[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-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",[32,74,86],{"_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":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6486601,"mediaKeyId","5532471-b3d325ecab470e130f9414236b9a4ae0","parentId",5532471,"title","Residents complain about tax and water-rate increases; council reiterates limits on local fireworks enforcement","audioSeconds",554,"startMs",1815000,"endMs",2369000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5532471-b3d325ecab470e130f9414236b9a4ae0&start=1815&end=2369","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5532471-b3d325ecab470e130f9414236b9a4ae0/thumbnail_1815000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6486601/Garden-City/Wayne-County/Michigan/Residents-complain-about-tax-and-water-rate-increases-council-reiterates-limits-on-local-fireworks-enforcement","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6486601-22142d5f932a329a47c364c4b09816c3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771191118&Signature=H1~Sbo3XQWsfblcVtYqiH1O-C-uhNfvj3Nu9Z-GHwaDFV3wNFj8D5wcVODSL9tzokNe8hnnm1vYkDwSRnkiLk8qSvT8zvrj0em7otf1BgkMBfoWLX83bkWud9NuazCpmAGVDb2thVC6BwU9eB-H~oQaWjMu~p8-DsGld7R37a30Mb4vIP-boSz4Qg7PmgnN36ocwixXxXDDXiWRSFEBIEjHFV~3P-AfiKLWvB08h71hkqKvXNldwE8Uawfx~6LSuOwgXC1lIywVI-RQltBWiqyvVYdIhJDENPhq5mwknuPzZn-kwhIziSqcFhZLnGLGE-gfjFK2HXMhu7TW9aGBhwQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-08-05T17:10:08.113Z","article","A Garden City resident used the public‑comment period Monday to criticize recent property‑tax and water‑rate increases and to say the increases were excessive and possibly unlawful.

\"The water rate itself is over 50%, which I thought was a little excessive,\" the resident said, adding that fixed charges and a 1.5‑mill increase on homeowners’ bills were not clearly explained on mailed tax statements.

Council members and staff responded with explanations and directions for follow up. City staff and council members said the city manager and clerk are available to explain lien procedures and water‑billing collections. In the council comment period, Council member Kara Fotis stressed legal limits on municipal authority over fireworks and urged residents to contact state lawmakers to change state law.

\"If you want to change the firework laws in the state of Michigan, then you need to contact your state rep,\" Fotis said. She and other council members described operational limits: local police must witness fireworks being ignited to issue many citations, and the department handled hundreds of calls over the July 3–6 period.

A council speaker said the department received 253 calls about fireworks and noise during that interval, and that officers issued warnings and some violations where staff observed violations. The speaker said the department added extra personnel to respond but could not reach every caller in time. Council members encouraged neighbors to discuss concerns with each other and to contact the police for repeat or ongoing incidents.

No council action resulted from the public comment; council members noted the substance of the concerns and pointed residents to administrative staff and the city clerk for billing questions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","July 7, 2025 City Council Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","A resident criticized recent tax and water-rate increases during public comment; council members and staff replied, noted funding and enforcement constraints, and reminded residents that state law constrains municipal fireworks bans.","taxTitle","Garden City, Wayne County, Michigan","taxId",70264,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6486605,"Council approves intergovernmental agreement to establish Dearborn Heights satellite for Garden City family resource center",186,1613000,1799000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5532471-b3d325ecab470e130f9414236b9a4ae0&start=1613&end=1799","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5532471-b3d325ecab470e130f9414236b9a4ae0/thumbnail_1613000.jpg","/articles/6486605/Garden-City/Wayne-County/Michigan/Council-approves-intergovernmental-agreement-to-establish-Dearborn-Heights-satellite-for-Garden-City-family-resource-center","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6486605-4dd37d3720075d22167593c9c9e91256/orig.mp4?Expires=1771191118&Signature=W4lTrfPkP--i52~NWlL56x2VtV919vpE815ysX3XJsDxRRSC4yFu35E0IDETas47mC6tcU34gl8H2M2LynhDXEkj323WUgg2D3QpHstSgtHLd4SugaS06dhZE5t4rLh1ahkD9UHIjDj1PoDs9x42skn9GVyGf4AUDWnkpjyWymkKfHIsJJOt2d4xEOwtHQHnbGIKspe5cEs7XC6nTRZF6weA2c1W7AxutxJGkMm3wg0cBL~SO3G6Kk0N-BdellOuPESqICZf53I5PmLLjcxebXPNidthbpKzVCwyPFCv-Y8gWaKl7Sy6WAt59jGqtSUWiTY-YRMitVTA~BEe5QZS7Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Garden City City Council on Monday approved an intergovernmental agreement with the City of Dearborn Heights to establish a satellite office of Garden City’s Family Resource Center (FRC) to deliver youth‑assistance services.

\"Tonight before you was an intergovernmental agreement between the City [of] Garden City and Dearborn Heights to expand our family resource center to provide youth assistance programming,\" said a city staff member presenting the item. The presenter said the expansion is grant‑funded through Wayne County youth‑assistance funds and that the agreement can be terminated by either party or if the grant funding is lost.

Council member Witt moved to approve the agreement; the motion was supported by Council member King. Council members asked how services would be provided and where the satellite would be located. The presenter said primary services for Dearborn Heights would begin at a satellite in Dearborn Heights’ justice hall (which houses the police department and court) while Garden City’s Radcliffe Center would continue to be available for programming as needed.

Council member Kara Fotis asked whether the existing grant award would increase to cover the expanded service; the presenter said the grant currently has sufficient funding and the agreement allows the city to \"take full advantage\" of the monies available. Council member Dole and others thanked staff and FRC employees by name for their work.

The motion passed unanimously, 7–0.

The agreement will also require approval by Dearborn Heights’ council. City staff described the arrangement as grant‑funded with low financial risk to Garden City while expanding youth‑assistance services to Dearborn Heights residents.","The Garden City Council voted unanimously to approve an intergovernmental agreement with Dearborn Heights to operate a satellite Family Resource Center for youth-assistance services; council members discussed grant coverage and facility location prior to the vote.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6486610,"Garden City reviews draft Safe Streets for All action plan, aims for council adoption this fall",1106,200000,1306000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5532471-b3d325ecab470e130f9414236b9a4ae0&start=200&end=1306","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5532471-b3d325ecab470e130f9414236b9a4ae0/thumbnail_200000.jpg","/articles/6486610/Garden-City/Wayne-County/Michigan/Garden-City-reviews-draft-Safe-Streets-for-All-action-plan-aims-for-council-adoption-this-fall","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6486610-c262a3c77e95777d92c62ba530f767e7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771191118&Signature=iSauXV6XTzWJMMgGRfuE2AS9N1Tyj83n14n8RL5aFhu4FABlhcYdZGP~hkXUQPyTs7hZLGsTDaX0tbX1gOLyYwwN36idb8dym-uMaAvyY1KMaRU~7TSOLESNaooNvDeazBWJ800bNNnjK1EZP6aMNPIfPhB-2mwht-zuQ6QMs315ScgirYhqraJI1khaPL6Itx2SnaDAybnX1ZdGUmm-PS37prD39g9OU0K9Gp2IL~KjVGdVvKnY9NzL9mnBdxYIi4wkiwTzF63p18F7PHPfDeAS7b7tVjnFfEbuwOWCzW58PHZ8AHwztjos7q~RyehzefeXqU98qaQnFHI8IbE-Jw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Consultants from McKenna Associates briefed the Garden City City Council on Monday on a draft Safe Streets for All action plan that covers Garden City and three neighboring communities and recommends corridor- and intersection-level safety improvements.

\"This provides funding for local communities to ensure that all roadways are safer, not just for motorists, but for pedestrians and cyclists and those that use transit,\" Laura Haw, project director with McKenna Associates, told the council. McKenna and its local partners prepared the draft after an 18-month process funded by the federal Safe Streets for All program created under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Haw said the planning team examined five years of crash data from the Michigan Department of Transportation to map a high-injury network, then compared that network with demographic and equity indicators — income, persistent poverty, vehicle access, disability and senior-population concentrations — to prioritize investments. Ashley Jankowski, project planner at McKenna, said the team also used an online public survey (239 comments citywide), walking and driving \"ground-truthing\" tours and focus groups with local engineering, public works and public-safety staff.

The draft plan identifies specific corridors and intersections in Garden City and flags which recommendations align with equity objectives, likely partners, and an estimated timeline. The plan groups recommendations into behavioral, infrastructure/design, operational, and policy/enforcement actions intended for short-, medium- and long-term implementation.

McKenna recommended continued cross-jurisdiction collaboration on shared corridors such as Michigan Avenue and Ford Road, coordinated improvements to bus stops and transit access, and establishing safer routes to schools by mapping school buffers and prioritizing crossings and signal work within those areas. The consultants provided a separate handout listing potential local, regional and federal funding sources, including Safe Streets for All implementation grants, and offered to assist with grant strategy and applications.

Community Development Director Matt Miller told the council the project grew from a Wayne-led grant application and that Garden City’s individual action plan is included among the four-city materials being finalized this summer. McKenna said the working group plans to take the draft through public comment this summer and pursue council adoption in each partner city by September.

Council members thanked the presenters but did not take formal action on the draft at Monday’s meeting. Miller also noted related local outreach tied to sidewalks and a separate city effort to encourage resident participation in sidewalk projects.","Consultants from McKenna Associates presented a draft unified Safe Streets for All action plan for Garden City and three neighboring communities, reviewing crash data, community feedback and next steps toward adoption and implementation funding.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Residents complain about tax and water-rate increases; council reiterates limits on local fireworks enforcement

Council approves intergovernmental agreement to establish Dearborn Heights satellite for Garden City family resource center

Garden City reviews draft Safe Streets for All action plan, aims for council adoption this fall