Due to Tuesday’s midterm elections, the Ann Arbor City Council meeting will be held Thursday evening. The Council will discuss the resolution regarding the approval of a purchase order to the Environmental Systems Research Institute and a resolution directing City Administrator Steve Powers to negotiate with Dahlmann Corporation. This will also be the last City Council meeting run by outgoing Ann Arbor Mayor John Hieftje, who will be succeeded by current councilmember and Mayor elect Christopher Taylor.
Resolution to approve a purchase order to ESRI
The Council will discuss the renewal of the annual licensing and maintenance agreement with the ESRI, a service used to create maps and other forms of data presentation. The ESRI, which includes the Spatial Data Engine, is responsible for Ann Arbor’s base software utilized for the maintenance and access of the City Geographical Information System databases.
The ArcSDE is responsible for spatial information storage in the database. Programs like ArcSDE are used to create sophisticated maps and graphics. This engine provides access to multiple users while maintaining a secure environment.
To renew this annual agreement, the Information Technology Services Fund budget has planned for the cost of $58,435.62.
Resolution to direct Powers to negotiate with Dahlmann Corporation
Councilmembers Mike Anglin (D–Ward 5), Jack Eaton (D–Ward 4), Jane Lumm (I–Ward 2) and Sumi Kailasapathy (D–Ward 1) sponsored a resolution that would require Powers to negotiate with Dahlmann Corporation regarding the use of the former YMCA Lot, located across the street from the Ann Arbor library, and the affordable housing fund.
Dennis Dahlmann, head of Dahlmann Corporation, has expressed interest in using the former Y Lot to generate money for Ann Arbor’s Affordable Housing Fund.
This resolution, which was originally on the Council’s Oct. 20 agenda but was postponed, would require Powers to use all of his resources to formulate an agreement to make this official.
Hieftje’s last Council meeting
After serving as Ann Arbor’s mayor for 14 years, Hieftje will lead the Council tomorrow for the last time.
In the mayoral election Tuesday, Democratic candidate Christopher Taylor, who served on the Council for six years representing Ward 3, defeated Independent candidate Bryan Kelly.
Taylor’s first Council meeting as mayor is scheduled to be Nov. 17.
This will also be the last meeting for councilmembers Sally Petersen (D–Ward 2) and Margie Teall (D–Ward 4). Incumbents Kailasapathy and Chuck Warpehoski (D–Ward 5) were reelected along with new councilmembers Julie Grand (D–Ward 1), Graydon Kraphol (D–Ward 4) and Kirk Westphal (D–Ward 2).