Livonia public works seeks spending for fuel-island removal, tree planting and hazardous-waste fees; council approves on consent

The Livonia Department of Public Works presented three procurement and budget requests during the study session, and council approved them on consent.

Fuel-island removal: DPW representative Doug Moore said the city will remove the in-ground fuel tank, pumps and canopy at Whispering Willows Golf Course and replace fueling with aboveground 250-gallon tanks supplied by the city fuel vendor. The work, performed by contractor Oscar Larson (the vendor used on similar city sites), was listed at a not-to-exceed amount of $24,828; council approved waiving the sealed-bid process and awarding the contract.

Tree planting: Moore said the city initially expected 400 trees this year but the June tornado and new subdivisions increased demand; DPW requested $70,000 to cover roughly 200 additional trees. Moore said some funds will come from a 2023 MEDC grant and developer contributions. Council approved the additional expenditure on consent.

Hazardous-waste program: DPW asked for $150,000 to supplement the ERG hazardous-waste drop-off program after the current allocation was exhausted; the program has processed thousands of addresses this year and the city subsidizes most of the $62.50 per-vehicle cost (residents pay $5). Moore said the request will allow the program to continue through August and September, high-volume months for hazardous collections.

Why it matters: These actions fund routine public-works maintenance and essential community services (tree replacement after storm damage and hazardous-waste disposal). The council's approvals will allow DPW to continue operations without interruption.

What happens next: City staff will proceed with the contract award and expenditures; council approved the requests on consent during the study session.