Craig Brown

The Master Plan for the City of Westland provides direction for its continued improvement and aims to secure the city as a premier Michigan destination. It focuses on five key goals: strengthening neighborhoods, establishing Westland as a regional destination, leading as a compassionate city, providing premier amenities, and advancing green practices. The plan envisions Westland as a model All American City with safe, walkable, and diverse neighborhoods, strong community services, vibrant shopping and entertainment, inclusive community well-being, multi-modal mobility options, robust park systems, and sustainable practices.

The regular meeting addressed several agenda items, commencing with the approval of the Consent Calendar, which included the approval of minutes from the previous meeting, approval for the City's 60th Anniversary Celebration event in May 2026, approval for the fifth Annual "Craft Beer and Wine" event in September 2026, adoption of amendments to City Code Chapter 46-2 concerning Golf Course and Arena rates, and approval for adopting administrative fee schedule amendments including a new non-resident rate for the Dog Park Pass. The Council also approved the purchase of ten new computers for the Friendship Center Computer Lab and the renewal of the Policy Management Subscription with Power DMS. Key New Business items involved confirming the appointment of Adam Hammons to the Planning Commission, approving the fifteenth Annual "Blues, Brews, and BBQ" event in August 2026, approving the introduction of an ordinance to amend rates for Municipal Water and Sewer and Industrial Waste Control Charges, confirming the reappointment of Gayle Nicholson and the appointment of Lori Gouin to the Library Board, and confirming the appointment of Melandie Hines to the Downtown Development Authority (DDA). The Council also approved a Class C Liquor License transfer for Town N Country Lanes and authorized applications for Special One-Day and Two-Day Liquor Licenses for the Anniversary Celebration and "Blues, Brews, and BBQ" events, respectively. Furthermore, the Council confirmed a Proposed Land Division on N Wayne Road and a Proposed Land Division concerning Meijer at the corner of Warren and Newburgh.

The key discussions focused on two land division approval cases. The first case involved a proposal to split a parcel developed with a Meijer store and fueling center to facilitate the development of a 7 Brew drive-through coffee shop, which required confirmation that parking requirements would still be met. The Commission recommended approval for this petition subject to departmental requirements. The second case concerned incorporating a portion of an adjacent bowling alley's parking lot to provide required off-street parking for a parcel developed with a vacant office building; this petition was also recommended for approval subject to departmental requirements.

Key discussion items for this board meeting include the appointment of a new board member, Lori Gouin. Other significant topics on the agenda are an update on the RFID and ILS migration, discussion of the ICE guidelines policy, battery backup systems, grant opportunities, and the six-month update on the Strategic Plan. The agenda also allocates time for citizens' comments on agenda items and general comments, as well as reports from the Directors.

The meeting included the approval of vouchers totaling $34,195.69, covering payments to several vendors including CoStar, Modern Consulting, Recast City, LLC, First National Bank Omaha, Alexander Zonjic, and SME. The Board unanimously approved a one-year contract extension with Gooseworks, LLC, not to exceed $8,100.00. Furthermore, the fiscal year 2026-2027 DDA Budget was approved. The Director provided a welcome to a new DDA Board member and presented the 2025 Shop & Dine report, inquiring about Board member participation in the Craft Beer & Wine Festival.