| A2 City News June 2021 Newsletter
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| 06/01/2021
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City facilities reopening
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) emergency rules and guidance were recently updated to align with Centers for Disease Control recommendations. Some of these rules take effect June 14 and some on July 1.
The city is actively working to implement workplace changes and develop a reopening plan and date for city facilities. While an exact date has not been identified, it will be sometime in early July. The city will communicate the date via all channels ? including Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/TheCityOfAnnArbor), Twitter (https://twitter.com/a2gov), NextDoor and via email (subscribe at http://service.govdelivery.com/service/subscribe.html?code=MIANNA_5) in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!
In the meantime, you can always contact the city?s customer service center for assistance Monday?Friday, 7:30 a.m.?5:30 p.m. (except holidays) at 734.794.6320 or via email at [email protected].
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Curbside collections holiday delay
Reminder: Due to Memorial Day, trash/recycling/compost collection is delayed by one day during the holiday week, taking place Tuesday, June 1, through Saturday, June 5.
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2021 season operations update for Buhr, Fuller and Veterans Memorial park pools
Beginning Monday, June 14, City of Ann Arbor outdoor pools will increase capacity and no longer limit lap swimming to one person per lane. Staff is evaluating lower capacity options for immunocompromised individuals and other designated groups.
5/29?6/13/2021: Operating under existing reservation system with existing capacity limitations in order to provide time to update staffing models and set up new operating procedures.
6/14?/30/2021: Increase capacity limits for lap swimming and general swim. Pool admissions will be available in two-hour blocks and can be purchased online or at the pool the day of, if spaces are available. Fuller Pool will have up to 150 spots available per two-hour block while Buhr Park Pool and Veterans Memorial Park Pool will have up to 90 spots available per two-hour block. Typically, up to three swimmers per lap lane will be allowed.
7/1/2021: Operational adjustments may be made based on updated information from regulatory agencies.
Due to staffing levels developed under previous MDHHS orders, and historically low numbers of job applicants, hours and offerings will vary from previous years' schedules. Safety of swimmers is of the utmost importance and capacity limit and program offerings will be scaled as necessary to reflect staffing levels.
Reservation and admission systems
All three city pools will continue to use the current reservation system and maintain limited capacity through Sunday, June 13. To reserve a spot prior to June 13, please visit https://a2gov.getomnify.com/.
For admissions on or after June 14, individuals are encouraged to purchase online at http://www.a2gov.org/parksregister or pay daily admissions at the pools. City parks & recreation will provide more details regarding this process after June 4.
For complete information, please visit https://www.a2gov.org/departments/Parks-Recreation/play/Pages/Swimming.aspx.
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Playground resurfacing to take place
The following parks will be receiving new engineered wood fibar during week of May 31: Tuebingen Park, Longshore Park, Wurster Park, Plymouth Parkway Park, Creal Park, Baxter Park, Leslie North Park, South Maple Park, Leslie South Park, Veterans Memorial Park, Hunt Park, Clinton Park. Playgrounds listed above will be closed while work is taking place. Weather permitting, work will be complete by Friday, June 4. Questions or concerns? Contact Adam Fercho, park planner/landscape architect, at [email protected].
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A2ZERO Week
June 1, 2021, marks the one-year anniversary of the City of Ann Arbor?s plan to achieve a just transition to community-wide carbon neutrality, known as A2ZERO. To commemorate this event, the city has organized a weeklong (June 1?6) series of more than 20 online and in-person family-friendly events with opportunities to learn more, get involved and have fun while working collectively to achieve a more just and sustainable future. See the full calendar of events at https://www.a2gov.org/departments/sustainability/Newsletter-Events/a2zero-week/Pages/default.aspx.
Some highlights of the celebration:
Ann Arbor Green Fare June 1?6 will showcase local, sustainable, plant-based menus, approaches to carryout and other business operations from a variety of merchants. Learn more at www.a2gov.org/GreenFare.
Climate, Justice, and Resilience: A Chat with Andrew Wishnia, deputy assistant secretary for climate policy at the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). This online event takes place Friday, June 4, 10-11 a.m., and will include a presentation and moderated question-and-answer session exploring USDOT efforts around climate and equity, and how to get more involved. To attend this free session, follow this live link at 10 a.m. on June 4: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82503128041.
On Sunday, June 6, the community is encouraged to get involved by participating in the A2ZERO Week Day of Service. See all of the ways to help out ? from volunteering with a local organization or event to donating at a food bank ? at http://bit.ly/a2zerodayofservice.
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2021 construction season
Ann Arbor?s 2021 road construction "season" is ongoing, with many projects underway and more to come this summer and fall.
For a list of all scheduled projects, please visit www.a2gov.org/roadconstruction. Here you will find a helpful map as well as links to various projects that may involve utility work and road reconstruction.
To stay up to date on road or lane closures, which may include special events and emergency repair work, please visit www.a2gov.org/roads. On this site, you can also sign up for email or text alerts so you are always up to speed on any closures. The city also partners with WAZE to show current city closures in the travel app.
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Apply to serve on the equity steering committee
An initiative has launched to help the city function in a more inclusive and equitable manner, ensuring there are opportunities for community members to have their voices heard and to be part of local decision making. This initiative, known as Ann Arbor Equitable Engagement, will help define what equity and equitable engagement mean to Ann Arborites and uncover appropriate pathways to bring a greater diversity of voices into local processes.
Efforts are now underway to form a steering committee to unite community members and representatives of local organizations who are committed to advancing equity. Watch for more information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4_S3VtpyZM.
Committee members will work with the community to collaboratively co-define what equity means in Ann Arbor and to develop a series of engagement policy, tools and practice recommendations that will ensure participation is accessible and welcoming.
Learn more and apply to join the Ann Arbor Equitable Engagement Steering Committee. Visit www.a2gov.org/A2EquitableEngagement for details and an application, or request a paper form by calling 734.794.6430, ext. 42590. Applications are due by Monday, June 7, 2021.
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U.S. Census Bureau surveying continues
Did you know? In addition to the decennial census that was recently completed for 2020, residents and business owners may still receive other questionnaire(s) in the mail from the U.S. Census Bureau. That?s because the Census Bureau has surveys in circulation year round.
Two types of surveys, in particular, are going on now through September: The American Community Survey collects population and housing information to help local officials and businesses understand the changes taking place in their communities. Other questionnaires, the Household Pulse Surveys, were launched specifically in response to COVID-19 and the urgent need to measure temporary social and economic trends in households and small businesses ? there's a separate survey for both of these groups.
Census workers are currently knocking on doors in the community to follow up on these surveys that perhaps have not yet been returned. If you get the survey(s) in the mail, please do your part and respond. And if you get a visit from a survey taker, often a neighbor who lives in our own city, please be kind, ask for valid identification and, if you're comfortable, answer the door.
Learn about how to properly identify a census worker at https://www.census.gov/library/fact-sheets/2020/dec/how-to-identify-a-census-taker.html. For details about U.S. Census Bureau surveys ? and how to apply for Census Bureau jobs ? visit www.census.gov.
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CTN highlights
Check out CTN?s wide range of programs available to watch online now!
2021 A2ZERO Sustainability Forum 4 of 5: Energy Efficiency & Electrification ? Discussion of the magic of electricity; how we create it, how we use it; and what is in store for the future: https://youtu.be/kKEmufmOS54.
A4 Spring Photo Challenge ? All About Ann Arbor (A4) asked for your best photos of spring in Ann Arbor during the A4 Spring Photo Challenge. Here are the top 20: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7FI5FrxCj0&t=2s.
Adventures in Crafting ? Learn to make your very own Emoji and make it grow into a flower: https://youtu.be/o6eSJTK410g.
Adventures in Parenthood ? Guests Suzanne Greenberg with Michigan Children?s Trust Fund and Michelle Walters with the Washtenaw Area Council for Children share the resources to keep kids safe in any circumstance: https://youtu.be/N1GbXN_DXQc.
Cicada Emergence 2021 PSA ? The City of Ann Arbor is suspending spring tree planting in anticipation of 17-year cicada emergence: https://youtu.be/m1HyVNZij1w.
FYI, Cheryl Saam, recreation supervisor for the Ann Arbor Canoe Liveries, talks how to celebrate the Huron River all month long; A4 Spring Photo Challenge; learn how to join a CSA; and get some bike safety tips: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouRC9oyuwLY&t=237s.
Green Room ? Peggy Ferrell of HouseN2Home and Olivia Henz of TheDotOrg discuss how their programs are benefiting both our human and natural environment, by distributing ?not new, but perfectly good? items to people experiencing homelessness: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTWdX2Ne4Zw&t=62s.
Happy Tails, New Beginnings Animal Rescue, the crazy cat people your mother warned you about! Learn about the rescue that devotes 100% of their time, energy and recourses to the cats in their care: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8ki8diHok0.
Ward Talk, with Ann Arbor Councilmember Lisa Disch from Ward 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ci2CmD3PAQ0&t=20s.
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Good news!
- The Ann Arbor City Clerk's Office was recently featured on ElectionLine (https://electionline.org/electionline-weekly/2021/05-13/) to highlight its satellite office that was opened for the 2020 presidential election at the University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA). The article notes the positive working relationship between the city clerk's office and the university for the shared interest in ensuring access to voting for all Ann Arbor residents, including new voters on campus. The article focuses on the relationship as a model for other college towns. This relationship between the city clerk?s office, U-M government relations, Ford School and Ginsberg Center has existed for many years to promote elections and voting on campus. This latest recognition for the project will be read by election officials across the country.
- Ann Arbor Public Schools has been ranked No. 10 on the Niche list of Best School Districts in Michigan. Read more at https://www.niche.com/k12/search/best-school-districts/s/michigan/.
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Upcoming online community meetings with TheRide
TheRide is hosting a series of public meetings in June to present and receive feedback on the agency?s fare proposal. TheRide will also share their final updated service plan, which outlines service that begins on Aug. 29. Visit TheRide.org, https://www.theride.org/, or call 734.996.0400 for more information.
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