Five candidates have filed for City Council

Each Friday we will bring you information about candidates who have filed, not just those who have picked up packets to file. Included in our coverage will be information on scheduled fundraisers, websites, and Facebook pages. When a candidate sends to Musings a statement as Marlene Katafias did this week, we will include that as well on Friday.

Meet Marlene Katafias

Candidate for Livonia City Council

Candidate provided this statement:

A Vision for Livonia: Building a Stronger, More Connected Community for All Ages

As your city council candidate, I believe that Livonia is a city with incredible potential – especially when we invest in bringing families and generations together in meaningful ways. I envision a Livonia where there are more affordable, year-round opportunities for families to bond, learn, and enjoy time together.

One of my top priorities is to expand our cultural offerings and ensure they appeal to all age groups. We already have some great spots like the Rec Center and Rotary Park, but we can do so much more. How about an outdoor ice skating rink where families can gather in winter, or more local events and spaces that celebrate art, music, and diversity? It’s about creating places where memories are made all year round.

I also believe we need more opportunities for our senior citizens to engage with younger generations. We can all learn so much from one another – whether it's through shared stories, volunteer projects, or community events. We need to ensure that our parks and public spaces offer gathering places where these connections can happen naturally.

Livonia has such a rich history that deserves to be celebrated and shared. Greenmead Historical Park is a treasure that is underappreciated. I want to spotlight this gem, drawing in neighbors from outside our city and creating events that highlight our city's past – like an old-fashioned ice cream social in the perfect setting.

Together, we can:

• Build a community where families laugh, grow, and thrive together.
• Foster intergenerational learning, where our seniors inspire and teach the next generation.
• Celebrate and preserve our history, so we can honor the past while moving forward into the future.

• Foster a thriving community of small businesses that reflect the spirit and creativity of Livonia.
• Revitalize vacant buildings, bringing new life to our streets and making our city more attractive and sustainable.
• Ensure all parts of Livonia are viable, vibrant, and connected – so that every corner of our city has something to offer.

• Ensure that every citizen feels safe and supported, knowing our police and fire departments are fully equipped & staffed.
• Invest in our infrastructure, replacing outdated stations and modernizing others to meet the needs of our community.

Together, we can make Livonia the city of our dreams! With your support, we’ll create safer neighborhoods, a thriving local economy, and vibrant spaces for all ages to connect and grow. This is our moment to take Livonia to new heights—where opportunity, progress, and community come together.

I’m ready to work tirelessly for you, but I need your vote to make it happen! Let’s roll up our sleeves, work together, and build a Livonia that we’re all proud to call home. The future is bright, and it starts with us!

Campaign Facebook Page: Facebook

Personal Facebook Page: Facebook

Campaign Website: None active at this point

Join us for a free exclusive showing of Three (Extra)Ordinary Women, on March 5, 7:00, at the Phoenix Theatre. That night meet Terry Ahwal who climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro.

Terry has recently published a memoir, Keeping The Dream Alive: My Quest For Peace and Justice, that tells her story of growing up as a Palestinian Catholic under Israeli occupation. She was born in Ramallah and lived under Israeli occupation until 1972, when as a teenager, she was sent to Detroit to live with her maternal grandparents who immigrated to the US in 1948.

For more than thirty years Terry held various leadership positions throughout southeast Michigan. She worked for more than fifteen years in the Wayne County (Michigan) government, where she rose to become an assistant county executive. She also worked as the Director of Development at Madonna University and Vice President of Development at the Detroit Medical Center. She has broad experience in comprehensive fund development and has served on more than twenty national and local campaigns.

Terry has extensive volunteer experience in the United States and abroad. She is a former president of Habitat of Humanity in Detroit, and vice president of the YMCA in Livonia. She has authored many Op-Eds for local and national publications and hiked Kilimanjaro in 2021 when she was 64 years old.