Fiscal year 2012 budget process
The fiscal year 2012 budget development process continues. Please visit the city’s budget guide website (www.a2gov.org — see the link on the “finance” page) for budget-related meeting updates as well as to download budget impact analyses from each service area. Remember, replays of the Council budget work sessions are available to watch online via CTN Video on Demand at http://a2govtv.pegcentral.com/.
Per City Charter, Council adopts the annual budget in May. The fiscal year 2012 budget runs from July 1, 2011, to June 30, 2012.
New stormwater code in effect March 1
New stormwater code changes take effect Tuesday, March 1, 2011, which will now require stormwater management on single- and two-family residential properties when properties increase impervious area by 200 or more square feet. Examples of impervious surfaces include, but are not limited to, rooftops, walkways, patios, courtyards, driveways, parking lots, storage areas, concrete or asphalt paving, gravel roads, or any cleared, graded, graveled, paved or compacted surfaces, or other surfaces which similarly impede the natural infiltration of surface water into the soil. More information about the code changes and an impervious area worksheet are available online (www.a2gov.org/building — see the link on the left column) to help outline whether your project will require stormwater management as part of the grading permit application process. Ann Arbor Municipal Center updates
During the week of March 2, the city clerk’s office will relocate back to Larcom City Hall, as minor renovations to the second floor and Council Chambers have been completed. In addition, City Council and other board and commission meetings which temporarily relocated to the County Board of Commissioners room will be back at Larcom City Hall beginning the week of March 7.
· IT services unit – first floor
· Police front desk and records – second floor
· Police special services – second floor
· Pistol registration – second floor
· Police administration – third floor
· Police detectives – third floor
· Police professional standards – third floor
· Police training services – third floor
· Probation department – fourth floor
· 15th District Court – fourth and fifth floors
City services still located at Larcom City Hall include the following. The Larcom City Hall entrance is located on Ann Street.
· Finance administration, assessor and treasury – fifth floor
· Planning and development services – fifth floor
· Systems planning and project management services – fourth floor
· City administrator and city attorney’s office – third floor
When completed in May 2011, the entire site, including Larcom City Hall and the new Justice Center, will be referred to as the Ann Arbor Municipal Center. Both buildings have the 301 E. Huron St. address.
Day camp registration underway
If a summer spent exploring ponds and woods, swimming and sliding in swimming pools, kayaking and fishing on the river, playing sports and games and creating arts and crafts sounds fun, then sign up for day camp with the City of Ann Arbor parks and recreation! Registration is going on now online at www.a2gov.org/camps; or pick up a brochure at any of our parks facilities and register via mail, walk-in or fax at each of the camp facilities.
The city’s day camps are licensed by the State of Michigan, and the friendly, CPR/First Aid certified staff offers a safe, positive environment for kids to gain confidence and build self-esteem while enjoying fun-filled days.
· Argo Canoe Livery: Completed sixth through eighth grades. Kayaking, canoeing, geocaching, disc golf and fishing journeys on different sections of the coolest river around.
· Buhr Park Pool: 5 to 12 years old. Different themes each week with games, activities and fun exploring sports, farm life and the pool.
· Fuller Park Pool: Completed kindergarten through fifth grades. Awesome adventures from the parks to downtown meeting new friends, swimming fun and experiencing some of Ann Arbor's treasures.
· Gallup Canoe Livery: Completed first through fifth grades. Explore the river with fishing, nets and boats for a week filled with discovery, adventure and fun playing and paddling in the parks and ponds.
· Huron Hills Golf Course: 8 to15 years old. A great place for young golfers of all abilities to learn the game. Our camps emphasize the fundamentals of golf, sportsmanship and having a fun.
· Leslie Science and Nature Center: 4 years old to high school. Different adventures each week as we hike to the pond, conduct scientific experiments, visit animals and create art (www.lesliesnc.org/campssummer).
Are you earning Recyclebank rewards?
It’s now faster and easier than ever to join Recyclebank and get rewards! Recyclebank’s free registration at www.recyclebank.com is easy, immediate and provides the opportunity to earn rewards points to use at local and national venues. Plus, City of Ann Arbor residents in single-family and duplex homes are able to earn additional rewards points every week just for recycling.
The Recyclebank rewards program serves as motivation for residents by awarding points to those who take “greener” actions, like recycling. These points can be redeemed on Recyclebank.com for rewards from local and national retailers, restaurants, grocers and more. Recyclebank currently provides service to more than 1 million people across the United States and the United Kingdom and has been recognized with a number of awards including one from the United Nations Environmental Programme. In July, 2010, Ann Arbor became the third city in Michigan to implement Recyclebank, following Rochester Hills and Westland.
In addition to hundreds of national rewards, local Ann Arbor businesses offering rewards include: Ann Arbor Brewing Company, Downtown Home & Garden, Olga's Kitchen, Plum Market, Village Apothecary, Stucchi’s, Silvio's Organic Pizza, Zingerman's Deli, Cottage Inn Pizza, People's Food Co-op, City of Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation, and Recycle Ann Arbor’s Drop-off Station. Brands and retailers include: Whole Foods, Stonyfield, Nature Made, Coca-Cola, Odwalla, Bed Bath & Beyond, Fancy Feast, Seventh Generation, Method and more. Recyclebank members can also opt to donate their points to grant projects in schools through the Recyclebank Green Schools Program.
Go online for more information on Recyclebank, or call 888.727.2978. For 24-hour information on the city’s solid waste services, call 99-GREEN or visit the city’s website, www.a2gov.org/recycle.
New hours for Drop-off Station
The local nonprofit Recycle Ann Arbor will reduce operations at its recycling Drop-off Station (2950 E. Ellsworth) to three days instead of five starting March 1, 2011. Extended hours will, however, be offered for customer convenience: 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday. Details on the materials accepted and fees assessed at the Drop-off Station are posted online at www.recycleannarbor.org or by calling 734.662.6288. 
Earth Hour
Ann Arbor will again join the international Earth Hour effort by dimming the street lights along Main Street Saturday, March 26 from 8:30 to 9:30 p .m. Earth Hour, which started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia, had its highest participation yet in 2010 with a record 128 countries and territories joining the global display of climate action. 
Why not participate in your business or household? Visit the Earth Hour website, www.earthhour.org, for suggestions or go to the city’s “green” website, www.a2gov.org/green.
Safe Passages Great Lakes
During peak spring bird migration, March 15 to May 31, 2011, residents and property managers are reminded to close shades or turn out lights between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. on tall buildings from the fifth floor and above. This action assists birds to maintain their natural night navigation patterns and avoids the unnecessary death of over 250 migrating bird species from becoming disoriented and flying into lighted tall buildings. Go online for details on this initiative.Don’t miss a word of what’s new, important and exciting in our city. Subscribe to receive A2 City News directly to your e-mail inbox. Go to www.a2gov.org/subscribe, simply select “Resident Newsletter: A2 City News” from the list of subscription topics, and you are all set to receive the next issue, and in an earth-friendlier way.
And, for another earth-friendly method of getting all the latest and greatest city news, don’t forget to subscribe to the A2 City News Podcast and follow our blog at a2citynews.blogspot.com.
Thank you for listening to A2 CITY NEWS,
I’m Your Host, Rebecca Rhodes
Telling You Tree Town’s Ins and Outs and All-Abouts
