Southfield City Council Regular Meeting – April 28, 2026
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
Southfield City Council Regular Meeting – April 28, 2026
The Southfield City Council held a regular meeting on April 28, 2026, beginning with roll call and the Pledge of Allegiance. The meeting included the recognition of George Jackson as Employee of the Month, a public hearing on the 2026 single lot special assessment roll, discussion and votes on several agenda items, and extensive deliberation on amendments to the Northland S-area redevelopment overlay development district (ODD). The council also addressed public comments and provided updates on city events and legislative matters.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes of the March 30, 2026 regular meeting were approved unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Victoria McKenzie (Le Chateau Condos resident) reported that since a fire on November 4, 2024, no work had started on her building. She requested confirmation that permits had been submitted and approved, and a timeline for construction. Staff was directed to speak with her.
- Harold Tyler Jr. (Silvercrest Street resident) expressed frustration about lack of follow-up from city officials regarding his sewage and sump pump issues. He noted that a contractor had addressed some problems but requested better communication and accountability.
- Unnamed speaker raised concerns about toxic dirt at the old mall site and asked for testing and covering of the material. She also requested that the council publicly ask Redico for a town hall regarding the OPLA lease.
- Raymond Cleaver (resident) described a ditch maintenance problem worsened by a recent street raising. He asked for city assistance to install drainage tile, as he is physically unable to maintain the steep ditch.
- Greg Keeler (resident) stated that for over 12 years the council had been told the sanitary sewer line was rejected by residents, but a letter from Lawrence Tech indicated otherwise. He questioned why no verification occurred and asked how residents will be made whole after a 26-year delay. Councilwoman Bland acknowledged the issue and stated she had requested documentation.
- Pam Gerald criticized the council for not enforcing construction deadlines, citing the McKenzie case, and accused some council members of having messy campaign finance reports, suggesting they should resign or be recalled.
Discussion Items
- 2026 High Intensity Drug Trafficking (HIDTA) Grant – The council approved a sub-recipient agreement with Oakland County for $66,600 to reimburse overtime costs for the narcotics enforcement team. (Motion carried unanimously.)
- Fire Department Dashboard Cameras – Authorization to purchase dash cameras for all frontline apparatus with a 36‑month lease. The footage will be used for training and liability reduction. (Motion carried unanimously.)
- Exterior CCTV Cameras for Fire Stations – Authorization to purchase and install 360‑degree security cameras at all fire stations, prompted by a prior arson incident. (Motion carried unanimously.)
- Mount Vernon Road & Water Main Reconstruction – The council awarded the project to Paymar Enterprises of New Haven, Michigan, for a total of $6,027,713.27 (including 15% engineering). The project will reconstruct the road from two to three lanes, with concrete and ductile iron pipe; construction is expected June–November 2026 with full road closure. (Motion carried unanimously.)
- West Nile Virus Prevention Funding – The council accepted $9,753.17 in county funding for larviciding catch basins and purchasing mosquito wipes. Staff will make wipes available at city events and neighborhood centers. (Motion carried unanimously.)
- Nine Line Trailhead Signage – Awarded to Fast Signs of Livonia for $36,325. The signs will be placed at Bauerwood Park, Beechwoods, and Oakland Community College. (Motion carried unanimously.)
Public Hearings & Site Plans
- 2026 Single Lot Special Assessment Roll – The public hearing was held; several property owners objected. Two cases were highlighted: a $28,000 demolition charge from a previous owner (purchased at tax foreclosure) and a weed removal charge imposed six days after a new homeowner purchased. The council deferred action on the entire assessment roll to the next meeting (scheduled for a date certain still to be determined) to allow staff to investigate these two cases.
- Northland S-area Redevelopment ODD Amendment – The council considered two separate actions: (1) amending the ODD to allow a sports and recreation dome (moving it from prohibited to permitted uses with conditions), and (2) updating the project phasing plan to reflect timelines for Buildings A and B. After extensive debate, the council voted 6‑1 to approve the sports dome amendment (alternate resolution #1), with conditions that the developer must meet all term‑sheet requirements before final site plan approval. The phasing plan was postponed to a date certain of May 18, 2026, to allow for more realistic timeline proposals. Ordinance #1836 was introduced for the dome amendment.
- Ordinances – Ordinance #1834 and #1835 (point‑of‑sale inspection ordinance) were enacted (vote 6‑1).
Key Outcomes
- Votes & Decisions:
- HIDTA grant, fire cameras, CCTV, Mount Vernon reconstruction, West Nile funding, and trail signage all approved unanimously.
- Single lot special assessment roll postponed to next meeting for two individual cases.
- Northland sports dome amendment approved (6‑1); ODD phasing plan postponed to May 18.
- Point‑of‑sale ordinance enacted (6‑1).
- Directives: Staff was directed to provide test results for Northland soil (Eagle database) and to create a written policy on campaign materials and signage in city hall.
- Next Steps: The developer (Contours) must submit a revised phasing plan by May 18; the sports dome developer (Detroit Rising) may submit a site plan immediately. The council will reconsider the assessment roll and the phasing plan at the May 18 meeting.
Additional Notes
- The meeting featured a presentation of the Employee of the Month award to George Jackson (HR generalist).
- Council members reported on the successful Touch‑a‑Truck event and encouraged attendance at upcoming city events.
- The city attorney clarified rules on campaign apparel and signage for elected officials and the public, and a discussion on establishing a formal policy followed.
Meeting Transcript
The CD of Southfield regular meeting agenda of the City Council will begin for April 27th, 2026 to 602. Mr. Clerk, if you can take roll call, please. Councilwoman Banks present. Councilwoman Bland. Councilman Brightwell. Councilwoman Haynes. Present. Councilwoman Pro Tem Hogue. Here. Councilman Mandelbaum. Present. Council President Hicks. Here. Sir, you'll have a quorum. Thank you, sir. If we can stand for the Pledge of Allegiance, please. And to the Republic for what we should say. We have a presentation for the employee of the month. Good evening, Honorable Mayor and Council. It is my pleasure to present my colleague, George Jackson, HR generalist on the human resources team as the City of Southfield's 2026 employee of the month for April. George was nominated by multiple colleagues across the organization, receiving a total of four nominations. Separate nominations. This show of strong support reflects the consistent impact he has had through the his professionalism, teamwork, and commitment to internal customer service for city staff. His recognition is a testament to the positive influences he brings to the workplace and the high regard in which he is held by those he supports across departments. So please join me in congratulating George on his well-deserved honor. Yeah, we are. Yes, Mr. President. George has his wife, his youngest daughter, and his oldest son here. Thank you so much. So I just would like to add the chair that um George Jackson is a product at Southfield. George came up in Southfield Public Schools, and George has had the same temperament since the sixth grade. He's always been a help. He's always been kind and he's always been a good resource. So you're this is well deserved in riding your wheelhorse, George. So before we go into the communications, there's an item on the agenda for our annual assessment. So tonight, you know, our regular council meeting will include the 2026 single special assessment role, public hearing and confirmation. The public hearing will be held during the public hearing and site plan portion of the meeting agenda. A representative from each department is available to speak to you now for those interested in discussing any issues related to the assessment in the hallway. So during the public hearing, we ask that comments be limited to the validity of the proposed charge. For further questions regarding the special assessment levy, the department representative can speak with you directly out in the lobby. Thank you. We'll now transition to communications. The Southfield City Council has established the following rules of procedure for all speakers. Each speaker will have three minutes to address the council. Each speaker is responsible for his or her comments, and the city of Southfield does not by permitting such remarks support, endorse, or accept the content thereof as being true or accurate. No speaker may make personal or impertinent attacks upon any officer, employee, or city council member, or other elected official. That is unrelated to the matter in which they perform their duties. No person shall use abusive or threatening language toward any individual when addressing the city council.
openpublica.com