I have watched areas of city government for several years, as reported by Judy McGovern in the Ann Arbor News on April 17, 2008.
What I have observed is a consistent desire for grandiose new projects. The project becomes the goal, and the bigger the project the better for the project manager. Solving the problem or satisfying the need that lead to the project is lost in the process. A few examples:
A few years ago the city decided that the parks needed soccer fields. At the April 16, 2008 meeting of the Parks Advisory Commission (PAC) Jayne Miller, Community Services Area Administrator, reported that the city now has almost 30 fields. But Ms Miller also commented that the fields are not being used by as many soccer clubs as anticipated. PAC commissioner Barrett commented that was because the fields were so poorly maintained that clubs that could afford to rent fields were going elsewhere. Perhaps a fewer number of maintained fields would have met the need better.
For many years the vendors at the Farmers Market have requested the Market be cleaned and painted, better lighting installed and the water and electric utilities improved. Jeff Dehring, a parks designer, has expanded this into a $1,500,000 renovation. More has been spent on consultants than would be required to do the work the vendors want. A simple maintenance task has been delayed years as the project keeps expanding.
Ann Arbor recently built a large new Maintenance center in Pittsfield Township. The new Maintenance center has heated garages for the vehicles that were suppose to eliminate warm-up and improve vehicle response. But were the roads better maintained the winter? Council Members Anglin and Kunselman have stated that the city may want to continue some use of the facilities at W. West Washington and North Main Street because of the time and fuel cost of bringing the vehicles into the city from the new location. Perhaps a $35,000,000 facility outside the city was not the best solution to the problem.
The proposed police and courts building follows this same pattern. There is a need, but does it require a building larger than the present city hall? Mayor Hieftje has stated that this project will economically tie the city's hands for many years. That is sufficient reason that the citizens should be allowed to vote on issuing the bonds. Perhaps in the discussion of the bond issue we can return to solving the needs of the police and courts rather than the wishes of the Mayor and six Council Members.