The Newsletter for the City of Ann Arbor,
Michigan August 2012,
Volume 6, Number 8
This is a reprinted
version of the original, which was e-mailed to A2 City News
subscribers on Aug. 1, 2012. Further information on featured topics
and current news can be found at www.a2gov.org.
IN THIS ISSUE
New police chief * Park millage update * A2NonMoto blog * FRA high-speed
rail grant * Police golf outing * CTN podcasts * Vote Aug. 7 * Farmers Market
turns 93 * Street resurfacing * Tree-care tips * A2 social media * “Around Ann
Arbor” * Dates to remember
New police chief
appointed
Ann Arbor City Council has appointed John Seto safety
services administrator and police chief. Since April 1, 2012, Seto has served
in this role on an interim basis. He was originally hired with the city as a
patrol officer in 1990 and was appointed deputy chief of police, operations
division, in 2008.
“The internal promotion of a candidate who meets the
position’s requirements of leadership, management experience, community
involvement, judgment, and trustworthiness is healthy for the police
department,” said Ann Arbor City Administrator Steve Powers. “I’m confident
John has the experience necessary to serve our community well in this role.”
Park millage update
At their June 19, 2012, meeting, the Ann Arbor Parks
Advisory Commission unanimously passed a resolution to recommend placement of a
renewal of the Park Maintenance and Capital Improvements Millage on the
November 2012 election ballot. The resolution also recommends City Council
reaffirm the administrative millage policies to inform voters of the manner in
which it intends to oversee the administration of the millage if the proposed
renewal is approved. This item has been placed on the (Thursday) Aug. 9, 2012,
City Council agenda for review and approval. (The Council meeting is scheduled
on a Thursday, instead of the usual Monday, due to Election Day.)
The Aug. 9 City Council meeting will take place at 7 p.m.
in the second floor Council chambers in Larcom City Hall (301 E. Huron St.). As
with all other regular Council meetings, this meeting will be telecast live on
CTN Channel 16 (Comcast Cable), or watch the meeting live online.
Parks improvements and maintenance activities status
tables are available online, by fiscal year, and list
park projects funded through your support of the 2008–2013 Park Maintenance and
Capital Improvements Millage.
Find your path
The City of the Ann Arbor has launched a blog that
celebrates the culture of nonmotorized transportation within the community:
walking, cycling, etc. The “A2nonmoto”blog contains posts with a wide
variety of features, such as bike helmet-cam videos, photos from bicycling
commuters, pedestrian photos and news from the local and wider nonmotorized
worlds.
The blog serves as a platform for encouragement and
education about the culture of nonmotorized transportation. For more
information on the blog, or how to submit your own bicycling or pedestrian
photos, please email
the city’s transportation office.
City receives FRA
high-speed rail grant
Ann Arbor City Council recently voted to accept a
planning grant from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to support
planning of a proposed new rail passenger station in Ann Arbor. The city, in
cooperation with Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), applied to the
FRA for funding under the FRA’s High Speed and Intercity Passenger Rail
program. The city was awarded a grant of $3.5 million to complete a
comprehensive planning analysis, draft environmental documents and undertake
preliminary engineering for the Ann Arbor station. Originally
identified as an element of the 2006 Ann Arbor Model for Mobility and included
in the 2009 City Transportation Plan Update, this grant allows the city to
continue planning for this essential component of our community’s
transportation system.
City staff is coordinating closely with MDOT and Amtrak
to assure thinking about this facility reflects the community’s needs, state’s
investment in higher-speed intercity passenger rail along the Wolverine Line as
well as the efforts to reintroduce commuter rail service from Ann Arbor to
Detroit. With MDOT investing to acquire and improve this corridor,
increased rail service and demand for access to the rail system is expected. It
is generally recognized that the current station needs to be improved.
Long-term parking is inaccessible to many, as it requires a lengthy walk
without provision for those with mobility limitations. The facility is located
along Depot Street, a road heavily impacted by peak-hour traffic. Transit
connections, limited today, are anticipated to be needed as the rail use and
need for access to the rail service increases. Bus routing to the current
station is impacted by the high volumes of traffic at the station site. With
improved rail service, the shortcomings of the existing station will be
exacerbated.
The grant funds support preparation of a conceptual plan,
environmental review and preliminary engineering. The conceptual planning
process includes review of the current facility, identification of alternative
sites and considerations of how to best proceed. To date, the city has
evaluated 15 sites, including the existing station site for accommodating the
proposed future station. The concept planning process will occur simultaneously
with the environmental review. Under this grant, the city will prepare a
complete environmental assessment report seeking the FRA’s approval of a
project concept. Staff anticipates the project receiving a “Finding of No
Significant Impact” (FONSI), a determination made by the FRA. Once the
environmental review is completed, and FONSI is secured, the city will move
forward and initiate preliminary engineering on the locally preferred
alternative.
Public participation is a fundamental part of this
planning process. Recognizing there have been many public meetings as part of
the Fuller Road Station project, this newly initiated work will provide
additional opportunity for the project team to more fully evaluate and document
the issues taken into consideration in this project. These materials will be
subject to public review at project-related public meetings, as well as other
city boards and commission meetings including the City Council, Planning
Commission, Park Advisory Commission, among others. At this time, the next
public meetings are anticipated to occur later this fall. For more information,
please contact
City Transportation Program Manager Eli Cooper.
Police charity golf
outing
Get ready to golf for a good cause. Registration is going
on now for the 21st annual Ann Arbor Police Charity Golf Outing Friday, Sept.
21 at Leslie Park Golf Course. This year’s event is held in honor of two of the
department’s fallen officers, Jason Zogaib and Vada Murray, raising money for
The Jason Zogaib Memorial Fund and The Vada Murray Fund for Cancer Research.
The four-person scramble includes 18 holes of golf (and
cart); a shotgun start at 9 a.m.; lunch; dinner; raffle, prizes and games; and
more. Space is limited. Click here for details and the registration form
(PDF).
CTN helps you stay in
the know, even on the go
New “On Air with CTN” podcasts provide an audio
overview of everything happening on air and at the studios of Ann Arbor
Community Television Network.
Listen in and find out the line ups for CTN’s four channels (16, 17, 18 and 19 on
Comcast Cable), interviews with special guests, highlights of events new
programs and a rundown of upcoming workshops for city residents and
not-for-profit agencies.
Follow us!
Learn about upcoming meetings, facts, tips and more via
the City of Ann Arbor’s Facebook and Twitter pages. The city posts useful
information — usually on a daily basis. In fact, a local realtor recently named
the City of Ann Arbor’s Twitter page as the No. 1 area “tweep” to follow. You
can also subscribe to receive topic-specific bulletins
directly to your email. Find convenient links to each of these ways to
stay connected on the homepage of the city website.
Vote
Aug. 7
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. for the City
Primary Election on Tuesday, Aug. 7. On Saturday, Aug. 4, the Ann Arbor City
Clerk’s office will be open 8 a.m.–2 p.m. for in-person absentee ballot
requests.
Go to the city election website, www.a2gov.org/elections,
for ballot details and more information, or call 734.794.6140.
Farmers
Market turns 93
Join the fun as the Ann Arbor Farmers Market turns 93 years
old! On Saturday, Aug. 4 from 7 a.m.–3 p.m., the market, located at 315 Detroit
St. in Kerrytown, will celebrate its birthday and its customers. At noon, free
ice cream and toppings donated from market vendors will be served (while
supplies last). Call for details, 734.794.6255, or go online.
Paving
the way to better streets
The city’s 2012 street resurfacing initiative
began in the spring, and as of early August, 20 major and residential streets
have been completed. Not only are streets’ surfaces getting a makeover during
this process, resurfacing also typically consists of removing/replacing
sections of damaged or settled curb; repairing/replacing drainage inlets and
utility structures (manholes); replacing corner ramps (to meet current
Americans with Disability Act standards); and repaving the roadway.
Among the roads undergoing work this month are:
Geddes Avenue between Highland Road and Apple Way.
Intermittent closures of Geddes to through traffic are in effect during
construction, with detour routes posted. Local traffic will be maintained.
Completion is expected in mid August.
Seventh Street between Pauline and Madison.
Northbound traffic is being detoured. Completion is expected in the beginning
of September.
When the initiative comes to a close this fall, 34
streets will have received upgrades. The 2012 street resurfacing project is
funded by the Street Resurfacing Millage approved by voters in 2006.
Visit the 2012 street resurfacing project Web page,
and click on the red envelope to subscribe to receive regular street resurfacing
project e-updates. You may also subscribe for e-updates to know which city
streets have posted detours, on the city’s road and lane closures Web page. http://www.a2gov.org/government/city_administration/City_Clerk/Elections/Pages/Elections.aspx
Tree-care tips
This
spring and summer have been unusually dry, and — coupled with the recent
very-high temperatures — both newly planted and established trees are showing
signs of stress from lack of water. Wilting or curling leaves, leaf/needle drop
and leaf scorch (caused by lack of water and high temperatures) are signs that
your tree needs to be watered immediately.
In
normal precipitation years, Mother Nature provides the water an established
tree needs, and supplemental watering is typically not necessary. This season,
however, calls for human intervention.
A
slow, deep watering is better than short, frequent watering, for both newly
planted and established trees. For newly planted trees and small trees with a
trunk diameter of up to 4 inches, a good watering is 10 gallons per inch of
tree diameter applied in the mulched area around the tree, once per week. For
established, medium trees (5–12 inches), a general guideline for watering
during prolonged dry periods is 10 gallons of water for every 1-inch diameter,
three times per month. Finally, for large trees, with a trunk diameter greater
than 13 inches, 15 gallons of water is needed for every inch of diameter, twice
monthly during prolonged dry periods. For established, trees do not water
within 3 feet of the trunk, as this can lead to root rot.
And
how long should watering take place? In general, use this formula as a
guideline: tree diameter inches x 5 minutes = total watering time.
Find
more information on tree watering, mulching, benefits and more on the city’s
forestry Web pages at www.a2gov.org/trees.
Go "Around Ann Arbor" with CTN
Community
Television Network recently debuted “Around Ann Arbor,” a 10-minute weekly
program featuring upcoming events in the city and surrounding communities.
Following a news-style format, the show promotes events for the week ahead,
making it convenient for viewers to plan their own calendars.
“Around
Ann Arbor” airs on A2TV Channel 17 on Comcast Cable on the following schedule.
- Sundays, noon and 9:05 p.m.
- Mondays, 10 a.m.
- Tuesdays, 3:50 p.m.
- Wednesdays, 7:30 p.m.
- Thursdays, 7:20 p.m.
- Fridays, 1 p.m.
- Saturdays, 1:35 p.m.
- And anytime on CTN
Video On Demand.
“We’ve
taken the electronic bulletin board and brought it to life, another great
reason to tune into your community channels for local information,” said
Melissa Cohn, assistant manager of the public and educational channels.
To
submit an event for consideration, free of charge, please email CTN.
Dates to remember
Among
the many public meetings/events taking place in August, here are some of the
highlights. Please go
online for details and a complete list.
- Wednesday, Aug. 1, join the North
Main Street-Huron River Corridor Task Force for a site
tour.
- The Ann
Arbor Farmers Market celebrates its 93rd birthday
on Saturday, Aug. 4.
- Also on Saturday, Aug. 4, the
Ann Arbor City Clerk’s office will be open 8 a.m.-2 p.m. to accept
absentee ballot requests for the Aug.
7 State Primary Election, which takes place Tuesday,
Aug. 7.
- A special Park Advisory
Commission meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 8.
- Because of the Tuesday, Aug. 7
State Primary Election, the City Council meeting will take place on
Thursday, Aug. 9 rather than the usual Monday schedule.
- The first step to taking free
production workshops at CTN is to
attend the CTN Preview workshop, scheduled on Wednesday, Aug. 29.
