City Council Study Session

City Council Study Session Monday, September 15, 2025 at 6:00 PM 27400 Southfield Road, Lathrup Village, Michigan 48076 1. Call to Order by Mayor Garrett at 6:00 pm  City Council adjourned from 6:03 pm to 6:13 pm for a video regulation violation. 2. Discussion Items A. Personnel Manual Update CA Greene explained the recommended updates to the Personnel Manual, including updating the PTO accrual rollover language that will limit employee payouts for future budgets, updating the sick leave use clause to meet the Earned Sick Time Act regulations, adding Parental Leave, and updating some insurance language. Councilmember Mannarino-Thompson commented in part that this saves the City money long term and helps avoid surprise issues that have come up. B. Parks & Rec. Committee Discussion Mayor Garrett, Councilmembers, CA Greene, Attorney Baker, and Parks & Recreation Committee member Elaine Mantinan discussed:  Elaine Mantinan came to the podium to address Council and answer questions regarding the Parks & Recreation Committee’s view and concerns: o The members doing the work of employees, as 4 volunteers, are trying to do the best they can o Receiving negative behavior and comments from people o Not receiving support from the City o Not receiving support from Residents o How it was run before, with a City-employed Parks & Recreation Director, two Councilmembers who let the committee falter, and the volunteers, are now trying to do the work of that former full-time employee with no pay o Looking for the City Council to define what their role is o When it was a temporary thing for the 4 volunteers, it was okay, but they were waiting for a City Staff member to be put in place o They have been asked to collect money and keep reports, as volunteers o They were interested in the Parks and helping/improving the actual Parks o They are disappointed about the state of the Parks 27400 Southfield Rd | Lathrup Village, MI 48076 | 248.557.2600 | www.lathrupvillage.org  o Park equipment is hazardous, broken to the point that it is dangerous to kids, with thistles as tall as kids, and is not being maintained o No City Parks & Recreation employee, to remind DPW what needs to be done at the Parks o Sarrackwood Park has special issues, making it ineligible for all grants but one that the City decided not to go after o With the state of the Park equipment, we’ll be paying for the removal of the equipment, money has to be spent there, and someone could get hurt o The way some things get a green light and some a red light: Police vehicle green light & Park red light, can we wait, we have several Police Vehicles, and do that next year, because we might not get the grant again o Please reconsider the Sarrackwood Park Grant. It used to be a Gathering point in the neighborhood. Hard to see neighboring communities update their parks, and we haven’t, like in Southfield and Oak Park, there are decades of Master Plans that have updating Parks in them o Reiterating that this used to be someone hired by the City’s Full-Time job  The Liaison from City Council was there to bring back concerns to the City  Mayor Garrett thinks anything they do needs to be filtered through the City and wants to get a dedicated City employee to communicate with the Parks & Recreation Liaison, possibly a part-time employee  How to get the money to pay a part-time employee  DDA Director Colson suggested increasing the part-time CED/DDA Project Coordinator Kennedy, also be the part-time Parks & Recreation Department  Reaching out to the DDA for possible funding assistance for the part-time employee  The City can create a specific list for the volunteers of tasks, roles, and responsibilities as if the job were posted  Some may want to sell the Parks and build new houses  A GoFundMe for the Parks  Public Safety and getting to residents faster, or fixing up a Park  Residents can send in their opinions and ideas regarding the Parks  The DDA cannot spend money on Sarrackwood Park  Two things for the City to do now: 1) Dedicate someone to be the City contact and find out if the DDA can help fund a part-time employee  Overgrown Triangles are blight, and people can’t see around them when driving  For the Parks & Recreation Committee to make a list of what they have been doing  People don’t realize how much work the volunteers on the Parks & Recreation Committee have been doing  We have looked into the Ralph C. Wilson Foundation, and Sarrackwood Park would not qualify C. City Hall Parking Lot and ADA Grant 27400 Southfield Rd | Lathrup Village, MI 48076 | 248.557.2600 | www.lathrupvillage.org  CA Greene explained options for repairing, sealing, and striping of the whole City Hall parking lot, since some of the closer parts of the lot will have this work done, in conjunction with a Grant the City has received, and that there were different bids from 5 companies, but did not recommend it, due to financial constraints. D. 27700 Southfield Road - PILOT Request Mayor Garrett, Councilmembers, CA Greene, and Attorney Baker discussed:  Making sure the City is maximizing the money we get.  Based on 15 years, keep everything status quo  The City’s investment if we do 4% instead of 10%  If no way to ask for more, are there other things that can benefit the City  Can the developer put in more funds of their own  If we can’t get above a 4.5% is there a way for a community agreement every year, talking $15-20k a year, something we could put towards Parks E. DDA Board of Directors Attendance Mayor Garrett, Councilmembers, CA Greene, and Attorney Baker discussed:  Currently, some members don’t meet the City’s minimum attendance for the meetings as outlined in DDA bylaws  May come before the Council to request that 1 or 2 be replaced  DDA Director Colson will talk with them  One member has a work schedule conflict  They tried setting up a different time, but couldn’t agree on a time  Asking for their resignation if they miss 3 meetings within a 12-month period  Unexcused absences  Asking members to recommit or resign 3. Public Comments Don Eichsteadt, Redwood Ave., expressed in part: he strongly opposes the ugly school building and the PILOT program; if it is viable, let the developer develop it, and the City should have nothing to do with it. Timothy Hillman, San Quentin, commented in part: Suggesting universal attendance policies for all committees/commissions, the Study Sessions should be recorded even though there is a cost because it is important that they are on the record, people really must start treating each other like neighbors, and try really hard to maintain community over everything else. Laurie Kunz, Bloomfield Dr., mentioned in part: the Parks & Recreation Committee did have Marilee Roseman, having just 4 volunteers needs to be corrected, in the past Sarrackwood Park was cleared and they asked Pam for Mulch, there were funds raised and money given 27400 Southfield Rd | Lathrup Village, MI 48076 | 248.557.2600 | www.lathrupvillage.org  to the City for the Community Room, the $2,000 or so for the playground that wasn’t given back to residents, she says hi to people and they don’t say hi back, there are 2 sides to every story. Diane Anderson, expressed in part: against a PILOT, schemes privatization of profits, interesting with Headlee on Ballot, not happy to see Lions Club gone and Women’s Club having to pay, the National Honors Society requires hours of Community Service, the term Deadbeat is for any man that brings in a child to this World and that is the end of it, nothing of a racist term. Karen Harris commented in part: about having a blast at the (Lathrup Village Musi) Festival, fun seeing the community coming together, and the DJ had them dancing. Jonathan Tara commented in part: about the Save Newsletters and asked if the normal Police Reports are in the Council packet? John Sousanis, Rainbow Drive, commented in part: to urge Council to realize and embrace the idea they own the property, by holding the value of what that property could be, and wants individual members and the group to think about that. Lauren Beras expressed in part: thanks to all the volunteers that helped (at LVMF), and it was awesome to work with Austin, Alisa, and Tom. It was great to see sponsors with their children; they estimated 3 times more than last year, with about 1500 people attending. 4. Mayor and Council Comments Mayor Garrett’s Comments:  The Study Sessions should be filmed; our decorum goes out the window when not. The reason behind not having them was that we used to have good dialogue, which stopped as soon as the cameras were on.  The Women’s Club is having an Estate Sale  To Diane: o Thanks to Diane for all the time and effort you have put into giving us this information; however, we all have education. The Difference is I am a Black Woman. Unfortunately, Black people get triggered by certain words, like “boy” or “those people,” and there is no amount of education in this world that will help you understand the life of a Minority. Appreciate you doing all you do, 35 years you’ve studied black for 55 I have been.  About Laurie Kunz, I believe she is a good person, but what you didn’t see was that she gave us the finger on the way out  Kindness begets kindness. Cruelty begets cruelty 5. Adjourn 7:23 pm 27400 Southfield Rd | Lathrup Village, MI 48076 | 248.557.2600 | www.lathrupvillage.org