LPS School Board and
Livonia City Council
Meetings January 6
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Livonia City Council Meeting Schedule
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Congratulations
Dan MacIver
Certified Financial Planner
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Daniel S. MacIver, CFP®, AIF®, ATP® is President & Chief Compliance Officer at Financial & Portfolio Advisors but is mostly known for his volunteer involvement and philanthropic interest in bettering his hometown. Having completed his Certified Financial Planner program Musings wanted to introduce more about Maciver to our readers:
Dan joined the firm in 1995 and quickly became a valuable part of the organization. In 2019, he took on the role of President of the company. He earned his full Series 7 securities license in 2016 and Series 66 in 2017. Since that time, he has also received both his life and health insurance licenses, Accredited Tax Preparer (ATP®) designation, and has become an Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF®).
In 2020, he earned his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER(r) designation.
Dan is a proud Summa Cum Laude graduate of Southern New Hampshire University with a BS in Finance Focused on Financial Planning.
Over the years, Dan has volunteered his time to Boy Scouts of America and to coaching Little League Baseball and youth girls’ basketball.
He currently serves on the Executive Board of Directors for the Clarenceville Athletic Boosters Club and the Clarenceville Education Foundation.
Dan lives in Livonia, with his wife, Veronica, and their three children, Kameron, Ashlyn, and Marissa. When he’s not helping clients, he enjoys spending time with family, camping, and playing sports.
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What will the decade of the 2020's hold for Livonia? |
Livonia:
appealing to all ages
2021 goal for Livonia offered by Laurie Pohutsky
It’s fair to say that 2020 gave us all a lot of time to think about things big and small. When the typewriter asked me what I would wish for Livonia in the coming decade, it gave me another thing to consider. There are the evergreen wishes: community, prosperity for our city, safety for all of its residents. Those are all worthy wishes, but how do we accomplish that, precisely?
It’s no secret that our city is changing and for the better. Each year, we have more and more young people moving into Livonia, making homes and starting families. To all of us who already call it home, it comes as no surprise that people want to live here. But a changing community means that the city itself is changing, too. I’ve spoken to countless Livonians about a variety of issues. One thing that comes up often, particularly among young families that live here, is that they wish Livonia was more appealing for younger generations. Before I alarm anyone, no one is talking about nightclubs on every corner. In fact, we’re already starting to see some of these changes take root in Livonia. There are so many small, locally owned businesses that appeal to families coming to our city, from newer establishments like Supernatural Brewing and Coffee + Cream, to the old favorites like the Town Peddler and the Looney Baker. Prioritizing small businesses over chains and franchises is a sure bet when it comes to attracting more families to our community.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the ever-present request of a downtown area. COVID-19 has put funding at every level of government in a precarious place. The Michigan legislature recently passed relief for small businesses and workers that I was proud to vote yes on, but I also have to acknowledge its shortcomings when it came to municipal relief. Cities, including our own, are faced with trying to make sure residents have what they need, planning for what they want, and realistically budgeting for what is available as a result of the pandemic.
I’m honored to work with our leaders at every level of government, who have the same dedication to community, prosperity, and safety as I do. My wish might not come to fruition just as I’ve outlined it, but I have faith that we’ll work towards the closest possible version of it together.
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Livonia: A community welcoming all ages
In 1971 The Coffee House opened at what was then the Rosedale Gardens Club House, behind Rosedale Gardens Presbyterian Church, West Chicago/Hubbard. The Club House was open to teenagers Friday and Saturday to hang out, play chess, strum a guitar, talk. No structure just things to do.
It was in response to the feedback teens were giving to Livonia leaders. At the time teens felt they were left out of the equation when it comes to area activities.
The CoffeeHouse run by this typewriter was part of a multi-tiered effort to 1) provide an activity based in the most densely populated area in the city, 2) provide recreational activities across the street in what was then Whitman Park, 3) host a number of meetings at Whitman Junior High School to determine teen-driven solutions to the perception of "nothing to do."
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Architect Fred Carne and the typewriter developed a plan to build a gazebo in the park for weekend neighborhood concerts and nightly acoustic gatherings.
Ideas that once were at the forefront of building neighborhoods should once again be used as a template for establishing strong neighborhoods. The city can begin by organizing a Livonia Youth Forum that will develop an action plan on ideas, come back to narrow down the ideas while presenting them to organizations in the community to help in implementing some of the ideas.
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Anastasia and Katie’s Coffee Shop & Café Celebrates One-Year of Opportunity and Inclusion
Anastasia and Katie’s Coffee Shop & Café invites Livonia and surrounding communities to join them in celebrating the one-year anniversary of its establishment as an inclusive business that employs and supports individuals with developmental disabilities.
The celebration will take place over the course of three days, beginning on Thursday, January 14th, and ending on Saturday, January 16th. The “One-Year of Opportunity and Inclusion for ALL” celebration will involve a special birthday drink on the menu for purchase and free giveaways to customers each day.
“I am overwhelmed with emotion as we celebrate our first year of operations at Anastasia and Katie’s Coffee Shop & Cafe. In an unbelievably challenging year – our community has lifted us up,” said Kelly Rockwell, Co-founder, and President of the coffee shop’s nonprofit, Mi Work Matters. “Our patrons, donors, and employees have united in our mission of inclusion and opportunity for ALL!”
Anastasia and Katie's Coffee Shop and Café, located at 19215 Merriman Rd., held its grand opening one-year ago, only a few months before the pandemic. With the generosity of donors, Mi Work Matters has been able to keep Anastasia and Katie’s Coffee Shop & Café open and thriving. It adapted to unanticipated costs for things like a new website with online ordering, plexiglass partitions, and an air purifier. Most importantly, it was able to retain each of its employees that wished to remain working on-site at the shop.
“I am responsible and passionate about working at Anastasia and Katie’s Coffee Shop and the work that I do,” said Marissa, a barista at the coffee shop. “I enjoy everything about my job, I love my co-workers and my managers and they’re very supportive when I need help. They’ve become good friends of mine. Working for Anastasia and Katie’s Coffee Shop is my number one dream job I could ever ask for.”
Additionally, with the celebration event, the coffee shop is unveiling its Boxed Lunch Giving Program. The Boxed Lunch Giving Program is a way for organizations or individuals to pay it forward by sponsoring breakfast or lunch to be donated to deserving members of our community (e.g., health care providers, teachers, food pantry volunteers, first responders). This past year has had its challenges, and this is a way to GIVE BACK to brighten the spirits of those essential to maintaining our community.
You can visit the coffee shop (carry-out only) for the three-day celebration event during normal business hours, 7 a.m. – 2 p.m., Thursday and Friday, January 14- 15, and 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. on Saturday, January 16, 2021. The coffee shop is limited to five customers in-store at a time and the shop asks customers for their patience and understanding.
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