Friends & Neighbors,
2024 marks my fifth year in office, and I want to begin by expressing how deeply grateful I am to serve this community. One of my core promises when I first ran was to keep communication open and transparent. This annual update is part of that promise, to ensure that you always know where I stand and where our city is heading.
I made a commitment when I ran to increase transparency, communication, and accountability. As part of that effort, this letter includes a link to my voting record on regular agenda items: https://bit.ly/mikulski-votes
The November Ballot Initiative
I want to thank everyone who voted, whether your stance was "Yes" or "No." This election highlighted the strength and dedication of our community. It was a powerful day, with residents standing side by side, advocating for what they believed would best serve Ferndale’s future.
To those who voted against the ballot initiative, we hear you. Your concerns about affordability, fiscal responsibility, and sustaining Ferndale’s welcoming nature are understood and respected. While the initiatives didn’t pass, the challenges with our aging infrastructure remain real. We’re committed to addressing these issues in a way that reflects a broader, more unified vision.
We also extend our thanks to the Yes Ferndale team, who worked tirelessly to educate and share the benefits they saw in the initiative. Your efforts contributed significantly to a well-informed voter base and a deeper understanding of the challenges of municipal finance, and your passion for Ferndale's future is deeply appreciated.
Our path forward must be grounded in trust and collaboration. We will craft a future proposal that builds on your feedback and ensures that critical services, like police and fire, are prioritized without politicization. This proposal should reflect a shared vision and the best interests of every Ferndale resident, building a plan that meets our community’s needs and garners the overwhelming support it deserves. We are hoping to put new options on the May 2025 ballot.
Updates on Key Projects
141 Vester: this represents a turning point in how Ferndale approaches development. While I had previously voted against this project, I ultimately voted to approve it after negotiating significant community benefits in the amount of $413K. We included a tax clawback in our negotiations with the developer - the first of its kind in Michigan. Our tax clawback ties to the developers finances; if the Developer is able to replace, substitute, or change their initial construction financing to permanent financing for the Property that has an interest rate of 6.5% or less, we will clawback 55K. https://goodjobsfirst.org/key-reforms-clawbacks/
ARPA Chore Grant: I’m thrilled to share that Ferndale has secured $380,000 in ARPA funding to expand our lawn service program for low-income seniors and individuals with disabilities—a major boost for our most vulnerable residents. This expansion means we can assist more households, improving neighborhood safety and overall quality of life. This funding, negotiated through the Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency (OLHSA), covers both program costs and administrative needs, ensuring that the program remains fully operational through mid-2026.
Budget Efficiencies & Cost Cutting
We’ve made it a priority to streamline our budget without sacrificing essential services. Here’s how we’re making your tax dollars work harder:
$1.92M saved by replacing fire vehicles with a quint: Instead of replacing both our fire engine and ladder truck, we invested in a quint, which combines the functions of both. This smart decision resulted in nearly $2 million in savings.
Switching to pay-by-plate parking: We’re reducing ongoing maintenance costs by moving to a pay-by-plate system, eliminating the need to maintain outdated parking meters.
Reduced city staffing to save $226K annually: we deferred backfilling the Customer Service Advocate position, discontinued the rental inspector position by combining it with code inspection, eliminated a grad intern Assistant City manager position, and discontinued the GIS tech position for a net budget savings of $226K annually.
$1 million saved by converting retirees to Medicare Advantage: We transitioned 155 retirees and beneficiaries to Medicare Advantage, cutting $1 million from our annual healthcare obligations.
$56K annual savings in credit card fee reduction: We swapped from First Data to Passport and reduced our credit card processing fees for parking.
Eliminating the BigBelly waste monitoring program: Ending this outdated program from 2018 freed up sanitation funds for more pressing needs.
$275K in budget cuts: Earlier this year, we made careful cuts to minimize the impact on essential services while still saving $275K.
$70K saved on Martin Road Park improvements: We found ways to value-engineer the project, maintaining quality while saving $70K.
Deferring $30K in police and fire vehicle replacements: By postponing non-essential replacements, we kept $30K in the budget.
Reviewing third-party contractor expenses: We’re scrutinizing contractor expenses and will implement new spending controls to cut costs even further.
These moves are part of a broader strategy to be more efficient and responsible with every dollar.
Other updates
I’m currently writing a tree ordinance that will have a strong stance on protecting our urban canopy and put restrictions into place to prevent developers from clear cutting property
Our city manager has moved on to Royal Oak and we are searching for a replacement.
The fight to correct state statutory revenue sharing is ongoing, state leaders heard our plea that their defunding of cities needs to be fixed- Ferndale is down 24M since 2004, ~2M annually.
We’re identifying and cutting redundant software and SaaS subscriptions, ensuring we only pay for what we need.
I’m optimistic about what we can achieve together. This council is committed to learning from the past and making sure your voices shape our future. Our focus will be on rebuilding trust and creating a proposal that unites our community and garners widespread support.
Thank you for continuing to place your trust in me and for staying engaged in this process. If you ever want to talk or have questions, my door is always open.
With gratitude and hope,
Laura Mikulski – City Council Member
Phone: 313-920-6133 | Email: lmikulski@ferndalemi.gov
PS: my favorite moment of the year was the win for Danny's Irish Pub https://www.detroitnews.com/story/entertainment/dining/2024/08/27/ferndale-city-council-votes-in-favor-of-dannys-irish-pub-in-nuanced-dispute/74961160007/
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