Dear Neighbor,
I am running for re-election to serve a second term as Mayor of the City of Livonia because together, with other community leaders, I have delivered transformational results to Livonia in four short years on things residents said were important to them.
This was no small task given the challenges we faced. When I took office in 2020 public safety staffing levels were dangerously low (30 police officers and five firefighters short). There was a lack of funding for road repairs. And a fragile business community was hit with the complications of a global pandemic.
It looked like the odds were stacked against us, but here’s what we accomplished:
● Hired 41 new police officers and 20 firefighters in the past four years, nearly double the number hired in the past six years combined.
● Added to the hiring pipeline with 24 police service aides and 5 paramedic cadets.
● Championed the fire cadet program, the first of its kind in the State.
● Brought back a defined benefits program, a long-term commitment to our police officers and firefighters who commit their lives to the city.
● Set a new record and improved 17 miles of road.
● Completed 50 local road projects just this year.
● Repaired 70 miles of local streets.
● Replaced 5000 sidewalks.
● Created Livonia’s first workforce development program. This year alone it provided $325,000 in small business grants to Livonia startups.
That’s a lot of momentum and there’s still more to do. I want to continue using my experience as mayor, my 17 years of experience on City Council and my 30 years of experience in executive leadership and managing multimillion dollar operations to keep Livonia moving forward.
As a candidate and incumbent mayor, here’s what I bring to the table. I’ll continue to be a:
Visionary and strategic leader. In my former role as the Executive Director of the Michigan Venture Capital Association I put Michigan’s $3.5 billion industry on the map and travelled throughout the country and around the world to encourage investment in Michigan’s bright and talented entrepreneurs. During my time at the helm of the association Michigan’s investors boasted a record-breaking year of funding entrepreneurs. I know how to get things done and I look forward getting them done with you.
During my time as mayor, we have addressed our police and fire personnel shortages, while also setting us up to better navigate future challenges in staffing through building pipelines to grow the next generation of Livonia first responders.
Dedicated collaborator. Connecting the dots, creating opportunities and looking for innovative solutions to complex problems are at the heart of the work I am currently doing as the Interim CEO of Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan (CCSEM). CCSEM is a $10 million organization providing services to more than 20,000 people throughout six counties in southeast Michigan. I’m there now working with them to create a sustainable funding model and strategic plan for the organization as it continues to grow.
Duringmy time as mayor, I have worked collaboratively with Wayne County, the State of Michigan and the federal government to access more than $5 million of grants to help moving our community forward.
Fierce advocate and compassionate champion. You won’t find a more tenacious advocate or a more compassionate champion for Livonia. At the heart of my work is passion. It’s been there for 17 years when I served Livonia residents as your voice on the Livonia City Council advocating for advanced life support, a community recreation center, a bike path connectivity program, a new master plan, and so many other things that make Livonia a great place to live and work.
I’m a life-long resident of Livonia. I met my late husband Sean here at St. Michael Catholic School in the fifth grade. We bought a house in Livonia’s historic Old Rosedale Gardens neighborhood and that’s where we raised our children, sending them to St. Michael Catholic School as well. They are grown and nearly gone, but it’s my hope that the Livonia we are strengthening will one day call them back.
I believe deeply in this community and its people. I enter this race clearly recognizing the challenges before us and am prepared to lead the city to its next level of success. We’ve got a great future to work for, and I hope you will join me in the months ahead as we work to win this election and keep the proven leadership our community deserves.