FY 2013 budget work sessions scheduledCouncil work sessions — on Feb. 13, Feb. 27, March 12, and March 26 — will focus on the City of Ann Arbor fiscal year 2013 budget. The FY 2013 begins on July 1, 2012, and ends June 30, 2013. This is the second year of the two-year budget presented to Council in May 2011 by the city administrator. City Council members can only adopt one fiscal year at a time, even though the city plans for multiyear budgets. The next steps in the budget process are still being developed, but staff anticipates the following timeline: - February–March: Council work sessions are scheduled to evaluate service area budget requests.
- April: In accordance with City Charter, the City Administrator's Recommended FY 2013 Budget is submitted to City Council on or before April 15, 2012.
- May: City Council, with at least seven affirmative votes, must adopt the budget no later than its second meeting in May.
Live green, save green with A2EnergyAn online resource is available to help Ann Arbor homeowners, commercial property owners and even renters to reap the benefits of “greener” living and energy savings. The site, www.a2energy.org, features practical tips and eye-opening statistics, such as … you can save up to 10 percent on annual energy bills by adding weather stripping around your windows and doors. Commercial property owners have another reason to take note. Ann Arbor City Council unanimously supported the final step to the full implementation of Ann Arbor’s Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program at a Council meeting last month. The resolution approved sets the fees for the PACE application process; covering title search, application review and annual administration. PACE is a special financing mechanism available to commercial property owners within the City of Ann Arbor to support energy efficiency and renewable energy projects at their properties. Through voluntary special assessments, property owners have access to financing at lower fixed rates with longer repayment terms than traditional loans. Commercial property owners — defined as any property that is not a single family home, duplex or certain townhouses — may apply for energy projects such as heating and air conditioning equipment, lighting, system controls, insulation and weather sealing, cool roofs, windows and doors, geothermal systems, energy star appliances and solar photovoltaic systems. Projects may range in size from $10,000 to $350,000. Ann Arbor’s PACE program is joint program of the City of Ann Arbor and Clean Energy Coalition. Recycling survey resultsMore than 1,000 Ann Arbor residents responded to the city’s residential recycling survey last fall, providing feedback on the new single-stream recycling expansion and the Recyclebank recycling incentives program. The full results of the survey can be seen online. Here are some results, in brief: - From the Recyclebank single-family routes, usually 90 percent of the residents put out their recycling cart at the curb at least once a month.
- 67 percent of single family respondents recycle more with single-stream recycling.
- 72 percent of single family respondents have signed up for RecycleBank.
For 24-hour information on the city’s solid waste services, please call 734.994.7336 (99-GREEN) or visit the city’s website. 
Worm bin workshopLearn about indoor composting using red worms with worm expert Sarah Archer on Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012, at the City of Ann Arbor’s Materials Recovery Facility, 4150 Platt Road. The price is $25 for a kit containing a bin, worm and a, workbook; preorder and pay at the door. There is no charge just to attend the workshop and to receive the informative handouts. Two, 1-hour sessions will take place, at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. An optional recycling plant tour is also available following the workshop. Must pre register by calling 734.794.6000, extension 43118. Details are also available online. 
Vote Feb. 28!The Presidential Primary Election will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 28. All city polling places will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. Visit the city elections websitefor details, including the precinct polling place list. Information is also available on the State of Michigan’s online voter information center at www.michigan.gov/vote. Here are some tips and highlights to help voters be prepared at the polls. Don’t forget to bring your photo ID to vote. Voters without an acceptable photo ID will be required to sign an affidavit in order to vote. Under Michigan law, the Feb. 28 election will be a closed primary, which means registered voters going to the polls must choose, in writing, whether they want to vote a Republican or Democratic ballot. Peak voting hours are from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Voters who want to avoid long lines are encouraged to vote during midday hours. Washtenaw County election results are televised on Community Television Network’s CitiTV Channel 19 beginning at 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2012 — after the polls close — and will continue throughout the night. The City Clerk’s office is still accepting applications for absentee ballots. The office is open to the public for absentee ballot requests an additional day, on Saturday, Feb. 25, 2012 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. In-person requests for absentee ballots will be accepted at the City Clerk’s office, second floor of City Hall, until Monday, Feb. 27 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Metered parking is available on Ann Street, between Fifth Avenue and Division. 
Downtown's newest addressA corner at First and Washington streets in downtown Ann Arbor will soon be home to young professionals, students and others, rather than just cars. On Jan. 26, a groundbreaking event took place for a new development on this site, which currently is a surface parking lot. The new City Apartments development is anticipated to provide a variety of benefits to A2, including an increase in the residential density downtown, additional affordable housing options, a “green” building, employment for local construction workers and the sale of the city-owned property. This site was owned by the City of Ann Arbor, so its sale provides funding to pay for the city’s new Justice Center building. In addition, there will be approximately 172 new public parking spaces available for this area of downtown in the new development’s above/below ground parking structure. Pictured above, at the Jan. 26 groundbreaking event, are (left to right): Jack Boarman of BKV Group; Tom Crawford of City of Ann Arbor; John Splitt of DDA; David Staff of U.S. Bank; Jonathan Holtzman of Village Green; Mayor John Hieftje; Will Gordan of O’Neal.  | In this issue: Budget work sessions * A2 Energy * Recycling survey results * Worm bin workshop * Election Day is Feb. 28 * City Apartments * Register for summer day camp * Online snow plow tracking * Connect with A2 * Online police reporting * Sustainable Ann Arbor Feb. 9 * Dates to remember 
Summer day camp registration is underway!Extended care for pre- and post-camp hours is also available. To learn more, visit www.a2gov.org/camps or call Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation Customer Service: 734.794.6230. Fuller Park Pool and Buhr Park Pool day camps are perfect for children who enjoy swimming … plus the camps offer fun sports, games, arts and crafts, etc. Gallup and Argo river day camps take campers along the Huron River for canoeing, paddle boating, kayaking and fishing. Campers, from tots to teens, will unlock nature’s mysteries through hands-on discovery and outdoor fun at Leslie Science & Nature Center Camp. Use the LS&NC new online system to register, or registration forms can be mailed/dropped off at 1831 Traver Road, Ann Arbor, 48105, or faxed 734.997.1072. For details, call 734.997.1553 or go online. Track snow plow activity onlineThe city’s new online Automatic Vehicle Location system, officially “launched” last month, lets residents view city snow plow locations and activities information. This 24/7 public self-serve option helps address the most frequently asked questions, including, “Where are the street plows right now, and what are they doing?” City snow plows actively maintain major streets, which are indicated on the new website snow map with dark colors. Plows generally clear residential-street snow when the accumulation is over 4 inches deep. The plows then typically follow the solid waste collection schedule, starting with the route after the current collection day in order to avoid knocking over carts already at the curb. An easy-to-remember link to a range of city winter street maintenance procedures is also posted online at www.a2gov.org/snow. 
Stay connected with A2Online police reporting system now availableIn January, the Ann Arbor Police Department launched a new citizen reporting system that enables online reporting of minor crimes. This system means that citizens no longer have to drive downtown to file certain reports in person. These reports typically do not require a police interview or follow-up investigation, but they are often needed for insurance claims or other matters. The online reporting system, available 24 hours a day, is one more way the Ann Arbor Police Department is working to improve services. The following types of reports can be made online: - Harassing phone calls — You are receiving numerous “hang-up” phone calls by an unknown caller.
- Theft — Your property was taken by an unknown suspect. There are no witnesses to the incident.
- Vandalism — Your property was damaged by an unknown suspect. There are no witnesses to the incident.
- Identify theft — An unknown suspect uses your personal information to obtain credit or make purchases on your credit card out of city or state.
- Lost or damaged property.
- Private property traffic crashes — A vehicle is left parked, unattended and you return to find that the vehicle has been struck.
Sustainable Ann Arbor seriesThe City of Ann Arbor is collaborating with the Ann Arbor District Library to host a “Sustainable Ann Arbor” discussion series. This series, which launched last month, brings the public together with University of Michigan faculty, representatives from community organizations and city commissioners and staff to discuss local sustainability concepts and efforts — past, present and future. Each of the three remaining forums will be held at 7 p.m. at the Ann Arbor District Library downtown branch (343 S. Fifth Ave.) on the second Thursday of the month through April 2012. The series is organized around four theme areas and will include short presentations followed by a question and answer session. The next forum is Thursday, Feb. 9, focusing on the topic Land Use and Access, including transportation designs, infrastructure, land uses, built environments, and public spaces. 
Dates to remember- Feb. 8 Non-motorized Transportation Plan Update meetings; and Willard Street permeable pavement project meeting.
- Feb. 13 West Park storm water project update meeting.
- Feb. 15 Bluffs Nature Area project meeting.
- Feb. 16 Ann Arbor Bridges Reconstruction Project update meeting.
- City government offices will be closed, but there will be no delay in trash and recycling collection, on Presidents Day Monday, Feb. 20.
- The regular City Council meeting will take place Tuesday, Feb. 21 due to the Presidents Day holiday.
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