Novi voters to decide on $120M public safety proposal on August ballot
Come August, voters in Novi will have a chance to decide on a multi-million-dollar bond proposal that, if passed, will go toward building new emergency response facilities.
The $120 million bond proposal for new public safety buildings comes at a hefty cost, but it's one that the city says is desperately needed.
"We are out of space throughout all of our facilities, the technology is no longer adaptable in any of our facilities," said Director of Public Safety Chief of Police Erick Zinser.
Zinser says Novi's public safety buildings are more than 40 years old, in need of serious upgrades, and the city's population has skyrocketed over the years.
"The population today is now 66,000 people roughly. We've tripled in our population since we moved into the same facility that we're working out of since 1980," Zinser said.
Whether it's the police department or fire stations, Zinser says they're all out of space. Male and female locker rooms are full, closets have been converted into offices or storage space, and bathrooms are now multi-use rooms.
"Our buildings are just to a point now where we cannot continue to adapt them to current trends," Zinser said.
That's where the $120 million bond proposal comes in. If passed, the money would be used to build and combine a new police department and fire station 1, create a brand-new fire station 2 and fire station 3 building, and add upgrades to fire station 4.
Why build these new public facilities now?
"We have a bond for the library that is falling off in 2026. So, what does that mean? That means the city will virtually have no debt. So, we feel the timing is right for that. And the Novi taxable value is one of the lowest in Oakland County. The median household in Novi is $400,000. That means their taxable value is $200,000. So, for that household, it would be a $200 a year increase on your taxes," said Zinser.
It's an investment Zinser says will benefit the community.
"The city of Novi has always prided ourselves in the exemplary service we provide to our residents. The new facilities are going to build on that and enhance those services for our residents," Zinser said.
Starting in May, the city will hold five informational community meetings at these facilities for the public to tour and ask any questions about the proposal.
The dates for the informational meetings are the following:
Thursday, May 8, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. at Fire Station #1
Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. at Novi Police Training Center
Saturday, June 14, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. at Fire Station #2
Monday, June 16, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. at Fire Station #4
Thursday, July 24, 2025, at 7:00 pm. At Fire Station #3
