Fiscal year 2012 budget approved
On May 21, 2012, Ann Arbor City Council adopted the fiscal year 2013 budget after many hours of deliberation and discussion. The City of Ann Arbor fiscal year 2013 runs July 1, 2012, until June 30, 2013. Although the adopted budget was very similar to the city administrator’s recommended budget, it did include amendments that made minor adjustments to the human services, housing commission and District Court budgets.
In addition, direction was given to increase fire staff if additional revenue from the state is obtained via fire protection grants. A more extensive description of the key highlights included in the budget can be found on page one of the draft budget book. To view the May 21 meeting in its entirety, visit CTN’s Video on Demand. 
AAPD welcomes new officers
Ann Arbor police services held a swearing-in ceremony on May 11 to welcome five new police officers (pictured above).
City Council’s recently adopted fiscal year 2013 budget, which begins on July 1, 2012, will include one additional full-time police officer position and the hiring of five part-time officers for a new recruit program.
Historic District Commission Awards
The City of Ann Arbor Planning and Development Services Unit together with the Ann Arbor Historic District Commission will present the 2012 Historic District Commission Awards on Monday, June 4 during the introduction portion of the City Council meeting. Certificates will be awarded for preservation, rehabilitation, lifetime achievement, special merit and two centennial awards — all in honor of National Preservation Month in June. Go online for a complete list of this year’s honorees.
Visitor parking
Are you planning to visit Ann Arbor Larcom City Hall or the Ann Arbor Justice Center? There are now three additional short-term, metered parking spaces on the southeast (Huron Street) side of the municipal center site, which is located at 301 E. Huron St. These new spaces are especially convenient for after-hours visitors to the site. Just cross the bridge through the municipal center plaza to reach either buildings’ entrance.
The science of road construction
After nearly six weeks of construction, Huron Parkway, between Hubbard and Fuller, is now complete, and the road is reopened. Still, with plenty of other road projects underway, here is some insight into road construction planning in the City of Ann Arbor.
Prioritization
When choosing which roads will be reconstructed, the city first calculates the best return on investment, to make sure street millage money is invested in the most economical way. This includes taking into account the condition of the city's utilities. For example, it is prudent to repair water and sewer lines ahead of street resurfacing projects, so the streets do not have to be opened again shortly after the reconstruction. If a water main is identified to need replacement, the city adjusts road project priorities to minimize the overall expenditure.
Detours
When it comes to rerouting traffic due to construction activities, the detour options are admittedly limited. A street map of Ann Arbor will clearly show the general "wheel and spoke" shape of the city’s road system, with some areas in a grid pattern. As a result of this configuration, there are few substitute routes capable of providing convenient detours.
CTN open house
Ann Arbor Community Television Network is hosting the annual Alliance For Community Media – Central States Regional Conference June 14–16. To kick off the event, CTN is holding a free public open house with a tour of its studio Thursday, June 14 at 6 p.m. Visit CTN online for more information.
Stay safe in the heat
Veteran hiring fair
The Department of Veterans Affairs is hosting the VA for Vets Hiring Fairshowcasing careers for veterans in the public and private sectors. This event is June 26–28 at Cobo Center in Detroit and includes on-site job coaching, career and resume-building classes as well as interviews with both federal agencies and private companies. The free hiring fair has over 5,000 jobs committed to veterans.
The hiring fair is part of the overall, first-ever National Veterans and Small Business Conference, June 26–29, which also will feature two additional distinct events:
- A free Veteran Open House will welcome veterans and their family members to visit over 150 booths. This event will provide everything from on-site benefits enrollment to dental and physical exams, educational opportunities and support services.
- A Small Business Conference, where small businesses can meet with federal procurement officials and industry leaders to promote their products and services, and gain insight into the government contracting process.
Are you bilingual?
The City of Ann Arbor is dedicated to making its services, programs and activities available to everyone, regardless of language barriers. Through this commitment, the city is taking steps to implement a Limited English Proficiency (LEP) Plan, designed to provide language assistance to individuals who do not speak, write, read or understand English well.
The city is seeking out residents who may be interested in volunteering for translation services, especially for Ann Arbor’s Hispanic- and Chinese-speaking populations. Competent translators are being sought who demonstrate one or more of the following: evidence of training that includes skills and ethics of translation; proficiency in English and the other language; ability to convey information in both languages, accurately and completely; and a fundamental knowledge in both languages of any specialized terms or concepts.
If you are interested and believe you qualify to volunteer, please call or email Amy Seavitt, HR assistant, at 734.794.6122.
Kudos
The Certificate for Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting has been awarded to the City of Ann Arbor by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada for its comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR). The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management. The city’s CAFR is recognized for demonstrating a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the CAFR. In addition, the city also received the Award of Financial Reporting Achievement.
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In this issue: FY 2013 Budget approved *AAPD new officers * Historic District Commission Awards * Visitor parking * Road construction * CTN Open House * Stay safe in the heat * Veteran hiring fair* Are you bilingual? * Kudos * Green Fair * Farmers Market for all * DEQ brownfield grant * Ann Arbor is Pure Michigan * Recycling electronics *Recyclebank update * Dates to remember
12th annual Green Fair is Friday, June 8!
Main Street will be closed to vehicles, but open for pedestrians, during the 12th annual Mayor’s Green Fair 6 to 9 p.m. on Ann Arbor’s Main Street. The event includes free entertainment and over 100 exhibits with environmental information, hands-on youth activities, Clean Energy Expo, green commuting options and more. Go to the Green Fair website for more information, www.a2gov.org/greenfair. 
Farmers Market makes healthy food available for all
The Ann Arbor Farmers Market, 315 Detroit St., is one of the oldest, largest producer-only markets in Michigan, turning 93 years old this year. As part of its mission, the market began a collaboration in 2009 to help ensure locally grown, nutritious offerings are available to the entire community by accepting state-aided purchases through the Michigan Department of Human Services Bridge Card.
The process is simple … Holders of a state-issued Bridge Card can visit the market office to get tokens to use for market purchases; request a dollar amount to use at the market; swipe the Bridge Card; the requested amount is deducted; and market tokens are issued to use at participating market vendor stalls.
The Bridge Card can be used to buy fresh food including fruits, vegetables, meat, cheese, bread, eggs, and plants to grow vegetables and herbs in your own gardens (please note that hot food items are not eligible for Bridge Card purchases). Look for a "Bridge Card Tokens Accepted Here" sign in vendors' stalls, which will identify those who accept Bridge Card tokens.
More good news for Bridge Card holders: The Double Up Food Bucks program will begin Saturday, June 2 at the Ann Arbor Farmers Market, allowing you to double your Bridge Card dollars.
For added convenience to all shoppers, the token system is also available for any market guest who wishes to have a credit card swiped in exchange for market tokens.
The Ann Arbor Farmers Market is open year round on Saturdays, and May through December on Saturdays and Wednesdays. A dynamic evening market takes place Wednesday evenings in the spring and summer. Go online for more information.
DEQ brownfield grant
The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality has awarded a $1 million brownfield redevelopment grant to help clean up and return the former Georgetown Mall site to commercial use. Past development efforts of the 6.7-acre site on Packard Street on Ann Arbor’s south side have been hindered by contamination of soils under the building from a dry cleaning business that previously operated in the mall, thus the reason for the brownfield classification.
The grant will be administered by the Washtenaw County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority to facilitate the site’s reuse, including removal of contaminated soils, demolition of the existing buildings and the development of mixed-use space. The new development will be pedestrian friendly, with a bus stop, secure bicycle parking, a pocket park and will have on-site stormwater management.
Ann Arbor is Pure Michigan
The Ann Arbor Area Convention & Visitors Bureau is partnering with Travel Michigan for a fifth consecutive year to nationally promote the Ann Arbor area through the state’s renowned Pure Michigan campaign. The partnership includes the Ypsilanti Area CVB, Ann Arbor SPARK and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Michigan.org, the official Pure Michigan campaign site, was the most visited state tourism website in the U.S. from 2007 to 2011.
This “sense of place” partnership is the first of its kind in the state and aims to highlight Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County as a destination for both tourism and economic development. Tourism supported 6,386 jobs countywide in 2011, up from 5,600 jobs in 2010.
Recycling electronics
Did you know electronics, such as televisions, computers/monitors, etc., are prohibited from Ann Arbor’s trash and recycling carts and dumpster collection program? That’s because toxic chemicals can be released during the refuse-collection (crushing and compacting) process. Instead, please take note of other, safe ways to dispose of these items.
Michigan has an e-waste take back law which requires manufacturers to offer free and convenient take back programs to ensure that all televisions, computers, and printers are fully recycled. (Before you recycle your computer, just be sure to erase the unit’s hard drive to eliminate personal data. Best Buy’s website, under “recycling,” offers a brief video showing how to erase data from a hard drive.) Visit the city website to learn about electronics disposal programs available in the Ann Arbor area. There are also several mail-back options for computers and televisions offered by the different manufacturers posted at www.michigan.gov/deqewaste. And periodic computer and television collection-day events are held in the area. Go to the city’s website to find more information on recycling in Ann Arbor.
Recyclebank program update
In May, Ann Arbor City Council voted to end the Recyclebank recycling rewards program, effective Aug. 31, 2012. After this date, you will no longer be eligible to receive points for recycling at home. Recyclebank recently distributed this information in a letter to its Ann Arbor members.
The good news is you can continue to spend your Recyclebank points as well as explore many other ways to earn points for living a more sustainable lifestyle at www.Recyclebank.com. Please note, Recyclebank Points expire after 12 months of no account activity (i.e., earning outside of recycling rewards and/or redeeming points for rewards). Further, local reward partners in Ann Arbor have been notified of this Council decision and are encouraged to stay part of the Recyclebank program beyond August. For more information, visit Recyclebank online. 
Dates to remember
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