A2Council Meeting Summaries

Month: May 2021

Ann Arbor City Council: May 17, 2021

This was the twentieth eighth Ann Arbor City Council meeting since Governor Whitmer declared a state of emergency and stay-at-home order due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This meeting was held online via the Zoom application. Michigan Open Meetings Act changes effective April 1, 2021 require all Council Members to state their location.

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Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary

APPROVED: Juneteenth will be recognized and commemorated on the third Saturday in June, starting on June 19, 2021. The City of Ann Arbor will observe it the Friday before the holiday, with City Hall buildings closed in observance. (Legistar)

APPROVED: A Temporary Emergency Ordinance will regulate Third Party Delivery Service for so long as the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services orders restrict indoor dining establishments. Regulations will limit a commission or delivery charge to no more than 15% of purchase price (unless a higher rate is agreed upon in exchange for additional service). Third party delivery services will be in violation of the ordinance if they post inaccurate or misleading information about an Ann Arbor restaurant or such restaurant’s menu. (Legistar)

APPROVED: The City Council Legislative Policy Agenda for FY22 articulates the values and goals driving advocacy at the state level in the interests of Ann Arbor. (Legistar)

APPROVED: Ann Arbor City Budget and Related Property Tax Millage Rates for Fiscal Year 2022. The budget proposed by the City Administrator was amended by Council to redirect funds in the following ways: (Legistar)

  • https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2021/05/ann-arbor-cuts-deer-cull-adds-funding-for-center-of-the-city-healthy-streets.html
  • AMENDMENT: Add $75,000 to City Attorney Office for succession planning for Stephen Postema.

  • AMENDMENT: Add $320,830 to fund Healthy Streets at S. Main and Packard, also add $33,143 to fund Healthy Streets on 34 local neighborhood streets.

  • AMENDMENT: Remove $120,000 funding for the deer cull and add to General Fund balance. Note that all of this money was distributed in amendments below.

  • AMENDMENT: Add $145,929 for a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion officer. Funded from $20,000 General Fund balance (deer cull), $52,964 from Sustainability & Innovations (reductions in professional development, materials & supplies), $72,965 contributions from other city departments.

  • AMENDMENT: Add $40,000 for planning to support the Center of the City. Funded from General Fund balance (deer cull).
  • AMENDMENT: $200,000 for City Attorney Office for expert witnesses and public services litigation. Funded from $74,000 Water Supply System, $76,000 Sewage Disposal System, $50,000 Stormwater Sewer System.
  • AMENDMENT: Add $250,000 to fund traffic calming on major streets and other road treatments (curb extensions, centerline hardening, and slow turn wedges). Funded by removing $132,000 budgeted for street light replacements, removing $58,000 budgeted for pedestrian safety education, and using $60,000 from General Fund balance (deer cull).
  • AMENDMENT: Add $300,000 for “quick build” safety projects on major streets at focus corridors and intersections.
  • AMENDMENT: Remove $158,000 funding for Chief Strategy Executive in the Ann Arbor Police Department.
  • AMENDMENT: Add $76,690 to Parks and Recreation as part of the “Parks Fairness Resolution”, which increases the General Fund Parks & Recreation budget at the same percentage as the average General Fund overall budget percentage increase.

A2ELNEL Voting Chart

Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for May 17, 2021 Part 1
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for May 17, 2021 Part 2
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for May 17, 2021 Part 3

Ann Arbor City Council: May 3, 2021

This was the twenty seventh regular Ann Arbor City Council meeting since Governor Whitmer declared a state of emergency and stay-at-home order due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This meeting was held online via the Zoom application. Michigan Open Meetings Act changes effective April 1, 2021 require all Council Members to state their location.

Legistar
YouTube
Newsletter
Voting Chart

Ann Arbor City Council Meeting Summary

APPROVED: Amendments to an ordinance regulating Short term rentals, removing language that restricts location by zoning district. Short term rental is a newly defined use, added to the City zoning code. This change creates a new class of “legal non-conforming use,” permitting all current investment properties – non-owner occupied short term rentals established prior to March 1, 2021 – to continue operating indefinitely in residential areas. New investment properties would be prohibited in residential areas moving forward. (Legistar) (Legistar)

APPROVED: $646,595.50 for renovation of the Border-to-Border Pathway at the Gallup Park Vehicle bridge and Mitchell Field bridge. (Legistar)

APPROVED: City Council asks the Michigan Department of Transportation to take deliberate measures to either reduce speeds, re-engineer the road to increase traction and prevent hydroplaning, or take other steps to reduce the frequency of truck crashes on Eastbound M14. This resolution will be sent to state legislators.and Governor Whitmer. (Legistar)

DEFEATED: Budget amendment to appropriate $320,830.00 from the Major Street Fund Balance and $33,143.00 from the Local Street Fund Balance to fund 2021 Healthy Streets Deployment: 34 residential “Slow Streets”, temporary reconfiguration at South Main, and permanent re-design of Packard. (Legistar)

APPROVED: City Council expresses support for State Senate Bill 352, which restores local control over gun regulations on public property. Cities, townships, and counties would be able to adopt rules like those governing courthouses or schools. (Legistar)

APPROVED: Amendments to Council Rules restricting the addition of items to the agenda after 5 PM on the Thursday before a meeting. New rules require three cosponsors to add a late agenda item, create a “Proposed Agenda Items” section to the agenda, require a vote in order to add late items and reduce the vote required (from three-quarters to simple majority) to add those items. Problematic language added three months ago (and challenged by the ACLU) is removed. New Rules add a new Ethics violation for “conduct that is unbecoming of a Councilmember.” (Legistar)

REFERRED TO ADMIN COMMITTEE: In consultation with the director of Human Resources, the City Administrator would be asked to spend up to $20,000 to retain a professional mediator to teach effective meeting management and discourse methodology for Councilmembers. (Legistar)

TABLED: The City of Ann Arbor would hold a forum about the Palestinian people and Palestinian-Americans with the goal of having a community conversation. (Legistar)

A2ELNEL Voting Chart

Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for May 3, 2021 Part 1
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for May 3, 2021 Part 2
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for May 3, 2021 Part 3

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My name is Elizabeth Nelson, and I believe that your local government should be accessible and transparent. Since 2018 , I have sent out a newsletter before every Council meeting with my summary of agenda items coming before City Council, plus news and events of interest to Ann Arbor residents.

After each Council meeting, I create and post voting charts so that you can easily see how Council voted, and update this website with meeting summaries that include links to the City’s Legistar website, CTN’s YouTube video, and articles published on MLive.

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