Press Release | Office of the Mayor | Mayor William R. Wild Awarded SEMCOG's Regional Ambassador Award

For Immediate Release | Official Press Release

PRESS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

36300 Warren Road | Westland, Michigan | 48185

Office 734.467.3200 | Fax 724.721.2310

WWW.CITYOFWESTLAND.COM

Mayor William R. Wild Awarded SEMCOG's Regional Ambassador Award

Mayor Wild pictured with Roderick Green, SEMCOG Chairperson.

Westland, MI -- On Thursday, March 30 Mayor William R. Wild accepted Southeast Michigan Council of Governments'(SEMCOG) Regional Ambassador Award. The award is SEMCOG's highest honor given to individuals who contribute to making Southeast Michigan a better place to live, work and raise a family.

Mayor Wild has been a constant voice for SEMCOG and its regional work. He has chaired the Legislative Policy Task Force and has set an example for the redevelopment of vacant buildings. SEMCOG noted that Mayor Wild led the transformation of an empty big-box retail store into a state of the art City Hall, a project that has received numerous awards. Another basis for receiving the award was that he has been a voice for local government collaboration, working to identify opportunities to partner with neighboring communities to share staff and jointly offer emergency dispatch services.

"We appreciate the work that Mayor Wild does to improve Southeast Michigan," commented SEMCOG Executive Director Kathleen Lomako. "This award acknowledges and thanks him for his great work on behalf of our region."

"On behalf of the City of Westland, I appreciate SEMCOG's regional perspective and vision and it makes me proud to work with them," stated Mayor Wild. "I am grateful for the work they do for the region and for helping me to become a better public servant. "

For more information, contact Aubrey Berman, Administrative Secretary, at (734) 467-3200.

Westland, Michigan is the state's 10th largest municipality, with a population of over 84,000 people who exhibit a great deal of pride in their All-American City. Westland has a thriving business community along with beautiful residential areas. The citizens enjoy a wide array of amenities and a quality of life that is second to none.

In 2014, Westland was rated as one of 24/7 Wall Street's America's Best 50 Cities to Live, offering residents and visitors an ideal blend of single-family affordable homes, apartments and condominiums, great schools, and access to numerous outdoor activities. Public safety is delivered by full-service, professional law enforcement and firefighting personnel. Westland Police Department, whose motto is protect and serve, provides emergency dispatch services to four cities and over 100,000 residents; the Westland firefighters are licensed paramedics who responded to over 8,000 calls for service last year, about 85% being medical based. They never forget their mission of preserving life and property.

Westland is well-known as the premier destination for shopping and dining in Wayne County with hundreds of shops and restaurants anchored by the Westland Shopping Center, on of the country's original four regional malls.

Infinite opportunities are available in Westland for the recreation aficionado including, more than 40 parks and 1,500 acres of trails, a 9-hole golf course, hockey arena, athletic fields, playscapes, a Farmers and Artisans Market and more. One of Michigan's most environmentally friendly cities, Westland has a progressive curbside recycling program with one of the highest participation rates in the nation and the City is raising the bar for cultural experiences with the placement of public art throughout the City.

The City is served by two public school districts; Wayne-Westland Community Schools serving 12,000 youth was recently named one of the Best School in Michigan by WXYZ-TV and is the proud recipient of 14 Golden Apple and two Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards. Livonia Public Schools, educating nearly 15,000 students, is proud of their MEAP/MME scores that exceed state averages and the District has also earned Golden Apple and Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards.

The City provides competitive incentives for those who are interested in investing in Westland, making it one of the hottest investment markets in the region. Our Fast-Track to Business Team, which consists of key decision makers who work diligently on a development plan will "cut the red tape" and expedite the approval process for new business development.