2048th Regular Meeting of the Livonia City Council - September 14, 2026

The 2,048th regular meeting of the Livonia City Council was called to order at 7:00 PM on September 14, 2026, in the City Hall Auditorium. President Reid presided over the meeting, which adjourned at 8:04 PM. All seven council members were present (Ptashnik, Brockway, McCullough, McDonnell, Budzinski, Persiconi, Reid). The meeting featured robust public comment regarding a resident's ban from city facilities, approvals of tax incentives and development plans, and an accusation of ethical misconduct against a council member.

Consent Calendar

The Council voted 7-0 to approve Resolutions #316 through #327, which included the following items:

• Block Parties (Items 1-3): Approved for Sherwood Street, Edgewood Street, and Pollyanna Drive (including a Halloween event).
• Parade (Item 4): Approved the Clarenceville High School Homecoming Parade route and authorized Senior Police Officer Michael Arakelian to sign the necessary road closure permit.
• Consent Judgment Amendment (Item 5): The request to amend the Wonderland Flats Project consent judgment was referred to the Committee of the Whole.
• Planned General Development Extension (Item 6): The one-year extension request for the Seven Mile/Farmington Venture residential development was referred to the Committee of the Whole.
• Clover Self Storage Site Plan (Item 7): Approved with 15 conditions, including hours of operation (6 a.m. to 10 p.m.), lighting restrictions, and prohibition of hazardous storage.
• Purchases & Contracts (Items 8-12):
  • Authorized the purchase of 19 rugged laptops from Dell for $60,800 using state contract pricing.
  • Accepted the Ulliance EAP quote at $17,568/year for three years, noting it was not the low bid.
  • Accepted the Sun Life insurance quote for life and AD&D at a rate 20% lower than current costs ($0.272 per $1,000 payroll/month, approx. $146,690/year).
  • Approved a $58,000 contract amendment with OHM Advisors for SCADA infrastructure design, using the qualification-based selection process.
  • Approved an intergovernmental agreement with Wayne County for a new sidewalk on Wayne Road from Joy Road to Ann Arbor Trail.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Ban from City Facilities: Multiple residents spoke about the ban imposed on resident Steve King from city recreation and senior centers.
  • Supporting Lifting the Ban: Steve King, Frank McDermott, Roseanne Martel, and Debbie McDermott argued the ban was unjust, lacked due process, and set a concerning precedent. Frank McDermott also inquired about the timeline for constructing a permanent accessibility ramp at City Hall. Councilmember McDonnell noted the city is out to bid for improving the front doors of City Hall, expressing hope both projects could be completed.
  • Opposing Lifting the Ban: John Pastor argued the council lacked jurisdiction (belongs to the Parks and Recreation Commission) and that Mr. King had violated trespassing laws.
  • Council Response: Vice President Brockway clarified that the City Council has no legislative authority to reverse the ban, as it falls under the jurisdiction of the Parks and Recreation Commission (executive branch). He directed residents to the commission's next meeting on October 7, 2026.
• Neighborhood Code Complaints: Vicki Johnson described a long-standing issue with a rental property and the $450 fee she had to pay to request a variance for a screening fence. Councilmembers McCullough and Budzinski expressed concern and promised to review the ordinance in committee.
• Project Changes & Transparency: Cindy Fleming criticized changes to the $5 million Sheldon Park project, alleging a "bait and switch" with the removal of a planned pavilion and the installation of a five-foot-wide sidewalk rather than six feet.

Discussion Items & New Business

• Sasa Head Spa Appeal (Item 14): The Council voted 7-0 to uphold the Planning Commission's denial of the waiver use request for a massage establishment at 33600 Seven Mile Road, citing failure to comply with zoning standards and lack of demonstrated need.
• Beaver Aerospace Tax Exemption (Item 15): The Council voted 7-0 to approve a 12-year Industrial Facilities Exemption Certificate for Beaver Aerospace & Defense, Inc. The company plans to invest $21 million to expand operations, creating over 20 jobs at a currently unused facility. The company will continue paying taxes at the current assessed rate (approx. $45,000/year) during the exemption period.
• Belaggio Homes Easements (Items 16-27): The Council unanimously approved the acceptance of 12 public utility easements (sanitary and storm sewers) from Belaggio Homes, Inc. for the Newburgh Road Land Division Project.

Key Outcomes

• Votes: All 27 agenda items requiring votes passed unanimously (7-0).
• Referrals & Tabling: Items 5 and 6 were referred to the Committee of the Whole for further review. The committee meeting items (Item 13) were tabled to the September 28, 2026 regular meeting.
• Other Actions: The audit report from the Livonia Housing Commission (fiscal year ending December 31, 2025) was received and placed on file.

Council Member Updates

• Data Centers: Councilmember Budzinski clarified that the city is proactively developing an ordinance to regulate data centers as a special use, with no current development plans pending.
• E-Bike Safety: Councilmember Ptashnik renewed a call for an ordinance to regulate e-bikes on city streets, expressing concern for rider safety after witnessing a young rider blowing through yield signs. Councilmember Budzinski noted the issue is already in the Law and Education Committee.
• Community Events: Vice President Brockway promoted the St. Baldrick's Shave-a-thon on September 27, 2026, and committed to shaving his beard if the council's fundraising team reaches $500.

Accusation of Ethical Misconduct

During the second public comment period, resident Jay Murray accused Councilmember Eileen McDonnell of unethical conduct. He alleged she used login credentials from Paradigm Removal, a company he stated was registered to a member of her immediate family, to access bid documents for the Bennett Library boiler project. Councilmember McDonnell defended herself, stating she uses the public Michigan Intergovernmental Trade Network (MITN) to review all city bids as part of her due diligence. She stated she utilizes the account to assist her son with his business and noted it would only be unethical if his company had submitted a bid and she acted on it, which she confirmed did not happen.