by P.D. Lesko There are five solid votes on City Council to bring to heel the members of the Downtown Development Authority Board of Directors. Those are the votes of Sumi Kailsapathy, Jane Lumm, Sally Hart-Petersen, Stephen Kunselman and Mike Anglin. The resolution needs six votes to pass, however. The DDA Board, comprised of a bushel [...]
by P.D. Lesko At the moment, Ann Arbor City Council members are trying to assert their Charter-mandated authority over the Board of the Downtown Development Authority like a parent trying to discipline a hopelessly out-of-control toddler in the midst of an epic temper tantrum. John Hieftje stars in this drama as the ineffectual parent, the [...]
by P.D. Lesko “Hieftje gives out seats on city boards and commissions at parties, like they were candy,” says a political insider. John Hieftje’s propensity to populate the city’s boards and commissions with yes men (and women) and unqualified political cronies has long irked political insiders and haunted city residents, whose input and feedback Hieftje’s [...]
The Ann Arbor chapter of the League of Women Voters sponsors candidate debates each election cycle for City Council races. On October 5, 2011, the League gave Third Ward Democrat Stephen Kunselman the chance to strut his political stuff against Republican opponent David Parker. Parker and Kunselman tackled questions about the proposed street millage renewal, the [...]
The AnnArborChronicle.com has been tweaking its brand, as of late. The site, described by Publisher Mary Morgan as a chronicler of local government, has been doing more than just repeating what happened at meetings. The site has been posting original reporting (including a recent tip that former Second Ward Council member Jane Lumm pulled nominating [...]
A2PNotes: This is filed under “Scoops & Scores” because you read it here first. The Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority and Christman Construction released a joint statement today concerning the retaining wall collapse that happened over the weekend at the site of the Fifth Avenue underground garage site. The statement, titled, “Christman response to incidences [...]
This is the first post by Newcombe Clark on the subject of downtown development. Newcombe ran for Ann Arbor City Council as an Independent candidate this past Fall, and A2Politico did an interview with him about his political aspirations. He is also a partner in the Moravian project, a development that was proposed for a [...]
Since 2009, members of City Council, as well as members of the Board of the Downtown Development Authority, have assured jittery taxpayers that Ann Arbor could absolutely afford the Fifth Avenue Parking Garage. No tax dollars would be used, officials chanted over and again, much like nervous Buddhists in search of a mantra. The parking [...]
A2P Notes: TWO posts this Friday. With this material, who could possibly resist? As a part of the Downtown Development Authority Board’s Annual Retreat, Board President Joan “Don’t Listen to the Sulkers” Lowenstein prepared a short “comic” video. Like the best banana republic leaders, Lowenstein has no use for the riff raff. Joan, who ran [...]
Rene Greff and Jennifer Santi Hall are spilling the beans about the down and dirty inner-workings of the Downtown Development Authority to Ann Arborites, and anyone else who would care to know. At the most recent DDA meeting, at which Russ Collins, Leah Gunn, Roger Hewitt, Mayor John Hieftje, Joan Lowenstein, John Splitt, and City Council Member Sandi Smith supported siphoning [...]
