with poll: University of Michigan responds to Ann Arbor's request for reimbursement of game day costs

Jim Kosteva, a spokesman for the university, told AnnArbor.com via e-mail today that U-M is ready and willing. Here's what he had to say:

The university remains keenly interested in providing its game day patrons a positive fan experience which, in our view includes, safely and effectively facilitating their arrival and departure to and from the stadium area by car.

When we were presented a bill for these personnel, which charged nearly $200 per hour or double the amount paid to the Ann Arbor police providing security and traffic management on game days, we thought it was responsible on our part to seek a negotiation.

The university has given the city assurances that it will pay a reasonable charge for any and all signs and signals personnel deployed at key intersections for the 2011 season. We have backed that assurance up by offering a financial package that more than covers city estimates of anticipated charges to provide those services this fall.

The remaining discussion surrounds the details of what is a reasonable overhead charge and the allocation of the funding that has been offered.

Kosteva didn't offer a dollar amount for the financial package he referenced in his e-mail. City officials say they're looking to recoup what amounts to about $100,000 annually in costs to the city for "signs and signals" services.

In a followup e-mail, Kosteva said it's not a particular dollar amount that's in question. He said the university's point of difference surrounds what are the appropriate benefits and administrative overhead charges that should be added to the salary rate.