On 7 June, the Jyväskylä City Council addressed the following issues:

City of Jyväskylä
Media release, 6 June, 2010

Appeal Tribunal’s assessment report for the year 2009

The Appeal Tribunal enquired, for example, the following matters:

• The ensuring of personnel’s coping at work
• The utilization of best practices from former municipalities in the planning of new generation organization

The Appeal Tribunal presents its serious concern about that 185 (13.8%) out of 1,338 pupils ending their school in spring 2009 did not accept a study place in a vocational school or an upper secondary school, did not apply a further study place at all or were left without a leaving certificate.

The City Council handled the assessment report for the year 2009 and commits the City Board to inform the Appeal Tribunal on the measures to be taken.

Approval of the financial statements and discharge from liability for the accounts in 2009

After a vote the City Council approved the financial statements of the City of Jyväskylä for 2009 and discharged the liable from the liability for the accounts for the period from January 1 to December 31, 2009.

Jyväskylä applies for housing fair in 2014

The City Council decided that the city of Jyväskylä applies for the housing fair in 2014, the location being the area of Äijälänranta.

KymppiR2010 program: Realization of land use until 2020

The KymppiR2010 program includes the timing for the construction of new housing areas from 2011 to 2010. The program produces starting points for a planning scheme, land acquisition, investment programs, green service program and the preparation of changes in service networks. The KymppiR program will be verified annually.

The City Council approved the KymppiR2010 program in the form it was presented by the Urban Design and City Planning Board.

The City Council approved

• A change suggestion to the town plan (Siilinkuja-Saukonkuja II, Halssila)
• A change suggestion to the town plan (Tikanranta II)
• An expansion suggestion to the town plan (Haikan suojelukaava)

Other matters in the agenda were also approved in the form they were presented.

11.6.2010 Satu Heikkinen

Decisions by the Jyväskylä City Council on 17 May 2010

City of Jyväskylä
Media release, 17 May 2010

The environmental policy of the City of Jyväskylä was approved

Link to the City’s environmental system (in Finnish)

The City commits to the following objectives in its activities and decision-making:

• The condition of surface water and groundwater is at least good
• Greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced in the long term
• The creation of waste will be reduced and the utilisation of waste promoted
• Exposure to traffic noise will be prevented and decreased
• The environment is to be considered in acquisitions when possible
• City and land use planning sufficiently protects the unbuilt environment and takes care of retaining the existing aesthetic and cultural values.
• Nature management and protection ensures that the environment remains healthy and diverse
• The City Council accepted the environmental policy, and required that the policy be made public and available on the City’s website, indicators for 2010 be drawn up for the objectives and that a waste strategy be prepared for Jyväskylä.

Agenda text (in Finnish)

Development proposals concerning upper secondary school education in Jyväskylä

The City Council entered the elements of upper secondary school education for information:

• Providing education, pedagogic development
• Contacts with institutions of higher education
• Contacts with vocational education
• International matters, projects
• Regional cooperation
• Contacts with basic education
• General education and students.

Agenda text (in Finnish)

City Council meetings in the autumn term 2010

The meetings will take place on Monday in Minnansali at the City Library:

23.8.2010 at 18.00
20.9.2010 at 18.00
11.10.2010 at 18.00 (discussion on the budget 2011)
8.11.2010 at 18.00 (tax rates for year 2011)
29.11.2010 at 16.00 (budget 2011)
13.12.2010 at 18.00

Meeting invitations and the agenda will be sent to the Council members and published on the official bulletin board of the City of Jyväskylä, and on the City website. Reviewed minutes will be made available at the Rakentajantalo service location Hannikainen (address: Hannikaisenkatu 17, floor 1) on the Tuesday of the week following each meeting.

Approved change proposal to the city plan

The City Council approved a change proposal to the city plan as well as a plot distribution regarding the city plan (Kelokatu, Seppälä).

Agenda text (in Finnish)

21.5.2010 Satu Heikkinen

Media release 17 May, 2010

On 17 May, the Jyväskylä City Council addressed a number of issues, including the following:

A revised working order of the City Council to take effect on 1 June 2010

The structure of the working order has been revised to match the course of the meeting. Amendments and new clauses have been made with regard to ineligibility at Council meetings, the specification of the types of the turns to speak, the use and duration of the turns to speak, as well as the voting procedure.

The transfer of daycare's administration to culture and education services was accepted

The daycare and early childhood education branch has set the objective of arranging its services on the basis of the needs of the children and the families. Dismantling the existing organisation structure and building a customer-oriented model has been considered a good idea in previous discussions as well.

The City Council made a decision to make daycare services a part of the culture and education services' organisation as of 1 January 2012.

A well-being plan for children and teenagers was approved

Pursuant to the Child Welfare Act, the municipality shall prepare an action plan for promoting the well-being of children and teenagers and for arranging child welfare. The child welfare plan has been expanded into a well-being plan for children and teenagers. The plan has been prepared through cooperation between different representatives.

The City Council approved the well-being plan for children and teenagers, and the implementation programme of the plan.

The City Council approved following street plan expansion and revision proposals, and site layout plan approvals:

• Säynätsalo, Karhuniemi
• Kulottajantie
• Korpilahti harbour
• Vaajakoski–Jyskä (Savonmäki–along Leppävedentie)
• Kanavuori, Laurinrinne

Council initiatives

• Drawing up the general park plan for the recreational area of Pohjanlammi
• The condition of lower-category roads, particularly the Saarenmaa–Vertaala road
• A weekly vegetarian food day for daycare centres and schools

Briefing

The City Council was briefed about the latest news related to the Jyväskylän Energia Group.

22.4.2010 Satu Heikkinen

Media release 22 March 2010

Jyväskylä City Council discussed the following issues on 22 March:

City Council approves the strategy proposed by the City Board for Jyväskylä

The city strategy guides the preparation of matters and decision-making in service areas. The process has actively involved political decision-makers, managerial position holders and personnel. The strategy comprises the following themes:

Secure the development prerequisites for Jyväskylä

1. Support an active business life and an increase in jobs and population
2. Be a pioneer in reforming municipal structures and city policies
3. Create a solid, attractive social structure and respond to changes in the climate and environment

Support the involvement and well-being of citizens

4. Become an active hub of education with a youthful, multicultural atmosphere
5. Implement a well-being policy that secures social fairness, and an efficient, regionally comprehensive service structure
6. Improve the possibilities for citizens to participate and influence matters and engage in diverse cooperation with civil organizations

Well-functioning city organization

7. Healthy municipal economy, adjust services and investments to the available financial resources
8. A new-generation organisation that supports democracy and efficiency.

The City Hall renovation project plan is approved

The City Council approved the City Hall renovation project plan with its budgeted costs of EUR 10.558 million. The renovation will be completed in the autumn of 2012, the 175th anniversary of the City of Jyväskylä.

Town plan change and land division proposals approved

The City Council approved

• the change of town plan and land division (Suluntie 19, Huhtasuo)
• the change of town plan (Asmalammentie 26, Vaajakoski)
• the change of town plan and land division (Palokka school center).

All matters presented on the agenda were approved as proposed. Agenda (in Finnish): http://www3.jkl.fi/paatokset/kv/2010/22031800.1/index.htm

On 22 February, Jyväskylä City Council discussed the following issues:

Project plan for the Palokka School Center approved

The goal is a modern building with facilities for a comprehensive school, regional library, central kitchen and also for a sports academy and adult education centre. The main project will take place in 2011–2012. The City Council approved the Palokka School Center's project plan and its budget of EUR 21,167,000 (excl. VAT).
Proposal text (in Finnish)

General plan for the Lutakko plaza and harbor approved

The general plan includes some revisions to the plazas; for example, the pavement of the Bridge Plaza has been changed from colored asphalt to normal asphalt. The water theme of the plaza has been omitted from the general plan. The size of the parking area in the harbour has been slightly reduced and the adjacent park area enlarged. The suggested corrections will bring the total budget of the project down to EUR 15.26 million.The City Council approved the revised general plan for the Lutakko harbor after the third round of voting.

The revised general plan of 8 February 2010 and its appendices can be read online at (in Finnish): here

City plan amendment proposal, and plot subdivision approval in relation to the city plan

Kiinteistö Oy Vaajakoskentie 101 has filed for a city plan amendment in District 66, City block 133. The City Council approved the proposed amendment to the city plan and its related plot subdivision.
Proposal text (in Finnish).

Material related to the plan is available on the website for the plan at (in Finnish): here

Capital in the social credit fund

Social crediting is used to prevent economic marginalization and overburdening with debts, and also to promote independent performance. The demand for credit increased in 2010 due to the weakening employment situation. The City Council decided to increase the capital of the social credit fund by EUR 150,000.
Proposal text (in Finnish).

Initiatives

The City Council handled several initiatives, and had lively discussions about them. Initiatives with issue number 31, 34, 35 and 37 were returned to the preparation phase following a vote. Other initiatives were approved as suggested, some of them following a vote.

1.3.2010 Satu Heikkinen

On 18 January, Jyväskylä City Council handled the following issues:

A street plan extension proposal and a street plan alteration proposal, and a plot subdivision approval in relation to the street plan (Mankola II)

The purpose of the street plan is to enable the construction of single-family houses in the Mankola area in the shore landscape of Tuomiojärvi.
Material available here (in Finnish): http://www3.jkl.fi/kaavoitus/kaava.php/id/530

The Left Alliance proposed that the matter be returned to processing. Following a vote (51–21, and 3 abstentions), the City Council approved the street plan extension and the street plan alteration as adjusted for the recreation area on 16 November 2009, and also approved the plot subdivision (Mankola II).

Organising mezzanine capital for EU-funded projects

The City Council decided to grant a credit limit of a maximum of EUR 500,000 for non-interest-bearing lending for non-profit institutions in the programme period 2007–2013 for those EU-funded countryside development projects which are coordinated by JyväsRiihi ry and Vesuri-ryhmä ry.

The project plan for the Huhtasuo school and daycare campus is progressing

The objective is to construct the school and daycare campus in two phases. Phase 1 would deal with the construction of Huhtasuo's special school and daycare centre, from April 2012 to July 2013. Phase 2 would deal with the construction of Huhtasuo's comprehensive school, from January 2014 to July 2015. The phases are preceded by various preparatory tasks and the demolition of existing buildings.

The intention is to carry out the Huhtasuo school and daycare campus project as a lifecycle project. This means that a private service provider takes care of the steering, funding, imple-mentation and maintenance of the site planning, and the City pays a rent or a service fee to the provider for a contractual period of, for example, 25 years.

The City Council initially approved the project plan for the Huhtasuo school and daycare campus, as well as the related intended price and cost estimate, totalling EUR 29,440,000 (excluding VAT) at the price level valid in November 2009 (69.0).

Jyväskylä City Council discussed the following issues on 14 December:

The City Council decided to start drawing up the city's master plan

The master plan, which is in accordance with the Land Use and Building Act, sets out the principles for the desired development and indicates the required areas as the basis for the detailed town planning and other planning, as well as the construction and land use. The master plan will be used to plan the long term development of the city's urban structure.

The City Council approved the following draft planning amendments and the related binding plot subdivisions:

The planning alteration and extension area is located in Seppälä, where a new fire station is planned for the Central Finland Fire and Rescue Department. Material related to the plan is available on the website for the plan at (in Finnish): http://www3.jkl.fi/kaavoitus/kaava.php/id/571

Another planning alteration area that was approved is in Korpilahti, which is close to Petäjävedentie and the highway 9 intersection. The planning amendment will enable a district heating center to be built. Material related to the plan is available on the website for the plan at (in Finnish): http://www3.jkl.fi/kaavoitus/kaava.php/id/678

The Tikkala component master plan and the planning alteration concerning the Kortepohja Student Village was approved

The Tikkala master plan will support the development of Tikkala village as an attractive living environment. Material related to the plan is available on the website for the plan at (in Finnish): http://www3.jkl.fi/kaavoitus/kaava.php/id/608

The City Council approved the planning alteration concerning the Kortepohja Student Village in the revised form presented by the planning division on 12 December 2009. The planning area is a part of the Student Village complex. Material related to the plan is available on the website for the plan at (in Finnish): http://www3.jkl.fi/kaavoitus/kaava.php/id/610

City Council meetings in spring 2010:

The meetings are open to public and they are held on Mondays:

18.1. at 18.00 City Hall, address: Vapaudenkatu 32
22.2. at 18.00 City Hall, address: Vapaudenkatu 32
22.3. at 18.00 City Hall, address: Vapaudenkatu 32
19.4. at 18.00 City Library, address: Vapaudenkatu 39-41
17.5. at 16.00 City Library, address: Vapaudenkatu 39-41
7.6. at 18.00 City Library, address: Vapaudenkatu 39-41

In its meeting on 16 November, the Jyväskylä City Council passed the following decisions, among others:

The city strategy returned to be prepared again

After an extensive discussion, the City Council unanimously decided to return the city strategy to be prepared again.

Changes to the budget for 2009

The original budget for 2009 was changed upon a decision (§ 64) passed by the City Council on 16 March 2009. On the basis of other budget estimate changes in 2009, the annual margin seems to be better than was previously anticipated and rise slightly above zero. The City Council accepted the proposed budget estimate changes.

Jyväskylä's income tax percentage for 2010 is 19%

After a vote on 16 November 2009, Jyväskylä City Council passed a decision that the income tax percentage for 2010 will be 19.00%. For 2009, the tax is 18.50%, which means an increase of 0.50%. The increase will add EUR 8.5 million the to the tax revenue of the City.

Determination of property tax percentages for 2010

After a vote on 16 November 2009, the City Council decided that the City’s property tax percentages for 2010 shall be determined as follows:

• General property tax percentage: 1.15%
• Tax percentage of a building used for permanent residence: 0.50%
• Tax percentage of a building used for other than permanent residence: 1.10%
• Tax percentage of a building or structure that is a part of a power plant: 2.85%
• The tax percentage of an unbuilt building site (3.00%) and the property tax percentages will be kept at the same level until the end of this Council term.