Title
Resolution in Support of the Recommendations of the Washtenaw County Roads Funding Committee
Body
Whereas, The roads in the City of Ann Arbor do not meet the aspirations of residents or the expectations of visitors;
Whereas, The increase in the price of winter maintenance, especially due to the increase in salt prices, will negatively impact the City's ability to meet other rising costs; and
Whereas, It is unlikely that the City of Ann Arbor will receive additional road funding from the State of Michigan in time to expand road repairs in the 2015 construction season;
Whereas, The City Council of the City of Ann Arbor is not able to levy a millage on its own authority to raise additional dollars to effect additional road repairs in the City of Ann Arbor;
Whereas, Washtenaw County has created a Roads Funding Committee to advise Washtenaw County whether it should exercise its authority under Act 283 of 1909 to levy a millage for road maintenance;
Whereas, The Roads Funding Committee has recommended that Washtenaw County levy a .5 mill millage for road maintenance in FY 2015;
Whereas, The levying of such a millage would provide Ann Arbor with an additional $2.4 million in FY 2015 to effect road repairs;
Whereas, Staff believes that the City of Ann Arbor has the capacity to utilize the additional $2.4 million that would be generated by an Act 283 millage to effect road maintenance on local streets;
Whereas, Additional road maintenance on local streets will improve the quality of life for residents of the City of Ann Arbor; and
Whereas, The Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners may consider the Roads Funding Committee recommendation as early as October 1, 2014;
RESOLVED, That the City of Ann Arbor endorses the recommendations of the Roads Funding Committee; respectfully requests that the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners exercise its statutory authority to levy a millage to raise additional monies for road repairs; and pledges to use monies from such a millage to effect road repairs on local streets; and
RESOLVED, That the City Administrator be requested to transmit this resolution to the members of the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners.
Sponsors: Briere, Kunselman, Petersen, Taylor, Warpehoski