Welcome! My name is Elizabeth Nelson (aka A2ELNEL) and I served on Ann Arbor City Council from 2018 to 2022. I know how our local government works and I believe that residents should, too. The content on this website is designed to help our community connect to the work of their representatives. Our democracy is stronger when elected leaders are accountable to the people they represent.
contact@A2ELNEL.com
Hollow Hype Podcast
I launched a new Ann Arbor Democracy project, a podcast called HOLLOW HYPE. Last year, the Michigan Daily broke the story that Heidi – a twice convicted felon – was working closely with our elected city government and was one of their top campaign donors. In that article, Mayor Taylor admitted to quietly re-directing $5,000 that he had received from Heidi.
In the last year, I’ve been interviewing people in Ann Arbor to unpack what happened here. In the last six months, I’ve made multiple trips to Ohio and West Virginia, digging through government archives and interviewing people about how their own local governments were taken in twenty years ago.
Episodes of HOLLOW HYPE are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other podcast apps. You can also find episodes, transcripts and other information about the story at this website:
Ann Arbor City Council Information
Next Ann Arbor City Council Meeting
(Legistar Link)
Ann Arbor City Council meets on the first and third Monday of every month at 7pm (with exceptions for holidays).
Council Meetings are held in person on the second floor of City Hall. Public commentary is available either in person or via phone/Zoom. See the Legistar link above for details.
Public Comment
In November 2022, Council voted to eliminate open, unreserved public comment at the end of meetings.
If you plan to attend or watch a City Council meeting and think you might want to make a public comment, you must call the Ann Arbor City Clerk (734-794-6140) between 8am and 5pm on the day of the meeting. More information is on the City’s website
A2Council.com Meeting Summaries
After each Council meeting, I publish summaries of agenda items at A2Council.com, along with Legistar links, posts I’ve written, and articles published on MLive. I also provide links to the agenda on the City’s Legistar website, CTN’s YouTube video of the meeting, and to my newsletters and voting charts.
A2Council Update Videos
I have also started making summary videos of Ann Arbor City Council meetings. Visit my YouTube channel for more videos.
Latest Ann Arbor City Council Newsletter
Ann Arbor City Council Newsletter (October 18, 2026)
This week, Ann Arbor City Council considers a very long agenda. There will be five public hearings: three for final approval for two new ordinances and the rezoning of Woodbury Gardens, one for the vacation of a public right-of-way and another for a brownfield plan at University Inn. At first reading, Council will consider a new ordinance to regulate cryptocurrency and a new definition of disorderly conduct for activity around houses of worship. By resolution, Council will direct the acceleration of rezonings near downtown and central campus, asking that they be sent to Council in the next three months.
Latest Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart
Ann Arbor City Council Voting Chart for October 5, 2026
This post contains my Ann Arbor City Council voting chart for the meeting of October 5, 2026, which was held in person at City Hall.
Latest City Council Posts
Prop E: City Council Will Say Just About Anything, If They Think You’ll Believe It
City voters this November will decide Proposal E, which would take a very early, preliminary step toward the possibility of a municipal utility. It would be hard to argue against Prop E based on what it actually does, so opponents— including DTE — have set up an elaborate straw man, arguing against what it does NOT do.
Kline’s Lot: City Council will sell out the City until there is nothing left to sell
In approving this agenda item, elected leaders will reject community priorities for one of the most valuable publicly owned parcels in the city. City Council members have offered a fictional narrative for how and why the Kline’s lot should be sold. Fortunately, the community does not have to accept a fictional narrative— the facts exist in public records.
Controlling the Agenda via Rules
On the August 6, 2026 City Council agenda, a proposed change to Council rules will make it easier for a majority to control debate and discussion at City Council. A new rule will force a vote - and majority approval - to allow consideration of any agenda item after 11...
Latest YouTube Videos
Subscribe To My Newsletter
I write an Ann Arbor City Council newsletter with my summary of agenda items coming before Ann Arbor City Council, plus news and events of interest to Ann Arbor residents. I send my newsletter out the weekend before every Council meeting so that you can see what’s on the agenda and have an opportunity to reach out to City Council with any concerns.
The weekend after Council meetings, I send an "A2Council Update" newsletter with my voting charts and highlights of how issues were decided.