Livonia City Council Regular Meeting - October 26, 2026: Budget, Consent Agenda, Tributes, and Litigation Settlement

The Livonia City Council held its 2,051st regular voting meeting at 7:00 p.m. in the City Hall Auditorium. All seven council members were present. Council approved the city budget for the fiscal year ending November 30, 2027 on a 6-1 vote, passed the consent calendar and equipment purchases, remembered former Mayor Jack Kirksey, recognized Madonna University's NAIA champion softball team, and approved a settlement after a closed litigation session.

Recognition and Tributes

• Council read a tribute to former Mayor Jack Kirksey, who died recently, highlighting his 16 years as mayor, service as state representative, probation director, Schoolcraft College trustee, teacher and administrator in Livonia Public Schools, and retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force. Council observed a moment of silence; members shared personal memories of his humor and community engagement.
• Council recognized the Madonna University women's softball team as 2026 NAIA national champions. The Crusaders defeated Southeastern University 8-4 on May 28, 2026, in Columbus, Ohio, completed a 52-win season, and captured the first national title in program history. A certificate of recognition was presented.

Consent Calendar

• Approved Planning Commission waiver petition 2026-07-02-21 by Infinity Homes & Co. LLC for a Planned Residential Development consisting of seven attached multi-family ranch-style dwellings at 28001 Seven Mile Road and two single-family homes at 19021 and 19017 Floral.
• Approved Planning Commission waiver petition 2026-08-02-23 by Afor Concepts to operate a full-service restaurant, Brome Modern Eatery, at 19450 Haggerty Road.
• Approved the Parks and Recreation Department's updated EGLE Conservation Easement along a branch of Bell Creek within Fox Creek Golf Course.
• Approved referral of the Public Works five-year Residential Cross Connection Control Program bid to the Capital Outlay Committee.
• Authorized purchase of one 15-inch drum-style brush chipper through the MiDEAL consortium from 2026 budgeted funds.
• Approved vendors for outside maintenance of the city fleet from budgeted funds.
• The consent calendar passed 7-0.

Public Comments & Testimony

During the opening audience communication period, council set aside 30 minutes for non-agenda items, with a three-minute speaker limit.

• Steve King (Coventry Gardens) remembered Kirksey and said the audience communication ordinance restricts only the closing session to non-agenda items, so residents should be able to address agenda items earlier; he also cited master-plan data including a population near 90,000, a 5% population decline, and 37,716 housing units.
• Erica Jones, a new Linden Park resident, asked council to look into the HOA transfer in her new subdivision.
• Bob Clancy urged the mayor, parks and recreation, and Steve King to resolve the ongoing King issue privately and criticized what he called sideshows and inaccurate complaints about federal officials.
• Elijah asked for feedback and next steps on Flock surveillance cameras, noting a November 19 public safety committee meeting and saying the harm from such systems is extremely difficult to quantify.
• Melissa echoed Flock camera concerns, said some cities are canceling their contracts, and encouraged council awareness of a proposed data center in Southfield/Inkster less than five miles from Livonia's border.

During budget-related public comment:

• Steve King criticized the lack of line-by-line budget review, asked for annual justification of expenditures over a specified threshold, and questioned items such as a $545,000 recreation amendment, more than 600 city vehicles, and 67 take-home vehicles.
• Jim Bigel said the October 22 memo of budget changes was not a sufficient final document, questioned the $1.5 million demolition/abatement priority over ADA bathrooms and library water issues, and said budget details were unacceptable.
• Christopher Martin cited specific employee productivity complaints and said he would not support the budget.
• Elijah questioned a $400,000 HVAC control system cost and asked whether the city scrutinizes vendor pricing, while also supporting fair pay for employees.
• Cindy Fleming said a capital improvements manager position was created but never filled, and urged a prioritized capital plan and a permanent fix for water in the Noble library basement.
• Denise Micah raised concerns about transparency, Open Meetings Act questions regarding council meetings, and asked why $40,000 previously approved for Noble library work had not been spent.

During the second audience communication period:

• Denise Micah said one council member had been allowed to speak twice and another should have had a rebuttal; she also repeated concerns about follow-through on council-approved work.
• Christopher Martin repeated concerns about unproductive city employees and said the city would not improve until accountability improved.
• Frank McDermott asked council to place on the next agenda a resolution rescinding Steve King's lifetime ban from the Senior Wellness Center and Recreation Center, arguing that the punishment should fit the crime.
• Jim Bigel asked that the corrected budget book be published, said residents are not being listened to, and criticized the available election choices.

Reports from Mayor and Other City Officials

• The Department of Finance submitted, and council received and filed: the Departmental Purchases Report for the month ending September 30, 2026, dated October 1, 2026; financial statements for the month ending June 30, 2026, dated September 25, 2026; and the Quarterly Investment Report for the quarter ending May 31, 2026, dated September 25, 2026.

Discussion Items

FY Ending November 30, 2027 Budget

• The Finance and Budget Committee proposed the city budget and property tax millage for the fiscal year ending November 30, 2027. The public hearing was held October 5, 2026. Councilwoman Tashnick moved to approve the budget with changes presented in the administration's October 22 memo; Councilwoman McDonnell seconded.
• Councilman McCullough opposed the budget, listed roughly $6.8 million in building capital projects, said many libraries, fire stations, parks, and senior housing sites had no identified capital funding, said requested backup was not provided, and criticized redundant HVAC work and $1.5 million for demolition and abatement without a plan.
• Councilwomen Budzinski and Persicone, Vice President Brockway, Councilwoman McDonnell, and President Reed defended the budget as balanced, collaboratively reviewed, necessary to keep city services running, and only a spending framework. President Reed said Councilman McCullough offered no amendment or alternative and argued that rejecting the budget would defund city government.
• The budget passed 6-1, with Councilman McCullough dissenting.

Sidewalk Waiver Reconsideration

• Council reconsidered the October 12 denial of a sidewalk waiver for Angelo Monti's new construction near Five Mile. A point-of-order dispute about standing led Councilwoman Budzinski to move reconsideration; it passed 5-2, with Councilmembers Persicone and Reed dissenting. Councilman McCullough then moved to approve the waiver; it passed 5-2, again with Persicone and Reed dissenting.
• The builder, Angelo Monti, said he did not know about the 2024 denial, received an engineering inspection before pouring the driveway, and said the sidewalk would end in a bush. City staff said the plot plan had been approved with sidewalks and the builder poured before council made the waiver decision.
• Some residents urged sidewalk connectivity and safety, while waiver supporters said the sidewalk connects to nothing and the city has no near-term plan to build sidewalks in that area.

Committee of the Whole Items

• Seven Mile/Farmington Venture, LP requested a one-year extension to obtain a building permit for the residential development approved in 2024. Council left the item in committee pending discussions on property cleanup, fence removal, and pavement.
• The Wonderland Flats consent judgment amendment would give Middlebelt Plymouth Ventures additional time to apply for permits. Council left the item in committee pending answers to additional questions.

Equipment Purchases

• Council authorized the purchase of one 2026 CASE backhoe model 580SN through the MiDEAL consortium from 2026 budgeted funds. Councilwoman McDonnell confirmed that her prior questions had been answered. The motion passed 7-0.
• Council authorized the purchase of two trailer-mounted leaf vacuums through the MiDEAL consortium from 2026 budgeted funds. Councilwoman McDonnell's questions had been resolved. The motion passed 7-0.

Closed Litigation Session and Settlement

• Council voted 7-0 to schedule a closed Committee of the Whole meeting to discuss pending litigation and attorney-client privileged communications in Frank D. Robinson v. City of Livonia, et al., Wayne County Circuit Court Case No. 24-012254-NI.
• After the second audience communication period, the public meeting was suspended. Council met in closed session with the law department and outside counsel, then resumed and approved the settlement presented by the law department on a 7-0 vote.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the October 12, 2026 regular meeting minutes with corrections: 7-0.
• Passed the consent calendar: 7-0.
• Passed the FY ending November 30, 2027 budget: 6-1, with Councilman McCullough dissenting.
• Passed reconsideration of the sidewalk waiver: 5-2; then approved the sidewalk waiver: 5-2, with Councilmembers Persicone and Reed dissenting in both votes.
• Authorized the CASE backhoe purchase: 7-0.
• Authorized the two leaf vacuum purchases: 7-0.
• Authorized the closed litigation session: 7-0; approved the resulting settlement: 7-0.
• Referred long-term infrastructure investment and planning to the Capital Outlay and Infrastructure Committee: 7-0.
• Seven Mile/Farmington Venture and Wonderland Flats matters remained in committee without final votes.