Ferndale City Council Strategic Planning Meeting - February 28, 2026

The Ferndale City Council held a full-day strategic planning session on Saturday, February 28, 2026, from 9:00 AM to approximately 4:00 PM, focusing on setting priorities for the Fiscal Year 2027 general fund budget. The meeting included public comments, presentations from city staff and a facilitator, and in-depth council discussions on community center, police/fire facilities, housing, and other priorities. No formal votes were taken, but council members provided direction for staff to prepare detailed analyses and options for the March budget workshop.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Mary Schusterbauer (2634 Highland Street) urged the city to establish a human rights commission, suggesting a comprehensive review of all boards and commissions to determine how to best serve community needs.
• Julia Music (resident and organizer of Ferndale Pride) expressed strong opposition to proposed alcohol expansion at Ferndale Pride and the patio zone expansion, citing concerns about security, costs, lack of funding from the city, and volunteer burnout. She noted that the event raises 100% of funds and that sponsorships are decreasing.
• Paul Callum (East Park and Registry) expressed support for the RX Kids program but urged disclosure of potential negative impacts on SSI benefits. He also supported a senior commission and suggested better coordination of human services among local religious institutions.
• A speaker (name not given) criticized the council for violating his constitutional rights at a previous meeting, threatened a lawsuit, and accused the police department of misconduct and conspiracy regarding alcohol sales. He used profanity and was not removed.

Presentation: Strategic Planning Framework and Budget Overview

• Brittany Gallisdorfer (Bridgeport Consulting) outlined the day's goals: to identify priorities for FY27 general fund budget, with no decision-making today. She emphasized norms of open-mindedness, respectfulness, and collaboration.
• Steve Watson (Watson and Yates) provided a high-level budget overview. The general fund is ~$30 million, with about half from property taxes and 10% from state revenue sharing. He noted constraints: property tax growth limited to inflation (2.7% for FY27), revenue sharing cuts, and limited revenue options for Michigan cities. He explained the budget process and the need to balance revenues with current service costs.

Discussion Items

Community Center (Kulik Center)

• Assistant City Manager Chris Ann presented history: Kulik Center (built 1920s) closed in 2021 due to roof damage and structural issues. A 2021 facility condition assessment estimated $3 million in initial repairs; a task force recommended divesting. The city is negotiating with the school district for purchase, with a March 16th meeting set. An updated assessment is pending.
• Council Discussion: Council members expressed desire to explore reopening at minimal cost, including roof repairs and basic functionality. They requested:
  • Capital and operating cost estimates for minimal viable reopening.
  • A long-term plan (funding for architectural/structural analysis).
  • Public engagement to gauge resident desires and willingness to invest.
  • Exploration of public-private partnerships and grant funding, with support for a grant-seeking professional or commission.
  • No interest in pursuing alternative community center options for FY27.

Police and Fire Facilities

• City Manager Colleen presented: Fire Station 1 (1956) and Fire Station 2 (1952) and Police Department (1964) have critical deficiencies. A 2024 feasibility study for a combined police/fire headquarters estimated $32.8 million. The Headlee millage for this failed in Nov 2024; a revised millage in May 2025 did not include this project. Current capital plan allocates $6 million for police/city hall and $2.1 million for Fire Station 1 over five years. A state funding request for $1.6 million is pending.
• Council Discussion: Council requested:
  • Updated site programming and cost analysis for multiple options (minimum viable, moderate, state-of-the-art), including phasing.
  • Analysis of funding options (bonds, grants, voter approval).
  • Consideration of a downtown police substation (discussed but not prioritized).
  • Better understanding of the capital improvement plan and allocation of discretionary general fund dollars.
  • Emphasis on addressing immediate health/safety needs at Fire Station 1 regardless of long-term plans.

Housing

• CED Director Ross Quarrow presented data: Ferndale has ~11,000 housing units; 12% of homeowners and 35% of renters are cost-burdened. Existing policies include incentives policy, inclusive housing policy, housing action plan, and PILOT. The inclusive housing policy (25+ units) has not been applied to any projects. The action plan has eight strategies; four have been implemented.
• Council Discussion: Council expressed interest in:
  • Consolidating multiple housing plans into a single master strategy.
  • Exploring a local housing trust fund (including legal feasibility and potential uses).
  • Expanding home repair assistance (e.g., ULSA program) and first-time homebuyer support.
  • Data on blighted properties, city-owned land, rental violations, and age of housing stock.
  • Amending the inclusive housing policy to lower the unit threshold and increase flexibility.
  • Legal opinion on regulating corporate ownership of housing and short-term rentals.

Other Priorities

• Alternative Parking: Councilmember Kelly requested consideration of debt forgiveness for the auto parking fund and future parking solutions for the east side, potentially with DDA partnership.
• Senior Commission: Councilmember Mikulski and others supported a review of all commissions to consolidate and possibly create a senior commission. Councilmember Sabatini volunteered to lead a review of commission costs, outputs, and vacancies.
• RX Kids: Councilmember Johnson advocated for the program (prenatal/postnatal cash support) at $92,000/year for three years. Discussion included potential impact on other benefits (MSU staff counsel participants), and possibility of one-time funding from reserves rather than recurring general fund. Council expressed general support pending further information.
• Human Services (e.g., diaper bank): Councilmember Johnson noted these are not general fund items but called for building civil society partnerships to address gaps.
• Debt Defeasance/Renegotiation: Councilmember Mikulski requested a review of debt schedules and opportunities to restructure or defease debt to free up funds, particularly for water/sewer fund.
• Universal Trash Carts: Councilmember Mikulski reiterated support for standardized carts to address rat issues. Staff noted contract renegotiation in 2027; early adoption could lock in service options. Council requested cost-benefit analysis and verification that common cart sizes (64-gallon) are compatible with potential vendors.
• Historic Milestones: Councilmember Kelly raised the 250th anniversary of the nation and Ferndale's centennial in 2027, requesting city support for community events (e.g., picnic).
• Safe Streets for All: Councilmember Kelly inquired about a grant application; staff confirmed it is pending and not a general fund item.
• Art in City Facilities: Councilmember Johnson proposed a low-cost program to display local artists' work in city buildings.
• School/Library Partnerships: Councilmember Sabatini suggested enhanced coordination; consensus to explore liaison roles.
• Geographic Equity: Councilmember Sabatini noted the need for equitable distribution of community events and meeting locations across all quadrants.
• Animal Control: Councilmember Mikulski asked for exploration of alternative or supplemental animal control services beyond Oakland County.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes were taken. The meeting was a planning session to inform the FY27 budget.
• Council directed staff to prepare detailed information on the following for the March budget workshop (March 21, 2026):
  • Kulik Center: capital and operating costs for minimal reopening, long-term repair plan, and public engagement options.
  • Police/Fire: updated cost estimates for multiple facility options (minimum viable to state-of-the-art), phasing strategies, and funding mechanism analysis.
  • Housing: feasibility of a housing trust fund (legal and financial), data on blight and home repair needs, and options for consolidating housing policies.
  • RX Kids: funding source recommendation (one-time vs. recurring) and clarification of benefit impacts.
  • Trash carts: cost-benefit analysis of early adoption vs. waiting for contract renewal.
  • Commissions: staff to provide cost and output data for existing commissions; Councilmember Sabatini to lead a review.
• Council also agreed to explore non-budget items such as a shared project management tool (Trello) for council communication, and to seek mediator services for improved inter-council dynamics.
• Next step: City staff will compile a summary of today's discussion and present a strategic priorities document at the March 21st budget workshop, where council will make allocation decisions for FY27.