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

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.