City of Southfield

Special Meeting – Council Retreat

Agenda of the City Council

July 17, 2026 at 9:00 a.m.

21415 Civic Center Dr., Suite 115

Lawrence Technological University

Southfield, Michigan 48076

Telephone: 248-796-5150 Website: www.cityofsouthfield.com

 

ROLL CALL

 

COMMUNICATIONS

 

The Southfield City Council has established the following Rules of Procedure for all speakers:

• Each speaker will have 3 minutes to address the council.
• Each speaker is responsible for his or her comments and the City of Southfield does not, by permitting such remarks, support, endorse or accept the content, thereof, as being true or accurate.
• No speaker may make personal or impertinent attacks upon any officer, employee, or City Councilmember or other Elected Official, that is unrelated to the manner in which they perform their duties.
• No person shall use abusive or threatening language toward any individual when addressing the City Council.

Any person who violates this section shall be directed by the presiding officer to be orderly. If a person addressing the Council refuses when so directed, such person may be deemed by the presiding officer to have committed a “breach of the peace” by disrupting and impeding the orderly conduct of the public meeting of the City Council and may be ordered by the presiding officer to leave the meeting. If the person refuses to leave as directed, the presiding officer may direct any law enforcement officer who is present to escort the violator from the meeting.

The Council may not provide responses to public comments during the meeting. If you have provided your contact information when you sign up for public communications, the City will provide a more formal response to you in the near future should it be needed. The Council may respond to comments at the end of communications if they are able to do so.

 

ITEMS TO BE DISCUSSED:

 

A. Set Tone for Retreat- we make each other better for the betterment of Southfield

a. Proverbs 27:19 “Iron Sharpens Iron”- Words matter…I want us to feel comfortable in sharing without feeling criticised….

b. I never lose…I either win or learn…- Nelson Mandela. Where are our opportunities to learn?

B. Clerk Alignment

a. Discuss things Clerk needs from Council

b. Discuss things Council needs from Clerk

C. Treasurer Alignment

a. Discuss things Treasurer needs from Council

b. Discuss things Council needs from Treasurer

D. Council Alignment

a. Discuss ways to improve flow of our meetings

i. President/President Pro Tem Roles

ii. Coming prepared

iii. Asking questions before the meeting

iv. Discuss expanding use of Consent Agenda in COWs

v. Discuss Communications portion of meeting and any suggestions to improve

vi. Discuss plan/next steps and timeline for Performance Appraisals

vii. Boards and Commissions suggestions

b. Update Council Procedures

c. Discuss things we need from each other

d. Charter revision update

E. Mayor/Council Alignment

a. Are there things Mayor would like from Council

b. Ask for State of City Preview before presented

F. Council/Administrator Alignment

a. Discuss ways to Improve alignment/communication

i. Discuss ways we can work better

ii. Feeling heard -continued concerns that council request information that goes unfulfilled or acknowledged

iii. Alignment before actions are made…courtesy/respect

b. Mid-year checkpoint on how things are going and things needed

c. HR movements - Update on filling key positions Update from Administrator on Major

d. Projects (Northland, Middlepoint, Michigan Inn, Embassy Suites, etc.)

e. Update from Administrator on HR leadership replacements

f. Update on Career Center next steps

g. Campus Update Strategy

 

 

AND ANY OTHER ITEMS DEEMED NECESSARY

 

 

Individuals with special need for this meeting should contact the City Clerk’s Office at 248-796-5150 (voice) or 711 (TDD). If auxiliary aids or services are needed, reasonable advance notice is required.