Curt Gielow (right), campus chief executive for Concordia University Ann Arbor, talks with Ann Arbor planning commission chair Kirk Westphal before the commission’s March 4, 2014 meeting. (Photos by the writer.)

The project signals a larger effort to double the size of the current institution’s enrollment of 740 students and return Concordia – which was near bankruptcy in recent years – to financial stability.

Curt Gielow, Concordia University Ann Arbor’s CEO, told commissioners that because of its distressed financial state, the Ann Arbor campus was absorbed by Concordia University Wisconsin last year. Plans are in place to invest between $10 million to $20 million in the coming years on a variety of improvements, he said.

Gielow estimated Concordia’s economic impact on Ann Arbor is in excess of $10 million annually. “I don’t think anybody wants this university to close.”

The 187-acre campus is located at 4090 Geddes Road, just west of US-23 and north of the Huron River. The Ann Arbor campus is one of the smallest of the 10 Concordias nationwide, which all are owned by the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod. The LCMS Michigan district offices are located near the Ann Arbor campus, at 3773 Geddes.

The site plan will now be forwarded to the city council for consideration. Planning commissioners also granted a special exception use for the project, because the private university is located on a site zoned R1B (single-family residential district). No additional city council approval is required for that.

In other action, commissioners voted to support a resolution passed by the city’s energy commission and environmental commission, recommending that the city fill a vacant full-time position to focus on implementing Ann Arbor’s climate action plan.

During the March 4 meeting, energy commission chair Wayne Appleyard explained the rationale behind the recommendation, noting that one of two positions in the energy office has been vacant for about two years. While the office has been short-staffed, he said, climate change continues. “Greenhouse gases are cumulative, so the faster we can move to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, the better off everybody’s going to be.”

Near the end of the meeting, planning commissioner Diane Giannola announced that she and Bonnie Bona would be bringing a resolution forward on March 18 related to the Library Lane site. At recent city council meetings, she noted, there has been discussion about potentially selling the air rights for the Library Lane underground parking structure to a developer. So the resolution would describe the kinds of uses that the planning commission would like to see on top of that site, she said. Giannola likened it to a similar resolution that the planning commission passed prior to the sale of the former Y lot.

Concordia University Gym Expansion

A site plan to expand the existing Concordia University gym was on the March 4 agenda. The plan also includes reconfiguring nearby parking lots and stormwater management features on the 187-acre site at 4090 Geddes Road, just west of US-23 and north of the Huron River.

Aerial view of Concordia University campus, south of Geddes Road and west of US-23.

As a separate item, planning commissioners were asked to grant a special exception use for the project. That’s required because the private university is located on a site zoned R1B (single-family residential district).

The site plan requires city council approval, but the special exception use does not.

The proposal calls for a three-story, 34,391-square-foot addition to the current 22,021-square-foot gym that was built in the early 1960s, located on the west side of Concordia’s main campus. [.pdf of campus map] The addition will include men’s and women’s locker rooms, athletic office space, classrooms and an auxiliary gym. A second phase of the project entails constructing a single-story, 5,280-square-foot athletic training room.

An existing gravel parking area west of the gym will be paved and landscaped, and another lot north of the gym along Geddes will get new landscaping and bioswales. A total of 92 new parking spaces will be created, mostly in the former gravel lot. A new stormwater management system will be completed to address a 100-year storm event, including a detention pond with an outlet into a bioswale south of the developed area.

The site plan is for a planned project, which allows variations in height and placement. The proposed addition would be 39 feet high. The site’s zoning has a height limit of 30 feet. The existing gym is about 33 feet high, measured at the midpoint of the roof.

Concordia is located in Ward 2. A letter from the university stated that a citizens participation meeting for the project was held on Dec. 10, 2013. The only resident who attended was Ward 2 councilmember Jane Lumm, who had no concerns about the project, according to the letter.

In giving the staff report, city planner Jeff Kahan provided a brief history of the university. It was dedicated in 1963 as a community college, and became a four-year college in 1976. Concordia became a university in 2001. The main campus is located south of Geddes, with athletic fields north of that road.

Planning staff recommended approval of the site plan and special exception use.

Concordia University Gym Expansion: Public Hearing

Curt Gielow introduced himself as Concordia University Ann Arbor’s campus CEO. He’s lived here for six months, moving to Ann Arbor from Wisconsin. Concordia in Ann Arbor is one of 10 Concordias in the country, he said. Other locations include Portland, Ore., Texas, southern California, the Bronx, Nebraska and Alabama. Concordia Wisconsin is the largest, with a student population of 8,000 in the small town of Mequon, north of Milwaukee. Gielow noted that he previously served as mayor of Mequon.

Members of the staff and design team for the Concordia University project. In the foreground is Curt Gielow, CEO of the Ann Arbor campus.

The Ann Arbor campus is one of the smallest of the 10 Concordias, which all are owned by the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod.

The Ann Arbor campus is 50 years old, with three schools – business, education, and arts & sciences. Recently the campus has struggled financially, and within the last few years was near bankruptcy and closure, Gielow said. The church didn’t want that to happen, he added, because it felt there was a mission here. So church officials asked Concordia Wisconsin for a “helping hand,” he said.

Collaborations began a couple of years ago, culminating in a merger. So now the Ann Arbor campus is part of Concordia Wisconsin. So it’s one university with campuses in Ann Arbor and Wisconsin. Concordia’s Ann Arbor campus employs 110 people.

In the next few years, $10 million to $20 million will be invested in infrastructure and operating support to make the Ann Arbor campus viable, Gielow said. Today, there are 740 students and that’s not viable. They need to at least double their student enrollment over the next few years, he told commissioners.

Gielow said he previously served as dean of the School of Pharmacy at Concordia Wisconsin, and he was asked to come to Ann Arbor to be campus CEO. He’s been here since August of 2013. “We’ve got to be vigorous in our efforts to grow this university to a sustainable level,” he said. The projects that Concordia will bring before the planning commission in the next few years will focus on that need to grow. The campus needs to have between 1,200 to 1,400 students, he said, because it’s a tuition-driven operation. The campus gets no state or federal support – only tuition and donations.

Of the 740 current students, about 500 live on campus in 16 small dormitories that each house 32 students. “We think the economic impact of this university and sustaining this university in Ann Arbor is easily in excess of $10 million a year,” Gielow said. So he hoped that the city would allow Concordia to do the necessary things to grow.

As for the current project, Gielow said the addition to the gym would be built to match the look of the existing building. It’s not their intent to disrupt the neighbors, he said, and he thought there was unanimous support from neighbors for this effort. It won’t include any additional traffic. “I don’t think anybody wants this university to close,” Gielow said.

Cliff Mayer, the project’s architect, told commissioners that his firm has been working with Concordia Wisconsin for about 15 years. He noted that because the Ann Arbor campus was built in 1963, “everything that needs repair and replacement also goes [needs repair] at the same time.” They’re trying to be strategic about the work. The gym will be energy efficient, he said. He noted that his firm has saved the university’s Wisconsin campus $110,000 in annual energy costs through energy efficient construction, including well-insulated walls and state-of-the-art mechanical systems. It’s similar to the investments that will be made in Ann Arbor, he said. Mayer concluded by saying he was on hand to answer any questions.

Concordia University Gym Expansion: Commission Discussion

Sabra Briere asked about the anticipated growth of the campus, and wondered if the university will eventually build more dormitories. She also wanted to know if there would be more traffic because of the future expansion.

From left: Ann Arbor planning commissioners Diane Giannola and Bonnie Bona.

Curt Gielow reported that the existing dormitories are not full, so there’s some ability to take more on-campus students. He noted that in 2006-2007, the campus had about 1,100 students. Some students are commuters. “We just don’t know the mix of our new student base,” he said. For example, the campus is looking to grow its international student population, who would need housing.

Gielow noted that in the future, they might need to build another dormitory on campus. Much of the 187 acres that Concordia owns is available for growth, he said. “We have the significant advantage of space – and beautiful space on a beautiful river.”

He also reported that on the north side of Geddes, a football field is under construction now. Right now, Concordia plays its football games at Eastern Michigan University’s stadium and at Huron High School.

Bonnie Bona said she was very supportive of this project. She noted that she was raised in the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, and knows that the state offices are “across the road.” [The LCMS Michigan district offices are located at 3773 Geddes.]

Bona’s father worked for an organization called Creative Buildings out of Champaign-Urbana that built many Lutheran structures in the early 1960s, she said, so she particularly likes the architecture of these buildings.

Bona suggested that the city would be interested in working with Concordia’s Ann Arbor campus in its long-term master planning, rather than just responding to projects as they come up. It would be helpful for the community to give feedback on Concordia’s master plans, she said. Gielow indicated that Concordia would be happy to share its master planning with the city.

It’s important to integrate the campus with the city, as well as with the adjacent neighbors, Bona said, though there’s not a lot of development in that area.

Noting that Gielow had talked about getting Concordia to a sustainable level, Bona wondered how he would define that. “When we make money instead of losing it,” Gielow replied. This year, they’ll lose $3 million, he said, and Concordia Wisconsin won’t sustain those kinds of losses. So the emphasis is on growing student enrollment and courses. For example, he pointed to outreach centers in Frankenmuth and Dearborn as efforts to recruit adult students who want to complete college.

Planning commissioner and city councilmember Sabra Briere.

Gielow noted that because of a connection his son had, Gov. Rick Snyder had met with Concordia officials. Snyder is interested in early childhood education and nursing, Gielow said. Concordia can provide degree completion for RNs who want to get BSN degrees.

Gielow also reported that he’s talked with Washtenaw Community College about possible collaboration. WCC would like to see its students with associate degrees move on and get bachelor degrees, he said, and Concordia can help with that. So Concordia is doing outreach, Gielow said, but in the short term, the campus needs to stop losing money.

Bona then asked about parking. The zoning requires a minimum of 140 spaces – or five per classroom. There are currently 481 spaces, with plans to increase that number to 573. Cliff Mayer, the project’s architect, said that they’re not actually adding any parking. They’re just upgrading the gravel lot to the city’s standard of an asphalt lot, with bioswales and landscaping.

Bona wondered if the parking was primarily to accommodate visitors for athletic events. Mayer indicated that there’s sufficient parking for current needs, as well as to support some future growth. He noted that an additional gravel area is located on the north side of Geddes, next to the athletic field.

Bona then asked whether there’s any accommodation on campus for buses. She thought there might be opportunity to encourage more use of public transit. Gielow replied that he’s been talking to the Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority about bringing a bus stop onto the campus. There’s an existing stop nearby on the north side of Geddes. He noted that if more students take the bus, the campus would have less need for parking.

Bona suggested that the campus might be a good location for a Zipcar.

Concordia University is a significant asset to the community, Bona said, so she’d support this project.

Ken Clein wondered whether the city should talk to the university about rezoning the site, rather than having to grant a special exception use for each project. City planner Jeff Kahan replied that this is how the city handles private colleges. Such uses are allowed by special exception in office districts and single-family residential districts. Kahan said the city staff believes the existing zoning is reasonable, and it’s reasonable to require that the university request a special exception use for each project.

City planner Jeff Kahan.

Clein asked about the building materials. Mayer indicated that the intent is to match and complement the shingles on the addition’s roof with the existing gym. They’re looking at a steel shingle with granules on it that complements the “architectural ambiance of the ’60s,” he said. Right now, it’s a cost consideration, however. Clein noted that in life-cycle costs, the steel shingles would be cheaper. Mayer agreed, but said it was a matter of budget priorities within the context of all the work that needs to be done.

Clein replied that in terms of the city’s sustainability efforts, a steel shingle would go over well. Mayer quipped: “Is there any funding available?”

Clein also clarified with Mayer that the gym’s mechanicals will be going in the lower level, and any rooftop mechanicals will be screened. In response to another query, Mayer said the construction follows LEED principles, including high energy-efficiency wall systems, insulated windows, solar orientation and other features. But Concordia won’t necessarily go through the expensive process of getting LEED certified, he said.

Responding to a question from Kirk Westphal, Mayer noted that the auxiliary gym will be using natural light to lower the need for lighting during the day. It doesn’t face “dead south,” he said, but that’s not really necessary for this purpose.

Westphal asked Kahan to describe the environmental impact of paving the gravel parking lot. Kahan replied that the existing gravel surface, which has been compacted for years, has about the same runoff coefficient as asphalt. Constructing a new parking area that includes bioswales, landscaping and detention is a net positive for that site, Kahan said.

Outcome: In separate votes, planning commissioners recommended approval of the site plan and authorized a special exception use for the project. The site plan will be forwarded to city council for consideration.

Staffing for Energy Office

City planner Jeff Kahan gave the staff report, noting that at the planning commission’s Feb. 20, 2014 meeting, chair Kirk Westphal had distributed a copy of a resolution passed by the city’s energy commission. It supports a recommendation to hire a full-time employee to focus on projects that help achieve goals in the city’s climate action plan. [.pdf of resolution]

The energy commission has requested that the planning commission support this resolution. An identical resolution was adopted by the city’s environmental commission on Feb. 27.

Kahan reported that the planning commission’s bylaws give guidance on this type of request. He pointed to two specific sections:

Article III. Purpose, Objectives, and Duties
…
Section 3. The Commission shall advise City Council on matters relating to the physical and environmental development of the City. Its recommendations shall consider the impact which such development shall have on the physical, social, economic, and environmental condition of the City.
…
Article V. Ethics and Conflicts of Interest
…
Section 11. The Commission or its individual members shall not intrude into the management of the City Planning and Development Services Unit or into those matters which are handled administratively within the service unit.

Kahan listed two options that the planning commission might consider: (1) adopting the same resolution that’s been passed by the energy and environmental commissions; or (2) passing a resolution of support.

It was the latter option that planning commissioners pursued:

The Ann Arbor City Planning Commission hereby supports the Energy Commission and Environmental Commission’s efforts to identify resourcing for the City’s community energy efficiency initiatives.

Staffing for Energy Office: Public Hearing

The only speaker for the public hearing on this item was Wayne Appleyard, chair of the city’s energy commission.

Wayne Appleyard, chair of the Ann Arbor energy commission.

Appleyard gave some background for this effort. Until two years ago, there had been two positions in the energy office. But the previous energy programs manager, Andrew Brix, left his job two years ago. That position remained vacant until earlier this year, when Nate Geisler, who’s been the city’s energy programs associate, was promoted to manager.

So the energy office is still short-staffed, Appleyard said, with an opening now for the energy programs associate.

On Dec. 17, 2012, the Ann Arbor city council unanimously adopted a climate action plan for the city. It states that the city should move very quickly to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Appleyard said. Because municipal government operations only account for about 1.2% of total emissions in the city, the plan “requires a lot of work out in the community, and we need that second position filled in order to do that,” he said.

Climate change doesn’t wait, Appleyard added. “Greenhouse gases are cumulative, so the faster we can move to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, the better off everybody’s going to be.”

He told commissioners that he was available to answer any questions.

Staffing for Energy Office: Commission Discussion

Bonnie Bona asked about the role of the open position. Prior to the period when one of the two energy office positions was vacant, had there been much outreach done to the community regarding greenhouse gas reduction? Wayne Appleyard said the energy office has always reached out to the community through events like the annual Green Fair, “but nothing really extensive.”

Appleyard noted that work has been ongoing, even though the office has been short-staffed for two years. But that’s primarily because the office has received grants to hire outside help. For example, the city’s property assessed clean energy (PACE) program – a financing program for energy efficiency projects on commercial properties – was only completed because the city used grant funding to hire an outside contractor. [That contractor was the Clean Energy Coalition (CEC), where Bona is employed.]

Planning commissioner Paras Parekh.

The climate action plan was just being developed when Andrew Brix left, Appleyard said. Again, grant funding allowed for the city to contract with the CEC to help move that plan forward. But a lot of work hasn’t been completed, he noted. For example, there’s an extensive appendix for the climate action plan that hasn’t yet been finished.

Bona clarified with Appleyard that the second position wasn’t eliminated by the city, but it just hadn’t been filled. Why wasn’t it filled when Brix left?

Sabra Briere speculated that it might be because the city left the position vacant in order to save money. “One way we have reduced the size of city government is through attrition,” she said.

Bona pointed out that the city had actually interviewed for the opening. That’s correct, Appleyard said. The city had interviewed candidates for the job and offered it to someone who ultimately decided not to take it. The job was then offered to another person, who also declined. At that point, he said, the process came to a halt and there was discussion about redefining the roles of the two positions.

Bona asked what would happen if the position was left vacant, and the city couldn’t pro-actively work on items in the climate action plan. Is there any way for the private sector to fill in, or is it something that only the city can do?

Appleyard replied by saying that over the past several years, the energy office has brought in over $600,000 in grant funding. “So it pays for itself, quite often,” he said. The problem with relying on grants and outside staffing is that it comes and goes, he added. The climate action plan is very ambitious and not easy to implement. “You don’t want to have boom-and-bust cycles of personnel,” he said. It’s essential to have consistent, ongoing staffing. He noted that when the office is short-staffed, some grant opportunities are missed.

Leaving the position vacant for financial reasons is shortsighted, Appleyard argued. He said that increasing energy efficiency in the community frees up money to spend on other things. When you buy electricity or natural gas, the money goes to businesses outside of the community, he said. But if residents are more energy efficient, they have more money to spend in this community. “All in all, it keeps a more vibrant community,” he said.

It’s also important to realize that with the effects of climate change, Appleyard said, “the more we can do to sort of hunker down, the better off we’ll be able to weather some of the problems that are happening.” Filling the second position in the energy office is important for that, too, he said.

A lot of people in the community are working on energy efficiency issues, in collaboration with the city, Appleyard said. A group called the Community Climate Partnership – which includes the nonprofit Ecology Center, some city staff, and energy commission members – are working on some of these issues, he said. [The Community Climate Partnership was awarded a $55,000 grant by the Funders' Network last fall. The project's description was "to build a Community Climate Partnership that brings together a cross-section of the community to implement the city’s Climate Action Plan and fosters broader community involvement and civic action around climate change."]

Planning commissioners Ken Clein, Diane Giannola and Bonnie Bona.

Appleyard noted that the work requires staff who are designated for these projects, not just volunteers.

Kirk Westphal said he didn’t recall that the planning commission has ever given formal advice on staffing issues. He said he didn’t have the wherewithal to know if this was the best use of resources at the city. Noting that the planning unit could use more staff, Westphal observed that the planning commission’s bylaws prevent it from advocating for staff within the planning unit. He said he was comfortable with the resolution of support, because it cuts across many of the goals in the climate action plan and sustainability framework. Promoting energy-efficient buildings might be the most efficient way to put money into residents’ pockets, he said.

Ken Clein noted that one of the premiums offered to developments in the downtown zoning districts relates to energy efficiency. There are also discussions about solar access, related to zoning. So it would be very helpful to have staff with relevant technical abilities to assist the commission and council in making decisions about energy-efficiency issues, he said. It would benefit developers as well as residents, he added.

In response to a query from Paras Parekh, Appleyard noted that the budget for the city’s next fiscal year – starting July 1, 2014 – is now being developed. If the vacant position is not filled, he said, then maybe it won’t be included in that budget.

Diane Giannola asked whether the planning commission, by passing this resolution, would be intruding into the management of its service unit – thereby violating its bylaws. Kahan clarified that the energy office is part of the city’s systems planning unit, not the planning and development services unit.

Bona pointed out that in order to make a recommendation of approval for this resolution, it needed six votes. She observed that only six of the nine planning commissioners were present. So to pass, it would need an affirmative vote from all commissioners who were present. [Absent were Eleanore Adenekan, Jeremy Peters and Wendy Woods.]

Bona said the most compelling aspect of the resolution is the urgency of the climate situation. These kinds of efforts take a long time to build momentum, she said. Citing the city’s PACE program, Bona called it a “real squandering of resources” to not keep programs running. It’s not just energy efficiency, she said, it’s financial efficiency.

If the city is at all serious about its climate action plan or sustainability, “this is the least we can do,” Bona said. “It’s possible that we need to do more, but let’s certainly not go backwards.”

Outcome: Commissioners voted unanimously to pass a resolution of support for hiring a full-time staff position in the city’s energy office.

After the vote, Sabra Briere – who also serves on the city council – said she’d felt uncomfortable voting on this item, because it was a request made to the council. She thought the request should be directed to the city administrator, who sets the budget. The council can amend the budget, she noted, but it would be best if the position were included by the administrator and assumed to be filled.

Communications & Commentary

Every meeting includes several opportunities for communications from planning staff and commissioners, as well as two opportunities for public commentary. Here are some highlights from March 4.

Communications & Commentary: Library Lane

Diane Giannola announced that she and Bonnie Bona would be bringing a resolution forward at the March 18 meeting related to the Library Lane site on South Fifth Avenue. At recent city council meetings, she noted, there’s been discussion about potentially selling the air rights above the Library Lane underground parking structure to a developer. So the resolution would describe the kinds of uses that the planning commission would like to see on that site, she said. Giannola likened it to a similar resolution that the planning commission passed prior to the sale of the former Y lot. [See Chronicle coverage: "Planning Group Advises Council on Y Lot."]

Sabra Briere, who also serves on city council, said she looked forward to reading the resolution, but she was concerned because the issue of the Library Lane site would likely be on the city council’s March 17 agenda. The next planning commission meeting is the following day, March 18.

Briere said that her understanding of councilmember Stephen Kunselman’s proposal is to direct the city administrator to hire a broker, and to go through the process that was done to put the former Y lot on the market. The goal of Kunselman’s resolution would be to set in motion a process to sell the air rights to the site, she said, which would allow a developer to build on it.

Giannola said that the timing would still work, because the planning commission’s resolution would be sent to council prior to any proposals for that site from developers.

Communications & Commentary: Public Commentary

Two students from Skyline High School, who are part of the school’s communication, media and public policy magnet, spoke during the first opportunity for public commentary, as part of a class assignment. They were accompanied by a third student, who did not address the commission.

Kirk Westphal and Bonnie Bona of the Ann Arbor planning commission talk to a Skyline High School student about the procedures for public commentary.

Tina Lee, a senior at Skyline, told commissioners that she’s been working with Eli Cooper, the city’s transportation program manager, on the Walk, Bike, Drive initiative. The program is designed to educate the public and make Ann Arbor more transit-oriented, bike friendly and pedestrian friendly, Lee said.

Jeremiah Clark continued the commentary, saying they’ve been working with Cooper on this program because each year, road-related deaths are increasing. According to the Centers for Disease Control, he said, road injuries account for 1.3 million deaths – or 2.3% of deaths nationwide. These incidents can be prevented if everyone follows the driving, walking, biking guidelines, he said.

Lee spoke again, noting that Ann Arbor spends $10,000 annually on the Safe Streets and Sidewalks (A2S3) campaign. It includes ads on buses, a website, vehicle stickers, media alerts and public events, she said. Even though Ann Arbor is ranked as the third-safest town in the country for pedestrians, Lee said, it’s still a problem. She urged residents to be patient, cautious and responsible “for not only ourselves, but everyone on the road. Let’s all make Ann Arbor a more walk-friendly, bike-friendly and transit-oriented city.”

Communications & Commentary: Ordinance Revisions Committee

Bonnie Bona gave a report from the planning commission’s ordinance revisions committee (ORC), which met immediately prior to the commission’s regular meeting on March 4. The focus of their work was on developing ordinance language for the downtown zoning recommendations. [See Chronicle coverage: "Council Moves on Downtown Zoning Revisions."] The first ordinance revisions that will be coming to the planning commission relate to rezoning the property at 425 S. Main – the southeast corner of Main and William. [The recommendation was to downzone the property from D1 to D2, and to establish a maximum height of 60 feet for D2 zoning in the Main Street Character District.] “We’ll keep chipping away at those recommendations, but that one was the first,” she said.

The ORC is also working on a revised version of an ordinance that regulates drive-thrus, Bona reported. It had originally been drafted in 2007, she said.

Communications & Commentary: DDA

Ken Clein, who represents the planning commission on the partnerships committee of the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority, reported that the DDA is kicking off its streetscape framework project, and has asked that someone on the planning commission be part of that effort. [The DDA board authorized a $200,000 contract for development of a streetscape framework plan at its Nov. 6, 2013 meeting.] Clein said that cities like San Francisco and Portland, Ore., have been successful with similar projects.

Communications & Commentary: City Commissions

Kirk Westphal, the planning commission’s chair, reported that he and Ken Clein recently met with representatives from the energy, environmental and park advisory commissions to give updates on what each of those commissions is doing, and how the work plans for these commissions relate to the city’s sustainability framework. There was interest in the planning commission’s work related to revising the downtown development premiums, he said. “That seems to be one that ties together all the commissions, and I’m sure there will be a public process around that.”

Other topics discussed at that joint meeting included a community solar project and neighborhood mini-grants, Westphal said.

Present: Bonnie Bona, Sabra Briere, Ken Clein, Diane Giannola, Paras Parekh, Kirk Westphal. Also: City planner Jeff Kahan.

Absent: Eleanore Adenekan, Jeremy Peters, Wendy Woods.

Next meeting: Tuesday, March 18, 2014 at 7 p.m. in the second floor council chambers at city hall, 301 E. Huron St., Ann Arbor. [Check Chronicle event listings to confirm date]

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This process started on Nov. 20, 2013 meeting, when commissioners gave direction to county administrator Verna McDaniel to research and recommend staffing options that would support the board’s community investment priorities. As part of adopting a four-year budget, the board set up a new strategic model to help it determine where the county’s resources should go. The board set goals as well as outcomes that are intended to measure how those goals are being achieved.

The priority areas for investment that were approved by the board in 2013 are: (1) ensure community safety net through health and human services, inclusive of public safety; (2) increase economic opportunity and workforce development; (3) ensure mobility and civic infrastructure for county residents; (4) reduce environmental impact; and (5) ensure internal labor force sustainability and effectiveness.

The dollar amount for this position wasn’t included in the resolution, which stated that “compensation shall not exceed the scope of the Administrator’s authority.” The administrator has discretion to spend up to $50,000 on professional services contracts, and up to $100,000 for any proposed goods, services, new construction or renovation. [.pdf of staff memo and resolution] A four-page job description had been included in the Feb. 5 board packet. The person would report to the county administrator in terms of daily operations. [.pdf of job description] [.pdf of scope of services]

The issue was debated at some length during the board’s Jan. 22, 2014 meeting, when commissioner Ronnie Peterson (D-District 6) questioned the process for hiring this kind of staff support. On Feb. 5, several commissioners expressed concern about spending money on this position and wanted more details about funding and duties, which led to the postponement. There was no discussion of this item on March 5.

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

At the board’s Nov. 20, 2013 meeting, commissioners had given direction to county administrator Verna McDaniel to research and recommend staffing options that would support the board’s community investment priorities. As part of adopting a four-year budget, the board set up a new strategic model to help them determine where the county’s resources should go. The board set goals as well as outcomes that are intended to measure how those goals are being achieved.

The priority areas for investment that were approved by the board in 2013 are: (1) ensure community safety net through health and human services, inclusive of public safety; (2) increase economic opportunity and workforce development; (3) ensure mobility and civic infrastructure for county residents; (4) reduce environmental impact; and (5) ensure internal labor force sustainability and effectiveness.

The dollar amount for this position wasn’t included in the resolution, which stated that “compensation shall not exceed the scope of the Administrator’s authority.” The administrator has discretion to spend up to $50,000 on professional services contracts, and up to $100,000 for any proposed goods, services, new construction or renovation. [.pdf of staff memo and resolution] A four-page job description was also included in the board packet. The person would report to the county administrator in terms of daily operations. [.pdf of job description]

The issue was debated at some length during the board’s Jan. 22, 2014 meeting, when commissioner Ronnie Peterson (D-District 6) questioned the process for hiring this kind of staff support. On Feb. 5, several commissioners expressed concern about spending money on this position and wanted more details about funding and duties, which led to the postponement.

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

The positions include: (1) a park laborer with a salary range of $31,507 to $41,766; (2) a park associate/principle planner with a salary range of $40,253 to $61,195; and (3) a stewardship coordinator, with a salary range of $43,373 to $56,586.

The additional jobs reflect a change approved by the county board nearly a year ago. At their Sept. 19, 2012 meeting, commissioners voted to amend the Natural Areas Ordinance No. 128, which established the county’s natural areas preservation program in 2000. The change removed a previous restriction that only 7% of millage funds could be used for management or stewardship. The goal was to use $600,000 per year for management and stewardship. Of that, roughly $240,000 would be used for ongoing stewardship activities, and $360,000 would remain to be invested in a dedicated reserve for long-term land stewardship.

According to a staff memo, the county’s parks system manages more than 4,500 acres of land in 13 parks and 22 preserves. In addition to the 556 acres of property already “actively” managed in the nature preserves, the staff also have active stewardship responsibilities for another 372 acres of prime natural areas within the county parks system. Overall, staff has identified 1,868 acres – or roughly 42% of the system’s current total acreage – as core conservation areas.

Funding for these new positions would be paid for entirely from the countywide natural areas millage, which was initially approved by voters in 2000 and renewed in 2010. The current 0.2409 mill tax raises roughly $3.5 million in annual revenues, and runs through 2021.

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

Deputy superintendent for human resources and general counsel for the district David Comsa, and assistant director of human resource services Stephani Field. A report from HR was delivered to the board at its Oct. 24 meeting. (Photos by the writer.)

And in keeping with superintendent Patricia Green’s desire to give annual updates to the board on a variety of topics, the AAPS board of trustees heard presentations from the human resources (HR) and informational technology (IT) departments.

Highlights from the human resources report were statistics showing that percentage-wise, more cuts have been made in the last few years to administrative positions than to teaching positions. Trustees also focused on recruitment of teachers that would reflect the same demographic profile as the student population.

Trustees were also given a report on the 2013-2015 technology plan.

In addition to the informational reports, the board was briefed on a partnership between AAPS and Toyota International. The district has been selected by Toyota as the sole participant in a pilot teaching program that will focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education. The partnership will bring the methods of Singapore, described as a leading country in STEM innovation, to AAPS.

Also at the meeting, a recommendation to rename the Argus Planetarium – to acknowledge the $100,000 donation to the facility made by IMRA America – was met with enthusiasm by trustees. They also welcomed another naming proposal – to name the Pioneer High School tennis courts after long-time tennis coach Tom “Brick” Pullen. Votes on the naming proposals will come at the next meeting of the board.

Technology Presentations

Several reports on the state of technology in the district were presented to the board. Alesia Flye, deputy superintendent for instructional services, Carlos Soto, lead tech specialist in the information technology department (ITD), and Chuck Hatt, coordinator for literacy and social studies instruction, presented the 2013-2015 technology plan.

Chuck Hatt, AAPS coordinator for literacy and social studies instruction.

Deputy superintendent for operations Robert Allen, along with director of information and technology John VanRiper, gave a presentation about the IT department. The presentations reflected superintendent Patricia Green’s initiative to have the administrative departments make annual reports to the board.

Technology: 2013-2015 Plan

Green led into Flye’s presentation saying that at the end of last school year, a new technology plan – replacing one that had been in place for many years – had been finalized. This new plan was developed with input from many stakeholders in the community, Green said. The district had made sure to do that, especially in light of the commitment the district was asking the community to make with its approval of the technology bond. The plan itself has been submitted to the state and is available on the district website.

Flye reported that the plan, spearheaded by Anne Reader, former director of instructional technology, was completed last school year. The plan focuses on updating the district’s approach to technology, while acknowledging the challenges of the digital divide, the cost of equipment and infrastructure, the need for ongoing professional development, and the complexity of guiding students to become ethical digital citizens. Flye also mentioned that there will be an annual compilation and review of the progress toward the plan’s measurable goals.

The plan is a vision for how technology will be used in the district. Curriculum connections, technology delivery, parental communications and community relations, collaboration, and professional development are all parts of the plan. Soto noted that a large part of the backbone for the plan will be using the money from the 2012 technology bond to replace and build on existing technology in the schools. Improving network infrastructure is a top priority.

Technology: 2013-2015 Plan: Board Reaction

The board was generally receptive to and appreciative of the report. Trustee Glenn Nelson called the plan a significant factor in showing the public that the district would spend the resources wisely if the technology bond were passed. Board president Deb Mexicotte noted that the report shows the breadth of instruction the district is considering. She added that they had been working hard under the current administration to bring all systems together and think more holistically about education, and the plan was a product of that approach.

Several trustees asked about the future of technology in the classroom. Christine Stead drew out the fact that “about 250″ online courses are available to AAPS students. Andy Thomas wondered about the capabilities of remote classroom transmissions, especially related to some of the class offerings that may attract only a few students from each school. He imagined that with remote transmissions, there could be a “class in one school, and the opportunity for students [in other schools within the district] to participate remotely via cameras.”

Flye was receptive to Thomas’ suggestion, indicating that the topic had been discussed at a recent meeting of administrators. Not only would something like Thomas’s scenario help with budget efficiencies, but it would also maintain the quality of educational offerings for students, she said. The instructional services department and ITD were currently having those conversations. Right now, Flye cautioned, the focus is on improving the infrastructure. Once that was done, the district will be able to implement those kinds of remote learning situations.

Susan Baskett asked if there were any policy changes that might need to be made in order to work toward the plan. Flye replied to Baskett saying that eventually, policies will need to be put in place about when students will be able to check out various devices. Green mentioned the difficulty of managing content for students – to make sure that inappropriate material is filtered in an appropriate way. She also cited the challenge of teaching students how to be responsible digital citizens, by teaching them digital literacy.

Recognizing that technology in the classroom has come a long way in the past five or six years, Irene Patalan asked how the district will address the ethics of digital citizenship with students. In response, Green mentioned a community policing model, which would involve the police department taking an active role in educating students about appropriate uses of the Internet. She also brought up partnering with the community to form community connection seminars, because it wasn’t just “ethics in the school house,” but connected to the broader community.

Baskett was also concerned with teacher proficiency in technology. Flye noted that some components of teacher evaluation deal with technology proficiency, but she also pointed out that training and professional development is a key part of the technology plan. Hatt pointed out that because so much instruction was rooted in using technology, teachers “can’t deliver instruction without proficiency.”

Nelson contended that the district was approaching implementation of technology in the classroom in a way that wasn’t “pushing the edge” as far as it should. He believes technology is going to change education more fundamentally than the plan accommodates. He imagines a future where more classes are going to be akin to seminars, and the teacher may not necessarily be the most knowledgeable person in the room. This will happen, Nelson maintained, because of the instant and easy access to information the Internet can provide.

Acknowledging Nelson’s point, Flye allowed that this kind of evolution in the classroom must happen and is happening. Teachers are adopting the roles of facilitators in the classroom. She noted collaboration is one of the key tenets of the technology plan and encompasses the entire learning community of students and teachers.

Building on the point of changing education paradigms, Green gave the example of a “school of one” pilot in New York City. In that pilot program, everything centers around personalized learning for students, as each student receives a “playlist” of skills that he or she needs to master. The playlist varies across students, so they’ll be mastering skills at different levels in the classroom. The organization of the classroom is completely changed, because everything is related back to a student’s individualized learning plan. Green said the concept could be worth considering, as the district works to personalize student learning.

While Mexicotte was generally pleased with the report, she noted that assistive technology was not mentioned. She said its absence struck her because the assistive technology that works to integrate across the curriculum is just as relevant to mainstream education. Instead, it is “siloed” in student intervention and support services (SISS), Mexicotte said. She would like more integration of technology across the spectrum of students that the district serves. Hatt noted that one of the curriculum connections defined in the report is to support all students with alternative curriculum resources. Flye agreed with Mexicotte, saying that the plan does not explicitly highlight that, but it should. She said the district has been working to have stronger alignment between the two departments.

Technology: ITD Report

The ITD report dovetailed with the technology plan. Patricia Green said this reflected a collaborative approach between ITD and instruction.

The presentation outlined the structure of ITD, along with the scope of the department. Robert Allen reported that since the original technology rollout in 1996, the district has increased available technology by 400%. The original “cluster-based” support structure has currently been modified to a district-based structure, which means ITD is more responsive to needs across the district.

John VanRiper asserted that ITD will be collaborating with the instruction department to assure anticipated needs are proactively addressed. He lamented the vacant position for director of instructional technology, saying he would like a counterpart in that department. Without the close relationship between the two departments, the implementation of the NWEA [Northwest Evaluation Association] test couldn’t have happened, he said.

About ITD costs, VanRiper said he anticipates a reduction in repair costs because of the tech bond implementation. That’s because when new equipment is purchased and installed, fewer repair costs are incurred. He also said he was not repairing equipment if it didn’t make financial sense [because it would soon be replaced].

Scalability and security were two of the main focuses of the department, according to VanRiper. Both of these issues are being addressed through the implementation of the tech bond. Last year, the wireless network became so overloaded, public access had to be shut down during instructional hours. This school year, the district has been able to bring public access back.

VanRiper also noted the need for mobile device support. ITD will need to develop the infrastructure for all technology being introduced into the district – such as phones and tablets. VanRiper anticipates a BYO [bring-your-own] device system, one for which the district needs to establish best practices.

About a possible BYO device program, Glenn Nelson asked if the district envisions a program similar to the graphing calculator program, where students could check out expensive devices. He wanted to know if ITD had a plan or was just going to muddle through the implementation. Allen responded that the first thing they needed to do was to have the infrastructure in place to support the devices. To address equity issues, he foresees a system for checking out devices, but that will be in the future. Green said the district might institute a pilot program at the middle school level to test it out, as best practices haven’t been established yet.

Both Nelson and Irene Patalan remarked on the ease and helpfulness of the help desk. Christine Stead thanked Allen and VanRiper for the presentation and said their work doesn’t go unnoticed or unappreciated.

Outcome: Both reports were informational and will be updated yearly. No board action was required.

Tech Infrastructure Replacement

Superintendent Patricia Green noted that it was fitting the second briefing on the technology infrastructure replacement came immediately after the reports on the technology plan and ITD.

AAPS trustee Susan Baskett.

The trustees were first briefed on the request at the Oct. 10, 2012 regular meeting. Randy Trent, executive director of physical properties, was on hand to answer any additional questions from trustees.

The $5,192,872 purchase will be for a district-wide replacement of the network and wireless infrastructure. Trent emphasized that the work will be completed by the end of summer in 2014. Sentinel Technologies, an Illinois-based company that has a satellite office in Ann Arbor, was recommended for the contract award. Susan Baskett, who had reservations about awarding the contract to an out-of-state company, asked if the workers will be paid the prevailing wage. Trent indicated that the prevailing wage does not apply.

Outcome: After being moved from the consent agenda to a board action item, the board approved the contract. Baskett cast the sole dissenting vote.

Human Resources Report

David Comsa, deputy superintendent for human resources and general counsel for the district, and his team of Cynthia Ryan and Stephani Field, presented the inaugural annual report on the HR department. This is the second in a series of reports commissioned by superintendent Patricia Green to be make the administration’s departments more transparent.

Several of the trustees commended Comsa and his team on the presentation. Christine Stead said the “desegregation of information” was important for the board, especially the data points of administrative cuts versus teacher cuts. Irene Patalan said the information will make her job easier to do, because it “helps answer questions.” While pleased to have the report, Glenn Nelson was dismayed at the difficulty of broadening the district’s teacher demographics.

The report detailed the function and organization of the HR department. It also itemized staffing numbers, as well as teacher demographics and education. Full-time equivalent (FTE) positions in the district for the 2012-2013 school year were compared with data from the 2011-2012 school year. A loss of one FTE in the professional certified staff was the only difference between the two years.

Human Resources: Admin vs. Teacher Cuts

The trustees were most interested in the data regarding the five-year trend in administrator FTEs versus the five-year trend in teacher FTEs. The overall change in administrative FTEs [including both central administration and principals/directors] from 2005-2006 to 2011-2012 was a net loss of 8.0 positions. The overall change in teacher FTEs over the same five-year period was a loss of 67.6 positions.

Saying they continue to hear the clamor of comments from the media and the public who say the board has greatly reduced the number of teachers in the district and has done little to reduce administration, Andy Thomas broke down the math. The data shows that there has been a 27.3% reduction of central administration and an 8.9% reduction of principals and directors, for a net reduction of 11.9% over the five-year period. During the same period, there was a 5.6% reduction in teaching staff.

Thomas stressed the point that the reduction in central administrators (27.3%) was more than four times the reduction in the teaching staff (5.6%). More principals were not added, despite the opening of Skyline High School. Each administrator is now responsible for a greater number of teachers, he said. His impression is that the duties of principals and administrators have not remained static, but that there were more required reviews and increases in responsibilities over that time. His point was that a substantially increased workload was being taken on by the administrators. Comsa confirmed Thomas’ impression, saying the amount of student data collection has increased.

Deb Mexicotte said that during a time when the district has been asking more and more of the staff, the board has continued to see achievement and improvements in a wide range of areas. Green agreed, saying there is a trend of accomplishment by both principals and students.

Human Resources: Teacher Demographics

The board spent a significant amount of time talking about the demographics of teachers within the district. David Comsa remarked that progress had been made in the hiring and retaining of African American, Asian American, and Hispanic teachers. Teachers of color make up 16.6% of the overall teaching staff at AAPS for the 2012-2013 school year. People of color account for 19.5% of new hires this school year, he reported.

Both Susan Baskett and Glenn Nelson asked that the “other” category be clarified. Comsa said “other” encompassed people who did not self-identify a race or ethnicity. Responding to a question from Nelson, Comsa indicated that Arab American teachers were categorized as Caucasian. Comsa acknowledged that the district was looking at ways to break out information better.

Nelson made note of the difference between the student and teacher populations. District demographics in the fall of 2010 showed a 14.4% Asian American student population, but only a 1.7% Asian American teaching population. He wondered if hiring strategies needed to be rethought in order to have the teacher makeup more accurately reflect the student population.

Human Resources: Minority Hiring

On the topic of minority recruiting, director of human resource services Cynthia Ryan acknowledged that the district might need to rethink some of its strategies. She also noted that a significant role in the networking, supporting, mentoring, and recruiting of teachers is played by the Ann Arbor Education Association‘s minority affairs committee. The AAEA committee has been active for at least the past 10 years, according to Ryan. HR also reaches out to current teachers who may have connections to other potential teacher candidates.

Baskett mentioned that she and Nelson have talked in depth about teacher recruiting. She asked why it seems the list of schools where AAPS recruits has remained static – the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Eastern Michigan University – and has not expanded to include universities such as Wayne State. Ryan replied that in the past, the district has recruited at job fairs at Central Michigan University, Wayne State, and Saginaw Valley, but this past year, they only attended the recruiting events at the local universities.

Baskett stressed the importance of reaching out to applicants of color because “we are such a good school district.” She asked that some of that evening’s conversation translate into more action for recruiting for the 2013-2014 school year. Her concern is that the hiring timeline in AAPS was not in sync with other districts, which meant that lots of good candidates of color have offers from other districts before they graduate.

Human Resources: Hiring Process

While the district attends job fairs typically held in the spring, Ryan said, AAPS sometimes must wait until August before it can make final decisions on hiring. The district may know about its personnel needs early on, but until the budget is finalized, the district is not able to make formal hires. When Baskett asked if the problem was that budget discussions did not happen early enough this past year, Ryan indicated that was not the case. To Baskett’s question of how the board can help the HR department get better recruits, Ryan said having the district’s budget settled sooner would be most helpful.

Comsa also recognized that retirements play a part in anticipating staffing needs. He said  the district can’t make “hard offers” until the hard data is known. And Ryan noted that the retirement openings don’t always translate into the same positions hired.

Baskett asked if the hiring process should be changed. If a hire needs to be made mid-year, Baskett asked, is the district able to go back to the pile of applicants already screened? Ryan indicated that’s possible and is sometimes done.

Mexicotte wondered if there was another time to have the conversation about recruitment. She said the board needs to discuss how to maintain a pool of qualified candidates with whom the district has built relationships. Baskett suggested the many student teachers AAPS has each year as a potential candidate pool. Ryan indicated the district currently works to recruit excellent teachers from the pool of student teachers, and has been successful doing so.

Outcome: This was an informational report, which will be given yearly. No board action was required.

Partnership with Toyota

Superintendent Patricia Green, along with Cynthia Mahalak, Toyota assistant manager of media and community relations, introduced a business partnership with Toyota International, working with the Institute of International Education (IIE). Toyota has asked AAPS to join a pilot program to advance Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education at the secondary level. Toyota selected AAPS as the sole school district nationwide – due to its commitment to international standards and best practices of teaching, according to Green.

The district will work Toyota and IIE to redesign the international teacher program with an emphasis on STEM. The pilot program with AAPS will work to connect AAPS educators to educators in Singapore – a country noted for its innovation in STEM education. Green said that teams of educators from the district will begin traveling to Singapore as early as the spring of 2013.

Mahalak said that when Toyota Motor Sales contacted her to select a district in the state of Michigan for the program, there was little discussion. Ann Arbor was identified quickly as the district Toyota wanted to partner with. Toyota is growing its presence in the Ann Arbor and Saline area, having just celebrated its 35th anniversary in Ann Arbor. [The Toyota Technical Center in Ann Arbor does research and development work for the company.]

Many of the trustees thanked Mahalak and Toyota for partnering with AAPS. Irene Patalan was honored Toyota chose the district. Christine Stead said she was looking forward to seeing the partnership grow. Glenn Nelson noted it will provide the district with the interesting opportunity to see firsthand international standards in a top-rated country.

Outcome: This was an information briefing. No board action was needed on this item.

Naming of Facilities

Two facilities at Pioneer High School are likely to be named to honor service to the school district and monetary contributions, both of which are possible reasons for naming under the district’s naming policy.

Naming: The Argus IMRA Planetarium

The board welcomed the recommendation to rename the current Argus Planetarium as the Argus IMRA Planetarium – in recognition of the $100,000 in private financial support from IMRA America. The IMRA funding allows for the purchase of a new Digistar 5 system. New cove lighting, as well as new signage, will also be covered by the donation. Funds will be set aside to cover costs for opening the planetarium to the community after school hours. AAPS director of communications Liz Margolis also noted that the projector had recently failed.

The Argus Planetarium first opened in 1956 with a financial donation from the Argus Camera Company in Ann Arbor. It was the first high school planetarium in the country. The IMRA funding will ensure that the Argus Planetarium will remain the longest continually running planetarium in any school or college in the Western hemisphere.

IMRA America, which makes ultrafast fiber lasers, has made large donations to the district in the past. In 2011, the company donated $50,000 toward physics equipment, and in 2010 it donated $50,000 for science and math education.

Many of the trustees expressed their appreciation for IMRA’s donation. Glenn Nelson and Andy Thomas noted that it was an example of how the district could work successfully with the greater community. Thomas said it pointed them in the direction of where they need to be going – to look at partnerships with individuals, businesses, and other sources of private funding, as traditional sources of income decrease. Nelson said that when there was a synergy between the district, nonprofits and businesses, it works for everyone.

Christine Stead said she was very impressed with IMRA and was hopeful that other businesses also had ideas of how they could support Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education. Deb Mexicotte said the donation “speaks volumes” about how the community supports its students. She imagined the recommendation would be  wholeheartedly approved the board’s next regular meeting.

Naming: Pioneer High School Tennis Courts

The board also heard a recommendation to name Pioneer’s tennis courts after long-time boys’ and girls’ tennis coach, Tom “Brick” Pullen, based on his extraordinary service. Over his 23 years of coaching, all but one of the teams have finished in the top six in the state. He has been named Coach of the Year numerous times, as well as National Coach of the Year twice. In following the district’s naming policy, the first four steps of the process have been completed. Board approval is the next step.

Superintendent Patricia Green noted that many people in the community have asked that Coach Pullen be honored in this way. She gave the recommendation her strong support. Representing some of the 173 people who have written to the district to nominate Pullen, Dan and Sandy Lymburner, parents of four Pioneer High graduates, were on hand to speak about Pullen’s “unparalleled commitment to the tennis team.” Sandy Lymburner confirmed that Pullen met expectations, exceeded them, and was well deserving.

The trustees expressed their appreciation for Coach Pullen. Glenn Nelson said that because the district is focusing on the education of the entire student, including social and emotional needs, he was pleased to recognize individuals like Pullen. Irene Patalan was impressed by the outpouring of community support for Pullen’s nomination. Deb Mexicotte said Pullen’s work was typical of the dedication of the teaching staff at AAPS. Susan Baskett asked whether Pullen was agreeable to having the courts named after him – and Lymburner indicated he was.

Outcome: Both naming recommendations were first briefings. They will come up for a second briefing and vote at the next regular board meeting.

Communications and Comment

Board meetings include a number of agenda slots when trustees can highlight issues they feel are important, including “items from the board” and “agenda planning.” Every meeting typically includes public commentary on subjects not necessarily on the formal agenda or that are not covered elsewhere in The Chronicle’s meeting report.

Comm/Comm: Michigan Legislation

During “Items from the Board,” Christine Stead spoke about several legislative issues she felt were important to highlight. The Oxford Foundation-Michigan is engaged in rewriting the Michigan School Aid Act in its entirety to reflect the Any Time, Any Place, Any Way, Any Pace public school learning model Gov. Rick Snyder supports. Under this learning model, funding follows the student, and is not exclusively tied to the school district that a student attends. The School Aid Act could be rewritten and executed through the budget for fiscal year 2014, Stead reported. Stead highlighted problems with Snyder’s approach – related to anticipating staffing needs and tracking student performance. David Comsa, deputy superintendent for human resources and general counsel for the district, supported Stead’s position. He said there had to be better ways to address student needs than to “turn state education on its head.”

Stead also drew attention to HB 5923, legislation through which almost any entity could become a school, she said. She contended that “we could have any company in town become a school” without any accountability for student performance. Both of these pieces of legislation, Stead said, could substantively change education in the state. She said  legislators she has met with have not been aware of these changes and “didn’t think it was a big deal.” But, she asserted, these education models do not protect against conflict of interest and do not protect students.

Comm/Comm: Election Pleas

Stead continued her thought, saying that “people need to know who they are voting for in this November election.” She urged people to take action now, as legislators need to understand what Michigan needs to be a better place to live. At the state level, investments are not being made in education, which means the state is not positioned to be a knowledge-based education state, Stead contended. She noted that Michigan has dropped in ranking and is now ranked 46 out of the 50 states for education.

Tongue in cheek, Andy Thomas called Stead’s attention to a recent article in the Detroit Free Press and said she was worrying too much. He summarized the article, saying the Republican leadership in Lansing is opposing the Common Core State Standards because it takes away control from the local districts. Thomas’s perception had been that there were many other intrusive pieces of legislation that have been passed, but now he “understands the real motivation is to protect the autonomy and local independence of school boards.” He indicated that if that were true, the legislature should embrace the idea of reinstating local control over funding. In closing, Thomas urged everyone to vote.

The leaders of the state, said Deb Mexicotte, cannot race fast enough to the bottom of the pile when it comes to education. She challenged anyone at the state level to show that they have qualitatively done “a single thing to help education” in the state. She asserted that despite the lack of support from the state level, the students of AAPS are achieving. The board is committed to supporting the students, she concluded.

Comm/Comm: Huron/Pioneer Football Fight

Two people addressed the topic of the fight earlier this month following a football game between Pioneer and Huron high schools.

Dale Leslie told the board that he wanted to revisit the recent incident at the Huron and Pioneer football game. As an interested citizen, he said, he wanted to know more about what happened. [Leslie is also a candidate for the school board, running against incumbent board president Deb Mexicotte.] He said he had talked to parents and the police – one officer told him that the act of violence could have been anticipated, because there are very few violent acts that occur without a foundation of antagonism. But the officer had told him that AAPS had removed police from the district’s three large high schools because of budget cuts, Leslie said. These are officers who had gotten to know the students and faculty well, he said, and who are trained to anticipate situations like the one that took place. Leslie said it distressed him to know that the district “threw away the baby with the bathwater.”

He would have hoped that someone from the school district would have approached the Ann Arbor Downtown Kiwanis Club, where he’s a member, to ask for support for these police positions. He noted that the club already provides $30,000 in scholarships to the schools, and perhaps they could have provided funding for part of the police staffing too. It might have been a limited program, but it would have been better than no program at all, he said. This is not your mother’s or father’s high school, Leslie said. There’s a need for law enforcement to be present, and he hoped the board would rethink what’s been done and whether it was a wise decision. He concluded by saying he’d heard from another source that six police officers had been requested for the Huron/Pioneer game, but that the request had been denied.

Sarah Clark identified herself as the mother of two students at Skyline High School who were football players. Even though Skyline wasn’t directly involved, the situation affects everyone, she said. When it’s the lead story on Channel 4 News, she said, that’s not good for anyone in the district.

Sarah Clark.

This has left a negative mark on the district’s overall athletic program. She hoped that as the board reviewed the incident, they’d look at the process and outcomes. Kids need to understand how they’ll be judged, she said. It would be helpful to have a framework for how actions will be evaluated and punishments determined. Was the AAPS fighting policy applied in this case? Would the consequences have been the same if spectators had been involved, rather than football coaches and players? Was the process for evaluating the situation applied in the same way at both high schools? Who evaluated if that was the case?

Kids need to understand what the expectations are for them, she said. Had AAPS set up a system in which the punishment for swearing at a coach was the same as participating in a brawl? They might be setting themselves up for a potential conflict in the future, she said. It’s time to review how the district responded. Clark said she appreciated the risks involved with disclosing information, but there are also risks associated with not disclosing information. There were some inaccurate statements made about who was involved, and also the perception that an uneven number of suspensions had been made at one school compared to the other. She urged the board to disclose more information.

Later in the meeting, superintendent Patricia Green responded to some of the statements made about this incident during public commentary. She clarified that the police liaison officers – positions that Dale Leslie mentioned had been cut – had previously been employed by schools during the day. She noted that for after-school games, each school principal has the authority to engage as many police officers as they need. That process hadn’t been affected by budget cuts, she said. On the night of the Huron/Pioneer game, four officers were on duty – that’s the number that the principal had requested, Green said.

Comm/Comm: Nov. 6 Election

The third speaker during public commentary was Thomas Partridge. He noted that he had been elected student body president during the same year that John F. Kennedy was nominated for U.S. president. He recalled that it’s the near the anniversary of Kennedy’s announcement creating the Peace Corps, which Kennedy made while visiting the University of Michigan. It’s in that same spirit that Partridge said he’s calling for the re-election of Barack Obama, the first African American president in U.S. history. He urged the board to help provide transportation to the polls on Nov. 6 for the most vulnerable residents.

Partridge reported that he was running as a write-in candidate for the state House of Representatives in the 53rd District. [Partridge had been defeated in the Aug. 7 Democratic primary by incumbent Jeff Irwin, with Partridge getting 11.53% of the vote.] It was an important seat, he told trustees. Partridge also suggested that a male and female student should have a seat on the board, perhaps rotating representation among the high schools and even middle schools, he said. We need more participatory democracy, he said. He noted that it was an issue addressed in a free book he had picked up on his way to the meeting from a rack on the first floor of the library building. [The AAPS board holds its meetings in the fourth floor conference room of that building.] Partridge concluded by saying that people should unite to support expanded public transit, making it affordable and accessible to the most vulnerable residents.

Association and Student Reports

Five associations are invited to make regular reports to the school board: the Black Parents Student Support Group (BPSSG), the Ann Arbor Parent Advisory Committee for Special Education, the Parent Teacher Organization Council (PTOC), the Ann Arbor Administrators Association (AAAA), and the Ann Arbor Education Association (AAEA). The Youth Senate is also invited to speak once a month, as are representatives from each of the high schools.

At the Oct. 24 meeting, the board only heard from the Ann Arbor Parent Advisory Committee for Special Education (AAPAC). Carli Hildebrand, one of AAPAC’s executive officers, gave a brief report on the group’s September retreat and other activities. She invited the public to attend AAPAC’s monthly meetings – the next one will be held on Monday, Nov. 5 from 7-9:30 p.m. at the Washtenaw Intermediate School District’s Teaching and Learning Center at 1819 S. Wagner Road in Ann Arbor.

Comm/Comm: Visit from Dr. James Comer

James Comer – founder of the Comer School Development Program, and the Maurice Falk Professor of Child Psychiatry at Yale University – visited the district on Oct. 15-16. A mentor of superintendent Patricia Green, Comer visited Ann Arbor because of the district’s work toward eliminating the achievement gap. While here, he attended functions that allowed him to speak on his focus on social and emotional learning for students. Deb Mexicotte noted that “anyone who had the opportunity to engage with him felt his expertise and caring.”

Comm/Comm: Rec & Ed Grant

During her superintendent’s report, Patricia Green noted that community education and recreation director Jenna Bacolor applied for and received a $100,000 grant from the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH). The grant was awarded as part of MDCH’s Physical Activity and Healthy Eating Before and After School and Summer pilot program. Four elementary schools – Bryant, Carpenter, Mitchell, and Pattengill – as well as Ann Arbor Open’s Summer Learning Institute, will benefit from the grant.

Comm/Comm: Executive Session

Before the regular meeting at 7 p.m., the trustees met for an executive session [which is closed to the public] to receive and discuss with legal counsel a legal opinion protected by the attorney-client privilege requested by the superintendent and provided by legal counsel.

Present: President Deb Mexicotte, vice president Christine Stead, secretary Andy Thomas, Treasurer Irene Patalan, and trustees Susan Baskett and Glenn Nelson.

Absent: Trustee Simone Lightfoot.

Next regular meeting: Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012, at 7 p.m. at the fourth-floor boardroom of the Ann Arbor District Library’s downtown branch, 343 S. Fifth Ave. [Check Chronicle event listings to confirm date.]

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