July 2011
A2 City News Resident Newsletter Article List
Electronic distribution: Thursday, June 30, 2011 / Friday, July 1, 2011
Customer Service Center moves to City Hall
At the end of June, the City of Ann Arbor Customer Service Center opened for business in its new permanent location on the first floor of Larcom City Hall, located at 301 E. Huron St. The community services area administration and parks and recreation service units will soon also relocate from their space within the City Center building, continuing the city’s efforts to terminate all of its downtown leases and move city staff and services into the municipal center site.
Customer Service Center services include:
Payment processing for water bills, parking tickets, property taxes, and solid waste;
Routing city calls and requests and providing general city information to walk-in customers; and
This unit also is responsible for water utility meter reading, installation, repair, billing, backflow prevention inspections and certifications.
Exterior construction around the Ann Arbor Municipal Center — including stormwater management systems, a rain garden and green roof — will continue throughout the summer.
More information about the Ann Arbor Municipal Center construction project is available online.
Reception/interviews to be held for city administrator candidates
Led by City Council, the City of Ann Arbor is currently conducting a search for a new city administrator. As of yet, final candidates have not been selected. On Tuesday, July 12, City Council will host a public reception in the lobby of the Justice Center from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. for citizens to meet final City Administrator candidates. The public reception program begins at 5:45 p.m. and will include light refreshments, five-minute presentations from each candidate and then time for informal conversations with candidates. The Justice Center is the new building located at 301 E. Huron St. in front of Larcom City Hall.
On Wednesday, July 13, the candidates will participate in public interviews in Larcom City Hall, Council Chambers, second floor, from 8 a.m. to noon (301 E. Huron Street). A detailed schedule will be posted on the city website when available in early July.
These interviews will be televised live on Community Television Network Channel 16 (Comcast) and Web streamed live on CTN online (or use this direct link — http://bit.ly/A2Mtgs). Interview replay can be viewed on CTN Video on Demand, or at the following times on Channel 16: Fri. 7/15 at 1:30 p.m.; Sun. 7/17 at 5 p.m.; Mon. 7/18 at 10 a.m.; Wed. 7/20 at 8 p.m.; Thurs. 7/21 at noon.
The City of Ann Arbor’s Chief Financial Officer Tom Crawford has been acting interim city administrator since April. Crawford will remain in this position until a permanent city administrator is appointed by City Council.
New fire chief is appointed
On Monday, June 6, 2011, Ann Arbor City Council appointed a veteran of the city’s fire services to the department’s top ranking. New Chief Chuck Hubbard has been with the city’s fire services for nearly 26 years, beginning his career as a firefighter, then driver operator, lieutenant and battalion chief, before his previous promotion to assistant fire chief.
“Both the department and our residents will benefit from Chief Hubbard’s long history with the city,” said Safety Services Area Administrator Police Chief Barnett Jones. “Chuck’s many years in Ann Arbor prove his dedication to not only the firefighting profession, but also speak volumes about his commitment to our community.”
Hubbard holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from Eastern Michigan University and is a graduate of the School of Fire Staff and Command.
Summer taxes due
Summer property taxes are due by Aug. 1. Taxes may be paid online, by mail, at the City of Ann Arbor Customer Service Center (now located on the first floor of Larcom City Hall) or at several local banks. TCF Bank, Bank of Ann Arbor, Michigan Commerce Bank, Fidelity Bank, Citizens Bank and Ann Arbor State Bank will accept tax payments July 1 through 30. Online payments can also be made.
Payments made after Aug. 1 are subject to a late fee and cannot be made at local banks. Go online for more information, including how property taxes are calculated.
Vote Aug. 2!
The City Primary Election is Tuesday, Aug. 2. Visit the elections Web page for the list of candidates and information about polling places, times, etc.
Residents who need to register to vote must do so by Tuesday, July 5 at the City Clerk’s office, second floor of Larcom City Hall, the Washtenaw County Clerk’s office, at any Secretary of State branch office or by mailing in a voter registration application (postmarked by July 5).
Please note, the City Clerk’s office, and all city government offices, are closed Monday, July 4 for the Independence Day holiday.
Additional details can be found on the elections website, by e-mailing the City Clerk’s office or calling 734.794.6140.
The “new” West Park is unveiled
More than 500 people attended the West Park Grand Opening event on Sunday, June 19. Guests enjoyed guided tours, a sculpture unveiling, kick ball, hula hoops, basketball, treats from local food carts and music from the Ann Arbor Civic Band. There were also tree plantings and a visit from the Ann Arbor police and fire departments.
Young golfers: Sign up for the SNAG program!
City of Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation was recently selected by the National Parks & Recreation Association to receive one of 15 grants nationwide to launch the new SNAG (Starting New At Golf) teaching system.
The SNAG system helps promote and introduce the game of golf to beginners and children and is a fun and colorful way to capture and maintain the attention of beginning golfers.“It is by far the best way that I have ever seen to teach kids not only the basics of how to play golf, but how fun the game can be,” said City of Ann Arbor Director of Golf Doug Kelly.
SNAG is geared toward children ages 4 to 10 years old. The sessions are six weeks long and will start on July 8 at Huron Hills Golf Course. Be sure to take advantage of a special offer: special inaugural pricing is being offered per student with a 40 percent sibling discount.
Click here to register for SNAG; or for details on the SNAG program, go to the city’s golf website, call 734.794.6246, or check out the video on YouTube.
City/County explore dispatch center staff consolidation
After nearly two decades and countless attempts by previous administrations, the City of Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County Sheriff’s office announced in June that discussions have begun anew to integrate the City of Ann Arbor dispatch function with the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office in an attempt to save the city approximately $400,000 annually in total dispatch operating costs. Consolidating dispatch staff would require the city to contract with the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s office for dispatch service. Execution of such a contract would require City Council and the County Board of Commissioners approval.
The consolidation would be expected to streamline police emergency dispatch costs through optimized resource allocation. In addition, this operational change would eliminate the need to transfer calls from a county dispatcher to a city dispatcher, and vice versa. This would greatly lessen the possibility of a call being misrouted and would minimize or eliminate any portion of hold times caused by a call transfer. In all, the city and county believe the change would assist both units of government in refining operations while providing effective and efficient emergency service delivery.
Details on these discussions will be provided as they become available.
Huron River Day celebration is July 17
Come out and enjoy one of this community’s greatest resources, the Huron River. The 31st annual Huron River Day is Sunday, July 17 at Gallup Park, Parker Mill Park and Huron Clinton Metropark. Festivities planned include FREE family activities, discounted canoeing and kayaking, river exhibits, live music, animals, boat demos, guided canoe trips, fishing and more. Food will be available for purchase. Go to the Huron River Day website for details or call 734.662.9319 .
New Web-based GIS application launched
A new suite of Web-based GIS applications are now available for use in a beta format on the city’s website. Also linked from the city’s Web homepage, under the “working in” column/“city maps,” these online GIS mapping applications feature rich base mapping capabilities and real-time access to many other city and county geospatial datasets (e.g., aerial imagery is available from 1940 through 2010 as well as 2-foot contours).
As you navigate around the maps, you'll find the interfaces to be similar to popular online mapping sites like Google Maps and Bing.
The ultimate goal of the online GIS project was to offer users highly scalable, best-in-class mapping and spatial analysis capabilities that are easier to use and less complex than prior Web-based offerings at the same or less cost. The project is part of ongoing information technology collaboration between the city and Washtenaw County. The new system was purchased collectively, is housed at the joint city/county data center, and is being co-managed and administered, providing each partner with cost savings and added efficiency benefits.
Art Fairs come to town
Wednesday through Saturday, July 20 through 23, the annual Ann Arbor Art Fairs will draw hundreds of thousands of visitors to the city. Also an annual tradition, Ann Arbor Community Television Network will be at the art fairs — on East Washington between Thayer and Fletcher, near Burton Memorial Tower and the U-M Alumni Association. Be sure to stop by the CTN booth and record a video greeting. The greetings — always unique and memorable, will then be aired on CTN (Comcast).
Visit CTN’s website for video-greeting details. To learn more about the Ann Arbor Art Fairs, which have been in place for more than 50 years, visit the Convention and Visitors Bureau website.
Street millage input sought
With Ann Arbor’s street millage expiring this year, the City of Ann Arbor is asking the public to review the current street millage program to help determine the preferred format for the millage to appear on the November 2011 election ballot.
In particular, the city would like to gauge residents' sentiment regarding whether the city, rather than property owners, should be responsible for repairing the sidewalks, and — if so — whether the Street Reconstruction Millage should be expanded to support such a program. Three public meetings took place in June; and now through July 5, a 5-minute online survey will be available on the city's street millage website and by clicking here for the direct link.
CTN: Live and online!
Are you travelling this summer? That doesn’t mean you have to miss watching City Council meetings. Community Television Network Channel 16 streams Council and other city meetings live online. Whenever you see “Live on CTN 16” listed in the Tree Town Log, visit CTN’s “The Meeting Place” Web page or use this direct link — http://bit.ly/A2Mtgs — to watch the meeting live.
Recyclebank contest urges: "Green Your Vacation"
Recycling protects and preserves the environment … but did you know the earth isn’t the only one who benefits? As thousands of Ann Arbor residents began discovering since its launch a year ago, Recyclebank has upped the recycling ante by offering a rewards program that includes prize selections from local businesses. There’s even the option to donate rewards points to the organization’s Green Schools initiative. If you haven't signed up for Recyclebank Rewards already, it’s not too late to join And there’s never been a better time to join …
Now, Recyclebank is taking “eco-friendly” to yet another level. Their nationwide contest is being launched to inspire people to make “green” decisions while on vacation. The contest, which runs until July 31, awards the highest contest scorers and those who have referred the most friends a chance at winning one of more than 100 prizes, including grand prizes: a 10-day National Geographic/Lindblad Expeditions cruise to the Galapagos Islands or a stay at the eco-luxurious Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo.
Visit Recyclebank online for complete details on their contest. Will someone from Ann Arbor be a winner?
Water resources available online
Make July 4th Dependence on Sump Pumps Day. Many people use Halloween or another fall holiday as a reminder to check the batteries in their household smoke detectors. This same type of preventive maintenance is worth extending to that hard-working appliance in many homes: the humble sump pump, which pumps ground- and stormwater away from the home to keep the basement dry.
This summer, take the time to make sure your sump pump is working properly. Check your manual, call your local plumbing contractor, and/or check the sump pump maintenance documents available online for more details.
Find this article — as well as additional ways to conserve water and help prevent water damage — in the latest issue of WaterMatters.
Also available online is the new edition of the annual City of Ann Arbor Water Quality Report. This report features the 2010 water-quality monitoring results. Ann Arbor’s water system consistently provides a reliable supply of high quality drinking water that surpasses all state and federal drinking water quality requirements.
Roll up your sleeves for Volunteer Week
The City of Ann Arbor GIVE 365 Program, which provides year-round volunteer opportunities, will kick off its inaugural Volunteer Week July 10 through 17. Events are planned for the whole family, individuals — or groups of friends, co-workers, etc. Anyone interested can sign up online to plant flowers in the parks, paint structures at the pool, clean up baseball fields, and even help out for a couple of hours at the annual Huron River Day Celebration.
See the city meetings and events calendar for project specifics, and visit the Give 365 website for more information. Please help make an important difference in our community.
Getting noticed
Ann Arbor has recently been recognized in the following ways …
Community Television Network has won two national Hometown Video Awards; there were 1,100 entries from community television centers around the United States and Canada. Both winning productions were the work of CTN Producer Tim Nagae — Eco Sense: “Bike & Walk in Ann Arbor” (with assistance from the Ann Arbor Transportation Manager Eli Cooper); and Senior Moments: “Pittsfield Senior Center.”
Ann Arbor was selected as a National Civic League All-America City Awards finalist, the only city in Michigan and among 22 other cities nationwide. Although A2 didn’t win the ultimate distinction, a member of the “Ann Arbor delegation,” local high school student and founder of Ann Arbor Teens for Kids Nick Shannon, was selected as the All-America City Youth Leader Award winner. The delegation, which also included residents, students, U-M, Convention and Visitors Bureau and city and county staff, made a 10-minute presentation to explain its three innovative projects: online water consumption system which allows residents to track their water usage; the coordinated funding model, in which the city, county, United Way, Community Foundation and others collaborate to provide access to affordable housing, healthcare, childcare, employment and more; and Ann Arbor Farmers Market’s implementation of the state’s Project FRESH and Bridge Card (food stamps) programs. Visit the city’s All-America City Web page for project descriptions and details, and also to watch the presentation video.
Attend the City of Ann Arbor Career Fair
The City of Ann Arbor has a limited number of employment positions to fill, and is therefore holding a career fair for three days at the Wheeler Service Center, 4251 Stone School Road. The career fair will be open to the public at the following times:
Thursday, July 14, 4 – 8 p.m.
Friday, July 15, 4 – 7 p.m.
Saturday, July 16, noon – 4 p.m.
The city is currently seeking to fill the following positions:
Civil Engineering Specialist
Development Services Inspector
Environmental Lab Analyst
Environmental Lab Supervisor
Field Operations Technician
Management Assistant
Storm water & Erosion Inspector
Water Utility Technician
In order to be considered for these positions, you must bring three copies of your resume with you.
The City of Ann Arbor is an equal opportunity employer. Please visit the “city employment” website for more information.
Important dates
Among the many public meetings/events taking place in July, here are some of the highlights (please see the attachment/go online for details and a complete list):
City government offices will be closed Monday, July 4 for Independence Day. Trash/compost/recycling collection will therefore be delayed by one day, occurring Tuesday through Saturday.
Also due to the July 4 holiday, the City Council meeting will take place Tuesday, July 5.
July 5 is the deadline to register to vote in the Aug. 2 Primary Election.
Volunteer Week kicks off July 10.
The new city administrator candidate reception is Tuesday, July 12, with public interviews taking place Wednesday, July 13.
Huron River Day is Sunday, July 17, with free fun for all.
CTN will be recording free video greetings at the Townie Party July 18, and at the Art Fairs July 20 – 23.
