This was the forty first 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.
APPROVED: Council appointments to boards, commissions and committees for the upcoming year are changed. Council Member Hayner now has no Council appointed positions. Council Members Briggs, Disch, Eyer, and Grand take positions formerly held by CM Hayner. Council Member Nelson is removed from Budget & Labor committee. Council Member Ramlawi is removed from Budget & Labor and Council Administrative committees. Council Members Disch, Grand and Radina take positions formerly held by CM Nelson and CM Ramlawi. (Legistar)
- A2ELNEL: Statement at the Dec 6, 2021 Council Meeting
- A2ELNEL: Council Appointments & Accountability
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2021/12/ann-arbor-council-members-removed-from-committees-in-7-4-vote-along-factional-lines.html
Two resolutions related to a proposed Climate Action Millage
APPROVED: A Climate Action Millage will be put on the ballot in the general election on November 3, 2022. A millage of 1.0 mills will be collected for 20 years, and is projected to collect $6.8 million in the first year. An earlier version of this proposal would have directed a special election in May 2022. In advance of discussion, a substitute version places the millage on the ballot in the regular November 2022 election. (Legistar)
- DEFEATED: An amendment to change the term of the millage to ten years.
APPROVED: A Resolution of Intent lists the planned use and administration of funds collected from a proposed Climate Action Millage. (Legistar)
- DEFEATED: A postponement in order to have this resolution reviewed and discussed by the Energy and Environmental Commissions.
- A2ELNEL: Thoughts on the Climate Action Millage Proposal
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2021/12/inaction-is-irresponsible-ann-arbor-climate-action-tax-headed-to-ballot.html
APPROVED: Council requests that the DDA extend the Curb Side Carry Out Program and continue the repurposing of 148 regular metered parking spaces through May 31, 2022. These spaces are repurposed to support dozens of local downtown business who must rely on take-out business in order to financially survive. (Legistar)
- DEFEATED: Recusal of CM Ramlawi. Ahead of this meeting, CM Briggs accused CM Ramlawi of a conflict of interest and demanded that he remove himself as the sponsor of DC-6 and recuse himself from the vote. The City attorney’s office advised that there was no conflict of interest.
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2021/12/ann-arbor-to-keep-designated-parking-spots-for-curbside-pickup-downtown.html
APPROVED: $1,093,021.50 allocated from the General Fund to support 6-month transition grants for area nonprofit service providers. This is a response to the end of the Coordinated Funding program and in anticipation of a new Human Services Partnership that is currently being developed between the City and the County. (Legistar)
- $613,764 was already budgeted and allocated for Coordinated Funding in the FY22 General Fund budget
- $350,499 to be appropriated from the County Mental Health Millage fund allocated to affordable housing but unspent
- $128,759 to be appropriated from the General Fund, fund balance for the remaining portion
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2021/12/ann-arbor-oks-479k-in-transition-grants-for-nonprofit-service-providers.html
Three resolutions related to Greenbelt purchases
- APPROVED: $432,334 from the Open Space and Parkland Preservation Millage for the purchase of a Conservation Easement in Scio Township (101.361-acres at Reno Land Co) (Legistar)
- APPROVED: $230,000 from the Open Space and Parkland Preservation Millage for the purchase of the John S. Russell Property (12.5 acres in Scio Township) (Legistar)
- APPROVED: $1,071,750 from the Open Space and Parkland Preservation Millage for the purchase of the Maisel Property (220 acres at Northfield Church Road) (Legistar)
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2021/12/ann-arbor-greenbelt-program-helping-protect-another-334-acres-surrounding-city.html
APPROVED: Site plan for 106 North Fourth Avenue will allow for construction of a two story, 910 square foot addition at the rear of an existing one story office building. It is within the Fourth-Ann Historic district and the City Historic Commission. Council approval is required because this addition is more than 10% of the existing building. (Legistar)
Two resolutions related to electric vehicle chargers
- APPROVED: $367,200 for an agreement between the City and the Downtown Development Authority to fund 80 Electric Vehicle Chargers. (Legistar)
- APPROVED: $525,000 for electric vehicle chargers: 14 level-2 chargers (2000 S. industrial) and four direct current fast chargers (City Hall), and on-call City electric services. (Legistar)
- https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2021/12/80-new-electric-vehicle-chargers-coming-to-downtown-ann-arbor-parking-system.html
APPROVED: $449,034 for engineering design services on a water main, resurfacing, crosswalk lighting, safety improvements, and a 2-way bike facility at State and Hill. (Legistar)
APPROVED: Winchell Park is renamed, in honor of former school board president Dr. Harold J. Lockett. (Legistar)
A2ELNEL Voting Chart
