Novi City Council Leans Toward Asking Residents To Increase Road Funding

Which Novi roads do you think need to be repaired? Show us by plotting a point on the large map.

Novi residents who want to see their local roads repaired might have the opportunity to do something about it this summer. The City Council is considering putting an increase in the road millage to a public vote this August.

At the council’s budget meeting Wednesday night, alll council members stated their support for adding the increase in taxes to the ballot; the council will officially vote on whether to do so at its meeting on Monday.

Currently the city’s limit for “specific street and highway improvement purposes” is 1 mill, which was then reduced to 0.7719 mills by the Headlee Amendment. The proposed increase is to 1.5 mills.

Although this would increase the millage for roads, residents could still expect to keep a consistent tax rate. The City Council voted at its last meeting for the next fiscal year, which is a decrease from the current overall millage of 10.5416. The city is able to do this by reducing the drain fund millage. 

The higher road millage is estimated to bring in an additional $2.1 million for road funding in the 2013-14 and an additional $2.2 million the following year.

According to a study done for the city on road conditions, the current annual road funding level of approximately $3.2 million is not sufficient to maintain and rehabilitate Novi’s roadway pavement conditions at an acceptable level.

“I’ve only been the mayor a short period of time, but in that short period of time, about 75 percent of the emails I get are from residents complaining or talking about the roads,” said Novi Mayor Bob Gatt. “This is something that is necessary. It’s been echoed up here. It’s something that we have to do. Our roads are crumbling. They’re getting old. If we want to maintain the high-quality of service that the people of Novi have come to expect, then we have to have a source of funding to maintain the roads.”

Annual expenditures on local and neighborhood streets are planned to comprise nearly 70 percent of the additional funding, with the other 30 percent going toward major road projects.

Possible major projects could include the repaving of 11 Mile Road from Taft Road to Beck Road, the rehabilitation of 13 Mile Road from Novi Road to Meadowbrook Road, the signal modernization of Novi Road at 13 Mile Road, and preventative maintenance to sidewalk and pathways.

Gatt said this is an ideal time to do it, when the city is able to reduce the overall millage rate at the same time.

Which Novi roads do you think need to be repaired? Tell us on our above.

Council remains divided on Ring Road project

The council also spent a large portion of its second budget meeting arguing about the and its funding.  Funding for the second phase of the project at the council’s previous meeting.

All members voted Wednesday to add a $140,000 expenditure back into the budget for storm water work south of Grand River Avenue, which is required for the project’s completion. 

Director of Public Services and City Engineer Rob Hayes suggested the council add in some funding for the project so the city makes some progress on the project in the next fiscal year.

The council is still divided on when the city will complete the road.