[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6550587,"mediaKeyId","5386452-5fbd713c012fa359acc560bf590d89c9","parentId",5386452,"title","Madison Heights city manager says cannabis licenses boosted property tax base and one-time donations to public safety","audioSeconds",482,"startMs",247000,"endMs",729000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5386452-5fbd713c012fa359acc560bf590d89c9&start=247&end=729","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5386452-5fbd713c012fa359acc560bf590d89c9/thumbnail_247000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6550587/Madison-Heights/Oakland-County/Michigan/Madison-Heights-city-manager-says-cannabis-licenses-boosted-property-tax-base-and-one-time-donations-to-public-safety","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6550587-ba83c3cbbda21b6ff55a8fd93b6fc9d8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770430701&Signature=i5FEYteV3Uf3~5w-nj-XGj5edpvxOGNB0D4Gy49w5Dgb3iqHziGZYJWBb~8fSyEBhHCQwADASBWQ6qYhm4JmbbTJO7KPyFnspPfT34SwBFxAq~Tpn6lfDYXZj7f31qQc~h7YSrMXSdwVlEyhVva2UUpqk6nJz688g7WxdDl2daVRIhNk7psZKJH8RA92GsfRotW4kC6jesTJZIcTiE84VQ-ejkAvRYQU6fvZQznX5Wa0m-Be2pgFP3zGFFjiKnDPX3-o21MHtrULJOErl57NDlaBbuXd-opNjxY0YTyzloZF~5iqZ-X1SRobQ93Kv0rfSXy7S18EQfXzAObE7PMqsg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Madison Heights","date","2025-07-15T13:12:34Z","article","Madison Heights — City Manager Marsh told the City Council on July 14 that the city’s approach to licensing adult-use cannabis businesses has led to redevelopment of underused properties, increased taxable value and one-time community donations that have funded public-safety equipment and community programs.

Marsh said the city included investment in real and personal property, community support and responsible business practices as part of licensing evaluations. ‘‘This approach has led to substantial increases in these developed property values and in turn taxable revenues,’’ Marsh said, noting before-and-after property improvements tied to licenses.

The presentation said the city’s property-tax base increased by about $520,963 annually from properties redeveloped for cannabis businesses, with approximately $165,000 flowing to the city each year and the remainder distributed to other taxing jurisdictions. Marsh said state-distributed taxes tied to the businesses amount to about $175,000 and described roughly $508,000 in one-time donations from cannabis operators that largely funded public-safety items such as evidence cameras, radar signs, ballistics shields and a school resource officer.

Why it matters: Council members framed the report as both a revenue and public-safety issue. Council members praised the city’s licensing framework for prioritizing reuse of blighted or vacant buildings and for requiring community investments that, they said, helped avoid larger tax increases and funded specific one-time purchases.

Council discussion and public-safety data

Marsh said the city compared police calls for service from two local dispensaries (identified in the presentation as Puff and Liberty) with calls for comparable retail stores and bars and found the dispensaries generated fewer calls for service than many commercial entities. ‘‘The data shows that the cannabis businesses approved through our ordinance generate fewer calls for service than many of the commercial entities,’’ Marsh said.

Council members asked for additional detail on enforcement and impaired-driving stops. Councilman Soltis asked whether the police department had counts of traffic stops for suspected driving under the influence of drugs. Marsh said she did not have that categorization on hand but could ask the police how they code such incidents.

Council reaction and context

Councilman Muir summarized the financial effects from the presentation, saying his back-of-the-envelope calculation suggested ‘‘about a million or so in one-time type of donations to the city, between the straight up donations as well as the community foundation donations’’ and ‘‘about a half a million annually between the tax increase just to the city council as well as the state revenue sharing and the business license fees.’’ He said that without the licensing policy the city likely would have faced either staff reductions or a tax increase.

Mayor Vester said banning local sales would not stop local use because residents could buy recreational cannabis in neighboring cities and use it in Madison Heights. He also said available housing-value data did not show any clear local downward impact from dispensaries.

Marsh also summarized social-impact research and outreach with the Madison Heights Community Coalition, saying available studies do not link local dispensaries to increased use in the city and that broader national attitudinal shifts have driven greater acceptance of cannabis.

No formal action taken

The presentation was received and opened to council questions; no ordinance or regulatory change was voted on at the meeting. Council asked staff to follow up on a few data points, including whether police records can be parsed to show traffic stops specifically coded as suspected impairment from cannabis.

Ending

Council members praised the presentation for clarifying the fiscal and public-safety effects of the licensing approach and directed staff to pursue follow-up data on impaired-driving coding and home-value trends.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","July 14, 2025 - Regular City Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Marsh said the city’s licensing framework led to redevelopment and increased taxable value.","taxTitle","Madison Heights, Oakland County, Michigan","taxId",55558,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6550580,"Madison Heights Council approves earlier meeting time, two public-safety purchases and amends appointment rules for several advisory boards",113,2047000,2160000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5386452-5fbd713c012fa359acc560bf590d89c9&start=2047&end=2160","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5386452-5fbd713c012fa359acc560bf590d89c9/thumbnail_2047000.jpg","/articles/6550580/Madison-Heights/Oakland-County/Michigan/Madison-Heights-Council-approves-earlier-meeting-time-two-public-safety-purchases-and-amends-appointment-rules-for-several-advisory-boards","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6550580-9493cd84148e3afb2fda2f7f95bb34ec/orig.mp4?Expires=1770430701&Signature=flqCMCasQYn0r05kojWXeMcPjSecrPIe1DCOeOWFDKlJAXzm6tRD9oSbWKLbeojpQ3b-pq-rHl2eve81bRSKWeRs~HY57HGI3ho4VWE6~wxbsr0HLRxDQyoDN47k-uJPtoq5yIlyrWJOTUrT9JEPGrRNLAOLwiP00GfQwo7nCH46cntRWpAsJB4It3zE4kCJ5hI87MOKgLHg0Ey4ejNuvl40BXoOST-vSNEakiVXraMKSZKgkP6-eXf0DwdB8prKuslSWyPGqkR842X4cDzWwg3udZcbsOw21ScSfvJ0ucjdrzfuqKALHN3B08kkvqabwUXklzwuvSIRShJJyXieUg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Madison Heights — The City Council on July 14 approved a set of administrative and public-safety items, including a change to the regular meeting start time, two grant-funded purchases for the fire and police departments, and amendments to how members are appointed to several local advisory boards.

Meeting time and minutes

Council adopted a resolution to establish a new start time of 6:30 p.m. for regular council meetings beginning with the first meeting in October 2025. Staff said the date was chosen to allow city communications to reflect the new time and to transition before winter daylight changes. Council also approved minutes of the June 23 meeting.

Public-safety purchases funded by grants

The council approved the purchase of a Skydio X10 dual-use drone from Safeware through the Sourcewell cooperative purchasing program for $29,969, to be fully funded by a $30,000 grant awarded by the Madison Heights Community Foundation. According to staff, the drone includes real-time video streaming, high-resolution zoom, thermal imaging, and an integrated spotlight, speaker and microphone. Chief Alito, who researched the purchase, was present to answer questions.

Council also approved phase 2 of a turnout-gear purchase for the fire department: five additional sets of turnout gear from Axes and Irons through Sourcewell at a total cost of $16,070.40. Staff said phase 1 included 17 sets and that these purchases are included in the fiscal year 2026 budget and fully reimbursable under a Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity grant that provides up to $3,500 per eligible firefighter.

Appointment process and ordinance amendments

Council considered staff recommendations to change the appointment process for several bodies whose members have been mayoral appointments with council consent. The city identified six boards and commissions currently listed as mayor appointments: the Grama Commission, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, Elected Officials Compensation Commission, Downtown Development Authority, Brownfield Redevelopment Authority and the Planning Commission. Staff told council that state law (identified in the staff remarks as the Michigan Planning Enabling Act and a recodification tax-financing act) governs appointments for the planning commission, downtown development authority and brownfield authority and cannot be changed by local ordinance; those three will remain under existing appointment rules.

Council voted to approve a resolution amending the Crime Commission’s appointment process so membership is a council appointment rather than a mayor’s appointment. Council also approved, on first reading, an amendment to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board membership (ordinance 2203) and scheduled a second reading for July 28, 2025. Council voted to amend the appointment process for the Compensation Commission (ordinance 2204) so appointments will be made by the council rather than by the mayor; that amendment passed on first reading and the council approved moving forward with the second reading process.

Council debate on appointment changes

Debate focused on whether moving mayoral appointments to council appointments would improve collaboration and avoid potential hold-ups if a mayor did not forward nominees, versus concerns about conflicts when the commission in question advises on council compensation. Some members suggested staff provide a recommendation to the council ahead of the second reading for the compensation-commission change; staff agreed that could be provided.

Votes at a glance

- Resolution: Establish regular meeting start time at 6:30 p.m., effective first meeting October 2025 — motion carried (voice vote; no roll-call tally specified in the record).

- Approval: Minutes of June 23, 2025 — motion carried (voice vote; no roll-call tally specified).

- Contract award: Purchase Skydio X10 drone from Safeware via Sourcewell, $29,969, funded by Madison Heights Community Foundation grant — motion carried (voice vote; no roll-call tally specified).

- Contract award: Purchase 5 sets of turnout gear from Axes and Irons via Sourcewell, total $16,070.40, reimbursable under MDLEO grant — motion carried (voice vote; no roll-call tally specified).

- Resolution: Amend Crime Commission appointment process to be council appointments — motion carried (voice vote; no roll-call tally specified).

- Ordinance 2203: Amend Parks and Recreation Advisory Board membership — adopted on first reading; second reading scheduled for July 28, 2025 (vote recorded in transcript as 6-1 in favor).

- Ordinance 2204: Amend Compensation Commission appointment and confirmation process — motion passed (recorded in transcript as 5-2 in favor); first reading scheduled and second reading to follow as part of the ordinance process.

What this means

Staff and several council members said the changes aim to streamline appointment procedures and increase council-level collaboration; staff noted that state laws limit changes to certain authorities (planning commission, DDA, brownfield authority). The public-safety purchases are funded via a community-foundation grant and a state reimbursement grant and were described by council and staff as tools to improve operational capability for police and fire.

Ending

The council completed the agenda and moved to closing remarks. Several council members emphasized community events, tree-planting efforts and other civic programs in their closing comments.","Council approved meeting-time, two grant-funded public-safety purchases and changes to appointment rules for several advisory boards.","actionData","errors"]

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Madison Heights city manager says cannabis licenses boosted property tax base and one-time donations to public safety

Madison Heights Council approves earlier meeting time, two public-safety purchases and amends appointment rules for several advisory boards