AnnArborites

Second Mondays with Sandi Smith

Sandi Smith — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 19:00:00 GMT

Second Mondays with Sandi Smith: Lunch 'N' Talk about the 1st Ward Come have lunch with me at the aut bar , 11:30 am ...

How sweet it is!

Sandi Smith — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 12:03:00 GMT

What a whirlwind! I have never been this close to a campaign before and the final weeks are just phenomenal! I think I was running on sheer adrenalin. Winning this ...

Endorsed by the Michigan Daily!

Sandi Smith — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 11:53:00 GMT

See the full endorsement here or in today's Michigan Daily.http://www.michigandaily.com/content/daily-vote-hieftje-smith-derezinski-kunselman-hohnke ...

Endorsed by Jean Carlberg, Former City Councilwoman

Sandi Smith — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 14:08:00 GMT

I have worked with Sandi on two committees where her leadership skills and comprehensive approach to decision-making were very important. She has chaired the DDA Partnerships Committee which brought together organizations interested in downtown vitality for input on issues the DDA addresses. She was efficient in seeing that the necessary information was available to all, that all viewpoints were heard respectfully, and that the group proceeded to make recommendations with a clear understanding of the principles involved. Another component of her work on the DDA has required working with a complex budget that ...

Question: How will you work within the local foodshed to ensure food security and affordability for our city?

Sandi Smith — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 17:07:00 GMT

Personally, I was at the organizing committee for the Homegrown Festival (www.HomeGrownFestival.org) and encourage and participate in this type of community based work. I would love to see a program where building roofs were converted to garden spaces. It would improve stormwater management, improve water quality in the watershed and increase the amount of locally grown produce.

I will support the Farmer's Market and Greenbelt Program, which provide resources for local farmers to grow and sell their produce in Ann Arbor and the surrounding region. I have been a Project Grow gardener in the past and will continue to ...

Endorsed by Between the Lines!

Sandi Smith — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 11:57:00 GMT

See the complete article here!
http://www.pridesource.com/article.shtml?article=31346 ...

Endorsed by The Ann Arbor News!

Sandi Smith — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 10:33:00 GMT

I am very proud to announce that I was endorsed by The Ann Arbor News. See the full article here:
http://blog.mlive.com/annarbornews_opinion/2008/07/editorial_smith_derezinski_are.html ...

Question: Please tell us about your experience and/or ideas for furthering environmental protection in Ann Arbor.

Sandi Smith — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 12:52:00 GMT

My company is a WasteKnot award winner for five years in a row. This award is a county level award given to businesses with a proven record of reducing waste, ...

Question: Do you feel that the city needs to generate more funds, and if so, how?

Sandi Smith — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 13:02:00 GMT

Our citizens demand a high level of core services, support of many social programs and amenities like an extensive park network - all of which are competing for dwindling funds. ...

Question: Where do children living in the downtown play?

Sandi Smith — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 13:06:00 GMT

There are several parks very close to downtown such as North Main, Wheeler and West Parks which have amenities such as basketball, baseball, child play areas, soccer fields and lawn ...

Key Issue: Transportation

Sandi Smith — Wed, 14 May 2008 19:46:00 GMT

Now more than ever, it’s time to highlight transportation issues and think regionally and multi-modal: bicycles, cars, busses, light rail and pedestrian. I will work to expand the number of bike paths in the city, improve regional bus service, encourage the development of the east/west and north/south rail; and improve Ann Arbor’s pedestrian friendliness.

...

Key Issue: Maintaining/Improving the Quality of Services delivered to Citizens

Sandi Smith — Wed, 14 May 2008 19:44:00 GMT

With decreasing tax revenues and state revenue sharing, it is essential to monitor spending while improving the quality of delivery of services to Ann Arbor residents. My ...

Key Issue: Sustaining a Healthy and Vibrant Downtown

Sandi Smith — Wed, 14 May 2008 19:12:00 GMT

An active and vibrant downtown is one of the most important measures of a city’s health. Residents and businesses choose to locate in areas where the quality of life is high. I will work to maintain the pedestrian scale of the city, while allowing thoughtful growth. I will encourage a diversity of downtown housing options including housing for those most in need as well as workforce housing, while insisting on environmentally responsible building practices. I will support local businesses and strive to "Keep Ann Arbor Funky."

...

SANDI SMITH ANNOUNCES CANDIDACY FOR CITY COUNCIL

Sandi Smith — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 15:52:00 GMT

COMMUNITY ACTIVIST AND LOCAL BUSINESS OWNER WILL RUN FOR 1ST WARD SEAT

Democrat Sandi Smith has announced her candidacy for the Ann Arbor City
Council in the 1st Ward, which covers much of downtown, as well as
northern and northwestern Ann Arbor. Smith is challenging
Councilmember Ron Suarez in the August Democratic Primary.

“The 1st Ward needs effective leadership that will strive to sustain
what’s so great about Ann Arbor,” said Smith. “We need strong local
businesses. We need to sustain our neighborhoods, our environment and
our community.”

Smith cited several issues she will address as the 1st Ward’s
Councilmember, including encouraging sustainable development to keep
the downtown vibrant, promoting historic ...

Progressive Achievements on the DDA

Sandi Smith — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 03:21:00 GMT

The following is a partial list of resolutions initiated or supported by Sandi Smith during her tenure on the Downtown Development Authority board member since 2004, a committee member of Capital Improvements, Partnerships, Operations, and Research and Opportunities committees; Chair of the Partnerships Committee; and Chair of the DDA. The resolutions include many progressive activities which include:

· Affordable Housing Investments
· Alternative Transportation, including:

o Installation of bicycle lockers and hoops
o Construction of pedestrian friendly sidewalks
o Funding for several non-motorized transportation studies
o getDowntown program
o go!passes
o The Link

· Historic preservation and renovation

The new 15th District Court/Police HQ Building Project

Sandi Smith — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 15:28:00 GMT

One of the hottest topics around town is the issue of building a new court/police building. This issue has been with us for at least 8 years, but probably more like 50 years. I’ll first lay out the background, and then pose the hard questions.

POLICE: City Hall was built in 1963 and the Police were located in the basement of the building as temporary headquarters. The Police Headquarters now occupy 23,000 square feet in the basement and first floor of City Hall. The current Police facilities are inadequate for several reasons, including:

• The facilities were not built with a women’s locker room because the City did not employ any female officers in 1963. The current women’s locker room is a makeshift room without floor-to-ceiling walls.