It was just over a year ago that residents of Michigan were told to “stay home...stay safe” by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, otherwise referred to as “lockdown” by some people due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Lisa Barry talks with Ann Arbor city administrator Tom Crawford to find out what impact that has had on the city and what else has been going on in City Hall as work continues, despite the global health crisis.
Ann Arbor city administrator Tom Crawford says, for the first time that he can recall, the city will need to spend out of its savings to get through this time period to balance the budget. Crawford is preparing his recommended budget and says the city’s general fund is facing a $5 million shortfall due to the pandemic and the Downtown Development Authorityis down more than $10 million.
Meanwhile, the Ann Arbor city official says they are still working on many other important city issues, including finding a different way to respond to police calls in the city, as well as climate and carbon neutrality and maintaining the transportation system and addressing affordable housing concerns for those wanting to live in Ann Arbor.
Crawford says he is not planning any layoffs or cutbacks but may not fill any vacant positions for a while. Although, he did reveal the city has hired a new human resources director and a female chief financial officer for the city.
Crawford says he is not planning any layoffs or cutbacks but may not fill any vacant positions in the near future.
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— Lisa Barry is the host of All Things Considered on WEMU. You can contact Lisa at 734.487.3363, on Twitter @LisaWEMU, or email her at lbarryma@emich.edu