A2 City News Community Newsletter

Ann Arbor public services administrator appointed to position in Virginia

City of Ann Arbor Public Services Area Administrator Brian Steglitz has accepted a new role as the executive director of the Upper Occoquan Service Authority, a wastewater utility in northern Virginia. His last day with the City of Ann Arbor, after more than 25 years of service, will be April 26. The city plans to name an interim public services area administrator in the coming weeks. Learn more! 

​Earth Day event i​s April 21

The 2024 Earth Day celebration takes place Sunday, April 21, 1–4 p.m. at Leslie Science & Nature Center (LSNC, 1831 Traver Road)! Join this family-friendly event for hands-on activities; live entertainment; green building and commuting technologies; energy topics; water awareness; sustainable agriculture; and much more!

The Ann Arbor Earth Day Festival is a free event thanks to local donors and sponsors, like Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, Huron River Watershed Council, Legacy Land Conservancy, LSNC, in addition to the City of Ann Arbor Parks & Recreation and Office of Sustainability and Innovations.

Details and the activities schedule can be found at www.a2earthday.org.

​Young women, sign up for the Blaze & Blue exp​erience!

The Ann Arbor Fire and Police departments will once again host Blaze & Blue Camp, a free, four-day program Monday, June 24–Thursday, June 27, for local young women ages 15–18 years. The interactive camp takes place 8 a.m.–3 p.m., providing young women the opportunity to experience the most challenging and exciting tasks in firefighting, first response and law enforcement, led by women in Ann Arbor's first-responder roles. Emphasis is placed on a supportive, educational and hands-on environment. Lunch is included daily, and participants will receive a complimentary Blaze & Blue t-shirt. Registration is now open, and this camp has filled quickly in previous years (don't delay!). Priority will be given to city of Ann Arbor residents, followed by residents of other Washtenaw County communities.

​Spring fire hydra​nt flushing to begin

The city conducts seasonal fire hydrant inspection and system maintenance each year. The 2024 hydrant flushing program is scheduled to resume Monday, April 8, and to continue through the coming months. If any changes to the starting date become necessary, updates will be shared on the city website.

As the program nears, a map will be available online to show the current hydrant-flushing areas as well as where flushing will take place next. 

Why is it helpful to know when hydrant flushing is happening in your neighborhood? On occasion during the hydrant-flushing process, the water in area homes may have an orange or rusty appearance. The discolored water does not pose a health or safety risk, but the water can cause stains to laundry. If water appears discolored, please run the cold water for several minutes to clear your lines. Do not run the hot water, as rusty water may get into the hot water tank, requiring the tank to then be drained, per the manufacturer's instructions. You should also flush your toilets once or twice. The water should run clear within a few minutes. The iron sediment in the water main being disturbed by the hydrant flushing causes the discoloration. Temporary laundry coloration caused by this sediment can be removed by using a product called “Rover."

Contact the City of Ann Arbor Customer Service Center with questions at 734.794.6320 or visit the hydrant-flushing webpage to learn more about this routine process. 

​Fiscal year 2025 budget ​process

The City of Ann Arbor Fiscal year 2025 begins July 1, 2024, and ends June 30, 2025. City Council members can only adopt one fiscal year at a time, even though the city plans for multi-year budgets.

Recorded budget presentations are available online via CTN's YouTube channel. All presentations and materials are posted online.

Upcoming b​​​​​udget process milestones:

April: In accordance with City Charter, the city administrator's recommended fiscal year 2025 budget is submitted to City Council in April. 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, will vote to adopt the budget at its meeting on May 20.

Budget-related feedback or comments are encouraged and may be submitted via email to [email protected]. Other budget documents will be posted when available. 

​Attend a sustai​nability forum

The Ann Arbor Office of Sustainability and Innovations (OSI) A2ZERO Sustainability Series continues, with just two forums remaining for this year. Join OSI for timely topics and expert, engaging panels! The monthly online forums also explore ways you can get involved. Save the dates, and register now to attend!

Upcoming fo​​rums:

• April 24 – Equity in Action through A2ZERO.
• May 29 – Rebates and Home Energy Advisor Services.

​​​2023 water quality report

The 2023 Ann Arbor Water Quality Report (PDF) is now available, highlighting the city's drinking water quality for the 2023 calendar year. The information provided is a snapshot of the quality of the water provided to customers in 2023. Included are details about where water comes from, what it contains, and how it compares to U.S. EPA and state standards. To receive a printed copy of this report please call 734.794.6320 or email [email protected].

The State of Michigan and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) require water system operators to test water on a regular basis to ensure its safety. Ann Arbor Water met all the monitoring and reporting requirements for 2023 and additional monitoring was conducted to further ensure water quality exceeds required regulations.

Stay informed about Ann Arbor water by signing up for the monthly newsletter and other updates. 

​​Water Treatment Plant Open House Saturday, May 4

Tour the Ann Arbor Water Treatment Plant, learn from the experts about Ann Arbor's award-winning water and take part in hands-on activities at the Ann Arbor Water Open House Saturday, May 4, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. at 919 Sunset Road. The annual event is free and takes place in celebration of National Drinking Water Week May 5–11.

​2024 Huron Rive​r Day

Save the date! Sunday, May 19, noon–4 p.m., Huron River Day will once again bring the community together to celebrate one of our area's greatest amenities. A change in venue brings this event to Island Park, 1420 Island Drive in Ann Arbor, with parking available at nearby Fuller Park, or ride your bike to Island Park and use the complimentary bike valet provided by Common Cycle. Guests can enjoy the beautiful Huron River with free, family-friendly fun, including:

• Live music from Hullabaloo, Pontiac Trail Blazers, Flute Circle and Gemini.
• Activities such as water squirting lessons with Dirt Doctor; live animals with Leslie Science & Nature Center; Huron-Clinton Metroparks Mobile Learning Center; 30-minute nature walks (starting at the information tent at noon, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m.
• More than a dozen exhibitors (and counting!).
• Food trucks/carts from Coffee Grind Coffee Truck, EJ's Gourmet Street Cuisine, Hello! Ice Cream, Hummus Falafel, Pizza Pazza and Why Not Pie Pop-up.

Visit the Huron River Day page for all the fun details! 

Severe-weathe​r safety

According to the Michigan Committee for Severe Weather Awareness, tornadoes can occur any time of year, but they are especially common in our state during the late spring and early summer months. One of nature's most violent storms, tornadoes can devastate homes and property in just seconds. While the state just observed Severe Weather Awareness Week at the end of March, a focus on preparedness should take place year round.

Watch​​​ or warning?

A tornado watch means tornadoes are possible, be prepared to quickly take shelter if conditions are upgraded to a warning or if you see signs of a tornado approaching. During a watch, remain alert, watch the sky for approaching storms, and stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio or television for updates.

A tornado warning means a tornado has been sighted or detected in the area by weather radar. When a warning is issued, take shelter immediately.

Be prepa​​red

Find out more about tornadoes — including how to be prepared and react quickly — on the tornadoes page of the Department of Homeland Security official website. Also, review this information sheet (PDF) to learn how to be prepared for a tornado. 

Timing is also right, as we enter the seasons of potentially dangerous weather patterns, to make sure you're on the list to receive emergency alerts. If you haven't already recently, sign up for Washtenaw County and/or City of Ann Arbor emergency messages, powered by Everbridge, which can be received via text, phone and/or email. All residents, businesses, those with loved ones in A2 and those who work in the city must take action in order to receive important, local emergency notifications. Or visit Everbridge online to find out if you're already on the list.

The City of Ann Arbor also conducts routine testing of the outdoor warning sirens March–October at 1 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month. Sirens are not intended to be heard while indoors, rather the siren system alerts those outdoors to seek shelter immediately. Learn more.

​​​​CTN highlights

Check out CTN's wide range of programs available to watch online now!

A2 Bicentennial — Voices of Ann Arbor. 

A2 Bicentennial — Presidents Day 2024. 

A2 Bicentennial — Ann Arbor City Club. 

Adventures in Parenthood — Grandmaster Hafner of Keith Hafner Karate gives beneficial parenting advice and discusses why activities like karate can help make a positive impact on kids. 

CTN Sports — Top Plays of Winter 2024. 

FYI— Attorney and COO of Michigan Auto Law, Brandon Hewitt, fill us in on Kelsey's Law and the accompanying scholarships; Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation hosts the ice carving festival; and Bikeapalooza. 

FYI— Production manager for Festifools, Julie Hagopian, has the details on the annual parade and Fool Moon festivities; the Voices of Ann Arbor concert; and learn ways to volunteer with NAP. 

FYI— Founder and executive director of Opera Modo, Danielle Wright, is changing the entertainment industry with the directory for Trans, Non-binary and Gender Diverse Opera and Classical Voice Professionals; Ann Arbor honors Presidents Day; and the Women Answer the Call exhibit dedicated to Rosie the Riveter. P

FYI— Sophie Grillet with the Ann Arbor Public Art Commission discusses the Golden Paintbrush Awards and the 2024 winners; Ann Arbor welcomes Police Chief Andre Anderson; and the Ann Arbor Community Academy. 

Green Light — Missy Stults, PhD, director of the City of Ann Arbor Office of Sustainability and Innovations, tells us about A2ZERO, equitable work and upcoming sustainability action in Ann Arbor. 

Green Light — Steve Christensen and Jerrell Wylie, energy assessor and energy analyst, respectively, at the City of Ann Arbor Office of Sustainability and Innovations, shed light on the city's home energy ratings disclosure (HERD) ordinance and what it will look like for home sellers in Ann Arbor. 

Let's Watch with the Ann Arbor Film Festival — Multi-media artist, David Olson, opens the 62nd Ann Arbor Film Festival week with the installation/performance, Grafica Harmolodica. 

Let's Watch with the Ann Arbor Film Festival— Creators of Dreaming Angel, Phoebe Gloeckner, Aliyah Mitchell and Natalia Rocafuerte, share a story of mourning in the Chavez Caldera family, through the lens of experimental film. 

Monthly Cooking Show Marathons Promo. 

Senior Moments — Part 2, Ritchie Coleman, the public safety community coordinator in Pittsfield Township, helps share some important tips on how to avoid being a victim of identity theft and fraud. 

Soapbox— Brian Shell and the Zen of Music.