Mayor (role not specified) told the Livonia City Council that the city secured a $1,000,000 line item in the state budget to help advance the Bike-Walk Livonia plan, including design work for the Stark Road overpass.

The mayor said the line-item award is an initial contribution and “a million dollars doesn't cover all of it,” but noted the appropriation may help attract additional federal or state partners. The mayor credited the city’s state legislative delegation for support, citing “a big push from Senator David Polhanke” and Representative Lori Pohutsky for the Rotary Park funding.

Council members asked for clarity on restrictions tied to the appropriations. Council President McCullough confirmed the Mayor’s office and council received notice of the awards and, later in the meeting, Councilwoman Tuohy emphasized that the state funds are specific: they “cannot be spent on other related expenditures in the community. It can only be spent on those particular items.”

The mayor also said the city learned it had been awarded $300,000 for the Rotary Park pavilion, an allocation the administration had not expected. The mayor said staff will provide details on how the $300,000 fits into the overall project budget as the capital outlay committee prepares to meet.

Council scheduled a capital outlay and infrastructure committee meeting for Monday, Oct. 13, to discuss the Rotary Park pavilion/restroom and to review how the newly announced state funding will be applied.

The mayor characterized the state awards as a sign that Livonia’s project proposals are being considered by Lansing and indicated an intention to pursue additional federal funding for the Bike-Walk project.