Three days before Michigan's controversial right-to-work law is set to take effect, the city of Ann Arbor has struck a deal on a new contract with its largest labor union.

The Ann Arbor City Council voted unanimously Monday night to approve a new collective bargaining agreement with AFSCME Local 369 and its roughly 270 members.

The contract is effective as of Monday and runs through Dec. 31, 2017.

Because the contract starts before the new state law takes effect, the city's AFSCME union won't face the consequences of right-to-work for more than four and a half years.

The vote on the new contract was 9-0 with Council Members Christopher Taylor and Mike Anglin absent.

John Hieftje

The city's human resources department recommended approval of the new AFSCME contract, which was renegotiated early and supersedes a contract set to expire on Dec. 31, 2013.

The new contract includes wage increases of 1 percent in January 2014, 0.5 percent in July 2014, 1.5 percent in January 2015, 1 percent in January 2016 and 1 percent in January 2017.

It also includes a revised wage table with lower step increases for new hires effective Jan. 1, 2015.

The union also has agreed to have its newly hired employees participate in any alternate retirement plan the City Council might approve. That's targeted for July 2014, according to the city's human resources director.

AFSCME new hires would move to the alternate pension plan at the same time that nonunion new hires move to such a plan. That could be a defined contribution plan or a hybrid plan.

"I think this is an important step forward," said Council Member Jane Lumm, who said she's particularly pleased about the promise of pension plan changes. "That is significant."

Lumm said it's a fundamental responsibility of the city to provide services effectively and efficiently and moving away from a defined benefit plan to a defined contribution plan is more sustainable.

"It is nice to see there's an option to do that in this contract," agreed Mayor John Hieftje, who said that's something the city has been looking at for years.

Council Member Sumi Kailasapathy, D-1st Ward, asked if the city could be penalized by the state for doing an end run around right-to-work. Hieftje said the city's not crossing any lines.

Last week, the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners also took steps to beat right-to-work, approving 10-year contracts with five of the county's unions.

The city's new contract with AFSCME includes a decrease in personal time for employees on alternate shifts, full participation in the city's wellness incentive program, certain cost contributions related to arbitrations and grievances, as well as other operational changes.

The negotiated agreement also includes AFSCME's acceptance of a change in the city's pension board composition, which was approved by city voters in November 2011.

The new pension board makeup includes five appointed citizen trustees, one trustee elected by fire members, one trustee elected by police members, one trustee elected by general city members and the city's chief financial officer. The city administrator was removed.

Under the new agreement, AFSCME will have 30 days to provide candidates and input to the mayor before a citizen trustee is nominated to serve on the pension board.

Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's email newsletters.

Frank Fairfield performs at the Ann Arbor Folk Festival in January.

Daniel J. Brenner | AnnArbor.com file photo

Those searches include sifting through thrift stores and swap meets, collecting old 78 RPM records, and also tracking down sheet music for rare vintage songs that may not have been recorded since the 78s era.

He also writes his own compositions, but they are of the same rustic, organic vein as the trad tunes—the instrumentation on his two records thus far has consisted of fiddle, banjo and acoustic guitar—and are often heavily influenced by the trad tunes he finds.

When he goes out on tour, it's just him onstage, playing all those instruments himself, as well as singing, hooting and hollering in down-home fashion.

Fairfield is not well-known outside of trad-music circles, given his relatively young age and the fact that's only released two discs, but he got a fair amount of exposure when he opened for the Fleet Foxes in 2008. Before then, Fairfield wasn't even making a living from playing music—he was busking on the streets and working at a school, after previously working at a few factory jobs.

His first, self-titled release consisted of his own interpretations of trad songs, while his second disc, "Out on the Open West" (2010), mostly featured his own songs and a handful of guest artists.

He recently wrapped up the recording of his next disc, which he hopes will be ready in time for him to sell at stops on the short tour that comes to The Ark on Saturday.

His last disc was on the Tompkins Square label, but "I'm putting this one out on my own," he says. "It's just a lot of songs I've been playing lately. For a while there, I'd been drawing on a lot of the same songs, so I decided I needed some new songs to play," says Fairfield, who performed at the Ann Arbor Folk Festival in January.

He says his new album is not much different than his previous ones: "The instrumentation is the same—primarily string instruments. But lately I've enjoyed playing more fiddle tunes and more mazurkas, more Southwestern tunes, and songs from the old sheet music I've discovered, songs that were popular once, and are still well-known among folk musicians."

One of his key inspirations to explore traditional music was his grandfather, also a fiddler. "He turned me on to this music when I was a kid, and taught a lot of it to me, and then I just began listening to the culture, and absorbing what I heard. I also got into old blues pretty early on."

Fairfield takes a dim view of the commercialization of music and the corporatization of the culture. "There is a real human culture and manufactured, corporatized bubble-gum culture that's just there to sell you something," he says. "I like the music of actual culture, not manufactured culture, and I think it's kind of sad when that music is regarded as a relic, or something that's dead."

That's especially true given that so much of the music he loves "comes from cultures that are still vibrant, like Spanish-American people playing Californio, and Tejano music. My family is from the Republic of Rio Grande, and down there, it's not regarded as 'old-time' music—it's still being played every day. It's their popular music."

As one might suspect, Fairfield isn't that comfortable with labels in general. He's not even sure he likes the "traditional" term, or even the "folk-music" apellation. "I just think of it as down-home music, so people can call it whatever they want. I don't think much about what category it falls into, especially since I consider what I do to be a pretty mixed bag."

Although, one phrase he uses a couple of times to describe what he plays is "'vernacular' music—because it's a hodgepodge....I'm uncomfortable calling it 'traditional,' because the guys who wrote and recorded these songs didn't think of themselves as 'traditional' artists. This music was the popular music of the day.

"What I do is kind of a bastardization of West African music, Spanish-American, Polish-American, Hungarian-American, Appalachian....All those groups came to America and made this big racket and it all got mixed together. I like that about it, that it's all of these strains, coming together.

As for his passion for old 78s: "It's a really bad habit that consumes most of my disposable income," he jokes. "A lot of the songs on those 78s were never commercially recorded again. Anglo-American vernacular music was recorded commercially for a very short period, and by the Depression era, most of it was gone, and by World War II, the era of commercially-recorded vernacular music was pretty much over."

Fairfield has also compiled a selection of rare and unheralded gramophone recordings from around the world, titled "Unheard Ofs & Forgotten Abouts" on his own Pawn imprint.

Recently, though, he's had to cut back on his accumulation of old 78s. "I picked up so many of them for so long, that eventually they started coming to me without my even looking for them—people began bringing them to me," he says. "So, now I've got a lot of stuff that I haven't even had a chance to listen to yet. So, I'm going to have to catch up with all of that before I go out and start accumulating more of them."

Kevin Ransom is a freelance writer who covers music for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at KevinRansom10@aol.com.

Ann Arbor juniors Stina Perkins, left, and Hannah Clague stand in their magnet classroom at Skyline High School Monday morning. The girls had a research paper they wrote last year inspire a new bill to save arts education funding that was introduced in the Michigan House of Representatives earlier this month.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

Rep. Douglas Geiss, a Democrat from Taylor, introduced a bill on March 12 in the Michigan House of Representatives that would create a fundraising license plate to support the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs.

The legislation was the work of Skyline High School's now-juniors Hannah Clague and Stina Perkins, as well as former Skyline student and current Rudolf Steiner junior Sophie Kendall. While the three girls did not write the actual bill that was proposed, it was inspired by a proposal they crafted last year as part of Skyline's Communication, Media and Public Policy magnet.

Lead teacher Pat Jenkins said during the students' first class as sophomores in the magnet, Introduction to Public Policy, the kids are required to brainstorm a policy issue they would like to know more about. Then they complete a policy analysis and research solutions and resolutions that are employed in other places, she said.

For the three girls, arts fundraising was a no brainer.

They watched as programs in the arts — dance, choir, theater, band, orchestra — continuously were placed on the chopping block not only in districts across Michigan, but in their own district, as schools face budget cuts, declining enrollment and decreased funding from the state.

"I have played classical guitar since I was 4 and it's something that has lead me to excel throughout my school career and has been really influential in what I achieve as a student today," said Perkins of her passion for arts education. "There's tons of research about how participating in (the arts) spurs cognitive develop from a young age."

Aside from playing guitar, Perkins also is a writer. Clague is an aspiring singer and dancer, and Kendall draws and paints.

Clague's father, Mark, is a music professor at the University of Michigan and it was his connection to a former student, Timothy Michling, who works in Geiss' office that led to the Ann Arbor students presenting their proposal for the license plate to the legislator.

Michling is the primary oboist for the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra and Geiss is a huge supporter of the arts and music education as his wife plays the violin, said Michling. He said Mark Clague mentioned the girls' proposal to him and he mentioned it to Geiss.

"From Detroit to the Upper Peninsula, Michigan is home to some of the world's greatest institutions of music, art, history and culture," Geiss said. "While difficult economic circumstances have required that equally difficult funding decisions be made at the state level, it is truly unfortunate that Michigan — historically known for its creative edge — has become so disinvested in its artistic and cultural heritage."

He said the license plate would give people a visible symbol for their support of the arts, while guaranteeing access to arts and cultural programming to communities throughout Michigan.

House Bill 4407 has bipartisan support and was co-sponsored by four Democrats, including Rep. Jeff Irwin from Ann Arbor, and three Republicans.

Perkins said the girls based their proposal on a similar bill in the state of California, which they discovered in their research also experienced significant cuts to K-12 arts programs. Michling added there also are arts license plates in Nevada, Texas, Tennessee, Indiana and North and South Carolina.

Perkins said the California license plate fundraiser was wildly successful and the money from the plates generated nearly 60 percent of the state's arts education budget.

If House Bill 4407 passes, the idea would be to launch a "huge crusade" to save arts education in Michigan and to advertise the effort on a broad scale, Perkins said. She added the California bill was promoted and backed by numerous celebrities, including the cast of "Glee."

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will take up the bill, the Secretary of State's Office would issue the license plates and the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs would funnel the money through grants to local school districts.

According to the State Department's website, it currently offers fundraising license plates for Michigan's 15 public universities, as well as nine special causes, including: the Boy Scouts of America, Children's Trust Fund, lighthouse preservation, veterans memorial, water quality and disaster relief through the American Red Cross and The Salvation Army. Purchasing a special fundraising plate costs an extra $10.

Perkins said she never imagined her and her classmates' proposal would go so far.

"There are lots of causes competing out there, but I think there is interest in this one," she said, adding the process has taught her a lot about the State Legislature, public policy and the power of a small grassroots group of people.

"It was definitely encouraging. … We learned in our government class … that the most influential thing to a person sitting in public office is the heartfelt letters from their communities. And we got to see firsthand how that works."

Pat Jenkins

From AAPS

"I am thrilled," Jenkins said of Clague, Kendall and Perkins' paper becoming the inspiration for this bill. "High school students today, I don't think the public is aware of how awesome they are. If you give them the tools and have high expectations, they really do soar."

She said in her Skyline magnet program, she teaches, but she also does a great deal of facilitating.

"It's real world here and if you want to change the world, you can. And that's so true in terms of the impact these girls are having."

Danielle Arndt covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. Follow her on Twitter @DanielleArndt or email her at daniellearndt@annarbor.com.

The Saline Area Schools Board of Education will evaluate Superintendent Scot Graden's performance and discuss changing pay-to-participate fees for athletics Tuesday.

Saline Superintendent Scot Graden gives a budget presentation in this 2011 file photo. The school board will conduct his quarterly evaluation Tuesday night and discuss pay-to-participate fees for athletics in preparation for the fiscal year 2014 budget.

Lisa Allmendinger | AnnArbor.com file photo

Saline conducts quarterly reviews of its superintendent. The board generally releases a statement after the evaluation.

In November, Graden was given a performance rating of "effective" on a scale from "ineffective" to "highly effective." School board members also discussed Graden's salary and contract length at that time. They directed Saline's human resources department to research the superintendent compensation packages of other comparable school districts and to prepare a market analysis for the board.

Graden earns an annual salary of $125,000 and a total compensation package worth $188,578. The package includes a $34,244 pension, $6,000 travel allowance, $6,500 other allowance and $19,828 in insurance benefits, according to a recent statewide superintendent database.

Saline is the second-largest school district in Washtenaw County, behind Ann Arbor, with approximately 5,330 students. Graden's base salary is the fourth lowest in the county.

The discussion about athletics and activity pay-to-participate fees will take place as the district prepares to address its budget woes for fiscal year 2014, according to a story by the Saline Post.

The Post writes Saline officials project to lose $187,000 in per-pupil funding for the 2013-14 academic year as the result of a state funding cut for Gov. Rick Snyder's "best practice" incentives.

Officials also estimate the district's enrollment will decline by 70 students, which would cost the district another $517,000, the Post article says.

Saline Area Schools play-to-participate fees are $325 per student at the high school this year. This is a one-time payment and then students may take part in as many sports and clubs as they would like.

• 20130326_board_agenda.pdf

Danielle Arndt covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. Follow her on Twitter @DanielleArndt or email her at daniellearndt@annarbor.com.

An apartment where a plexi-glass front window once bulged due to heat from a nearby car fire has been rehabbed at the former Riley Court Apartment Complex, now called MeadowRidge Apartments.

Tom Perkins | For AnnArbor.com

The raw sewage that once took up a parking spot in front of the MeadowRidge Apartments in Ypsilanti Township has been hosed away.

The pipe that spewed the sewage has been repaired, and the litany of code violations ranging from serious safety hazards to cosmetic issues at the property, 2532 E. Michigan Ave., also have all been addressed.

Complex owner Stewart Beal fired the management team, a source of many tenant complaints, and now oversees the 30-unit property himself. The complex was previously known as Riley Court.

Building officials have applauded the turnaround at the complex that has troubled the township for decades and called it one of the largest rehabilitation of a property they have seen.

“This is the most encompassing enforcement that has occurred at this property. Through tenant complaints, the tenacity of (code inspector) Bill Elling, unparalleled photo documentation and attorney pressure, this property looks the best it has in some time,” Township Building Director Ron Fulton said. “Obviously this is a victory for the owner, the township and, most importantly, the tenants.”

Beal said he invested around $50,000 to bring the property up to code.

The township charged in court documents filed last September that the complex was riddled with safety hazards and a range of code violations.

An official described the plumbing in some of the units as “wacky”. In one unit, bathtub water that was turned on with a pair of pliers shot into a neighbor’s wall.

Sewage was seen in September outside residents' apartments at MeadowRidge.

Tom Perkins | AnnArbor.com file photo

An extension cord plugged into the wall in the bedroom ran through the wall where the water was shooting. That cord led to a basement crawl space, where it was spliced into another cord that led to the hot water heater, which created a serious fire hazard.

Additionally, the large front window to the apartment was a plexiglass sheet that had been partially melted when a car was set on fire in the parking lot about 10 feet away.

Other problems included mold, flooded crawl spaces, serious electrical hazards, serious fire hazards, windows that didn’t fit, broken plumbing, broken windows, trash littering the property, rotting door and window frames, windows nailed shut, non-functioning fire alarms, general exterior decay, broken plumbing fixtures, broken heaters and more, officials said.

“We went through unit by unit and verified that everything was repaired,” Fulton said.

Beal said he is pleased that the property is now up to code, but he said didn’t believe there were safety issues and said the bulk of his renovation expense was related to replacing windows.

“I would certainly deny there was anything unsafe on the property at any time. You caught us on a bad day,” he said, referring to an AnnArbor.com reporter's tour of the property with building officials in September. “But we went above and beyond by investing $50,000 in the property.

“It was a pleasant process. Ron Fulton and Bill Elling are good to work with. I’m glad work got done to their satisfaction.”

The property also had been a crime hot spot, but law enforcement officials say crime has also dropped.

Through the first eight months of last year, the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office had responded to 96 calls at Riley Court. Police said had responded to calls at 24 of the 30 units.

Included in property's rap sheet is arson, sexual assault, felony warrant arrests, armed assault, animal complaints, disorderly persons, prostitution, narcotics possession, narcotics distribution, shots fired complaints and noise complaints. The sheriff’s department also has recovered stolen cars from other jurisdictions and accompanied the township officials to enforce ordinance violations.

Tom Perkins is a freelance reporter. Reach the AnnArbor.com news desk at news@annarbor.com.

The University of Michigan has one of the largest college endowments in the country and it's often academically-ranked as a top public university.

U-M's chief investment officer Erik Lundberg says its no coincidence that the school performs well both financially and academically.

"It helps to have an endowment to do [academic] things and do them excellently," said Lundberg, a 14-year veteran of the university. "If you look at the highest ranking universities they all have big endowments. I think there's a relationship there."

Lundberg visited U-M's faculty senate advisory committee on university affairs Monday afternoon to talk about the endowment. He explained, in general terms, the workings of U-M's investment office at the corner of Huron and Main streets in Ann Arbor and tried to lift the veil on an endowment that, in fiscal 2011-12, was valued at $7.7 billion.

Here's 10 things you should know about U-M's growing endowment:

University of Michigan has a $7.7 billion endowment.

Melanie Maxwell I AnnArbor.com

2) The endowment has grown significantly during the past 25 years. In 1988, the endowment totaled about $300 million. By 1994 it was $1 billion, in 2000 it was $3.5 billion and in 2005 it was $4.9 billion.

3) In 2012, the endowment was ranked the seventh-largest of any university in the country and second-largest among public universities. In 1999 the university's endowment was ranked 17th-largest among universities and in 1991 the endowment was ranked 27th. The University of Texas system is the only public institution that has a larger endowment than U-M.

4) The endowment is made up of approximately 7,600 separate funds managed, as Lundberg puts it, "like a big mutual fund."

"They all pool together in one vehicle," he said. "Everybody gets exposure to the same investment."

Many of the funds have been earmarked for specific uses by donors. Examples include program support —the school's philosophy library operates through an endowed fund gifted by a donor— scholarships and professorships.

Erik Lundberg

Booth file photo

5) While the university is meticulous in how it invests its money, it's equally as disciplined in how it spends endowment returns.

"The point of having an endowment is not to grow it, it's to spend it," Lundberg said Monday.

Endowment distributions are capped at 4.5 percent of the endowment value, averaged over a seven-year period. In 2012 the university distributed $270 million from the endowment, up $4 million from the year before.

The university had been tapping into the endowment at a rate of 5 percent, but lowered that rate to 4.5 percent in 2010. Lundberg said the rate likely will return to 5 percent in the near future.

6) The endowment lost 0.5 percent of value in 2012. The average investment return over the past five years has been 2.5 percent and over the past decade the return averaged 9.6 percent.

7) The university doesn't let social or political factors influence its investments.

"The regents have said the investments should be done based on the merit of return," Lundberg said. "We try to be blind to [social factors]."

At recent Board of Regents meetings, students and citizens have urged the university to stop investing in fossil fuels and HEI Hotels. Regents haven't publicly responded to the concerns.

Historically, interventions by regents have been limited. In the late 1970s regents disinvested in funds related to South Africa and in the early 2000s, the board voted to disinvest in tobacco companies.

8) Donors are more generous when the endowment performs well. When Lundberg was recruited to the university in 1999, endowments returns had been lackluster and, for many years, were below their peer average. The effect, he said, was apparent among donors, who "weren't so excited" because many felt "they could do better on their own."

As the endowment performs well, donors feel comfortable that their gifts are well stewarded, Lundberg said.

9) The university's investment office was established in 1999 and now has a staff of 13 investors who oversee the school's financial assets and develop investment strategies, which focus heavily on longterm commitments and diversification.

"A lot of strategies take many years [to] pay off," Lundberg said Monday.

Separate from the investment office, the university has an investment accounting manager with a staff of about three people, according to Lundberg. They're tasked with keeping track of U-M investments and reporting their success to the school's chief financial officer, Timothy Slottow.

10) The school's endowment is placed in a mix of traditional and alternative investments. Here's a breakdown:

• Natural resources: 9.3 percent
• Real estate: 15 percent
• Venture Capital: 11.5 percent
• Private Equity: 15.4 percent
• Cash: 2.8 percent
• Absolute Return: 15.5 percent
• Fixed Income: 8.6 percent
• Non-U.S. Equity:12.7 percent
• U.S. Equity: 9.2 percent

Kellie Woodhouse covers higher education for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at kelliewoodhouse@annarbor.com or 734-623-4602 and follow her on twitter.

Ann Arbor City Council members held the last of a series of budget work sessions Monday night, and they now await the city administrator's recommended budget in April.

A number of capital projects are being removed from the two-year budget plan in an effort to close the gap between revenues and expenditures starting July 1.

Tom Crawford, the city's chief financial officer, provided an overview of some of the changes, noting hundreds of thousands of dollars in planned fire station upgrades are being pushed back, with the exception of the addition of separate female showers and locker rooms.

Tom Crawford, the city's chief financial officer, appears before council members at a recent meeting.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

Mayor John Hieftje said as long as the council chambers is safe, it's fine, though he would like to see improved accommodations for people with disabilities.

"About the only change I've seen in it is we painted these panels up here," he said, pointing toward the ceiling after the meeting. "But we still have two-by-fours holding up the counters, at least back where the mayor sits, but it's perfectly adequate for us to continue to use."

The city also has modified its assumptions regarding the future of city-owned property at 415 W. Washington, where the city hopes to establish a greenway park.

The city's Capital Improvement Plan had assumed a $650,000 cost for the re-use of the deteriorated building there as a community arts center, and now the city assumes it will be demolished.

"That is a reduction of about $350,000," Crawford said.

About $500,000 worth of concrete repairs that were planned for Superior Dam in 2014-15 also are being pushed back another year.

Train station design delayed

City Administrator Steve Powers confirmed Monday night a $2.6 million line item for final design of a new train station, possibly on Fuller Road, is being pushed back one year to fiscal year 2015-16.

That brought smiles to the faces of at least two councils members who have questioned the project: Jane Lumm and Stephen Kunselman.

Both said they were ready to bring forward budget amendments to halt the design if it showed up in the administrator's budget next month, so they're glad to know it won't be there.

"Hearing this is certainly good news," Lumm said, adding she's also glad to see hundreds of thousands of dollars in improvements to city hall removed for now.

Crawford said the city decided it can delay doing a $200,000 primary chiller replacement inside city hall in 2014-15, since the city is spending $175,000 to add a secondary chiller in 2013-14 anyway. If the primary chiller fails, he said, the new secondary chiller can kick in.

Hieftje, who has been a major proponent of building a new train station on Fuller Road, said he's not disappointed to see the final design delayed a year.

"The federal wheels turn slowly, and frankly I think it's not a bad thing to happen," he said. "One of the things I've thought about for a very long time is it's sometimes hard for people to visualize how robust service is going to be with Amtrak going over 100 mph with brand-new trains, really reducing the transit times and providing a dependable trip east to west, and getting rid of the roadblocks."

As more time passes, Hieftje said, the increased demand for service will be more apparent. He said he's heard from Amtrak that ridership could double.

"Which would completely overwhelm our current station," he said.

Closing fire stations vs. adding firefighters

Even though Hieftje and a number of council members have voiced opposition to closing fire stations, it's an idea that doesn't seem to go away.

Included in the council's meeting packet was a five-page memo from Powers indicating it's an option he's still considering.

City Administrator Steve Powers

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

Given current staffing levels, Fire Chief Chuck Hubbard favors the switch to three stations, which would ensure a minimum of four firefighters on duty at each station. That would help make sure four firefighters arrive on scene together, which is preferred when responding to fires.

But instead of closing stations, Hubbard has said he'd rather increase staffing levels and have four firefighters on duty at each of the five existing stations.

According to Powers' memo, the fire department would need to hire 12 more firefighters to achieve that. The department has 86 full-time employees now.

The cost of those 12 firefighters for the first year would be $936,963, plus a $121,536 one-time cost for equipment. Year 2 costs would be $991,518, growing to $1,048,751 by Year 5.

Powers said he's confident in those numbers, which clash with projections Hubbard provided last year. Hubbard said last March it would take hiring at least 30 more firefighters at a cost of $3 million a year to increase the daily staffing levels from three to four firefighters at each substation.

Hieftje and Powers both expressed a desire for greater collaboration with surrounding fire departments during Monday's meeting. Hieftje said he's working with Yousef Rabhi, the new chairman of the county board, to resurrect the Washtenaw Metro Alliance to take a closer look at that.

"I'm confident we're going to be in good shape keeping the stations we have, but there's a great deal of promise in further collaboration with other departments in moving toward regionalization," Hieftje said. "I think we can both save money for taxpayers and provide better fire services."

Lumm said she's ready to propose an increase in police and fire staffing for next year if she doesn't like what she sees in the administrator's budget.

"My expectation is that council's goals for public safety will be reflected in the budget," she said. "And when you establish priorities, you do more of something and less of something else."

Lumm doesn't support closing fire stations.

"I know we don't have adequate staffing at all the stations, obviously," she said. "But when the locations were established decades ago, they were strategically placed. It's a big leap to walk away from that and conclude that we can close some of these."

Fall leaf pickup and holiday trees

Lumm said she's planning to bring forward amendments to restore fall leaf pickup and holiday tree collection services if they're not included in the administrator's budget.

Council Member Jane Lumm

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

Lumm, who fought unsuccessfully to restore those services last year, said she can't understand how in a general fund budget totaling more than $80 million the city can't find at least $26,000.

She believes it would be less costly for city residents and would leave a smaller carbon footprint if the city's trucks go around and pick up holiday trees, instead of having thousands of residents individually haul their trees out to the city's drop-off station on Ellsworth Road.

"I thought about that when we dropped ours off and there was the mountain of trees, and I thought, 'OK, each one of these is a car coming out here,' " she said.

"And as we've seen with the limb/tree debris cleanup after this last storm, that's a really nice thing that the city's doing," she said. "A lot of neighborhoods would appreciate this service."

Hieftje, who supported eliminating fall leaf pickup and holiday tree collections in 2010, said he's happy to talk about restoring such services if Lumm can find the money in the budget. But he guessed only half the residents in Ann Arbor have holiday trees, and if they're able to go out and pick them up in the first place, he said, it seems they should be able to haul them away on their own.

New budget forecast

Crawford provided council members with a revised general fund forecast, showing a slightly more positive outlook than before.

"We completed our revised tax estimates for the year and have about $190,000 in additional general fund revenues we anticipate, so that was good news," he said.

Crawford said the 15th District Court also revised its budget and now expects $220,000 in additional revenue, while court expenses have gone down $60,000.

If every remaining budget request is granted, the general fund would operate at a $275,000 deficit in the coming year, which means city officials still have some tough decisions to make.

Mayor John Hieftje chats with Council Member Sally Hart Petersen, D-2nd Ward, before the start of a meeting.

Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com

The city still is projecting $82.3 million in recurring revenues and $80.8 million in baseline recurring expenses for next year. That leaves a $1.48 million surplus to start in the general fund.

From there, city officials are considering $231,000 worth of additional recurring funding requests (down from $698,000 a month ago). Additionally, city officials are considering $1.5 million in one-time expenses (down from $1.7 million a month ago).

The projections for the second year of the two-year budget plan show the city operating at a $1.75 million deficit if every remaining budget request is funded.

If the city ran those deficits, it still would have uncommitted cash reserves totaling nearly $12.1 million two years from now, which is considered within acceptable range.

The council also was presented with a budget plan from the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority at Monday's meeting.

DDA officials said there are no downtown parking rate increases planned in the next year, but there is more parking coming online with the opening of the new First and Washington garage. As a result, parking revenues are budgeted to jump from $18.1 million to $19.3 million in the next year.

The DDA's budget shows significantly lower tax revenues than city officials anticipate based on new downtown developments coming onto the tax rolls.

One chart city officials referenced shows DDA tax captures growing as high as $4.8 million in 2014-15, which Kunselman and Council Member Sumi Kailasapathy want to scale back.

The City Council is expected to hold public hearings on May 6 and vote on a final budget at its May 20 meeting. The administrator's budget is due by April 15.

The Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority's projections for the next two years.

Ann Arbor DDA

Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's email newsletters.

Ypsilanti's Lavonte Davis goes up for a shot in a state quarterfinal game against Saginaw High Tuesday.

Daniel Brenner | AnnArbor.com file photo

Minutes after his Ypsilanti High School team ended its longest state tournament run since 1981, falling to Saginaw High in the state quarterfinals Tuesday, senior forward Lavonte Davis reflected on the feeling of playing for his community.

“We put a community on our back, and we tried to carry our community as far as possible,” Davis said Tuesday in a hallway at Grand Blanc High School.

A week later, Davis’ community is carrying him.

Two days before the state semifinal game, Davis was at the DECA State Career Development Conference in Grand Rapids, competing along with six of his classmates in the statewide business competition.

And the same week he helped his team win its first basketball regional title in decades, he achieved something no student at Ypsilanti High School ever has: a DECA state championship and a spot in the International Career Development Conference.

The only catch: the conference is in Anaheim, Calif., and the trip will cost $2,500

So on Wednesday, Davis and his business teacher Dorothy Kryskowski created a page on the website GoFundMe, to solicit donations from the community.

By Monday, five days later, more than $2,300 had been raised.

“It really almost brought me to tears when I saw it,” Davis said. “People always say the Ypsilanti community doesn’t care, the Ypsilanti community doesn’t support each other, but that’s a lie. The support that I got from the Ypsilanti community was amazing, it’s something that I’ll never forget.

Davis has until April 10 to raise the money for the event, which will go toward airfare, lodging and registration fees. He only needs 400 more dollars to get there.

The donations rolled in from more than 40 people, friends and strangers alike. One donor wrote that “I don’t know you but I feel like I do from watching you play basketball,” and gave $50.

The biggest single donor: the Ypsilanti High School custodians, who together gave $500 toward the trip.

Davis said he’s formed a kinship with the school's custodians and tries to never take them for granted, sometimes helping them clean the cafeteria. He even learned a few post moves on the basketball court from one.

“They work really hard, and if something’s wrong with the school they’re always on it,” Davis said.

Their donations will help him compete among the nation’s top business students in DECA’s annual international competition.

Davis, who will attend Northwood University in Midland, Mich. on a basketball scholarship, competes in the sports and marketing series. In competitions, he is given the role of a person involved in a business scenario -- one time he was a college athletic department employee, another time he was a concert organizer -- and must solve a problem while demonstrating an understanding of business and marketing concepts.

“It’s like you’re selling a product every time, so you’re selling your idea with that person,” Davis said.

And the competition fits well with Davis’ future dual roles: a future college athlete and business major.

“It’s really helped me a lot,” Davis said. “It makes you really use your head a lot.”

Kyle Austin covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kyleaustin@annarbor.com or 734-623-2535. Follow him on Twitter @KAustin_AA.

The spring holidays are upon us, and whether you’re finding eggs, the Afikomen, or just your spring coat, it’s a great time to celebrate (hopefully) deliverance from a nasty winter.

Meanwhile, Washtenaw County’s theaters deliver to you a spring feast of theatrical goodness, from a celebration of Broadway from the Ann Arbor District Library, to two new shows in previews at The Purple Rose and Encore Musical Theatre.

No need to go hunting for bargains, either. Three of the events listed below are free, and three are offering special discounts this week. Grab your Easter bonnet, and (hopefully) your spring coat and see some great theater this week!

Show: “America's Music Film & Discussion: Broadway And Tin Pan Alley” one-time event, Wednesday, March 27 at 6:30 p.m.
Company: Ann Arbor District Library
Type of Company: Community event
Venue/location: Ann Arbor District Library - Downtown Library Multi-Purpose Room, 343 S. Fifth Ave., Ann Arbor
Recommended ages: 13+
Description: Mark Clague, associate professor of musicology and director of research at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance, leads this screening and discussion session on Broadway and Tin Pan Alley Music focusing on the film "Broadway: The American Musical, Episode 2: Syncopated City (1919-1933)." Narrated by Julie Andrews, it features on-camera commentary by historians as well as performers, writers and critics including Stephen Sondheim, Andre de Shields and John Lahr. Broadway during the Jazz Age showcased the sweeping changes transforming American culture: new roles for women; the mixing of social classes in Prohibition-era speakeasies; new creative opportunities for African Americans in jazz clubs and music halls. But the success of the "talkies," which lured musical talent to Hollywood and the collapse of Wall Street in 1929 brought Broadway to its knees and the Jazz Age to a crashing halt.
Fun fact: The Ann Arbor District Library is one of 50 sites nationwide to host this 8-week program series (which this week centers of Broadway). It is a project by the Tribeca Film Institute in collaboration with the American Library Association, Tribeca Flashpoint, and the Society for American Music. America's Music has been made possible by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the Human Endeavor. The AADL series is also co-sponsored by The Friends of the Ann Arbor District Library, Kerrytown Concert House, UMS and WCBN 88.3-FM.
For tickets and information: 734-327-4555, aadl.org.

Show: “America's Music Concert: A Salute To Broadway And Tin Pan Alley” with Barbara Wisse and Mark Kahny, one-time event, March 28 at 8 p.m.
Company: Ann Arbor District Library
Type of Company: Community Event
Venue/location: Kerrytown Concert House, 415 N. Fourth Ave., Ann Arbor
Recommended ages: 13+
Description: AADL presents this special concert as part of its series “America's Music: A Film History of Our Popular Music from Blues to Bluegrass to Broadway.” This eight-week documentary film/ discussions series focuses on 20th century American popular music and features related concerts performed by some of the area's most prominent musicians. Barbara Wisse's silky voice has been heard on stages throughout West Michigan and she was featured on Circle Theatre's "Tapestry, The Music of Carol King" CD. Pianist Mark Kahny is one of West Michigan's finest keyboard and vocal talents and was recently named West Michigan Jazz Society's 2012 Musician of the Year. With a degree in classical piano performance from the University of Cincinnati's Conservatory of Music, he has toured from Vegas to Chicago with a 9-piece horn band, Kops & Robbers, and throughout the Midwest with the wildly entertaining vocal trio Boogie Woogie Babies.
Fun fact: The Ann Arbor District Library is one of fifty sites nationwide to host this 8-week program series (which this week centers on Broadway). It is a project by the Tribeca Film Institute in collaboration with the American Library Association, Tribeca Flashpoint, and the Society for American Music.
For tickets and information: 734-327-4555, aadl.org.

Show: "Songs for Survivors" Sunday March 31st at 4 and 7 p.m.
Company: Akip Productions.
Type of Company: Cancer Benefit concert.
Venue/location: Kerrytown Concert House, 415 N. Fourth Ave., Ann Arbor.
Recommended ages: 14+
Description: AKip Productions assembles various University of Michigan musical theater students, graduates, professors, and local Ann Arbor artists to celebrate cancer survivorship through music. This concert will be a voice for survivors by spreading awareness, hope, and inspiration. All performers have a connection to survivorship either through personal experience, family, or friends."
More information
Fun fact: Alex was given a 15-30% chance of survival after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma as a senior at U-M. During subsequent treatment at the U-M Medical Center, Kip lost his voice. “Now able to sing again,” he said, “I’m giving the gift back.” Now in complete remission, Kip put together Songs For Survivors.
For tickets and information: akipprod.com
Special ticket offer: Special $5 price for students!

Show: “Gap Yah” by Declan Sheahan, through March 30
Company: Basement Arts
Type of Company: Student Produced
Venue/location: Studio 1 in the Walgreen Drama Center 1226 Murfin, Ann Arbor
Recommended ages: 18+
Description: “Gap Yah” tells the coming-of-age story of Harold, a quirky but endearing high school senior stuck in a rut after graduation. When his girlfriend Courtney humiliates him with a public breakup, Harold takes off on a gap year to India with his closest friends. What starts off as a trip to prove his worth to Courtney turns into an adventure of epic proportions!
Fun fact: “Gap Yah” is an original student-written play by Declan Sheahan, who is currently an exchange student at U of M. He is from London originally, and the play is partly inspired by true events! This is the world premiere production of his play.
For tickets and information: Tickets are free and available on a first-come first-served basis at the door 15 minutes prior to the start of the show.

photo by Peter Smith Photography | courtesy of the University of Michigan

Show: “Edward the Second” by Jason Sebacher, based on the play by Christopher Marlowe, through March 31
Company: The New Theatre Project
Type of Company: Professional Non-Equity
Venue/location: Mix Performance Space, 130 W. Michigan Ave., Ypsilanti
Recommended ages: 18+, Contains violence, strong language, sexual simulations, and nudity.
Description: A party boy, a loser, a pothead, a wastoid, now a king. Edward, not ready for the call of adulthood, crashes in his dad’s basement with his disreputable boyfriend, Pierce. His brother Kent lives under the burden of his beloved father, and his wife Isabel will only put up with it for so long before her ambitions get the best of her. The New Theatre Project’s first history play adaptation exists in the tensions between power and desire, pain and pleasure, and past and present. The classic love story--with its unforgettable, explosive ending--is about the impossibility of young love and the casualties of adulthood.
More information
Fun fact: The Prospect Theatre Company's production of the play, starring Ian McKellen and James Laurenson, caused a sensation when it was broadcast by the BBC during the 1970s. Numerous other productions followed, starring actors such as Simon Russell Beale and Joseph Fiennes. In 1995 a ballet adaptation was created for Stuttgart Ballet.
For tickets and information: www.thenewtheatreproject.org

Show: “Good People” by David Lindsay-Abaire, EXTENDED through April 7
Company: Performance Network Theatre
Type of Company: Professional Equity SPT
Venue/location: Performance Network Theatre, 120 E. Huron, Ann Arbor
Recommended ages: 16+
Description: When you got nothin', you got nothin' to lose - or so it would seem for Margie Walsh, a Dollar Store worker from Boston's Southie district, where this week's paycheck pays last week's bills, and a round of Bingo is a night on the town. Fired from her job and facing eviction, she reaches out in desperation to a high school boyfriend who has made it out, inviting herself to a chic cocktail party in his home. Once there, a series of awkward moments reveals a secret about their past, putting Margie in the driver's seat for the first time. This 2011 Tony nominee is a touching and funny look at America's great economic divide.
Review from the Detroit Free Press
Fun Fact: Playwright David Lindsay-Abaire wrote the book and lyrics for the new musical Shrek the Musical which opened on Broadway in 2009 and in London in 2011.
For tickets and information: www.performancenetwork.org/, 734-663-0681
Special ticket offer: For the production of “Good People” only, Performance Network is offering 10 pay-what-you-can tickets every Thursday. Tickets are available on a first come, first served basis beginning at 10 am each Thursday, and can be reserved by calling the box office.

Show: “Lend Me a Tenor” by Ken Ludwig, through April 14
Name of Company: The Encore Musical Theatre Company
Type of Company: Professional Equity Guest Appearance Contract
Venue/location: The Encore Musical Theatre Company, 3126 Broad Street, Dexter
Recommended ages: 14+
Description: It is 1934, and the renowned tenor Tito Merelli is scheduled to sing the lead in Otello. The opera is being produced as a gala fundraiser for the Cleveland Opera Company. Unfortunately, even before the star leaves his hotel room, everything begins to unravel. Chaos ensues with endless cases of mistaken identity, farcical plot twists, innuendos, door slamming, and spit takes! Encore’s first non-musical is filled with music, comedy, and hijinks.
Preview from AnnArbor.com
Fun fact: “Lend Me a Tenor” has been translated into 16 languages, and performed in 25 countries.
For tickets and information: www.theencoretheatre.org, 734-268-6200 Special ticket offer: This Thursday only, all tickets $18! (March 28).

Show: “33 Variations” by Moises Kaufman, through June 1*
Company: The Purple Rose Theatre Company
Type of Company: Professional Equity SPT
Venue/location: The Purple Rose Theatre Company, 137 Park Street, Chelsea
Recommended ages: 16+ Contains adult language and content.
Description: In 19th century Austria, Ludwig van Beethoven works obsessively on a commission he cannot complete. In present day, musicologist Katherine Brandt struggles to solve the mystery behind her professional passion: Beethoven’s oft overlooked “Diabelli Variations”. As she races against time, Katherine not only discovers the true nature of Beethoven’s work, but gains insight into the other mystery in her life: her daughter. Moving between the past and the present, 33 Variations illustrates how the very passions that threaten to overwhelm us can also save us.
Fun fact: Each of the 700 books that appear on the stage were created in the PRTC scene shop by the apprentices and our technical director. For tickets and information: 734-433-7673 or www.purplerosetheatre.org.
Special ticket offer: $10 off up to 4 tickets for new reservations with code: SPRING.
*There is no performance on Sunday, March 31.

A contingent of Washtenaw Community College faculty members told the Board of Trustees during a Tuesday meeting that they're concerned over the recent firing of the school's vice president of instruction, according to a report by radio station WEMU.

Rose Bellanca

Stuart Blackwell was fired on March 14, months before his contract expired in June.

Bellanca emailed faculty last week promising more communication and defending Blacklaw's firing.

• Listen to the full WEMU report.

Related story: Roundup of Easter events

If you see a fire truck and police car at Buhr Park on Saturday, don't worry—they're not there for an emergency (well, hopefully not). They're part of the Ann Arbor Jaycees Easter Egg Scramble.

There will be three separate egg scramble times—11:30 a.m., noon and 12:30 p.m. While the event is free, they will be taking donations for Alpha House.

Visit www.a2jaycees.org for complete info and to pre-register your child.

Saturday, March 30, 2013. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. Buhr Park is located at 2751 Packard Road, Ann Arbor. 734-794-6234.

"This Close" author (and former Ann Arborite) Jessica Francis Kane, who will appear at Nicola's Books.

Photo by Nina Subin

Jessica Francis Kane—who grew up in Ann Arbor, and whose first novel, "The Report," was a Barnes and Noble Discover selection—will read from her new short story collection, "This Close," at Nicola's Books (2513 Jackson Ave. in Ann Arbor) on Thursday, March 28 at 7 p.m.

Among the 12 stories in "This Close" is one about a middle-aged woman who, annoyed with a wealthy young neighbor's yard improvements, offers the use of a corner of her lawn to a Croatian immigrant for a vegetable garden; and a story about a daughter/father trip to Israel that results in an unusual bargain.

Kane, who now lives with her family in New York, answered questions from AnnArbor.com in anticipation of her upcoming hometown visit.

Q. Could you discuss how growing up in Ann Arbor inspired or shaped you as a writer?

A. I think I’m still figuring this out. Certainly I had great teachers, including one who had us write a short story a week. He would give us an idea; for example, ‘Write a story from the perspective of a turkey at Thanksgiving time.’ This was 6th grade at Burns Park and it may sound silly, but it was actually a super way to get us out of our heads and begin to write with empathy. I loved those assignments. My parents had a library in the house and I remember admiring the spines of books long before I could read or even reach any of them. Growing up in a house with books was very important. Lately I’ve been thinking about the interesting, sometimes conflicting forces at work in a university town and I’ve been starting to write about that.

Q. Do you still have family in the area? What are the things you miss about Ann Arbor?

A. My parents still live in the house I grew up in, and my brother lives in Ypsilanti with his family. I miss the original Borders Bookstore and Shaman Drum. I miss Drake’s. I used to love getting a bagel and limeade there and then walking on the Diag with my high school friends. I miss riding my bike around Burns Park.

Q. What are you working on next?

A. I am at the very beginning of a new novel. I can’t say much about it, though, because I’m superstitious that way. If I say too much too soon, I scare away the inspiration. I’m also working on short stories. I like to have a couple different things going at once.

Q. With our short attention span culture, do you think the short story is getting more play and respect in the literary marketplace these days?

A. That is being said lately and I find it very interesting. Something seems to be happening because short stories and short story collections are everywhere. But rather than appealing to a diminishing attention span, maybe it is the power and poetic concision of a good short story that is appealing to people weary of so much cultural fluff. I’m an idealist.

Q. Could you tell me about the process of selecting stories, and ordering them, for a collection? How did you decide on the collection's title?

A. This collection is a little different because there are a couple of story sets linked by the same characters, as well as several stand-alone stories. To tell you the truth, I spent hours working on the order, too many hours, and it is my hope that people will read the collection that way, but I know I can’t really control that. There is an arc I tried to create of moving from young to old, so that the first story is about a young man setting up his life in New York, and the last story is about an older professor celebrating a birthday and reflecting on his life. As for the title: it was a gift. I didn’t know what to call the collection, but I was narrowing down the possibilities, and then one day on Twitter I said, “I’m this close to a title” and Larry Dark, the director of The Story Prize, tweeted back, “'This Close' is a good title for a story collection.” And that was that. I knew he was right.

Jenn McKee is the entertainment digital journalist for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at jennmckee@annarbor.com or 734-623-2546, and follow her on Twitter @jennmckee.

A health insurance plan specifically designed to help adults with little-to-no income is enrolling Michigan residents in the month of April only.

Made possible through the Michigan Department of Human Services, the Adult Benefit Waiver Program is enrolling patients locally through the Washtenaw Health Plan under its “Plan A.”

This is the first time this particular insurance program has opened enrollment in two and a half years, said Ellen Rabinowitz, executive director of the Washtenaw Health Plan.

At that time, about 2,000 Washtenaw County residents enrolled in the plan. Enrollment numbers have dropped to 600 residents on the plan as of this month, said Krista Nordberg, director of enrollment and advocacy services.

“We further hope the state moves forward with Medicaid expansion in 2014, which would include the Plan A enrollees,” Rabinowitz said in statement.

Washtenaw Health Plan has set a goal to bring its enrollment numbers in Plan A back to 2,200 people in 22 days, Nordberg said.

Coverage provided under Plan A includes primary and specialty care, prescription drugs and limited mental health services. Co-pays for prescription drugs are about $1 under the plan.

Eligible adults are between the ages of 19 and 64 years old. They must be a U.S. citizen or legal resident for at least five years.

The Adult Benefit Waiver program is for adults with no income or very low income: The requirements are a maximum income of $335 per month for a single person, or a maximum income of $452 per month for a married couple.

Applicants must also have less than $3,000 in assets, excluding a car and a home.

No interview is required to enroll, and the application process is fairly simple, Nordberg said.

Washtenaw County residents can enroll through the Washtenaw Health Plan during the month of April only.

The office is open 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at 555 Towner St. in Ypsilanti. Call (734) 544-3030 for more information, or visit whp.ewashtenaw.org.

Residents from any part of Michigan can enroll in the Adult Benefit Waiver Program by visiting www.michigan.gov/mibridges or at a Department of Human Services location.

• Find out more about free or low cost health care services in Washtenaw County for residents

Amy Biolchini covers Washtenaw County, health and environmental issues for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at (734) 623-2552, amybiolchini@annarbor.com or on Twitter.

The man accused of shooting another man on Bedford Drive in Ypsilanti Township last year will return to court for a final pretrial hearing next month.

Christopher Tillison

Courtesy of the state of Michigan

Christopher Tillison, 26, is charged with shooting a man during a robbery on July 10 in the 300 block of Bedford Drive. He was scheduled to be in court Tuesday afternoon but his final pretrial hearing was adjourned until 1:30 p.m. April 2, according to jail records.

Tillison is scheduled to go to trial in the case at 8 a.m. April 15, according to court records.

Tillison is accused of being one of the men involved in the incident, in which an Ypsilanti Township man was shot in the knee at 10:45 a.m. July 10 in the 300 block of Bedford Drive, a street in the Huron Ridge Apartments near Eastern Michigan University. A car hit a second man, 31 years old, soon after the shooting.

Tillison is the only person charged in the case and was arraigned on July 24 and has been held at the Washtenaw County Jail since then. He was originally given a $250,000 bond but now faces a $500,000 bond, jail records show.

In the days after the shooting, police said a second man was at large, but no one was ever arrested.

Tillison faces a charge of assault with intent to murder, as well as three armed robbery charges and charges of first-degree home invasion, being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

The shooting occurred just three months after Tillison was paroled on a previous conviction. He has seven previous convictions dating back to Oct. 20, 2005.

Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.

Jon Merrill, pictured above, has reportedly signed a pro contract.

Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com file photo

On Tuesday, Michigan hockey coach Red Berenson said he thought it was time for defenseman Jon Merrill to move on to professional hockey.

A day later, it appears he has.

According to TSN’s Bob McKenzie, Merrill has signed an entry level contract with the New Jersey Devils, which would end his career at Michigan after three seasons.

The Record of Bergen County, N.J., also reported the deal, and said Merrill has also signed an amateur tryout contract to join the Albany Devils of the American Hockey League for the remainder of the season.

An Albany spokesperson reached for comment said the team had "no transaction updates to report at this time." A representative for New Jersey had no comment at this time.

Merrill was a second-round pick of the Devils in 2010. In his three seasons at Michigan, Merrill compiled 11 goals and 36 assists in 86 games.

After a standout freshman season that included seven goals and 18 assists, Merrill missed part of his sophomore season due to a suspension and part of this past season with a cracked vertebrae.

“I think the kid on one side wanted to come back and finish, and the other side is excited about the next step,” Berenson said.

Merrill participated in an optional skate with the Michigan hockey team on Tuesday, but was not available for comment. Attempts to reach him on Wednesday have been unsuccessful.

The Wolverines will now wait to see if freshman defenseman Jacob Trouba will also be leaving Ann Arbor for the professional ranks. Trouba was the ninth overall pick of the Winnipeg Jets last year, and said Tuesday that he's in the process of deciding between signing a contract or returning for his sophomore year.

Kyle Austin covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kyleaustin@annarbor.com or 734-623-2535. Follow him on Twitter @KAustin_AA.

An intruder broke into an Ypsilanti Township home Tuesday but apparently left without taking anything after an alarm scared him off, according to deputies.

The Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the home invasion that occurred at 8:15 a.m. Tuesday in the 300 block of Hillcrest Boulevard. According to investigators, a residential burglary alarm reported the break-in in progress.

When deputies arrived at the home, the intruder was gone but investigation revealed the home was broken into via a pried open window.

However, nothing was reported stolen as of Wednesday morning. Deputies attributed this to the alarm going off and possibly scaring the suspect.

There is no suspect information available. Anyone with information on the incident is encouraged to call the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office anonymous tip line at 734-973-7711 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK UP (773-2587).

View Larger Map

Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.

Lincoln Consolidated Schools Superintendent Ellen Bonter offered and agreed Monday night to take a 10-percent pay cut for the upcoming 2013-14 academic year.

And as school officials begin contract negotiations for concessions from its collective bargaining units, Bonter also agreed to increase her salary reduction to the highest percentage obtained from the district's unions.

Ellen Bonter

The evaluation examined 12 key areas of effectiveness: relationship with the board; community relations; staff relations; business and finance; educational leadership; personal qualities; evaluation; progress toward the school improvement plan; student attendance; feedback from students, parents and teachers; and student growth and achievement.

"Board members individually commented on each of the 12 areas and in summary, the Board of Education determined that Superintendent Bonter's performance meets and in some areas exceeds the expectations overall,” according to a statement released after the evaluation. "Areas requiring improvement and the strengths of the superintendent relative to these 12 categories were identified and discussed. The board unanimously expresses its continued support for the superintendent and confidence in her ability to lead the district towards the fulfillment of our mission and vision."

Bonter earns a base salary of $130,000, according to a recent statewide Mackinac Center for Public Policy superintendent compensation database. She receives a pension of $32,500, other compensation of $7,000 and insurance coverage worth $8,234, for a total compensation of $170,734, the database says.

Outdated compensation information from the 2011 calendar year on the district's website shows Bonter earned a salary of $131,000 that year.

A 10-percent pay cut is equal to approximately a $13,000 reduction.

The statewide database shows Bonter has the fourth-highest base salary in Washtenaw County and the district is the third largest in terms of student enrollment. Other superintendent salaries in the county range from $113,500 to $245,000.

Board documents from Monday's meeting show Lincoln schools is projecting a best-case-scenario budget shortfall of $5.2 million for the 2013-14 academic year. Worst-case scenario would be nearly $6.5 million.

Lincoln's operating budget for the current school year is about $46 million. District documents show Lincoln had a fund balance, or primary savings account, of $745,438 at the beginning of the school year. Officials project a negative fund balance of nearly $3 million by June 30, documents say.

In Monday's board report, officials say a solution to the district's budget troubles will require a collaborative effort and meetings with Lincoln's four employee unions.

• Download Monday's Lincoln school board packet.

Danielle Arndt covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. Follow her on Twitter @DanielleArndt or email her at daniellearndt@annarbor.com.

A trip to the Secretary of State’s office can be a hassle on occasion, but, for two visitors to the Ypsilanti Township office, a visit on Tuesday proved to be downright costly.

The man and woman parked their car in the lot in front of the Secretary of State’s office at 2720 Washtenaw Ave. in Ypsilanti Township, deputies with the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office said in a media release. At 3:30 p.m., deputies were dispatched to that location because the car was broken into while the couple was inside.

Someone broke a window on the vehicle and stole a backpack and a purse, deputies said. Inside the bags were a laptop, iPod, ear buds, calculator and schoolbooks.

No suspect information was available Wednesday afternoon.

Anyone with information on this incident is encouraged to call the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office anonymous tip line at 734-973-7711 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK UP (773-2587).

View Larger Map

Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.

• Update: Police: 3 Washtenaw County vehicle shootings believed to be related

The Federal Bureau of Investigations is assisting Washtenaw County police agencies in the investigation into three vehicle shootings reported Monday evening, an official confirmed Wednesday.

A meeting about the three incidents was held Wednesday morning involving Pittsfield Township police investigators, Michigan State Police troopers, Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office deputies and FBI agents. Simon Shaykhet, public affairs specialist with the FBI’s Detroit division, confirmed the agency’s involvement Wednesday.

“The FBI is working this matter in partnership with local, county, state and federal agencies,” he said in an email.

Courtesy of Pittsfield Township police

Officials from the various agencies met at the Pittsfield Township Department of Public Safety Wednesday. It wasn’t immediately clear what came out of the meeting.

Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Geoffrey Fox confirmed deputies were involved in the meeting. State police troopers are investigating the incidents in Bridgewater Township, where the sheriff’s office shares jurisdiction with the state police.

Fox said the shootings may not be investigated by the sheriff’s office directly, but officials need to be aware of what’s happening.

“The reality is it’s happening in our county,” he said. “Whether we’re handling the alleged incidents, we need to be aware of what’s happening in our county.”

Officials and members of the community are on alert after two previous separate incidents of people shooting at cars made headlines in the past six months.

Raulie Casteel was arrested for allegedly shooting at 24 vehciles in the Interstate 96 corridor in October, injuring one person. Casteel is facing a multitude of criminal charges, including terrorism counts. His case is headed toward trial.

More recently, Elmore Ray was arrested last month after allegedly firing a sawed-off shotgun at vehicles on U.S. 23. He’s lodged at the Washtenaw County Jail and is awaiting a competency hearing.

Michigan State Police investigators told AnnArbor.com Wednesday that a report of a fourth shooting Tuesday evening was not true.

A driver was eastbound on Interstate 94 when a rear window in her vehicle shattered. It was initially feared that the window was shot out, but police determined that wasn’t the case.

The vehicle has since been released and there is no criminal investigation into the incident. Police said Wednesday they don’t know for certain what broke the window.

Anyone with information on Monday’s shootings is encouraged to call the Pittsfield Township police at 734-822-4911, the Michigan State Police Brighton Post at 810-227-1051 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAK UP (773-2587).

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Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.

Surviving cancer is nothing if not a reason to celebrate. During Songs For Surivivors: A concert in honor of cancer survivorship at the Kerrytown Concert House those who have beaten the big "C" can do just that with others who have been touched by it.

Proceeds will benefit the premiere opening at the Arthur Miller Theatre this August of Alex Kip’s play, "My Other Voice," about his personal experience with cancer.

Sunday, March 31, 2013. at 4 p.m. & 7 p.m. $5-$25. The Kerrytown Concert House is located at 415 N. Fourth Ave., Ann Arbor. 734-769-2999.