Farmington Hills Mayor, Council Members Take Office Monday

Re-elected Farmington Hills mayor Barry Brickner and council member Michael Bridges and newly elected council members Valerie Knol and Samantha Steckloff kicked off their terms Monday, after a fond farewell to retiring officials. 

Cheryl Oliverio and Nancy Bates served a combined 42 years on council; each received proclamations from the city, Oakland County and the State of Michigan. 

Oliverio said when she first decided to run 20 years ago, she was told she wouldn't win because she was "just a stay-at-home mom". After six months of walking the community, she finished as the top vote-getter. 

"I had no college degree, no experience on boards or commissions, but I had a deep love for this city, and I wanted to be a part of making decision to make this city a great place to live," she said. 

Bates said one of the first things she learned on council is "ideas are a dime a dozen. You have to have people willing to commit to them." 

Credited with launching the Commission for Children, Youth and Families and Commission on Aging, and playing a major role in establishing a number of other citizen and youth groups, Bates called Farmington Hills "the most amazing city with the most amazing culture."

"I thank you for breathing life into things that were so important to me," she said. 

Bridges, Knol and Steckloff each spoke briefly, as did Brickner, thanking voters and sharing their thoughts about the new term.  

"I live in the same city where my parents and grandparents live," Steckloff said. "I want to keep the city vibrant, so my children and grandchildren will live here." 

Knol acknowledged the big shoes Bates and Oliverio were leaving behind. "I look forward to serving here and just trying fill a little bit of those shoes," she said. 

Correction: The combined number of years that Oliverio and Bates served was incorrectly reported in the original version of this article.