Livonia City Council Study Meeting - April 20, 2026

The Livonia City Council held a study meeting on April 20, 2026, at City Hall Auditorium. The meeting was called to order at 9:42 p.m. by President Reid, with all seven council members present (Martha Ptashnik, Vice President Brockway, Brandon McCullough, Eileen McDonnell, Carrie Budzinski, Robin Persiconi, and President Reid). The primary purpose was to set the agenda for the regular voting meeting on May 4, 2026. Items discussed included a request to purchase city-owned property, a block party request, proposed amendments to the Vision 21 Master Plan (Book 5: Housing Sustainability), and several bid awards for parks and recreation projects.

Consent Calendar

• Item 2: Block Party Request – Jackie Gordon’s annual block party on Arden Street, Friday June 12, 2026, from 4:00 to 10:00 p.m. Motion to place on consent agenda.
• Item 4: Accessible Entrance to Newburgh Schoolhouse at Greenmead Historical Park – Bid award to KAB Enterprises for $55,005. Motion to place on consent.
• Item 5: Replacement of A.J. Geer Store Roof at Greenmead Historical Park – Bid award to Cedar Preservation Systems for $23,680. Motion to place on consent.
• Item 6: HVAC Preventative Maintenance and Service – Three-year contract (June 1, 2026 – May 31, 2029) for Jack E. Kirksey Recreation Center and Livonia Senior Wellness Center; award to WJ O’Neill Company for $1,042,644 (sole qualified bidder). Motion to place on consent.
• Item 7: Purchase of Site Furnishings for Shelden Park Redevelopment – Bid award to Kerr Office Supply for $49,647.20 (low bid, $40,000 less than previous estimate). Motion to place on consent.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Chris Lenoir (Beatrice Street) spoke in support of the public safety millage, arguing that competitive compensation is needed to retain police officers, and promoted an IBEW job fair on May 13, 2026.
• Katie Rogowicz (Livonia) cited city ordinance 2.04.050 and argued that the council meeting procedures do not require her to address only the chair. She also noted that a police officer is required to attend meetings per ordinance 2.04.110.
• Steve King (Coventry Gardens) questioned the city’s projected $2.4 million annual savings from switching retiree health care to Medicare Advantage, calling the claims speculative without actuarial reports. He also mentioned his social media outreach on city issues.
• Jim Biga (Livonia) criticized the Master Plan amendment (Book 5), stating it compares Livonia to Detroit, Warren, and Dearborn rather than neighboring suburbs, and that no housing under $400,000 has been approved. He argued that one public hearing in 45 days is insufficient and called for at least three public hearings.
• Steve King (on Item 3) advocated for starter homes and changes to zoning to allow lower-cost construction methods, and supported more public dialogue.
• Jenaveve Lenoir (Beatrice Street) argued that the Master Plan update is inadequate and that residents did not have sufficient voice in the process, urging the council to go back to the drawing board.
• Jerry Karasinski (Bainbridge Avenue) supported having multiple public comment periods for the Master Plan, noting that housing sustainability means different things to different people.
• Steve King (on Items 5 and 6) questioned the necessity of a cedar roof (noting maintenance issues) and called the $1 million HVAC maintenance contract "outrageously high," suggesting re-bidding.

Discussion Items

Item 1: Request to Purchase City-Owned Property (34200 Hathaway Street) – Raiyan Berry requested to purchase a city-owned lot acquired through foreclosure in 2022. Mark Taormina, Planning and Economic Development Director, explained that the property is likely surplus but that a direct sale requires a two-thirds Council vote to waive the public bid process and a finding of compelling reason. He recommended going through public bidding to ensure the city recoups costs (e.g., demolition). Council discussed the process and agreed to waive the planning commission referral, refer to the assessing department and law department, and proceed with a public bid. The item was placed on the Regular agenda for May 4, 2026.

Item 3: Master Plan Petition 2026-01-07-01 (Vision 21 Amendment – Book 5: Housing Sustainability) – The Planning Commission requested authorization to distribute proposed amendments for public comment and to hold a public hearing. Mark Taormina and Donovan Smith (McKenna, project manager) explained that the 44-page plan was funded by a $50,000 MSHDA grant and created with a steering committee. They noted that a community survey and open house were held. Councilmembers discussed the process and the desire for further study. Councilmember McCullough moved to refer the matter to the Law and Education Committee for further study, while Councilmember Persiconi moved to place it on the Regular agenda. The Council ultimately placed the item on the Regular agenda, with an understanding that it could also be sent to committee after the public hearing process. Public speakers criticized the plan as incomplete and insufficiently vetted.

Key Outcomes

• Item 1: Approved to proceed with a resolution waiving planning commission referral, referring to assessing and law departments, and directing sale through public bidding process. Placed on Regular agenda.
• Item 2: Approved to be placed on Consent agenda.
• Item 3: Approved to be placed on Regular agenda for the May 4, 2026 regular meeting; further committee review is anticipated.
• Items 4, 5, 6, 7: All approved to be placed on Consent agenda.

The meeting adjourned at 10:29 p.m.