Livonia City Council Study Meeting - September 28, 2026

The Livonia City Council held a study meeting on September 28, 2026, at 8:10 PM to set the agenda for the regular voting meeting on October 12, 2026. Key items included sidewalk waivers, police vehicle purchases, grant acceptance, personnel testing, park mowing contracts, ADA door installations, and a road improvement agreement.

Consent Calendar

The following items were directed to the consent agenda (presumed approval) for the October 12 regular meeting:

• Item 3: Request to accept $15,000 grant from the U.S. Alliance for Election Excellence for election administration.
• Item 4: Authorization of up to $35,000 expenditure to Empco for promotional testing of police and fire positions.
• Item 5: Extension of Reserve/National Guard duty benefit to all regular employees.
• Item 7: Award of bid to Dynamic Glazing for ADA door replacement at City Hall ($170,332).
• Item 8: Approval of intergovernmental agreement with Wayne County for Inkster Road improvements ($68,800 advance).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Steve King (Coventry Gardens) expressed frustration with the housing commission’s treatment and police presence at meetings. He commented on several agenda items: supported sidewalk connectivity, questioned the need for sealed bids and advocated for electric police vehicles, noted a $5,000 increase in Empco testing costs, suggested robotic mowers, and criticized ADA door replacement as wasteful when an employee entrance is already accessible.
• Christopher Martin (Livonia resident) criticized the practice of "receive and file" for elected official raises, arguing it bypasses a council vote, and expressed dissatisfaction with council experience.
• Elijah (Livonia resident) spoke against the Flock camera system, arguing it creates a nationwide surveillance network that could be abused by authorities including ICE. He urged the council to reject such systems.
• Jerry Karasinski (1948 Bainbridge Ave) supported the police vehicle purchase, recommending continued use of gasoline-powered vehicles.
• Denise Mika questioned bypassing the low bidder for ADA doors and requested to see bid specifications regarding subcontractors.
• Laura Janikka (Munger St) expressed concern that door replacement might be part of increased security and requested more information.

Discussion Items

• Item 1 (Sidewalk Waiver): Petitioner Angelo Mauti requested a waiver for four new homes on Fairlane, stating he did not receive notice of a prior denial. City Engineer Todd Zilincik noted the prior denial in 2024 and that concrete was poured without approval. Councilmember McCullough supported the waiver due to lack of continuous sidewalks. After debate, the item was placed on the regular agenda and an updated aerial photo was requested.
• Item 2 (Police Vehicle Purchase): Police Chief Thomas Ghoralski requested a waiver of sealed bids to purchase three unmarked vehicles via state cooperative pricing and to appropriate insurance proceeds for a totaled vehicle. The item was placed on the regular agenda due to needing separate motions.
• Item 6 (Park Mowing): Interim DPW Director Doug Moore reported three bids; staff recommended Teddy's Landscaping (local) at $188,230 for two years. Councilmember Ptashnik noted the lowest bidder (Russell) only bid one year and was cheaper, raising questions about consistency. The item was placed on the regular agenda.
• Item 7 (ADA Doors): Moore recommended the second low bidder Dynamic Glazing ($170,332) because the low bidder used subcontractors and did not attend the pre-bid meeting. Council members clarified the replacement is for fire code compliance, not security. The item was placed on the consent agenda.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Agenda Items (3,4,5,7,8): Directed to the consent agenda of the October 12 regular meeting.
• Regular Agenda Items (1,2,6): Directed to the regular agenda for further debate and vote on October 12.
• Additional: An updated aerial photo will be provided for Item 1. City Clerk announced 27,000 absentee ballots were mailed and the city will receive $11,160 state reimbursement for early voting wages.