A close look at Ann Arbor City Council members' meeting attendance records
Council Member Stephen Kunselman, D-3rd Ward, chats with City Clerk Jackie Beaudry before the start of a council meeting. The clerk's office keeps records of council members' votes and meeting attendance.
Ryan J. Stanton | AnnArbor.com
Editor's note: The following meeting attendance summaries were compiled by AnnArbor.com based on a review of official Ann Arbor City Council meeting minutes kept by the city clerk.
Meetings prior to Nov. 19, 2012, include Sandi Smith, Tony Derezinski and Carsten Hohnke, who no longer serve on council.
The current council is made up of the following 11 members: Mayor John Hieftje, Sabra Briere, Sumi Kailasapathy, Jane Lumm, Sally Hart Petersen, Stephen Kunselman, Christopher Taylor, Marcia Higgins, Margie Teall, Mike Anglin and Chuck Warpehoski.
July 15, 2013 — regular session
- all 11 present at call to order at 7:11 p.m.
- meeting adjourns at 10:19 p.m.
July 1, 2013 — regular session
- 9 present at call to order at 7:06 p.m., Teall and Petersen absent
- meeting adjourns at 10:57 p.m.
June 17, 2013 — regular session
- all 11 present at call to order at 7:06 p.m.
- Higgins absent at 10:30 p.m. and misses vote on amending city budget
- meeting adjourns at 12:30 a.m.
June 3, 2013 — regular session
- 10 present at call to order at 7:12 p.m., Warpehoski absent
- Higgins leaves at 12:40 a.m.
- meeting adjourns at 12:55 a.m.
May 20, 2013 — regular session
- all 11 present at call to order at 7:14 p.m.
- meeting adjourns at 1:50 a.m.
May 13, 2013 (continuation of May 6 meeting)
- all 11 present at call to order at 7:12 p.m.
- Taylor leaves at 9:35 p.m.
- meeting adjourns at 11:27 p.m.
May 6, 2013 — regular session
- all 11 present at call to order at 7:12 p.m.
- meeting recessed until May 13 at 11:31 p.m.
April 15, 2013 — regular session
- all 11 present at call to order at 7:09 p.m.
- Kailasapathy leaves at 12:50 a.m.
- Higgins leaves at 1:25 a.m.
- meeting adjourns at 3:11 a.m.
April 1, 2013 — regular session
- 10 present at call to order at 7:10 p.m., Taylor absent
- Higgins leaves at 10:36 p.m.
- Teall leaves at 11:01 p.m.
- meeting adjourns at 11:27 p.m.
March 25, 2013 — work session
- 9 present at call to order, Anglin and Taylor absent
- meeting adjourns at 7:40 p.m.
March 25, 2013 — special session before work session
- 8 present at call to order at 6:05 p.m., Teall, Anglin and Taylor absent
- Teall arrives at 6:13 p.m.
March 18, 2013 — regular session
- all 11 present at call to order at 7:09 p.m.
- meeting adjourns at 1:52 a.m.
March 11, 2013 — work session
- 10 present at call to order at 7:30 p.m., Briere absent
- meeting adjourns at 10:29 p.m.
March 11, 2013 — special session
- 10 present at call to order at 6:08 p.m., Briere absent
- meeting adjourns at 7:30 p.m.
March 4, 2013 — regular session
- all 11 present at call to order at 7:08 p.m.
- Petersen absent at 11:06 p.m. and misses votes on accepting FEMA grant to demolish two city buildings at 721 N. Main St., and a contract with state for improvements on Miller Avenue
- meeting adjourns at 11:21 p.m.
Feb. 25, 2013 — work session
- all 11 present at call to order at 7:12 p.m.
- meeting adjourns at 9:25 p.m.
Feb. 25, 2013 — special session
- all 11 present at call to order at 6:07 p.m.
- meeting adjourns at 7:03 p.m.
Feb. 19, 2013 — regular session
- 8 present at call to order at 7:11 p.m., Higgins, Teall and Taylor absent
- Teall arrives shortly into meeting before any votes are taken
- meeting adjourns at 10:33 p.m.
Feb. 11, 2013 — work session
- 9 present at call to order at 6:07 p.m., Lumm and Warpehoski absent
- Warpehoski arrives at 6:11 p.m.
- meeting adjourns at 9:36 p.m.
Feb. 4, 2013 — regular session
- all 11 present at call to order at 7:10 p.m.
- meeting adjourns at 9:45 p.m.
Jan. 22, 2013 — regular session
- 10 present at call to order at 7:08 p.m., Teall absent
- meeting adjourns at 10:05 p.m.
Jan. 14, 2013 — work session
- 9 present at call to order at 7:08 p.m., Higgins and Taylor absent
- Teall and Kunselman leave at 9:35 p.m.
- meeting adjourns at 10:24 p.m.
Jan. 7, 2013 — regular session
- 9 present at call to order at 7:02 p.m., Kunselman and Anglin absent
- Kunselman arrives at 7:06 p.m.
- meeting adjourns at 9:33 p.m.
Jan. 7, 2013 — special session
- 9 present at call to order at 6:05 p.m., Anglin and Kailasapathy absent
- Kailasapathy arrives at 6:10 p.m.
- meeting adjourns at 6:49 p.m.
Dec. 17, 2012 — regular session
- 8 present at call to order at 7:09 p.m., Higgins, Teall and Briere absent
- Lumm absent briefly in middle of meeting and misses votes on $5.17 million stormwater project and sidewalk repairs
- meeting adjourns at 8:48 p.m.
Dec. 10, 2012 — budget planning session
- all 11 present at call to order at 5 p.m.
- meeting adjourns at 10:30 p.m.
Dec. 10, 2012 — special session
- all 11 present at call to order at 4:11 p.m.
- meeting adjourns at 4:45
Dec. 3, 2012 — regular session
- all 11 present at call to order at 7:12 p.m.
- meeting adjourns at 10:14 p.m.
Nov. 19, 2012 — regular session
- all 11 present at call to order at 7:05 p.m.
- meeting adjourns at 10:36 p.m.
- Note: At this meeting, three new council members are sworn into office — Kailasapathy, Petersen and Warpehoski, along with re-elected Council Members Taylor, Teall and Mayor Hieftje
Nov. 8, 2012 — regular session
- 9 present at call to order at 7:13 p.m., Smith and Hohnke absent
- Hohnke arrives at 7:15 p.m.
- meeting adjourns at 12:30 a.m.
- Note: This is the last meeting for Smith, Derezinski and Hohnke
Oct. 15, 2012 — regular session
- 10 present at call to order at 7:12 p.m., Kunselman absent
- meeting adjourns at 12:20 a.m.
Oct. 8, 2012 — work session
- 5 present at call to order at 7:07 p.m., Teall, Smith, Derezinski, Taylor, Hohnke and Lumm absent
- Higgins leaves at 8 p.m.
- meeting adjourns at 8:37 p.m.
Oct. 1, 2012 — regular session
- 9 present at call to order at 7:08 p.m., Higgins and Derezinski absent
- meeting adjourns at 8:36 p.m.
Sept. 17, 2012 — regular session
- 10 present at call to order at 7:07 p.m., Hohnke absent
- Hohnke arrives at 7:13 p.m.
- Higgins and Hohnke leave at 11:04 p.m.
- meeting adjourns at 11:10 p.m.
Sept. 4, 2012 — regular session
- 9 present at call to order at 7:08 p.m., Higgins and Hohnke absent
- meeting adjourns at 9:13 p.m.
Aug. 20, 2012 — regular session
- 9 present at call to order at 7:13 p.m., Teall and Hohnke absent
- Hohnke arrives at 7:24 p.m.
- Higgins leaves at 10:57 p.m.
- meeting adjourns at 12:27 a.m.
Aug. 9, 2012 — regular session
- all 11 present at call to order at 7:07 p.m.
- Hohnke leaves at 10:50 p.m.
- meeting adjourns at 11:11 p.m.
July 16, 2012 — regular session
- 10 present at call to order at 7:10 p.m., Taylor absent
- meeting adjourns at 10:14 p.m.
July 2, 2012 — regular session
- 10 present at call to order at 7:08 p.m., Hieftje absent
- meeting adjourns at 9:01 p.m.
June 18, 2012 — regular session
- 10 present at call to order at 7:14 p.m., Smith absent
- meeting adjourns at 10:23 p.m.
June 11, 2012 — work session
- 9 present at call to order at 7:05 p.m., Anglin and Hohnke absent
- Anglin arrives at 7:15 p.m.
- meeting adjourns at 9 p.m.
June 4, 2012 — regular session
- 10 present at call to order at 7:11 p.m., Higgins absent
- Higgins arrives at 7:40 p.m.
- Higgins leaves at 10:40 p.m.
- meeting adjourns at 11:38 p.m.
May 21, 2012 — regular session
- 9 present at call to order at 7:13 p.m., Derezinski and Hohnke absent
- Hohnke arrives at 7:18 p.m.
- Higgins leaves at 11 p.m.
- meeting adjourns at 1:33 a.m.
May 14, 2012 — work session
- 10 present at call to order at 7:15 p.m., Higgins absent
- Meeting adjourns at 8:43 p.m.
May 7, 2012 — regular session
- 10 present at call to order at 7:13 p.m., Teall absent
- Higgins and Derezinski absent at 11:15 p.m. and miss vote on $600,000 contract for emergency sewer repairs to prevent road collapse on Glen Avenue
- Higgins also misses next vote on multimillion-dollar, five-year contract extension with Waste Management for landfill disposal services
- meeting adjourns at 11:40 p.m.
April 16, 2012 — regular session
- all 11 present at call to order at 7:12 p.m.
- meeting adjourns at 11:03 p.m.
April 9, 2012 — work session
- 10 present at call to order at 7:07 p.m., Hohnke absent
- meeting adjourns at 9 p.m.
April 2, 2012 — regular session
- 10 present at call to order at 7:05 p.m., Higgins absent
- meeting adjourns at 11:56 p.m.
March 19, 2012 — regular session
- 9 present at call to order at 7:09 p.m., Teall and Hohnke absent
- Lumm leaves at 7:35 p.m.
- meeting adjourns at 9:46 p.m.
March 12, 2012 — work session
- 10 present at call to order at 7:10 p.m., Smith absent
- Higgins leaves at 9:20 p.m.
- Teall leaves at 9:45 p.m.
- Meeting adjourns at 9:59 p.m.
March 5, 2012 — regular session
- all 11 present at call to order at 7:08 p.m.
- meeting adjourns at 1:06 a.m.
Feb. 21, 2012 — regular session
- 8 present at call to order at 7:09 p.m., Teall, Taylor and Hohnke absent
- Teall arrives at 7:44 p.m.
- Derezinski absent in middle of meeting and misses vote on federal grant applications for Greenbelt purchases
- meeting adjourns at 9:16 p.m.
Feb. 13, 2012 — work session
- 9 present at call to order at 7:05 p.m., Anglin and Hohnke absent
- meeting adjourns at 9:30 p.m.
Feb. 6, 2012 — regular session
- all 11 present at call to order at 7:09 p.m.
- meeting adjourns at 10:35 p.m.
Jan. 23, 2012 — regular session
- all 11 present at call to order at 7:09 p.m.
- meeting adjourns at 11:53 p.m.
Jan. 17, 2012 — work session
- 8 present at call to order at 7:05 p.m., Kunselman, Anglin and Hohnke absent
- meeting adjourns at 8:51 p.m.
Jan. 9, 2012 — regular session
- 9 present at call to order at 7:14 p.m., Higgins and Briere absent
- Kunselman absent at 10:53 p.m. and misses votes on street closures, stormwater management and streambank stabilization at Leslie Park Golf Course
- meeting adjourns at 11:15 p.m.
Dec. 19, 2011 — regular session
- 9 present at call to order at 7:11 p.m., Derezinski and Hohnke absent
- Hohnke arrives at 7:14 p.m.
- Derezinski arrives at 7:31 p.m.
- Higgins leaves at 8:29 p.m.
- meeting adjourns at 11:49 p.m.
Dec. 12, 2011 — work session
- all 11 present at call to order at 7:10 p.m.
- Higgins leaves at 8:55 p.m.
- Teall leaves just before adjournment
- meeting adjourns at 10:02 p.m.
Dec. 5, 2011 — regular session
- all 11 present at call to order at 7:13 p.m.
- meeting adjourns at 12:39 a.m.
Nov. 21, 2011 — regular session
- all 11 present at call to order at 7:08 p.m.
- Note: At this meeting, newly elected Council Member Lumm is sworn into office, along with re-elected Council Members Briere, Kunselman, Higgins and Anglin
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.
Comments
Roger Kuhlman
Mon, Jul 22, 2013 : 2:48 p.m.
This attendance issue is a clear manufactured strategy to try to take out Marcia Higgins and has no merit. As compared to most other members of the City Council is one of the few reasonable and responsible members of the Council in her voting on many city issues. There are some people who want a one-party leftist state in Ann Arbor.
Kronoberger
Sun, Jul 21, 2013 : 4:53 p.m.
Anyone who sits through more than two hours of one of those meetings deserves a purple heart.
rouzer
Sun, Jul 21, 2013 : 1:44 p.m.
So basically, the Fourth Ward has not had consistent representation on council: Higgins absent 9 times and leaves meetings early 11 times, frequently missing important votes. Teall absent 9 times and leaves early twice.
Goober
Mon, Jul 22, 2013 : 8:05 p.m.
Veracity is correct. Apathy city wide.
Veracity
Mon, Jul 22, 2013 : 2:25 p.m.
Indymama- One word will answer your question why the Fourth Ward representatives to the City Council are repeatedly re-elected. A P A T H Y When I canvassed my neighborhood in 2011 and 2012 in a successful effort to unseat both of my Ward's City Council members I found that less than 5% knew the names of their Ward representatives, including one who was running for a third term! Most voters who I spoke with did not know about the issues that were handled by City Council. With less than 20% of the electorate voting a little more effort on the part of one candidate over another can win at the poles. The mayor can mobilize a lot of support for candidates that he favors so the odds are against any candidate who may be considered a critic of the mayor and his plans.
Ryan J. Stanton
Sun, Jul 21, 2013 : 4:58 p.m.
A more accurate tally can be found by looking at the info box in the main story.
Indymama
Sun, Jul 21, 2013 : 3:42 p.m.
So why do they keep getting voted in???? Not enough people in Ward 4 care??? Fraud??? They only return calls from people they know will agree with them??? Why the same results if your representative isn't doing the job you feel should be done???
JRW
Sun, Jul 21, 2013 : 2:24 p.m.
Then they need to be voted out in the next election. They obviously don't have time to serve in an adequate manner.
Sparty
Sun, Jul 21, 2013 : 1:54 p.m.
Exactly - the Invisible Women of the 4th Ward ! They are also too busy to show up for debate events, to return phone calls/emails/correspondence, or to have any type of community involvement -let alone listen to their constituents.
Lauren Erickson
Sun, Jul 21, 2013 : 12:05 p.m.
Marcia Higgins is tardy most of the time (shakes finger back and forth).
rouzer
Sun, Jul 21, 2013 : 1:46 p.m.
No, she's not tardy...she leaves the meetings early. Way early most of the time.
Ryan J. Stanton
Sun, Jul 21, 2013 : 1:41 p.m.
Actually the only meeting she arrived late to was on June 4, 2012.
nickcarraweigh
Sun, Jul 21, 2013 : 11:57 a.m.
This is no bad idea, but the presentation leaves much to be desired. You might consider adopting a baseball-like linescore: Ward X, 33 meetings, 17 late arrivals, three early departures, eight no-shows.
teeters
Mon, Jul 22, 2013 : 12:42 p.m.
There are always links to other stories. Rarely does AA.com write a complete story, mostly regurgitated news. It would be nice to read about everything in one article without having to click on links. I guess the more pages you view the more ad revenue AA.com gets.
Ryan J. Stanton
Mon, Jul 22, 2013 : 1:47 a.m.
There's a link at the top of this sidebar to the main story.
mr_annarbor
Sun, Jul 21, 2013 : 9:32 p.m.
So, why not link to those boxes in this article or simply re-post them here?
Ryan J. Stanton
Sun, Jul 21, 2013 : 1:39 p.m.
That can be found in the info boxes in the main story.
Linda Peck
Sun, Jul 21, 2013 : 11:51 a.m.
Thank you for posting this information.
jcj
Sun, Jul 21, 2013 : 11:14 a.m.
Gotta say based on some of the decisions this council has made I think we would be better off if more were absent.
Veracity
Mon, Jul 22, 2013 : 4:01 a.m.
Please explain.