Press Release | Office of the Mayor | Council Approves Board/Commission Re-Appointments

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

Council Approves Board/Commission Re-Appointments

Westland, MI (June 18, 2019) - On Monday, June 17 the Westland City Council confirmed the re-appointment of Sam Durante to the Westland Planning Commission for a three year term, expiring on July 7, 2022.

Durante has lived in Westland for over 20 years and has served on the Planning Commission since 2010. He retired from Terminex as a sales associate twelve years ago and also served as Director of Environmental Services at Sanai Hospital.

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.

Sam Durante

The Council also voted to approve the re-appointment of James Higgins to the Library Board for a five year term, expiring on June 24, 2024.

Higgins has a business background in management and finance and was first appointed to the board in August of 2017. He was elected by the board to serve as its chair and worked diligently on the Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Westland Library Union SEIU Local 517M which was reached on March 4, 2019.

The Library Board is governed by a five (5) member board that is appointed by the Mayor and subject to confirmation of the City Council. Members are appointed to five (5) year terms. Board members must reside in the City of Westland. The Board oversees the Library Director and the operations of the William P. Faust Public Library. Meetings are held the second Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Library's Community Meeting Room, located at 6123 Central City Parkway.

James Higgins

"Sam and James have served the community with a great deal of professionalism and dedication on their respective boards," commented Mayor Wild. "I am pleased to re-appoint them and appreciate their continued service to the community."

For more information, please call Kathy Suchora 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.