Arbor Update

Ann Arbor Area Community News

"How to" Contribute to Arbor Update

17. December 2005 • Scott Trudeau
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  • Send ideas for articles to arborupdate@umich.edu. We’ll be more likely to use your post if you provide text we can use for the article (just a sentence or two is often fine), include any relevant links, and tell us how you’d like to be credited (may we use your name? and would you like a link to your website?)
  • tag things in del.icio.us ““arborupdate”:http://del.icio.us/tag/arborupdate “
  • Apply to become a core contributor (people who can create main-level posts)
  • Don’t want to write but want to help out? Got tech skills? Design skills? We could use you. For example, we could really use a sort of “illustrator” who can find appropriate images on the web (or better yet, design new ones), prep them and include them with posts.



  1. What CMS does Arbor Update use?
       —eston    Dec. 17 '05 - 07:51AM    #
  2. ArborUpdate uses Textpattern. AU & Scott: Let me know if you need any TXP/dev/html/web services help!
       —Matt Hampel    Dec. 17 '05 - 02:36PM    #
  3. “Find appropriate images on the web”

    Unlike the one included on this post? (What does it mean, precious?)
       —Murph.    Dec. 17 '05 - 04:38PM    #
  4. I love the image! It is hilarious.

    I was thinking we could start suggesting that folks tag their flickr images with ArborUpdate as well. (I do like the WikiStyle, find it is easier to read than all lowercase. :-)
       —Mark    Dec. 18 '05 - 08:53AM    #
  5. A link to this article in the sidebars or something of that sort to encourage submissions would be a good thing.

    Maybe a link to a page with submission guidelines could be added to the Site Tools sidebar heading, which would keep it visible at the top. (Make it bold.) That way, when I come across something to share in a couple months, I can find how to send it to you.
       —archipunk    Dec. 19 '05 - 02:43PM    #
  6. good idea, i’ll try to figure out how to do it.
       —Mark    Dec. 20 '05 - 08:31AM    #
  7. City Party Meeting Second Notice (Please note below the two new resolutions submitted after the first notice was distributed)

    City of Ann Arbor Democratic Party Meeting

    When:
    Saturday March 11, 2006
    10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon

    Where:
    Michigan League (Vandenberg Room 2nd Floor)
    911 North University Ave.
    (corner of Fletcher Street and North University Ave.)

    Agenda

    I.Discussion and voting on resolutions (see resolutions below): Resolution calling for increased citizen input and participation in community development and housing policy development in the City of Ann Arbor. Resolution calling for the City of Ann Arbor Democratic Party to support the impeachment of President George W. Bush and Vice President Richard Cheney. Resolution calling for the City of Ann Arbor Democratic Party to support the Minimum Wage State of Michigan Ballot Proposal. Resolution urging the postponement of implementation of the Calthorpe Report recommendations and scheduling party meetings on these matters Resolution supporting a moratorium on development downtown until 12/1/06, urging a timely process of amendment for laws guiding development, and scheduling party meetings on these matters.

    II.
    Formation of a committee to study civic involvement and citizen access in the City of Ann Arbor governmental policymaking process and recommend strategies to enhance such access and involvement.

    III.
    Formation of committee to organize field trip to Columbus, IN to investigate award winning city development and report to the city party during the April 8, 2006 meeting.

    IV.
    Discussion on future meeting content (May through November) for City of Ann Arbor Democratic Party (please bring your ideas).

    V.
    City party website.

    VI.
    By Laws committee report.

    Submitted by:
    Tim Colenback,
    Vice Chair, City of Ann Arbor Democratic Party

    Resolutions:

    CITY OF ANN ARBOR DEMOCRATIC PARTY RESOLUTION
    SUPPORTING THE MINIMUM WAGE PROPOSAL
    Whereas, according to the last two Conference of Mayors reports, the federal minimum wage is insufficient to afford anyone housing in any major city in America, and

    Whereas, there are 10.1 million minimum wage workers in the United States and 464,000 workers in Michigan earning less than $7.15 an hour, and

    Whereas, The 2000 Conference of Mayors Report described the low minimum wage as the most significant contributing factor of homelessness today and,

    Whereas, the City of Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County have developed a comprehensive plan to end homelessness, and

    Whereas, there are 2 million homeless citizens in this country, and

    Whereas, 70% of Michigan minimum wage earners are adults and 40% are the sole breadwinners for their families, and

    Whereas, corporate profits have soared in the past eight years while the minimum wage has remained unchanged, and

    Whereas, all citizens of the State of Michigan deserve adequate compensation for their labor, and
    Therefore be it resolved, that our Ann Arbor City Democratic Party supports the State of Michigan minimum wage proposal, and
    Be it further resolved, that we request that our City Party Chair, Susan Greenberg request in writing that the Ann Arbor City Council pass a resolution calling for support of the minimum wage proposal.
    (Submitted by Tim Colenback)

    CITY OF ANN ARBOR DEMOCRATIC PARTY RESOLUTION
    DEMANDING THE IMPEACHMENT OR RESIGNATION OF GEORGE W. BUSH AND RICHARD B. CHENEY
    Whereas, President George W. Bush and Vice President Richard B. Cheney have committed impeachable offences in the lead-up to the Iraq War, and
    Whereas, the Presidential crimes of misleading the American people and Congress into waging an unnecessary war in Iraq, in violation of the US Constitution and International Law, have caused the deaths of over 2200 United States military members and civilians along with 100,000 Iraqis, and
    Whereas, George W. Bush failed the citizens of the United States of America when he and his appointed head of FEMA failed to quickly and adequately respond to a major disaster on US soil, Hurricane Katrina, which killed at least 1,383 people in the gulf coast region and left over 78,000 people homeless, and
    Whereas, George W. Bush recently admitted to and defended his practice of ordering the secret surveillance of American citizens by the NSA, without any court warrant, in violation of laws enacted by congress and the constitution and
    Whereas, our nation, under commander in chief of the military George W. Bush, has conducted acts of torture against human beings, in violation of the Geneva Conventions and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and
    Whereas, Richard B. Cheney has defended the war on Iraq, the practice of warrant-less domestic surveillance and the use of torture.
    Therefore be it resolved, that the Ann Arbor City Democratic Party demands the impeachment, or resignation, of George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney.
    Be It further resolved, that we request that our City Party Chair, Susan Greenberg ask in writing that the Ann Arbor City Council pass a resolution calling for the impeachment and/or resignation of George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney and also ask our United States Representative, John Dingell to join with others in Congress to introduce Articles of Impeachment against George W. Bush and Richard B. Cheney, and that copies of this resolution be sent to Representative Dingell, Senators Carl Levin and Debbie Stabenow and all members of the House Judiciary Committee.
    (Submitted by Dana Barton)

    CITY OF ANN ARBOR DEMOCRATIC PARTY RESOLUTION
    SUPPORTING THE CONTINUATION OF THE HOUSING POLICY BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

    Whereas, effective citizen participation is a long-held value in our community, and
    Whereas, this participation is of particular value when planning programs and services for low income persons, and
    Whereas, the Democratic Party has worked to put in place effective citizen participation vehicles in our community, including the Housing Policy Board and the Community Development Executive Committee, and
    Whereas, the city benefits from a separate community development block grant process, and

    Whereas, City staff and members of City Council have put forth a series of resolutions over the past two years seeking to eliminate or merge the Housing Policy Board and the Community Development Executive Committee, and

    Whereas, the Housing Policy Board and the Community Development Executive Committee vacancies have not been filled for over two years, and

    Whereas, the city government has greatly benefited from the citizen input on community development and housing these entities have provided for many years, and

    Whereas, the city council needs more citizen advice and consent regarding community development and housing issues, and

    Therefore be it resolved, that the Ann Arbor Democratic Party opposes the staff proposal to merge and/or eliminate the Housing Policy Board and the Community Development Executive Committee;
    Be it further resolved that the Ann Arbor City Democratic Party demands an end to the practice of refusing to fill vacancies on the Community Development Executive Committee and the Housing Policy Board.
    Be it further resolved, that our City Party Chair, Susan Greenberg, request in writing that the Ann Arbor City Council immediately act to fill vacancies on the Housing Policy Board and the Community Development Executive Committee and cease all efforts to merge or eliminate these citizen boards.

    (Submitted by David DeVarti)

    ANN ARBOR CITY DEMOCRATIC PARTY RESOLUTION

    URGING THE POSTPONEMENT OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CALTHORPE REPORT
    RECOMMENDATIONS AND SCHEDULING PARTY MEETINGS ON THESE MATTERS

    Whereas, the Calthorpe Report makes many recommendations which would affect
    the future of Ann Arbor’s downtown and the city as a whole, and

    Whereas, the Report recommends giving incentives to developers for the
    construction of very large buildings, and

    Whereas, the Report recommends changes in the criteria for new construction
    in our established historic districts, and

    Whereas, the Report recommends changes in zoning which might impair the
    creation of a full-scale Greenway, and

    Whereas, the Greenway Task Force is to deliver its final recommendations
    no later than October 1, 2006, and

    Whereas, more public discussion, not limited by the time and format
    constraints set by Council rules, is needed with our Councilmembers,

    Therefore, be it resolved as follows:

    1. That the Ann Arbor City Democratic Party urges City Council to postpone
    any action to implement any recommendation of the Calthorpe Report until
    after October l, 2006.

    2. That the Party will hold two discussions of these matters with our
    Councilmembers at two general Party meetings between this date and October
    1, 2006.

    (Submitted by David Cahill)

    ANN ARBOR CITY DEMOCRATIC PARTY RESOLUTION

    SUPPORTING A MORATORIUM ON DEVELOPMENT DOWNTOWN UNTIL 12/1/06, URGING A TIMELY
    PROCESS OF AMENDMENT FOR LAWS GUIDING DEVELOPMENT, AND SCHEDULING PARTY MEETINGS
    ON THESE MATTERS

    Whereas, several recent public discussions about development in the downtown
    area, including those surrounding the Downtown Residential Task Force, the
    Recommended Policy Framework for Downtown Ann Arbor by Calthorpe and Associates
    and the Greenway Task Force, have resulted in recommendations to the Ann Arbor
    City Council that would fundamentally shift the development strategy for
    downtown; and

    Whereas, these recommendations include incentives for buildings significantly
    taller than the current downtown skyline, changes to the criteria for
    construction in historic districts, and zoning changes which might impede the
    creation of a full-scale Greenway among others; and

    Whereas, community support for and faith in the development process will only be
    generated by open debate succeeded by clearly articulated reforms to the
    policies that guide downtown development including master plans and zoning
    ordinances; and

    Whereas, planning and zoning policies have not sufficiently provided protection
    from poor architectural design nor guided the development of Ann Arbor as one of
    the premier architectural cities in the Midwest; and

    Whereas, it is evident from the lack of community consensus on the character and
    definition of the variety of recommendations before council that more public
    discussion, not limited by the time and format constraints set by Council rules,
    is needed with our Council members,

    Be it resolved that the Ann Arbor City Democratic Party urges City Council to
    declare a moratorium on new development in the downtown area until December l,
    2006 to allow for debate, adoption and implementation of the revisions to the
    downtown development plans and ordinances; and

    Be it further resolved that the Ann Arbor City Democratic Party urges City
    Council to create a task force to determine the best way to implement design
    guidelines for downtown development, reporting recommendations no later than
    October 1, 2006; and

    Be it further resolved that the Ann Arbor City Democratic Party urges City
    Council to develop and follow a timeline to amend the master plan and zoning
    ordinances guiding downtown development following the completion of the Greenway
    Task Force recommendations and before December 1, 2006; and

    Be it further resolved that the Party will hold two discussions of these matters
    with our Council members at two general Party meetings between this date and
    October 15, 2006.

    (Submitted by Conan Smith)


       —Tim Colenback    Mar. 7 '06 - 03:44AM    #
  8. Sure, a task force. Let’s put some greenway types on it. I generally like Conan Smith, but it’s time to stop the stalling and be progressive in this town.


       —Brandon    Mar. 8 '06 - 05:32AM    #