A2 City News & Notes: Budget; winter management; Hazard Mitigation Plan; more

Budget process

Budget planning discussions for fiscal years 2021 and 2022 will begin with City Council work sessions in 2020. Fiscal year 2021 begins on July 1, 2020, and ends June 30, 2021. City Council members can only adopt one fiscal year at a time even though the city plans for multi-year budgets.

City Council work sessions:

The below work sessions are tentatively planned.
Feb. 24 and March 23, 2020 — Council Work Session discussions with staff for budget purposes will be held at Larcom City Hall, Council chambers second floor, 301 E. Huron St. 7 p.m. Meetings will be available to view live in a variety of formats including: Comcast Cable Channel 16, AT&T UVerse Channel 99 or live web stream. The public can also view the meeting later at their convenience via CTN’s YouTube channel.

Budget timeline:

  • January–March: Council work sessions tentatively planned.
  • April: In accordance with City Charter, the City Administrator’s recommended fiscal year 2021 budget is submitted to City Council on April 20, 2020. City Council members can only adopt one fiscal year at a time even though the city plans for multi-year budgets.
  • May: City Council, with at least seven affirmative votes, must adopt the budget no later than its second meeting in May (May 18).

Budget-related feedback or comments are encouraged and may be submitted via email to budget@a2gov.org.

Snow and ice management reminders

  • Residents and/or property owners are responsible for removing snow/ice from adjacent sidewalks, crosswalk ramps and bus stops. Residents/property owners will receive only one warning, per season, before incurring fines.
  • Residential property: Within 24-hours, any accumulation of snow greater than 1 inch must be cleared from adjacent sidewalks, concrete bus stops and crosswalk ramps. Any ice accumulations must be treated within 18-hours of forming with sand, salt or other substance, to prevent it from becoming slippery. The city is not responsible for clearing mailboxes of snow and/or ice.
  • Non-residential property: Any snow/ice that has accumulated by 6 a.m. must be removed from adjacent sidewalks, bus stop walks and crosswalk ramps before noon on the same day.

Find more information about snow and ice management on the city website.

Free sand/salt for residents

The city provides up to five gallons of a sand/salt mixture, per visit, at various locations around Ann Arbor. Residents must bring their own shovel and bucket as well as load material themselves from the marked piles. Sand/salt mixture is not for contractors or landscapers. Material is available now. Locations for pick up include: 721 North Main Street | Almendinger Park | Buhr Park | Burns Park | Huron Hills Golf Course | Leslie Park | Veterans Memorial Park.

Water meter upgrade reminder

The installation of upgraded water meters will begin in Ann Arbor homes and businesses in 2020. This two-year project will replace approximately 26,500 aging meters with newer equipment that uses the latest metering technology and longer battery life. Once installed, these upgraded meters will provide more accurate readings.

What to expect:

  • The city will be sectioned into several upgrade regions.
  • A survey will gather information on potential cross connections prior to installation.
  • An examination of drinking water service line material will occur at the time of upgrade.
  • The installation and inspection process will be completed in approximately 30–60 minutes, with interruptions to water service lasting no more than 15–20 minutes.

More information, and a video explaining the work, can be found on the project website, www.a2gov.org/meterupgrade, or call 734.794.6320.

Hazard Mitigation Plan Feedback Sought

The 2017 Ann Arbor Hazard Mitigation Plan (PDF) was approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in November 2017. Hazard mitigation means reducing the impact of hazards on people and property. A hazard mitigation plan identifies current and projected natural, man-made and technological hazard risks that may impact Ann Arbor and works to develop a strategy to reduce these risks. The city’s technical advisory committee (TAC) meets twice annually to update the mitigation strategy action items within the plan. Since the plan approval, 37 action items have shown progress or revision, and two items have been completed.

In addition to regular TAC review, the city also seeks public feedback regarding specific mitigation strategy actions (beginning on page 246) in the 2017 Ann Arbor Hazard Mitigation Plan. Any feedback or comments help to inform the city’s 2022 plan update, which will begin in 2021. FEMA requires plan updates every five years.

Please contact Director of Emergency Management Rick Norman with comments or questions via email or call 734.794.6980.

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