Sunday, February 16, 2014

Ann Arbor City Council preview for Tuesday, 18 February 2014

A preview of what's coming for Ann Arbor City Council for Tuesday (not Monday), 18 February 2014. The meeting agenda is on Legistar.

Highlights: The defunding of the Percent for Art program proceeds apace, with a public hearing and three agenda items on the ticket. One proposal, put forth by Sabra Briere, would defund the Argo Cascades art project since no artist has been selected for the location. Council is also going to consider the purchase of the Edwards Brothers Malloy property on S State St.

As always the Ann Arbor Chronicle has a longer preview. The Ann Arbor News also previews the Edwards Brothers Malloy purchase.


PH-1. Public hearing, Hoffman zoning, (including Biercamp) 1643-1645 S State St. Proposal to rezone from Unzoned to C1.

PH-2. Public Art amendment public hearing. Expect a lot of speechifying.

A-1. Council minutes, including redacted council emails during sessions. Nothing juicy.

Consent agenda, usually approved without argument.

CA-1. "Billing for water service, sanitary sewer service, and stormwater service shall be the responsibility of the Public Services Area of the City, but the Council may, by resolution, transfer such responsibility to the City Treasurer." The proposal would move this responsibility from the Public Services Area to the Treasurer.

CA-2. $24,431 to DLT Solutions for Autodesk drafting software, in order to bring the city in compliance with its licensing terms after a licensing audit.

CA-3. Reset poverty levels for homestead property tax exemptions from 1998 levels, and set an asset test.

CA-4. Ann Arbor Marathon street closings, March 30, 2014.

CA-5. Ann Arbor Art Fairs street closings, July 15 - July 20, 2014.

CA-6. $93,800 to purchase Small Rear Loading Refuse Truck from Bell Equipment Co.

CA-7. $83,200 to purchase a wood chipper from Bandit Industries.

CA-8. $50,320 for two 15 passenger vans to support canoe livery rentals.

CA-9. $47,971 for three rapid rectangular flashing beacons (RRFBs) at Geddes Road at Gallup Park; Fuller Road 400 feet east of Cedar Bend Drive; and on South University Avenue at Tappan Avenue.

B-1. Hofmann zoning, see PH-1.

B-2. Public art ordinance amendments.

DC-1. Return uncommitted public art funds. 8 votes required, $819,005.00. Sponsors: Lumm, Eaton, Sumi.

DC-2. Establish a timeline to return public art funds and transition plan. 8 votes required. $957,140. Sponsors: Briere. "RESOLVED, That the Public Art Commission will complete two public art works (Stadium Bridges and the rain garden), under the former Percent-for-Art funding mechanism, but will cease all work on the proposed project at Argo Cascades, as this effort has not yet resulted in the selection of an artist."

DC-3.  Recommend the Ann Arbor Housing Commission’s Request for an Allocation from the Ann Arbor Affordable Housing Trust Fund. "The City Council directs the City Administrator to prepare a budget amendment for the allocation of $600,000 from the AAAHTF for Phase I of AAHC's proposal and submit it to the Agenda on the receipt of the proceeds from the closing of the old YMCA lot."

DB-1. Resolution to adopt a Green Streets policy.

DB-2. Greenbelt expansion in Scio Township, $39,000.

DB-3. More greenbelt expansion in Scio Township, $25,200.

DS-1. $1,437,042.90 for employee and retiree healthcare to Blue Cross Blue Shield.

DS-2. Apply for, and accept if award, a Assistance to Firefighters Grant from the Department of Homeland Security ($300,726) and provide local match from the general fund ($33,414).

DS-3. $47,200 for salt from the Detroit Salt Company.

DS-4. $441,535.30 for a sewer truck ("Vactor").

DS-5. $176,472 for an excavator.

DS-6. Exercise right of first refusal on the Edward Brothers Malloy property, S State St. 8 votes required, and there is no detailed text in the agenda item.

Reports and communications:

F-1. The State of Michigan has received a copy of the Articles of Incorporation of the Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority adding the Charter Township of Ypsilanti.

F-2.  The Michigan State Tax Commission has identified a number of problems with the city's assessment program, for which corrective action is needed. Among the listed problems were the lack of Board of Review minutes filed with the City Clerk.

F-3.  Comcast is changing some cable channels, including adding Revolt and changing Oxygen.

F-4. "The City Planning Commission recommends to City Council that Kirk Westphal be reappointed as the Planning Commission representative to the Environmental Commission."

Minutes.

No fewer than 18 different boards and commissions reported minutes to the Clerk. Some of these are the tardy minutes from the Board of Review (dating back to March 2013) that were noted in F-2. Other late minutes include the Environmental Commission Meeting Minutes of July 25, 2013, the Human Rights Commission Minutes of October 9, 2013, and the Smart Zone/LDFA Regular Board Meeting Minutes of September 17, 2013 and October 15, 2013.

1 comment:

  1. What I really like about the picture is the guy starting at the camera wearing sunglasses.

    ReplyDelete