Nestled in the southwest corner of Oakland County is one of Michigan’s most internationally diverse cities. The City of Novi is home to nearly 60,000 residents from all over the world, and boasts thousands of vibrant businesses that span the globe.
It’s no secret that Novi is open and inclusive, showcasing our pride every year by celebrating India Day, the Festival of Chariots, and the Japan Festival. Multiple languages are spoken in our schools, and our Novi Public Library offers robust international language resources ranging from story times to learning groups.
Businesses, too, have latched on to that true sense of community, investing more than $110 million in new research and development headquarter facilities in 2016 alone. Household names like Harman, Toyota Boshoku, Magna and even Google – which recently chose Novi for its autonomous vehicle development facility – call Novi home.
MONEY Magazine recognized the city’s momentum when it put out its “50 Best Places to Live in 2016” list. Novi was on it because of its rich diversity and community engagement.
Community is everything in Novi and that is highlighted in many ways. The Novi Police Department takes a great deal of pride in “community policing,” viewing every contact with a resident, visitor, or business owner as a way to build public trust. Novi is one of Michigan’s safest cities, supported by dedicated community volunteers. Crime was down 14 percent from 2015 to 2016, and in July 2017, the Novi Police Department expects to receive national accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies. This will put them in the top 1 percent of Michigan’s 585 law enforcement agencies, and the top 5 percent nationally.
The Novi Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Department was accredited in late 2016 by the Commission for Accreditation of Parks and Recreation Agencies. Novi Parks is just one of four accredited agencies in Michigan and one of 155 nationwide. Our growing parks feature something for everyone, from sports fields and trails to beaches and quiet places of respite. Pavilion Shore Park, which was once home to the Walled Lake Casino and Amusement Park, now features a new shelter and restroom created in the likeness of casino halls from the 1920s. And starting in 2017, a new building will be constructed at Lakeshore Park to enhance programming opportunities and better serve residents. A mountain bike trail through the woods draws enthusiasts from throughout southeast Michigan, and 260 miles of pathways and sidewalks (and growing) connects people to various parts of the city.
We have been careful stewards of our finances over the years, maintaining quality services and operations. On top of receiving a AAA bond rating from Standard and Poor’s, the highest issuer governmental credit rating they assign, Novi also has dropped its overall debt outstanding to the lowest level in more than 20 years, reduced our millage to the lowest rate in more than 20 years – one of the lowest in Oakland County – and we are fully funding our OPEB liability.
We can hardly wait until 2019 to celebrate our 50th anniversary, and look forward to seeing this vibrant, energized, and engaged community grow even more.