OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings
Livonia City Council Study Meeting - March 23, 2026
City Council — Monday, March 23, 2026
BodyLivonia, Michigan
SessionCity Council
DateMonday, March 23, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
Transcript — Verbatim
Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.
Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Engagement31%
Public Safety27%
Procedural16%
Engineering And Infrastructure9%
Public Health Awareness7%
Parks and Recreation7%
Technology and Innovation3%
Summary of Proceedings
Livonia City Council Study Meeting - March 23, 2026
The Livonia City Council held a study meeting on March 23, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. to set the agenda for the upcoming Regular Meeting on April 8, 2026. All seven council members were present. The meeting addressed multiple requests including street closures, noise ordinance waivers, event permits, a development waiver petition, fire department vehicle and equipment purchases, golf course cart path repairs, and a lease amendment. Most items were directed to the consent calendar for the April 8 Regular Meeting, with one item (the gas station waiver petition) placed on the regular agenda for further discussion.
Public Comments
- Steve King (audience communication at start): King urged the city to invest in technology, drones, officer training, and strategic staffing rather than a new police headquarters, stating that "$60 million is a once-in-a-generation investment" and that cities getting ahead are "building smarter systems."
- Spree ’76 Memorial Suggestion: During discussion of the Spree ’76 items, a resident suggested the Livonia Anniversary Committee honor a child who died in a car accident after the 2025 fireworks display and requested increased police presence at the Stark Road and Merriman intersection.
Consent Calendar (All items placed on consent for the April 8, 2026 Regular Meeting)
- Street Barricade (Item 1): Chris Inch, Six Mile Track Club Coach, requested barricading Perth Street from Stark Road to the dead-end west of Farmington on August 21-22, 2026 for a nighttime high school cross-country meet. Noted the sixth year of the event with 70 high school teams, 1,500 runners, and 2,500 spectators.
- Noise Ordinance Waiver (Item 2): David Groff requested a waiver for a July 4, 2026 party with a band at 18111 and 18133 Floral Street, described as an annual event going into its tenth year.
- Banner and Sign Display (Item 3): Sam Caramagno, President, Livonia Anniversary Committee, requested banners on Farmington Road and Five Mile Road and a 4' x 8' sign at City Hall and Ford Field from May 22 to June 29, 2026 for Spree ’76. Caramagno noted a clean audit, added security with metal detectors, new bands, 20 food vendors, a free shuttle, and a planned entrance fee for fireworks on Sunday.
- Street Closures (Item 4): Caramagno requested closure of Stark Road from L.A.D. to Lyndon (June 22-29) and, subject to Wayne County Road Commission permission, closure of Farmington Road between I-96 overpass and Five Mile Road on June 28, 2026 from 6:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. for Spree ’76 fireworks.
- Permits for Amusement Rides, Fireworks, and Facility Use (Item 5): Caramagno requested permits for Wade Shows carnival rides at Ford Field and Veterans’ Park (June 23-28), a fireworks display at 10:15 p.m. on June 28, 2026 at Stymelski Veterans’ Park, and authorization to use/lease Ford Field, Eddie Edgar Arena, and Stymelski Veterans’ Park for Spree ’76. Councilmember Reid, who recused herself as Spree organizer, noted a new five-year contract with Wade Shows and expanded fireworks.
- Ambulance Purchase (Item 7): Fire Chief Robert Jennison requested authorization to purchase one 2027 or newer Lifeline Type-1 Superliner Ambulance through a consortium bid to replace a frontline ambulance, with delivery expected in at least two years.
- Pickup Truck Purchase (Item 8): Chief Jennison requested authorization to purchase four 2026 Ford F-150 Super Crew 4x4 pickup trucks through state and county consortium bids to replace frontline vehicles (11-17 years old).
- Cancer Screening Professional Services (Item 9): Chief Jennison requested authorization to purchase Grail-Galleri cancer screening services (proprietary, not subject to bid) for all firefighters. He reported that 80% of firefighter line-of-duty deaths in 2025 were due to cancer, and the blood test can detect 50 types of cancer, 70% of which are not detectable by other means. Councilmembers discussed decontamination practices and the feasibility of adding drying racks or building additions.
- Golf Course Cart Path Repairs (Item 10): Douglas Ware, Golf Course Superintendent, requested authorization of a budget amendment and award of bid (low bid $578,170) for removal and replacement of cart path sections (three holes at each of the three city golf courses), funded through the courses’ enterprise fund (user fees).
- AT&T Wireless Lease Amendment (Item 11): Request to approve the Seventh Amendment to lease with New Cingular Wireless PCS, LLC (AT&T) to move and upgrade equipment on a tower; described as a housekeeping item.
Discussion Items
- Waiver Petition (Item 6): Petition 2026-01-02-02 by J&J Land Holdings, LLC, requesting waiver use approval to construct a gas station with convenience store and carryout restaurant at 13400 Newburgh Road (southeast corner of Newburgh and Schoolcraft). Attorney Brandon Grysko stated the developer (Mr. Hamadi, a longtime local business owner) agreed to shift the building to prevent traffic from using the property as a shortcut. Councilmember McCullough supported the development, noting it would clean up a blighted corner with a multi-million dollar local investment. The item was placed on the Regular Agenda (not consent) for further discussion and a vote at the April 8 Regular Meeting.
Key Outcomes
- Ten of eleven agenda items were directed to the Consent Calendar for the April 8, 2026 Regular Meeting, meaning they are expected to be approved in a single block vote.
- The Waiver Petition (Item 6) was placed on the Regular Agenda for the April 8, 2026 Regular Meeting, requiring separate discussion and a vote.
- The meeting adjourned at 10:10 p.m.
Meeting Transcript
Welcome to the March twenty-third, twenty twenty-six study session of the Lavonia City Council. Please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance led by the Honorable Patrick Brackway. This meeting sets the agenda for the two thousand thirty-eighth regular meeting, which is a voting meeting that will take place on Wednesday, April 8th, 2026, where tonight's items will be officially voted on. We have all seven members present. First, we will start with audience communication. The council has set aside 30 minutes for audience communication for items not on the agenda. You will have three minutes. Officers can write reports, access databases, and communicate in real time from anywhere. The idea that everything must revolve around a central building is outdated. Drone is first responder programs, real crime centers, technology integration, officer training, strategic staffing. That's what we should be investing in. That's how you multiply effectiveness without multiplying cost. $60 million is a once in a generation investment. And we have to decide are we investing in the past or are we investing in the future? Because the cities that are getting ahead right now are not building better headquarters. They're building smarter systems, and that's exactly what Lavonia should be doing. Any other audience communication? Anything from council before we jump into the agenda. All right. Good evening. Good evening. I'm Chris Inch. And this is my partner, Mark Lozan. Hello. Thank you for being here. Yeah. Um, do you want to tell us a little bit about your event? Yeah, this will be the sixth year of the event. It's at Ford Field. It's grown immensely. There's 70 high school teams, 1,500 runners, uh, 2,500 spectators. Uh we bring in running brands. I work for Gazelle Sports, so they're there. Food trucks, it's a fun way to kick off the season. There's pen-up demand from the kids training all summer. They're ready to have fun. And running under the lights is pretty cool. So it's just an event that's taken off and we've worked really hard on. And so we're really just looking to block the streets that we always block just to keep the kids safe. Hey, thank you, Madam Chair. Ms. Tashnick. Um, so they've come to us the last five, six years. I think I think you said six, right? And it's uh it's been an awesome event every year. Um I work at Churchill, obviously, and the cross-country kids always talk about it. I know the kids at Stevenson talk about it. I don't know, can we get a council team to run?
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