AA Around Town: Utility bills; Parks remain open; Compost; Census

City utility bills might look different

City of Ann Arbor utility bills will arrive in mailboxes soon. Please be aware that bills will look different than usual. Due to out-of-state supply chain issues, the city is printing and mailing bills in house. This means the bills will be printed on a different type of paper, and may also arrive in a different envelope (though “City of Ann Arbor” will be printed). With reports of COVID-19 scams occurring, the city wants to ensure you are aware of the different appearance to watch out for. If you have any questions or concerns, please leave a message for the customer service center at 734.794.6320 or via email at customerservice@a2gov.org.

Don’t flush wipes

Right now, it is more important than ever to take simple steps to help maintain the functionality of private and public plumbing and sewer systems. “Flushable wipes” create blockages in household pipes and municipal sewer systems and should never be flushed down the toilet, nor should facial tissue or paper towels. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rq5EW_skrwQ) Combined with fats, oil and greases, which should never be poured down the drain, these products can create enormous, and expensive to remove, “fatbergs.” In addition, to ensure that each household has enough toilet paper and stores are able to maintain a steady supply, everyone is encouraged to buy only what they need.

Parks and nature areas remain open

As you know, all parks facilities remain closed and facility recreation events cancelled through Sunday, April 5. However, parks and nature areas are open (find a list/map of city parks here: www.a2gov.org/departments/parks-recreation/parks-places/Pages/default.aspx). Please enjoy fresh air and exercise while, as recommended by the Washtenaw County Health Department, keeping at least 6 feet between yourself and others. The health department also urges us all to continue to avoid gathering in groups of more than 10 people in order to help stop the spread of the virus, adding that the best way to prevent illness is to eliminate direct exposure. The city will continue to monitor this rapidly evolving situation and coordinate closely with our local partners, including Washtenaw County Health Department, to determine if further changes are needed. This and other information is available via the city website at www.a2gov.org/covid19 as well as our Facebook, Twitter and NextDoor pages. For the latest COVID-19 health information, please visit www.washtenaw.org/COVID19 or the Centers for Disease Control www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/.

Carts

Trash, recycling and compost carts are currently not available for purchase/pick up because, due to COVID-19 response, city buildings are currently closed. Cart delivery is available only in cases of lost or stolen carts, which may prevent essential curbside services. If you have a lost or stolen cart, please contact us via www.a2gov.org/A2FixIt, the A2 Fix it app, or by calling and leaving a message with customer service at 734.794.6320

Curbside compost season

This is normally the time of year that Ann Arbor gets excited about compost. Right now, we plan on starting curbside compost collection on Monday, April 6, 2020, as planned. However, we will keep you informed if our COVID-19 response causes changes to that schedule. As a reminder, please do not put carts or bags at the curb prior to April 6/prior to the confirmed start of curbside compost collection. Please visit www.a2gov.org/compost for details on the city’s composting program.

2020 Census

If you haven’t received it yet, your invitation to fill out the 2020 Census will be arriving in your mailbox soon. For the first time in history, you can now fill out your census questionnaire online! You still have the option of responding via mail or by phone; whichever way you choose, please be sure to fill out the form. This ensures everyone is counted in our community and also prevents a census taker from having to visit homes to collect data in person, as we are all limiting our exposure to one another. A complete count gives Ann Arbor the funding needed for social services, infrastructure and more, as well as determines our congressional representation. Also, as a university town, it’s important to know that in most cases, students living away from home at school should be counted at school, even if they are currently temporarily elsewhere due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more on the city’s 2020 Census webpage at www.a2gov.org/Pages/2020-Census.aspx.