Development News for Novi, Michigan

City Approves Five-Year Lease Extension for US Postal Service Property

The City Council approved a resolution to extend the lease of city property to the US Postal Service for approximately 10,680 square feet of city-owned land. The property is located on the west side of Novi Road, north of 10 Mile, immediately north of the US Post Office branch. The lease extension is for one term of five years, beginning March 1st, 2028, and ending February 28th, 2033. The current lease, originally from 2013, was proactively extended in 2021 to cover 2023-2028. This new extension is requested in advance of the current period's completion. The lease provides a total amount of $5 for the five-year term, and the Post Office has utilized the additional space to install a row of 24 parking spaces accessible from the northerly drive of their parking lot.

Frog Force Robotics Celebrates 25th Anniversary, Opens Novi Robotics Center, and Achieves Competition Success

Frog Force Robotics team, representing Novi, gave an update on their 25th anniversary and the opening of their Novi Robotics Center (NRC), a STEM facility for students. They highlighted successes in competitions, including winning the Engineering Inspiration Award for promoting STEM globally and the Sustainability Award for strong leadership and environmental values via their CAN Bot initiative. The team ranked first in their Troy District competition and second in the statewide competition. They expressed a desire to continue building strong bonds and working with the city.

City Council Postpones Decision on Portfolio Management Services Amidst Pricing Questions

The City Council considered awarding a contract to Robinson Capital for portfolio management services for the city's operating and non-pension funds. Historically managed internally, the growing complexity of the city's investment portfolio necessitates engaging an external firm with specialized expertise. This would assist in oversight and optimization of the city's investment strategy. However, due to questions raised by staff regarding the annual fee proposed by the chosen firm, the council voted to postpone the decision to the next meeting to allow for further clarification on pricing.

Resident Commends City Council for Handling of Water Outage

A resident, Doreen Popard, commended the mayor and city council for their rapid, respectful, and forceful response to a recent water outage. She specifically mentioned the council meeting where the director of the Great Lakes Water Authority was present, and expressed appreciation for the accountability demanded following what she described as the third or fourth water outage since she has lived in Novi.