Council and residents spar over Civic Center/downtown concept, council details $8.14M in early commitments

Council discussion and extended public comment at the Livonia City Council meeting focused heavily on a proposed Civic Center or downtown-campus redevelopment around the Five and Farmington area, including a new city hall and police department. Residents, a former council member and multiple council members debated financing, transparency and design timing.

Multiple speakers urged greater public involvement and clearer financings plans before the council asks voters to approve new taxes. Former Councilman Barr asked the council to show “here’s the total cost of what we want to do,” how much could be covered by bonding, and what would be left for taxpayers. A resident, Chris Hensch, told the council he was disappointed by three conceptual proposals, saying they contained “a lot of new housing” and not the kind of downtown he expected.

Council members defended the process as ongoing. Councilman (Rob) Donovic/Donovan — who chairs the capital outlay discussions — described roughly 15 meetings on the project and said the group is moving through conceptual, design and funding phases. He asked residents to attend a public session scheduled for March 12 at 7 p.m. in the city auditorium to review conceptual designs and funding options.

During the meeting Councilman Donovic reported the council previously approved nine consulting or design contracts tied to the Civic Center campus. He read contract approvals and current spending to the record as a transparency measure: owner's representative Plant Moran ReelPoint ($1,650,000 approved; $371,000 spent), OHM for master planning/engineering ($975,000 approved; $0 spent), Spalding DeDecker land surveying ($67,750 approved; $54,200 spent), Spalding DeDecker traffic study ($17,700 approved; $0 spent), HED architectural services for city hall ($1,864,050 approved; $148,830 spent), Hobbs & Black architectural services for police department ($1,658,000 approved; $0 spent), Frank Rewold and Sons construction management ($1,516,000 approved; $0 spent), Spalding DeDecker property line/easement/title ($9,500 approved; $0 spent), Plant Moran technology consulting ($384,500 approved; $0 spent). Donovic said the sum of those approved commitments is $8,143,000 and spending to date is $574,900.

Several council members and residents pressed for clarity about the sequence of financing: bonding for city hall, a new millage for police, or a combined bonded request. Former council members and residents said a published plan showing total project cost, how much could reasonably be bonded, and the proposed millage for taxpayers would help public debate and trust.

Councilmembers emphasized the long-term nature of the project and repeated that no final decisions had been made. Vice President M. Tashnick and others said the administration and council were working together and encouraged residents to attend upcoming meetings. Councilmembers also noted the site includes about 27 acres and that envisioned changes could affect library locations and park facilities, though no final relocations or disposals were approved at the meeting.

Council members also announced related public events: design and funding review on March 12 in the auditorium; council coffee hours and committee meetings with library director and mayor scheduled in coming weeks.

No new bond vote or millage was placed on the agenda; council members said that a ballot request would require a separate council vote if and when the administration and council agreed on the final package.