Press Release | Office of the Mayor | Westland Welcomes New Members to Serve on Boards and Commissions

For Immediate Release | Official Press Release

PRESS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

36300 Warren Road | Westland, Michigan | 48185

Office 734.467.3200 | Fax 734.422.1230

WWW.CITYOFWESTLAND.COM

Westland Welcomes New Members to Serve on Boards and Commissions

Westland, MI (October 18, 2018) - On Monday, October 1 the Westland City Council approved Mayor Wild's appointment of Gerald Danielewicz to serve on Westland's Downtown Development Authority (DDA) for a four-year term that will expire in 2022.

Danielewicz, a small business owner, has owned and operated Sportway of Westland, a popular local entertainment venue, since 1985. He also served as the Director of Finance and Administration of the Michigan Credit Union League and possesses a Masters Degree of Business Administration in Finance from Wayne State University.

At the City Council meeting on October 16, the council also approved the appointment of Jason Freese to the DDA. Freese is a lifetime Westland resident and co-owner of the family owned "Norman's Market" - located in the DDA District. He is a graduate from John Glenn High School and his father served on the original DDA board under Mayor Thomas.

The DDA is governed by an eleven (11) member board appointed by the Mayor and subject to the approval of City Council. Members are appointed to four (4) year terms. Members must reside, work or have ownership interest in property within the DDA District that includes all of Ford Road and Wayne Road south of Ford Road to Glenwood. The DDA promotes and facilitates plans that result in continued development, redevelopment, revitalization and/or reuse of properties within the DDA district boundaries. Regularly scheduled board meetings take place the 4th Thursday of every month at 8:00 a.m. at City Hall, 36300 Warren Rd and are open to the public.

Lori Wilson was also reappointed to the Planning Commission at Monday night's council meeting for a three year term that will expire in 2021. Wilson is a long time Westland resident and has served on the Planning Commission since 2000. She is a 54 year Westland resident and is in charge of configuration and data management at AM General, LLC., an American heavy vehicle and contract automotive manufacturer.

The Planning Commission is governed by a nine (9) member board appointed by the Mayor and subject to confirmation of City Council. Members serve three (3) year terms. Members must reside, work or have ownership interest in property in the City of Westland. The Planning Commission reviews and recommends to City Council all applications for amendments to the Zoning Ordinance or zoning map, applications for special land uses, site plan approvals. and planned unit developments. Meetings are scheduled for the first Tuesday of the Month at 7 p.m., at City Hall, 36300 Warren Rd.

Council also approved the appointment of two members to the Westland Zoning Board of Appeals.

Merrill Downing was appointed to the ZBA to a term that will expire in May of 2020. Downing is a long-time Westland resident and was formerly serving as an alternate on the ZBA. He sent a letter requesting consideration for an appointment upon the departure of another ZBA member.

Also appointed to the ZBA was Adam Gorring, who will serve a three year term, set to expire on October 15, 2021. Gorring is a Westland resident and a Construction Technology Instructor at the William D. Ford Career Technical Center in Westland. He is also a licensed builder and the founder of Detroit Hand Works, LLC.

The Zoning Board of Appeals is governed by a seven (7) member board that is appointed by City Council. Members serve three (3) year terms. Members must reside in the City of Westland. The Zoning Board of Appeals may grant an appeal and modify the zoning ordinance based on practical difficulties or unnecessary hardships in carrying out the regulations of the ordinance. Variance applications are filed with the Clerk's office. Meetings are held the third Wednesday of each month at City Hall, 36300 Warren Rd.

If you are interested in serving on a Westland board or commission, you can find a complete list of vacancies, information, requirements and explanations on each and an application on www.cityofwestland.com by clicking on the "Get Involved" icon. Applications can be submitted electronically or paper applications can be printed from the website and dropped off at Westland City Hall.

For more information, please call Aubrey Berman 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 Fire Department are licensed paramedics who responded to over 9,000 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, one 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.