Other programs that this administration proposes to cut include project grow, adaptive rec (recreation programs for citizens with special needs) and the recreation scholarship program for low income children. Programs that have been requested for many years, but not funded include dog parks and a greenway for alternate transportation.

But we are willing to spend $1,000,000 on renovations to the Farmers Market. Renovations that have been consistently opposed by citizens and vendors, One timid council member asked: what is the ROI of this investment? It is zero or negative.

Ron, you ask for governmental cooperation, but the first step of cooperation is honesty to develop trust. Our City government fails this test. In the arguments proposed to justify a $100,000 contract for the market modification construction drawings one council member alluded to data line lines for credit card transactions. I’m sorry but that is not in the RFP (Jeff Dehring, Parks department planner has stated the the communication system in City of Ann Arbor RFP #652 refers to an old style PA system).

In order to justify the very high cost of the renovations ($1,000,000) Jayne Miller, the City Services Administrator, stated the reason was the underground stormwater retention tanks. She stated that this was a very significant improvement for the Allen Creek watershed. But . . ..but the RFP for the drawings never specifies underground tanks. And the Market is only 0.03% of the Allen Creek watershed, how can this be very significant?

To get cooperation Council must restore confidence that they deal honestly. As a final argument of what is lacking, I present the Parks millage. When the increased millage was proposed Council passed several resolutions and amendments. But the message presented to voters before the election was clear, the parks allocation from the general operating millage would not be decreased if the millage passed. But this is not what is proposed in the 2008-2009 budget.

Ron, what will you do to see that the parks millage promise is kept? And what will you do to oppose squandering $1,000,000 on useless Market modifications so that there are funds for citizens services?

I urge you to lead the way on City Council to restore and even increase this funding. The City should NOT be reducing its commitment here at the same time it is setting aside hundreds of thousands of dollars in other parts of its budget for a questionably necessary new multi-million dollar City Hall.

Best,

Dave DeVarti
Publisher, Current Magazine

Dear Mayor Hieftje and City Council members,

I understand that the city has decreased funding to support a vulnerable group of individuals in our community, the funding for the Community Action Network (CAN). This gives the appearance of asking this group of people with limited resources to use whatever limited resources they have left to leave our community. I believe that the de-funding approach is wrong and is in conflict with what I thought was a diverse community. Please return the funding for CAN to at least the level of $62,000 of the prior year.

The CAN program is one of which the community should be proud, providing support to assist at-risk individuals with assistance to move on to a successful future. Why wouldn’t we all want that for each other? If marginal savings are needed, please look at cutting programs other than this one, that serves individuals who exist on the margin of success.

Please, vulnerable populations require additional help, not rejection. I ask that you represent all of the citizens of Ann Arbor and reinstate
the funding for the Community Action Network.

Sincerely,

Rita L. Mitchell
Ann Arbor, MI

Dear City Council Members,

Please reinstate your funding for Community Action Network (CAN) to the $62,000 level. I’ve always been impressed with their strong commitment to community-based services. CAN makes a difference in Ann Arbor!

Sincerely,

Bill Vanderwill

William L. Vanderwill, MSW, LMSW, ACSW, LMFT, BCD
Clinical and Macro Practice
Field Educator/Lecturer III
University of Michigan School of Social Work
Office of Field Instruction

Dear Mayor Hieftje and City Council,

I am a new board member for the Community Action Network (CAN). I have been involved in a variety of roles in my five months of involvement, including serving on the Communications and Fundraising committees, and helping to plan a 5K fitness walk for kids this fall.

I decided to join the Board after meeting Joan Doughty, CAN’s Executive Director, and seeing how dedicated she is to providing services for young people and their families in our community. CAN provides an extremely important service to our community, and positively influences many young people who are at high risk for a variety of poor outcomes. The recent partnerships with the YMCA to help show young people how important physical fitness is to incorporate into their lives, and the ongoing after school reading and literacy projects, as well as many other services, are in jeopardy if CAN’s funding is cut. Joan Doughty and her small, but mighty staff, are extremely dedicated to providing the best services feasible with current funding sources. A cut in funding will have a dire effect on CAN’s programs and staffing, and negatively impact many young people who have no other option for after school activities. I urge you to do everything possible to maintain the city’s funding commitments.

Thank you for your consideration.
Meredith Lovelace

–
Meredith Lovelace
Director of Project Management
Inner Circle Media
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
http://www.innercirclemedia.com

Dear Mayor and Members of the Ann Arbor City Council,

I have just learned from Joan Doughty, Executive Director of CAN, that
Council made a decision to cut funding for CAN by $6,000.00 for the next
two years. Since the United Way has also cut CAN’s funding 20% the
organization is facing a huge loss of money. I am writing to ask you to
reinstate CAN’s funding to its previous level of $62,000.00 for the next
two years.

CAN offers the families it serves a multitude of extremely important
services ranging from connecting them with First Steps and Head Start,
health services and insurance programs, offering nutritious evening meals
and a food pantry, tutoring for school aged children and help with
summer employment placement for teens, reading programs, facilitation of
communications between families and schools, help to avoid eviction and
cut off of utilities, and so much more. Cutting funding to CAN will
endanger its ability to continue offering these truly needed services for
the families at risk that it aids.

I urge you to reinstate CAN’s funding so it can continue to keep the
families At Green Baxter and Hikone safe from homelessness, hunger,
truancy, drug abuse, jail, crime and all that could happen to them
without the support of the knowledgeable and caring staff of CAN.

Betsy Soden
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Educator, Contractual Employee of
Spectrum Prevention Services,
Staff Member of the FAS Diagnosis and Intervention Clinic, Member of the
MPRI Advisory Council
Ann Arbor, MI

Mayor Hieftje and Council Members:

About one year ago I spoke at a City Council meeting requesting reconsideration of a cut in community development funding to Community Action Network (CAN). You were able to ameliorate what was a very precarious position for this important local non-profit by reinstating funding at previous levels.

Times remain difficult and you are once more grappling with limited funding and a wide array of needy organizations that support the Ann Arbor community. And once again, I ask that you reconsider carefully the announced cut in funding to CAN. With the departure of Pfizer, a big supporter of Community Action Network, and the extreme shortfall in the Washtenaw United Way’s budget which has resulted in large cuts from that source, CAN is once again in deep difficulties.

How will we be able to provide after school homework and enrichment help - and dinner! - to the children at Hikone and Green Baxter Court, if you do not reinstate funding?
How will we be able to provide 6 weeks of summer camp, complete with daily reading activities designed to offset the usual summer loss of learning that exacerbates the disadvantages these kids already face, if you do not reinstate funding?
How will we be able to help parents fulfill the many requirements for getting their preschoolers enrolled in Head Start, if you do not reinstate funding?
How will we be able to help the adults in these communities, among the poorest of Ann Arbor’s poor, often struggling with physical, emotional or mental disabilities and limited education or English language skills (or those who struggle with illiteracy) to navigate the paperwork for Medicaid, local health care, immigration, school enrollments, utilities maintenance - and the myriad of other support activities the CAN staff provides — if you do not reinstate funding?

The answer is - we won’t be able to do these things (at least not on anywhere near the scale we do them now). We can’t do it without this important source of funding. The city’s community development grants represent CAN’s core funding. It’s what supports the professional staff who run the programs, and hire, train and supervise the UM School of Social Work interns and other temporary staff. They make the many collaborations and referrals to other area support groups thrive, bringing Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts to children who would otherwise never experience these important organizations; or bringing Food Gatherers to the community centers. The list is long and worthy of your support.

I recognize that you are faced with difficult choices and a limited budget. But what Community Action Network does is not a luxury for the Ann Arbor community. It is a necessity. CAN both participates in and provides access to a safety net of support for the most vulnerable of our fellow citizens. These families depend on Community Action Network, and CAN is depending on the City Council to do the right thing. Don’t cut CAN’s funding. Maintain - or increase - CAN’s funding. Together we CAN build strong, stable and safe communities at Hikone and Green Baxter Court.

Respectfully,

Tina Bissell

Board Past-President & Volunteer
Community Action Network
http://www.hvcn.org/info/can/

Tina Bissell
MUCI (Michigan Universities Commercialization Initiative)
Business Manager

Dear City Council Members,

Please consider reinstating Community Action Network’s (CAN) $62,000 funding. I have been a volunteer for CAN for the past 2 years and have witnessed the good that they do.

CAN helps Ann Arbor families living in public housing, serving as a resource to assist with day to day problem resolution, providing academic support such as after school homework assistance & tutoring, summer employment for youth at risk, pre-school programs, free books and school supplies. Additionally, they help ensure that these families receive regular health care, food, and meals (5,000 meals provided per year). Their Community Gardening project is a great success.

Please reinstate the funding for CAN. Their work on behalf of the families they serve is invaluable to the Ann Arbor community.

Sincerely,

Francine Fein
Ann Arbor, MI