City Council Study Session

City Council Study Session Monday, December 15, 2025 at 6:00 PM 27400 Southfield Road, Lathrup Village, Michigan 48076 1. Call to Order by Mayor Kantor at 6:00 pm 2. Discussion Items A. Council Committee/Liaison Assignments Mayor Kantor, Councilmembers, City Administrator Greene, and City Attorney Baker discussed:  Possibly combining the Parks and Recreation and Tree Committee o Feedback from the Committees o Purpose or efficacy of combining them o They have 2 different functions o They have 2 different agendas and our separate committees o It should be up to the Committees to decide if they want to combine or not  Creating a Communication and Engagement Committee o Citywide engagement o With Inclusion and Accessibility in the Committee o Connecting with Residents for the goals of the Committees o Councilmembers Sousanis over the Committee with Councilmember Hammond as an advisor  Suggestions for who should be on the Committees  If there is a way to rotate positions within a term  Lathrup Village Chamber of Commerce liaison o If the Council had decided to have a liaison for the Chamber o DDA members Felton and Williams are already connected with the Chamber o Excited for the Communication with the Chamber o Meeting with the City of Southfield Chamber of Commerce, regarding LV businesses feeling neglected, and if the same liaison can communicate with them o Better Communication (ex: more advanced notice of Events/Invitations to Events) with both the City’s Chamber of Commerce o Not being on their Board, just capturing information to share with the City Council o Does the LV Chamber of Commerce want a City Council Liaison? o Good to have a consistent person there to represent 27400 Southfield Rd | Lathrup Village, MI 48076 | 248.557.2600 | www.lathrupvillage.org  B. Council Meeting Dates & City Observed Holidays Mayor Kantor, Councilmembers, City Administrator Greene, and City Attorney Baker discussed:  Recommended dates for the meetings and City Observed Holidays  Adjusting the start time of the Regular meetings from 7:30 pm to 7:00 pm o Adding more items to the 1st Study Session Agenda to discuss issues ahead of the Study Session, rather than right before the Regular Meeting date  Utilizing the Agenda line Item “Unfinished or New Business” on the Regular Meeting Agendas for discussion of items that have been previously only discussed at the Study Sessions  If splitting the Regular meeting day had been considered C. Library Service Research Update Mayor Kantor, Councilmembers, City Administrator Greene, and City Attorney Baker discussed:  Berkley has offered to take us on as a Contract  Starting the process of canceling the Southfield Public Library contract and finding out if they will let us out of the contract early  The option that People can purchase Library Cards can from Ferndale, Royal Oak, and Troy  That we have not heard anything back from the City of Southfield regarding the Library contract yet  The Southfield Libraries have not been charging the right amount all these years, (they have charged less) and they are not happy with us trying to cancel early o For us to wait to hear back from them before canceling the contract o That if they do let us out early, they may recoup through dispatch o Any risk of waiting another Month for them to get back with us o Putting a millage in front of the residents for Library services  We would have to give Notice by 7-1-2026 to be out at 7-1-2027  Telling Southfield Library the other offers that we have, for discussion/negotiation purposes  The impact on the budget gap, if Southfield Library does not let us out early, and other services increase in cost, and we wouldn’t save anything with this plan of action  What other body or service is getting cut?  Fire Services are year by year, the Dispatch Services are 2 or 3 year contracts, and we are expecting a 5% increase in the Fire contracts; dispatch has a built-in escalator  Leaving it on the table, it will show up next month still on the table and waiting to hear back from Southfield D. Study Session Recordings Mayor Kantor, Councilmembers, City Administrator Greene, and City Attorney Baker discussed: 27400 Southfield Rd | Lathrup Village, MI 48076 | 248.557.2600 | www.lathrupvillage.org   Went over the Feedback that the City Council requested, finding that other Communities have rules similar to ours  Having a list of alternatives and their costs  LVTV would be approximately $6,000 a year, or using a Cell phone  To live-stream or record and post them later  Residents coming in person or sending in emails to comment, since there will not be a way to comment, since it will not be live-streamed  Trying to cut the budget and having tabled the Southfield Library contract and possibly outsourcing the Police Department, but spending more money to record the Study Sessions o Are we spending more money to appease a few o The recordings give accessibility o The City has a Newsletter and Minutes for accessibility  The last time that the Study Sessions were recorded o When the recording stopped, did the City save money or record other things?  Zoom meetings during COVID in 2020, then followed the mandate to go back into Chambers o The Zoom meeting cost was astronomical o Zoom had technical issues, causing wait times for meetings o Did the City experience savings after the Zoom meetings were stopped?  Does this need a vote? It’s a policy – the Regular Meeting Agenda can be amended to add it in  Compromise with a good and inexpensive way E. Council Rules & Procedures Review Mayor Kantor, Councilmembers, City Administrator Greene, and City Attorney Baker discussed:  Basic Requirements for Open Meetings with Attorney Baker, giving a review  Efficient, free from disruptions, mindful of Councilmembers' time  Doesn’t apply to a public gathering like a Ribbon Cutting, but can’t discuss items, be mindful of that  Notice of meeting deadlines, highlight action items in minutes  Meeting Procedure the City Charter is the 1st place that we look; amending the Charter requires a vote  Conflicts of interest need to be disclosed  Gifts to Councilmembers  Actions of a Closed Session Meeting are taken during an Open meeting  FOIA rules provide existing records  Social Media  Correspondence directed to the entire Council, and if it just comes to one member 27400 Southfield Rd | Lathrup Village, MI 48076 | 248.557.2600 | www.lathrupvillage.org   Trainings are encouraged for Council members, and there are many with little to no cost, and if there is a cost, it needs to be presented to the City Administrator, and the body has to approve it  Robert’s Rules of Order is what we apply to maintain decorum and keep meetings moving along  CA Greene is available up to noon the day of the meeting to be reached by the Council F. Regular Meeting Agenda Items N/A 3. Public Comments Timothy Hillman, San Quentin, expressed in part that he supports an inexpensive and reliable way to record the Study Sessions, referencing that there is much more discussed that you don’t see/hear during the Regular meetings, shared that Berkley and Southfield Libraries are all in the same Library Network, and he encouraged City Council to take a confident approach in negotiations. Rick Wisz expressed in part that he does not believe the Committees and Chamber of Commerce need a liaison, they should report directly to Council, and asked if there is a millage designated for the library? Jonathan Tara expressed in part issues with hearing what is said during the Study Sessions and Meetings, inquired if budget cuts (referencing Crain’s Business and Bridge Michigan articles) would affect one of our two water main projects, and referenced that he bought a water pressure gauge and his water pressure is 40lbs and under 40lbs psi, there are negative impacts. Diane Anderson, expressed in part that not all libraries are equal, siting their location (central or not to residents), the number of computers that can be used, and the amount of books, because smaller libraries have to get rid of books to fit new ones in and she referenced a hardcover book on African American Founders that she got in that way. Ms. Anderson suggested making cuts in other places and not to the City of Southfield Library contract, and suggested cutting the Concert series. Charles Hall expressed, in part, questions about the formation of the Communication and Engagement Committee:  The Committee being on the City’s application  How many people will be on the committee  Putting the Inclusion and Accessibility Committee under the Communication and Engagement Committee  The Scope and function of it  How will we be able to serve the needs of people with Physical Disabilities 27400 Southfield Rd | Lathrup Village, MI 48076 | 248.557.2600 | www.lathrupvillage.org   He proposed a Committee that would help all Autumn Sousanis, Rainbow Dr, expressed in part: searching YouTube and seeing some Study Sessions that were recorded after 2011, for October 5, 2015, and July 3, 2017, and asked City Council to please record the Study Sessions. Laurie Kunz, Bloomfield Dr, expressed in part that the audio should not have been shut off to the camera (in the Meeting Place) where the Study Sessions take place, and her FOIA regarding that, and support for the Study Sessions being recorded. 4. Mayor and Council Comments Councilmember Hammond expressed, in part, addressing Mr. Hall’s questions regarding the Communication and Engagement Committee, sharing that many concerns will be determined during the committee’s first meetings. Mayor Kantor expressed in part:  (To Mr. Hillman) There are some different access levels for the different Libraries  (To Mr. Wisz) No millage for libraries now  (To Mr. Tara) He is aware of the Crain’s Business article and has had a conversation about our $2 million water main project  (To Ms. Anderson) The Concert series is not paid for by the City; it is paid for by the Lathrup Village Community Foundation MPT correct meetings are recorded; there is no SS recorded. Councilmember Sousanis expressed in part agreement with Mr. Hall, regarding Committees being grouped and them outgrowing the single Committee's purview. Councilmember Jennings asked for the Committee nominations to be repeated. 5. Adjourn 7:28 pm 27400 Southfield Rd | Lathrup Village, MI 48076 | 248.557.2600 | www.lathrupvillage.org