Big Ideas Come Out of Farmington Hills Council Visioning Session

Farmington Hills city council members spent most of Saturday morning talking about ideas they would like to explore in the coming year. 

Here are a few of the things they discussed:

Bike path map

Proposed by Mayor Barry Brickner, the map would provide riders with information about types of paths, dangerous intersections and connections with other Oakland County systems. Assistant city manager Dave Boyer said the map could include fixed routes, like a 10-mile "fitness ride" that would start at the Costick Center. He said sponsorships could draw in businesses along the routes. 

Office space for Congressman Gary Peters

Peters represents Farmington Hills, and his new 14th District stretches more than 50 miles, with about half of it in Detroit, where his main office is located. Brickner said Peters aide Hy Safran asked about renting a room in a city building where Peters could meet with constitutents. Officials panned the idea, although most favored having an office somewhere in the city. Concerns included setting precedent and the possibility of disruption caused by citizen protests. Also, council member Ken Massey said, plenty of privately-owned space is available. 

Public safety

Council member Richard Lerner suggested reducing the percentage of monthly calls for paid, on-call firefighters, based on a seniority. The average tenure for paid, on-call staff at Farmington Hills Fire Dept. is six years, and Lerner said a few who left the department told him they did so because they couldn't keep up with the requirements for calls. Lerner said the reduction could give experienced personnel incentive to stay. Brock said he would pass the idea along. 

Lerner also proposed doing more to address mental health issues, given the increase Farmington Hills Police Dept. has reported in dealing with them. Massey said Police Chief Chuck Nebus told the Farmington Area Suicide Prevention Task Force that interactions with young people who have mental health issues "has been creeping up". He said the Task Force will host a community forum Feb. 13 on the topic of substance abuse and suicide risk. 

Economic development

Massey said cities that thrive have governments that focus on economic development. He said he "would like to see the council set some goals around where we would like to see our community go", with metrics to measure progress. Lerner proposed an on-line portal with listings for available commercial properties and other information to facilitate doing business in Farmington Hills. "We need a one-stop shop," he said.