Transparency, accountability, and community engagement are essential in a democracy. Local government is important and City Council meetings provide insight into what’s happening in your community. Here is a summary of the June 3, 2024 Regular + Study Meeting of Livonia City Council.

Regular Meeting: https://livoniami.portal.civicclerk.com/…/agenda/2804

State Representative Matt Koleszar attended the meeting to give a legislative update. They are working on the budget in Lansing and a new local revenue sharing arrangement is being considered. This would set a fixed rate and help with financial planning for cities. He also shared that after nearly a year in effect, the hands-free driving law is estimated to have prevented over 3,000 accidents. Michigan is the 26th state to adopt this law, 29 states have one in place.

A read out of the May 15th Capital Outlay and Infrastructure meeting (summary here: https://voterunservelivonia.com/…/may-15-2024-capital…) and the May 22nd Finance & Budget Committee meeting (Livonia is fiscally sound. Official summary here: https://livoniami.portal.civicclerk.com/…/agenda/2807)

The following were passed unanimously:

Minutes and consent agenda

Water and sewer rate increase [a thorough presentation was given during the meeting, you can watch it here: https://youtube.com/…/UgkxmcUoAEh2…]

Request from residents to waive driveway ordinance and sidewalk requirements

Waiver to redevelop gas station at Wayne and Ann Arbor Trail

1st reads for the following:

Allow bee hives at parks for educational purposes

Administrative change related to information systems

Rezone for property at 18340 Middlebelt Rd

2nd reads/Roll Call for the following:

Rezone requests for property on Newburgh Rd between 7 and 8 Mile (RUF to N2) – passed unanimously

Rezone request for portion of property at Basilica of St. Mary (Public Land to N2) – passed 4 to 1

A request by Basilica of St. Mary to build a Montessori School and family/youth center was approved 4 to 1

Request to authorize a 1-year tax administrative fee for select non-homestead properties was approved 5 to 1

The matter of using private custodial services at Kirksey Recreation Center was sent to the Committee of the Whole

Study Meeting Agenda: https://livoniami.portal.civicclerk.com/…/agenda/2810

Items put on the consent agenda:

Block parties

Commission reappointments: Jim Baringhaus, Gregory Coppola, and Marc Rotondo to the Zoning Board of Appeals

Request from Livonia Fire Department for approval to pursue federal funding for ground emergency medical transportation program

Annual contract renewals between Livonia Housing Commission and SMART

Sole provider purchase request from DPW for manhole-related items

Amendment for OHM contract for a water main replacement project

Award of contract for architectural services for updates to the Civic Center Library

Award of contract for DPW security camera installation

Formal resolution appointing new Director of Finance Debra Lichtenberg as official representative to the Michigan Municipal Risk Management Authority

Items on the regular agenda:

Contract for cloud-based software system

Purchase request for two dump trucks

Maintenance contract for water main and sewer system

As always, the meeting agendas can be viewed on the city website here: https://livonia.gov/129/Agendas-Minutes

Meetings can be watched unedited on the city’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@LivoniaTV