Ferndale manager presents scaled-back Headlee rollback for May; council holds first reading of FY26–28 budget

City Manager Colleen O'Connell outlined a revised Headlee rollback millage proposal scheduled for the May 6 election and told the City Council the May measure is substantially smaller than the version voters rejected in November 2024. O'Connell said the new proposal would reset the city's operating rate to the 2015 level for a 10-year period and would be dedicated to essential operations — primarily police, fire and public works — and facilities maintenance.

Why it matters: O'Connell said the November package included a charter amendment and a full millage reset that would have set a 20-mill charter rate and raised the city's rate by about 4.3 mills; voters approved the charter language but rejected the full millage reset. The May question, she said, is designed to be lower and time-limited: "There's no planned increases to staffing levels as a part of this millage request. It is primarily for police, fire, and public works operations. There is also a set expiration date of 10 years," O'Connell said.

O'Connell gave several numbers and examples from the…