Farmington Mayor Joe LaRussa delivered his highly anticipated State of the Cities address earlier this evening – April 1, 2025 – offering an insightful look at the city’s progress, achievements, and future initiatives.

As he took the podium for his second State of the Cities, Mayor LaRussa delivered a message of strength, resilience, and optimism for Farmington, emphasizing the city’s continued success and stability.

The address highlighted key accomplishments over the past year, including economic development, infrastructure improvements, and community initiatives that have contributed to Farmington’s growth and vitality. He outlined upcoming projects and priorities that aim to enhance the city’s quality of life and also requested public input in planning the future of Farmington.

The State of the Cities is an annual event hosted by the Farmington Area Chamber of Commerce. The event also featured Farmington Hills Mayor Theresa Rich, Farmington Public School Superintendent Kelly Coffin and Oakland Community College Chancelor Peter Provenzano.

Mayor Joe LaRussa’s State of the City Address:

Good evening, and welcome to all our residents, business owners, visitors, and friends.  I come before you once again for my second State of the City address, with pride in the privilege I have to inform each and every one of you that the state of our community, the state of our city remains STRONG!

This is a claim that I make for a number of reasons….reasons I remain convinced that Farmington is the best place to call home, to run a business, and to build a life.

It starts with Farmington’s sense of place.  The fabric of this community.  One of the first threads in that fabric is our city’s history.  2024 marked our bicentennial, and Farmington celebrated all year long marking old traditions, and starting new ones.  Here’s a short video capping off our year…

Everything you saw in that video was the result of dedication and engagement of the Bicentennial Committee, charged with the responsibility of planning and executing a jubilee year for the city.  In addition to the committee members, I want to thank Councilwoman Maria Taylor and Assistant to the City Manager Melissa Andrade for their tireless efforts and the first-class experiences they provided to Farmington for its Bicentennial.

Another important thread in our community fabric is safety.  Farmington’s sense of place benefits from being one of the safest communities around.  Our city continues to boast one of the strongest safety records anywhere in Michigan, with measurable results that are best-in-class.  As part of their recent accreditation review, the Farmington Public Safety Department reported an annual average of 10,212 documented contacts with citizens over the past five years.  In that same timeframe, on average, only four citizen complaints were made per year.  That’s 0.03% of the total interactions with our public safety department.  (It sounds like I need to take some lessons from Farmington Public Safety since I know my complaint percentage is nowhere near that low!).  The department also prides itself on its fast response times, and in 2024 public safety, under the leadership of Bob Houhanisin, pursued a change in our ambulance transport service. The resulting collaborative agreement allows for Farmington Hills ambulances to serve the City of Farmington, and committed response times are down 58%.  In some cases, actual response times have been reduced as much as 83%.  This kind of speed saves lives.  I want to thank Public Safety Director Houhanisin and his department for their peerless professionalism, and commitment to their values to protect life and property in Farmington.

While the “sense of place” may be an abstract concept, there’s no doubt that physical spaces in Farmington are some of the coolest around. My friend Dan Gilmartin, Executive Director of the Michigan Municipal League has often said that “when people announce a move to a place like Chicago, they don’t follow up with ‘the taxes are low and the regulatory environment is attractive’”.  Farmington invests in its places to make them welcoming, inviting, and cool.  We christened a new public space in 2024, Dinan Park.  This universally accessible pocket park activated a space on the west side of Farmington Road to offer people someplace to linger with friends, with a Syndicate social district beverage, or simply with their thoughts by the fire.  Dinan Park was funded in part by a crowdfunding campaign that allowed us to bring this unused space to life.  I encourage all of you to pay the park a visit and enjoy your time there.

On the heels of that successful project, Farmington pursued the activation of another public space at the corner of Grand River and Farmington Road.  For years, one of our most iconic historic structures, the Mason Lodge, was obscured by a large landscape feature.  This was Farmington’s first City Hall, a symbol of collaboration and partnership that extends to the present day.  The Farmington Downtown Development Authority assembled multiple grants and another crowdfunding campaign, together with a creative agreement with the Masons to establish a new public space we’ve dubbed Masons’ Corner.  This new space reveals the Lodge and welcomes people to enjoy special features like the new couples’ swing, a functional artwork that was commissioned specifically for this project; and the fire feature art piece that will accentuate the corner.  The space will be ready soon, so keep an eye on the City’s social media for the upcoming opening celebration for Masons’ Corner.

These innovative projects would not be possible without the vision and determination of the DDA Executive Director Kate Knight and the DDA Board of Directors.  I’m grateful for Director Knight’s leadership, vision, and creativity, and I’d like to thank her and the board publicly for all they do to make Downtown Farmington the envy of the region. 

I can say “envy of the region” because Farmington attracted the attention of Local 4 Detroit, which decided to host their “In Your Neighborhood” segment in Downtown Farmington back in February 2024.  The Local 4 crew highlighted the best of the city, organic media coverage that is a direct result of the vision, policies, and hard work of everyone at City Hall.  I want to thank David Murphy, our City Manager, for his vigilance and commitment to the Farmington Way.  His leadership is essential to the success of our city, and his steadiness keeps Farmington’s long-term vision on track.

The City’s sense of place contributes real benefits to Farmington residents.  In addition to cool experiences and vibes, property owners continue to enjoy rising values. The median sale price of homes in Farmington (and there were not many for sale last year) rose 2.2% in 2024, and the city boasts median home values that are 32% higher than the those across the Southeast Michigan region according to the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG).  More housing inventory will come available in 2025 as our key projects Hillside Townes, and Legion Square make substantial progress toward completion.  These two developments will bring new housing stock to Farmington 80% faster than economic forecasters predicted.  And the Hillside Townes project will add a promenade park and a fully accessible, ADA-compliant direct connection between Riley Park and Shiawassee Park.  If you’re looking to get closer to Downtown Farmington, keep your eyes open for these opportunities. 

In order for Farmington to maintain its high desirability, we must be nimble and efficient.  While there are lots of conversations at the state and federal levels about efficiency, I can tell you that at the local level, Farmington continues to make the kind of moves that bring results to the community and make the best use of public dollars. 

Efficiency starts with having the right leaders in the right roles.  In 2024, Farmington had the opportunity to put two strong leaders into key positions at City Hall.  I’m pleased that our new Assistant City Manager Chris Weber and our new Director of Finance and City Treasurer Jaime Pohlman were both promoted to their positions after years of successful leadership in their prior roles.  This ability to promote from within preserves the Farmington Way, providing continuity in leadership and simultaneously rewarding strong performance and tenure with the city.  I’m confident both will perform exceedingly well, and I have no doubt that Farmington will continue to prosper from their leadership.

One benefit of having leaders in the right roles is that they can find efficiencies and deliver them.  Farmington is one of many communities that does extensive planning, and 2025 is a big year for us, with updates to our City Master Plan, our Downtown Master Plan, and our Parks and Recreation Master Plan all on deck.  Normally each of these plans would go through bidding individually and each one managed as a separate project.  While this approach works just fine, we saw efficiency in combining not only the bidding process, but the project management and public outreach for each plan as well.  Good planning relies on solid public engagement, and planning fatigue could impact the quality of the finished documents.  So City Hall has combined this planning activity into one engagement that will be supported by the city engineers at OHM Advisors.  And we need your help!  As the master plans are being updated, we’ll need public input to ensure the highest possible quality and alignment with the public’s priorities.  Watch our socials for more information on how to participate and help us prepare Farmington for the future.

No discussion about efficiency and effectiveness can continue without acknowledging the work of our Clerk’s office in 2024.  The recent presidential election brought with it new changes to election administration that had to be implemented, including nine days of early voting, installation and monitoring of ballot drop boxes, electronic ballot notification and tracking systems, and more, all while managing one of the highest voter turnouts Farmington has ever seen.  My hat’s off to Clerk Meghan Bachman and her team of consummate professionals and poll workers.  They ensured an accurate, efficient election took place in our city, and I couldn’t be more proud.

Another area where the city has found opportunities to increase efficiency is in our building and planning department, which is now led by Assistant City Manager Weber.  Our permitting process is highly standardized and ripe for automation using software that is readily available.  As a technology advocate and enthusiast in the private sector, I’ve seen firsthand how the implementation of digital workflow and software tools can improve productivity and quality, reduce errors and wait times, and improve customers’ experiences.  I’m pleased to announce that Farmington is taking the initial steps to implement digital permitting in the city.  Based on feedback from other cities that have implemented similar solutions, and also from contractors who have said they prefer this approach, we expect higher compliance with permit requirements, more accurate scheduling of work inspections, and an increase productivity for building department staff that will free up their capacity for more complex and/or creative work.  These results will continue to move Farmington forward as we update our systems.

And we need to adapt because we face our share of challenges.  One of the biggest is infrastructure renewal.  While we celebrated our bicentennial, that milestone also reminds us that as a well-established city with a rich history, we also bear the responsibility to renew our water and sewer infrastructure, some of which is more than 75 years old.  The good news is that we have well-maintained systems thanks to the leadership and diligence of Chuck Eudy, our Superintendent of Public Works and his team.  Day-in and day-out they ensure that our assets endure, in some cases beyond their useful design life, and I’m so grateful for their work.  The bad news is that renewing this infrastructure isn’t easy, and for sure it’s not cheap.  Chuck and his team have responded to multiple sewer failures in the past year totaling $614,000.  That equates to approximately $5,430/lineal foot of sewer when we have to perform an emergency repair.  The same action, if planned in advance, costs only $148/lineal foot, almost 37x less.    But our emergency situations are becoming more frequent, and they are outrunning our ability to save up and pay for  necessary upgrades.  It’s like the car you’d like to replace, but you can’t save up because it’s constantly in the shop.  Farmington must take action to prevent this aged infrastructure from becoming a drain on our resources in addition to a drain for our wastewater.  We are in active discussions with Oakland County on this topic, and we are optimistic that we can collaborate to address this issue in multiple older communities where expensive infrastructure needs to be renewed, but in a more cost-efficient way as opposed to each community attempting to bond for its own projects.  But make no mistake, the day may come when we may need to ask Farmington to help itself, and I know if that day comes Farmington will do what it has always done…whatever is necessary to preserve and equip our community for the future.  And the team at City Hall, along with your City Council are taking the steps needed to get ahead of this situation and solve it for the long term.

This solutions-based mindset is why we have momentum on our side.  There is so much support for our city, and that support has come in very tangible ways that will materialize in 2025.  Farmington is a city that values community well-being and active living.  We’re committed to providing residents, families, and visitors alike with resources that make healthy living more than just a couple of words.  That’s why today I’m proud to announce that Farmington has received $300,000 in financial support from the National Fitness Campaign, Priority Health, and Oakland County Parks to install two outdoor fitness courts in town.  Farmington will join more than 600 other cities nationwide in providing dedicated facilities for outdoor fitness.  Movement is medicine.  Regular physical activity improves heart health, reduces stress, and enhances well-being.  We will offer these benefits to the public at both Shiawassee and Flanders Parks.  Our local fitness groups will soon have an option to move their activities into these spaces and enhance the experience for their members.  After construction of the two fitness courts completes in late summer, Farmington will be only the second city in Michigan to boast multiple fitness courts.  I’m so very grateful for the investment that Oakland County Parks, Priority Health, and the National Fitness Campaign are making in our city, and I hope to see you “on the courts” taking full advantage of them.

Farmington’s momentum extends beyond our parks, and so does the support.  As I mentioned earlier, we’re embarking on a combined master planning activity.  One of the topics that will be examined in that activity will be the idea of transit-oriented development.  For anyone who has attempted to take the 305 bus on Grand River Avenue, particularly in the wintertime, you’ve probably noticed that our bus stops are little more than a signpost marking location where the bus arrives.  With snow piled up from plowing, it can be pretty challenging to board or get off a bus in Farmington.  That’s why we applied and have been approved for an $80,000 grant from Oakland County to add more defined features to our stops, including sidewalk, benches, and other safety and comfort enhancements.  I want to thank the Oakland County Board of Commissioners and specifically our commissioner, William Miller, for advocating for our community to receive these funds as an investment in the Grand River Corridor. 

While we’re talking about the corridor, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the private sector’s role in also bringing investment and upgrades on Grand River Avenue.  Many of you may know that after a long stay in probate, the old Detroit Interurban Railway Building, commonly known as The Winery in Farmington, has finally sold to a new owner.  The new owners have experience with historic property renovation, having completed projects in Ann Arbor and elsewhere.  I’m very excited to see what’s in store for the Winery, and I have no doubt that that property will catalyze other redevelopment in the east end of town.  Farmington is a Redevelopment Ready Community, a designation from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation that unlocks technical assistance and planning resources to focus on areas like the corner of Grand River and Orchard Lake Road.  Coupled with our tax increment financing tools like the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority and the Corridor Improvement Authority, Farmington moves quickly and brings support to developers that want to come alongside the new owners of the Winery to revitalize East Farmington and replicate the success we’ve seen in Downtown Farmington.  So to the developer community, I invite you to bring your ideas to City Hall.  We’ve had tremendous success partnering with developers big and small.  We’ve learned a lot and want to deploy that learning on more projects in the city.

But Farmington’s support extends even farther afield.  I had a chance encounter with the Sindaco (or Mayor) of Vacri, Italy, Dr. Piergiuseppe Mammarella, during an event at the Huron River Club.  That encounter led to a discussion about our two towns, the similarities, and the differences.  I learned that Vacri is about twice the size of Farmington, but has only 15% of our population.  They dwarf Farmington’s history with mentions of their city dating back to the year 1056, and earlier signs of settlement in the 2nd and 3rd centuries, BC!  Talk about historic preservation!  Sindaco Mammarella has since learned about our growth as a city, our commitment to responsible development and densification, and our commitment to enhancing public life through art, recreation, and community programming.  This ongoing dialogue has led to a formal invitation from Sindaco Mammarella to collaborate with Farmington to achieve mutual goals for economic development, responsible growth, and cultural exchange.  With the support of the City Council, I will pursue this opportunity for Farmington to expand its field of vision, to learn from a truly ancient community that has evolved and innovated through literally centuries of change. And they will learn from us as well, finding new and innovative ways to develop their community, based on what may seem to us to be “just another day at City Hall”.  Other Michigan communities, urban and rural alike, are seeking these same relationships to provide diplomatic stability and mutual support.  It’s time for Farmington to see the same benefits and enrichment that a global relationship provides. 

Farmington’s got momentum.  We’re gearing up for another wonderful season of activity and we can’t wait to see you around town.  Ladies Night Out returns to Downtown Farmington on April 24th, featuring specials at participating downtown merchants, a pop-up artisan market at Riley Park, drink specials for strolling in the Syndicate Social District, and a scavenger hunt!  Visit DowntownFarmington.org for more info and to keep up on the offers from our downtown businesses.  And mark your calendars for opening day at the Farmington Farmers and Artisans Market on May 3rd.  We’ll ring in another year of farm-fresh produce and handmade goods, led by Market Manager Walt Gajewski.  Last year the market welcomed approximately 4,500 patrons each week, and was voted the best market in metro Detroit for the 8th year in a row in Local 4’s “Vote  4 the Best” contest.  Here’s a short video to pique your interest…

If you want to keep up with the Farmers Market, Farmington Public Safety, or the City in General, consider subscribing to our new text-based notification system, TextMyGov.  This utility, launched in May of 2024, is one of the latest updates to our website, and is a great way to stay informed.  As we continue to build it out, residents and visitors are able to ask questions that TextMyGov then responds to with information it’s trained on from our website and frequently asked questions.  You can customize your subscription to get the information you want at no charge, and it can save a lot of time navigating the website or performing multiple searches for info, documents, policies, and forms.

There’s so much more to talk about, but all good things must come to an end.  I want to take this opportunity to thank my wife Missy, and my children Sofia and Matteo for supporting me as I serve the city I love very much. My service would mean nothing without their flexibility and understanding.  Thank you, and I love you.  I also want to thank my Mom Helene, and my Dad, the original Joe LaRussa, for being here today to support me. 

The state of our city is strong.  Farmington’s future is bright.  I’m grateful to serve alongside dedicated and engaged elected officials, and an administration filled with solid leadership.  Thank you for your attention, and may God continue to bless Farmington.