Unlocking the Law

Rob Donovic, who spent years on Livonia's city council, breaks down the numbers behind the 2019 closure of the Noble Library.
What does it cost to renovate a 15,000 square foot building? Why did the RFP's own terms ruled out most for profit buyers before anyone even applied? And would it have been a smarter move to tear the library down and put the land back on the tax rolls?
We answer all of these questions plus:→ What Livonia voters gave up when they rejected the bond→ Why commercial buildings age nothing like a house→ A quick tease of the Sandburg boiler situation
Rob, thanks for coming on the show to talk about libraries, budgets, and Livonia politics with me. I appreciate you making the time, brother!
*Chapters*0:00 Welcome back and Rob's background0:42 Military service, real estate, and the family diner1:53 Why local stories hit harder than legal ones4:07 Setting up the Noble Library debate5:21 How Livonia city council terms actually work6:26 Noble Library's history and the 2019 closure7:48 Walking the building and finding the mold8:49 The case for one consolidated library9:42 Could the land just be sold instead10:49 The task force, the RFP, and zero bids11:29 Breaking down the real cost to renovate20:20 The bond Livonia voters rejected21:14 What the city gave up in tax revenue24:01 Why commercial buildings age differently than homes26:09 Teasing the Sandburg boiler situation 
~~~This episode is brought to you by Fausone & Grysko, PLChttps://www.thefgfirm.law/
*Prefer to listen?https://pod.link/1849177096

Jack Gilbreath has been on every side of a courtroom. He became a trial attorney and a judge.
It all started with an invoice: Jack handed a client a bill outside Washtenaw Circuit Court, who looked at him and said he never thought it would cost that much. Even though Jack explained the process,. The client didn't understand. That communication gap is where most legal relationships go sideways.
In this episode of Unlocking The Law, we covered: → Where Gilbreath's Paradigm came from → Why clients hear their attorney and still don't understand what's coming → The jargon that trips people up → What changes when a lawyer becomes a client's counselor → What fairness looks like from the other side of the bench
The clients who do the best in litigation are the ones who understand the deal before they sign it, not the ones who find out halfway through.
Thanks Jack for making the time to sit down and walk through this. This conversation will definitely help others learn more and communicate better about the law.
*Chapters*00:00 Intro01:00 Meet Jack Gilbreath, the judge who started as a social worker05:27 The origin story: an invoice that shocked a client09:07 Why clients stop listening the moment they walk in13:27 Legal jargon, discovery, and the paradigm's two lines20:16 Fairness from the bench and the Auburn Hills trial24:36 Drawing the paradigm for clients in private practice29:40 From attorney to trusted counselor34:08 What judges control, and the 2 percent that go to trial39:06 Bedside manner, jargon, and why the law touches everything 
~~~This episode is brought to you by Fausone & Grysko, PLChttps://www.thefgfirm.law/

Carol Beth Litkouhi is a Rochester Community Schools board trustee who asked a simple question: what are kids actually learning in the new ethnic and gender studies class? After filing an FOIA request, she was told no records existed. She appealed but they stayed silent…
Now she's in the middle of a First Amendment lawsuit.
We got into:→ Why parents were are pulling their kids from Rochester schools→ The FOIA loophole that let a district claim curriculum didn't exist→ What "the board speaks with one voice" costs voters→ How a bylaw about confidential information got used to punish public speech
Carol Beth, thank you for making the time to come on and walk through all of this!
*Chapters*00:00 Introduction01:00 Who Carol Beth Is and What Set This Off05:00 Running for School Board in 202209:20 What the Campaign Was Actually Like12:00 Why Enrollment Was Declining16:00 The Ethnic and Gender Studies Class and the FOIA Fight19:00 Taking It to Court With the Mackinac Center21:30 The Loophole in the Statute32:00 The Academic Freedom Clause and What It Signals35:00 The Tax Proposal and the Censure41:00 What the Board Did Next49:00 The Role of a Trustee and Who They're Accountable To56:00 The First Amendment Lawsuit 
~~~This episode is brought to you by Fausone & Grysko, PLChttps://www.thefgfirm.law/

Linda Ferrante has been recruiting for 28 years. She co-founded RFT Search Group out of Farmington Hills, focused almost entirely on family-owned and privately held businesses. She's been published in the Wall Street Journal. She's appeared on national radio. And two months ago, she replied to a LinkedIn post and accidentally became Spitfire Linda on Reddit.
Things we talked about in this episode:→ Why a candidate asking about salary upfront is actually a sign of business sense→ The hunter vs. farmer distinction and how to hire for the right one→ How AI is being used on both sides of the hiring process, and where it's going wrong→ Why small businesses get sued over documentation they never kept→ What right to work actually means (it has nothing to do with at-will employment)
Thank you Linda For sharing your story and your takes on recruiting!
*Chapters*0:00 - Intro 1:00 - Meet Linda Ferrante and how she got into recruiting 4:00 - The LinkedIn post that started it all 6:00 - Going viral on Reddit as Spitfire Linda 8:00 - Is it wrong for a candidate to ask about comp upfront 14:00 - Hunter vs. farmer: hiring for the right behavior 19:00 - Should job postings include salary ranges 24:00 - How AI is being used in job postings and resumes 36:00 - How Linda uses AI in her own recruiting work 40:00 - Applicant tracking systems and disparate impact risk 44:00 - The commute problem and what the market actually supports 50:00 - Employer documentation mistakes that end up in court 55:00 - What right to work actually means and why people get it wrong 58:00 - Where to find Linda and RFT Search Group 
~~~This episode is brought to you by Fausone & Grysko, PLChttps://www.thefgfirm.law/

Matthew Wilk spent eight and a half years on the Northville School Board. He's a commercial real estate attorney who went on to work in lending.
When House Bill 6088 passed during Michigan's lame duck session and removed Wayne County communities' right to opt out of the regional transit system, Matthew paid attention.
In this episode we covered:→ How Wayne County communities lost their opt-out rights during lame duck session and what that means for the upcoming millage vote→ Matt's argument that the average SMART bus carries fewer than 4 passengers and what he says that means for the case being made for the millage→ Why the ballot language uses the word "replace" and why Matt says that word is legally problematic→ What happened in Oakland County in 2022 when SMART made similar bus line commitments to communities there
Matt, thanks for coming on and walking through all of this in detail.
*Update:* Wayne County Circuit Judge Kathleen McCarthy dismissed the lawsuit on June 1, 2026
https://www.cbsnews.com/detroit/news/wayne-county-public-transportation-millage-on-ballot-lawsuit-dismissed/
*Chapters*0:00 - Introduction: Matt Wilk and the Wayne County Transit Millage1:22 - Matt's Background: School Board, Law, and Local Politics2:41 - The History of Opt-Out Communities in Wayne County4:29 - Livonia's Decision to Leave SMART in 20055:18 - Detroit Is an Opt-Out Community Too6:42 - Lame Duck: How the Opt-Out Right Got Taken Away10:14 - The Wayne County Transit Authority: A Body With Little Public Footprint13:35 - The FOIA Request and the Alleged Missing Meeting20:26 - The March 19th Social Media Post22:08 - Open Meetings Act: What the Law Requires24:43 - The Policy Case Against the Millage25:04 - 3.88 People Per Bus: Breaking Down Wilk's Math29:18 - Density, Detroit, and Wilk's Case Against Fixed Bus Lines32:54 - Where the $57 Million Would Go34:52 - Oakland County 2022: Unfulfilled Bus Line Commitments, Per Wilk43:22 - The Cross-Party Nature of the Opposition54:57 - Inside the Lawsuit: Alleged OMA Violations and Ballot Language Concerns1:03:40 - The Word "Replace" and Why Wilk Says It's Legally Problematic1:15:09 - What Happens Monday at 2:00 PM1:22:10 - Closing and Where to Learn More
~~~This episode is brought to you by Fausone & Grysko, PLChttps://www.thefgfirm.law/

Jim Biga is a lifelong Livonia resident, a retired federal contracting professional, and the president of the Wolverine Dog Training Club. When the city began holding planning sessions around a proposed $150 million bond, Jim started attending and came away with questions.
He says the plan changed at each session, costs were hard to pin down, and he felt his questions weren't getting direct answers. So he and a group of residents started showing up at council meetings and talking to neighbors at coffee shops and grocery stores.
In April, 67% of Livonia voters said no to the bond proposal.
In this episode of Unlocking the Law, we covered:→ Why Jim believes the bond failed and what the "no" vote means for Livonia's future → His concerns about the cost of the proposed police station → How term limits changed Livonia politics in the 90s → What development at the Five Mile and Farmington site could look like → His questions about the SMART transit millage
Jim, thank you for your time and for the detail you brought to this conversation.
*Chapters*0:00 - Introduction & Welcome1:00 - Jim Biga's Background: Growing Up in Livonia5:12 - Career in Federal Contracting and Defense Acquisitions7:11 - Dog Training, the Wolverine Club, and Why It Matters9:00 - Jim's Brother and the Family Connection to Livonia Politics10:09 - Getting Involved: Term Limits in the 1990s18:11 - How the 2025 Bond Campaign Started20:35 - Jim's Experience at the City Planning Sessions24:18 - The Vote: 67% Said No25:57 - The Police Station: Questions About How It Was Presented33:18 - Breaking Down the Police Station Cost39:04 - City Hall: Build New or Renovate?51:18 - The Yellow Shirts Group and What's Next55:18 - Redevelopment Ideas for Livonia1:06:04 - Jim's Questions About the SMART Transit Millage1:13:41 - Closing Thoughts and How to Stay Informed
 
~~~This episode is brought to you by Fausone & Grysko, PLChttps://www.thefgfirm.law/

Most people never ask a lawyer a question until they absolutely have to.
Our team posted in the All Things Livonia Facebook group and asked: "What legal questions are actually on your mind?"
In this special Q&A episode, we covered:→ Why the Sears building is still standing→ Why workers' comp can cut you off mid-treatment→ Medicare vs. Medicaid and what actually pays for assisted living→ When municipalities can claim an undue burden→ Why public opposition to a development isn't a legal reason to deny it→ And so much more!
Thank you so much to the All Things Livonia Facebook group for contributing to this episode of Unlocking The Law!
*Chapters*0:00 - Introduction & Episode Overview1:21 - Livonia Community Q&A Begins2:57 - Elder Law: Medicare vs. Medicaid for Assisted Living5:39 - ADA Compliance and Municipal Obligations9:19 - Workers' Comp: Why Employers Can Stop Paying Benefits13:57 - The Sears Building: Condemnation and Eminent Domain24:38 - Who Owns the Fence Between Properties?27:26 - How Speed Limits Are Set in Michigan30:28 - Why Cities Settle So Many Lawsuits44:43 - Zoning Violations and Selective Enforcement49:42 - Can Cities Stop Corporations from Buying Housing?52:45 - Vacant Properties and Builder Responsibilities55:41 - City Audits and Public Financial Records57:55 - Wrap-Up and Upcoming Episodes
~~~This episode is brought to you by Fausone & Grysko, PLChttps://www.thefgfirm.law/

Dillon England started a podcast on a whim because his wife suggested it.
He had two mismatching microphones and a camera that cut out every 30 minutes. But afterwards, he knew he wanted to be in podcasting for the rest of his life.
Dillon had worked in 100% commissions insurance sales and started a video editing company. 
Both didn't turn out the way he wanted, but it all lead him to discovering what he was destined to build...
In our episode, we covered:→ Why Dillon thinks using "I'm a Christian" as a sales pitch is a red flag→ How faith shapes the way he runs his business day to day→ What agency contracts actually need to protect you→ When AI is good enough for legal questions→ Why the failure you lived through might be the reason you succeed now
Dillon built something real by failing at a lot of things first. But the thing that kept him going was a belief that the work itself was the point and that it wasn't about him.
Dillon, thank you for being the guy behind so much of what makes this podcast work, and for finally sitting in the guest chair. You are open, honest, and authentic - loved every minute of our conversation!
*Chapters*0:00 - Welcome to Unlocking the Law1:12 - Meet Dillon England: Podcast Producer, Entrepreneur, Christian3:38 - Dillon's Business Journey4:12 - $300 the Month He Got Married5:20 - When COVID Hit, Everything Falls Apart5:47 - The One Episode That Changed Everything9:07 - How 313 Media Company Was Born15:04 - Faith Journey: Adopted Into a Christian Home18:26 - Dealing With Doubt and What Helped21:23 - Why Creation Makes More Sense Than Nothing25:34 - The Difference Between an Entrepreneur and a Christian Entrepreneur34:06 - Has Faith Ever Conflicted With Business?40:41 - Everyone's Mad All the Time: Social Media and Real Conversation42:53 - Legal Issues in the Podcasting World54:33 - What Startups Should Do When They Can't Afford a Lawyer58:11 - AI as a Legal Resource: How Far Can You Take It?1:01:15 - Wrap-Up and Where to Find Dillon
~~~This episode is brought to you by Fausone & Grysko, PLChttps://www.thefgfirm.law/

Tyler Vines has been on the Livonia Police Department for nearly 14 years. He's been in patrol the whole time. Two months ago, he became president of the Livonia Police Officers Association.
He walked into that role and straight into a crisis.
Twenty-nine officers left the department in 2025. They hired five. The station they work out of is a patchwork of two buildings from the 1960s bolted together with a section added 40 years later. HVAC systems that require a call to DPW to adjust. Boilers breaking down with no parts available. A urinal pipe that leaked into the wall for weeks before anyone found it. The city is spending up to $400,000 a year just to keep the place standing. 
And in August, residents will vote on a millage renewal that funds officer wages, benefits, training, and equipment for the entire public safety department, police and fire alike.
We covered:- What the millage actually funds and why the police station construction is a separate issue- How understaffing creates a feedback loop that drives more officers out- Why renovation isn't feasible and what a new building would actually require- What the union's priorities are heading into contract negotiations
Livonia has a reputation for being one of the best departments in the state. The people there are good at their job. They show up. The question is whether the city is going to give them the tools to keep doing it.
Tyler, thank you for coming in to record. This is exactly the kind of conversation Livonia residents need to hear before August.
*Chapters*0:00 - Welcome to Unlocking the Law1:22 - Tyler Vines Introduction and Career Background2:07 - The Grappling Hook Device: Livonia's New Pursuit Tech4:19 - Police Chases, Liability, and Why Departments Are Pulling Back6:09 - The Union's Priorities: Millage, Contract, and the New Station7:08 - What the Millage Actually Funds (And Why Fire Is in the Conversation)10:58 - Inside the Failing Building: What Officers Are Actually Working In14:05 - Why Renovation Isn't Feasible16:21 - Operating Under Construction: What It Actually Looks Like18:44 - The Staffing Crisis: 77 Officers for a Department Budgeted for 10722:20 - What Understaffing Actually Does to the Officers Who Stay24:23 - Why Livonia Still Has a Reputation as One of the Best Departments
Watch the Livonia PD Grappler Deployment here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMFXpTfy3zc
~~~This episode is brought to you by Fausone & Grysko, PLChttps://www.thefgfirm.law/

Brandon McCullough has built his political reputation on saying exactly what he thinks.
Sometimes, he told me, that's gotten him in trouble.
When the millage proposal was shot down in August, Brandon was in the middle of it, putting his strong opinions out online. When the dust settled, he had to sit with the reality that the city he grew up in still needed a new police station and a community that no longer fully trusted the people trying to build it.
Through that process, Brandon learned the hard way that humility in a leadership role goes further than being right.
In our episode we cover:→ What it cost to build the Northville Township essential services complex→ Why the process of the Livonia police station debate mattered as much as its outcome→ What's at stake if the operating millage doesn't pass→ The state housing affordability bills and why local leaders are pushing back hard→ How to actually move development east and what's stalling Livonia's corridors
Brandon, thank you for your honesty and for your genuine care for this city.
*Chapters*0:00 - Introduction: Brandon McCullough and the Unlocking the Law Podcast1:46 - Brandon's Career Background: Public, Private, and Nonprofit2:08 - Northville Township's New Essential Services Complex6:19 - How the Project Was Funded: Brownfield Money and Debt Service7:04 - Livonia Police Station: What's Actually on the Table9:24 - The Failed Millage and the New Council's Approach12:31 - The Operating Millage: Why It Has to Pass21:02 - Brandon's History Advocating for the Police Department27:07 - Politics, Compromise, and the 24-Hour Rule28:01 - Rotary Park Pavilion: A Win Nobody Wants to Admit31:18 - State Housing Affordability Bills: Keep It Local36:08 - The Real Housing Problem in Livonia: Senior Residents and Uncapped Taxes41:13 - Infrastructure Capacity and Why Zoning Bills Miss the Point47:58 - The Meijer Development: A Case Study in Getting It Right53:42 - Pushing Development East on Plymouth Road56:28 - Closing Thoughts and Where to Find Brandon
~~~This episode is brought to you by Fausone & Grysko, PLChttps://www.thefgfirm.law/