Council approves $48,527 CDBG application after public hearing as food and senior providers urge support

The Wixom City Council voted to authorize submittal of the city's 2026 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application totaling $48,527, after a public hearing in which local food and senior service providers described sharp increases in need.

At the hearing several local nonprofits urged the council to direct portions of this year's CDBG public-service allocation to meal and emergency assistance programs. "We were just hoping for some support here to help pay for these meals," said Candy Hoverarter of Meals on Wheels, who said the program delivered about 8,000 meals to roughly 52 Wixom residents last year and supplies weekend and emergency food boxes. "For some of these people we're their only food source," she said.

Susan Herspammer of Hospitality House Food Pantry said the pantry served more than 1,600 households across Oakland County January'October and, when narrowed to Wixom residents, distributed nearly 125,000 pounds of food to 226 households (556 individuals) during that period. She told council staff that a recent SNAP pause drove a 66% increase in new pantry clients and left the pantry stretched to meet demand.

City staff recommended applying for the $48,527 allocation with the following distribution: $3,640 for public services/emergency services, $3,639 for public services/senior services, and $41,248 for civic center improvements. Staff explained federal CDBG rules limit public-service spending to no more than 15% of the total allocation and impose other program-specific restrictions tied to census-tract eligibility.

Council members asked how the money is distributed among requesting organizations and whether past practice of rotating awards would continue. Staff said program guidelines change frequently and noted that awards must meet HUD criteria; past practice has favored rotating small public-service allocations among qualified agencies when eligible.

Deputy Mayor Resnik asked about neighboring communities' approaches; staff said recent guideline changes have altered how many and which agencies can be funded. Council Member Sharp pressed for clarity about the civic-center improvements funded over multiple cycles; staff said the $41,248 completes a multi-year funding plan and will allow construction of a pathway and other improvements that have not yet begun.

The motion to authorize submittal of the 2026 CDBG application carried on a voice vote.

The council closed the public hearing and acknowledged student council members from St. William School who were in the audience.