City Of Ann Arbor 2016 Sustainable Ann Arbor Forum: Looking to the Future: Ann Arbor in 2025

Join the conversation about sustainability in Ann Arbor as the City and the Ann Arbor District Library host their annual Sustainable Ann Arbor series. The series included four events (held monthly through April of 2016) with each focusing on a different element of sustainability from Ann Arbor’s Sustainability Framework.

This is the last event in this series and centers on Ann Arbor in 2025, including conversations about local challenges and solutions on Ann Arbor’s path to a more sustainable future.

A think tank of local stakeholders including representatives from community organizations, staff from both the City of Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County joined the public to discuss local sustainability efforts and challenges in our community. Each program included a series of short presentations followed by a question and answer session.

These forums offer an opportunity to learn more about sustainability in the community and tips for actions that residents can take to live more sustainably.

Speakers include:

  • Moderator, Josie Parker, Director of the Ann Arbor Library;
  • Teresa Gillotti, Communication and Policy Specialist, Washtenaw County Department of Community and Economic Development;
  • Xuan Liu, Manager of Research, SEMCOG;
  • Susan Pollay, Executive Director, Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority;
  • Sue Zielinski, Managing Director of SMART at the U-M Transport Research Institute.

Details of this series are posted online on The City of Ann Arbor's Sustainability site. For information and videos from current and past Sustainable Ann Arbor Forums, please visit the City’s Sustainability website.

City Of Ann Arbor 2016 Sustainable Ann Arbor Forum: Climate and Energy

In this entry of the annual Sustainable Ann Arbor series, hosted by the City and the Ann Arbor District Library, the focus will be on climate and energy. This discussion will include updates on Ann Arbor’s Climate Action Plan, an overview of local climate impacts, and sustainable programs underway at the University of Michigan.

Speakers for the Climate and Energy discussion include:

o Mike Garfield, Executive Director, Ecology Center
o Anya Dale, Sustainability Rep, University of Michigan
o Sean Reed, Executive Director, Clean Energy Coalition
o Wayne Appleyard, Chair, Ann Arbor Energy Commission
o Nathan Geisler, Energy Programs Analyst, City of Ann Arbor

The Sustainable Ann Arbor series will include four events (held monthly through April) with each focusing on a different element of sustainability from Ann Arbor’s Sustainability Framework.

At each event, a think tank of local stakeholders including representatives from community organizations,and staff from both the City of Ann Arbor and Washtenaw County, will join the public to discuss local sustainability efforts and challenges in our community. Each program will include a series of short presentations followed by a question and answer session.

The forums offer an opportunity to learn more about sustainability in the community and tips for actions that residents can take to live more sustainably. Details of this series will be posted online on The City of Ann Arbor's Sustainability site. For information and videos from current and past Sustainable Ann Arbor Forums, please visit the City’s Sustainability website.

Nerd Nite #30 - Twitterbot Says Vote!

There are 90,000 registered voters in Ann Arbor. Most don’t vote. I built a Twitter bot that matched voter names to Twitter accounts, then sent reminders to vote in local elections. Learn more about the problem, the project, and how it worked!

About Sam Firke: Sam is a data analyst at an education nonprofit and a former high school math teacher. He’s active in local politics, makes things, and raises a couple of small nerdlings. He’s involved with the Ann Arbor Brewers Guild (aabg.org) and you can find him on Twitter at @samfirke.

Nerd Nite #30 - 35 Offbeat Ways of Looking at the POTUS

Sometimes the President of the United States seems larger than life. This humorous talk will bring them down to size with anecdotes that present them as more man than myth. The Head of State Cakes project, in which a cake recipe is created in honor of each president, is what happens when you cross a lifelong interest in presidential history with a love of baking. The results are not only tasty, they’re pretty fun to talk about.

About Sherlonya Turner: Sherlonya has an all-consuming and perhaps overwhelming love for the presidents. She’s interested in them less as politicians and more as men. Her history degree helps her put things in context. Her library degree gives her research tips and tricks. Her love of cooking has inspired her to create a tribute cupcake for each US President; see them all at headofstatecakes.com. Her son is tired of hearing her talk about Lyndon Baines Johnson, her president boyfriend.

Redistricting in Michigan: Should Politicians Choose Their Voters?

The League of Women Voters of the Ann Arbor Area (LWV-AAA) hosted this educational Town Hall on redistricting. This talk explores how legislative lines are drawn in Michigan, who draws them, and why it is a critically important question for those concerned about fair representation. The speaker is Susan Smith, Vice President of the League of Women Voters of Michigan.

In Michigan, the district lines are drawn by elected officials in the legislature, effectively allowing politicians to choose their voters and giving the political party in power at the time a tremendous advantage. Topics discussed include: what are the ramifications of partisan-drawn districts that favor one party over another, is there a better and fairer way to do this, and what are the alternatives?

ICPJ Podcast: Bart Beavin and Mary Hathaway

In this episode, Mary Hathaway talks about the friendship and initial involvement of her husband, John, with ICPJ leaders Russell and Barbara Fuller. Mary later became active in international arms control and attended the 1982 march in New York City to protest the nuclear arms race. She also talks about the split among local activists during discussions about becoming a nuclear free zone.

Bart Beavin arrived in Ann Arbor in 1966 after a 10-week tour of the Middle East and Europe in which he became sensitive to what was happening in Palestine Israel. While this topic has been his chief social justice issue for over 50 years, he recounts many activities and events with the ICPJ and the Wesley Foundation during the Vietnam War era, from counselling young men on draft resistance, attending the 1968 march in Washington D. C., and making a trip to the Dow Company to protest the company's sale of napalm.

Ann Arbor Elections: Exploring Options

The League of Women Voters of the Ann Arbor Area (LWV-AAA) hosted this last of two public conversations on the current process of electing local public officials, with a look at how municipalities around the country elect their public officials.

Panelists include Professor John Chamberlin, Professor Emeritus, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, Lawrence Kestenbaum, Washtenaw County Clerk; and Professor Joseph Ohren, Eastern Michigan University, Political Science Department.

The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization and the cosponsor of this event, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.

The May 5 State Ballot Proposal: What Is It? What Would It Do?

The League of Women Voters of the Ann Arbor Area (LWV-AAA) hosted this discussion of the May 5 Ballot Proposal, “A proposal to amend the State Constitution to increase the sales/use tax from 6% to 7% to replace and supplement reduced revenue to the School Aid Fund and local units of government caused by the elimination of the sales/use tax on gasoline and diesel fuel for vehicles operating on public roads, and to give effect to laws that provide additional money for roads and other transportation purposes by increasing the gas tax and vehicle registration fees.”

Susan Smith, President, League of Women Voters of Michigan, lead the discussion, which aimed to provide information on the proposal to amend the Michigan Constitution and on new laws that would be triggered by the amendment's approval. The presentation includes information on how state revenue would be increased and how it would be spent, and discussion of pros and cons of passing the legislation.

The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization and this event's cosponsor, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.

Nerd Nite #22 - Beyond South U: Where Students Live and Vote in Ann Arbor

Beyond South U: Where Students Live and Vote in Ann Arbor
While we all think we know where U of M students live, it’s harder to find out than you’d think. Austen and Pat go through their method of coming up with a solid picture, and discuss what this means for students and residents alike every election cycle in Ann Arbor.

About Austen Hufford and Pat Sier:
Austen and Pat are U of M seniors studying economics and public policy respectively. Austen will be working in journalism this summer at the Wall Street Journal and Pat will be working in Chicago at a marketing technology company. Find Austen on twitter: @austenhufford

Ann Arbor Elections: What Works? What Doesn’t?

The League of Women Voters of the Ann Arbor Area (LWV-AAA) hosted this public conversation on the current process of electing local public officials. This session will explored both the strengths and weaknesses of our current system, and discussed such issues as voter turn-out, student participation, and cost in terms of both dollars and effort of running for office, independent candidates, and other related topics.

Panelists included David Askins, former Editor of the Ann Arbor Chronicle; Lou Belcher, former Mayor of Ann Arbor; and Jean Carlberg, former City Council Member.