Ferndale Mayor Touts Environmental Goals, Housing, New Businesses, Services and More in State of the City
(Crystal A. Proxmire, June 17, 2022)
Ferndale, MI – Ferndale Mayor Melanie Piana gave her annual State of the City Address at the 215 West event venue, surrounded by neighbors, business owners, city staff, and community volunteers. The speech gave updates about city services, construction, new businesses and more. Here’s the text of the speech:
“People make our community. People make the place.
Our residents made this declaration this past year. These statements are in our new Master Plan.
Individually, each of us contributes to the whole. We live how we want to live but bind ourselves to building community, to become connected.
Our community. The great City of Ferndale.
Tonight, we’ve come together to reflect on our collective progress and to chart where we are going next. To look back at inequities that have been handed down to us and to look forward to creating a fairer, more beautiful Ferndale.
Ferndale has always taken great pride in its sense of individuality. It’s important to us that we stay true to who we are, especially as we navigate the twists and turns of a growing city.
People move in and out. Businesses come and go.
People asking, “What Was That Noise?” on Facebook— well that maybe that will never change.
What I know to be true is that the heart of our City is strong and vibrant.
And though it’s seemed like we’ve been living the upside-down these last few years, stranger things may lie ahead.
We are living in a period of great change. As John F. Kennedy said, “For time and the world do not stand still. Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or the present are certain to miss the future.”
Sometimes the changes happen to us and all we can do is react.
Sometimes we make the changes because residents asked us to.
Sometimes we know the change is coming. So we plan ahead.
As a community, we’ve always navigated these changes together. We are stronger together.
In a world with deep political polarization and rampant misinformation and disinformation, now more than ever, we need to come together to uplift what we love about Ferndale.
What we love about our region. And what we love about our nation.
But that all starts here. Local government is the frontline of democracy. You’ve heard me say this before.
Who you elect matters.
What happens here matters.
Over the past 12 months, we’ve been working diligently to put some very exciting plans in place to give Ferndale the love it deserves.
The intention is to make our City safer, more inclusive, and more prosperous, so we can continue exploring and enjoying it for years to come.
Really, to maintain Ferndale’s sense of individuality in the march toward progress.
Our agents of managing change are our dedicated city staff. People like our city manager, Joe Gacioch, and assistant city manager, Kyle Pollet, who lead our talented city administration team.
Every day I’m grateful we have professional, ethical, and hard-working employees.
The City council’s shared success is absolutely dependent on city staff who have consistently delivered for all of us.
Let’s recognize and give thanks to all of our city staff.
Working in the city government can feel like a TV show with wild plots and seasonal cliffhangers.
Last year was a banner year to get involved in Ferndale. It was as if the planets of planning had aligned— we launched the City’s Master Plan, the Parks and Recreation Plan, and a new Climate Action Plan. It was a lot of work and It took a lot of volunteers, but you answered the call, and Plan Ferndale was born.
Plan Ferndale lays out the blueprints for the next 5 years of City policy and investment. Residents’ goals, wants, and needs lead the way.
Thanks to your input the path forward is now more clear and builds on what we are already doing. These plans are ambitious and full of optimism, just like Ferndale.
But before we look ahead, I invite you into my WAY BACK MACHINE.
When I first ran for City Council, way back in 2009, there was criticism that the City was not doing enough to invest in Livernois, Woodward Heights, Hilton, and Marshall.
It was the start of the Great Recession, the City had to make deep budget cuts; we laid off staff. Our planning department was one person. We were in survival mode.
Still, we listened and began to do what we could to make improvements. At the time, residents voted for the Headlee to maintain high-quality City services and did again five years later.
The City hired our first-ever Community and Economic Development Director. The City council adopted a Complete Streets policy, focusing on improving our street and sidewalk infrastructure.
Once we began to prioritize people’s experiences on our streets in our planning, we began to see incredible results. Those improvements lead to safer streets and sidewalks, which lead to wonderful, new private investments which have made the surrounding neighborhoods and business corridors more attractive.
Let’s get into the Way Back Machine to take a look at what was and what happened when we make investments that prioritize people.
Livernois, like a lot of throughways, was designed with only one purpose in mind: traffic. People and their safety were an afterthought.
So we focused on better, safer street design. We added bike lanes, safer crosswalks, and clearer on-street parking. And businesses began to show up.
From light industrial and retail to creative and tech businesses, plus a new neighborhood brewery with Ferndale Project.
But that’s not all. Thanks in part to the City of Detroit strengthening bike paths across 8 Mile, Ferndale is now considered the suburban access point to the new Joe Louis Greenway, a 26-mile railway currently being built.
Woodward Heights had the same problems as Livernois: wide roads, not enough safe places to cross, and no place to bike safely.
So we updated the street to make it people-friendly. Urbanrest arrived. New apartments were built. And Drifter Coffee opened their welcoming neighborhood space. People love this place. I love this place. Plus, the Iron Ridge development is underway.
Hilton Road has gone through multiple road design updates, but it never did much to fix the problems.
So again, we fixed the road, added bike lanes, and safer crosswalks, and helped put some polish on one of the forgotten entryways to our town. New businesses began to fill in and older businesses began to reinvest.
I called it “Cement Park”. An uncomfortable, outdated, univiting park that most people didn’t know existed even as you walked by it.
We partnered with the DDA and Parks and Rec to redesign the whole thing. New tables and chairs, new lighting, and a lovely little patch of grass helped create a new public space. From picnics to concerts to lunch meetings, it’s quickly become a go-to for people looking to get together.
We know Metro Detroit communities have not been deliberate about equity in policy making or decision making. These harmful policies negatively impacted black communities, neighborhoods, and businesses.
As I’ve said before, none of us were responsible for making them, but it’s our responsibility to fix them.
Council has taken steps to pull equity to the forefront of policy making through such actions as developing an internal racial equity team, advising the facilities task force to consider equity as part of pending recommendations, and deepening equity commitment into our master plan.
It’s important to work to approach every City function, policy, and investment with building equity in mind. It’s nothing without the actions to back it up.
Here is where we are taking action:
A long time ago, a decision was made to not build a sidewalk from 8 Mile to the Ferndale High School along the west side of Pinecrest. The Ferndale Inclusion Network, a program of Citizens For a Fair Ferndale, along with the Ferndale School District, brought this inequity to the City Council’s attention.
While the City cannot make the private land owner put in a sidewalk, our City Manager found another way. I’m pleased to announce that the City of Ferndale won a $150,000 MDOT grant to construct a new sidewalk that will connect Marshfield Street to 8 Mile along Pinecrest for the first time. MDOT has budgeted the project for summer of 2023.
Thank you to our City Manager, Joe, for finding a solution to this long-standing inequity.
Another long-standing issue voiced by Royal Oak Township residents and the Ferndale School District is the City’s Southwest Storage Yard.
While we don’t have a definitive historical understanding of why the decisions were made to locate the storage yard here, it’s visibly obvious that the footprint was designed to physically separate black residents from white.
Royal Oak Township and Ferndale residents alike have complained about the unsightliness of the chain-linked fence. The debris stored there is unattractive for a quiet neighborhood.
Regardless of why it was created, our City Council now has the opportunity to fix this inequity into something that works for everyone.
But wait, there’s more.
This property is also a brownfield site. In 2015, the City took action to address an underground methane gas leak with two sources. The first was caused by faulty Consumers Energy gas lines. The second is methane build-up created from years of the City burying fall leaf pick-up and other debris.
We have one opportunity to fix this inequity.
Let me show you how.
Let’s head to Wanda Street along the railroad tracks.
At 965 Wanda sits the largest industrial property in the City. This is the current home of Brass Aluminum Forging, Valentine Vodka Distilling production facility, and Allied Printing. The property owner, Jeff Denha, wishes to construct multiple new buildings to meet growth demands in our industrial district.
The City owns a small piece of property next to Jeff’s. Because the City owns this small parcel, it opened up a dialogue about possibly including the relocation of the Southwest Storage Yard facility as part of Jeff’s expansion.
The City remains in exploratory conversation. Both parties have assets and opportunities to create a win-win scenario.
For Mr. Denha’s expansion intentions, the Planning Commission reviewed the preliminary site plan and received a variance from our Zoning Board of Appeals for his expansion plans. I want to thank Councilwoman Raylon Leaks-May for her leadership on the Zoning Board of Appeals; she’s our council representative on this board, helping to clear one of many hurdles.
Right now, City staff is figuring out if this deal will make financial sense for the City. If it moves ahead with City Council approval, relocating the Storage Yard will solve multiple problems. We anticipate relocating DPW’s salt barn—which is falling apart—to this new footprint. Stay tuned as this project evolves.
Let’s talk about Climate Resiliency. We know that climate change is harming all of us. Its effects are felt worldwide. But it’s a problem that can be solved.
Every bit of meaningful action matters, and it starts with us, which is why in 2020, City Council committed to solving climate change by reducing our carbon footprint.
You cannot change what you don’t measure. In 2020, the City completed the greenhouse gas inventory that gives us the science-based reduction target, or what we need to measure. In September, City Council will adopt our Climate Action Plan.
We have always been environmentally-sustainably minded. The Climate Action Plan steers us to be more strategically focused to hit our science-based reduction target:
Image: 63% Reduction by 2030. Carbon Neutral by 2050.
A 63% reduction is an ambitious goal for our small city. What this means is that we will
- Reduce carbon intensity of Ferndale energy supplies by 80% by 2030.
- Reduce the energy use intensity of existing residential buildings by 20.
- Reduce the energy use intensity of commercial buildings by 37%.
- Require and achieve 100% electrification of new commercial and residential buildings.
- Convert existing fleet to 15% of electric vehicles by 2030.
- Reduce vehicle miles traveled as much as possible.
To hit these goals, we need to think differently. We need to make different policy decisions and investments. We need the State of Michigan to be a strong partner and we need to strengthen our existing partnerships and find new sources of funding.
Let me highlight the programs that have already begun to make progress.
Waste reduction is the least sexy municipal topic. But I’m here for it. I know you are here for it too.
Last year, we launched a residential and business food waste composting program. Did you know that 95% of the food we throw away ends up in landfills? Might not sound like a big problem—food biodegrades, right? Well, yes… but when it does so in a garbage dump, it releases methane and contributes to climate change.
We crunched the numbers this spring and found that after 23 weeks of the residential compost drop-off pilot, participants had collected 26,925 pounds—13-and a half tons—of food waste. This material was diverted from landfills and, in the process, reduced methane emissions, eliminated carbon from the atmosphere, and made nutritious soil.
This program has not just been successful for Ferndale residents and businesses, it’s being recognized statewide as well.
Last month the City was awarded Gold Status—the highest designation possible—by the Michigan Green Communities Challenge for exemplary action in a number of areas, including land use, climate resilience, energy efficiency, materials management, and clean mobility. We’ve been in a holding pattern for a few years at Silver Status, so I’m very pleased we received gold.
Ferndale loves its festivals. However, the food waste and single-use plastics found there is a big concern for our residents. Starting next year, festival organizers and their vendors will transition to compostable silverware, increase recycling and look at introducing food composting bins too.
These may seem like small and easy changes. But they are not. Both require habitual and cultural changes.
We also need to focus on reducing the amount of energy used in our commercial and residential buildings. The City will launch the Ferndale Better Building Code to ensure new construction meets full-electric standards as well as the international energy conservation code.
Now, every department, every City service, is oriented to helping achieve our 62% reduction goals by 2030. That’s in 8 years. Hitting this mark requires creativity and innovation. It requires finding new partners and new sources of funding.
Let’s Talk About Sustainable Mobility
Sustainable Mobility is about more than cars and parking.
Equitable streets increase livability. Sustainable Mobility is about accessible sidewalks, safe streets, easy connections, and reliable public transit. It’s about transportation freedom to choose how you want to get around: walking, roller skates, skateboards, one-wheelers, e-bikes, personal bikes, Mogo Bike Share, Uber, Lyft, SMART transit, Dial a Ride.
And maybe, someday, e-scooters.
We also need to plan for the next generation of electric vehicles. EVs will bring billions of dollars in investments to our region. In May, I was invited to represent Ferndale on a regional initiative called Michigan Electric Vehicle Job Academy, specifically on the SEMCOG Smart Cities Municipal Fleet Collaborative. Their goal is to prepare local communities for opportunities in electrifying municipal fleets and deploying the necessary charging infrastructure.
What this means is that Ferndale is at the table.
What this means is everybody deserves to get safely where they need and want to go. And the options to get there are rapidly changing.
And our streets need to change too.
Let’s Talk About Woodward
We are one step closer to a safer, more inclusive, and more connected Woodward Avenue. Thank you to the City Council for supporting this pedestrian safety project. We are making significant and necessary changes to the 8-lane highway.
Let me remind you why we are doing this project:
- Making it safer to cross the highway
- Calming traffic so cars drive the 35 mph posted speed limit
- Giving people who wheel (skateboards, one-wheelers, roller skates and bikes) their own travel lane. Essentially getting them off the sidewalks.
Our project partner, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), is moving through the final design process. MDOT has indicated construction could start as soon as September 2022; however, the majority of the work is expected to take place in the Spring through Fall of 2023.
Now is the time to shift our focus to preparation and education.
First, we need to prepare businesses for the disruption and inconvenience of construction. Businesses need timely information so they can inform their customers and clients. I have asked the DDA to form the Woodward Business Advisory Committee with the goal of learning the best forms of communication to support our businesses throughout this project.
The DDA and City have hired an outside marketing agency to help support business communications and media outreach, as well as help meet the staffing demands a project such as this requires.
Secondly, we have to educate residents, businesses, and visitors about how the new road design will work. Business owners and residents are the best advocates of our downtown. Even after the orange barrels are gone, there will be a 4-6 month adjustment and relearning period. I anticipate MDOT and the City will field many complaints and we’ll need to make adjustments. But we’re prepared, because it happened on Hilton, Woodward Heights, Livernois and Pinecrest, too.
Ferndale is a leader when it comes to reimagining what Woodward can be. We may be the first to implement safety improvements, but we are not alone in our efforts.
In 2025, MDOT will remove the City of Pontiac’s one-way loop and revitalize its downtown.
The City of Birmingham has started MDOT’s Road Diet Checklist to make safety improvements on their stretch of Woodward and better connect both sides of their downtown.
Huntington Woods has a Woodward Corridor strategy that focuses on pedestrian safety and access improvements in their draft Master Plan.
Every city wants to make Woodward safety improvements. I’m pleased to share that I’ve asked Executive Coulter to convene the Woodward community Mayors and City Managers along with SMART, SEMCOG, and the Regional Transit Authority to have conversations about how we better align our current and future goals and initiatives.
This approach worked in 2013 when the Cities received a $2M grant for the Alternative Analysis leading up to the regional transit ballot initiative that was filed in 2016. When cities work together, we make incredible things happen for our communities.
Finally, I joined the SEMCOG Transportation Coordinating Council to identify new funding pathways to help pay for long-term construction. Funding for roads, sidewalks, and transit is confusing as hell.
I’m serious. This is how the process works. It takes time to navigate state and federal processes and apply for grants.
I’m excited for this project to start…and finish. But we must remain diligent about the future of Woodward. This is a long-term plan. It starts with the MDOT lane reduction and Pedestrian Safety Project, but we need to have our sites on potential bus rapid transit and reconstruction down the road.
Let’s Talk about Housing
Housing remains a top priority for our residents. (It’s literally what makes them residents.) They ranked the need for lower-cost housing as the highest development priority in our Master Plan update.
Our plan continues to implement a multi-prong approach to address the housing crisis because there is no one pathway. So, what are the next steps?
- Allow and encourage a wide range of housing types and densities.
- Retrofit our existing housing stock for sustainability and accessibility
- Build more housing
We need to build more housing, both lower cost, and market rate.
You may be saying “I’ve seen so much new housing built in the past few years. It’s changing the feel of our community.” So, why do we need more housing if the footprint of Ferndale isn’t growing?
We have less population, but more households. In fact, 80% of our households are people living alone or living with another person. A 4-person nuclear family is no longer the standard in Ferndale.
Only 8% of our households have 4+ or more people.
We also have people living longer and staying healthier. As seniors stay in their homes longer, the housing stock isn’t turning over as fast as it has in prior decades. This limits the amount of housing available for younger generations looking for their first home.
And finally, we’re in high demand. People want to live here.
It’s true! Since 2016 to now, we have 796 new units that are completed, under construction, approved but not yet broken ground, or have been proposed.
And recently, Council approved a 53-unit affordable housing project following the adoption of our affordable housing policy in 2017.
Our Master Plan back then predicted 935 additional housing units over the next five years. It’s been six years and we’re under that prediction by 139 new units.
Where have we added new homes?
38% of the new housing is built or will be built in our downtown, accessible near transit.
The other 62% are located in the neighborhoods across our community.
So our southwest quadrant has seen the newest housing go up with the majority of new units at the Dales Townhomes and the James Senior living.
What’s in our pipeline? Since January 2022, 131 new units, or 16% of the new housing have been proposed.
How does this stack up from the Great Recession, from 2006 to 2016? In comparison, only 75 units were built within that decade. Not much was built.
What these numbers tell us is that demand is there! People want to live in an accessible, walkable, inclusive city with strong community culture. Ferndale provides all of that.
What remains to be seen is how the higher interest rates will cool the housing market. We’re in the cool-down period now, but mortgages and rents remain high.
Let’s Talk about what hasn’t been built
Duplexes and Fourplexes are all over my neighborhood. They’ve been there so long we don’t even notice them. But at some point, the city stopped allowing them via zoning, so developers stopped building them. Now every city wants them.
Every city around us has “attract the missing middle housing” listed in their master plans. I checked. Duplexes, Fourplexes, and Accessory Dwelling Units, which you may know as granny flats define the “missing middle”.
Remember that one of our housing goals is infill housing. It’s where we will have the most difficult conversations on upcoming zoning policy changes. Soon the Planning Commission will have public hearings to discuss the draft master plan with these zoning policy changes.
The Zoning changes will allow two-dwelling units per lot city-wide. Another zoning change under consideration is to permit 4 or more units in the surrounding downtown and by special land use along minor arterials and collector streets, like Pinecrest and Livernois. These recommendations are designed to fit the existing character of Ferndale and bolster the guiding principles of the community.
What we know for certain is that incomes have not kept pace with housing + transportation cost increases, which forces households to put a larger percentage of their income towards them.
We also know from other cities across the US, that when a city blocks new housing from being built, it forces lower-income people to compete with richer people for available homes. We all know how that ends.
Now more than ever, I need your help supporting new housing: in every neighborhood.
State of Downtown
After a tumultuous two years, the state of our downtown is strong again. Our businesses are thriving. Our sidewalks are inviting. And our flowers, like the City itself, are in full bloom.
And Ferndale’s Downtown Development Authority cares for our downtown and its businesses. Our DDA reinvests over a quarter of a million dollars per year in downtown maintenance.
They also partner with the Public Works Department to provide a high level of beautification and cleaning services our property and business owners have come to rely on. A welcoming downtown means more visitors, which means more people spending their money at our stores and restaurants.
So far this year, the DDA has:
Added 200 new water saver hanging flower baskets throughout downtown, minimizing staff time and limiting the damage hot weather can cause.
Added new furniture including 5 tables, 20 Adirondack chairs, and 20 new planters.
Plus, you will see 15 new benches and 30 new bike racks installed by the end of summer.
The DDA has once again teamed up with our Parks and Rec department to present Nine on Nine—9 weeks of free musical entertainment in Schiffer park.
In 2021, Downtown Ferndale reported a net GAIN of 5 businesses. In that year we lost 7 businesses but gained 12, including Not Sorry Goods, 215 West, Quickly Boba Café, Urbanrest Downtown, Folio, and the Good Day Selfie Museum.
And Brian Kramer has been busy. Public House reopened last year. Tigerlily and Mai Tiki Bar—the former Anti-hero space—will open within the next five weeks. Brian will begin construction on Rosie’s space starting this late summer or fall. Two new restaurants and 10 new living units will redefine this corner at Nine Mile and Allen.
We will also welcome 4 new businesses to the Dot building, including Ascension Health, Quix Chocolate, and My Salon Suite. The framework is already being installed for the businesses with plans to open in late summer and early fall. Quix, a Belgian chocolateir, is actually in the process of recruiting staff on their website as we speak.
I also want to acknowledge that downtown Ferndale is now home to over 30 black-owned businesses. And with the City Council’s support, our DDA Board of Directors is the most diverse since its formation
These are wonderful additions and changes to our growing and evolving downtown. Looking ahead, we are focused on repairing the West Nine MIle Streetscapes. After 22 years, it has wear and tear. The DDA has offered to contribute $650,000 as a match for a major federal transportation grant.
Our DDA team is small but mighty. Thank you to our business owners who volunteer their time on the board of directors, and Lena and Sommer, our two-person DDA team, who get things done.
Services Residents Love
Let’s talk about services our residents love or at least support. They love our fall leaf pick-up, well-maintained streets, safe drinking water, and consistent garbage pick-up, and they at least support the replacement of our lead service lines.
Parks and Rec
Families love our Parks and Recreation and the services they provide. Our Parks and Rec team has the most important role in elevating good health by increasing access to sports programming for kids and adults.
Folks can play softball, soccer, lacrosse, baseball, and basketball and they recently launched a walking program with our Ferndale Seniors.
What makes our team so talented is their Hustle Harder attitude to bring in more grant money to offset the cost of park improvements.
You may not know that Parks and Rec are only 5% of our 424M city budget. Writing grants is a big part of the professional expertise we need on this team, and they consistently deliver.
Recently, the Parks team won a grant to build a new storage facility. This new facility will store park equipment, as well as sleds, roller skates, and other items that will be made available for families to borrow.
Though it’s been years in the making and was further delayed due to the pandemic, I’m excited to announce that we will soon be cutting the ribbon for our new Martin Road Park Splash pad.
Of course, you can’t just build a splash pad, you also need more restrooms and changing rooms.
Thanks to Congressman Andy Levin’s office for submitting a $500K Community Project, also known as an earmark, to help pay for these new facilities.
Thank you to LaReinha and Emannuel, and the entire Parks and Rec team for your outstanding performance under stressful conditions.
DPW
DPW is the backbone of any well-functioning city. I’m beyond grateful for our DPW Director Dan Antosik’s leadership for making sure we have clean drinking water, safe water lines, and good streets.
And as we look to the future, DPW will be a major partner in helping us achieve our climate resiliency goals. Our DPW team will help transition our municipal fleet to electric vehicles, minimize our stormwater runoff, plan for more green infrastructure, and reduce our waste.
I have no doubt that Dan is the right beardy dude to lead our climate-neutral goals.
I’ve heard from some residents that DPW services seem to have improved — fewer water main breaks, and better coordination of street repaving contractors. We love to hear this! The team has made concerted efforts to increase communications and improve community engagement.
Water main breaks are now listed on the City’s homepage along with detailed information about what to do if there’s sediment in your water following a repair.
Street work is outlined on ferndalepaving, com, along with an interactive project map, deadlines, and updates.
It’s not just doing the work–which this DPW team has always rocked at–it’s the extra step of keeping our community updated and informed.
Police and Fire
Our public safety services–Ferndale’s incredible Police and Fire Departments–have been facing extreme, never-seen-before hiring challenges. Law enforcement departments throughout our area, and nationally, are struggling to find and hire officers from smaller and smaller pools of talent.
And the pipeline of new firefighters entering the profession is at the lowest its ever been. The competition to attract and retain is relentless.
Bigger cities and townships lure away new hires with higher pay. Small cities like Ferndale cannot compete with higher wages offered by bigger cities that have modern fire department facilities.
It’s a challenge, no doubt. But one thing Ferndale is great at is punching above our weight class.. Our Fire Department is doubling down on education and prevention.
Firefighters are running drills through the OAKWAY Mutual Aid Collective’s Hazmat Team.
Fire Chief Teresa Robinson has joined Community Engagement Officer Mahlmeister in reading to students at Ferndale Lower Elementary.
The Fire Department attends more events throughout Ferndale, giving kids a chance to explore a real firetruck, answering their questions, and sharing potentially lifesaving information.
Meanwhile, the Police Department recently hosted their first Open House, offering residents and families a peek “under the hood”– a chance to tour the station and engage with officers.
They’ve continued their annual Citizens Academy, a 4-week class that gives citizens who live, work, or worship in Ferndale the opportunity to see the job our officers do from the “inside.”
And they continue to work with the young people of our community, holding safe driving events for teens, opening their station to Cub Scouts troops, and more.
You won’t attend any Ferndale event without seeing our officers posing for photos and high-fiving kids.
Yes, these things are a part of the job, and they’re elements of the integrity and professionalism we’ve come to accept from both of our safety departments.
But I think it’s important to point out that in a time when polic and fire agencies are facing such hiring stress, our firefighters, paramedics, and officers are out in the community, putting a friendly face on the profession.
They’re opening their buildings and vehicles for kids to explore.
They’re answering questions.
I can’t think of a better way to create a strong pipeline of talent and solve the hiring challenges of the future than to get young people interested now.
As I have conveyed, we set our aspirations high.
Our Residents have always supported a well-functioning city with great “nuts and bolts” services. For the last 12 years, that’s been possible, in part, due to the Headlee millage.
The Headlee brings in approximately 4.5 tax mils or around $3.5 million every year.
The Headlee sunsets in 2026. The year before it sunsets in 2025, the Headlee renewal will be on the ballot.
At that time, residents will need to choose whether to maintain their high-quality city services with professional staff managing day-to-day operations.
Your city council and administration are looking 4 years ahead.
What it’s important to know is that your local government runs lean. We’ve invested wisely to improve service delivery. We know we must consistently demonstrate the value residents receive with their tax dollars.
Municipal budgets are always a balancing act with difficult trade-offs.
Facilities Task Force
Residents continue to have a voice in defining and directing these difficult trade-offs.
This past April, the city council assembled a team of 9 residents who eagerly volunteered to help define and understand the “nuts and bolts” issues with our aging city’s buildings. Our city buildings are outdated and in need of significant replacement.
The facilities task force is hard at work imagining potential responses to the complex challenges that come with maintaining our city facilities.
They are spending their own time learning, asking questions, and proposing solutions. Their intensity and dedication are admirable, and I’m most grateful for their time and energy in helping the city council and city staff find solutions.
If you are in the Task Force, please raise your hand. I look forward to seeing their final report when they present it to the city council in October.
Closing Comments: Fall in Love with Ferndale
Thank you to all of the volunteers who help make Ferndale the place that it is. You have all given your time generously and willingly.
People make the community. Our city’s uniqueness and personality starts from you and me. It’s all of us pitching in to make sure we uplift and honor what we value most.
We’re experiencing a period of intense change.
I want to extend my sincere gratitude to Ferndale’s City Council, Mayor Pro Tem Raylon Leaks May, Councilwoman Kat Bruner James, Councilwoman Laura Mikulski, and Councilman Greg Pawlica.
Our community values, strategic priorities, and vision going forward are steered by our values of Integrity, Inclusiveness, Innovation, and Inspired. This is our shared leadership.
All of this is possible because of their engaging spirit and tireless effort. Thank you for being on this journey with me, with us, the community. Thank you for everything you give to this city.
Thank you to your family members too. I know they give up their time to support you and listen to you complain and vent, and share in the joy of the accomplishments you make.
Thank you to Toly and the 215 Main crew for hosting our event this evening. Your partnership helps make things happen here.
And finally, I invite you to join me in supporting Ferndale’s vision of becoming a carbon-neutral, more accessible and welcoming place to be yourself.
Attend an engagement meeting with the master land use plan, parks and recs plan, and climate action plan, The Planning Force Trifecta. Let your voice be heard because we need you. This is about us!
Thank you for joining me tonight. I’m grateful for your participation.”