Neighbors, Happy Spring! Thanks to all who came to my coffee hour last Sunday. My next coffee hour will be April 16th from 1-2pm (location TBD). Before I get to a preview of our City Council meeting Monday, here are some things going on around Ann Arbor. Tree Branch Pickup: UPDATE 2 As our City Administrator announced at our meeting on March 20th, we continue the storm clean-up of tree branch and limb debris. As of March 30th, storm crews were about 1/3 done with cleanup and expected to take another month to complete. They are making one pass of the entire city. In the meantime, weekly compost pickup began this week, and they are picking up small bundled branches and what you can place in a compost bin or bags. Residents can also bring materials to the city's compost facilities (4170 Platt Rd), where the standard 1-cubic yard limit for free drop off is being waved through April 17th. To learn more, visit https://www.a2gov.org/departments/trash-recycling/Pages/Compost.aspx (see below about an agenda item related to clean-up costs). Ann Arbor PTO Equity Fundraiser In our district, PTO income varies with a range of $40/student/year to $238/student/year. PTO income is lower at schools with more economically disadvantaged students, at more diverse schools, and at schools with a higher percentage of disabled students, making this another area of inequity for AAPS students and families. The Ann Arbor PTO is holding its first-ever, district-wide fundraiser to directly support our less-resourced schools. To learn more and donate, visit: https://www.gofundme.com/f/ann-arbor-ptoc-20-for-30k-fundraiser. Roll-out Event for Ann Arbor Shared eBike Program On Monday, April 3rd from 1-2pm, at the Allen Creek Berm Tunnel bend (just off the Border-to-Border trail near Main and Depot), the City will hold a roll-out event for our first shared eBike program. I will be there with Mayor Taylor, city leaders, other elected officials, and representatives from e-bike company, Spin. Residents can learn about this new program and test ride an eBike at this event (please bring your own helmet!). More information: https://www.a2gov.org/news/pages/article.aspx?i=961.
City Council Meeting, Monday, April 3rd at 7pm Please reach out if you have questions, concerns, or thoughts on any of the agenda items. Email: DAkmon@A2gov.org | Phone/text: 734-492-5866
Response Memo to councilmember questions: there were no agenda questions this week
There are a few ways to share your thoughts on agenda:
Email City Council: CityCouncil@a2gov.org
Comment at the meeting (remote or in person): Call the City Clerk's office at 734-794-6140 beginning at 8 a.m. on the day of the meeting to reserve a public speaking time. NOTE: you do not need to reserve time to speak during a "public hearing" item.
A few items of note from the agenda:
CA-4 Resolution to Approve the City's Participation in the Settlements of the National Prescription Opiate Litigation Against Allergan, Teva, CVS, and Walmart. This resolution would enable the City to receive settlement funds from the national prescription opioid litigation against Allergan, Teva, CVS, and Walmart. Under the settlement, at least 85% of the funds must be used for abatement of the opioid epidemic, with the overwhelming bulk of the proceeds restricted to funding future abatement efforts by state and local governments.
B-1 An Ordinance to Amend Section 8:527 of Chapter 105 (Housing Code) of Title VIII (Building Regulations) of the Ann Arbor City Code (ORD-23-11). Sponsors: Cornell, Akmon, Radina, Ghazi Edwin, and Harrison (this is the second reading and this meeting has a public hearing on the item). The majority of Ann Arbor's residents are renters. While Ann Arbor’s Housing Code requires smoke or fire detectors in all rental units, it does not currently require carbon monoxide detectors. While the Building Code requires carbon monoxide in new construction and for certain alterations, they were not required when much of Ann Arbor’s rental housing stock was built. Carbon monoxide is an invisible killer created when fuels such as natural gas incompletely burn or are poorly ventilated. Carbon monoxide detectors are relatively inexpensive and can save lives. The proposed amendment modifies our city's Housing Code to require carbon monoxide detectors in rental housing units.
DC-1 Resolution to Support Pollinator Habitat in Ann Arbor. Sponsors: Akmon and Disch. At its March 23rd meeting, the Environmental Commission passed a resolution to support pollinator habitat, and CM Disch and I are bringing that resolution forward to Council. This resolution is an evolution of Council's Resolution to Support the No Mow May Initiative in 2022. Specifically, the current resolution expands the support of pollinator habitat to a year-round effort and encourages residents to reduce mowing frequency (especially in the spring), reduce leaf cleanup on their property, increase diverse native plantings, and follow the City's integrated pest management guidelines.
DC-2 Resolution to Ratify an Emergency Best Source Purchase Order with The Davey Tree Experts Company (Davey) for Branch Collection ($250,000) and Increase the Purchase Order Amount ($200,000) for Debris Cleanup related to the February 22 and March 3, 2023 Ice and Snow Storms and To Appropriate the Necessary Funding ($450,000). Ann Arbor's code of ordinances allows the City Administrator to authorize emergency purchase orders. In the wake of the ice storm on Feb. 22nd and subsequent snow storm on March 3rd, the Department of Public Works received authorization for an emergency purchase order to The Davey Tree Expert Company in the amount of $250,000. However, due to the scale of the clean-up, these funds will be exhausted within a couple of weeks, and debris cleanup is anticipated to continue for approximately another month. Therefore, staff is requesting that City Council ratify the Emergency Best Source Purchase Order in the amount of $250,000.00 and also that City Council increase the total amount authorized for the purchase order by $200,000 to a total of $450,000.
AP-1 Resolution to Study the Feasibility of Hot Air Balloons to Expand Transportation Options ($1,500,000). If passed, this resolution would allow the city to explore the feasibility of using a fleet of hot air balloons to expand mobility options for residents. Benefits already identified include avoiding street-level traffic of all kinds and boosting mood. The feasibility study will also explore the potential of a hot air balloon fleet to serve as a source of City revenue considering it would make Ann Arbor the only city in the nation to offer this forward-thinking transit option and would most assuredly attract tourists. Learn more! (APRIL FOOLS :))
How Council Voted The Ann Arbor Voting Charts Project is a community-maintained record of voting history for City Council. Check out the March 20, 2023 Voting Chart.