Advocacy & Legislation

Committee Chair: Mike Testa

BEING AN EDUCATED VOTER FOR THE 2023 ELECTIONS

Election Day is Tuesday, November 7th. While the Livonia PTSA Council does not endorse political candidates, we do strongly encourage participation in elections. Our goal is to share information to help our members be a more educated voter.

Remember to vote on or before November 7th

Livonia Mayor

The position of Mayor is a 4-year term. There are 2 candidates running:

– Maureen Brosnan: www.maureenformayor.com

– Kathleen McIntyre: mcintyre4mayor.com

Livonia City Council

For the Livonia City Council Election, there are 4 open seats for the voters to decide. The top 3 vote getters will win 4-year terms, 4th place will win a 2-year term, and the candidate with the most votes will be the City Council President (and Mayor Pro Tem) for 2 years. There are 6 candidates running:

– Jim Baringhaus: www.jimforlivonia.com

– Carrie Budzinski: www.carrieforlivoniacouncil.com

– Robb Drzewicki: www.robb4livonia.com

– Brandon McCullough: www.brandonforlivonia.com

– Scott Morgan: www.morgan4livonia.com

– Martha Ptashnik: www.marthaptashnik.com

Livonia Clerk

The position of Mayor is a 4-year term. There are 2 candidates running:

– Lori Miller: millerlori1995.wixsite.com/lorilmiller

– Lynda Scheel: lyndascheel.com

Livonia Treasurer

The position of Mayor is a 4-year term. There are 2 candidates running:

– Andrew Lendrum: http://www.electandylendrum.com

– Susan Nash: www.susannash4livonia.com

Candidate Questions for Livonia Mayor and City Council Candidates

The Mayor and City Council Members are in a position to advocate for the Schools in our Community, which is what the Livonia PTSA Council strives to do. Our National PTA mission is to make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children.

While the Mayor and City Council does not have direct oversight of our Schools, as community leaders, they can work together with our Schools to build a stronger Community. We asked the candidates a list of questions regarding their thoughts and ideas on issues related to the Schools in our Community. All of the candidates replied. We would like to thank the candidates for taking their time to reply to these questions. The responses from the candidates are compiled below and are available at this link

Mayor: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Cgife_ky0UzebTafd7yICSHHNawYCgTu/view?usp=sharing

City Council: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wJg5Csp9fQ7ECqMRtJY-DIpBAuDdrZax/view?usp=sharing

Mayor Q&A:

1) Are you, or have you ever been a member of a PTA?

Reply:

Maureen Brosnan:

Kathleen McIntyre:

Yes, our two sons both attended Livonia Public Schools and our family was active and involved in our sons’ PTA organizations:

Webster Elementary School: 2004 – 2010, 2013 – 2015

Kennedy Elementary School: 2010 – 2013

Frost Middle School: 2010 – 2012, 2015-2017

During those 16 years both my husband Brian and I volunteered for many PTA events and programs including student activities, faculty recognition, and fundraising.

2) Do you have any ideas on how the City of Livonia can partner or collaborate with our schools and what would you do as a Council Member to support or promote these ideas?

Reply:

Maureen Brosnan:

Upon taking office four years ago, voters clearly helped me establish one of my major priorities — creating a pathway to good jobs for Livonia students who are not necessarily on a four-year path to college.

I have successfully developed and implemented a program called Pure Potential in collaboration with Livonia Public Schools, Clarenceville Public Schools, Schoolcraft College, Madonna University, and many of Livonia’s employers in high-demand industries like engineering, information technology, cybersecurity, logistics, healthcare, automation, advanced manufacturing and more. Together we have created a program that connects students with internships, apprenticeships, and journeyman programs using an online platform, career fairs and collaborative arrangements with the State of Michigan, Michigan Works! and others.

Livonia students (and adult residents) can also access a career navigator tool called Jobs Now sponsored by the Livonia Library, which offers live, anytime, anywhere job assistance, including up-to-date nation-wide and local job search engines, professional resume critique and proven interview techniques. Our experience, personalized career center is seamlessly integrated with advanced virtual technology to help job seekers of diverse backgrounds and needs.

In addition to jobs, I am responsible for maintaining the safety of our community. As such, I have worked with Livonia Public Schools to continue to provide the staffing necessary for a resource officer in each high school. Upon taking office we were suffering a staffing crisis that could have threatened this program, but within the first six months of taking office I successfully negotiated a contract that reinstituted a defined benefit program for police officers and firefighters. This was a benefit that four previous mayors over twenty years were unable to provide to stem the public safety staffing crisis. As a result of this benefit, the adoption of a 12-hour workday, a lateral move program and the creation of a fire cadet program we went from a deficit of 30 police officers and nine firefighters to adding 41 police officers and 20 firefighters. We are now 90% staffed in both departments. Response times are down and we are doing something few other cities in the State can claim – maintaining a well-staffed force of police officers and firefighters.

My relationship with the School Superintendent is an important one as well. Our regular updates have gone a long way to helping us manage crisis, avoid conflict and plan for the future. This was especially true as we navigated the Covid-19 Pandemic early in my administration. I’ve learned much about the LPS Asset Management Program and adopted a similar practice for our municipal structures. I’ve created a much-needed Non-Discrimination Ordinance that would have protected ALL residents (including students) and would have promoted our City as an arms wide open place to raise families. All of these initiatives came from conversations with LPS leadership.

At the heart of what I’ve done, and what I will do if re-elected, is to maintain the strong working relationship between my office and Livonia Public Schools, which is vital to our ability to attract more young families to our city.

Kathleen McIntyre:

During my first term as City Council President, 2016 – 2018, I arranged for annual, informal meetings between Livonia’s elected leaders, key department heads and the LPS School Board/leadership team because I have learned – through decades of leading people and building high-functioning teams – that collaboration is stronger when people know and understand one another. (Unfortunately, COVID concerns prevented us from having similar get-togethers during my second term as President in 2020 – 2021.)

The City of Livonia and LPS are fully separate organizations with distinct responsibilities that serve two overlapping, but different constituencies. However, each benefits from the excellence of the other. Outstanding LPS schools attract and retain residents, which drives strong property values and tax revenue. The City of Livonia’s high level of services and amenities, including exceptional public safety, also attracts and retains residents, which supports student enrollment numbers.

The city has worked collaboratively with LPS on the sale and redevelopment of vacant LPS school properties, with the city approving rezoning and working with the developers and residents to refine and approve the site plans for the residential housing developments on the vacant sites. I see additional opportunities for partnership and collaboration in the areas of Livonia Vision 21, employment/educational opportunities for Garfield School students, public safety, expansion of Livonia Bike/Walk pathways, Healthy Livonia initiatives, and perhaps even shared service agreements where both organizations have departments performing similar work.

As Mayor, I would host an annual informal get together for the city’s elected leaders and key department heads with the LPS School Board/leadership team to establish a sense of shared ownership in the city’s future and create personal connections. Additionally, I would like to meet regularly (perhaps quarterly) with the superintendent to discuss our respective organizations’ current areas of concern and future plans. Finally, I would attend at least one School Board meeting each year and encourage our other elected leaders to do the same.

3) In recent years, there have been several new housing developments on former LPS properties. What would you like to see happen with the remaining LPS sites that are vacant?

Reply:

Maureen Brosnan:

I appreciate the way LPS has developed the property it controls in the City of Livonia. First the question is asked, “do we need this property to attract more young families, and can we redevelop it in a fashion that accomplishes that goal?” The New Early Childhood Center is a direct and appropriate response to that question.

In those cases where the property is not needed to advance that goal, LPS has placed the property in the marketplace for residential redevelopment at its highest and best value. The quality of homes has gone a long way to creating the home-buying opportunities needed for young families to raise their children in Livonia, thereby addressing two critical needs – adding more children to our school system and placing property back on the tax rolls.

These two objectives are clearly identified as priorities in the City of Livonia’s long-range plan Livonia Vision 21(LV21). Therefore, I am working closely with LPS to keep them updated on the City’s work in advancing LV21. As such, I am encouraged that the same philosophy which has guided the recent sale of property will remain should additional land be identified.

Kathleen McIntyre:

As a resident, I have been supportive of LPS’s decision to sell vacant sites for redevelopment, as every vacant property requires LPS to expend funds on grass cutting, insurance, etc. and represents an opportunity for approximately $1 million in revenue from the sale of property (the actual selling price of each vacant school site varies depending upon parcel size and location). As a City Council leader and member, I respected LPS making the financially responsible decisions to sell properties that were well suited for residential development, but also worked to ensure that residents’ voices were heard during the rezoning and redevelopment planning processes.

4) Do you have any ideas on how the City of Livonia can help to improve pedestrian safety and traffic flow in school areas and what would you do as a Council Member to support or promote these ideas?

Reply:

Maureen Brosnan:

The City of Livonia, as part of the Bike/Walk Livonia Plan, which I championed while on Council, includes plans to improve pedestrian safety and traffic flow in school areas as one of its priorities. As such it also includes, and I am an advocate for finding the funding to make these plans happen through a variety of resources, one of which is the Michigan Safe Route to Schools grant program.

I am an advocate of partnering with our school systems to apply for grants designed to make it safe, convenient, and fun for children, including those with disabilities, to bicycle and walk to school. When routes are safe, walking or biking to and from school is an easy way to get the regular physical activity children need for good health. I recognize and advocate for the fact that safe routes to schools also helps ease traffic jams and air pollution, unites neighborhoods, and contributes to students’ readiness to learn in school.

Kathleen McIntyre:

As a former LPS parent who sat in hundreds and hundreds of drop-off and pick-up lines, I am aware of the dangerous situations arising from a mix of buses, cars, walkers and bike riders on the roads and streets adjacent to our schools at the beginning and end of the school days. In addition, there are additional dangers caused by parents who refuse to follow the safety protocols by dropping their students off in the middle of carpool traffic or racing across parking lots to jump the queue.

This is a complex problem that I have experienced first-hand, but do not presently have sufficient knowledge to prescribe a specific solution. However, I would be fully committed to working with LPS, the Livonia Police Department and other stakeholders on improving the safety for pedestrians, buses, and students being driven to school.

5) Under a current long-standing agreement, Livonia Public Schools pays the City of Livonia a tax administration fee to assess and collect the school related taxes. LPS has recently approached the City to renegotiate and reduce their portion of the total fee collected. What are your thoughts on this request and how would you propose it be handled?

Reply:

Maureen Brosnan:

I stand ready to work with Livonia Public Schools to find a way to reduce what they are paying the City of Livonia to assess and collect school related taxes. To that end, after meeting with LPS leadership, two years ago, my office cleared the way for this discussion to occur with the Livonia City Council during their budget-setting session. We have since brought this issue to the table at the 2022 and 2023 Council Budget meetings, encouraging the Council to consider authorizing the City of Livonia to collect an administration fee for these services from residents.

Kathleen McIntyre:

As indicated by my engaged participation all the meetings the City Council and LPS have had on this subject, and interest in hearing from all parties, I am very open to re-evaluating the agreement and determining if the fee assessed by the city to LPS is reasonable and justifiable. All parties appear to agree that this service provides tangible benefit to LPS (in the form of avoided internal expense) and that there are incremental costs to the city in providing this service. The Council has asked the Treasurer’s Office and the finance department to identify the actual costs to the city so we can determine if the agreement needs modification.

When the city charges residents, businesses or other public entities fees, the fees should be based on the actual costs to the city and on what is needed to close the city’s budget gaps.

(end)

City Council Q&A:

Are you, or have you ever been a member of a PTA?

Reply:

Jim Baringhaus:

Yes. We have been members of the Hoover Elementary PTA.

Carrie Budzinski:

Yes. I’m a member of the Niji-Iro Japanese Immersion Elementary School PTA

Robb Drzewicki:

Boy, that’s a great question. I’ve been associated with Livonia PTAs since my oldest son was at Perrinville Early Childhood Center in 2014. Serving on their Board until its dissolution. Since then, I’ve maintained membership in the PTAs of the schools my sons attend (even serving as President of the Jackson Center PTA after my son had already left the school). Most notably, I served on the Livonia PTSA Council for 9 years (this year being the first that I’ve not served in some capacity). Though not currently an active member, I am a known ally and advisor to anyone who reaches out, having served as 1st VP and Recording Secretary as well as holding multiple chair positions (because PTA parents juggle). I love the PTA because I love the engaged parents that join.

Brandon McCullough::

Yes, I’ve been a member at Buchanan the last four years. My wife Kacie is a special education department chair at Livonia Franklin, and our daughter Harps is in 4th grade at Buchanan!

Scott Morgan:

Our two daughters attended Catholic school, K-12, which had their own Parent-Teacher organizations. My wife Shukran was a very active volunteer at our daughters’ schools, unfortunately my schedule as a Livonia Police Officer made it difficult for me to volunteer on a regular basis.

Martha Ptashnik:

Yes, I was always a parent member of every school my children attended: Hoover, Taylor, Riley, Holmes, and Stevenson. I have also always been a member as a teacher at Emerson, Franklin and since 2007 Churchill.

2) Do you have any ideas on how the City of Livonia can partner or collaborate with our schools and what would you do as a Council Member to support or promote these ideas?

Reply:

Jim Baringhaus:

Livonia city government and Livonia Public Schools (LPS) could partner to offer students 21st century work skills , build interest in public service careers, and encourage students to become civically aware and engaged on community issues. I have a record of partnering with the LPS as Chairperson of the Greenleaf Commission on Sustainability on such projects as the Greenleaf Award to the LPS for environmental leadership, working with the Hoover Elementary Eco-Action Team, and supporting Arbor Day events at various LPS elementary schools.

Carrie Budzinski:

I think there are lots of ways the City and School District can work together. One thing I currently do as a Niji parent is work to raise awareness about the school by inviting our state and federal elected representatives to visit and learn more about LPS and Livonia. By showcasing our assets we can attract more opportunities and potentially more dollars too. The recent Touch-A-Job event is another example of collaboration. Workforce development is good for students (and their families), local businesses and there are even opportunities to address shortages in public safety by working with the Career Center and LPS.

Additionally, I believe the mental health crisis afflicting our community’s youth can partially be addressed by the city. I would like to host a Town Hall with the Livonia Police Department for parents to talk about bullying and online threats to kids that lead to runaway situations. The LPD is regularly dealing with this issue and I think there’s a lot that can be learned by parents, caregivers, mentors to keep kids safe. I know more can be done on these topics and others, and I look forward to leading efforts to help address these issues.

Robb Drzewicki:

I think there are always opportunities to link the schools to the City, with obvious answers ranging from improved library and Recreation Center programming to municipal support for jobs, accessibility, and safety/cyber security.

I’d suggest that the actual “City” (meaning the municipal government) might not be the right partner in all cases. I believe that the real power in Livonia lies in its organizations. We saw that the Touch a Job event worked incredibly well by partnering with the Chamber of Commerce and local businesses. We’ve seen individual PTAs partner with businesses for years and we’ve had community organizations step up and help with PTA/School events, like when we partnered with the Kiwanis Club for the Chili Cookoff.

You hear it constantly, “schools are the heart of our community”. I think businesses and community organizations benefit from working closely with the schools, and I’d love to see more of those partnerships in the future.

Brandon McCullough::

When I ran in 2019, one of my major goals was breaking down the silos between the city and schools. From a personal perspective, I have done just that, but I consider that a prerequisite to my position. I think the vision 21 city master plan is a perfect example to band together with our schools. When LPS proposed the bond issues, I was in full support! Strong schools equal a strong community!

Scott Morgan:

I believe that the city and LPS can work together on things like student and traffic safety, and re-use of vacant LPS land. I would support council and school board members getting together to talk about visions for the city’s future. LPS benefits from Livonia being a great city that offers its residents a lot and the city needs LPS to maintain its excellence to attract new residents. As a Council Member, I am a strong supporter for smart redevelopment of vacant properties, including LPS properties.

Martha Ptashnik:

I think the City of Livonia should collaborate more with our schools to develop joint programs and initiatives that address the needs of our students and the community. I would like to see more career fairs and mentoring programs. In addition, I would love to see some workshops for students on civic engagement, sustainability, and public safety.

I would also like to see internship opportunities for our high school students. It would be a great asset to our city to help develop future leaders and workers by exposing them to practical experience in various city departments and giving them a better understanding of city governance and potential career paths.

As both a Council Member and a teacher for Livonia Public Schools, I will be in the unique position to act as a liaison for these types of programs. I can be a voice for both our schools and our city.

3) In recent years, there have been several new housing developments on former LPS properties. What would you like to see happen with the remaining LPS sites that are vacant?

Reply:

Jim Baringhaus:

Since Livonia is a fully developed community, vacant land is a valuable commodity. I would recommend that the Livonia Public Schools (LPS) maintain these vacant properties for potential future development for new or replacement LPS facilities. Benefits of retaining these vacant properties are that vacant land is generally a more affordable long-term investment than developed land. Vacant land can be a profitable action should the LPS sell it in the future.

Carrie Budzinski:

I appreciate the District’s need to move assets to continue to invest in our students and used buildings; however, public land is valuable and can’t be reclaimed after it is sold. I would prefer to see the District explore options to lease land instead of permanent sale.

Robb Drzewicki:

I think it’s time to stop selling off LPS properties. While we’ll never be back to the enrollment numbers we once were, I think we need to maintain some space to grow back into. Obviously, that’s not the call of a City Councilman, but it would be amplified if I were sitting on the dais across the street.

Brandon McCullough::

I would like to see a committee with various members of the community to brainstorm innovative ideas for the rest of the open space. At the end of the day it’s the schools property, but the city council have the oversight of zoning from public lands. Since on council no such collaboration has occurred.

Scott Morgan:

I believe that these proprieties could be put to good use by either a public/private venture or the out right sale of some of those properties to reputable developers would be a good start. We know that the new housing developments on former vacant LPS sites have helped draw young families to Livonia which benefits the city and LPS by adding students to the district. Declining student enrollment isn’t just a concern for LPS, it is also a concern for the city because strong schools are a key factor in people’s decision about where to buy homes, which then affects property values.

Martha Ptashnik:

We need to balance development with environmental sustainability. Ensuring responsible land use, conservation of natural resources and incorporating green infrastructure will be important for the city’s long-term well-being. Livonia’s neighborhoods are the heart and soul of our community. We need to make sure that any developments fit in with our neighborhoods and we need to make sure any LPS land that is no longer needed for educational purposes be rezoned for appropriate development. I am endorsed by the Greater Metropolitan Association of Realtors who agree with me on preserving the essence of our neighborhoods.

Reply:

Jim Baringhaus:

To improve pedestrian and traffic safety at schools, parents could be educated on alternative transportation modes to schools (e.g. biking or walking) that would reduce vehicle traffic in the immediate school area. Encouraging carpooling to school would reduce traffic congestion around schools. Mapping out pedestrian safe routes could be considered. Routes with low traffic streets and intersections could be recommended to students and parents.

In addition, push button pedestrian crossing systems could be installed at schools with high traffic areas. By pushing a button, flashing yellow lights would attract driver attention to pedestrian crosswalks and improve pedestrian safety.

As a Council member, I could advocate for these approaches and work with the Livonia Police Department and the City of Livonia Department of Public Works. In addition, I would benchmark other communities for best practices in school pedestrian safety.

Carrie Budzinski:

In high traffic areas, I think it would be helpful to have a lighted crossing sign to be used during school start and dismissal times to make sure drivers clearly see they need to stop. The best first step would be a committee meeting where the mayoral administration, LPS, PTSA, county officials and the LPD are invited to understand the scope of the problem and determine what solutions are best to pursue.

Robb Drzewicki:

Safety needs to come first, and we all need to have a reasonable assumption that our kids can walk into a school safely. I’d love to see a bit more signage and more enforcement around the schools to make sure streets like Levan and Lyndon aren’t treated like thoroughfares.

Next comes traffic flow, which I’m really reading as “my drop-off line is a mile long and it’s completely insane”. I know how you feel. Morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up can be an ordeal. Because each school has its own unique geography, road system, and parking lot space, I can’t offer up a perfect solution. I’d love to work with law enforcement, the schools, and the stakeholders at each individual school to work out better options for traffic flow. Why not a commission built up of those three sets of stakeholders to find the unique solutions at each of the schools?

Brandon McCullough::

We need to do something with the lack of stop signs and pedestrian lights. I am in the process of working with the city’s traffic commission and Wayne County to do just that!

Scott Morgan:

As a former Police Officer, I have been on patrol working in the area of several of our schools. The

problem is staffing. Whether it be school crossing guards or traffic officers assigned to a school you

always have people in a hurry that are willing to risk their own or someone else’s life to get where they

are going. I believe that more crossing guards and more Police Officers to patrol the area during the

heavy traffic time should be considered. I have supported higher pay for crossing guards and police

officers so we can hire more people to support traffic safety at our schools.

Martha Ptashnik:

First, we need to make sure that we have clear and visible signage indicating school zones, crosswalks, and speed limits. We might need to look at installing speed bumps in some of the heaver trafficked areas, helping to reduce vehicle speeds, especially near crosswalks. We also need to make sure that crosswalks are clearly marked, well light for those early winter mornings when it is still dark out, and as mentioned already, equipped with sufficient signage. As a Council Member, I would be willing to sponsor and support motions for all these items.

In addition, I would collaborate with the Livonia Police department and city administration to increase patrols and enforcement of traffic rules in our school zones.

Reply:

Jim Baringhaus:

The City of Livonia collects property taxes on behalf of the Livonia Public Schools (LPS), Clarenceville Schools, and Schoolcraft Colleges and charges a fee for this service.

I believe that a fee for this service should be charged by the City of Livonia. More data on this question needs to be provided in order to determine an appropriate fee level for the collection of school taxes.

Carrie Budzinski:

This issue is going to the Committee of the Whole and I think a re-evaluation of the current agreement will have to be made in order to move forward with different partnerships between the City and school district.

Robb Drzewicki:

The key to this question is the “long-standing” portion. All contracts need to be reviewed from time to time and this tax administration fee is no different. The answer will come from a combination of open discussion and diligent negotiation.

At the end of the day, I’m raising my kids in this district and I intend to make it work for the schools, because the things that benefit LPS benefit the whole city.

Brandon McCullough::

A discussion has been started and the matter has been moved to committee of the whole to find a solution. I applaud the district for all the background and information that has been presented to date. This may be a great start of breaking the silos down.

Scott Morgan:

This is an important issue that I am glad we are having deeper conversations about. I always will remain open minded and will consider all sides of the discussion before coming to a conclusion. Since we don’t have all the facts yet regarding how much it costs the city to collect the taxes, I cannot offer a proposed solution, but will stay involved in this issue and continue to educate myself.

Martha Ptashnik:

We need to consider the financial implications of reducing the tax administration fee for both LPS and the City. It would be essential to ensure that any changes made do not impact the city’s ability to provide services to its residents. I believe in a collaborative approach; we will need to engage in open conversations with the leaders at LPS and the City. We should be able to find a compromise that addresses the concerns of both groups.

(end)

Livonia Candidate Forums

The Livonia Chamber of Commerce:

City Council and Mayor (~1:05:42): https://youtu.be/uZpldmW_54Y?si=pE5iWfHrabKZXvKI

Clerk:

Lori Miller – https://youtu.be/xoCfUw9of3A

Lynda Scheel – https://youtu.be/4bz-U26L_xc

Treasurer:

Andy Lendrum – https://youtu.be/6KOqb7ZaiiQ

Susan Nash – https://youtu.be/KBMYprg2Fms

The Livonia Observer also asked questions to the candidates:

Mayor: https://www.hometownlife.com/story/news/2023/09/25/livonia-mayor-election-maureen-miller-brosnan-kathleen-mcintyre/70919154007/