City Guide

City Council and Mayor

For information about the Ann Arbor City Council and issues currently before it, see a2gov.org/agenda, or call the Ann Arbor city clerk at (734) 794-6140. If you want to see changes made in any city law, rule or procedure, call your council representatives. To learn who they are, see a2gov.org/departments/city-council/Pages/Home.aspx

City council adopts the city's annual budget and determines city laws and policies. It has 11 members: 2 from each of the city's 5 wards, plus the mayor. Ward representatives are paid $16,231.76/year. Council members are elected to staggered 4-year terms: 1 seat in each ward is filled in a partisan election every even-year November (see Elections). Ann Arbor has not elected a Republican officeholder since 2003, so the August Democratic primary (see Elections) almost always decides the council's membership. Currently, the council is made up of 10 Democrats and 1 independent.

Regular city council meetings are held the 1st & 3rd Mon. at 7 p.m. in the council chambers, 2nd floor of City Hall. Agendas for council meetings and notices of public hearings are posted at a2gov.org/agenda. Special and working sessions, open to the public, are conducted as needed; notice is posted in City Hall and at a2gov.legistar.com/calendar. Public comment time is available at all meetings, and all meetings are broadcast live on the city's Community Television Network. See a2gov.org/ctn for replay times or to view meetings live online or via video on demand.

Ten 3-minute slots are available for public comment at the beginning of each regular council meeting. Sign-up for speaking slots begins at 8 a.m. the day of the meeting, with priority given to those persons wishing to speak on agenda items and those who have not spoken at the previous two meetings (734-794-6140). After 1 p.m., slots are filled first-come, first-served. Speakers must identify their topic when they sign up, and are not permitted to sign up for others or grant time to another speaker. At the end of each meeting, members of the public may address council without signing up in advance; there is no limit to the number of speakers at the end of the meeting. Public comment general time is available at the end of each working session. Public hearings are conducted on many proposed council actions. Anyone can speak without advance notice for up to 3 minutes.

Persons with disabilities can arrange accommodations, including sign-language interpreters, by contacting the city clerk's office, 301 E. Huron, 2nd floor (734-794-6140, a2gov.org/departments/city-clerk/Pages/default.aspx). Requests must be made at least two business days before meeting times.

Mayor, Larcom City Hall, 3rd floor. (734) 794-6161. The mayor, elected in a partisan election every 4 years, presides over city council and is a voting member; leads council in setting policy and approving the budget; nominates members of boards and commissions, subject to confirmation by city council; has the power to veto most council actions; has certain police powers in emergencies; and acts as ceremonial head of the city.

Related Topics:

• WARDS
• Community Television Network (CTN)
• Ann Arbor News (MLive Media Group)

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