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A2 City News is e-mailed to newsletter subscribers by the City of Ann Arbor. Please share comments via e-mail or call 734.794.6110, extension 41105. The current A2 City News resident newsletter articles appear in plain-text format below. The newsletter, in its entirety, can be viewed in a format similar to the original e-newsletter by clicking on the following PDF: A2 City News - September 2010, Volume 4, Number 9 (PDF)
A2 City News, September 2010, Volume 4, Number 9:
(originally distributed Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2010, via e-mail to "Resident Newsletter: A2 City News" subscribers)
RecycleBank® has rewards in store
Ann Arbor’s recycling program expanded this summer to accept more types of materials, including plastic bottles, tubs and cups marked #1-7 (except #3/PVC and Styrofoam). All clean containers and papers are now placed together into new, blue recycling carts. These carts have embedded chips that are “counted” each time the cart is picked up for weekly recycling collection. Residents who have signed up with RecycleBank® will receive points from the recycling tonnages collected along the entire neighborhood route. Households can earn hundreds of dollars worth of rewards every year from local and national businesses or choose to donate RecycleBank® points to local schools. Go online to sign up for the RecycleBank® rewards program (and receive optional sustainable living tips) or call 888.563.0114. Once your account is activated, you may direct your RecycleBank® questions to 1.888.727.2978.
September is National Preparedness Month: Are you prepared?
National Preparedness Month is held each September to encourage Americans to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses, and communities. This year will focus on encouraging Americans to work together to take concrete actions toward emergency preparedness. There are simple steps you can take to ensure your safety and well being and that of your loved ones. Some simple steps follow to get you and your family prepared, and additional details are on the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Ready website.
- Prepare for the unexpected by ordering an emergency preparedness kit and developing a family communications plan, which applies to both a natural or man-made emergency.
- Learn more about potential emergencies that could happen in the area where you live and the appropriate way to respond to them.
- Learn about the emergency plans that have been established in your area by your state and local government.
Remember, emergency preparedness is no longer the sole concern of earthquake-prone Californians and those who live in the part of the country known as "Tornado Alley." For Americans, preparedness must now account for man-made disasters as well as natural ones. Knowing what to do during an emergency is an important part of being prepared and may make all the difference when seconds count.
Go online to learn more about the Get Ready campaign, or call 1-800-BE-READY. Also, visit the first floor lobby at City Hall for free brochures and preparedness materials for kids, which are available in limited quantities.
Fall and winter fun with A2 parks and rec
Fall/winter registration of classes and events in the Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation system is underway. You can view the 72-page guide online (PDF/5MB file) or walk into any of our facilities to pick up a program guide. They’ve also been delivered around town at City Hall, the libraries and more.
Registration for instructional classes and events is going on now. Popular activities featured in the guide include: ice skating and hockey lessons for all skill levels at Buhr Park Outdoor Ice Arena and Veterans Memorial Indoor Ice Arena; canoeing/kayaking trips for Argo and Gallup Canoe Liveries; seasonal golf outings at Huron Hills and Leslie Park Golf courses and more.
Also, a wide variety of community enrichment programs are being offered this fall at the Ann Arbor Senior Center. Classes are for all ages and include fitness, finance, music, art and more.
In addition, Mack Indoor Pool, 715 Brooks St. near Seventh Street inside Ann Arbor Open School, is just days away from opening, on Tuesday, Sept. 7. Enjoy open swimming, American Red Cross swim lessons for all ages and skill levels, tot splash, lap lanes, masters a.m. and p.m. programs and the Dawn Ducks. Go online to learn more or call 734.794.6237.
A little fall golf, anyone? Sunday, Sept. 26 is the Fall Scramble Shoot-out at Leslie Park Golf Course (three person, 18-hole scramble). Shotgun start after 8 a.m. Sign in no later than 7:30 a.m. Return entry forms by mail, fax, or in person to Leslie Park Golf Course. The entry fee is $150. This includes golf, cart, skins prizes and a bogey special lunch. Deadline for entries is Sept. 23. Call 734.794.6245 to register.
And not to leave anyone out … Special arrangements will be made after Buhr Pool closes for the season to allow four-footed friends to enjoy a romp in the pool. Pre registration is required, and spaces go quickly. Wednesday, Sept. 8 and Thursday, Sept. 9 from 3 to 8 p.m. (half-hour swim appointments) plus we've added Saturday, Sept. 11 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fee (one dog) $7.50/$6 resident discount; second dog ($3.75/$3 resident discount). Rain dates: Sept. 10 and Sept. 12. Call today 734.794.6234.
Fall leaves management options
Ann Arbor’s fall leaf management program is transitioning this year to weekly collection through the compostables program, provided from April through the end of November. In addition, the city will be accepting unlimited, free leaf drop off at the Compost Center. The advantages of weekly compost leaf pickups include:
- Providing weekly curbside leaf pickups instead of relying on two seasonal street collections.
- Avoiding problems with vehicles parking over leaves on the pickup day
- Preventing leaves from clogging storm drains
- Increasing the efficiency by using existing compost trucks and not deploying additional vehicles to pick up bulk leaves
Leaf check-list:
Argo Dam trail, mill race limited closures begin Sept. 7
City staff continues to carry out the plan outlined in the Argo Dam Consent Agreement with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment. Currently, the vegetation management portion of the plan is in progress. This ongoing and lengthy process, which includes, in part, the careful and necessary removal of identified trees and vegetation from both sides of the embankment, will continue into October.
To meet the tree-removal deadline identified by the MDNRE, both the embankment trail and the mill race will close Monday through Thursday beginning, Tuesday, Sept. 7 for the removal of nearly 100 dead or dying trees on the headrace embankment. Every Friday through Sunday, these areas will reopen to the public for canoeing and use of the border-to-border trail until the project is complete. Signage will be placed at points of entry noting these closures and alternate route suggestions for pedestrians and bicyclists. During the weekly four-day closure, boat rental will be available at Gallup Canoe Livery for pond paddling and modified river trips. Find more details, including an alternate-route map, on the city’s Argo Dam website.
City advances active transportation
The City of Ann Arbor has received federal stimulus funds to improve its active transportation system for pedestrians and cyclists (PDF). This funding along with other resources, has enabled the city to improve accessibility by adding approximately nine miles of new bike lanes, improving 24-plus miles of existing bicycle lanes, and augmenting pedestrian and bicycle safety in the downtown through the addition of new signage and pavement markings. Go online for the full story, and to learn more about the city’s overall nonmotorized plan.
In a roundabout way
If the thought of traffic roundabouts make your head spin, be sure to check out the city’s online resource to help navigate these increasingly popular intersection-control mechanisms. The City of Ann Arbor built its first modern roundabout at Huron Parkway and Nixon Road in 2009.
Urban forestry efforts recognized
The City of Ann Arbor is receiving the 2010 Governmental Award of Excellence in Urban Forestry for significant advances in the urban forestry program. The award is presented by the Michigan Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture. Visit the website for details on Ann Arbor’s urban forest; and don’t forget to take the urban forestry online survey, through Sept. 30, 2010.
Rules of the road
Did you know drivers must stop for pedestrians approaching or in marked crosswalks? That’s the law in Ann Arbor. Please stay alert and be prepared to stop. Details are posted online. Safety starts with you!
Avoid a common fire hazard
Ann Arbor fire services and Community Television Network warn of the dangers of keeping upholstered furniture, intended for indoor use, on porches. In a public service announcement produced by CTN, the city’s fire inspector demonstrates just how quickly this furniture, in particular, can ignite and spread. For this PSA, CTN is currently nominated for a Philo T. Farnsworth Award.
CTN celebrates volunteer producers
Community Television Network recently held a ceremony celebrating the importance of volunteerism to public access television here in Ann Arbor. CTN volunteers collectively produced 324 local programs this past year using CTN’s free television production equipment. “We think it’s important to recognize these Ann Arbor residents and representatives of non-profit organizations for their dedication and contributions to the spirit and philosophy of public access television,” says CTN Manager Ralph Salmeron. “They truly put the ‘community’ into Ann Arbor’s Community Television Network.” To “meet” these talented and community-minded folks, visit CTN online.
PROS Plan update
The City of Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation Open Space Plan update continues. Staff will send a message via e-mail notification and post on the project website when the draft of the plan is available for public review in late September. Currently, the PROS Plan Steering Committee is reviewing the first draft. Again, staff will be looking for public review and comments through October when the plan is posted online. To stay up to date visit the PROS Plan website.
Still time to Bid with Your Lid
Through Oct. 1, 2010, select Ann Arbor grocery stores are hosting Stonyfield Farm's “Bid with Your Lid” program. Shoppers who purchase Stonyfield Farm products can return to any of the participating Ann Arbor grocery stores to cast their vote for any of three Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation entities: Mack Indoor Pool, Ann Arbor Senior Center and the Ann Arbor Parks and Recreation Scholarship Fund. The program that receives the most votes at the end of the eight-week campaign will receive a $15,000 donation from Stonyfield Farm.
Visit the parks and recreation website for event locations and times. More information is also available on Stonyfield Farm’s site.
City seeks TIGER II funding for East Stadium bridges replacement
On Aug. 23, 2010, City of Ann Arbor staff submitted to the U.S. Department of Transportation a completed Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) II funding application for the East Stadium Boulevard Bridges Replacement and Improvement Project. This is the second TIGER application submitted by City of Ann Arbor staff in their continuing efforts to secure federal or state funds for this project. According to the USDOT, TIGER II project funding is expected to be announced sometime in October. See full details on this project on the city’s website (PDF).
City meetings and Events
City government offices are closed Monday, Sept. 6 in observance of Labor Day. Trash, compost and recycling collection is delayed by one day, Tuesday through Saturday. Click here for a listing of city events and meetings.
City Contact Info
City Clerk’s Office
Second floor, City Hall
734.794.6140
E-mail: cityclerk@a2gov.org
City Hall
100 N. Fifth Ave., Ann Arbor
734.994.2700 / 734.794.6000
Customer Service Center
First floor, City Center Building
734.994.2700
E-mail: customerservice2@a2gov.org
Fire Services
Non-emergency: 734.794.6961
Parks and Recreation Customer Service
Cobblestone Farm
2781 Packard Road, Ann Arbor
734.794.6230
E-mail: parks&rec@a2gov.org
Planning and Development
(Temporary location as of February 2009) 2000 S. Industrial
734.794.6265
E-mail: building@a2gov.org
Police Services
Non-emergency: 734.994.2911
E-mail: police@a2gov.org
Trash collection, recycling, etc.
734.99.GREEN
Web address: www.a2gov.org/recycle
Additional Resources
The following list highlights additional city resources located on the city publications Web page or in hard-copy format in the lobby of City Hall. Copies of city’s major plans can also be viewed in the City Clerk’s office.
- Natural Area Preservation newsletter
- Parks and recreation program brochure
- Fire services newsletters
- Tree Town Log monthly calendar and online calendar
- WasteWatcher quarterly newsletter
- Water Matters quarterly newsletter
Special Accomodations
If you know a city resident who requires this newsletter in an alternative format, please e-mail the city communications office or call 734.794.6110, extension 41105.
Persons with disabilities are encouraged to participate in public meetings. Accommodations, including sign language interpreters, may be arranged by contacting the City Clerk’s office at 734.794.6140 or by written request via e-mail, or mailed or delivered to the City Clerk’s office, 100 N. Fifth Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48104. Requests need to be received at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting.
City Mission Statement
The City of Ann Arbor is committed to providing excellent municipal services that enhance the quality of life for all through the intelligent use of our resources while valuing an open environment that fosters fair, sensitive and respectful treatment of all employees and the community we serve.
City Council
Go to the city’s Web site for contact information for council members or to determine your ward; or contact the City Clerk’s office, second floor of City Hall, at 734.794.6140.
City Administration