Ann Arbor exploring policy on reporting bribes after councilwoman’s blog allegation
Updated Jan 13, 2021;
Posted Jan 13, 2021
Elizabeth Nelson, D-4th Ward, speaks at the Ann Arbor City Council meeting on July 1, 2019.Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News
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ANN ARBOR, MI An Ann Arbor council member’s allegation that an Airbnb property investor hinted at a potential bribe offer in exchange for her vote has been referred to the city attorney and police chief, officials said.
City Attorney Stephen Postema publicly discussed the issue with City Council’s Administration Committee and City Administrator Tom Crawford on Tuesday, Jan. 12.
“It’s certainly an appropriate topic to discuss,” Postema told the committee, which is now exploring whether the city should draft a new rule or policy concerning improper solicitations of council members and requirements for them to report such incidents when they happen.
Airbnb property investors may sue Ann Arbor if council doesn’t lift pending ban
Updated Jan 10, 2021;
Posted Jan 10, 2021
Prentice Partners of Ann Arbor built this new six-bed house at 1505 White St. that’s a dedicated Airbnb house. City officials are now discussing how to best regulate short-term rental properties.Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News
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ANN ARBOR, MI Short-term rental property owners and investors in Ann Arbor may sue the city if a pending ban on their businesses isn’t lifted by City Council.
There’s a group of about 50 local residents who each own maybe one or two or three properties that, for a considerable time, they’ve legally operated as Airbnbs, said group member Heidi Poscher, co-owner of real estate development company Prentice Partners of Ann Arbor.
Looking back at 2020 on the Ann Arbor city beat and what’s ahead in 2021
Updated Dec 31, 2020;
Posted Dec 31, 2020 This is so cool! one of these two cyclists exclaimed after passing through Ann Arbor s new riverfront tunnel pathway completed in 2020.Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News
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ANN ARBOR, MI It was a year filled with bright spots and not-so-bright spots, both progress and turmoil, and it was a year most will never forget.
Set against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, Black Lives Matter demonstrations and the political drama of the U.S. presidential election, here’s a look back at some of what happened on the city beat in Ann Arbor in 2020, with a look ahead to 2021.
Ann Arbor council OKs two rounds of water rate increases in 8-3 vote
Updated Dec 22, 2020;
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ANN ARBOR, MI Ann Arbor water rates will go up 7% on Jan. 1 and another 6.5% next July.
City Council voted 8-3 to approve the increases for 2021 after nearly an hour of debate Monday night, Dec. 21.
The three opposed were Jeff Hayner, Elizabeth Nelson and Ali Ramlawi.
Ramlawi, D-5th Ward, said it’s a scary time for residents who are facing financial troubles amid the COVID-19 pandemic and he didn’t want to hit them with two rate increases in one vote.
He proposed delaying voting on the July increase until next spring, but council rejected that idea in a 7-4 vote, after which Ramlawi suggested his colleagues were out of touch with working-class residents struggling to make ends meet.
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Effective January 1st of 2021, residents will see a 7% increase in their water bill. That’s an estimated increase of $9.22 from January through June 30th. On July 1st, a second increase of 6.5% will take place, which will represent a $36.84 increase through June 30th of 2022. Mayor Christopher Taylor says the increases were scheduled to take place earlier this year, but they were put on hold because many residents were financially affected by the pandemic, but that the city now needs to move forward with the increases.
Mayor Christopher Taylor: Raising rates so that we can support the consistent and accelerated improvements of our water distribution, water treatment, water safety infrastructure.