Livonia City Council Study Meeting - February 9, 2026

The Livonia City Council met in study session at 8:00 p.m. on Monday, February 9, 2026, in the City Hall Auditorium, with President Reid presiding and all seven councilmembers present. The meeting set the agenda for the February 23, 2026 regular voting meeting; no final votes were taken. Based on motions from councilmembers, all but one agenda item were directed to the consent agenda for the regular meeting, and one item was directed to the regular agenda.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Christopher Martin, a resident, stated his belief that the concrete by the recreation center will not settle and said it will eventually need to be fixed.
• Naz Cimsit, of Aspen Drive and a member of the Schoolcraft College Environment Club, urged the council to decline the weed-control bids until the runoff of the herbicide 2,4-D into groundwater is assessed, calling 2,4-D a proven Parkinson's-causing contaminant.
• Jaron Ho, of Hopkins Road, Farmington Hills, and leader of the Schoolcraft College Environment Club, echoed concerns about 2,4-D and asked the council to delay contracting with companies using it until safer alternatives, including information from Grand Rapids Parks, are reviewed.
• Donna Willbanks, of the Kimberly Oaks subdivision, asked what a recent $1 million non-departmental general-fund budget amendment was for and requested information on the time and place of committee meetings. Councilmembers said they would investigate the budget item and provided the committee calendar.

Consent Calendar

• Site plan - Merriman gas station (Item 1): Safiedine Merriman LLC requested site plan approval for an addition to the gasoline station at the southwest corner of Merriman and Schoolcraft Roads, expanding the building from about 1,980 to 3,920 square feet. Civil engineer Julia Turner said the petitioner added a sidewalk along the north side, a no-left-turn sign, and the Planning Commission's other notes. The item was directed to consent.
• Minimum-wage rate increases (Items 2 and 3): Human Resources Director Jennine Laible said adjustments were needed for High School Co-Op, College Co-Op, Seasonal Clerk, and Parks & Recreation Level 1 Step 1/Step 1.5 classifications to comply with state minimum wage law. Both items were directed to consent.
• FY 2025 budget adjustments (Item 4): Finance Director Benjamin Grier requested final budget amendments to close FY 2025. The general fund fire department was $265,000 over budget because of the firefighter contract settlement, equal to 1.7% of the $16.7 million general fund balance; FY 2025 general fund expenditures totaled $70.6 million. The MIDC grant fund also required an over-budget adjustment, and the Plymouth Road Development Authority was over budget by $585,239, including $417,877 in irrigation-line repairs and $221,446 in Shelden Park land improvements, with $378,824 to be reimbursed from a $5 million bond issuance. The item was directed to consent.
• Rotary Park playground resurfacing (Item 5): Superintendent Ted Davis recommended the low bid of $193,240 from We Build Fun Inc. to remove the failed pour-in-place surface and install astroturf; the selected product has a limited lifetime warranty. Directed to consent.
• Treadmill purchases (Items 7 and 8): The council directed consent for three Star Trac treadmills at $24,401 from Fitness Things and three Freemotion treadmills at $25,485 from Direct Fitness Solutions, replacing outdated equipment.
• Shelden Park benches and picnic tables (Item 9): Parks and Recreation requested waiving formal bidding and using Keystone Purchasing Network cooperative pricing for powder-coated steel benches, picnic tables, and ADA-compliant tables. Directed to consent.
• Shelden Park fitness equipment (Item 10): Requested use of Sourcewell cooperative pricing to purchase specified outdoor fitness equipment from Pinchura LLC for $42,262.53; Davis said the user-friendly machines will be near the southern pavilion. Directed to consent.
• Shelden Park splash pad (Item 11): Requested approval for a $614,895.90 Vortex splash pad via Sourcewell. Davis said Vortex was used successfully at the indoor splash pad; Councilmember Budzinski described it as likely the only free splash pad with a slide in Michigan. Directed to consent.
• Shelden Park playground equipment (Item 12): Requested approval for $596,786.50 in Playworld playground equipment from Midstates Recreation via Sourcewell, including a small 3-to-5-foot turf hill. Directed to consent.
• Shelden Park site furnishings (Item 13): Requested approval for $89,400.50 in Maglin site furnishings, including 17 ADA picnic tables, five benches, and seven trash receptacles around the splash pad area. Directed to consent.
• Memorial Day road closure (Item 14): The council directed consent for a request to Wayne County to close Farmington Road from Five Mile Road to Roycroft Street and Five Mile Road from Shadyside Drive to Farmington Road on Saturday, May 23, 2026, from 8:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
• Holiday parade and tree lighting (Item 15): The council directed consent for the Sunday, December 6, 2026 parade route, associated street closures, the Wayne County closure of Farmington Road from Lyndon to Five Mile between 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m., authorization for Senior Police Officer Michael Arakelian to sign the permit, and city liability for damage claims.
• Public Works annual materials (Items 16-18): The council directed consent for the 2026 ready-mix concrete, hot and cold bituminous materials, and aggregates bids, with both the low bidders and second-low bidders approved as backups in case materials cannot be supplied in time.
• Vegetation control contract (Item 19): The council directed consent for the two-year 2026-2027 weed-control program, with work split into three bid groups and low bids from TrueGreen and Premier Property Maintenance. Public objections to 2,4-D were heard before the direction.
• OHM construction engineering contracts (Items 20 and 21): The council directed consent to amend the QBS contract with OHM Advisors in the amount of $444,593 for the 2026 Asphalt Road Program, and in the amount of $590,000 for construction engineering on the 2026 Newburgh Road reconstruction from Ann Arbor Trail to Plymouth Road, including five traffic signals. OHM has been involved in the asphalt program since 2002; Wayne County is paying for three of the five signals.
• 2026 sidewalk repair program (Item 22): The council directed consent to approve the program with approximately 506 locations citywide. City Engineer Todd Zilincik said residents may do their own repairs or have the contractor do them; estimate letters are planned for April 1 and construction for late May.

Discussion Items

• Acoustical panels for Kirksey Recreation Center west gym (Item 6): Parks Superintendent Ted Davis requested approval to purchase 65 acoustical panels from second-low bidder TIPS Group LLC to reduce severe echo in the new west gym. Councilmember Brandon McCullough asked whether a sound study or the building architect's sign-off should be obtained before spending the money, and the item was directed to the regular agenda rather than consent.
• OHM contract review process: During the OHM items, Councilmember Eileen McDonnell asked about the process for reviewing the QBS contract before it expires in November 2026. City Engineer Zilincik said administration and council would need to decide whether to seek an RFQ, extend the contract, or consider other options.
• Sidewalk program approach: During the sidewalk discussion, Councilmember McCullough asked about returning to a quadrant-based, proactive sidewalk repair program. Zilincik responded that targeted areas are done when funding allows and that a larger program would depend on budget direction.

Key Outcomes

• Agenda items 1-5 and 7-22 were directed to the consent agenda for the February 23, 2026 regular meeting.
• Item 6 (acoustical panels) was directed to the regular agenda for further consideration.
• The council did not take final votes; all directions were by consensus motions.
• Meeting adjourned at 9:12 p.m.