The lease amendment would be for two years, for an amount not to exceed $50,340 over the length of the lease amendment term. Funding for FY 2014 would come from the parks and recreation services general fund and would be in the proposed budget for FY 2015, according to a staff memo. In FY 2013, the city generated about $225,000 in revenue from golf cart rentals.

The resolution passed by PAC on Feb. 25 also recommended the sale of 32 city-owned golf carts to Pifer for $50,340.

PAC had recommended the original lease a year ago, at its Feb. 26, 2013 meeting. The city council subsequently approved the agreement in March of 2013. The current amendment exercises the renewal option in that original deal, and establishes the qualities for new carts and trade-ins. The original terms remain in effect regarding sale price offered for acquiring the city’s old carts and the cost per new cart leased. [.pdf of staff memo and resolution]

The agreement will require approval from the city council.

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

Action came at the city council’s Dec. 2, 2013 meeting. The donated acreage is next to the Stapp Nature Area and the Leslie Park golf course.

Aerial view of proposed Traverwood Apartments at 2225 Traverwood Drive, north of Plymouth Road.

The final vote on the zoning and a vote on the site plan will appear on a future council agenda.

The project, estimated to cost $30 million, would include 16 two-story buildings for a total of 216 one- and two-bedroom units – or 280 total bedrooms. Eight of the buildings would each have 15 units and 11 single-car garages. An additional eight buildings would each have 12 units and 8 single-car garages.

The city’s planning commission recommended approval of the site plan and the required rezoning at its Nov. 6, 2013 meeting. The site is made up of two parcels: a nearly 16-acre lot that’s zoned R4D (multi-family residential), and an adjacent 3.88-acre lot to the south that’s currently zoned ORL (office, research and light industrial). It’s the smaller lot that needs to be rezoned R4D.

Land to be donated by Bill Martin to the city of Ann Arbor indicated in red outline.

This brief was filed from the city council’s chambers on the second floor of city hall, located at 301 E. Huron. A more detailed report will follow.

The three Ann Arbor projects are: (1) stabilizing Traver Creek as it runs through the Leslie Park Golf Course, costing up to $1.805 million; (2) providing stormwater retention and infiltration from the road surface using porous asphalt on Willard Street, in the Allen Creek drain district and costing up to $345,000; and (3) providing bio-retention and stormwater capture via reforestation as part of a Huron River “green infrastructure” project, costing up to $345,000.

The Ann Arbor projects require the county to give its full faith and credit, although the payment of bonds will be funded through special assessments in districts tied to each project. The most high profile of these project will involve work at the Leslie Park Golf Course. Most recently, the city’s park advisory commission was briefed on this project at its June 19, 2012 meeting.

The fourth project backed by the county is for a five-year North Lake improvement project in Dexter and Lyndon townships. Costing up to $305,000, it would include controlling invasive and nuisance species, such as the Eurasian water milfoil, and maintaining a lake level control structure. The bond payments would be made with revenues from a special assessment of the district benefiting from the lake improvements.

This brief was filed from the boardroom of the county administration building at 220 N. Main in Ann Arbor. A more detailed report will follow: [link]

Francie Krawcke, raptor program director with the Leslie Science & Nature Center, brought a snowy owl to the June 19, 2012 meeting of the Ann Arbor park advisory commission. The owl did not fly around council chambers, but did enjoy a few snacks at the meeting. (Photos by the writer.)

An $89,560 contract with Wally Hollyday Skateparks – for design and construction oversight of a new skatepark at Veterans Memorial Park – was unanimously recommended for approval. Trevor Staples, president of the Friends of the Ann Arbor Skatepark, was on hand to answer questions, and several commissioners congratulated him for spearheading this project. Staples noted that fundraising is still underway, focused now on building a $100,000 endowment for future maintenance. Funding for design and construction of the skatepark has been secured primarily from a $300,000 state grant and $400,000 from the Washtenaw County parks & recreation commission.

PAC also unanimously recommended approval of a $115,309 contract with JB Contractors Inc. to build barrier-free pathways at the Leslie Science & Nature Center. The recommendation includes a 10% contingency, for a total project cost of $126,840.

This first phase of a broader renovation project on the center’s grounds will include making the raptor enclosures – housing owls, falcons, a bald eagle and other birds of prey – more accessible. 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.

Also unanimously recommended for approval was placement of a millage renewal on the Nov. 6 ballot. The current 1.1 mill Ann Arbor park maintenance and capital improvements millage expires this year. A renewal would run from 2013-2018 and is expected to generate about $4.9 million next year.

The June 19 meeting included a quarterly financial update, and the election of Tim Doyle as chair of PAC’s budget and finance committee. Commissioners also were briefed on a Traver Creek streambank stabilization project at Leslie Park golf course, designed to improve the water quality of this Huron River tributary.

Other water-related issues were brought up during the parks and recreation manager’s report. Colin Smith told commissioners that final repairs on swirl concentrators at West Park – designed to help stormwater management – will start later this month, with final renovations of the park occurring over the summer. And city staff will be harvesting Eurasian watermilfoil from about 6-7 acres around the Gallup Park canoe livery, using what Smith described as a “Zamboni on the water.” The aquatic plants have overgrown the area around the livery, making it hard for people to use paddleboats, canoes and kayaks.

During public commentary, Alan Haber urged commissioners to support the Library Green project, a citizen-led effort to put a public commons on top of the new city-owned Library Lane underground parking structure. He invited PAC to a July 14 “Imagine a Park” block party on the site, from noon until 5 p.m. Later in the meeting, park commissioner Tim Berla picked up the idea, saying he wasn’t advocating for that particular project but that he felt PAC should be “in the game” for discussions of a downtown park.

The June 19 meeting was the last one for commissioner David Barrett, who is term-limited after serving two three-year terms. PAC chair Julie Grand praised his work, particularly in advocating for renovations to the city’s athletic fields and ballparks. The mayor has not yet publicly put forward a nomination for Barrett’s replacement.

Ann Arbor Skatepark

Commissioners were asked to recommend approval of a contract with Wally Hollyday Skateparks for the Ann Arbor Skatepark at Veterans Memorial Park. The $89,560 contract would cover design and construction oversight of the project.

Sketch from the Wally Hollyday Skateparks proposal for the Ann Arbor skatepark at Veterans Memorial Park. Hollyday told The Chronicle that he considers this an example that addresses many of the community’s desires for the skatepark, but that considerable public input will be sought to shape his development of the design.

A selection committee reviewed six responses to a request for proposals (RFP) issued by the city of Ann Arbor in April, and selected two California firms – Wally Hollyday Skateparks and Wormhoudt Inc. – as finalists. Additional review and interviews resulted in the choice of Wally Hollyday Skateparks as the recommended designer. Wally Hollyday had already been involved in the project to some extent, leading design workshops for the Friends of the Ann Arbor Skatepark in 2009 and 2010.

The roughly $1 million project – including an anticipated $100,000 endowment for ongoing maintenance – will be financed through a combination of funds. Those include private donations – primarily solicited through the Friends of the Ann Arbor Skatepark – as well as a $300,000 state grant, and up to $400,000 in matching funds from the Washtenaw County parks and recreation commission. The Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation is acting as fiduciary.

Representatives from all of these groups attended PAC’s June 19 meeting: Trevor Staples, president of Friends of the Ann Arbor Skatepark; Jeff Dehring of the Washtenaw County parks & recreation department; and Jennie Hale, development/program officer with the community foundation.

Park planner Amy Kuras is the city’s point person on the project, and briefed commissioners on the selection process. The pre-qualifications were written tightly, she said, including requirements like a minimum of 10 years experience in designing and overseeing skatepark construction, extensive work with municipalities, building in climates similar to Michigan, a track record of at least 10 parks that have been in place at least 10 years, and experience with stormwater management.

The two finalists rose to the top pretty quickly among the six bids that were submitted, Kuras said.

Staples also addressed commissioners, reminding them that it’s been about five years since skatepark supporters filled council chambers to advocate for the project. He thanked PAC for its support. [At its March 2011 meeting, PAC had recommended support for the city to apply for the $300,000 Michigan Dept. of Natural Resources Trust Fund grant, with one commissioner – Sam Offen – voting against it. Offen ended his two terms on PAC in May.]

It had been exciting to go through the RFP process, Staples said, and they could have picked either of the finalists. But Hollyday is the right person for this job at this point, he added. Staples said he’s skated several skateparks designed by Hollyday, describing him as a skateboarder who is hands-on. “It’s art for him,” Staples said.

Ann Arbor Skatepark: Commission Discussion – Design

Several commissioners congratulated Staples for his work in spearheading this effort. Karen Levin said it sounded like Hollyday’s skateparks have stood up well over time, and she assumed that his design would take Michigan’s weather into account.

Staples noted that Hollyday is based in the San Diego area, as several skatepark companies are. It’s a specialized project that requires a particular kind of expertise. But the plan is to incorporate a lot of Michigan-based elements – labor and public art, for example. Regarding climate, Staples noted that part of the selection criteria included a requirement that the company have experience in building skateparks in northern climates.

Trevor Staples, president of the Friends of the Ann Arbor Skatepark.

David Barrett asked for more details about where the skatepark will be located. The site will be at the park’s northwest corner, near the intersection of North Maple and Dexter-Ann Arbor roads. Smith noted that there might be an opportunity for an amphitheater there, too.

Barrett, who served on the selection committee, said that even though the skatepark is for kids, it’s also for the entire community. The idea is to create a skatepark so that people can come and watch, even if they don’t “hop on a board” themselves, he said.

Smith added that the location is important because this will likely be a regional draw, and the site is close to I-94 and M-14 interchanges. It’s also close to businesses and neighborhoods, and is very visible and accessible, he said. As people enter the city from that area, it will be a very dynamic site.

Staples also clarified that the large stand of trees at that corner will remain in place. The trees are an asset, he noted – most skateparks don’t have shade.

During the discussion specifically about the resolution of support for the contract, Alan Jackson initially requested that the resolution strike the word “concrete” from this whereas clause:

Whereas, Construction of a custom, concrete skatepark is being proposed using funds from a State of Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund Grant, Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission and the Friends of Ann Arbor Skatepark to be constructed in Veterans Memorial Park;

Smith said it wouldn’t be possible to strike the word – the specifications are very specific. Staples explained that the main reason the resolution and RFP specified “concrete” is that many non-concrete skateparks are built in a modular way. That type of construction falls apart quickly and requires a lot of maintenance. The quality of a concrete skatepark is better.

Jackson withdrew his suggestion, saying that his intent simply had been to eliminate constraints on the project. Staples replied that the constraints are self-imposed.

Smith also pointed out that one aspect of the design includes stormwater management, in recognition of the fact that the skatepark will be adding impervious surfaces. The stormwater management might be in the form of rain gardens or other elements.

Tim Doyle noted that there are a number of design specs – are there any elements that PAC should be aware of, from a parks perspective? Kuras replied that the city will be relying heavily on Hollyday for this project. Midwestern Consulting, a civil engineering firm based in Ann Arbor, will be hired as a subcontractor to handle certain aspects, she said. But it will be a collaborative process, she added, to work through any concerns that might arise.

Ann Arbor Skatepark: Commission Discussion – Financing

John Lawter asked whether all of the fundraising was in place. Fundraising is still happening, Staples replied. The goal is $1 million – $900,000 for design and construction, and $100,000 for an endowment to fund future maintenance. The majority of the $820,000 they’ve raised so far is in the form of grants, which can’t be used for the endowment, he said. So the focus now is on the endowment. He noted that he had dropped off a pile of bricks at Arnet’s Monuments earlier that day to be engraved as part of a fundraising drive.

Lawter asked how someone could buy a brick. Staples explained that details are on the Friends of the Ann Arbor Skatepark website, where payments can be made online. There are three sizes: $100, $250 and $1,000. Purchases are tax deductible, he said.

The group will also have a booth at the Ann Arbor art fairs, he said, in the nonprofit section.

Christopher Taylor observed that about $100,000 is “in the bank,” but he wondered when the remaining funds would “land.” Smith reported the city expects that the $300,000 DNR grant will be distributed later this summer. After that, the county’s $400,000 in matching funds will be available. Jeff Dehring of the Washtenaw County parks & recreation department clarified that county funds would be available as soon as the construction contract is awarded. Staples noted that the design needs to be completed before state funds can be accessed, and Amy Kuras added that the state funds are actually reimbursements – so the city would pay, and be reimbursed from the DNR grant.

In response to a question from Tim Berla, Smith explained that the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation is holding the funds now, but later the money will be transferred into a segregated city account for the project. There also is a reference in a memorandum of intent regarding how the funds will be transferred, he said. [The city council approved the MOI with the Ann Arbor Skatepark Action Committee – the predecessor to the nonprofit Friends of the Ann Arbor Skatepark – at its Dec. 1, 2008 meeting. .pdf of 2008 memorandum of intent]

Do the other funders have to give approval for the selection of the Hollyday? Berla asked. Smith replied that the other groups had input via their membership on the selection committee. Staples added that all parties have agreed on this decision.

Tim Doyle observed that it’s a challenging project, and until it’s designed and the construction bids are in, it’s difficult to know how much it will actually cost.

Ann Arbor Skatepark: Next Steps

Colin Smith explained that the plan is to put this contract on the city council’s July 16 agenda. If approved, the project will move forward for design and construction. Amy Kuras noted that several public meetings will be held to get input on the design, and when a design is developed, it will be presented to both PAC and the city council for review and input. The hope is to have a design and construction drawings finalized by early fall to put the project out to bid for a builder, with the goal of starting construction in the spring of 2013.

Over the winter, Smith said, he’d work with Staples to develop an operating agreement for the facility.

Outcome: Commissioners unanimously recommended that the city council approve a contract with Wally Hollyday Skateparks. It will now be forwarded to the city council for review, likely at the council’s July 16 meeting.

Leslie Science Path Renovations

In an item added to the agenda during the June 19 meeting, PAC was asked to recommend approval of a $115,309 contract with JB Contractors Inc. to construct barrier-free pathways at the Leslie Science and Nature Center. The recommendation includes a 10% contingency, for a total project cost of $126,840.

JB Contractors provided the lowest of two bids. Fonson Inc. had submitted a much higher bid of $197,459. Funding is available from the city’s park maintenance and capital improvements millage.

PAC had been briefed on this project – the first phase of a larger renovation – at its Feb. 28, 2012 meeting. 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.

Parks planner Amy Kuras told commissioners that the goal of the changes to the pathways 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. The project includes replacing the paths that connect various buildings on the site, and constructing new paths to connect the center’s raptor enclosures.

From right: Susan Westhoff, executive director of the Leslie Science & Nature Center, talks with city park planner Amy Kuras.

Those enclosures house owls, falcons, a bald eagle and other birds of prey, and are located at the highest part of the site. The birds are very popular, so the intent is to make the area as accessible as possible. The paths connecting the raptor enclosures will be made from porous pavement of recycled glass, Kuras said. 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.

A master plan for the broader project includes renovating the parking lot, creating a new drop-off are, and reconfiguring the remaining paths.

Kuras said construction drawings for this phase are complete, and she hoped that following PAC’s recommendation, a resolution could be placed on the city council’s July 16 agenda. If approved, construction could start after Labor Day and would likely last a couple of months.

Susan Westhoff, the center’s executive director, attended the June 19 PAC meeting and spoke briefly about the need for the path improvements and overall renovations. Francie Krawcke, the center’s raptor program director, was also on hand with a snowy owl, which she kept on a tether and fed snacks during the presentation.

Leslie Science Path Renovations: Commission Discussion

Karen Levin asked how long the project would taken and if it would impact the center’s programming. Amy Kuras estimated that construction could last 6-8 weeks, though there was not yet a schedule. Much like the current work in Buhr Park and Cobblestone Farm, she said, it will be coordinated closely with staff. [The Buhr/Cobblestone contract – $865,190 to Fonson Inc. for road, parking, pathway and other exterior renovations – was recommended for approval at PAC's Feb. 28, 2012 meeting, and subsequently authorized by the city council.]

Kuras said she’s stressed to the contractor the importance of safety, since the work will be done while people are coming to the center. When people call the center to reserve space for events, they’ll be informed about the work, too. There will be constant information-sharing, Kuras said.

David Barrett asked if Kuras had ever worked with this contractor. No, she said, but the firm recently merged with Abbott Concrete, a company she has worked with. She told commissioners that she’d keep reminding the workers that the job is in a public park.

Responding to a question from Alan Jackson, Kuras clarified that the circular drive would remain in place as a drop-off, until the second phase of the project. That phase, which hasn’t yet been bid out, would require additional recommendation by PAC and authorization by city council.

Julie Grand asked whether schools had also been notified about the work. Susan Westhoff replied that September, when the work will start, is typically a light programming month for the center. And a lot of the October programming tends to be staff going out to schools, rather than students coming to the center, she said. The only building that won’t be accessible during the work is the Critter House, which is completely surrounded by the sidewalk that’s being rebuilt.

Outcome: Commissioners unanimously recommended approval of a $115,309 contract with JB Contractors Inc. for barrier-free pathways at the Leslie Science and Nature Center. The recommendation will be forwarded to the city council.

Park Millage Renewal

On the PAC agenda was a resolution recommending that city council put a 1.1 mill renewal of the Ann Arbor park maintenance and capital improvements millage on the Nov. 6 ballot.

The current 1.1 mill tax expires this year. A renewal would run from 2013-2018 and raise about $4.9 million next year. The recommended allocation of revenues is 70% for park maintenance activities, and 30% for park capital improvement projects. Of that allocation, up to 10% can be shifted between the two categories as needed.

Colin Smith, parks and recreation manager for the city of Ann Arbor.

Examples of park maintenance activities include “forestry and horticulture, natural area preservation, park operations, recreation facilities, and targets of opportunity,” according to a staff memo. Capital improvement projects would cover parks, forestry and horticulture, historic preservation, neighborhood parks and urban plazas, park operations, pathways, trails, boardwalks, greenways and watersheds, and recreation facilities.

PAC was first briefed about the millage renewal at its March 22, 2012 meeting. At the time, PAC chair Julie Grand – who served on a working group to strategize about the renewal – said concerns about the economic climate were a major reason why an increase wasn’t being recommended. City parks staff and PAC members subsequently held several public forums about the renewal that were sparsely attended.

The proposed ballot language reads as follows: “Shall the city renew the existing park maintenance and capital improvements millage for 2013 through 2018, which will raise in the first year of the levy an estimated revenue of $4,900,000 for park maintenance and park capital improvements?”

Colin Smith, the city’s parks and recreation manager, gave a brief overview of the process to date, noting that the city council would need to take action in order to put the millage renewal on the November ballot. At that point, the city staff could have additional public forums to educate the community about the renewal request and how the millage revenues are used.

A public hearing on the millage had been held at PAC’s April 2012 meeting, but no one attended. On June 19, there were no comments or questions from commissioners about the renewal.

Outcome: Commissioners voted to recommend that city council put the millage renewal on the Nov. 6, 2012 ballot.

Traver Creek Stabilization

Harry Sheehan, environmental manager for the Washtenaw County office of the water resources commissioner, was on hand to update PAC about a Traver Creek streambank stabilization project at Leslie Park golf course. Commissioners had initially been briefed about the project at their Dec. 20, 2011 meeting by Jen Lawson, the city’s water quality manager.

Sheehan told commissioners that the purpose of the project is to improve water quality flowing into the Huron River – Traver Creek is a tributary. The project aims to reduce the amount of phosphorus that’s discharged into the river, address erosion and flooding issues, control the amount of sediment that’s being deposited downstream, enhance the wetlands and habitat for wildlife, and improve the aesthetics of the Leslie Park golf course.

The city council had authorized petitioning the county for the $1.05 million project at its Jan. 9, 2012 meeting. The city’s portion is $981,540, which will be assessed by the county over a period of up to 20 years, at a maximum of $62,415 per year, according to a staff memo prepared for council. The first payment was included in the FY 2013 stormwater fund operations and maintenance budget, approved by the council earlier this year.

The resolution passed by the council on Jan. 9 also authorized annual payments to the county for this project from the stormwater fund (Fund 0069). The project has been approved for a 2.5% low-interest loan from the state revolving fund, and up to 50% of the loan could be forgiven by the state.

Sheehan reported that the construction work is out for bid, and the plan is to start work in November of 2012, after the golf season ends, through March of 2013.

It’s essentially a drain project, Sheehan said, but the work is being done with an understanding of the site’s special nature within a golf course.

Traver Creek Stabilization: Commission Discussion

John Lawter asked for more details about how the position of the creek would be affected. Sheehan explained that the creek would be made more “meandering,” compared to its current course.

David Barrett wondered what will happen if all the work can’t be done within the November-to-March timeframe – would it be delayed until the following winter? And if so, how would that affect the project’s financing?

From left: Christopher Taylor, a Ward 3 city councilmember and ex-officio member of PAC, and Alan Jackson, one of the newest PAC members.

There’s no hard deadline for getting the work done, Sheehan replied. If next winter was like the most recent one, then it won’t be a problem to do the work, he said. The final part of the project is more contained to the area around the south part of the course, so conceivably that work could be done during the summer, and it wouldn’t disrupt play.

Alan Jackson wanted to know how the project is being coordinated with the city’s golf staff. Sheehan said the golf staff have been integrated into the design process. They’ve provided suggestions for removal of sediment and its use elsewhere on the course – for example, to fill in areas that are chronically wet.

Jackson also asked whether any public meetings had been held. Yes, Sheehan said. The first one was held several years ago to discuss the financing aspect, he said. Earlier this year, about 25 people – mostly stakeholders in the golf community – attended a public forum on the project. Another forum held a few weeks ago drew only one person, he said, although residents in the nearby neighborhoods were all sent notices.

Colin Smith, the city’s parks and recreation manager, said the golf staff have been involved from the outset. There has also been communication with golfers about the project, as well as with other user groups. All the feedback has been positive, he said.

Responding to a question from Tim Doyle, Smith reported that because of warmer-than-usual weather, the golf courses opened this year in mid-March – usually, opening day is April 1. He noted that even if the courses were to open early in 2013, the work by that time would be more out of the way and wouldn’t disrupt play.

Jackson wanted to know whether ongoing maintenance costs would be incurred because of this project. Sheehan replied that sediment maintenance would likely be needed every two to five years, but would cost only in the $2,000 to $5,000 range. The costs would be handled through an assessment fee paid by the city, but the work would be done through the county’s office of the water resources commissioner.

Outcome: This was not an action item – no vote was required.

Financial Update

Colin Smith, the city’s parks and recreation manager, walked commissioners through a quarterly update of the parks and recreation budget. The current fiscal year ends June 30, 2012. [.pdf of parks & rec quarterly financial statement]

Recreational facilities supported by the city’s general fund are forecast to bring in $2,372,166 in revenues for the fiscal year, about $6,000 more than budgeted. Expenses of $3,442,592 are $17,500 less than budgeted. That means $1,070,426 will be used from the general fund to cover the difference between revenues and expenses.

Three units – the farmers market, Huron Hills golf course, and Leslie Park golf course – are operated in “enterprise funds,” where the expectation is that revenues will cover expenses.

For the farmers market, revenues are projected to be on budget at $165,118. Projected expenses of $160,118 are $5,000 lower than budgeted, in part because of a transitional period between the departure of former market manager Molly Notarianni and the hiring of Sarah Benoit, who was introduced at PAC’s May meeting.

At Huron Hills, revenues of $382,375 are on budget, while expenses of $541,080 are $7,500 lower than budgeted. The general fund will contribute $158,705 to operations at Huron Hills.

The Leslie Park golf course is expected to bring in revenues of $901,319 – about $20,000 less than budgeted. Expenses of $999,580 are also about $20,000 lower than budgeted. The general fund will contribute $98,261 to fund that golf course.

Matt Warba, supervisor of field operations, reviewed the financial statements for those parks operations that funded out of the park maintenance and capital improvements millage. He noted that expenses will be about $300,000 lower than the budgeted $2.353 million because the unit did not have a full complement of full-time staff this year. However, over the past month four full-time employees have been hired – two paid for from the general fund, and two from the millage.

There are 12 employees in field operations now, plus about 18 seasonal workers. The additional staff allows for a mowing cycle of 14 days, compared to the previous 19-day cycle.

Financial Update: Election of Committee Chair

Later in the meeting, the commission took action related to park finances – by voting on a new chair for the group’s budget and finance committee. It had previously been chaired by Sam Offen, whose term on PAC ended last month.

PAC chair Julie Grand nominated Tim Doyle, who’s been working with Offen on the committee. Doyle had been expected to take that leadership role.

In announcing her nomination, Grand told Doyle, “You’d better not say no!” He did not.

Outcome: Tim Doyle was unanimously elected chair of PAC’s budget and finance committee.

Library Green: PAC Action?

During public commentary, the only speaker was Alan Haber, who told commissioners that he frequently had spoken to other public bodies like the Ann Arbor city council on behalf of a group that’s trying to develop a community park, commons and gathering place on top of the Library Lane underground parking structure. Recently, members of the advocacy group had suggested coming to PAC as well. He asked commissioners to urge the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority to separate out the Library Lane from its consideration of other parcels in the downtown area.

[Haber was referring to an effort called Connecting William Street, which is exploring alternate uses for the surface parking lots in the area bounded by William, Ashley, Liberty and Division streets – including the top of the underground parking structure. The project is being undertaken by the DDA at the direction of the Ann Arbor city council, given last year on April 4, 2011.]

The DDA should separate out the Library Lane parcel, Haber said, and gather ideas from the community about how to make a Central Park-type gathering space. There are so many people who say that’s what they want, he said – ask anyone whether they want a building or a park, and almost everyone will say a park. But this effort needs energy from people with responsibility for the parks who can actively pursue it. Don’t wait until another plan is presented, he said. He urged PAC to take some initiative. Haber said that advocates for Library Green are having an “Imagine a Park” block party on July 14, a couple of days after the grand opening of the parking structure earlier in the day. The event will run from noon until 5 p.m. on the top of the structure.

Haber contended that the conversation about this option was completely suppressed by the group that evaluated a request for proposals (RFP) for the top of the Library Lane. PAC should start to think about the possibility, and offer its advice to the DDA, he said.

Library Green: PAC Action? – Commission Discussion

Later in the meeting, Tim Berla asked what the process would be for following up on Haber’s suggestion. He felt that PAC should get ahead of the issue regarding downtown parks. It seems like there does need to be a park downtown. The Library Lane site might be an obvious place, though not necessarily the best place – and Berla said he wasn’t advocating for that. But he wanted PAC to get in the discussion. Berla said he knows that money is part of it, in terms of whether a park will raise the value of land surrounding it. But he didn’t think PAC should be involved in evaluating the financial aspects. His question was this: What can PAC do to move the discussion along so that the commission’s input is given? Berla said he’d been surprised that a surface parking lot is going on top of the 700-space underground structure, which seemed odd, though it might be the cheapest option at this point.

Tim Berla, a member of the Ann Arbor park advisory commission.

Colin Smith, the city’s parks and recreation manager, said that PAC always has the option of forming a subcommittee or focus group to look into any issue. If that’s what the commission as a whole wants to do, it can do that. There are a lot of discussions related to city-owned property in and near downtown, he noted, including the Allen Creek greenway, 415 W. Washington and 721 N. Main sites, and Liberty Plaza – a city park at the southwest corner of Liberty and Division, near the underground parking structure. From the staff’s perspective, Smith said, it would make sense for PAC as a group to decide what it wants to do.

PAC chair Julie Grand noted that at the last meeting of PAC’s land acquisition committee, committee members talked about holding a priority-setting session after all of the new commissioners come on board. [Gwen Nystuen and Sam Offen recently left PAC, and the June 19 meeting was the last one for David Barrett. All were term-limited. Ingrid Ault and Alan Jackson were appointed to replace Nystuen and Offen, but Barrett's replacement hasn't been appointed yet.]

Berla said he’d like to see several different plans developed for the Library Lane site, so that people could start evaluating options. Another insight he’d had related to Sonic Lunch – the weekly summer music series that’s held in Liberty Plaza and organized by the Bank of Ann Arbor. Wouldn’t it be awesome to have a music performance space downtown? He wanted to explore ideas like this, though perhaps they should wait until the Connecting William Street process played out, though it seemed like the focus for that project was different.

John Lawter noted that members of PAC and the DDA had met, and he had thought there would be a follow-up meeting. Julie Grand agreed, and said that one approach would be to advocate for involvement in the Connecting William Street effort.

Smith said that in the past, the city council has given PAC a charge to make recommendations back to the council. He asked Mike Anglin, a Ward 5 city councilmember who is an ex officio member of PAC, if Anglin knew who might be working on this issue. [PAC's other council representative, Christopher Taylor (Ward 3), had left the June 19 meeting by that point.]

Anglin replied that a lot of things are happening, and it’s important for PAC to be involved. Fuller Road is another area of interest, he said – an allusion to the possibility of building a transit station on land that’s part of Fuller Park. He noted that the Ann Arbor District Library is discussing what to do on its downtown site, too. It would be good for PAC to be more actively involved, he said, and perhaps form a focus group that could track some of these projects.

Outcome: There was no action taken on this issue, and it’s not clear if there’s consensus among commissioners about what steps to take next.

Parks & Recreation Manager’s Report

Colin Smith gave updates on two projects during his manager’s report: Repairs of the swirl concentrators at West Park, and “aquatic plant management” near the Gallup Park canoe livery.

Parks & Rec Manager’s Report: West Park

In late June, Smith said, the city expects the manufacturer of the swirl concentrators at West Park to replace the lids and finish repairs on those units. That work should take about three weeks. After that, the project’s contractor will rebuild the diversion structures, finish the access paths, and complete native plant restoration in that area, located along Seventh Street. That work will likely last throughout the summer. There are three entrances to the park off of Seventh, and during this work only the middle entrance will remain open, he said. Other activities at the park will be uninterrupted. He told commissioners that updates will be posted online.

Swirl concentrators had been installed for stormwater management as part of a major renovation of West Park in 2010. Most recently, PAC received a detailed update on the project at its Jan. 24, 2012 meeting from Nick Hutchinson, a civil engineer and one of the project managers in the city’s public services unit. Hutchinson had told the commission that after the manufacturer of the swirl concentrators makes repairs on the units, the city would hire a contractor to complete additional work that was recommended by Orchard Hiltz & McCliment (OHM), which the city had engaged in 2010 to look into the problems with that aspect of the West Park project. City staff had previously hoped to have that work completed by July of 2012.

Parks & Rec Manager’s Report: Aquatic Plants at Gallup

Smith reported that aquatic plants near the Gallup Park canoe livery are extremely overgrown, and that city staff will be harvesting excess plants in the coming weeks. Specifically, Eurasian watermilfoil is making it difficult for people to use paddleboats or canoe on that part of the pond.

Staff will use what Smith described as a “Zamboni on the water” to harvest about 6-7 acres around the livery. They’ll deposit the plants in an area of the park that’s unused, where the plants will dry out and shrink, he said. The work will start in late June.

Farewell to David Barrett

Turnover of park commissioners continued at the June 19 meeting – the last one for David Barrett, who has served on PAC since 2006.

From left: Park advisory commissioners Tim Doyle and David Barrett. The June 19 meeting was the last one for Barrett, whose term expires this month.

Near the end of the meeting, PAC chair Julie Grand thanked Barrett for his service. He had been a tireless advocate for improving the city’s athletic fields, she noted, and had been a quiet advocate on a lot of other issues over the past six years. He was an incredible human being and a good soul, she said.

Barrett is a songwriter and musician who is best known for the song “One Shining Moment.” It’s become the anthem for the NCAA basketball finals, with versions sung by Luther Vandross and Jennifer Hudson. He has written music for other sporting events and TV networks, and won an Emmy for the score of a PBS documentary on C.S. Lewis.

Barrett thanked the mayor for his appointment, and also thanked his fellow commissioners. He praised the city’s parks staff, saying they do a great job. It’s been an honor to serve, he said.

Barrett is the latest of three PAC members who have left the commission after being term-limited. Park advisory commissioners are limited to two consecutive three-year terms. Sam Offen and Gwen Nystuen recently ended their two terms on PAC as well. New commissioners replacing Offen and Nystuen are Alan Jackson and Ingrid Ault. No replacement has been nominated yet for Barrett.

Two other commissioners – Doug Chapman and Karen Levin – will be ending their first three-year terms in September of 2012, and could seek reappointment for another term.

Present: Ingrid Ault, David Barrett, Tim Berla, Tim Doyle, Alan Jackson, John Lawter, Karen Levin, Julie Grand, councilmember Christopher Taylor (ex-officio), councilmember Mike Anglin (ex-officio). Also Colin Smith, city parks and recreation manager.

Absent: Doug Chapman.

Next meeting: PAC’s meeting on Tuesday, July 17, 2012 begins at 4 p.m. in the city hall second-floor council chambers, 301 E. Huron St., Ann Arbor. [Check Chronicle event listing to confirm date]

The Chronicle survives in part through regular voluntary subscriptions to support our coverage of public bodies like the Ann Arbor park advisory commission. If you’re already helping The Chronicle kickflip to financial sustainability, please encourage your friends, neighbors and coworkers to grab some air as well. Click this link for details: Subscribe to The Chronicle.

Jen Lawson, the city's water quality manager, talks with Doug Kelly, the city's director of golf, prior to the start of the Dec. 20, 2011 park advisory commission meeting. (Photos by the writer.)

Jen Lawson, the city of Ann Arbor’s water quality manager, said the city hopes to hire a design consultant in January, with preliminary designs for the project ready by April. Final designs and construction plans would be done by July, and construction is projected to start in November of 2012.

The project would be completed by the spring of 2013, Lawson said, although an additional two growing seasons would be needed for plants to take hold. The intent is to minimize the impact on golfers during construction – parks and recreation manager Colin Smith noted that the project team is sensitive to the need for revenues from the course.

During the December meeting, commissioners also got an update on the city’s natural area preservation program, which has increased the number of volunteers who help with tasks like invasive species control and animal/plant monitoring.

Communications from staff included an update on the Argo Dam bypass, where work has stopped for the season. Additional work, including paving of a footpath, will occur in the spring. And in communications from commissioners, Sam Offen reminded his colleagues of the upcoming sustainability forums. The first forum is on Thursday, Jan. 12, focusing on resource management. All forums, held once a month, will be at the downtown Ann Arbor District Library building, 343 S. Fifth Ave. starting at 7 p.m.

Natural Area Preservation Update

Jason Tallant, a staff member of the city’s natural area preservation program, gave a presentation about the work that NAP does. He began by noting NAP’s mission: “To protect and restore Ann Arbor’s natural areas and foster an environmental ethic among its citizens.” It’s something he had to recite when he first started working at NAP, Tallant said, and something the staff regularly evokes.

NAP tracks volunteer hours by the type of work that volunteers do, Tallant said, and has tracked that data going back to 1994 – the year after the current NAP manager, David Borneman, was hired. Since about 2007, the program has courted private groups to volunteer, from nonprofits like SOS Community Services to companies like Toyota. The number of hours in that category grew from 1,613 in 2007 to 5,031 in 2011. The next-highest category of volunteer hours is logged during public workdays, with 1,464 hours in 2011.

Tallant credited former NAP volunteer coordinator Jason Frenzel with expanding the private group volunteer effort. The work days often include several hundred people, like the more than 400 Community High School students who volunteered at eight different parks in one day this past year. Tallant said that NAP’s field crew, which he supervises, has spent most of this fall following up on work that was started during volunteer work days over the summer.

Controlled burning is the primary task that NAP performs for ecological restoration to achieve the greatest results, Tallant said. But in term of hours spent by staff or volunteers, it’s a small percentage compared to other tasks – 343 hours in 2011, out of a total of 11,869 volunteer hours. Volunteers spend most of their time doing invasive species control, he said, logging 4,737 hours on that task. Other tasks include trail work (2,748 hours), administrative work (659 hours), revegetation (561 hours) inventory and monitoring of animals and plants (594 hours), stewardship training (118 hours), and trash pick-up (98 hours).

This past burn season was the wettest one on record, Tallant noted. Even so, NAP workers did controlled burns on 72 acres over eight days. Two percent of that land was on rain gardens, reflecting the fact that NAP has started to take over maintenance of the city’s rain gardens, he said. Other burns occurred in woodland (45%), prairies/old fields (19%), savanna/prairies (18%), and wet prairies (16%).

Natural Area Preservation Update: Commissioner Discussion

PAC chair Julie Grand asked about the transition for managing volunteers. Jason Frenzel, the former NAP volunteer coordinator, left that job earlier this year to join the Huron River Watershed Council. David Borneman, NAP’s manager, noted that Frenzel had worked with the city in that position for about eight years. It was a Teamster job, but it hasn’t been filled, he said. They’re taking a step back and looking at the broader organization, Borneman said, to decide how to handle that work.

Gwen Nystuen noted that in addition to NAP volunteers, the rest of the parks system also uses volunteers – for the adopt-a-park program, as one example. Colin Smith, the city’s parks and recreation manager, said the staff is looking at how to coordinate volunteers for all the programs, including NAP. Gayle Hurn is volunteer outreach coordinator for the overall parks system. Borneman added that there’s a recognition for greater consistency across all areas regarding volunteer outreach.

Leslie Park Streambank Stabilization

Jen Lawson, the city’s water quality manager, gave a presentation on a streambank stabilization project at Leslie Park, where one of the city’s two golf courses is located. The Traver Creek bank is exhibiting some erosion, as any urban stream would, she said. High volumes of sediment are being swept away, deposited downstream and into the Huron River. The vegetation along that stretch of the creek is golf course turf grass, which provides a limited buffer between the land and the creek. As a result, there are areas along the creek that experience regular flooding, Lawson said.

The project has three goals, she said: (1) improving stormwater quality, because the creek is incorporated into the city’s stormwater system; (2) improving several ecological aspects, such as reducing phosphorus that’s discharged into the river, and enhancing the habitat for wildlife; and (3) improving the recreational experience for golfers.

Lawson described several design objectives for the project, and noted that staff were putting together a request for proposals (RFP) that would be issued soon. The design objectives include:

• Addressing bank erosion and reducing the phosphorus load in Traver Creek, a tributary to the Huron River.
• Assessing hydrologic, hydraulic and geomorphic conditions to develop appropriate stabilization measures.
• Possibly retrofitting the downstream basin and upstream irrigation pond, which might involve moving the pump station. This might help with the limited detention of small flooding events.
• Soliciting ideas for additional stormwater treatment.

The city hopes to hire a design consultant in January, with preliminary designs for the project ready by April. Final designs and construction plans would be done by July, and construction is projected to start in November of 2012. The project would be completed by the spring of 2013, Lawson said, although there would be an additional two-year growing season for plants to take hold.

A photo included in the park advisory commission meeting information packet shows a section of the Traver Creek bank that's been eroded as it runs through the Leslie Park golf course.

The construction will occur in two phases, she said. The first phase, which involves heavy equipment and moving dirt, will take place during the winter when the ground is frozen, to minimize impact from construction runoff. The second phase entails planting grasses, sedges, perennials, wildflowers and other plants.

Because this is a stormwater infrastructure project, Lawson said, the city can use the state’s revolving loan fund, via Washtenaw County’s office of the water resources commissioner. There’s the potential for up to 50% loan forgiveness, if the city can show that it’s a “green” project, she said.

Gwen Nystuen asked if it would be easier to see the creek, after the project is completed. Yes, Lawson said. None of the plantings will grow tall, except in the areas where no golf is played.

Colin Smith, manager of parks & rec, said there’s good collaboration and an understanding of what’s needed in terms of revenues and recreational access at the golf course. He noted that Lawson has worked on this type of project at her previous job, with success. Lawson explained that the project she’d previously done was for a municipal golf course in Troy, which was also in an urban watershed. It’s important to meld the two types of land uses together, she said.

In response to a question from Sam Offen, Smith said the work will be staggered in stages, so that areas of the course that get the most play will be done first. That way, those areas will be ready when the season resumes in the spring of 2013. It’s obvious that they need to be extremely aware of the impact on golf revenues, Smith said. The intent is not to halt golf play at all, Lawson added.

Tim Berla noted that several years ago, a project at Mary Beth Doyle Park aimed to stabilize the stormwater flow and sediment going into Malletts Creek. The project had been designed so that earth-moving equipment could come in every few years to remove the sediment. He wondered if sediment that was collected in the wetlands there was being removed, and whether the same kind of removal would be needed along Traver Creek, too.

Lawson said the county is monitoring the amount of sediment at Mary Beth Doyle Park. No sediment has been removed yet, she said, but when it needs to happen, the county would handle it. For the Leslie Park golf course project, she said they aren’t yet sure how it will be designed. There’s some desire to take the stormwater retention ponds “offline” – that is, to design the ponds so that the creek doesn’t flow through them. Whenever there’s an impoundment, like a pond, the water flow slows and sediment settles out. The common solution is to have ponds there for stormwater control, she said. But the state Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) prefers to have an open creek, which is better from a habitat perspective.

The project’s ultimate design needs to take into account the hydrology of the site, Lawson said, and the multiple uses of the ponds – for sediment capture and stormwater control.

Tim Doyle asked for clarification about the location of the project. Lawson said it would run from where the creek crosses Traver Road to the south, to where it crosses Traver Road again to the north.

Misc. Communications

Every meeting includes opportunities for staff and commissioners to give updates or share information.

Misc. Communications: Dog Park, Argo Bypass, Grants

Colin Smith, the city’s parks and recreation manager, gave updates on several projects. He noted that the Olson dog park would be closed during the week of Dec. 26 for drainage work. Drain tiles will be installed to make it “less of a muddy mess” than it’s been in the past, he said. The dog park – part of Olson Park, which is located off of Dhu Varren Road on the city’s north side – is expected to reopen on Jan. 2.

From left: Colin Smith, Ann Arbor's parks & rec manager, and city councilmember Christopher Taylor (Ward 3), who also serves as an ex officio member of the city's park advisory commission.

Smith reported that work for the season has wrapped up at the Argo Dam bypass. Some additional work will be done in the spring on the spillway, he said, to calibrate the water flow. Paving of the paths along the bypass will also happen in April or May, though the path will be open throughout the winter. And the new bridge, which will be built where the concrete culvert is currently located, will also be installed in the spring.

John Lawter asked for an update on the whitewater area, which will be built in the Huron River near the bypass. DTE agreed to pay for the whitewater section – the utility is being required by the state to complete environmental remediation on its nearby property, which prompted its request that the city hold off on the part of the project that runs along the river. Smith said the city was still waiting to receive a copy of DTE’s remediation plan, but he noted that as he had reported at the November PAC meeting, DTE will now be paying for the whitewater part of the project.

Tim Berla wondered what the status would be of the land along the river that DTE is remediating. He thought it should be a park with a bandshell, and perhaps some commercial operations. He asked what the process would be for deciding what happens to that parcel.

Smith said that if the land came to the city, there would be a public process for deciding what happens to it. In several of the city’s master plans, there are references about possible uses for the site, he said. But all of that depends on whether the city owns the land, he noted. Currently, it is DTE property.

Sam Offen asked whether there would be any other changes at Argo and Gallup canoe liveries, as a result of this project. Parks staff will spend the winter months working out those details, Smith replied. They had always expected to add amenities like inner-tubing and rafts, he said. They’ll also likely be purchasing a new type of kayak that’s better suited for the bypass, since there will likely be more “banging around” as people navigate the descending pools. David Barrett noted that canoes and kayaks will no longer be banged up because of being hauled down stairs, as they had to be with the previous portage.

Smith said the staff will also work on developing a new guide for river tours, since there are now more options. They’ll likely bring something to PAC to review, and plan a grand opening in May or June for the public.

Tim Doyle asked whether there was any concern about congestion in the new bypass. Smith said congestion was an issue with the previous configuration, whenever it was busy. The challenge is to ensure that people know that there are different options, he said, and that they take the trip that best suits them.

Later in his report, Smith also noted that the city had received two state grants earlier in the month: $300,000 for a proposed Ann Arbor skatepark at Veterans Memorial Park, and $300,000 for improvements at the Gallup Park canoe livery. The grants were awarded by the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund.

For the skatepark, city parks staff would be meeting with skatepark organizers to talk about next steps, Smith said. It’s likely that a request for proposals (RFP) will be issued for a design/build, he said. When asked by Sam Offen to clarify, Smith said a design/build RFP would ask for bids that include both the skatepark’s design as well as its construction, in a single proposal. It’s similar to the RFP for the Argo Dam bypass, he said.

Misc. Communications: Rec & Ed Fitness Fair

Tim Berla, who’s also a member of the city’s recreation advisory commission (RAC), reported that Ann Arbor Rec & Ed will hold a fitness fair on Thursday, Jan. 12 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Forsythe Middle School, 1655 Newport Road. The event will include a keynote speech by Pete Thomas, a local resident who was on Season 2 of the TV show The Biggest Loser.

From left: John Lawter and Tim Berla of the Ann Arbor park advisory commission.

Berla said that at the last RAC meeting, commissioners learned that the Rec & Ed budget is still “iffy.” Rec & Ed is a program of the Ann Arbor Public Schools, and Berla said the program has cut costs to address its budget, including moving its offices to Pioneer High School, where they don’t have to pay rent. Berla said Rec & Ed didn’t raise prices for its offerings this year because the market is so competitive, but that means its margins are small, he said.

Berla also reported that Rec & Ed staff are pleased that the city’s softball and baseball diamonds will be renovated – leagues from Rec & Ed use the city’s ball diamonds, as well as ball diamonds that are owned by AAPS.

Misc. Communications: Sustainability Forums

Sam Offen reminded commissioners about the upcoming sustainability forums, starting in January. All forums will be held at the downtown Ann Arbor District Library building, 343 S. Fifth Ave. starting at 7 p.m.

• Jan. 12, 2012: Resource Management – including natural areas, waste reduction, recycling, compost, local food systems, water and air quality. Panelists will include Matt Naud, the city’s environmental coordinator; Kerry Gray, the city’s urban forest & natural resource planning coordinator; Tom McMurtrie, Ann Arbor’s solid waste coordinator; and Dave Borneman, manager of the city’s natural area preservation program.
• Feb. 9, 2012: Land Use and Access – including transportation designs, infrastructure, land uses, built environment, and public spaces.
• 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.

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.]

Misc. Communications: Leslie Science & Nature Center

Sam Offen also reported that a new executive director has been hired for the Leslie Science & Nature Center – Offen serves on the center’s board of directors. Until 2007, the nonprofit had been part of the city’s parks system, and the city continues to own the center’s property and buildings.

Susan Westhoff joined the center as executive director earlier this year, following the resignation of Greta Brunschwyler, who had served in that role since early 2010. Offen said he hoped to set up a time for Westhoff to attend an upcoming PAC meeting so that other commissioners could meet her.

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

Absent: Councilmember Mike Anglin (ex-officio).

Next meeting: PAC’s meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2012 begins at 4 p.m. in the city hall second-floor council chambers, 301 E. Huron St., Ann Arbor. [confirm date]

The Chronicle survives in part through regular voluntary subscriptions to support our coverage of public bodies like the Ann Arbor park advisory commission. If you’re already supporting The Chronicle, please encourage your friends, neighbors and coworkers to do the same. Click this link for details: Subscribe to The Chronicle.

Leading up to the city administrator’s proposed budget in April, the city council is also holding a series of work sessions on the budget. Their typical scheduling pattern is for the weeks between council meetings. That was the case on Jan. 31, 2011 when the council held its budget work session on the community services area, which includes human services, parks and planning. Another session was held on Feb. 7, prior to the council’s regular meeting, regarding the 15th District Court. A report on the Feb. 14, 2011 session, which focused on police and fire, will follow.

At the podium is community services area administrator Sumedh Bahl. Partially obscured by the podium is councilmember Marcia Higgins (Ward 4). Leafing through the budget impact sheets that the council had been given just prior to the meeting is Stephen Rapundalo (Ward 2). (Photo by the writer.)

The Ann Arbor city council’s budget work session on Jan. 31, 2011 covered a broad range of topics – from the city’s affordable housing stock, to planning and development, to parks and recreation (including golf courses), to human services funding. All these issues fall under the city’s community services area, which is led by Sumedh Bahl.

In a budget year where maintaining the same level of activity in every department is projected to result in a $2.4 million shortfall, city departments have been given reduction targets between 2.5% and 4%. Targets vary across departments depending on health care costs for employees in those departments.

So at their work session, councilmembers heard from heads of individual departments about the specific ways those targets might be met.

For example, Mary Jo Callan, who’s head of the city/county office of community development, told councilmembers that an unrealized $98,000 federal grant would pose an additional challenge. All other things being equal, Callan would meet the reduction target by reducing the city’s allocation to nonprofit human services agencies by $116,714 – from $1,275,744 to $1,159,030. The budget is planned in two-year cycles, even though it’s adopted just one year at a time, so Callan’s reduction strategy for next year’s FY 2013 budget would be to reduce the nonprofit allocation by an additional $48,700.

The planning department plans to meet its reduction target in part by charging the construction fund for 10% of the historic district coordinator’s time, factoring in projected revenue increases due to increased development activity, and leaving a rental housing inspector position vacant. The rental housing inspection activity would be maintained at appropriate levels by using construction inspectors for rental housing inspections as needed.

The city’s housing commission – which maintains more than 350 units of public housing throughout the city – is not proposing to meet reduction targets, but rather to hire what officials say are two crucially needed positions: a financial analyst and a facilities maintenance manager, which together are expected to cost an additional $154,000 per year.

Parks and recreation would meet their targets in part through savings derived from energy improvements that have been made to various recreational facilities over the past few years.

The council focused some of its session on the city’s golf courses, with a council consensus seeming to emerging that for the next two years, the council will be content to stick with the status quo – operating the Leslie Park and Huron Hills facilities as golf courses, and not changing them to other uses.

But the council was also asked to consider a question on which it could be harder to achieve consensus: Should the city continue to help fund park operations, as it has for the last four years, by tapping the city’s general fund reserve for $287,000 annually? The history of the issue dates back to the parks capital improvements and maintenance millage, which was approved in 2006, and which was followed by the council’s approval of its FY 2008 budget the next spring.

That history is rooted partly in a question that the city’s CFO, Tom Crawford, addressed in a straightforward fashion at the work session: What exactly does it mean for a department to have a budget reduction target of 2.5%? 

In this report, we take a look at: (1) how the city’s financial staff define budget reduction targets; (2) how and why those targets vary across departments; (3) how reduction targets relate to the parks budget controversy of FY 2008 and the current $287,000 question; and (4) the range of work session topics discussed by the council.

What Is a Budget Reduction Target?

The city is currently in the middle of its 2011 fiscal year – which ends on June 30, 2011 – and is developing its FY 2012 budget. If the city’s chief financial officer has established a 2.5% budget reduction target, how does he check to see that the target has been met?

Percents are all about comparing numbers, so a natural inclination would be to compare this year with next year – that is, the FY 2011 budget expenses with the FY 2012 projected revenue. In more detail, you might think to calculate 2.5% of the FY 2011 expenses, subtract that number from the FY 2011 expenses and ask: Is that number equal to my FY 2012 budgeted revenue? Arithmetically:

[FY 2011 expense] — [FY 2011 expense]*.025 ?=? [FY 2012]

If that checks out, then from this year to next year, we’ve cut the budget by 2.5%, right?

But that’s not what a 2.5% budget reduction target means for the city. When the city’s financial staff calculate a reduction target of 2.5%, they’re not comparing this year’s expenses with next year’s projected revenue. They’re comparing next year’s projected expenses, with next year’s projected revenue.

At the Jan. 31, 2011 city council work session, the city’s CFO, Tom Crawford, explained this concept to council members as a stepwise process:

1. Assume the same activities will be maintained next year at the same level they exist this year [staffing levels will remain the same; the same services will be provided; etc.].
2. Project to next year how much it will cost to maintain that same level of activity. [If the cost of electricity is expected to increase by 10%, that's calculated in; if union contracts stipulate that there's a 1.5% salary increase, that's calculated in.]
3. Compare next year’s projected cost with next year’s projected revenue. If cost exceeds revenue, that defines the percentage reduction the organization needs to achieve as a whole.

Arithmetically, the equation looks like this:

[FY 2012 expense] — [FY 2012 expense]*.025 ?=? [FY 2012 revenue]

By way of a made-up example, consider a perfectly balanced FY 2011 budget where expenses and revenues are $100,000. Let’s say that due to contractually obligated salary increases, overall inflation, and a rise in oil prices, it’s possible to project that the same activities/services the city obtained for $100,000 in FY 2011 will instead cost $101,000 in FY 2012. Let’s say that revenues are expected to drop in FY 2012 to $98,475. So the crucial question for the city is how to reduce $101,000 down to $98,475. On this scenario, measured in dollars, the city is looking for some way to trim $2,525. What’s that dollar target in terms of percent?

2,525/101,000 = .025

Let’s say on that scenario, the city does achieve its reduction target of 2.5%. That is, let’s say the city finds a way to cut expenses for FY 2012 down to $98,475. That would mean a reduction target of 2.5% has been met for FY 2012, even though comparing FY 2012 to FY 2011 would indicate only a 1.525% cut.

Different Reduction Targets for Different Departments

Part of the city’s specific labor strategy is to try to convince its unions to adopt a health care and pension plan that would cost the city less – by requiring greater contributions from employees. The public relations component of that strategy was reflected at the Feb. 7, 2011 city council meeting, when Stephen Rapundalo (Ward 2), chair of the city council’s budget committee, addressed his colleagues. He contrasted the level of health care benefits received by city union workers with benefits received by city non-union workers and by employees at institutions like the University of Michigan.

In addition to the public relations piece, the city’s labor strategy has a budgetary component. As early as the first budget retreat in December 2010, city administrator Roger Fraser and CFO Tom Crawford explained to councilmembers that this year they will align the city’s labor and budget strategies. What that means in terms of budget reduction targets is that different departments will be given different reduction targets, depending on how many employees in the department have adopted the city’s new benefits plan.

All departments have a baseline 2.5% target, with additional reductions assigned to departments depending on the extent to which employees in each department are still on the city’s old benefits plan.

In a hypothetical department where all employees were on the new heath and pension plan, the reduction target would be 2.5%. In a department with a large number of union employees who have not yet adopted the new health plan, the reduction target this year can be as high as 4%. The numbers extracted from budget impact sheets submitted by each department for the Jan. 31 work session illustrate how the percentage reduction targets vary across departments. The targets all fall between 2.5% and 4.0%:

                   Community     Plan/Dev     Planning        Parks
Projected FY 012   2,008,008    1,497,874      829,796    3,612,367
Reduction Dollars     55,521       55,182       29,613       92,083
Reduction Percent       2.76         3.68         3.57         2.55

-

Reduction Targets and the 2006 Parks Millage: $287,000

The city’s method for computing reduction targets based on next year’s projected expenses and next year’s projected revenues is not new this year – this is simply the way it’s been done. But that method of computing budget targets is inconsistent with the last-year-vs.-this-year comparison that many people are drawn to when they think about percentages. That inconsistency led to considerable controversy in early 2007 when the city council adopted its FY 2008 budget.

The controversy involved the combined parks maintenance and capital improvements millage that was approved by voters in November 2006. Before passage of the combined millage, the city levied two separate millages at 0.5 mill each – one for parks maintenance and the other for capital improvements. Now, within the combined millage, taxes are collected at a rate of 1.0 mill, but money is allocated to maintenance or capital improvements on a more flexible basis than the previous legally enforced 50-50 split that was expressed by the specialized purpose of each millage.

However, there’s not complete flexibility to allocate money to maintenance or capital improvements within the unified millage. Percentage allocation is guided by a city council resolution passed in October 2006. The resolution specifies a range of 60% to 80% for maintenance, with the remainder going to capital improvements.

Another part of that resolution was intended to address a fear expressed by some in the community at the time: Even though more money for parks might be generated through the new millage, the amount of money actually spent on parks could be reduced – if the city reduced funding for parks from its general fund. So the intent of the resolution was to allay that fear. In relevant part, the October 2006 resolution reads:

4. If future reductions are necessary in the City’s general fund budget, during any of the six years of this millage, beginning with Fiscal Year 2007-2008, the general fund budget supporting the parks and recreation system for that year will be reduced by a percentage no greater than the average percentage reduction of the total City general fund budget;

5. If future increases occur in the City’s general fund budget during any of the six years of this millage, beginning with Fiscal Year 2007-2008, the general fund budget supporting the parks and recreation system for that year will be increased at the same rate as the average percentage increase of the total City general fund budget;

By spring the following year – as the council was prepared to adopt the FY 2008 budget – objections were raised when general fund support for parks in the proposed FY 2008 budget was less than in FY 2007. Those who objected, including prominent leaders of two environmental groups, pointed to the increase in the overall general fund budget from the previous year, and contended that parks should enjoy the same increase, not a decrease. From a May 19, 2007 Ann Arbor News account, written by Tom Gantert:

Mike Garfield, director of the Ecology Center, and Doug Cowherd, chairman of the Sierra Club-Huron Valley Group, said the city should do what it said it would do in an October 2006 resolution. That resolution stated that if the city’s general fund budget increased, the parks system budget will be increased at the same rate as the average percentage of the total general fund budget.

According to the city, the general fund budget rose from $78.5 million to $80.3 million, an increase of 2 percent. Yet, the parks system budget dropped from $6.7 million to $6.0 million, a decrease of about 11 percent. To get to that 2 percent increase as the resolution states, the city would have to add about $763,000.

On the night the council adopted the FY 2008 budget, an attempted budget amendment – proposed by then-councilmember Bob Johnson – would have added $638,900 to the parks budget from the general fund reserve. But the amendment failed, receiving support only from councilmembers Johnson, Ron Suarez and Stephen Kunselman.

For that vote, the majority of councilmembers seemed persuaded that the intent and purpose of the October 2006 resolution was served by treating the parks budget targets – as they’ve been laid out in the first section of this article – the same as all other departments. At the time, an Ann Arbor News account from May 16, 2007 had Crawford explaining the apparent discrepancy this way:

But now chief financial officer Tom Crawford says the [October 2006] resolution was too simplistic and just looked at overall budget figures and didn’t follow the city budget methodology in place for several years.

For example, because the parks system doesn’t have as many employees as other departments, its budget doesn’t increase as much for rising expenses such as employee health care.

Because of problems in the ordinance language like that, Crawford said the parks would be getting more money than other larger departments that are paying for such benefits.

Crawford said the parks department was treated the same as the other departments in the city.

But later, in October 2007, Johnson brought the issue back to the council with a smaller number to be added to the parks budget from the general fund reserve – $287,000. And that resolution was passed by the council.

Originally the general fund supplement to the parks budget was supposed to be a non-recurring item from the general fund reserve in FY 2008 and FY 2009. But it recurred in the FY 2010 and FY 2011 budgets, as well.

So at the Jan. 31, 2011 council work session, community services area administrator Sumedh Bahl asked the council for guidance: Should the city simply set the parks budget at $287,000 higher, continue to tap the general fund reserve, or discontinue the supplement? Mayor John Hieftje wanted to know if the city’s park advisory commission had become more versed in how the budget targets work. Crawford told the mayor he thinks PAC understands it.

Stephen Rapundalo said this is not the first time over the years when the council has talked about tapping the reserve fund balance for recurring operational needs – it needs to stop, he said, because the council was just “kicking the can down the road.”

But Crawford was keen to stress that in general the council has been disciplined about not tapping the general fund reserve for operational expenses. The parks supplement was an old decision, he said, and now it’s time to check and see where the council’s consensus is on the question.

Marcia Higgins (Ward 4) indicated that it is a decision the council would make during the budget process. Stephen Kunselman (Ward 3) wondered how that would be achieved: Do they do that by resolution? The answer was unclear.

Christopher Taylor (Ward 3) noted that out of a $7.8 million community services budget, $287,000 is a relatively small order of magnitude. Rapundalo cautioned that the right number to compare the $287,000 against is just the parks portion – around $3.6 million.

Kunselman inquired when the parks maintenance and capital improvements millage is up for renewal, and Colin Smith, the city’s manager of parks and recreation, clarified that it would be on the November 2012 ballot.

Concerning the differing viewpoints on the intent of the October 2006 resolution, city administrator Roger Fraser seemed conciliatory. It was a matter of interpretation, he said, and both groups had made good arguments about whether the budget complied with the intent of voters.

Budget Impact Sheets

The Jan. 31, 2011 budget work session was oriented around budget impact sheets for each department. The city of Ann Arbor is maintaining a separate page in its online budget guide as a repository for the impact sheets. [.pdf of combined budget impact sheets from Jan. 31, 2011] The impact sheets include in detail all the items identified for savings or additional revenue, as well as any items that would increase costs.

Budget Impact Sheets: Planning and Development

Among the ways that the city’s planning and development services departments are meeting their reduction targets, Sumedh Bahl highlighted the following: making sure that staff time is being billed appropriately to other departments; and an additional $3,000 in revenue from already-implemented fee increases in the city’s historic preservation program.

Tony Derezinski (Ward 2) said he liked the additional $10,00o in revenue from increased development activity. He wanted to know if there were more development proposals in the pipeline? Yes, answered Bahl.

In the course of questioning, Bahl went on to explain that part of their plan to meet reduction targets is to leave an inspector position vacant and to use construction inspectors for rental housing inspections. Increased efficiency in rental housing inspections is expected to yield an additional $50,000 in revenue.

In response to councilmember questions, Bahl said that regionalization of inspections – using inspectors from surrounding municipalities – is a future possibility. The city is also looking into the establishment of an administrative hearing bureau (AHB), which would help expedite dealing with nuisance properties, Bahl said. That might take around a year to establish, he said.

[Stephen Kunselman (Ward 3) has, over the last several months, pointed out specific properties in his ward that he says have become nuisances, and are contributing to blight. At the budget retreats, he has also urged that the council and staff  think about ways to address the problem – money for demolition can be clawed back through a lien, for example. Establishment of an AHB is one mechanism that the state's Home Rule Cities Act makes available for dealing with such properties. The city of Ypsilanti established an AHB last year.]

Stephen Rapundalo (Ward 2) noted that he’d made a request at one of the budget retreats for a cost/benefit analysis of doing mandatory home inspections upon sale of a property. It’s something that would generate some amount of additional revenue. Is that on the list? he asked. Bahl confirmed that looking at the issue was at the top of his list.

Budget Impact Sheets: Housing Commission

The Ann Arbor Housing Commission oversees around 350 affordable housing units across the city. The housing commission’s impact sheet did not propose to meet the reduction target. Instead, it called for hiring two new positions: a facility maintenance manager and a financial analyst.

Bahl explained that the facility maintenance position  is vacant. The job includes overseeing the maintenance of buildings, plus the mechanicals like boilers and furnaces. Bahl stressed the need to maintain equipment as a way to extend its life, which delays capital expenses.

Bahl recalled his recent experience as head of the city’s drinking water facilities. [Bahl assumed the leadership of the community services area last year when Jayne Miller left the city for another position. Before that, Bahl was head of the drinking water facilities.] His focus was always on maintenance, he said. By way of example, he described for the council how they had gas engines from 1965 and pumps from 1949 that were still in service. That’s how you prolong the life of equipment – by having a good maintenance program.

[The request for two positions for the housing commission comes in the context of a wholesale replacement of the housing commission's board last year. Additional Chronicle coverage: "Housing Commission Reorganizes," and "Investments: Housing, Bridges, Transit." Last year, the council agreed to a $138,000 allocation to the housing commission to help transition it into an operation that is less dependent on the federal HUD program. The transition included making full-time positions of the executive director and deputy director of the housing commission.]

Mayor John Hieftje asked Tony Derezinski (Ward 2) – the city council’s liaison to the housing commission – if funding would be available to perform the maintenance, if the maintenance manager position were funded.

Derezinski explained that maintenance was part of needs assessment that had been done [by Schumaker & Company]. The commission is currently “backhoeing” a lot of the deferred maintenance, he said. It’s things like changing filters. [There is also currently an open request for proposals (RFP), with a Feb. 25 deadline, to bid on replacing furnaces at many of the housing commission properties.] They need the management position to organize the staff to do it the regular maintenance.

City administrator Roger Fraser said that $330,000 had been spent on furnaces and boilers in the last year. There are two resident managers who work with people in facilities to do some maintenance, he said, but they don’t have time to look at the capital side.

Fraser reminded the council that in last year’s budget, they’d approved additional money for the housing commission – over $130,000 – but this current request is “not a repeat of that money.” For some of the capital investments necessary, Fraser said, the commission had received grants. [To match those grants, the housing commission has recently asked the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority for support, but the DDA has not yet acted on the request.]

About the maintenance issues, Derezinski compared it to opening a drawer and finding more snakes. He said the maintenance issues in the housing units are reflected in the complaints you hear at the housing commission’s board meetings. Two years ago, he said, there were a dozen people at every meeting, but that’s decreasing. The staff is now “on top of it.”

Stephen Rapundalo (Ward 2) inquired whether maintenance could be done by third party. If you have a schedule for changing filters, could they call up someone in the phone book and have them perform that task? he wondered. Bahl allowed that some tasks could be outsourced to a third party – they take a combined approach. Some maintenance is done by staff, and some is done by contracted sources – for example, for chillers that require a worker with specialized training. But Bahl said that someone has to monitor and manage everything.

Kunselman noted that as part of the reorganization last year, the commission had eliminated two union positions for maintenance. Kunselman wanted to know how that was consistent with needing a maintenance manager. The part of the maintenance that has been outsourced, instead of using union positions, Bahl said, is done when the units turn over to a new occupant. The commission still needs someone to make sure that all the regular maintenance work is getting done.

Earlier in the work session, Sandi Smith (Ward 1) drew out the fact that there is currently $118,000 in the Ann Arbor housing trust fund. Kunselman wanted to know if that included the Burton Commons project. Mary Jo Callan, head of the combined city/county office of community development, explained that four years ago the commission had committed funds the  Burton Commons housing project. Two years ago, she said, the city told “wanted-to-be developers” it could not continue the commitment. So, where’s the money? Kunselman wanted to know. Fraser explained that it was put in back in the trust fund, and it’s been used. Smith inquired about future payments that are due to the fund by developments – specifically, the one at Plymouth Green. Wendy Rampson, head of planning for the city, explained that based on the Plymouth Green development agreement, two payments of $15,000 had been made and there would be two more, at $15,000 each for next two years.

Smith noted that Avalon Housing is a nonprofit organization in town similar to the housing commission, and Avalon Housing has divested itself of smaller, single-unit housing. Did the needs assessment for the housing commission include consideration of the type of housing stock? She pointed out that it could be a question of replacing 100 furnaces versus one.

Derezinski said that the furnaces that had been replaced were in smaller units. He also said that the question of an appropriate mix of housing stock was receiving attention from the commission. They’d looked at the mix in the Grand Rapids housing commission’s collection of housing, for example.

Fraser wrapped up the discussion of the housing commission by noting that he’d been in public service long enough to see the federal government essentially get out of the business of domestic spending on housing. A lot of the housing we’re dealing with now, he said, dates to the late ’60s and ’70s. The units had 30-year mortgages to guarantee affordability. Fraser noted that the council had previously discussed multi-family units going to market rate. The pressure has rolled downhill to the smallest units of government closest to the people, he said, and the dilemma is only going to get worse.

Fraser pointed to President Obama’s remarks during his state of the union speech, and the new leadership in the U.S. Senate and House, as well as Michigan’s own legislature – all of them have been targeting domestic spending for cuts, he said, and we’ll have to live with it.

Budget Impact Sheets: Community Development

Mary Jo Callan, the director of the combined city/county office of community development, delivered a grim picture for human services allocations to nonprofits. She would meet the budget reduction target in FY 2012 by reducing allocation to nonprofits that provide human services by $116,714 – from $1,275,744 to $1,159,030. Callan’s strategy to meet the target for next year’s FY 2013 budget would be to reduce the nonprofit allocation by an additional $48,700.

Councilmembers appeared slow to grasp the full significance of the numbers on the budget impact sheets. Margie Teall (Ward 4) asked: How did you come up with that number? Where will it hit?

Callan explained that she did not yet know which specific nonprofits would be affected. She said that her department is in the process of gearing up for the new coordinated funding process, beginning July 1, 2011.

Carsten Hohnke (Ward 5) remarked that it was a significant percentage cut, with Teall chiming in that it was greater than 2.5%.

Callan explained that her department had anticipated receiving a $98,000 federal grant from HUD the previous year, to cover administrative costs incurred from city finance and administrative staff. The grant had not materialized – HUD requires documentation that is fairly specific, she said. In a followup email in response to a Chronicle query, Callan described the documentation issue in more detail:

The documentation requires not only the amount of time spent on a specific grant (e.g. CDBG, HOME, CDBG-R, NSP), but also the specific project worked on (e.g. single family demolition, 701 Miller rehab, human services). Community Development has our whole finance and time tracking system set-up to accommodate this documentation threshold, since the vast majority of our funding comes from these sources. City finance and administrative staff however, do not track their time in this detailed way, since the vast majority of their work relates to the general fund.

Stephen Rapundalo (Ward 2) mistakenly concluded from Callan’s remarks that the $116,000 reduction did not mean reduction in nonprofit allocations after all – the reduction would be $116,000 minus the $98,000, he ventured. That would make it more palatable in terms of actual service agency cuts, he concluded.

But Callan clarified that they would not be subtracting $98,000 from anything. Rapundalo sought to clarify why support to nonprofits would be reduced if the $98,000 was originally intended to support administrative staff.

City administrator Roger Fraser sought to bring some clarity to the situation by saying that if administrative staff is reduced, the city loses capacity to administer the program. The office of community development had tried to keep the allocations to nonprofit agencies stable, he said. The city’s recommendation is consider the trade-off: What does it take to run the operation, and how much direct support to nonprofits can be provided? The city is trying to figure out how to pay for staff to run the program at the same level, while continuing to provide direct support to programs.

Rapundalo ventured that the budget impact sheet was not a specific proposal for allocating the cut between administrative staff and direct support to programs. Fraser replied that the city was suggesting a balancing act: “These are the adjustments we think are necessary.” Marcia Higgins (Ward 4) zeroed in on the significance of the numbers the council had been given: “So it really is a direct reduction?” Yes, said Callan. She continued by saying her department is a lean organization: “We don’t bring this to you lightly.”

Hohnke summarized the situation by saying that one way the city had been working to maintain funding was to identify federal funding opportunities – the proposed cut reflects the fact that federal funding didn’t materialize.

Christopher Taylor (Ward 3) characterized the situation as Callan believing the department is as lean as it can go and it has gotten what revenue is gettable – the only way to meet it is to reduce funding to human services agencies.

Fraser stressed that there was no effort yet to balance the choices in human services funding against other choices in the city’s organization. The office of community development was asked to meet the reduction targets just like every other department, and it was presented in “raw form.” In the proposed budget in April, he said, they might propose a different scenario, but the impact sheet simply recognizes that $98,000 is gone.

Budget Impact Sheets: Parks and Recreation – Basics

Among the dollars identified at the work session by Sumedh Bahl for savings in parks and recreation was $65,083 in energy savings due to improvements done at facilities. He also pointed to $10,000 saved in materials and supplies used for upkeep in facilities. Upgrades in facilities means that for a certain time, there’ll be a reduction in maintenance costs, he said. Additional budget savings would result from adjusting water charges to reflect what actual usage is. And they’re eliminating some software licenses. Some of the software, Bahl said, isn’t used by the staff that much, “so we’re taking it away from them.”

Bahl also pointed to an additional $52,000 in anticipated revenue, starting in FY 2013, from new kayaking and tubing, resulting from the planned construction of the Argo Dam bypass, which was recommended by the city’s park advisory commission and approved by the city council last year.

Mayor John Hieftje wondered about a proposed increase in fees at the city’s outdoor pools for FY 2013 – $4 to $5 for adults and $3.50 to $4 for youth and seniors – which the budget impact sheet showed would generate an additional $40,000 in revenue in FY 2013.  He noted that historically, fee increases had caused revenue to drop. Bahl said he felt the prices would still be pretty competitive.

Colin Smith, manager of the city’s parks and recreation program, allowed that fee increases leading to less patronage and lower revenues had happened – but that was a number of years ago, he said. At that time, he said, the increase had been for season passes and it was extraordinary. During the last fee adjustment cycle, the prices on season passes were raised by 10% and the city didn’t get any “hard feedback” on that, he said.

Marcia Higgins (Ward 4) wanted to know: What’s “hard feedback”? Smith explained that this meant negative public input about the increase.

But Higgins noted that this is the first year that the city would see the impact of the 10% fee increase – this spring. She clarified that these are additional fee increases planned for the following year. Smith confirmed that’s the case – he didn’t want to implement two kinds of fee increases at once.

Budget Impact Sheets: Parks and Recreation – Huron Hills

Included in the materials provided to city councilmembers was a memo that outlined various options for Huron Hills golf course. [The city also owns the Leslie Park golf course.]

[Last year the city issued an RFP to privatize of some the operations at the course, but ultimately decided not to accept either of the proposals that were made – one from Miles of Golf and the other from a citizen group that envisioned turning the course operations over to a nonprofit.]

Bahl summarized the result of the implementation of recommendations made by a consultant – Golf Convergence, hired by the city in 2007 – to improve patronage at the city’s two golf courses. All of the recommendations have now been implemented:

Rounds Played
Season  Huron    Leslie
2007    13,913   21,857
2008    15,558   27,078
2009    21,150   30,973
2010    22,500   32,000

-

Bahl noted that there’d been a dramatic improvement in the number of rounds played, but there are signs that it’s flattening out.

A memo provided to the council outlines the financial impact of various options for use of the Huron Hills land, including continuing to operate the golf course. In summary strokes, the options for Huron Hills and their costs over the next four years would be:

• Golf course: $162,000-187,000 annually
• Walking trails: $68,000-$309,000 annually
• Naturalization: at least $500,000 annually, falling to around $100,000 after seven years
• Soccer fields: no cost estimate
• Disc golf: no cost estimate
• Farming: no cost estimate

There’s a wide range of cost estimates for the walking trails option. By way of explanation, Bahl noted that for non-golf scenarios at Huron Hills, it’s necessary to include the “legacy costs” for two people currently employed at Huron Hills, both in union positions – one AFSCME and one Teamster. By union contract, he said, those employees cannot be laid off if the city has any temporary, seasonal, or contract worker employed at the city. And the city relies heavily on these types of workers, so laying off the two union workers at Huron Hills is not a realistic option. The net cost to the city of replacing seasonal workers with the Huron Hill’s workers would be around $175,000, Bahl said. Also in the mix is $42,000 in municipal service charges and $24,000 in IT charges that the golf enterprise fund accounting currently pays from the enterprise fund into the general fund.

The lower range of cost reflects a scenario in which the two Huron Hill’s union workers can be placed elsewhere in the city, while the higher cost in the range is a scenario where neither worker can be placed elsewhere.

Colin Smith, manager of the city’s parks and recreation program, stressed that under the walking trails option, the result would not be a natural area, but rather an “unkept golf course.” Converting it to a natural area would require considerably more investment – listed out as a separate option. Stephen Kunselman (Ward 3) confirmed with Smith that under the walking trails option, there was money factored in for mowing of the 8th and 9th hole areas that are used for sledding in the winter. Sabra Briere (Ward 1) drew out the fact that there is not money in that option for mowing areas where people might cross-country ski.

Marcia Higgins (Ward 4) wondered why the parks capital improvements and maintenance millage could not be used for non-golf options. Smith’s answer was that because maintenance would be mowing, which must be paid out of the city’s general fund.

Commenting on the legacy costs, mayor John Hieftje noted that if positions elsewhere in the city opened up, they could be held open for the Huron Hills workers. City administrator Roger Fraser allowed that this would be the city’s strategy, but could not guarantee that positions would open up.

Christopher Taylor (Ward 3) noted that the walking trails options outlined a range of possibility, but he wanted to know what the range of likelihood is. Bahl told Taylor that chances of finding an opening for the AFSCME employee are better, because of the relatively large pool of such workers. On the Teamster side, the pool is smaller. Summarizing the city’s best realistic estimate for the legacy costs for non-golf options, Colin Smith said it’d be $150,000 and above in the first couple of years.

Higgins stated that the city had committed to five years before evaluating the success of the Golf Convergence recommendations – when does that end? she wondered. Colin Smith clarified that the five-year evaluation period ends in 2013 – there are two years left.

City administrator Roger Fraser weighed in, saying the staff was not suggesting the council had to implement changes before two more years is up. It’s a matter of considering what a sustainable approach to city services is. When the city talks about community engagement to solve problems for the city’s future, the different scenarios for Huron Hills should be a part of the discussion, he concluded.

There seemed to be little enthusiasm from councilmembers at the work session for contemplating anything but a golf course at Huron Hills for the next two years.