, Morris recalled.

They enlisted the help of their councilmember at the time, Bob Faber, who convinced the owner to demolish the structures and let the neighbors use the land as a park. Neighbors rose to the occasion, Morris said, and developed it themselves, digging a sandbox, putting in playground equipment and other amenities, planting flowers and taking care of maintenance like mowing and snow removal. It was heavily used, she said. In the winter, they’d borrow firehoses from the fire department and spray water for an ice rink. They raised money for the park by picking up and taking large trash items to the dump – something the city didn’t do at the time.

After about five years, they convinced the city to buy the land and add it to the parks system, she said, using funds from proceeds of a 1971 bond for parks. But over the decades, children in the families grew up and the neighborhood changed. Their own children grew up, she said, and she and her husband moved to a different part of town. The playground equipment aged and was removed, but wasn’t replaced. Housing got more expensive – university students “could always pay more,” Morris noted – and it became too costly for young families to buy homes in that area. Nothing was done at the park for years.

The park is located in a densely populated area, she said, and needs to be redeveloped to suit the needs of the people who live in the neighborhood now. They hope that the parks staff will engage the neighbors in a discussion of how to redevelop the park, and use their contribution to get things started.

Michael Morris added that when they initially moved to the neighborhood, they were just ordinary, quiet citizens – as quiet as it can be when raising four children. Their civic engagement was voting, and not much more, he said. It was their efforts years ago to organize the neighbors for that park led them to become more civically engaged – culminating in the election of Leslie Morris to the Ann Arbor city council in Ward 2. She served for six years in that role in the late 1970s and early 1980s. She had also served as a park commissioner. He recommended that others get involved in the community in whatever way they can. ”It’s been a rewarding time for us, and I’m pleased we’re able to do more to continue the life of that park.”

As they finished, Smith prompted them to tell the commission how much they are giving: $50,000. Leslie Morris said they know it will take more, but they hoped it would get things started.

PAC chair Julie Grand thanked them for both their donation and their commitment to the city’s parks. Smith described the gift as incredibly generous, and said it would go a long way toward redeveloping South University Park. It’s exciting to have people who are willing to make this kind of investment in the city’s parks, he said.

Responding to an email query, Smith later explained that the donation will be deposited into Fund 34, for parks memorials and contributions. Project codes are set up within Fund 34 for specific uses – the South University/Morris project will be established, with its use designated for South University Park.

Updates: Senior Center, Mack Pool

Commissioners got updates on two facilities that had been at risk of closing two years ago: the Ann Arbor senior center in Burns Park, and Mack pool, located inside the Ann Arbor Open School. In 2009, city officials were looking to cut costs, and said that closing the senior center would save about $150,000 annually from the city’s general fund, while Mack pool’s closing would save another $100,000. Residents rallied, and the city formed two task forces to develop strategies – both for raising revenues and cutting expenses – to keep both facilities open.

The reports heard at PAC’s June 21 meeting were updates for the first fiscal year that these strategies took effect. Neither facility hit its target budget goals, but each took steps toward closing the gap between revenues and expenses.

Updates: Senior Center

Pam Simmons, facility supervisor for the senior center, gave the report to PAC, saying that the center was struggling with some challenges but was making great progress. [For background on the senior center, see Chronicle coverage: "Shoring Up the Ann Arbor Senior Center."]

The task force recommendations had set a goal of reducing the center’s reliance on the general fund by $97,872 in fiscal 2011, which ran from July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011. That goal was to be met through a combination of raising revenue and reducing costs, she said. To date, however, they had achieved $83,806 of that goal.

From left: Deputy parks and recreation manager Jeff Straw, senior center facility supervisor Pam Simmons, and city councilmember Mike Anglin (Ward 5).

There were several areas that fell short. The center instituted membership fees, which were expected to generate $12,500 but instead brought in only $7,110. There are 324 members – their goal had been to sell 500 memberships. Individual annual memberships cost $25, or $35 per couple.

The task force had also recommended starting a travel program, Simmons said, hoping to raise $3,390 this first year. However, a request for proposals (RFP) for someone to run the program drew no responses, she said. Although it was an important goal, the city didn’t have the staff resources to pursue it. A consultant – Hooker DeJong – was hired to develop a long-term plan for the center, which will include recommendations about the travel program, Simmons said. Hooker DeJong is expected to present its full report to the city later this summer.

Rental revenue at the center has almost doubled from FY 2010 to FY 2011 – from $6,681 to $12,374. The highest percentage of rentals (43%) is from Washtenaw Community College, which holds several classes at the center, followed by 33% from celebrations – like birthday and anniversary parties – and 24% from clubs and community groups. Upgrades to the building will improve opportunities for more rentals, Simmons said, and the city is working on a brochure to promote it as a venue.

Another goal for FY 2011 was to reduce staff costs. That was accomplished by changing the center’s operating hours and employee schedules, and using more volunteers. In total, they saved $7,960 – but still short of the $12,588 goal.

The center also tried to raise an extra $3,000 in new revenue from selling more ads in its “Zest” newsletter. However, only $430 more was raised compared to the previous year.

Also falling short was the amount of revenue expected from programming. The goal was to bring in an additional $13,076, but only $5,603 more was raised than last year. The name “senior” is a challenge, Simmons said – some people might not attend programs because they don’t see themselves as seniors. The center’s programs are also competing with many other offerings in the community, she noted.

The center also didn’t see the revenue increase they’d hoped would result from changing agreements with instructors who teach there. Previously the center only received 20% of revenue from such courses. In the restructured agreements, the center gets 40-46%. They lost one of their popular instructors mid-year because of illness, Simmons said, and one yoga instructor left to teach her course elsewhere, taking her students. But now they have a new yoga instructor who focuses on seniors and people with disabilities, and the course is growing. There are opportunities for revenue increases in the future, Simmons said.

There were some areas that exceeded the amount budgeted. More donations were raised than budgeted, Simmons reported – $4,583, compared to an expected $3,500. And though the budget called for just $4,000 in savings from information technology (IT) costs, the center cut $14,844. This is due to a decrease in the number of computers and software applications they use, Simmons said.

An additional $39,000 in revenue came from four sources: (1) an $18,00 grant from the McCalla Trust; (2) $15,000 from Stonyfield Yogurt, from winning a contest in which residents voted to decide which facility would receive the Stonyfield donation; (3) a $4,000 Kiwanis grant; and (4) a large-screen TV valued at $2,500. It’s used for playing Wii games as well as for watching TV, Simmons said.

Simmons told commissioners that the city hired Hooker DeJong to develop a long-term strategic plan for the center, which it will be presented later this summer. [The city council approved a $34,750 contract for those services in November 2010. The Ann Arbor Community Foundation funded $16,949 of that amount, with the remainder coming from the city's general fund.]

The consultants are finding that some of the challenges include the center’s location – many seniors don’t live close to it, Simmons noted – and its size. However, she said they think services can expand 30-40% without overflowing the building. The building has a capacity for 96 people, but can comfortably accommodate about 50-60.

Facility improvements – new paint, resanded floors, and a new picture window in the entry, among other things – will make the building more attractive for classes, rentals and other events, Simmons said. She praised the city’s Kim Mortson for developing marketing materials, which have helped publicize events and activities at the center. But another challenge is the lack of a daily printed newspaper in Ann Arbor, Simmons said – it’s difficult for seniors to find things out in the traditional ways.

In summary, the center isn’t quite where it wanted to be at this point, but they’ve made a lot of progress, Simmons said.

Updates: Senior Center – Commissioner Discussion

Karen Levin asked about the membership fee – what was the response when it was instituted? Simmons said they did lose some people who felt their tax dollars alone should fund the center. About 50 people who were part of the former travel group left, she said, as did some social bridge players and others. But overall, the response was positive, she said.

Gwen Nystuen asked if there are any benefits to membership. Simmons reported that members get the newsletter, “Zest,” which comes out quarterly, and reduced fees on classes and other activities. One benefit was supposed to be access to a travel program, but that didn’t happen this year, she said.

Sam Offen asked about the fact that the center isn’t located on a bus line – is that a problem? That’s been an issue for many years, Simmons acknowledged. People can take a taxi, but there’s no close bus stop. The other challenge is parking – especially in the summer, when people who are not affiliated with the senior center come to Burns Park and use parking spaces in the senior center’s lot.

David Barrett asked about competition for programming – it is primarily from the YMCA? Simmons said the Y offers similar classes, as does Ann Arbor Rec & Ed and private fitness businesses. There’s also competition from other lecture series. Simmons said if this were a small community like Gregory, where she lives, then all the offerings at the center would be popular. But in Ann Arbor, there’s a variety of choices.

In light of the disappointing outcome from new programming, Simmons said they’re concentrating on increasing rentals, especially on evenings and weekends. When the consultants report their recommendations, that might include suggestions for programming, she added, which the city staff will evaluate.

In response to another question from Offen, Simmons said that the center has had a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Washtenaw Community College for the past 2-3 years, related to WCC renting space at the center. However, it’s not clear that WCC will renew the MOU this year, she said, so the city staff is looking at other options, like finding other established programs that need to rent rooms.

Barrett asked if it’s possible to give donations that are earmarked for specific things at the center. It can be handled either way, Simmons said. For example, the $100,000 bequest from James Flinn Jr., given to the center in 2007, didn’t specify a use – the center drew about $37,000 from the Flinn bequest this year for operations.

Christopher Taylor, an ex-officio PAC commissioner and city councilmember who represents Ward 3, where the center is located, asked about the center’s FY 2012 budget. Was it adjusted to reflect the results of FY 2011? Yes, Simmons said – the FY 2012 budget calls for the center to generate about $83,000.

Colin Smith, the city’s parks and recreation manager, said that while the center didn’t manage to totally bridge the gap between expenses and revenues, they did a good job. And because other facilities in the park system outperformed their goals, “it all balances out.”

Updates: Mack Pool

Dan McGuire, supervisor for Mack and Fuller pools, briefed commissioners on results from FY 2011 for Mack – its season runs from September through May, but is closed during the summer. [For previous Chronicle coverage, see: "Task Force Floats Ways to Save Mack Pool," "More Options for Ann Arbor's Mack Pool," and "Proposals for Mack Pool, Senior Center Approved"]

Like the senior center, Mack didn’t generate as much revenue or achieve all the savings that were budgeted for the year. The pool had been subsidized with $102,413 from the city’s general fund, and the goal was to decrease that subsidy by $46,955. Instead, the pool came in at $32,720 for the year.

The budget had called for $12,000 in energy savings, but only $1,900 were realized. A pool blanket was installed and it did reduce water heating expenses, McGuire said, but not by as much as expected – in part because the cost of energy increased. Natural gas usage dropped 16% during the year, for a savings of $1,200. Installation of LED lighting helped cut electrical costs by 8%, for a $700 annual savings.

Increased fees for master classes and season passes were expected to raise $8,375 in additional revenue, but only brought in an extra $1,267. When gathering public input, McGuire said, the task force consistently heard that fees were too low – that’s why the task force recommended that fees be raised, and those increases were approved by PAC and city council. Season pass revenue increased by 3.3% and visits were up 14%, he said. For master swim sessions, revenue increased 9.4% but participation was down 11%. McGuire attributed much of that to coaching turnover, and noted that new coaches who started using Mack during the year are still building their following.

Programming was expanded during the year, with the addition of a Saturday morning masters session, Aqua Zumba sessions offered through a contract with Fitness RX, a Sunday “fun day” on the second Sunday of each month, and Red Cross swim lessons and lifeguard lessons. They also offered a new program called Swim Fast & Fun, which offered sessions for kids interested in competitive swimming, but who aren’t quite ready for that level. The program was popular and had a waiting list, McGuire said, so they plan to offer it again. Some of the other programming – like the fitness classes – had a low participation, however. People aren’t looking at Mack for fitness training, he said, because there are so many other options in the area.

The city also retooled its agreement with the Ann Arbor Public Schools, which expanded the amount of pool time available to the city by 14 hours per week. It allows the city to hold morning public swim times on Tuesday and Thursday from 7:15 a.m. to 1 p.m., to extend its daily lap swim from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., and to schedule “tot splash” hours on weekdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 7-8:30 p.m.

Rentals brought in more revenues than expected, McGuire said – an additional $16,554, compared to a budgeted increase of $12,500. New rentals came from Swim Smart Academy and Club Wolverine for competitive youth swimmers.

Marketing was increased during the year, McGuire reported, including increased use of social media, traditional advertising and more visible signs. He also noted that Mack pool realized $11,124 in reduced information technology costs, on par with the amount budgeted.

They saw success in some areas while not hitting their goals in others, McGuire concluded – they’ll keep working at it.

Updates: Mack Pool – Commissioner Discussion

Julie Grand asked about the rental revenues – it seemed like they should have seen more from that. Jeff Straw, deputy parks and recreation manager, noted that while the pool received $8,000 from Swim Smart and $22,500 from Club Wolverine, that was offset in part because they lost about $22,000 in rental from the departure of a synchronized swimming group.

Doug Chapman asked whether the energy savings from the pool blanket and LED lights covered the cost of those items. Not yet, McGuire said. The lights cost $800 each, for a total of $12,000. The pool blanket cost about $4,000. It will take several years to recoup their costs, he said.

Colin Smith, the city’s parks and recreation manager, noted that the lights and blanket were paid for out of the parks millage, so it’s not included in the pool’s operating expenses. But he acknowledged that they had expected to see more energy savings, especially as a result of the pool blanket. He said they had scaled back their original projections, and he’s glad they did – it wasn’t the windfall they’d hoped for. In response to a query by Sam Offen, Smith said they’d based their estimates on information from the pool blanket manufacturer and the city’s energy office.

Tim Berla asked about Mack pool’s cost to the general fund – how did they end the year? Straw said that the roughly $102,000 subsidy from the general fund had been reduced to about $75,000 for FY 2011. They’re budgeting a $70,000 subsidy for the pool in FY 2012.

Smith noted that this is the first year they’ve tried new programs and adjusted the schedules, and it wasn’t realistic to expect everything to succeed. Staff will make adjustments, he said. “It’s a work in progress every year, that’s for sure.” They’re working with Kim Mortson of the city’s communications staff to increase their marketing, including on social media sites like Facebook, he said. Mortson is also developing core lists of contacts to do targeted promotions, and they expect to see results from that in the coming year.

Mike Anglin, an ex-officio PAC member who represents Ward 5 on city council, asked about the relationship with AAPS. Cost-sharing was adjusted based on the percentage of time the city uses the pool, Smith said, adding that it’s going well from an operational perspective.

Parks Capital Projects

Amy Kuras, the city’s park planner, gave a quarterly update of capital projects that are completed or in the works. Later in the meeting, commissioners voted to recommend awarding contracts for two projects: locker room renovations at Veterans Memorial Park, and upgrades to the West Park tennis courts.

Parks Capital Projects: Quarterly Update

Kuras gave brief descriptions of work being done in more than a dozen of the city’s parks. Highlights include:

• Renovations are completed or nearly complete at the Buhr Park ice arena, which was repainted, and for upgrades of the Veterans Memorial Park tennis courts. Barrier-free access improvements were also made at Veterans Memorial, and a shade structure is being built there with solar panel on it – a project that’s being paid in large part through the city’s energy office. Upgrades to the locker rooms are also in the works. Among other things, they’ll be adding rubberized flooring to make it easier for ice skaters and hockey players to use the rooms. [Commissioners recommended approval of that project later in their meeting.]
• The Chapin Street house on property adjacent to West Park has been torn down to improve visibility into the park, increasing the sense of openness as well as safety, Kuras said. Construction will start later this summer on tennis court upgrades at West Park. [Commissioners recommended approval of that project later in their meeting.]
• A walkway is being built in Wellington Park, between Miller and Dexter-Ann Arbor roads, in conjunction with street repair work in that area.
• Playground equipment is being replaced at Beckley Park off of Pontiac Trail, and a path to Argo is being rebuilt. A trail next to Beckley, by the Fairview cemetery, is being widened. Also, the city is installing a bocci ball court at Beckley Park, at the request of neighbors.
• At Winewood Thaler Park, parks staff will be clearing invasive plants from a dense wooded area there. They’ll also relocate the playground to a more central spot within the park, and renovate the basketball courts and asphalt walkways.
• Access stairs will be built into Hunt Park, off of Daniel Street – it’s on the east side of the park, near the Project Grow gardens. They’ll likely put that project out to bid soon, Kuras said.
• Repairs are planned at the Island Park Greek Revival shelter and historic bridge. An architect has been hired to do a structural evaluation – damage from water and insects is a problem, so any reconstruction will likely be done with more durable materials, Kuras said. As it moves forward, the project will need approval from the historic district commission.
• The pergola at West Park, off of Miller, is also in need of repair. They’ll be getting a structural evaluation of that as well.
• The raptor center trail at Leslie Science & Nature Center will be replaced, and the city is looking at possible use of porous material for that project, Kuras said – possibly made of recycled glass. It’s possible that the city’s Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) could provide the recycled glass for this project – if not, they’ll use a different porous material, she said.
• Upgrades are planned for the entry and parking lots at Buhr and Riverside parks. At Riverside, it’s possible they’ll relocate the parking lot because of problems with flooding.
• Improvements at the Gallup Park boat launch and canoe livery are in the works. The city has applied for state grants to fund this project, and the scope of the improvements will depend in part on whether those grant funds are awarded. [For details, see Chronicle coverage: "PAC Supports Grants for Skatepark, Gallup"]

Parks Capital Projects: Quarterly Update – Commissioner Discussion

Gwen Nystuen asked whether porous materials are being used for all projects. Kuras replied that it adds significantly to the cost, and in some cases the same environmental goals can be achieved in other ways – by using bioswales on the site, for example. They evaluate each project and consider porous materials where it makes sense, she said. Maintenance costs are also a factor, she said, because porous surfaces must be vacuumed to remove particulates.

Chronicle file photo from April 2011 of damaged swirl concentrator pieces at the northwest section of West Park after excavation from underground.

If they use porous materials at the Leslie Science site, Sam Offen suggested they include some kind of signs to explain how the porous surface works and why it’s valuable to take that approach. Colin Smith, the city’s parks and recreation manager, noted that it might be possible to pay for those projects out of the city’s stormwater fund.

David Barrett asked for an update on the swirl concentrators at West Park, which had collapsed earlier this year. [At PAC's February 2011 meeting, commissioners got a report from Craig Hupy, head of systems planning for the city, who described the "catastrophic failure" of at least one of the devices, an partial failure of others. Eight had been installed underground as part of broad stormwater management system at the park.]

Kuras said the city hired an engineering firm to evaluate the situation, and to determine a fix. That process is still underway, but she hoped the work could be completed during the current construction season.

Parks Capital Projects: Contracts for Locker Rooms, Tennis Courts

PAC considered two resolutions related to capital projects at its June 21 meeting. Commissioners were asked to recommend approval of a $131,670 contract with Construction Solutions Inc. to renovate locker rooms at Veterans Memorial Park Pool and Ice Arena. The contract includes $119,700 for the work, plus a 10% ($11,970) contingency. It was the lowest of four bids submitted for the work.

According to a staff memo, the locker rooms get heavy use and were last renovated 20 years ago. Renovations would include installation of barrier-free shower stalls, benches and toilet partitions, rubberized flooring, energy efficient light fixtures, new windows and an upgraded ventilation system. The project would be paid for from the approved FY 2011 proceeds of the park maintenance and capital improvements millage.

Sam Offen asked where the company is located, and was told that it’s an Ann Arbor firm.

Outcome: Commissioners voted unanimously to recommend approval of the contract with Construction Solutions Inc. The recommendation will be forwarded to the city council for final approval.

A separate resolution recommended approval of a $182,964.60 contract with ABC Paving Co. for the renovation of West Park tennis courts, which were built in the 1970s.

Chronicle file photo from September 2008, when major improvements to West Park were only under discussion. Just west of the tennis courts in West Park lies this shuffleboard court in need of a resurfacing. (Image links to September 2008 article.)

The contract includes a 10% ($16,633) contingency. It was the only bid received for the project, but park staff said it’s in line with other tennis court renovations the city has completed. The company is based in the Detroit area.

The project will include replacing the asphalt, fencing, retaining wall, shuffle board court, and entry walk, as well as repairing a second existing retaining wall. The configuration of the courts will remain unchanged. The project would be paid for from the approved FY 2011 proceeds of the park maintenance and capital improvements millage.

Offen wondered why there was only one bid. Kuras said she didn’t know, but guessed that it might be because the project is more complicated due to the retaining walls.

Outcome: Commissioners voted unanimously to recommend approval of the contract with ABC Paving. The recommendation will be forwarded to the city council for final approval.

Communications: Parks Manager Report, City Council

Colin Smith, who leads the city’s parks and recreation department, briefed commissioners on several items. He reported that the June 19 re-opening of West Park was a success, with about 500 people passing through during the day.

Smith reported that he and park planner Amy Kuras would be meeting later that week with representatives from the state Dept. of Natural Resources on a site visit related to the city’s DNR grant applications. Those include applications for the skatepark and Gallup Canoe liveries, which were approved by the city council at its March 21, 2011 meeting – the council revised the priority ranking given by the city so that the skatepark was put ahead of the Gallup Canoe liveries.

In reporting on parks operations, Smith said the spring hadn’t been kind. The wet weather has caused revenues to be significantly lower than budgeted, but expenses are also down nearly an equivalent amount, he said. In April, there were only two days in a row when it didn’t rain, he noted, and May was a similarly rainy month. At the canoe liveries, for example, it’s only been in the past week or so that they could offer river trips – the water levels have been too high. Pools are doing pretty well, he said, and the golf courses will come in as originally budgeted. PAC will get a budget update in July.

Gwen Nystuen asked for updates on the pathways being built along Washtenaw Avenue and on work at Argo Dam. [The city council approved a $1.17 million project to build a bypass channel in the Argo dam headrace and add whitewater features. See Chronicle coverage: "PAC Recommends Argo Dam Bypass"] Smith said the Washtenaw Avenue work isn’t a city parks project, so he couldn’t provide information on that. Regarding Argo, the city has submitted a permit application to the state and is awaiting a response. It’s a very lengthy review process, but they’re in the final stage, he said. While they don’t yet have a permit to move earth, they’ll continue to do work on removing dead vegetation and pumping water out of the headrace.

Christopher Taylor, a Ward 3 city councilmember and ex-officio member of PAC, reported that the city council had passed the FY 2012 budget at the end of May, and that it had included the $90,000 requested by PAC for additional mowing in high-use areas.

Mike Anglin, who represents Ward 5 on city council and is another ex-officio PAC member, asked about negotiations with Veterans Administration hospital – is parks staff involved in that? Smith clarified that Anglin was referring to the VA’s interest in generating hydroelectricity from the city’s dams. [See Chronicle coverage: "Hydropower at Argo Dam?"]

The issue was previously raised at PAC’s October 2010 meeting. From Chronicle coverage:

[PAC commissioner David] Barrett mentioned a hydro feasibility study that the Veterans Administration hospital in Ann Arbor had recently conducted, looking at possible electricity generation from the dams along the Huron River. That possibility is still in play, he said, and his understanding is that the VA is serious. The city obviously can’t make its decision based on that, he said, but it was something to keep in mind.

Molly Wade, the city’s water treatment services manager, said the VA has shared its report with city staff – the study looked specifically at Argo and Geddes dams. It shows a shorter payback period for Geddes compared to Argo, she said, adding that the city has no idea how the VA intends to proceed.

Barrett said his understanding is that the VA is looking at those dams as a package, to fulfill their federal green energy credit requirements. If they were to assume full or partial responsibility for those dams, he said, that would alleviate some costs for the city. Wade stated that the city hasn’t yet had those talks with the VA.

At the June 21 meeting, Smith reported that conversations are ongoing. If any agreement is reached, he said, there would almost certainly be some kind of cost-sharing arrangement for maintenance, at the least.

Public Commentary

Steve Thorp was the only person to address commissioners during public commentary. He thanked the city for the renovations at West Park and for the grand re-opening celebration there on Father’s Day. Thorp noted that the park is around 100 years old – it was once a farm. It’s near Allen Creek, near the place where the first settler cabins were located. The park’s eastern boundary is also the downtown boundary.

Thorp said that he and Bob Dascola would like to offer “Central Park West” as the new name for the park. Based on an informal survey of friends and neighbors, there’s support for that idea, he said. The name offers an association with one of the most beautiful and famous urban parks in the world. He noted the park’s “Olmsteadean vistas” and forested places, broad play areas, curvilinear path system. Thorp said he’s already spoken to city council about this idea, and plans to talk to the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority and the downtown area citizens advisory group too.

Secondly, Thorp said he’d heard rumors about having a more centrally located dog park. He suggested putting it in West Park, perhaps as a dual use with the baseball field during the off season – that section of the park is already partially fenced. City staff have told him that people don’t pick up their dog’s poop, he said, but there are ways to deal with that. He said he’s putting the idea out there for further discussion, ”over a beer or during a meeting or whatever.”

Present: David Barrett, Doug Chapman, Tim Berla, Tim Doyle, Julie Grand, Karen Levin, Sam Offen, Gwen Nystuen, councilmember Mike Anglin (ex-officio), councilmember Christopher Taylor (ex-officio). Also Colin Smith, city parks manager.

Absent: John Lawter

Next meeting: PAC’s meeting on Tuesday, July 19, 2011 begins at 4 p.m. in the city hall second-floor council chambers, 301 E. Huron St., Ann Arbor. [confirm date]

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Sam Offen of the Ann Arbor park advisory commission hands off his ballot to Christopher Taylor, the Ward 3 councilmember who's an ex-officio representative on PAC. Per its bylaws, the commission elected officers by secret ballot, though only one person was nominated for each position. (They seemed to appreciate the irony.) Offen was re-elected chair of PAC's budget committee. (Photos by the writer.)

A financial report for the most recent fiscal year, which ended June 30, included news that Ann Arbor’s two golf courses performed better than expected – though one commissioner calculated that the city still paid a $10 subsidy for each round of golf played during the year.

Later in the meeting, Colin Smith – the city’s park and recreation manager – reported that an RFP for the Huron Hills Golf Course has been issued, with a pre-bid meeting to be held on Monday, Sept. 27. Several members of the public turned up at last month’s PAC meeting to argue against the RFP, which is soliciting ideas for a possible private/public partnership at the course. No one spoke during public commentary on Tuesday.

Another RFP – this one for reconstruction of the Argo Dam headrace – has yielded two responses that are being reviewed. A recommendation will likely be brought to PAC next month, Smith reported. If approved, it would change the shape of the embankment.

And an RFP for the Ann Arbor Senior Center has nearly reached the end of the selection process. On Tuesday, commissioners unanimously voted to recommend hiring Hooker/De Jong, a Muskegon consulting firm, to develop a strategic plan for the center, at a cost of $34,570. It now goes to the city council for approval.

A council directive issued last year – asking PAC to prioritize 30 recommendations made in the Huron River and Impoundment Management Plan (HRIMP) – was raised during Tuesday’s meeting by Julie Grand, the commission’s chair. She noted that the year-end deadline for completing this task was fast approaching, and they needed to carve out some time to address it. Commissioner Tim Berla said he’d like to see the council form a river stewardship committee – that’s one of the HRIMP recommendations.

The commission also heard a report from David Barrett, a PAC member who’s been assessing the conditions of the city’s ball fields. “With a few exceptions, most are in need of help,” he told his PAC colleagues.

Financial Reports: Open Space Millage, Fiscal Year Update

Commissioners heard two financial reports during Tuesday’s meeting, for 1) the open space and parkland preservation millage, and 2) the city’s overall parks and recreation budget. Both reports covered 2010 fiscal year, which runs from July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010.

FY2010: Open Space and Parkland Preservation Millage

Ginny Trocchio of The Conservation Fund gave a presentation on financial statements for the open space and parkland preservation millage for the fiscal year. Trocchio serves as support staff for the millage-funded greenbelt and park acquisition programs. [A similar presentation was made at the greenbelt advisory commission's Sept. 8 meeting.]

Revenues coming from the 30-year millage, which Ann Arbor voters passed in 2003, were slightly higher in FY 2010 – $2.262 million, compared to $2.232 million in FY 2009. Two-thirds of the millage proceeds fund the greenbelt program, with the remaining third – $793,000 in FY 2010 – allotted to parks.

In FY 2006, the city took out a $20 million bond that’s being paid back with revenue from the millage. The fund balance from the bond stands at $15.427 million, down from $17.1 million in FY 2009. Millage revenue exceeds the amount needed to make debt service payments on the bond – the surplus is accruing in a separate account. Of the $15.427 million fund balance, $12.475 million is the accrual of funds from the millage and $2.952 million is the remainder of the bond monies.

The $15.427 million fund balance is divided between parks and the greenbelt in the same one-third/two-thirds allocation. The fund balance available for parks is $4.77 million.

On the expense side, during FY10 $281,020 in millage funds were spent on park projects. The city bought the Patrician Homes property at the southwest corner of Miller and Chapin, adjacent to West Park. A house on the property will be torn down, with the intent of giving West Park greater visibility and access from that side. Later in the meeting, Smith said that the city would soon be soliciting bids to demolish the house, which he expects to happen later this year.

In addition, Dr. Lev Linkner donated land along Huron Parkway, between Packard and Washtenaw, that connects Redbud Nature Area and Scheffler Park. The parcel is roughly a third of an acre, and crosses Malletts Creek.

After Trocchio’s presentation, PAC chair Julie Grand told Trocchio that she shouldn’t be offended that there weren’t questions – it reflected the clarity of her report, Grand said.

FY 2010: Parks and Recreation General Fund

Colin Smith, manager of parks and recreation, gave an update on year-end finances for FY 2010, which ended June 30. He began by saying that the recreation managers did a great job of managing revenues and expenses for the year. [.pdf file of financial summary spreadsheet] The report did not show comparative data to previous years.

Smith first reviewed 12 parks and recreation line items in the general fund budget. Only three areas had been budgeted to show a surplus, and they achieved that result: Veteran’s fitness center ($3,059), Argo livery ($19,376) and Gallup livery ($59,779). The Argo livery surplus was lower than budgeted by $36,620, while Gallup’s surplus was $42,566 higher than budgeted – Smith attributed that to a staff allocation issue, with more time than anticipated spent on Argo by facility supervisor Cheryl Saam, and less of her time spent on Gallup than had been budgeted.

Revenues were higher than budgeted in four of the 12 line items. Facility rental revenues were up nearly 13% compared to budget, because of an increased interest in renting Cobblestone Park, the farmers market and other facilities, Smith said. Also outperforming the budget was the Ann Arbor Senior Center, which brought in $65,767 in revenues – about $10,000 more than expected. Revenues at Veteran’s Pool and for the administration line item – which includes revenues from leasing parking lots to the University of Michigan – were up slightly more than expected too.

Revenues were down significantly at Buhr Rink, Smith noted, because the facility didn’t open until January due to renovations there. The rink brought in $76,491 in revenues, 39% less than what was expected. However, expenses of $106,151 were also lower – 37% less than budgeted.

Overall, parks and recreation general fund line items brought in $2.109 million in revenue, with total expenses of $3.288 million – for a loss of $1.179 million during the 12-month period.

FY 2010: Parks and Recreation Enterprise Funds

The two enterprise funds for parks and recreation – the farmers market and golf – were reported  separately. Enterprise funds are operations that are expected to be self-sustaining. The farmers market brought in $161,262 in revenues, with $155,993 in expenses for the year – resulting in a $5,269 surplus.

Colin Smith, manager of Ann Arbor parks and recreation.

The golf enterprise fund includes operations at Huron Hills and Leslie Park golf courses. In total, the fund reported revenues of $1.122 million for the year, with $1.645 million in expenses – for a $523,529 total loss. Huron Hills revenue of $304,541 was 19% higher than expected, while expenses were lower than budgeted by nearly 8%.

At Leslie Park, revenue of $817,638 was 1.5% higher than budgeted. Expenses of $1.067 million were on par with budget.

Commissioner Tim Berla asked how many rounds of golf were played last year, and was told about 30,000 rounds at Leslie and 20,000 rounds at Huron Hills. Berla then calculated, based on the roughly $500,000 loss, that the city is paying about a $10 subsidy for each round of golf. He noted that this was his perspective and that others look at it differently, but he found it troubling. It seems out of balance to subsidize something that only a small percentage of residents use, he said. It might be the case that more people play soccer, Berla said, but the city pays perhaps 10 times as much for its golf courses than it does for its soccer fields. “I just wanted to note that, that’s all.”

Smith pointed out that the subsidy came from the general fund, not out of the parks and recreation budget – though he conceded that if the city council decided to change the accounting for golf, it would significantly impact the parks and recreation budget. But regardless on your perspective about a subsidy to golf, Smith said, both courses as budgeted were doing a fantastic job in an overall market that saw declining revenues and rounds played statewide.

Berla asked Smith to remind them of where the courses stood in terms of the long-range plan that had been laid out by a consultant hired to assess the city’s golf operations. FY 2010 was the second year in a six-year forecast, Smith said. For that year, the forecast had anticipated a $519,000 loss for the courses. So they’re on track with the forecast, he said, adding that the courses were never expected to eliminate their losses completely over that six-year period.

Gwen Nystuen recalled that PAC had recommended Huron Hills not be an enterprise fund. Smith confirmed that of the two courses, Leslie was more likely to be self-sustaining. Nystuen pointed out that the rest of the parks weren’t self-sustaining, and the city is willing to subsidize them. Do they calculate how much it costs someone to walk across a park? she asked. The city shouldn’t put something into an enterprise fund if the operation can’t support itself. Smith replied that the golf courses “will be part of very robust discussions come budget time.”

PAC chair Julie Grand, who serves on the city’s golf advisory task force, noted that the strategy right now for Huron Hills is to make rounds affordable so that they can draw in seniors and youth, by making play more accessible. And David Barrett pointed out that Leslie now has a liquor license – he asked if revenues from alcohol sales were “baked into” the total revenues for Leslie. Smith replied that total revenues did include alcohol sales, which were about $40,000 out of $79,000 in concession sales at Leslie during the year. Barrett asked if the liquor license had been a plus for Leslie, and Smith said that it was, especially for bringing in more leagues, outings and traveling golf groups.

As an overall comment about the budget report, Sam Offen – who chairs PAC’s budget committee – complimented Smith and the parks staff. Not only did they do a good job in sticking to their budget, he said, but they also produced a report that could actually be understood, “which wasn’t the case five or six years ago.”

Consultant for Senior Center Strategic Plan

During the previous budget cycle, the city administrator initially proposed closing the Ann Arbor Senior Center, which operates out of a building in Burns Park. It was part of a broader effort to cut expenses from the budget – at the time, the center’s operating deficit was about $150,000.

But the community rallied, and the city formed a task force to identify ways to raise revenues and cut costs. Among a raft of recommendations made – which ultimately convinced the city council to keep the senior center open – was the suggestion to develop a long-term strategic plan. The city received a $16,949 grant from the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation to help pay for a consultant to develop the plan, and earlier this year a request for proposals (RFP) was issued to solicit proposals. [For an update on other recommendations, see Chronicle coverage: "Shoring Up the Ann Arbor Senior Center"]

At Tuesday’s PAC meeting, Colin Smith – the city’s parks and recreation manager – told commissioners that three consultants responded to the RFP. [The three firms were Schumaker & Co. of Ann Arbor, Hooker/De Jong and The Woods Consulting Group of Muskegon, and The Kittle Group of Auburn Hills.] Two were determined by a review committee to be viable, but both were too expensive. After asking the consultants to resubmit, the committee – which included PAC chair Julie Grand – selected Hooker/De Jong for a total cost of $34,570.

In addition to the community foundation grant, Smith said the cost will be covered with $10,000 from the city’s community services administration general fund, and $7,621 from the parks and recreation services administration general fund.

Smith said Hooker/De Jong was selected because of their experience working with senior groups, their enthusiasm for the project, and their proposed approach. Jeff Straw, deputy manager of parks and recreation, reported that the consultants will begin by assessing current conditions, doing market research and talking to stakeholder groups. They’ll look at national trends and at what similar centers are doing in other communities. They’ll explore possible partnerships, rebranding, use of the center’s website and possible changes to programs and services offered at the center.

One of the challenges is the center’s building, Smith said, and because Hooper/De Jong also provides architectural services, they’ll be in a better position to make recommendations on possible changes to the buildling. Commissioner Gwen Nystuen noted that the space was originally a shared facility for theater and dance, as well as seniors – that, in part, explains its “strange” shape, she said.

If approved by council, the consultants are expected to start their work in November, with a strategic plan developed by February or March. With that timeframe, the plan’s recommendations can be considered as part of the FY 2012 budget process, Straw said.

Nystuen asked about the nearby Eberbach building, at corner of South Forrest and Wells. Smith said it’s owned by the city but being used by Ann Arbor Rec & Ed, which is part of the Ann Arbor Public Schools. Sara Aeschbach, director of Rec & Ed, was in the audience and told commissioners that under an agreement with the city, it’s leased for $1 a year. AAPS covers expenses associated with the building, and sets aside roughly $10,000 each year for future capital needs.

Outcome: PAC unanimously approved a recommendation to select Hooker/De Jong as the consultant to develop a strategic plan for the Ann Arbor Senior Center. The proposal will be forwarded to city council for its approval.

Report on Ball Field Conditions

Commissioner David Barrett gave an update on his work to assess the city’s ballparks, and thanked commissioner Tim Berla, parks manager Colin Smith and Matt Warba, supervisor of field operations, for their help. It was a simple process, Barrett said – he just went to each field and walked around it. There are 28 fields at Ann Arbor public schools, and 26 owned by the city. “I may have missed a couple, but not many.”

Barrett also went to surrounding communities to look at the condition of their ballparks. For each field, he recorded his general impressions, as well as the conditions of the infields, outfields and backstops.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Barrett read a 1.5 page memo he prepared about the condition of the fields. [.pdf file of Barrett's ballpark report] An excerpt:

From the general to the specific, the larger canvas of their state is that many fields appear to be worn down and dog eared. Some simply need some work around the edges; others need fundamental renovation. Some fields need dirt and a refashioning of the drainage from the fields so that every rainstorm does not stop play for days; others need new backstops. Some need the outfields to be fertilized so the grass in the outfield grows evenly versus in clumps; others simply need more frequent mowing. Some need decent rubbers on the mound so the pitchers have something decent to push off of when they throw the ball; others have infields that are so hard that sliding would be inadvisable if not dangerous.

The interrelationship between the City, the Ann Arbor Public Schools, and Rec & Ed is a complex tapestry that was woven together organically over the years when monies were more plentiful – but as the budgetary stresses touched all of these organizations, there was a need to clarify the exact maintenance responsibilities of each. Recently, these responsibilities have been formalized in an agreement between all parties. Whether this has helped or hindered the maintenance of the existing fields remains to be seen. That said, this on-going dialogue should aid in figuring out how to best use limited resources.

Barrett – best known outside of Ann Arbor as a songwriter, whose repertoire includes “One Shining Moment” – told his fellow commissioners that he approached this project through the eyes of a nine-year-old who used the fields. It was heartening to him that the city staff recognized the need for improvement. Ann Arbor can do better, he said.

David Barrett is spearheading an effort to improve the conditions of the city's ball fields.

The fields are well-used, and some have been in place for 30-40 years. Smith reported that in the 2009 fall season, there were nearly 14,000 participants playing baseball, softball or kickball on the fields. In the summer of 2010, that number reached nearly 40,000. The fields are maintained by the city and public schools, Smith said, and this is just the start of a conversation about how to do a better job of that.

Warba praised Barrett for his approach – not placing blame, but trying to do something positive. It was similar to Barrett’s work on the city’s soccer fields, which led to major renovations of the fields at Fuller and Olson parks. It’s not lost on the staff that maintenance has been deferred, Warba said, but they are working with limited resources. Both Warba and Smith said it made sense to add the city-owned ballparks to the capital improvements plan (CIP) – funds might be available there to upgrade the facilities.

Barrett said there were other possibilities too, like recruiting neighborhood or civic groups to adopt a field – the new volunteer outreach coordinator for parks and recreation might help with that, he said. As an example, Barrett said the field at Forsythe Middle School was in bad shape when he visited there a year ago. But recently, he’s been by there and seen an improvement, though he’s not sure who’s taking care of it. “Someone adopted this field,” he said, “and the difference was night and day.”

HRIMP Recommendations To Be Reviewed Again

Saying she almost hated to bring up the topic, PAC chair Julie Grand reminded commissioners that last year, the city council had directed PAC to take another look at the 30 recommendations made in the Huron River and Impoundment Management Plan (HRIMP). By the end of the year, PAC needs to report back to council with a list of the recommendations that are financially feasible to implement, she said.

By way of background, the HRIMP committee was established by the city’s environmental commission in March of 2006 to develop a plan for protecting and maintaining the portion of the Huron River that flows through the city of Ann Arbor. Beginning in early 2009, a series of public engagements were held as the committee entered the final stages of its work. [Chronicle coverage: "Not So Gently Down the Stream"]

The Huron River and Impoundment Management Plan produced by the committee contains 30 recommendations labeled “consensus recommendations,” with two others on which there was no consensus. The two non-consensus resolutions contradicted each other, with one calling for the removal of Argo Dam and the other calling for its preservation. Much of the public engagement focused exclusively on the dam-in/dam-out question. Part of the context for that question was a problem with toe drains, identified by the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, in the earthen embankment adjacent to the concrete and steel dam, which separates the headrace from the river.

In May of 2009 the city’s environmental commission voted in support of dam removal, while the city’s park advisory commission voted for its preservation. [Chronicle coverage: "City Council To Weigh Mixed Advice on Dam"] The resolution to accept the committee’s plan was first considered at the council’s Nov. 16 meeting, but postponed until Dec. 7.

At that Dec. 7 meeting, the city council held an extensive discussion about the plan, including a somewhat tortuous debate about whether the council would “accept” it or “receive” it. Ultimately, council voted to remand the plan back to the environmental commission and PAC.

At Tuesday’s PAC meeting, Colin Smith read the directive given by council:

RESOLVED, That the Ann Arbor City Council directs the Park Advisory Commission and Environmental Commission to evaluate the 30 consensus recommendations, and to present options for implementation to City Council for those that can be acted upon at little or no cost; and

RESOLVED, That the Park Advisory Commission and the Environmental Commission complete their recommendations and report back to Council within one year.

When he read the phrase “at little or no cost,” commissioners laughed.

Grand said she hoped they could schedule a working session on the topic in October or November. A regular PAC meeting didn’t seem the best forum to take a first stab at the task, she said.

Gwen Nystuen asked whether this involved the dam in/dam out decision. Grand replied that although council never voted on that, it appears that the decision has been made to leave the dam in. PAC’s task is to look at the 30 consensus recommendations that didn’t address the dam in/dam out issue.

Tim Berla noted that PAC had voted on a resolution to recommend keeping the dam in, but that they’d dropped the ball on the other 30 recommendations. He said he wanted them to craft a resolution calling for council to create another commission that would regulate all things related to the river: noise; rules regarding motorboats; relationships between rowers, canoeists, kayakers, fishermen and others who used the river; and plant management, among other things. It’s like the sheriff’s out of town, he said, and no one’s in charge to enforce the rules.

Smith pointed out that one of the 30 recommendations calls for creation of a river stewardship committee. But they weren’t going to go over the specific recommendations at this meeting, he said.

Berla said he wanted to make sure the public had the opportunity to get involved before PAC took action regarding the HRIMP recommendations. So if PAC plans to vote on it at their Nov. 16 meeting, he wanted to get something out to the public before then. Sam Offen suggested that they talk about it at their October land acquisition committee meeting, of which all commissioners are members. Then they could draft a resolution for the Oct. 19 PAC meeting.

Grand observed that some of the issues are quite complex, and that they might need more time. In response to an email from The Chronicle on Wednesday, Grand said they hadn’t yet decided when to discuss the recommendations.

Julie Grand was re-elected chair of PAC at Tuesday's meeting.

Election of PAC Officers

The commission quickly dispatched its annual election of officers – none of the three positions were contested, and each officer was re-elected.

Julie Grand was re-elected as PAC chair, a role she has held since Scott Rosencrans left the commission when his term ended at the end of April. John Lawton was re-elected vice chair, and Sam Offen was re-elected as chair of PAC’s budget committee.

According to PAC bylaws, the elections are held by secret ballot – on Tuesday, those took the form of yellow slips of paper distributed by Colin Smith, parks and recreation manager.

There was no suspense as he counted the ballots – everyone was re-elected unanimously.

Report from Parks and Recreation Manager

Colin Smith relayed several updates to commissioners at Tuesday’s meeting, including a few that prompted discussion.

Argo Dam Reconstruction

The city received two responses last week to its request for proposals (RFP) to reconstruct the headrace at Argo Dam. They received three bids for repairing the toe drains. [Details of the RFP were presented at PAC's July 20, 2010 meeting. See Chronicle coverage: "Two Dam Options for Argo"] A committee that includes PAC commissioner David Barrett will be reviewing the proposals, Smith said. If there are any they’d like to pursue, they’ll hold interviews in early October, then bring a committee recommendation to PAC’s Oct. 19 meeting.

Also related to Argo Dam, Smith reported that a contractor had started removing dead and dying trees along the dam’s embankment. It’s part of a consent agreement that the city reached with the state in May, laying out steps that the city must take to address some of long-outstanding issues with the dam. The path along the embankment is closed every Monday through Thursday while the work is completed. About 100 trees are being removed, and the work is expected to be finished later this month.

Tim Berla asked whether PAC would receive a recommendation at its next meeting on the Argo Dam proposals, and whether they’d be asked to vote on the recommendation at the same meeting. Yes, Smith said. Berla said his understanding was that the selected proposal would likely change the shape of the dam. Smith confirmed that it would – one of the requirements listed in the RFP was removal of the portage, which would change the shape of the embankment.

Berla asked whether information about the embankment would be made public before the meeting, so that the public would be informed. The information will be available, Smith said.

Sam Offen asked whether a public hearing could be held, given that it’s unclear how controversial the proposals might be. Smith said they were working under a tight timeline because of the consent agreement with the state. That means PAC needs to make a recommendation at its October meeting, he said.

David Barrett agreed – his understanding is that the state is driving this compressed timeline. “There’s no shell game here – we simply have a gun to our head to get it done, or bad things happen.”

Berla suggested putting out a press release about the proposal at least a week before the meeting, so that people could email staff and commissioners if they wanted to “rant or rave,” and that they’d know to come to the meeting for public commentary. Smith said that the city put out a press release to notify the public about the previous PAC presentation on Argo Dam, and they might do that again.

Huron Hills Golf Course RFP

The request for proposals (RFP) for Huron Hills Golf Course has been issued, Smith told commissioners, and there’s a pre-bid meeting for potential responders on Monday, Sept. 27 at 2 p.m. [For background on the Huron Hills RFP, see Chronicle coverage: "Public Turns Out to Support Huron Hills Golf"]

Responses are due Oct. 29, followed by committee review and interviews in November. If the review committee finds a response worth recommending, they’ll send it to the golf advisory task force, then PAC, Smith said. Any proposal would have to obtain city council approval before being implemented.

Fuller Road Station

As an FYI, Smith passed out a copy of the planning staff report for the Fuller Road Station site plan, and noted that the city’s planning commission would be reviewing and voting on the project later that night. [At its meeting – which included three hours of staff presentations, a public hearing and commissioner deliberations – the planning commission voted to approve the project, with two of the nine commissioners dissenting. The joint city of Ann Arbor/University of Michigan project calls for building a five-level, 977-space parking structure on city-owned property that’s designated as parkland. The site would include a 44-space parking lot and bicycle parking. The city hopes eventually to build a train station at that location as well, but that isn’t part of the current site plan.]

Smith noted that in their report, the planning staff strongly recommends that a shared use path for bicyclists and pedestrians to the Fuller bridge be incorporated to the project’s design. This was a recommendation that PAC commissioners had discussed at previous meetings.

Sam Offen said that when mayor John Hieftje had attended PAC’s May 18, 2010 meeting, he had mentioned that the city was still negotiating an agreement with UM over use of the structure. What was the status of that – does it accompany the site plan?

Smith replied that work is still being done on the agreement, and that the administration is aware that PAC would like to see it before it goes to city council for approval. From The Chronicle’s report of that May 2010 meeting:

Heiftje’s presentation had not been on the agenda, but the commission was set to discuss a resolution that called for city council to stop the project, or at the least negotiate better terms with its partner, the University of Michigan. Several commissioners have expressed concerns about the project, which would be on city-owned property designated as parkland. Under proposed terms – which Hieftje said are not finalized – the city would receive less revenue from UM for parking than it currently gets from the surface lots it leases to the university on Fuller Road. Those revenues support the city’s parks operations.

On Tuesday, Offen said it would be useful to see the agreement before negotiations were finalized with UM – otherwise, there wouldn’t be opportunity for real input.

Berla mentioned that he’d read a comment online from someone who said there would be a 75-year lease agreement with the university. He wondered what kind of ongoing obligation the city would have to UM. Christopher Taylor, a city councilmember who’s an ex-officio member of PAC, said that he hadn’t seen a draft of the agreement and didn’t know its terms, but it was his understanding that the land and facility would always be owned by the city. The university would certainly have contractual rights under a use agreement, but Taylor didn’t know the length of the agreement being contemplated.

Given that some community members believe a long-term lease is a defacto sale of land, Berla said he hoped the city would make it clear how long the use agreement would be in effect.

Volunteer Outreach Coordinator

Gayle LaVictoire has been hired for the newly created position of volunteer outreach coordinator for parks and recreation, Smith reported. It was an internal hire – she previously served as facilities supervisor for Buhr pool and ice rink. Smith described her as energetic, enthusiastic and forward-thinking – the kind of qualities they were looking for in that position. She’ll be working with Jason Frenzel, volunteer and outreach coordinator for the city’s natural areas program. Smith said she’ll be coming to introduce herself at a future PAC meeting.

Bandemer Park and Punk Week

Smith said that Berla had requested a report on the incident during Punk Week at Bandemer Park, which runs along the Huron River north of town. A resident near the park had called police about people who were swimming naked, engaging in “lewd acts” and letting their dogs run off leash. An officer responded, and was surrounded by the group. Another resident called police after hearing someone in the group threaten to set a dog on the officer. A second officer responded and they went after the main instigators, Smith said. Park rules were being broken and the police responded appropriately, he said. Seven people were arrested for disorderly conduct, Smith said.

Berla said it was obvious that police needed to respond. If people had dispersed, he posited, then it likely wouldn’t have escalated into arrests. Smith said that was a fair assumption.

Punk Week has been part of Ann Arbor’s summer culture for more than a decade, occurring in the third week of August and including events like shopping cart races and zombie walks.

Present: David Barrett, Tim Berla, Julie Grand, John Lawter, Karen Levin, Sam Offen, Gwen Nystuen, councilmember Mike Anglin (ex-officio), councilmember Christopher Taylor (ex-officio). Also Colin Smith, city parks manager.

Absent: Doug Chapman, Tim Doyle.

Next meeting: PAC’s meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 19 begins at 4 p.m. in the Washtenaw County administration building boardroom, 220 N. Main St. [confirm date]

A sign at the Ann Arbor Senior Center advertises a new fitness program, one of several efforts by the city to raise revenues for the center, which is located in Burns Park. (Photos by the writer)

Last year, the city administration identified the senior center as one facility that, if closed, could save the city roughly $150,000 – the center’s operating deficit at the time. Residents mobilized, and a task force was formed that developed recommendations for cutting costs and raising revenues.

Recommendations include hiring a consultant to develop a long-term strategic plan, paid for by a $16,949 grant from the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation. A request for proposals (RFP) was issued earlier this summer for that project, and responses from three companies are now being evaluated, according to Jeff Straw, parks & recreation deputy manager.

Meanwhile, several other efforts are underway, including this coming Saturday’s “Picnic in the Park” fundraiser, which runs from 1-3:30 p.m. at Burns Park, where the center is located. Last year, the event raised about $1,000 for the center.

Raising Revenues: Membership Fees, New Programs

Several of the recommendations developed by the senior center task force have already been implemented. The efforts were led by staff of the city’s parks & recreation unit, which has oversight of the center. [For background on the development of these recommendations, see Chronicle coverage: "Task Force Tries to Save Senior Center," "Twittering at the Ann Arbor Senior Center," and "Park Commission OKs Fee Increases, Budget"]

A membership fee of $25 for individuals and $35 for households was put in place this summer. So far, 220 people have signed up, raising $4,500. The goal for membership revenue is $12,500, Straw said. “It’s promising,” he said. “We’re making good progress there.”

Next week, a new schedule of fall programming will be released, Straw said, available both the senior center’s website and in a printed brochure – about 10,000 copies will be distributed at locations throughout the city. A lecture series, new classes and other activities are being offered, including a new Monday night American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) session.

The city has also contracted with two fitness companies – Fitness Motivators and Fitness RX – to offer classes for both seniors and the general public. They’ll have a range of offerings, Straw said, including yoga, Pilates and weight training.

Jeff Straw, center, gets instruction on the game of pétanque at last year's "Picnic in the Park," a fundraiser at Burns Park to raise money for the Ann Arbor Senior Center. This year's "Picnic in the Park" is on Saturday, Aug. 21. Straw is deputy manager of Ann Arbor's parks & recreation unit, which has responsibility for the center.

The contracts with these fitness companies include a revenue split from class fees, with 40% going to the city. Straw said that agreements with instructors who teach other types of courses at the center are being revised to achieve that 60/40 revenue split, too. Previously, instructors kept a larger share of revenues from class fees, as much as 80%.

The city is also issuing an RFP for operating a travel program at the center, Straw said. The city staff will hold an informational meeting this Friday, Aug. 20, for people interested in making a proposal. Final submissions are due Sept. 3. The task force had estimated that a travel program could raise $3,390 in net revenue annually, possibly more. [The couple who handled the center’s excursions for the center for 20 years, Dean and Carolyn Cole, retired from that role last year. Carolyn Cole passed away in late 2009.]

In addition to revenue-generating efforts, the center has cut expenses too, Straw said. It’s now closed on Fridays, and its lunch program is handled by volunteers, rather than a staff person.

The center will also draw about $37,000 this year from the bequest of James Flinn Jr., who gave $100,000 to the center in 2007. With accrued interest, that amount has increased to about $112,000. The task force recommendations called for using a third of the bequest this year, to offset operating costs. The remaining two-thirds will be used in the next two years.

Despite these changes, the senior center is still expected to operate at a loss of about $55,000 during the current fiscal year, which began July 1.

Longer-Term Plans

Three firms responded to the city’s RFP for a consultant to develop a strategic plan for the senior center. They are Schumaker & Co. of Ann Arbor, Hooker De Jong and The Woods Consulting Group of Muskegon, and The Kittle Group of Auburn Hills. The scope of work is described in this excerpt from the RFP:

The consultant will be responsible for researching and developing a comprehensive strategic business/operating plan, including the following elements:

1. Background Information: Collect and review current and historical information/materials about the organization that will be helpful to the planning process.

2. Operating Budget Analysis: Analyze options to create stable funding and develop budget forecasts to sustain long-term Center operations including:

• Cost Reductions: Evaluate both short term and long term cost reduction strategies.

• Fee-Based Programming: Assess the cost effectiveness of offering an expanded array of fee-based/revenue generating programs and services, which appeal to a broader range of residents (i.e., “boomers”, intergenerational programs, youth services, etc.), with extended evening/weekend hours.

• Facility Rental/Product Sales: Conduct competitive research with banquet/meeting event rental facilities in the area to estimate the potential revenue that could be generated if the facility is enhanced to make it appealing for rental by private parties. Determine the cost of facility enhancements (i.e., renovations to the space; purchase of furniture, equipment, supplies, etc.) required to generate the maximum amount of rental income possible.

• Other Revenue Generating Options: Explore opportunities to generate revenue through increasing members, grants, fund raising, donations, etc.

* Operating Expense Forecasts: Determine the impact of programming changes on staffing levels/operating expenses and develop budget forecasts.

3. Market Research:

• Senior Centers: Analyze market research and regional/national best practices to evaluate strategies to improve operational efficiency and effectiveness.

• Quantitative Research: Survey a cross-section of Ann Arbor City residents to determine the desires, interests, and needs of community residents which could be met by expanding fee-based/revenue generating programs and services at the Center, targeted to all ages.

• Qualitative Research: Conduct focus groups with interested residents and program participants to assess opportunities for program development and enhancement.

4. Collaborative Partnerships: Convene meetings with the Executive Directors of other neighboring senior centers to evaluate strategies for collaboration to improve services for underserved programs/ services, evaluate impact of duplication of service delivery, enhance programs, increase revenue, and reduce costs.

5. Community Engagement/Communication Plan: Create a communication plan and marketing strategy to actively engage the community in supporting center operations/activities; and recommend enhancements to the website that creates enhanced awareness of programs and services being offered.

6. Planning Retreats: Conduct planning retreats with City leadership team (i.e., Council & PAC members, staff, and individuals representing residents and participants) to analyze all of the data/information collected and develop the short and long-range components of the strategic business/operating plan.

The deadline for responding was July 16, but Straw said that city staff had questions for the companies that responded, and gave them until the end of August to submit revised proposals. They hope to have the strategic plan completed by February 2011, ready to make recommendations to city council in the March/April time frame.

Coda: What About Mack Pool?

Mack Pool, which is shared by the city of Ann Arbor and Ann Arbor Public Schools and located in the Ann Arbor Open school, was also considered for closing during the last budget cycle. Similar to the senior center, a task force was formed to come up with a strategy for closing the gap between expenses and revenues. [For Chronicle coverage, see: "Task Force Floats Ways to Save Mack Pool" and "More Options for Ann Arbor's Mack Pool"]

Straw said that not as many of the task force recommendations for Mack Pool have been implemented yet, but some things are in progress. The city is ordering a thermal pool blanket, which is expected to save energy costs in two ways: 1) by containing the heat in the water and cutting the city’s natural gas expenses, which are about $37,500 a year for Mack Pool, and 2) by limiting water evaporation and saving on the school’s water bill. [In the current agreement between the city and schools, the city pays for natural gas and the schools pay for water.]

A new swim schedule is being finalized, Straw said, and will include additional time for lunch swims as well as additional time on Tuesday and Thursday mornings for swim lessons and other programs.

The city is also planning to install new LED lights in the pool – that’s estimated to save about $2,000 annually. The lights have been ordered, Straw said, and will likely be installed in the few weeks.

The pool is closed for the summer, and will reopen on Sept. 7.

Sign at the entrance to the Fuller Park soccer fields, next to Fuller Pool. (Photos by the writer.)

Three speakers during public commentary, all representing groups that use the fields heavily, said they didn’t have a problem with the fee hike, but hoped that the change could be phased in over three years, rather than implemented this season. The recommendation for an increase, along with changes in how the fields are used, will be forwarded to city council.

Commissioners also approved recommendations from the task forces that are working to raise revenues and cut costs for Mack Pool and the Ann Arbor Senior Center. Commissioner Tim Berla clarified that the PAC resolution was primarily an “atta boy!” for the work of the staff and task forces, and support of the direction they’re headed. The recommendations – which aim to keep those operations open – will be presented to city council at their Feb. 8 meeting.

And finally, as a bonus for readers who stick with this report until the end: One commissioner is championing an urban dog park, and has identified a potential location within the city.

Fee Increases for Fuller, Olson Fields

The city has invested $1.3 million in renovating some of its athletic fields: Seven at Fuller Park, near the University of Michigan medical complex, and two at Olson Park, on the city’s north side at the corner of DhuVarren Road and Pontiac Trail. In May of 2008, PAC formed a task force to evaluate how these fields would be used and maintained after the project was completed.

The task force is recommending rate increases for these fields, as well as changes in the way the fields are used. The proposed rates are:

• Fuller fields 1-5 and Olson fields 1-2: $60/hour (full field); $40/hour (half field)
• Fuller fields 6-7: $32/hour (full field); $20/hour (half field)

Previously, rates ranged from $16 an hour to a high of $31.50 an hour, depending on a variety of factors, including residency (Ann Arbor residents were charged lower rates) and time of day (rates for prime time, between 4-8 p.m., were higher). The lower fees at Fuller fields 6-7 reflect more minor renovations done there and less need for upkeep, according to city staff.

The task force provided some examples of fees for other outdoor fields. Locally, outdoor fields at the WideWorld Sports Center cost $90 for a full field and $60 for a half field. Fees in other cities – including Kalamazoo, Mich., Madison, Wisc., and Boulder, Colo. – are comparable or higher. East Lansing is a notably lower exception, with fees in the $17 to $33 range. Commissioner David Barrett said that’s likely because the East Lansing fields are in poor shape.

Staff also noted that fees to use other fields within the parks system – including Allmendinger, Southeast Area and Buhr Park – remain unchanged.

Public Commentary on Field Fees

Three people spoke about the athletic fields during the time set aside for public commentary.

Dave Morris of Ann Arbor Ultimate said he appreciated the new fields, and said the players in his group were okay with the new fees. He wondered how the city would be maintaining these fields – so far, he said, maintenance hadn’t been great. Players also had concerns about cancellations. Last year, the number of times that city staff had canceled play because of bad weather had been onerous, he said, especially because cancellations occurred several days in advance, when conditions might have improved by the originally scheduled date.

Todd Mercer of the Ann Arbor Soccer Association also praised the new fields, saying the renovations were excellent. His question concerned the goals and nets – currently, those used at Fuller fields were owned by the association. The task force was recommending that the city take ownership of that equipment. If it does, Mercer said, the association would like some kind of consideration for those that it owns. Mercer also cited an issue with the configuration of the fields. The proposal calls for fees based on the use of full fields and half fields. AASA has been renting six to nine half fields at a time, he said, but in the new configuration, there will only be five half fields available. Finally, he said that proposed fees represent four times the amount that was charged in the past. [The AASA had been charged a special rate of $16 an hour.] He suggested phasing in the new rates over a three-year period, for groups that rented the fields in 2009.

Chris Cristian of i9sports, a youth sports franchise, said he didn’t have any problem with the new fees, but supported the idea of phasing them in over three years. Last year had been difficult, he said. His business is trying to keep costs down for its participants while increasing the amount that the firm pays their employees. Phasing in the new rates would help, he said.

Commissioners’ Deliberations on Field Fees

Tim Berla began by asking about the field configurations, which had been questioned during public commentary. In the past, some groups had divided the fields into thirds, he noted – would there be any accommodation for that? And since the Ann Arbor Soccer Association needed more half fields, would there be any flexibility for them?

This sign, located near Fuller field #5, describes the the city's renovation project.

Jeff Straw, the city’s deputy parks manager who also served on the task force, said they’d evaluated the usage of the fields and determined the current approach as the best way to maintain the quality of the fields and prevent over-usage. [A cover memo for the PAC resolution states that a maximum of 30 games per season would be scheduled per field. Periodically, fields will be temporarily taken out of play, on a rotating basis, to allow for maintenance and "rest." Because of these changes – and the fact that three of the fields won't be ready for play this spring – the parks staff estimates that 750 games will be scheduled during the combined spring, summer and fall seasons in 2010. Last year, about 950 games were scheduled.]

Straw described the approach as a work in progress. As they assess the conditions of the fields during the upcoming year, they might adjust the number of games allowed in future years. In response to another question from Berla, Straw said they could consider phasing in the fee increase.

Dave Barrett praised the staff for its work, and reiterated Straw’s comments about the administration of the fields as a work in progress. The city invested a lot of money in these renovations, he said, and have raised the quality of the fields significantly. He noted that some of the work hasn’t even been completed yet. There will be some sticker shock about the fees, he cautioned, but everyone he’d talked to in the soccer community acknowledged that the previous fees were inordinately low – and the fields previously reflected that. He encouraged residents to go and look at the fields, describing them as “a thing of beauty,” with the quality 100 times better than in the past.

Barrett also commended AASA for providing the goals and lining the fields. He wondered whether the city would be willing to buy the equipment from the association. Straw said that might be possible.

Gwen Nystuen asked whether there would be signs telling people about the changes. Straw said they had put out signs last summer, which would remain this season. Colin Smith, the city’s parks and recreation manager, said it was also important to convey to the public that this work was paid for out of the voter-approved parks millage.

Julie Grand asked if the staff had received feedback on the fact that there’d be 200 fewer games scheduled on those fields in the coming year. Not yet, Straw said. The upcoming season will be somewhat unusual because three of the fields – Fuller fields 1-3 – won’t be ready for play in the spring, which will affect the number of total games scheduled. Straw said they’re hoping to encourage people to use other fields in the parks system – the Fuller and Olson fields will be top tier, but others are available for play.

Doug Chapman wondered why the task force had decided not to offer different fees for residents versus non-residents, as they’d done in the past. In general, Straw said they were trying to move away from that approach, given the amount of staff time required to confirm the status of large user groups. Smith added that it’s difficult to determine the status of large groups – if half of the team is from Ann Arbor, does that give the entire team resident status? What if only a few players are residents? It would require a staff member going through the team roster each time, he said.

Grand said she hoped that in scheduling games, there’d be a way to give priority to residents who’ve used the fields in the past.

By installing a fence and gate around the athletic fields at Fuller Park, city parks staff can regulate how much the fields get used.

Scott Rosencrans asked how the maintenance of the fields would differ from the past. That question was fielded by Matt Warba, the city’s supervisor of field operations. He said their biggest challenge prior to the renovation was that they didn’t have a handle on how much the fields were actually used. There was also no way to prevent people from using the fields even when they weren’t scheduled – there was no gated fence to bar entry, so fields never had the chance to “rest.”

Simply limiting the number of games, Warba said, would be a dramatic improvement in their ability to maintain the condition of the fields. Faulty irrigation systems have been fixed, he added. The parks staff plans to aerate the fields more and fertilize more initially to make sure the grass is established. All of this hinges on the ability of the staff to control access to the field, he said.

Outcome: The commission unanimously approved the resolution recommending a fee increase and usage changes for Fuller and Olson fields.

Mack Pool and Senior Center Recommendations

Several supporters of Mack Pool and the Ann Arbor Senior Center attended Tuesday’s meeting, but only two people spoke on those topics during public commentary.

James D’Amour began by saying that he served as a park commissioner in 2002-03, and that he’d also been a planning commissioner. He had been part of the previous review of the city’s Parks, Recreation and Open Space plan, known as PROS, and he wanted to let them know that he’d be interested in participating in the upcoming PROS review as well. D’Amour also described himself as a master swimmer who was an avid user of Mack Pool, and that he hoped the commissioners would approve the recommendations of the task force, including the suggestion to raise fees.

Lisa Dengiz said she’s lived in Burns Park for 25 years, and was concerned that the senior center might close. The community is aging, she said, and needs a place like the center. She was very impressed that the nonprofit Ann Arbor Seniors Inc. was stepping forward to help, and urged the commissioners to support the center until it can become a sustainable 501(c)3 nonprofit.

Presentation: Mack Pool Recommendations

Colin Smith, the city’s parks and recreation manager, presented the recommendations from the Mack Pool and Ann Arbor Senior Center task forces. The groups had been formed by city council last year after city administrator Roger Fraser recommended that the facilities be closed. [For background, see previous Chronicle coverage: "Task Force Floats Ways to Save Mack Pool," "More Options for Ann Arbor's Mack Pool," "Seniors Weigh In on Fate of Center" and "Task Force Tries to Save Senior Center"]

Smith first walked PAC through the list of recommendations for Mack Pool, which faces a projected $102,413 deficit for FY 2010, beginning July 1. Roughly $40,000 in new revenues and expense cuts are identified – staff and the task force are still working on ways to address the remaining $60,000 or so deficit.

The Mack Pool recommendations are:

• Purchase and install a thermal blanket for energy savings: $10,000. Next to personnel, energy costs are the highest expense, Smith said. The gas bill at Mack is about $40,000 annually.
• Install LED lights on the pool deck: $2,000
• Decrease the number of computers and applications: $4,000
• Raise fees 25% for masters swimming and for season passes: $8,375. This suggestion came out of one of the public meetings, Smith said, and was supported by a survey that asked if respondents would be willing to pay more to swim at Mack. Of the 192 people who completed the survey, 96.9% said yes.
• Add a masters Saturday morning class: $2,080. This change was already implemented earlier this year.
• Hold an annual fundraiser: $1,000
• Increase pool rental: $9,500. Smith said Club Wolverine Swimming is interested in renting 12-14 hours weekly. Regular rentals are important, he said, because they provide a dependable source of revenue, with a good profit margin.

Additional revenues may come from the change in a 1974 agreement between the city and Ann Arbor Public Schools, which governs the use of Mack Pool. The pool, located inside of Ann Arbor Open school, is off limits to the public for most of the time that school is in session. A new agreement would incorporate cost-sharing with the school district and provide 14 more hours for city programming, Smith said, ranging from water aerobics to swim classes to longer times for lap swimmers. More programs would allow the city to generate more revenue at the pool.

Another major source of potential revenue could come from allowing a swim school to operate at Mack Pool. The city hopes to find a group or individual to operate a swim school at Mack, which could bring in another estimated $50,000 annually.

Smith said the schedule would be adjusted based on additional hours of programming, which meant that some people would be moved into slots they aren’t used to, “and that’s just the reality of it,” he said. To accommodate an evening lap swim, for example, synchronized swimmers had been bumped to a later evening period. Staff responded to concerns raised by parents about the late hour by freeing up an earlier slot – from 3-6:30 p.m. – but only on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Commissioners’ Discussion on Mack Pool

In response to a query from Dave Barrett, Smith said that the school system is not under any obligation to pay the city, based on the 1974 agreement. Even so, AAPS does pay a portion of the operating costs, he said, including water and janitorial service. Terms of the new deal weren’t disclosed – it hasn’t been finalized.

Tim Berla noted that personnel costs were the biggest expense, yet there were no recommendations for cuts in staff. Staff costs account for about 60% of the Mack Pool budget, Smith said, but they had trimmed down over the years and didn’t think they could go any lower without affecting safety and customer service. There are always two lifeguards on duty, and one other staff member in the office collecting fees, among other things.

Scott Rosencrans, PAC’s chair who also serves on the Mack Pool task force, said he can’t recall any success story that involved reducing customer service. He also noted that USA Swimming recommends having two lifeguards at all times.

Berla said he thought the task force would also address the possibility of Mack Pool closing, and what would happen to the programming if it did. But these recommendations were just about raising revenues and cutting expenses. Smith said the task force was following its charge from the city council. If at some point the council gave them different directions, they’d address those questions.

Dave Barrett asked whether Smith was prospecting for swim schools. Smith responded by saying he was calling people asking if they wanted to visit the pool to see if they could use it as a swim school. Sam Offen said he was more concerned about Mack compared to the senior center, because there’s a larger gap in funding – getting revenue from a swim school was crucial, it seemed to him.

Rosencrans agreed, saying the key to Mack’s viability was getting more people to use it. Given the lack of public pools, he said he didn’t understand why it wasn’t mobbed. “I think it’s a real gem in the community.”

Berla said there were actually a lot of indoor pools, if you counted those at the public schools and the University of Michigan. But a building is just a means to an end, he said. It’s the programming that counts, and that’s where the discussion should focus. Given that the city is at the point where every dollar counts, programs should be the high priority.

Presentation: Senior Center Recommendations

The senior center faces a projected $151,687 deficit for fiscal 2010. The task force has identified $97,872 in savings and revenues, leaving roughly $52,000 that would still need to come out of the city’s general fund.

Smith said that in addition to three public meetings, about 600 people responded to a survey about the center and its services – those results were also factored in to these recommendations:

• Increase programming by adding new classes and other activities, including fitness classes, educational lectures and bridge games: $13,076
• Expand the trip program: $3,390
• Restructure agreements with instructors who teach courses at the center: $1,985
• Decrease the number of computers and applications: $4,000
• Reduce staffing levels for the lunch program by using volunteers: $3,078
• Reduce temporary staff time: $3,955
• Implement a membership fee: $12,500. Smith said that 68% of survey respondents said they’d be willing to pay a fee. The suggested annual fee is $25 per person, or $35 per household. There are funds available to offset costs for low-income residents, Smith said.
• Shift Friday and Sunday programming to other days, making the center available for rental: $5,555
• Increase the number of rentals: $6,500
• Increase fundraising: $3,500
• Increase advertising in the center’s newsletter: $3,000
• Use a portion of the Flinn bequest to help offset operating costs: $37,333

Smith also told commissioners that the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation has awarded a $16,949 grant to develop strategic plan for the center, and to help implement it over the next two years.

Commissioners’ Discussion of the Senior Center

Commissioner Sam Offen asked whether staff or the task force had talked to the Turner Senior Resource Center about partnering. Their Osher lecture series is popular, he noted, and there might be some opportunities to share expenses and programming. Jeff Straw, the city’s deputy parks manager, said staff had talked to representatives from Turner, who were concerned that they couldn’t accommodate additional groups. Offen suggested exploring partnerships with other senior centers in the area.

Offen also asked for more details about the community foundation grant. Smith said it needed to be spent by July 1, 2010. Commissioner Julie Grand, who serves on the senior center task force, said they’d held off using it because they didn’t yet know if city council would keep the center open.

Commissioner Tim Berla summarized the resolutions as an “atta boy!” for the work that’s been done so far, and support of continued efforts. Commissioner Gwen Nystuen said the results were encouraging, and she praised the amount of work that had been done by staff and the task forces.

Outcome: The commission unanimously approved both resolutions supporting the recommendations for the Mack Pool and Ann Arbor Senior Center task forces.

Financial Update

Colin Smith gave a brief quarterly financial report to commissioners. Halfway through the 2009 fiscal year, the parks and recreation operation is very close to its estimated net cost to the city’s general fund of $1.55 million.

He cited two areas that have lower-than-expected revenues to date: the Buhr Park and Veterans Memorial Park ice rinks. The rink at Buhr opened later than usual because of renovations there. At Vets, revenue from instructional skating is down about $25,000. They’ve seen gradual declines over the past few years, Smith said, but this year was lower than projected.

Revenues are up in some operations, Smith said, citing facilities rental and the senior center, which has seen an increase in donations.

Smith said he’d give PAC a report on canoe livery operations at next month’s meeting. If the headrace at Argo Dam remains de-watered, he said, that will affect revenues from canoe rentals this coming season. The city has a meeting scheduled with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality later this month to assess the dam, and it’s possible the state agency will allow the city to use the headrace again, Smith said. [The city has been in a multi-year dispute with MDEQ over the stability of Argo Dam, and whether to remove it. Most recent Chronicle coverage: "More to Meeting than Downtown Planning"]

Sam Offen and Gwen Nystuen, who serve on PAC’s financial subcommittee, both complimented Smith and Matt Warba, the city’s supervisor of field operations, for the fact that revenues were coming in close to their estimates. Offen said he was surprised by the drop in skating instruction, and that if the trend continues, the city will lose a valuable revenue stream. He said it was good to see an increase in golf revenues, but the big question was what will happen to golf operations in the coming budget cycle. Parks and recreation, along with all other departments, will be making budget recommendations in the coming months to address the city’s projected deficit.

Fuller Road Station

As she has at previous meetings, commissioner Gwen Nystuen raised the issue of defining the city’s “parkland” designation, in the context of the proposed Fuller Road Station. That project, a joint city/University of Michigan effort which initially includes a parking structure for about 1,000 vehicles, is located on city property that’s designated as parkland. It’s been leased to UM for several years and used as a surface parking lot.

[Chronicle coverage of the city council's Jan. 19, 2010 includes public commentary on the issue of  parkland and the Fuller Road station, including a brief look at the city and state prohibitions against sale of parkland without a voter referendum.]

Building a parking structure on parkland “raises all kinds of questions and precedents that we should fully discuss,” Nystuen said. She requested that the topic be added to a future PAC agenda for discussion. PAC chair Scott Rosencrans suggested forming a task force or asking someone from the city attorney’s office to come to a meeting and brief the commissioners.

Colin Smith, the city’s parks and recreation manager, said he asked to be included in the Fuller Road Station’s facilities planning committee, so that the parks perspective would be represented. The committee had recently met to talk about the impact of construction. He also has asked that the project leaders give PAC an update, possibly in March or May.

Nystuen asked Smith when he’d been consulted about the project. He reported that he’d first talked about it when Eli Cooper, the city’s transportation program manager, made a presentation to PAC in September 2009 about the project.

Commissioner Tim Berla voiced support for forming a task force, and for holding a public hearing on the issue. He said he could tell that Nystuen was serious and that there were members of the public who were very concerned as well. It was important to have a process to address those concerns.

Smith noted that neither of the city councilmembers were present, but said it would be good to get their perspective as well. [Mike Anglin (Ward 5) and Christopher Taylor (Ward 3) are ex-officio members of PAC. Anglin was absent from the Jan. 19 meeting, and Taylor left to attend a city council budget committee meeting before this discussion took place.]

Misc. Updates

In his manager’s report, Colin Smith said that the Buhr Park ice rink had reopened on Jan. 9 after renovations that were made possible by the parks millage. He said it was a difficult project. The new refrigeration in the subfloor includes about 13 miles of pipes. [See Chronicle coverage of the Dec. 7, 2009 city council meeting when council approved additional money to rectify a problem with the pipe specification.]

Smith also reported that the city was trying to raise $25,000 from individuals and businesses for its scholarship fund. They awarded 800 scholarships last year, he said: “It’s one of the most important things that parks offers.” The donations are tax deductible.

Smith gave an update on the departure of his boss, Jayne Miller, the city’s community services director, whose last day with the city will be Feb. 11. She has taken a job as head of the Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority, which oversees regional metroparks. He noted that she’s been with the city for 22 years, and previously held his job. Filling in on an interim basis will be Sumedh Bahl, who is head of the city’s water treatment plant. Smith quipped that he’d spent a lot of quality time with Bahl related to discussions about Argo Dam.

Finally, Smith said his staff had been working to prepare answers to several parks-related questions that councilmembers had asked during their December 2009 budget retreat. Sam Offen requested that PAC members also be provided with the information that staff gives to council – Smith agreed to do that.

In communications from commissioners, John Lawter said he’s championing the development of an urban dog park. He’s talked to park planner Amy Kuras about possibly using the property recently acquired by the city on Chapin, near West Park. She told him that one of the first steps would be to hold a neighborhood meeting about it, he said, adding that he also hoped to put the topic on an upcoming PAC agenda.

Present: John Lawter, Gwen Nystuen, Sam Offen, David Barrett, Scott Rosencrans, Julie Grand, Doug Chapman, Karen Levin, Tim Berla, Christopher Taylor (ex-officio)

Absent: Mike Anglin (ex-officio)

Next meeting: Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 4 p.m. in the Washtenaw County administration building boardroom, 220 N. Main St. [confirm date]

The entrance to Mack Pool, located in the Ann Arbor Open @ Mack school at the corner of Miller and Brooks.

At its Tuesday meeting, the Ann Arbor Park Advisory Commission will consider recommendations that would cut costs and raise revenue for Mack Pool and the Ann Arbor Senior Center, with the goal of keeping both operations open. If approved by PAC, the recommendations would be forwarded to city council.

Last spring, city administrator Roger Fraser proposed closing both the pool and the senior center, as part of a larger effort to address the city’s general fund budget deficit. Both entities cost more to operate than they generate in revenues, and are subsidized by the general fund.

Council subsequently created task forces to look at how more revenues could be raised and expenses cut from those operations. City staff held public meetings in December to present the initial recommendations from the task forces. [See Chronicle coverage: "More Options for Ann Arbor's Mack Pool" and "Task Force Tries to Save Senior Center"]

At its Tuesday meeting – which begins at 4 p.m. and includes time for public commentary – park commissioners will discuss and possibly revise those recommendations, before voting on whether to send them on to city council. The meeting is held at the county administration building, 220 N. Main St. After the jump, we provide a summary of the proposals.

Mack Pool Recommendations

The Mack Pool task force – which includes PAC chair Scott Rosencrans and Ann Arbor city councilmembers Carsten Hohnke (Ward 5) and Christopher Taylor (Ward 3) – was asked to address a projected $102,413 deficit for FY 2010, beginning July 1. The recommendations identify about $40,000 in new revenues and expense cuts, still leaving a deficit of about $60,000 to come from the city’s general fund. However, city staff and the task force continue to work on other areas that might reduce the deficit further.

The recommendations are:

• Purchase and install a thermal blanket for energy savings: $10,000
• Install LED lights on the pool deck: $2,000
• Decrease the number of computers and applications: $4,000
• Raise fees 25% for masters swimming and for season passes: $8,375
• Add a masters Saturday morning class: $2,080
• Hold an annual fundraiser: $1,000
• Increase pool rental: $9,500

The city also is working to modify its 1974 agreement with Ann Arbor Public Schools, which governs the use of Mack Pool. The pool is located inside of Ann Arbor Open school, and is off limits to the public for most of the time that school is in session. A new agreement would incorporate cost-sharing with the school district and provide more hours for city programming, which would allow the city to generate more revenue at the pool.

Another major source of revenue could come from allowing a swim school to operate at Mack Pool. The city is in discussions with a potential operator of a swim school, which could bring in another estimated $50,000 annually.

Ann Arbor Senior Center

The projected 2010 deficit for the senior center is $151,687, and the center’s task force has identified roughly $98,000 in net savings to reduce the deficit to about $52,000. Task force members include PAC commissioner Julie Grand and city councilmember Christopher Taylor (Ward 3), who also serves as an ex officio member of PAC.

These are the recommendations being presented at Tuesday’s PAC meeting:

• Increase programming by adding new classes and other activities: $13,076
• Expand the trip program: $3,390
• Restructure agreements with instructors who teach courses at the center: $1,985
• Decrease the number of computers and applications: $4,000
• Reduce staffing levels for the lunch program by using volunteers: $3,078
• Reduce temporary staff time: $3,955
• Implement a membership fee: $12,500
• Shift Friday and Sunday programming to other days, making the center available for rental: $5,555
• Increase the number of rentals: $6,500
• Increase fundraising: $3,500
• Increase advertising in the center’s newsletter: $3,000
• Use a portion of the Flinn bequest to help offset operating costs: $37,333

Assuming that recommendations will be forwarded to the city council by PAC, the council would consider them as part of the overall budget process, starting in February. Decisions on the fate of the senior center and Mack Pool would be made by the council by the time it approves a final budget, likely by its second meeting in May.

This kind of twittering is also social and interactive – to shuffle the Mah Jongg tiles. (Photos by the writer.)

The “we” is a group of six who’ve come to the Ann Arbor Senior Center on a frigid Monday afternoon to play Mah Jongg, and they’ve graciously allowed The Chronicle to sit in on their game.

It’s a slow day at the center – typically, there might be 16 or more people here to play the traditional Chinese tile game, plus another couple dozen playing bridge – but wind and snow and perhaps the holiday weekend made for a thin turnout.

The Chronicle has covered two meetings of a city task force that’s trying to save the center – it’s slated to close on July 1, unless the task force can come up with ways to cut expenses and raise revenues to overcome a $151,687 operating shortfall.

But we hadn’t yet visited the center to see what goes on there during a typical day. So on Monday, we made the snowy trek.

Getting There

At a meeting in October, city staff laid out an array of challenges facing the center. One of those issues was the fact that the building at 1320 Baldwin Ave. isn’t on an AATA bus line. [See Chronicle coverage: "Seniors Weigh In on Fate of Center"]

At the meeting, there was some discussion about whether it was important to actually be on the bus line – someone pointed out that the closest stop on Packard, near the intersection with Granger, was just four blocks away.

It’s a long four blocks. That’s especially true in inclement conditions, when fewer than half of the sidewalks in the residential Burns Park neighborhood had been cleared. Taking the No. 5 bus from the Blake Transit Center to the Packard/Granger stop takes about 10 minutes – and that’s about how long it takes to walk from Packard to the senior center.

The AATA does offer some services for seniors, including the A-Ride program for people with disabilities. But based on the dozen or so cars in the senior center parking lot, most people on Monday drove themselves, or hitched a ride with a friend.

The entrance to the Ann Arbor Senior Center in Burns Park.

Any Given Day

Lunch is served at the center on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays for $2.50, or $5 if you’re under 60 years old. (Several people at the task force meeting said the price was too low, and suggested charging more.) On Monday, the menu included lemon chicken, boiled potatoes and mixed vegetables.

But The Chronicle arrived just after the meal had wrapped up, and found people already settling into the afternoon. In the lobby, one man is sitting in an easy chair, watching a large TV. Across the room, another man is set up at the center’s public computer – one of three that are available for use, with Internet access.

But games are where the action is. Duplicate bridge is normally played in the main room, but on Monday not enough people had showed up for the multiple-table play of duplicate bridge. Instead, four people are sitting around a card table, playing a single game – of social bridge. The distinction between social bridge and “sanctioned” bridge is an important one, we learn. Games that are sanctioned by the American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) are held on Thursdays, when the place is typically packed and points are recorded in an official ACBL database.

Ray Gentz, one of the four bridge players on Monday, says it’s rare to find him playing social bridge – sanctioned games are his thing, at the senior center and elsewhere. He also teaches bridge through the Ann Arbor Rec & Ed program. Gentz says he’d be interested in teaching at the center too, but that so far, the scheduling hasn’t worked out to make that possible.

Also playing bridge on Monday are Kermit Schlansker, Flo Shepps and Connie Craft, who hosts the Senior Moments show on Community Television Network. Bridge players in general have a reputation for being serious – we’re told this by the more boisterous Mah Jongg players in the back room. Even so, when The Chronicle asks her name, Craft deadpans: “Santa Claus.”

“Twittering of the Sparrows”

Monday afternoons also bring Mah Jongg players to the senior center. They’re in the back room, playing at two tables of three – normally, there’d be enough people to play four per table, filling up several more tables. But what they lack in numbers they make up for in good cheer – unlike the more serious bridge players, they tell The Chronicle, they’re just here to have some fun.

From left: Kurt Rinker, Janice Beatty, Jack Beatty and Jeannie Tramontan. Rinker was just visiting – not a player.

They’re playing a variation of the traditional Chinese game – not the more difficult American version. Everyone defers to Maxine Solvay as the expert in the American, or New York, Mah Jongg. She explains that growing up in New York, her mother taught her and her two sisters how to play, so that her mother “could always have a game.”

For the American version, cards are issued each year by the National Mah Jongg League, which dictates the kinds of hands that can be played during the year. Solvay has cards of her mother’s dating back to the early 1950s. She also keeps a Mah Jongg set in her car, just in case.

The mention of a spare set in her car earns Solvay a bit of good-natured ribbing from the others, before talk turns to where you might buy your own Mah Jongg set. Janice Beatty suggests the large Asian market on Washtenaw Avenue, across from Norton’s Flowers – that’s where she and her husband Jack bought theirs. (Hua Xing Asia Market, at 2867 Washtenaw Ave.)

A game ends at the table where Solvay, Margaret Leslie and Peggy DeVries are playing – they shuffle the pink and white plastic tiles, which make a distinctive clicking sound that we’re told is called “twittering.” The homophonic connection to Twitter, the online social networking platform, is noted with laughter. Janice Beatty pulls out a sheaf of papers to find the exact term. The papers contain “Stuart Baggaley’s Rules” – Baggaley teaches the game at the center and elsewhere – and indeed, she finds a description of “twittering of the sparrows.” There are also explanations of kong, peng and chow, but we’ll save that for another day.

As we’re talking, a man wanders in and weighs himself on a scale in the back of the room, then leaves.

Programming, Membership Fees

Mah Jongg isn’t the only thing that brings these people to the center. Margaret Leslie takes two French classes here, taught by Jim McMurtrie and Lucie Osborn. Osborn has been teaching at the center since she retired from the Ann Arbor Public Schools nearly 25 years ago. “She’s very much loved,” Leslie says. That class is mostly conversational, but they also sing songs and recite poetry. McMurtrie’s class also includes conversation, as well as grammar and reading. When Solvay makes a face at the mention of grammar, Leslie insists, “No! It’s very, very fun.”

The senior center task force is recommending that the center raise revenues through programming – adding to the number of programs it currently offers, like bridge and tai chi, and expanding the types of programs. That might include adding a lecture series, for example, or different types of exercise classes, like Pilates or Zumba.

Peggy DeVries says she’ll be taking a tai chi class at the center that starts in January, and will be part of a book club that’s also gearing up next month. Jeannie Tramontan has taken line dancing, and Janice Beatty mentions that Susan Boyle teaches a popular watercolor painting class that’s offered at the center through a Washtenaw Community College program.

Leslie notes that WCC lifelong learning courses are free if you’re over 65, but otherwise there’s a fee. “We’re all under 65 here, dear,” Janice Beatty quips. “It’s just that we’re having a bad hair day.”

The group talks about other discounts – Nicola’s Books offers 10% off to seniors on Wednesdays, and Tuesdays you can get cheaper movie tickets at Quality 16. So deals are clearly important. But when asked whether they’d be willing to pay a membership fee for the senior center, everyone in the room quickly said yes. Several people added that they’d like to see more of an emphasis on soliciting donations as well, and making it easier for people to give tax-deductible contributions to the city, earmarked for the center.

The idea of a membership fee has been floated by the senior center task force, and will likely be among its final recommendations. City staff estimate that a $25 fee would raise $12,500 annually – an amount based on 500 members, the number of current users of the center. [See Chronicle coverage: "Task Force Tries to Save Senior Center"]

The Competition

Only one person we queried at the center said she would not be willing to pay a membership fee, regardless of the amount. She explains that’s because she more frequently uses the senior centers in Saline and Pittsfield Township – she’s only in Ann Arbor on Monday afternoon because there’s no programming this week at the other locations.

In general, Saline’s center gets props for its longer hours and freebies, while Pittsfield’s center is cited for its superior facility and trip programs. The task force for the Ann Arbor senior center is looking at expanding its own trip programs – they estimate that such a move could raise $3,390 in net revenue annually, possibly more.

Another place for seniors is the Turner Senior Resource Center on Plymouth Road in Ann Arbor, operated by the University of Michigan Geriatrics Center. Turner is known for its wide array of programs. Margaret Leslie takes French classes there as well, but notes that it’s not the kind of place where you can go and just hang out. “People here know my name,” she says. “Turner is not like that.”

What’s Next?

The senior center task force is holding its next meeting at the center on Wednesday, Jan. 6 at 4 p.m.  Recommendations about ways to cut expenses and raise revenues are expected to be presented to the city’s park advisory commission at its Jan. 19 meeting. Those recommendations, and whatever revisions that PAC members make, will be forwarded to city council as part of the overall budget process.

The council is expected to make its final budget decisions by May.