Romi Mayor Fournier Delivers 3rd State Of The City

From the City of Royal Oak: At his third state of the city address, Mayor Michael Fournier focused on the city’s commitment to make Royal Oak a place where people are proud to live, work, play and invest. The annual open-to-the-public event, held at the Royal Oak Farmers Market, was produced by the Royal Oak Rotary Club in partnership with the City of Royal Oak.

In his address, the mayor outlined significant accomplishments including: Royal Oak remains one of the safest cities in America; the city is on strong financial footing; and its citizens are more informed and engaged than ever before. Mayor Fournier also outlined the city’s vision, priorities and willingness to tackle complex issues, such as: stormwater management, marijuana legislation and a municipal sustainability plan.

“Sound policies, commitment to best practices, financial discipline and long-term focus,” said the mayor, “have put Royal Oak on a strong course for the future.”

Specific highlights from Mayor Fournier’s address include:

• The Royal Oak Police Department reported a 17 percent overall drop in crime over the past year.
• The Royal Oak Fire Department responded to more than 6000 alarms in the past year. Keeping the department equipped with the best technology is a priority.
• The city’s neighborhoods are thriving and enjoying unprecedented investment, including the planting of more than 600 trees in 2018, eight miles of improved neighborhood roads in the past year and the issuing of 590 permits for residential buildings in 2018.
• Thirty percent of the residential permits issued in Oakland County were for projects in Royal Oak.

• Neighborhood parks continue to be a priority. The city invests almost 100 times more in parks than it did a decade ago.
• The city will spend approximately $8M on Normandy Oaks Park and a new downtown park.
• Both projects are being guided by strong engagement from residents.
• The city continues explore opportunities to install green infrastructure as a means of reducing rainwater from entering our sewers.
• To offer convenience to its customers, the city implemented several on-line services over the past year. In doing so, the number of requests for birth certificates, dog licenses and residential parking passes has doubled.
• The city, with its AA+ bond rating and a $15.5 million fund balance, has earned recognition from the Government Finance Officers Association for effective budget presentation and demonstrating a “full spirit of disclosure” to clearly communicate the city’s financial picture.
• The civic center project, which includes a new City Hall, police station, downtown park and the recently opened 11 Mile Road park deck, remains on budget. Staff is expected to move into the new facilities in 2020. The downtown park is expected to be completed in 2021.
• The largest investment in Oakland County, across all sectors is $70M from Henry Ford Health System in Royal Oak. The six-story, 145,000 square foot outpatient medical center in expected to create 400 jobs for physicians, nurses and support staff.
• Future plans for a stormwater utility are in the works to provide the fairest way to bill property owners for stormwater runoff charges.
• Following a 69 percent approval from voters on the legalization of adult-use marijuana, the city commission has directed staff to begin the process of adopting new and amended ordinances to reflect the majority opinion.
• The city earned more than $300,000 in grants centered on sustainability including: bicycle safety, LEED for the city and green stormwater infrastructure for Normandy Oaks Park.

• Royal Oak launched a city sustainability plan to inventory the city’s many existing green efforts and to research potential future initiatives to continue its good work.
• Nearly $500,000 was invested on improvements to the library, ice arena and senior services since 2017.

• The Royal Oak Public Library set a record for its Summer Reading Program with 1,701 registrants.

• The city has partnered with AARP and joined the World Health Organization Age-Friendly Communities Program to create a robust planning process to address the needs of the city’s population aged 65 and over.

In closing, the mayor listed a number of “best of” acknowledgments the city earned over the past year, including: Top 100 Best Places to Live, Best Downtown Shopping District, 10 Best Detroit Suburbs to Raise a Family, Top 20 Neighborhoods for Millennials in Metro Detroit and 25 Safest Cities in Michigan.

“Together we have achieved so much, and others are paying attention,” said the mayor. “We are blessed with a vibrant and active community that strives to be the best version of itself.”

Image Courtesy of Royal Oak