call the meeting to order this assignment Park City Council in person virtual and regular meeting for Monday, April 17 2023. As part of our opening ceremonies, I would last I'd like to ask the people in the gallery to refrain from outbursts.
You don't have any self control please at least have a little self respect
Madam Clerk, would you please call the roll?
Council President comments here phosphoprotein Robinson Yeah, Councilman Anika year pass on the Martin care, Councilman, a Sharpie here.
Next item please.
Approval of agenda.
I'm all to approve the agenda for Monday, April 17 2023.
Do we have any walk on this Martin?
Yes. I wanted to walk on the I want to walk on the resolution ordinance for the Highland Park established regulate marijuana facilities and adult facilities which were adopted October 5 2020. As amended to regulate the establishment of medical and adult use facilities
support this more. Let me make sure I'm hearing you correctly. You're walking on an amendment for an ordinance Correct? Are you aware that for ordinances we need to have a first reading a second reading I have a review by the legal team.
Yeah, I wanted to make a motion for first reading.
You do more dilatory motion now.
We can't We can't walk that on. We don't have any review by the legal team.
Okay, I did email it to Mr. Clark.
I understand but man we can't we can't walk on amending an ordinance without the proper procedure.
This barn my suggestion would be to send that ordinance to the legal department for review and then set it for workshop so that we can have the citizens participate. And then once it's approved and we're okay with it, then we can submit it for a reading posted on the website with citizens participation and input. And then we can have a clerk first reading on it. Okay.
Councilmember Shafi.
You know, you know technically what she just did is actually the proper procedure. But, but if she's willing to move it to a workshop to simply just to get the process started. I don't see any harm in it. Honestly speaking.
There's also a procedure for submitting items for prospective workshop. Have you followed that procedure now?
Actually, they
have and in fact, sorry, sir. The question was some as Martin have you follow that procedure?
Yeah, I emailed it. First. I emailed it to John Clark, for review, and then I also made copies to have it on the agenda for this meeting also. When I submitted to the clerk's office, I was told to make 12 copies so it can go to all departments.
So So, what are you asking here? The gentleman representing third district you will make an a comment.
Yeah, I was I was simply saying, council president that she has followed the proper procedures. And she has done so. a week in advance. I don't see the harm and getting the process started. I understand that there are some legal matters, but I'm pretty sure that we can get this process started and get it into the workshop and make sure that the public has an opportunity to participate this time around something in which they didn't do something in which they didn't get an opportunity to do the last time
to both of you speaking Are you aware that there is a legal matter that prohibits any amendments to that ordinance? At present?
I have read that legal matter counsel present and it doesn't prohibit it simply says that we must start taking applications by April 20. That is the court order does it prohibit us from adjusting that this particular ordinance? You know, we're not getting rid of it. We're actually just adjusting it and amending it so it's fair across the board. So to every resident and everybody that's coming into the city can properly and fairly participate in an orderly manner.
We asked me.
Miss Martin Mr. Shafi, after referring with the city attorney that matter needs to go to the legal department first. It's not an action that we can take at this point.
Okay, counselor program.
court order that you are referring to can you explain it to me and when the date that we actually became aware of it,
okay. Right now, is whether or not this item is gonna be walked on. We have other pressing matters. So we could talk about that. But right now it's whether or not it's gonna be walked on. The legal department is suggesting that it not be walked on, because that's what happened with the prior marijuana ordinance that the citizens did not have input. And that's why we find ourselves in legal Jeopardy. So to block that I understand counsels concerns in terms of wanting to, you know, amend some things to have it become more to compliance. We had those we had some concerns as well. However, Judge Hubbard had said that we have to get those applications out. If you want to discuss it and have the legal department to review those proposed changes, then that's fine. Let's do it that way. Let's go about it the proper way this time in terms of going into legal, let us take a look at the ordinance the proposed changes, and that doesn't happen overnight. Would you say I've said that a week ago because we have to, you know take into account what may be happening in other jurisdictions. You know, how the language how the locations change, whether or not some of the people who were involved in a lawsuit are actually impacted by the changes that you suggested. So we have to take a look at it so that we don't get sued again. So I know that time is of the essence. And I know that you wanted to have something done prior to the applications actually going out. But we're under some time constraints as relates to the order from Judge hover. We have to get those applications out. We've got an extension. Mr. Clark's office has got an extension I'm not sure a day of May, mid May. And we're going to stay in line with that so that we don't find ourselves having to go back before the judge in violation. And then you know, let's do ordinances the proper way. And amendments the proper way that us and them to workshop let us send it to legal send it to workshop or want to send it to a workshop, then send it to legal. Let us take a look at it and see what we have. And then we can discuss it at a workshop. One or two. You know, it's not something that you can do overnight because a lot of changes were proposed. They brought four sections that a lot of changes have been proposed.
So my next step would be to email you the ordinance the changes a minute ordinance.
I have the changes. We need time to review those times.
We make sure that we bring the the council's attention back to the approval of the agenda. We're looking for. Additional walk ons, ma'am. Madam photo, please.
Yes, we have our hands raised. Yes, ma'am. I know. I see you both. Madam President.
I just want the city to know that we follow proper procedure. April the 10th we were not made aware of a lawsuit until April 13. Had we known in February 15. We may have filed an appeal. But we know anything about it.
Ma'am. Could you clarify when you say we you're referring to who City Council city I'm not aware of this council. Woman. So when you say we you're talking about yourself, myself,
and city council woman. Okay.
Yes. Mr. Shafi, you want to be recognized?
Oh yes. I would like to come in on that as well. I did not find about the order from the court until a couple of days ago myself. And by that time, this matter had already been submitted to the city for consideration now. Now I am more than willing to have a legal look at it. But at the same time, I think we need to move forward and at least move this to a public hearing so that we can start to hear the opinions of what the residents on in the city of Highland Park and where they would like these facilities to be as opposed to having them scattered all over the city.
Well, before you have a public hearing on the ordinance wanted to get an opinion from the legal department as to whether or not it's something that should be presented to a public body. There may be some suggestions in there that don't comply with the law. We don't necessarily know that. We're certainly working on other matters.
Is there an ideal timeframe to that number? Or is it more like as as quickly as we can?
I don't want to set a timeframe. But we don't operate in terms of approving things overnight. They take time and I understand that you're trying to meet these timeframes. I don't know Mr. Clark, because of how long I think that we need. We are running out on Saturday. It's not going to be overnight. Within a week we can get something back to you.
Okay, as it relates to the agenda. Do we have any other walk ons? Councilwoman Monica.
I like to approve, walk on four to the agenda for resolution recommending that Highland Park proceed under Chapter nine pursuant to MCL 141 dash or that 1965 23 of public act 436 of 2012.
We have a motion on the floor for a walk on to the agenda this resolution which is significant. is recommending that the city of Highland Park proceed into chapter nine. We have a second sheriff was the second.
Sort of resolution related to the financial scene security of the city is of a lower priority than the aforementioned ordinance. Okay Madam Madam Clerk we have a motion on the floor. To add the resolution recommended at the city of Highland Park proceed in chapter nine pursuant MCL 141 point 15665 section 2436
So you might as you say you can
we have a motion from Councilwoman Monica
and a second from the chair.
recommending that we walk on the resolution recommending that Highland Park proceed into chapter nine pursuant to Michigan to MCL 141 point 1565 section 23 of public act 436 of 2012. Could you call it a row please
ask the president yes as a pro Tim Robinson no as a woman Nanika Yes, Councilwoman Martin No. Shot
I'm sorry, was that a yay or nay?
One second.
We're just adding this to the agenda. You're handing it to the gym.
It needs to be discussed. I'm gonna vote Yes.
Motion carries. Deputy Clerk Could you put this as it
got to be this item will go as item five and then remove everything else down in sequence.
Correct. Without support from the chair Yes. Agenda
would disappear on the agenda
here is item five.
Gentlemen
that'd be five A Oh by the
by.
It's going to be five and the other items will drop them 56789
Okay
this is gonna go before the first section of citizens participation
is going to go before Citizens participation. So now the item on the floor right now is the approval of the amended agenda
Lords open the Council to approve.
Motion to approve the currently amended agenda
the amend the agenda has been amended now we are at item three the approval of the agenda
I move that we approve the amended agenda for Monday, April 17 2023.
Have a motion on the floor on the floor to approve the amended agenda. Made by Councilwoman Monica, do we have support?
The chair offers support.
Madam Clerk, would you please call the roll on the amended agenda.
Council President Thomas Yes. Tim Robinson No. hassleholm Manika Yes, Councilwoman Martin.
Yes. azmin.
Yes, motion carries four to one.
Next item please,
Ma'am, may or may Donald may speak to council. Sorry.
That item number for approval were proposed.
Propose minutes in person and virtual regular meeting April 3 2023.
Council how should we proceed on this item
this is item for approval of the minutes
item number for
this man
the minutes for April 10. They weren't in the packet.
The minutes that are on in our packet right now for April 3 by those of you setting them up for the special meeting? Yeah. Those minutes have not been submitted. for approval yet. Closed Session. legal matter.
Okay, so even though it was open when we came back, those minutes don't have to be in the backend.
They're just not they will probably be at the next week.
Okay, got it. Okay. So I want to make I want to make a motion to the approval of proposed minutes in person and virtual regular meeting April 3 2023.
We have a motion on the floor support supported by Councilman Shafi. No questions. Madam Clerk? Would you please call the roll on this item?
Council President Thomas? Yes, Council. Tim Robinson. Yes, Councilwoman Monica? Yes, Councilwoman Martin. Yes.
Yes, motion carries.
At this at this point, we're going to turn the floor over to our mayor Sheila she may address Council and our citizens
just stand here on my bed
I can turn the podium for me. Thanks, sir.
First of all, good evening to the citizens of Highland Park.
honorable body. Good evening. I'm here today to talk about what you all are here. today. I'm going to skip over the preliminaries of what we got going on as far as in the city, and I'm just going to get straight to it. As you know, the history of this has started way back in doing emergency management. And it has continued on up to today. This is not something that started yesterday. This is not something that started last year. Last time. It started back in emergency management. First of all, I want to talk about what has happened with the Court of Appeals. We applied to the Court of Appeals. We had that well believe were applied to the court of appeals to have our decision which was made overturned we had won the case and they brought in all their lawyers their money and the judge overturned that decision. So moving forward, we filed to be heard in the Supreme Court, and the Supreme Court did not hear our case. So that's why we're here today. Gleevec recently, just appeal to a court hearing. Right after we sent a letter to the governor asking him for a consent agreement. On April 6, they the court will be held the case will be held on April 20. You see where I'm going with this? They've tried to jump over and us in our decisions of trying to get the governor to help. gleyber is asked him to be able to turn off the water. This isn't the case turn off the water and put a levy on our properties. This is not the first time they've done that. They've tried to turn off the water three times over the years since they've been in and over our water. Today we are asking this honorable body to approve approve a resolution asking the governor to expedite her decision and allow us to go into chapter nine mainly because if we do not the citizens houses and will be levied and I water can possibly be shut off. If we are allowed to do chapter nine. We can wipe out our debts, get a clean start and everything will be okay for the citizens of Highland Park. I am calling on the governor right now to expedite this decision after i City Council approve the resolution if it's there we'll glue has been collecting money from their other customers for a very long time. And they didn't know anything about it. They didn't know that they were paying extra for Highland Park until recently. Now they want us to pay again. They've already collected and right now that means they're going to collect twice. That is something that doesn't sound good. I won't say it sounds illegal because I'm not illegal mine. But it doesn't sound like something that should happen. So I am here to say we will not allow this the citizens houses to be lost to a levy. We will not allow our water to be shut off which is inhumane. We have no other water to turn on. Flint had their own water to go back to they shut us down. We can't go back to our own water. So it is inhumane to turn off water to citizens without an alternative. So I'm just here to ask the council to please consider this resolution so that we can move forward and move this city forward without the citizens suffering thank you that's all I have to say.
So ahead of citizens participation we're moving to the walk on item, the item four if you wouldn't mind. Madam Clerk. I'll go ahead and read this resolution to the public. me start off by saying this time last year
Can you hear me? Yes. Okay. Yes, ma'am. Madam pro tem.
The citizens just speak ma'am. Yes, with all
due respect.
Think this is the highest priority item that we've had on our agenda this year. It's been less than 120 days and they dropped this bomb on five novice council people. None of us are lawyers. There's no one myself included who has the extensive experience to manage this item. I think we should get this out of the way first,
and I work for the city and the citizens of the city.
Yes, ma'am. Speaking of the citizens of the city for our last meeting, there was some frustrated people who were not able to go into closed session. They had the resolution read to them. I said before we went into the closed session to look up public act 436 Everyone in this room has a smartphone. I don't know how many people took me up on that offer. Before I read this resolution, please use those devices in your pocket to pull up with Chapter Nine is that happened in the city of Detroit 10 years ago. It's the reason why downtown looks the way that it does. Its financial restructuring. So if you haven't looked at what what chapter nine is, with this walk one item please allow yourself an opportunity to look up chapter nine. Let me read this resolution to you. It's three pages. Try and read it slow. There'll be an opportunity to discuss this. Once you have it. During citizens participation. That's the appropriate way to do this. We'll give you some information. Then you'll be informed and then you can talk about it. As opposed to having you speak before you actually hear what's in a resolution and the resolution goes as follows. This is the resolution recommending that Highland Park proceed into chapter nine pursuant to MCL 141 point 156 by section 23 of public act 436 of 2012 whereas Governor Snyder declared a financial emergency in April of 2014 which resulted in the election of the neutral evaluation process under PA is public act 436 of 2012 section 23. That's MCL 141156 by 23. And whereas Highland Park completed obligations outlined in the final report from the neutral evaluator dated September 6 2014 and will read it again whereas Highland Park completed obligations outlined in a final report from the neutral evaluator dated September 6 2014. appointed under Act 436 MCL 141 point 1565 and reimbursement obligations under a remarketing agreement with Fifth Third Bank and other obligations outlined under the emergency loan agreement dated September 26 2014. Except for claims by Detroit and Detroit water and sewage department which is now gleyber Which resulted in an unclouded Neutral Evaluation Process. Whereas on April 4 2023, the Michigan supreme court denied the city of Highland Park's application to appeal the Court of Appeals, August 18 2022 unpublished opinion which overrule the trial court's February 26 2021 ruling which vacated and April 30 2015 partial summary judgment whereas Highland Park collects only about $9.6 million per year in property taxes, which is his major source of income and also includes the millage to pay pension benefits to retired employees and brass. Glee was about intent to spread this previously vacated 2015 judgment of between $19,839,658.20 $4,488,023 on the tax row creates an emergency situation by increasing property taxes of the taxpayers by a factor of three times. Which will make property taxes on collectible and eliminate the major source of income to cover costs of health. safety and welfare of the city. The pension benefits of the retirees and the costs paid for property taxes by schools and other state county and regional prop property tax recipient and whereas the Michigan supreme court order that reinstates a partial summary judgment that was vacated by the circuit court on February 26 2021, means that Highland Park has reached the last step and attempting to resolve Detroit slash Glee was claimed under the neutral evaluation process which invokes the policy of public act 436 of 2012 section 23 which reads irrelevant parts as follows. If the neutral evaluation process does not resolve all pending disputes with the local government, and the interested parties, or if subsection 22 B, C, or D applies, the governing body of the local government shall adopt a resolution recommending that the local government proceed under Chapter nine and submit resolution to the governor and the state treasurer, except as otherwise provided in this subsection. If the local government has a strong mayor. The resolution requires strong mayor approval before the local government proceeds under chapter nine. The resolution shall include a statement determining that the financial condition of the local government jeopardizes the health, safety and welfare of the residents who reside within the local government or service area of the local government, absent the protection of chapter nine if the governor approves the resolution for the local government to proceed under chapter nine, the governor shall inform the local government in writing of the decision. The governor may place contingencies on a local government in order to proceed under Chapter nine including, but not limited to, appointing a person to act exclusively on behalf of the local government in the chapter nine bankruptcy proceedings. If the governing body of the local government fails to adopt a resolution within seven days after the neutral Neutral Evaluation Process is concluded as provided in this subsection. The governor may appoint a person to act exclusively on behalf of the local government in chapter nine bankruptcy proceedings. If the governor does not appoint a person to act exclusively, on behalf of the local government chapter nine bankruptcy proceedings. The Chief Administrative Officer of the local government shall act exclusively on behalf of the local government in chapter nine bankruptcy proceedings upon receiving written approval from the local governor under Section 26. The local government may file a petition under Chapter nine and exercise power under federal bankruptcy law. That's your attention and whereas on April 6 2023, Glee will filed its motion to put on the tax rolls under its name, a judgment issued on July 31 2014, to the city of Detroit for a total of $24,488,023. And whereas glioma has forced Highland Park back into court this Thursday, April 20 2023. When this motion because it wants to dis continue water service and put the tax levy on the city's tax rolls.
Whereas this motion to increase Highland parks, property owners taxes by $24 million in change 24 million foreign $88,023 will be heard in the Wayne County courtroom of honorable Judge Edward J. Joseph, on Thursday, April 20 2023. And whereas glioma has just sent a letter demanding $2.7 million for a 90 day stay, I have a new case, case number 20011589. And the Honorable Judge a net j berries chord is exhibits one and P one. condition upon Highland parks dropping his motion to stay away to stay any turn off of probable water and dropping Highland Park's motion to stay the imposition. Of the tax levy, thereby giving Gleevec a second opportunity to turn off Island parks drinking water as they threatened in 2015 now therefore, it be resolved that the Highland Park City Council hereby resolves as provided in MCL 1411565 section 23 of the Act to proceed under Chapter nine subject to the approval of the mayor as the only way to preserve the health, safety and welfare of the city of Highland Park and the pension benefits millage for the retirees of the city of Highland Park and be it further resolved. That as provided in the last sentence of MCL 151411565 23 Highland Park request that no later than Thursday, April 2023 2220 23 Are the moment the circuit court indicates that it is likely to rule for Gleave on this motion to execute the $24,488,023 tax levy that the governor provide written approval under Act 436 section 26 authorizing Highland Park to file a petition under Chapter nine as the only a parent's solution to this urgent and potentially catastrophic financial humanitarian crisis. Be finally resolved that this resolution be submitted to the governor and the treasurer by email and certified mail as soon as it is passed and certified so that it can be given due consideration before Thursday, April 20 2023. Hearing on assessing a $24 million dollar for an $88,023 judgment as property taxes against the city of Highland Park.
Having heard the resolution the floor is open to counsel once we have a motion we can discuss
I have questions.
You have to act on the resolution and then we can get our questions answered.
I'm sorry, I didn't hear you.
We have to act on the resolution. A motion to approve and then the floor is open for us to entertain our questions. Councilwoman MONICA
I move that we approve the resolution to sorry resolution recommending that Highland Park proceed under Chapter nine pursuant to MCL 140 1.1565 23 of public act for 36 of 2012.
We have a motion on the floor from Councilman Monica to adopt this resolution do we have supporting support questions? We have support from Councilman Shafi with questions. The floor is open for questions Mr. Shafi, if you would, okay. So, but Sir, before you begin, make sure we know I know who you're addressing your question to will it be to the lawyers? Will it be to the mayor, if you will be so kind
to the lawyers thing, sir. Okay, please. First question I have is I do remember you guys talking to us, and I asked what would be the absolute worst outcome for this particular action. And I'm looking at this resolution here. And it says again, I quote it it says the governor may place contingencies on a local government seat under chapter nine, including but not to act exclusively on behalf of the local government and the failure I'm sorry, in in chapter nine bankruptcy proceedings. If the governing body of the local government fails to adopt a resolution within seven days after the Neutral Evaluation Process is concluded, as provided in this subsection. So, you know, you know we've already been down the road of emergency manager. So many times I don't even care to count Okay, after I've I I don't think that's an option for the city. What my concern is, again, I asked the same question, how bad can this actually get what are we looking to give up? Because I know they want something in return for this bankruptcy, okay, I know they're just not gonna let us just walk on through it with no contingencies with no restrictions with no well you got to give us this. You got to give us that. It's got to be something that they want. My concern is what is that going to look like? What is that going to be? Yeah.
You will, man introducing yourself, counselor, please.
Yes, thank you, Councilman. Ma'am, Jeffrey Thompson. I represent the city in connection with the lawsuit involving Great Lakes Water Authority. I understand your your question to be directed towards a little bit different contexts which is outside the scope of my representation of the city. So I'm not prepared to comment on that. Okay,
so say they put a condition for bankruptcy say they want I want an apartment and I paint isn't on the table
that's outside the scope of my representation city. I'm not prepared to answer that question.
Councilman Good evening, members of council, Mayor John Clark city attorney. At this point, we have no idea what what conditions if any would be placed on the bankruptcy that would really ultimately be because any any petition for bankruptcy would have to be approved by the bankruptcy courts. So those kinds of conditions if they do arise would have to be discussed, briefed, argued and approved by the bankruptcy court.
Okay. All right. So um, I got a quick question for the mayor if she has a moment to answer it.
Yes, sir, good evening. I'm fine.
Okay, so um, my question is simple. The residents pay over 90% of the residents in Highland Park, pay their water bills, correct. The water is paid. Well, we're falling short against the businesses who are not paying. Is that correct? That's correct. Okay. So I am extremely uncomfortable with the idea of this levy being placed on the Highland Park residence. Okay. I would be more inclined and more acceptable. If this debt was placed on the city and not on the residence. I can see a bankruptcy going down that way. Is that an option for us?
He said you would be more inclined for it to be placed on the city. Right. Are you talking about the businesses? The city the city does not have funds. The city is the residents if we don't collect taxes, we have no funds.
Okay, so now that that's not how I'm understanding, okay.
So at this level, you understand okay, that's clear that Okay,
so a clear understanding if this levy is placed say that this levy is placed, we're talking about the residents looking at at least about $8,000 per household, this year, this tax year, and they don't want that broken up into sections. They want it all this year. So everybody in this room is going to have to pay that. Okay. But the property owner, only the property owner, okay? No, okay. Does that include the businesses as well? Yes. Okay, everybody. Okay. So would that be something that would be spread out across everybody evenly? or would there be a different percentage for for businesses that are more profitable in the
city? It's based on the assessment of the property as well as the business on his business owners always paid more taxes based on their properties, business, but I will say that, in my opinion, the businesses will pay more than the citizens. Okay, yeah, based on the value of the prop desperate assessment of the property.
Is there a percentage today at 40?
We don't have that as of yet. At 20. I mean, well, I can't, I can't say what the percentage is because I'm not in court. We won't know what the the Gleevec is asking for until the judge has granted them what they want and then they will send it let's let me just say this glue is unregulated. Okay, on record they have no body watching them. They have nobody regulating how much they can add or not add. So we don't foul to wipe out our debts. They can levy whatever they think they want to up to the amount that we owe without regulations. And so and the court orders that that's what the city and the citizens will have to pay the citizens are the city. So if we do not have the monies to pay them, then they can levy your property. So at this point, the big what I'm asking is that we don't take that chance with the citizens homes. We don't include yours, clewd mine and anyone that pay tax, if you're not paying taxes, your owner will be levied. But my thing again is you do not want to risk the value of these citizens having to pay that if we have an opportunity to wipe that out. Now I'm not in court, that's for them. But I'm quite sure they're gonna go in and give it everything they got to make sure we've been battling this now for almost 15 years since Emergency Management happened. Like I said, it didn't start with previous mayor's there has been things going down the line that happened a water plant, shut down all of that kind of stuff, but it didn't start with the mayors that was there in the last 10 years. It started with our emergency management and so what we are trying to avoid and we have had emergency management so we have an option now to choose bankruptcy and when it when they say that they can appoint someone for our finances, over our finances to make sure that we get through this it does doesn't necessarily mean it's an emergency manager. It could be Miss square who has been over our finances since this all started with Neutral Evaluation and the plant and the the process of having her come here before so we don't know who they will appoint. But we know we've been in emergency management already. And those options have been exhausted. So we're asking the governor to just give us a reprieve from these debts so that the citizens can be made whole so that the citizens can move on and not have to have this hanging over their heads. Every 1020 days is something different every three years. Gleevec can come back and say well now we want this. There's another
suit
looming and that suit is even more. So once we get through with this one. They can levy that one too. So the best way to do take care of this is to get rid of our debt so that they cannot levy anything else on us. If the bankruptcy court agrees. Okay, next question. I'm sorry. I'm emotional because this has been going on and we need to make a cut bring this to an end so that citizens can move on so that the city can move on. Our city is ready to be rebuilt. And the only way we're going to do that is to get rid of this Glee with that and keep moving.
Oh, wait question for the attorneys. If you could, could you take the audience to what that process our bankruptcy would look like? Exactly.
I'll do my best. I'm typically a labor lawyer but for my understanding of bankruptcy a petition is filed with the bankruptcy court downtown. Once the petition is accepted by the bankruptcy court, that puts a stay on all litigation, not just the global litigation, any other city litigation or efforts to collect debts. At that point, then the process at that point the city would retain a bankruptcy attorney who would guide the city through the bankruptcy process. Ultimately, the goal would be that the bankruptcy court would accept the petition would accept the relief requested which would be the expungement of all city debt. At this point. Really the only city that we have is this judgment as has been indicated through the work of the administration in the square, who's done a fabulous job over the last seven, eight years. The city is in great financial shape. Okay, this is the only thing out there that we that we have to deal with. And so by by approving the resolution and the governor signing off, we filed the petition. Everything is stayed and it gives us time to hopefully work this out.
All right. I yield back to council president.
Thank you. So we have additional questions. Councilman Martin, please.
My first question would be, you're saying that the judge overturned the decision and the Supreme Court when we asking for consent for agreement Correct? Or no,
no. I said the judge in they overturned the decision that we had in in 2015, where we won our case and then the appellate court they went to Appellate Court to overturn that decision. And they did. So we asked the Supreme Court to hear our case again, and they decided they would not.
Okay, and so in the special meeting that we had, we weren't asking for bankruptcy at that time. Correct.
No. This is reason we didn't at that time. It's because we didn't know that Glee was going to move forward. Quickly, to turn your water off. Or to put that on on the tax. Well, yeah, we asked for a stay.
Yeah, but that was that was discussed. Before that. We will we'll turn off the water.
No, we didn't know that. We didn't have we didn't have that and when they came and got one their decision that was not discussed. What we asked the governor to do was to look at our our situation and help us get rid of this death. And that's why we thought we had the time for that because there's a process for the governor to review. And whilst she was reviewing, viewing or reviewing, Glee, were decided they're going to court and get a dessert case to shut off our water and to put this on the tax row. So now we have to come back in order to stop them and to move forward. The best thing we can do is now ask for bankruptcy that stays everything and it also gives us a chance to look at everything for the governor to look at everything to make the decisions. We have to do this because we have to stop Gleevec and we're asking the state to do this correct. We're asking this governor to allow us to go into bankruptcy chapter nine.
Now, is there a chance that she will say no,
she could say no, but I think we have the opportunity to move forward. Am I correct? If we don't know. Okay. So if she says no, the court he says that she would not we would not be able to move forward.
Okay. And then in that event that that happens, that's when emergency manager comes in.
You know, that's when they shut off our water. Okay, so she says
no one a bankruptcy. We get the water shut off. Yes.
It will close down. That will close our city down. We cannot operate a city without water. We cannot operate a city period because citizens have to be healthy. They have to be hauled. If we do not move forward with this. You are putting the citizens health, wealth in danger. Now if the governor decides no then she's doing it and need to be held accountable.
We have additional questions. Councilman Shafi.
Real quick, Madam Mayor, I'm looking at I'm looking at our agreement here with the Liwa. And why are they refusing honors?
Because they're unregulated and don't have to then the government government is not regulating Gleevec. Gleevec has no just like DTE has a a board that regulates whether they can raise rates or whatever galleywood does not have anyone governing them and allowing them stopping them from doing the things that they do. They are on unregulated regulating vouchers crazy. Yeah, it's very it's very crazy. I don't understand it. Why the state or anyone has not stepped in to regulate this, this organization. But it has not happened as of yet.
Smarter go back. Isn't there an ordinance that says that any utility company that we use that they have to go by a certain regulation
Liwa is unregulated. We didn't ask wiggly wiggly what was put on us?
Under Robert's Rules, each member of city council has the opportunity to raise a question at least twice for up to 10 minutes. We've had questions from councilmember Shafi we have questions from Ms. Martin. Councillor proto Miss Monica, do you have questions before we move on this action? They have no questions. Counselor pro town. No. The issue that's on the floor is the approval of the resolution recommending that the Highland Park that Highland Park assign pursuant MCL 1411565 23. Madam Mayor,
just want to say one more thing. Just one more thing. And this is I might not be off balance. But if you're here for the citizens and you don't want the citizens to have to deal with this, if possible, then I'm asking you to please consider this resolution because if not on the 20th when Lee will goes into court and they get an order that they can shut off the water or put the levy on which your taxes come out July one you might think about it later.
Clerk Would you please?
A Council President I think it's imperative based on the on the importance of this situation. The fact that the last meeting there were some concerns by the residents that they didn't have a chance to make comment. It would be my recommendation as chief legal counsel that the citizens be afforded an opportunity to speak to counsel before there's
the we're going to do this two minutes by show of hands five if you would.
Mr. Bates, if you will, please.
Thank you, Council President. Good evening, honorable body, citizens guests. My name is Ken Bates. I'm for former city council district two. This is an impaired matter. We're asking you to counsel and you have my sympathy to vote on a matter that you probably have very little information to make a decision on chapter nine bankruptcy. But you spent about two years as a lawyer training for that and we're asking you to really kind of understand this overnight. That's a difficult challenge. Highland Park is not going to receive any windfall donation of $10 billion. No benefactor is going to come in on a shiny white horse. Nobody's going to pay the debt for Highland Park. We're going to be stuck with it. Those of us that own property. That's important. Now there are a lot of property owners in here and there are some that do not own property. Those of us that do but like to keep our homes and avoid having a levy placed upon it. 6007 8000 the problem is the number the number keeps moving. It goes from seven to eight to nine to 10 to 20 to 25. Now the last figure I heard was 54. And that doesn't stop another community from saying we want our money to we will have the part to pay us back the money we think that they owe us. So this could go on indefinitely unless you put a stop to it. In order to do that you're going to have to choose have to die. Now I understand. There's no easy way to do this. A bankruptcy judge will impose conditions and they're gonna look at our finances and they're gonna look at things that need to be addressed. But we're at a point where we have no choice and there's a lot of fear mongering out there. Obviously, we don't want an emergency manager. We've had three of them and one of them stole from us. So that that should even be a discussion. But if if bankruptcy chapter nine wasn't a good option, then believe it wouldn't be trying to stop you from doing it. It wouldn't be trying to rush things to get the judgment on because they know what it means they have to stop it puts a stop to it puts the brakes on and it gives people opportunity to look closer at our financial situation and you got to do do a lot of good for the residents here. And I and I know it's a hard decision to make, especially in this kind of vacuum but it's one that needs to be made and I would just implore you ask more questions, if you need to have a better understanding. But I realized you know, you're not going to master chapter nine, or 10 or 11 or 12 or any of those bankruptcies overnight. It's something that you will have to study and you have to read apart read up as you go through this process because we are desperate. And again, there is no other option. There is no the governor is going to pay the money. There is no somebody's going to give us $10 billion we can't pay it if we could we would have not to mention though that is unjustified. But again, please. I'm imploring you, I'm begging you. We need to do this so that we can move on, put it into this matter for good, because they're calling us delusional. That's what they're saying about Highland Park. They don't think that we can make the decisions that will address this. You have opportunity to do it tonight. Thank you for your time and consideration. I appreciate it. And thank you Mr. Shafi. It took courage to just get this matter on the agenda because if you didn't get on the agenda, then we were done. And so I I want to personally thank you guys for voting on that map that needed to
be discussed. Yes, it should have been unanimous Mr. course because you had your hand up in the back
Hi, I'm Lisa Starsky. I live on Wall Street. And I did some research over the winter about the water situation and in particular about the situation with emergency management. And this is not the first time that bankruptcy has been on the table for Highland Park in 2000 2001 When our first emergency manager came to Highland Park, it was because, you know, in 93, when Chrysler left, we we really ended up with like 10% of our former tax base in this community and it was not manageable because there were obligations, there were legacy obligations for a very long time. So a woman by the name of Ramona Henderson Pearson, became emergency manager, either called an emergency financial manager back then, and there are two things that happen when any entity is going to declare bankruptcy. The first thing is retrenchment. You know, it's some What have you got? What can you give up and that that does happen with every bankruptcy. And Ramona Pearson did that as much as she possibly could. The second part is restructuring. And Ramona Pearson was ready to restructure the debt of Highland Park in about 2003 And she talked to Governor Engler who was her boss, and he did not respond. He did not respond to her for 18 months, he stopped returning her phone calls. So we were in a situation where Highland Park did absolutely everything that it was supposed to do to get out of this ridiculous situation that we found ourselves in by no fault by the way of the residence of Highland Park. And Highland Park was not allowed to follow through and declare chapter nine and go through with a bankruptcy and have the debt restructured. And that had an impact on our capacity to do things like keep the water plant going over the next decade. So I think that when we're having these considerations and people are saying that Highland Park is delusional, you know, I mean, if you if you read the news, you know, in the news archives, you're you're gonna see the Highland Park is not delusional. It's been a long time. Coming for justice in Highland Park. And I just wanted to explain that Thank you. Thank you. One more,
one more Mr. McGee, in the back. Because we'll be here till 11 o'clock again. We still haven't had citizens comments. So that's the that's still to come. Is to make a
good evening Council. My name is Lauren McGee. I'm a Highland Park resident. Earlier I heard I wanted to counsel people say doesn't utility companies have regulations? They're supposed to follow. You gotta realize when you're dealing with someone like Lima, you can drive a truck between what's fair and what's right. So, I mean, we come up here with two lawyers, the gleeman was the Columbia they have 150 lawyers up here. This is truly David versus Goliath. You know, and I think about my neighbors who's a senior citizen. She's 90 years old, and I'm trying to explain to her because she's telling me I pay my water bill every month Lauren, I said Miss Vassar, it does not matter. They want to cut you off and everybody else they don't care. If you paid your water bill. They're not going to each house cutting up individuals. They cut off a whole city. So think about our senior citizens who are on fixed incomes, who can't increase their incomes, people would have owned their homes for the last 5060 years, just to give it away due to a levy. Please think about our senior citizens and think about your fellow citizens here at Highland Park. That's all I had to say. Thank you. All right.
always defer to my elders. Okay, have you wanted to save this ma'am?
My name is Gracie Wooten. I'm a 44 year resident in Hyde Park. And I just want to speak on the other side. I am not ready to declare bankruptcy. This is not our debt. This is the state of Michigan's debt, and there are enjoined in this lawsuit along with us, they have imposed these emergency managers who have stripped our city to the bone. We do not all this debt. We have been in court. Yes, we have not been in the streets at all. And residents we do not owe this money. And the state of Michigan should pay this debt. They should pay the money that they owe. We do not all this money. And so I I've been here 44 years, and I am ready to say that I do not want bankruptcy. I do not want bankruptcy. Thank you Miss.
65 cents on every dollar is what they take right now. Today 65 cents on every dollar Yes, ma'am. And this will be the last person before we vote.
Oh, council president.
Yes, sir. You have to online as well. Oh, we'll be taking the two online.
Good evening, honorable board and officials. My name and I live on East Grand and Highland Park. I am a 30 year retiree from the city of Highland Park as a lieutenant I'm against chapter nine. When Ramona Pierson came in the first time we paid her second in command. From the time she left her home in Lansing to the time she went back home and we paid her every dime. The workers ended up we're not looking at the people that actually live here. And I guess that's why I was so upset and I spoke out because they took my pension they took we as employees worked and bank that time so that we can save the city. Then when the emergency manager came me and she took care of our money and told us that she was cutting our benefits. We as a retiree, you don't pay my retired and you don't pay my insurance, and I've worked for 30 years and in my contract is said you stay I'll give it to me and you have it. So when you come back again and you tell me you're going to do chapter nine again. I live here so you got to raise my taxes. Three times what they are. Plus you won't take my pension. I don't agree. I'm only one
that's that's not what let's not conflate the issue here. That's not what's happened. It's not No No No ma'am. No, ma'am. No, ma'am.
When Detroit chapter when it came in, took all the retirees money. We had we had a high level employee died on the in the parking lot when you told him you took
care. No, I didn't tell anyone anything.
Okay, because remember, you only got 100 days
up here.
Let's get these two people online. I see you ma'am. All right, hold on a second. We're gonna get these two people online. And you will be the last person because we do need to get this boat tech and Mr. Lackey. Can we have those people on line? Yes, Mr. Lang
yes to the honorable Council and to the audience. My name is Elaine Mackenzie. And I am a former commissioner for charter commissioner and a resident of Highland Park. I live at 213 Connecticut Street. I also am a corporate paralegal and while we were talking I looked up chapter nine bankruptcy I'm still here in the office. And it's a tough in I have to say what Commissioner Bates? Echo. This is a tough decision. It's a very tough decision that you guys have been placed in. I say what the mayor has said it's a very tough decision. And I think my question is, if we were to pursue if you pursued the resolution, and you decide the chapter nine is not in the best interest of the citizens, because what Miss Ed was just said, you have to have something in order to negotiate even a restructuring what Mr. Leschi her research was accurate, but you gotta have some leverage. We've got to have something to give them in order to restructure so because he has a question or his question was accurate. So if my question is to the to the attorneys, if we decide that it's not in the best interest of the citizens, and we withdraw
this is just the ass this is just the Ask ma'am. We're just
I understand that but that's not I understand that. It's just an ask but I'm also asking if it's not in the best interest of the citizens. Is it something that we can withdraw from?
I'm leaning out ahead of my skis. I'm assuming that they would say yes, that will be something that they will withdraw.
I don't know. I want that. Legal. Okay. I'm sorry, what?
Hold on a second. We're going to call the attorney to the podium.
Members of Council mayor, again, I'm not a bankruptcy lawyer. I don't pretend to be one. If the governor approves the ability to petition, then I think at that point, the city would retain a bankruptcy lawyer who I think would come before this honorable body and answer all of your questions. I think that's probably the safest response I can give you. Under a common sense theory. Would the city be permitted to withdraw your petition it's submitted. Again, not being a bankruptcy lawyer. I don't know why that would be impermissible. But that only gets us back to a situation where we're staring down the barrel of a $25 million judgment.
Is that okay, ma'am? Yes, I did. Thank you so
much for your question that kinda we have one more personal I have one more young lady in the in the gallery. Mr. Lackey, could you give us that next person on line? All right, yeah. Charlene Johnson. Good evening, Miss Johnson.
Hello. Thank you to the honorable body and to the citizens that are gathered tonight. I know this is a difficult decision that council has to make. But I would encourage council at all of us to look at what happened in Detroit when Detroit declared bankruptcy, wiped out so much of the debt and how the city has been able to flourish. And I know that there are personal issues. There are difficulties that people have to face. But I've been in Highland Park, almost 70 years. And I think we have to look at the city in terms of the best decision for the city as a whole. And hopefully those people who may have to suffer some personal financial difficulties can be made whole in some other ways. But I would vote for bankruptcy. Because I look at what has happened with not only Detroit, but other cities around the country that have been faced with unjust financial practices from unregulated bodies. And once they get out from under that debt, how they are able to then flourish and rebuild and grow HP forever. Thank you.
Yeah, the one young lady in the back was on your phone. You get the last word, man. Thank you. Appreciate that. So much.
i My name is Sheila Stribling as a resident of Wayne County and a homeowner. And as I have want to know, if I can as a retiree and as a union retiree, so as our governor just signed a bill to release our retirement funds not to be taxed, but they're gonna charge y'all. Okay, so the retirees have this fair city ain't gonna see their money. If you go through with this thing, and imposed on it to come out of their money. Water is a basic human need. And so as Golliwog before our water board was receiving funds out of help to help people pay for things okay. So if this basic need is put up, has this city been to the federal level FEMA, because a FEMA can pay when the water backs up in the ground to have you went to the presidency and as FEMA to step in to pay this bill. And so as our county have already told me my taxes and gate eight what right and I'm pretty sure upon the Wayne County this fear CDs portion of their property taxes ain't paid right either. So has that been taken into account Gladewater is doing a lot of stuff fixing this and fixing that. So yeah, they won't money deed money, but yet and still, once they offer this plan for you to pay your water bill on time payment, but not if you have prior issues connected to your house, as the city looked into and identify the houses that won't be eligible to get on this pre payment plan. That Glee was offering not regulated to whoever company is putting it in free. Okay, so as property owners, and it's monies if you can figure all that out, and we're not unfairly being represented in the Supreme Court, as since Suez 756. I don't know when we did not have a full 12 Count measure and that one that walked back, said I couldn't get my 4% back, taking 15 per city $100 A month extra. Well, I'm getting upset. So please forgive me I had to retire right? But as an employee were and she signed it, and everybody can not taxes except a retiree of a municipality. Government. That's you. That's me. That's Wayne County. That's even a city. Philly wha still has a union. What are they doing? Okay, but I implore you to go to FEMA and ask them to pay that bill.
Thank you very much. And I do think there was some benefit to having the citizens make a comment and before we take the vote, I'm going to remind the people who were here last week. Mr. Einstein said doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is the true definition of insanity.
This is something different.
We might as well find out how we're going to vote on a matter item five. The resolution to recommend that Highland Park proceed under Chapter nine pursuant of MCL 1411565 section 23 of public act 436 of 2012 Got a motion on the floor by Councilman Manica supported by Councilman Shafie. Madam Clerk, would you take the roll, please?
Council President Thomas Yes. Also Pro Tem Robinson. No. Councilwoman Monica Yes. Councilwoman Martin. Councilman Asha
is literally guys, my witness. It's a damned if I do and damned if I don't. Right. I am being put in a position that is tearing me apart. Because I agree with both sides. I don't feel you should have to pay this. I don't feel this is our day. I don't like the idea of bankruptcy. I see both sides of the coin and I'm dying here ladies and gentlemen. I'm dying. You're going to hate me either way I go. And then I take the chance of alienating my fellow council members who are highly respect
for those who voted no and for those who voted yes. I wish I had the solutions for you hp in my back pocket. I'm very sorry that I don't have it.
But at this moment, I'm looking at the car today in my hands and I think that we need to play what's before us. And I have no choice but to vote yes.
Motion carries.
I've had my doubts sitting in his chair whether or not we were going to do the right thing for the city. So far, I said I've had my doubts of whether or not we were going to do the right thing for the city sitting in this chair. I've had my doubts just because there's a yell at the property owners to taxpayers voted and may what will ultimately be the right decision.
Property owners voted
we're gonna go open for citizens participation. This is for agenda items only. That includes the previous agenda item although it's been discussed at Latham.
If I could get a show of hands for citizens who would like to speak on agenda items only you have a copy of the agenda. This is
Yes, ma'am. At the end of the meeting, you have an opportunity to speak freely. But this is about this is related to agenda items only as smart as many this are you keep your hand just keep your hand up. I want to be able to eyeball you so I can identify you when the time comes. This man if you have something you want to add
Yes. I just want to say to the citizens to understand that truly. As the other members, this was an exceptionally very difficult choice to make. And we were put in a very difficult situation. Regardless, 100 days are not anybody sitting here. It would have been difficult for but just as you are. I am a taxpayer and I have a senior. My mom also lives here and as a taxpayer as well. As I have other family that are taxpayers. So we sit here and we have to do, as Mr. Shafi said, the best interest of the city because people have come in with not our best interest you talked about one emergency manager there has been others who have put things out there that gli WA is trying to use to make this right. But there's no way that we should have any type of increase that just keeps increasing. Where do you get that at? No, we're just a rate that continues to increase. So as you said before us we were also has a board. We were also has a meeting all these other places also have meetings that you are allowed to show up at MIT you are allowed to say I am a human being and how could you possibly want to take water away from us? Maybe it's not all but at some point for this even be on the table, something's wrong. But if we don't start speaking up, is going to continue. As five the administration we can only fight as far as we can fight. But we're not the only ones here. You need to make sure that you know that you're you hear you pay your water bills. You're doing what you need to do. You're trying. What is happening is in you may it is very inhumane. Be a brown, black, white, green, I don't care for you to not want to have people to have water because you want some money. Something's wrong with this picture. And the people that helped it along the way they need to be thinking at home about what they're doing and how they're doing it to a group of people that will have to move. If this this happens, maybe not everybody but the majority so maybe I should move next to you. Maybe I should move next to you. Because I pay my water bill just like everybody out here say so I'm saying to you that Highland Park you have to stand up as well. You have got to prove that you are not just throw away because you're not and you pay your water bills. It's been proven already. So I'm asking that I know you may not approve of our decision, but that you stand with us that we are together in this fight to keep our water Thank you.
Thank you ma'am. So for citizen participation if I can get a show of hands I'm gonna hold you the two minutes now. For the sake of brevity, yes sir. In the black shirt. You sir with black shirt, if you will, my state your name when you come up to the podium and city of red for citizens participation. We're asking for your name and your city of residence. Thank you, sir.
Hello, HB. My name is demand patty. I have family here that's been here my entire life. But I am a citizen in Detroit. I just started paying taxes last year so I'm starting to understand all this I'm also understand why it's important that we all do. And I got people who pay taxes and don't understand now like we can't even count you if you don't pay tax. And you also sit around waiting for people who own land and own houses to make decisions for you. So if you want to be heard you got to do your part. I understand that now. But I am here to speak about the parade permit for June team. I am the founder and the creator of the longest running Juneteenth acknowledgement Detroit has ever had. We are on our 13th year this year. We've had a parade that's been going for six years and it's been growing every year. We have to switch the street every year in the city. They move us around. We've been on industrial places though, you know, this is like coming back home to me and I know he has a lot of pride and a lot of people who love this city I love it. My grandmother was here too. She wasn't on this earth anymore. You know I'm saying so it's a lot of family ties and home ties for me here but this parade has never left a bad imprint, right? We cleaned up behind ourselves we engaged as citizens. If this is approved, we will likely be knocking on doors with flyers looking for participation. It's free, right? We don't charge me want to be a part of it businesses or whatever. We just want to promote all our 2023 graduates. We want to involve any of our family staff and municipalities that want to be part of it. It's a parade right? Right now it's a quarter mile long and we're asking for permission to go south on Woodward, west of Manchester. We would then turn on Hamilton, and then on Oakland we would and 71 open Boulevard and we're working with the people in that area including nine DS and there's a church to have our family day their family day is also free. So we've been doing that 13 years. We don't charge anyone to be there. We encourage families just come out be united and honor our past by lifting up our future our babies our future. We focus a lot on our youth we have you vendors you performers. It's a great time for people of all ages. We bridge a lot of gaps and build a lot of bridges on that day when that weekend. We say Juneteenth is coming, right. It's on his way. This is a heavy day to be here and I commend all of you for taking on such a role. I can't believe y'all actually wanted to do it. Like this is what you You asked to have. So we appreciate y'all for doing that all of you over there. But Juneteenth Detroit festival association is what I represent. I have a lot of young people with me that does a lot of volunteer work. So again, if this is approved, that community impact will be direct. They will be involved in it they will be a part of the parade. And we chose Manchester because from there to Hamilton, it seemed like the most populated but maybe somebody y'all can help us with the traffic on a little easier. All right. I mean, we all know how it happens, but we hope you can that Monday is a federal holiday now so maybe we won't be disturbing too much. But no, we're no no, we're only going to be on what we're for about two blocks. Height Well, we were definitely willing to amend that. But our goal was to be in the Model T Plaza parking lot, which also lets out on Manchester, right? And then we can go up that way. I've been battling with this parade for a while we tried to get it to go from here to Royal low. Right and getting on with it is not easy, but it can happen. I've been a parade all before when I was a child. It has to do with the city's working together and I got to do what I got to do. The city's working together. And we know how important it would be anybody's fan favorite but I believe if enough of us get together with this parade, right? Enough of us not this year, but we're not going to start we're not going to stop doing this right. There's our sixth annual parade in our 13th annual festival. Let's all come together get on it. Hopefully you vote for it. And we'll worry about what happens next year next year.
Thank you Miss Penny. We actually had, you're on our agenda. So you would have had let it go over two minutes because it was gonna give you as much time as you need it regardless. Because I got your paper right here on the agenda. So thank you for you've kind of preempted it. So when we get to your line item, you can just take the podium and catch the vote. Okay. All right. Thank you, sir. We had a hand raised and yes, I see your game is moving and I got to get you. I want to get somebody else chance to get me to you know I'm gonna get you up. Here
you need some help getting that podium movement
Yes, ma'am.
My name is early Jones. I've been in the city of Highland Park since 1973. We retired from the United States Air Force and we said this is going to be our home and we're not going anywhere. Ever don't seem to be working out that way. We've worked very hard to accumulate what we have. But my first thing I want to say is to all residents, together we stand divided we fall. Come out of the kitchen come out of the yard come on the barbecue, come to the meeting. Come to the gatherings. Bring the children to those gatherings which they can come to encourage them to be a part of the community. Don't allow them to just have fun and recreates them play. Say we want you to read we want you to be informed. We want all these things along with you growing up to be an adult. That's all I have to say.
Before we move on to the regular agenda, do we have any more citizens please do you want to come back?
Gotta hit you with two minutes because there's a second governor.
Hi, everybody. So I am very sympathetic to the two people who spoke up about their pension your pension and I know that when in the past that was on the table for being cut. But the fact is, is that the things that get cut are supposed to be things that can be negotiated about and some things like a person's living and a promise that's already been made. Shouldn't be negotiable. No, no, there, there is. The idea that of bankruptcy and the idea that this is not our debt actually kind of go together. The bankruptcy well would be an acknowledgement that the debt that we have, it would be an acknowledgement by the state is is not tenable. And also, you know, in I mean, it doesn't mean that they're gonna say it's was never supposed to be our debt to begin with, but they're gonna treat it that way to the best of their ability, as long as we make them and the closer we stand together, the more we say to each other, the more we sit in the same room and hash out what we really want, the better we're going to have have a chance of beating this thing of actually having an outcome that doesn't hurt any of us. So I would just like to encourage that I don't have a time in place. I haven't planned a meeting. But if somebody would like to plan a meeting, I will. I will show up do you
want to thank everybody that has spoken this evening Yes, ma'am. I needed to see if the sun it's that that's all
11 o'clock. No, ma'am.
You know, if our human rights solution we've been fighting this thing for a long time. And I remember standing out in the cold collecting petitions, you know, with signatures i We sent as a committee, about 100 signatures to glue up to tell them and explain to them why we don't owe this money, you know, and the state along with you know, just running over us with these emergency managers that didn't really look into the city situation. You know, it took a Kathy square to get here and look in find the contracts that all these other emergency managers just overlook, the state each emergency manager, as well, as you know, to my understanding, you know, even miss square has to make reports to the Treasury Department that the state of Michigan has been in this with us all along. Liwa even named them as part of the lawsuit. So what I'm saying is that, you know, we can do bankruptcy, you know, if that has to be but we should not also try to make the state take responsibility for this debt. It is their debt. It is not our debt. You know, so that's when I'm just saying, you know, listen up. We should not go just, you know, like march like she, you know, without any kind of real fight. I mean, I know, as a as a, you know, as a coalition, you know, we have been helping out in the fight, but it's been mainly legal. Now, you know, Democrats have always said, Oh, well, you know, wait till we get in office, we'll help you, you know, what are they doing? They're in office. Now, this is not our debt, and we should not, we should put some pressure on our allies, as you know, to do what they say that they would do help us out with this because, you know, it's not really helping us out, because it is not our debt. It's the state of Michigan's debt. And that's what I'm saying. We have to push through both avenues if you want to, you know, if you got to do bankruptcy, fine. But in the meanwhile, we got to pressure the state to take responsibility for the situation that they put Highland Parkers into and that's all I'm saying. So we can make we can organize, you know, we'll try.
Thank you very much. At this point, we're going to bring a close to public comments so we can move into the agenda. I'm just gonna close by saying there's an underlying theme to some of the comments that come from people. It's one thing to stand up in this room and yell at us, is something quite different to show up at a hearing and take that conversation to our adversaries. Something completely different. And I'm speaking from personal experience. I have members of my family at some of these hearings. If I had to go to work, I have to be there. And other people had members of their family there as well. So it's one thing to yell at us. It's something different to yell at the people who are our antagonizes because I live around the corner, it's easy to yell at me. But the people who are applying pressure to you live a considerable distance away in far more comfortable circumstances the URI Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. Miss square, if you wouldn't mind taking the podium before we move to so when my performance score reads this document, we're moving into the public hearing section as a sign in sheet people are going to be asked to sign in for the public hearing portion. Just want to make that announcement our
evening everyone.
I've been here nine years and a quarter and we have been fighting a loss for nine years and a quarter. The city lost the case because it didn't admit or deny that it owed the money. And I'm going to read you the one document that is the key to their case. This is the basis of Glee was case against us. This is directive numbers 004 dated June 23 2009 it signed by Robert Mason emergency financial manager. It says water and sewage rate increase this person went to public acts 72 of 1990 the act 19 The EFM shall issue orders the manager considers necessary to accomplish the purposes of this act and order issued under this act is binding on the local officials or employees to whom it is issued. The orders of the EFM are issued in the form of written directives and have been issued from time to time. Further pursuant to section 21. One p of the Act, the EFM may also exercise the authority and responsibilities of the chief administrative officer and government body concerning the adoption amendment and enforcement of ordinances or resolution affecting the final financial condition of the unit of local government as a result of one the need to continue to provide a quality water product at the lowest possible cost to residential and commercial customers in the face of increased operational costs over which the city has no control and to the need to eliminate the current operational deficit, which has occurred as a result of the failure to pass on sufficiently increased costs which have risen over the past five years. I hereby direct that there be implemented immediately a schedule a water and sewer rate increases effective July 2000 July one 2009 The schedule of the rate increases for water will consist of a 3% increase for the new fiscal year and each year for the next four years per the attached rate schedule. The rate is for sewage services provided by Detroit water and sewage shall be a 26 and one half percent increase for the new fiscal year beginning July one 2009 And each year for the next four years per the Attach schedule. In addition, the sewerage rates shall automatically increase the same percentage amount as any increases implement implemented by the Detroit water and sewage department going forward here and after a fixed rate forever in a day. We never have to come back we just raised them. This was a unilateral order. We don't have the attachment where Detroit approve this. When the Detroit water board approved it. Whether it went on to Mayor Dave being at the time, did it go to the council. This is a one sided edict that they took to federal court to terminate your fixed rate. And then when federal court threw it out, they took it to state court and the whole 10 years has been over this N E M word which is why they love me him because this is the kindness and I can say it because I wasn't a yam but I wasn't an EM like this. No, no, I was at em and Hamtramck and Hamtramck is thriving, bested can population increasing? Yeah, they didn't like way I did whatever. But they're stable and thriving. Now. They've got issues, but the fact is this document
this is the whole case. So that you know what am I do for you? Right? And this is it. This one thing? So the whole thing's over this. So you need to know that. And what happened here tonight is just to ask the governor. The governor is going to come back and say whatever she wants to say but there's only three choices for Highland Park. The governor steps in to help maybe goes through the review process, maybe tries to act in a negotiating capacity to get both sides to settle. But this whole thing is about a creditor that won't make a deal. Forget all this other stuff. We've got a creditor that won't settle and that's why you go to bankruptcy if you know if it's approved. The other thing that could happen is the legislature could dissolve you because they tried that. In 2014. The city only exists because the state allows it to exist. They can say that's it Highland Park, you're done. Dissolve you you get absorbed into the township. You get absorbed in Wayne County, that could happen or you know they could offer a bailout. But the state hasn't one one wanted to bail out glue because they know that this is the issue. And we don't really owe the money because we had a fixed rate. But that's over now because they have got the courts to agree with them. You get to the Supreme Court. We lost however we lost we lost they didn't hear it whatever you heard unpublished opinions, but the fact of the matter is, maybe we'll get an opportunity to resolve it. But we haven't been able to resolve it in 10 years while you're at this point. So we'll see what happens. I wanted to let you know about this. This is the one document this is their whole case. Okay.
My name is Kathy square.
I'm the city administrator. I was hired. I always say that I you know they came and found me to help them. And I'm an adviser to the city. I do not run the city. The city is run by the mayor and the council. But what I advise them on is all acts all acts under public act to their budget that's coming up their finances I'm the one that's accountable hear, I'm the one that the state calls and say why did they do this, that or the other? You know, I can't stop them from violating the law. I can't stop them from doing things that they shouldn't be doing. But I'm an advisor, and I've had a wonderful relationship and if I leave tomorrow, I've given it my all here and that's why it's important for you to take over this tasks because at a certain point I'm gonna ride off into the sunset All right,
so
you know what to do.
Read Item six for next item on the agenda please.
Item number six is public hearing to receive comments on proposed distribution improvement project to Green to Green ability section of the sources.
All right, so we all would our business. Let me read the announcement that went into the classified section of the Michigan chronicle the city of Highland Park notice of public hearing, the city of Highland Park will hold a public hearing on proposed sewer distribution improvement projects for the proposed for the purpose of receiving comments from interested individuals. A public hearing will be held at the regularly scheduled virtual and in person, Highland Park City Council meeting at 7pm on April 17 2023 at the Highland Park City Hall. Once you 050 Wood Avenue the purpose of the proposed project is to upgrade the aging sewer system and manhole structures in addition to improving reliability and redundancy of the system.
project construction will involve replacement and rehabilitation of sewer lines and mail structures in areas of the city with priority based on the condition of the components and the number of residents within the service area. The cost for the proposed project is estimated to be $3 million for the year 2020 For $1.25 million each year after for the following years 2025 2026 2027 and 2028. The financing of the project is funded through a loan to Clean Water State Revolving Fund CWS RF which has to be paid for by us by sewer user fees. copies of the documents detail in the proposed project are available for inspection starting Wednesday, March 29. The following locations written comments received before the public comment period is closed will be noted and included as in the final project plan. So we will require individuals who comment to please sign in everyone that is here is essentially participating in the public hearing. If I'm missing some of the details, I will turn it over to the gentleman at MCA and colleagues and they can fill us in if you would please take the floor it's all yours.
Evening Council administration and residents dama Garrett, the director of the water department. I'm just going to make a brief statement and then I'm going to turn it over to the rest of our team. With me tonight. I have Andrew Richmond and we have Bono to present some of the particulars about what we're doing. I just want to say wow we're talking about sewer now. Okay, so that whole conversation was about water. We do have another major utility in the city that's also over 100 years, and it's the sewer system. And the sewer system quite honestly could be viewed as just as big problem, a big problem as the water. I just want to say something on record. We've been running the water department since 2016. And Highland Park water department has been very, very diligent and making sure that the infrastructure is repaired, that the studies are done, and that we do what we need to do from the professional standpoint to fight this battle. So you saw that attorneys they they've they've been doing what they're doing. We've been we've been doing the science behind what needs to be done to fight this battle. So it's it's it's a Monster Monster Monster battle but you know tonight, it we're talking about $8 million loan over the course of several years three in the first year 1.1 Over the next few years, and that is to eliminate all of the clean water that gets in the sewer system that gets into the bill that has that that needs to be paid. And so what you want to have is a very, very tight system. We have 100 year old system with leaky manholes with joints in the sewer system that are offset, which allows water in it goes down to the treatment plant and then they charge you for that. So what this is about is eliminating those areas for water to get into the sewer system. So you're not charged for that. We don't have money to pay for that. Okay. So if the system is tight, the water does not get into the system. It does not go down to the plan. It does not show up in your sewer bill. So that is that is the impetus behind this presentation. You know, we we've been getting loans, we've been getting grants, we've been doing projects we've replaced 10 My watermain mean you heard the doom and gloom but diligently every year watermain is being repaired in the city. You don't hear about all that you don't get to see that. They don't put that on the news. They put the same stores on the news. Time and time again. They don't say hey, Highland Park just finished their first water main project in 30 years. Hey, their water department is doing this. Hey, the collection you don't hear about any of that stuff. But that's all going in the background too. So I'm gonna turn it over to my colleagues and let them talk to you about this. This project purpose here tonight. We had this this big, big big manual was it was here at City Hall was down at the water department. Basically the reason why do we have to have this hearing, it's all recorded goes to the state of Michigan. And this is this is the technical backup behind why we need $8 million to repair our sewer so it's probably a lot of stuff that's not very easy to read and understand. But but basically it's the classification of all the sewers that we have in the city, all the sizes, all the condition, every manhole condition of every manhole, all of the televise sewer has gone underground and looked in and seeing where these cracks are. It's all in this this big, this big monster here. Now I'll turn over to Andrew and Neha and let them kind of go through a brief presentation and then it's open for public comment. So you can comment on hey, I don't know what this is. What is this? What does this mean? We've got a q&a tool that we walk that we're going to walk through some things that you might be wondering but might not know how to present. We've got that Andrew will go through that. So I'll turn it over to my colleagues. Thank you. Thank you, Mr.
Dave evening, city council. Mayor. So as Mr. Garrett has mentioned, we're here for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund, which is a CW SRF 2024 project and we're requesting a loan for $8 million to spread over the next five years. Within that we're doing rehabilitation of sewers, our sewer system and making necessary repairs based on the findings from the condition assessments that we've done through the through the years and using are performed underneath our saw grant and do the assistance of third party studies that have been performed. We were able to do the following which are shown on the front page of your of your handout. So our main goals for that is is to do a complete an ini which is employee infiltration study for the entire city of city sewer system. Perform contingent sewer pipe lining in sections within the entire city, and perform contingent replacements and repairs on manholes structures for pipes throughout the whole city. And then we're gonna finish with doing cleaning, clean and CCTV, where we for recording the sections within the city. We have on there's also a map which is provided and within here it's broken down into the bad days. And so you see that we're first we're starting off in 2024 which be in phase one, which is the southern portion of a city and it's bound by Victor to the north Victor fort to the north tuxedo and tennis into the south Oakland Avenue to the east. And then we have HAMILTON To the west for phase phase one, phase two, B middle section, which is milling to the north, Victor to the south Oakland Avenue to the east and then Hamilton so just a smaller section within phase two. And then 2026. We're looking at phase three, which is the kind of the North northern West section of the city McNichols to the north, middle into the south. Will rehab no to the east and then the city boundary for Phase Three and phase 420 27 middlin Mill into the north tuxedo to the south and then Hamilton on the East section and then to our city boundary. And then the last phase will be Phase Five and 2028. And that will be this section here. Mike Nichols to the north Midland to the south Oakland Avenue to the city boundary of Oakland Avenue and then we're to the west.
Within phase two with their Phase One that the 2420 24 We broke it down. So on page two of your handout, we broke that down where we have bulk of the work is CIP lining, and that is roughly around 3.7 miles and the approximate cost of that is roughly around 56% of the total amount for 2024. We're doing open cut repairs, which was roughly around 17 locations and that equates out to roughly 27% of the costs and then the smaller portions which is cleaning and TV and manholes and miscellaneous repairs, which is 4% total. And then our i&i investigation which is going to be throughout the city within phase, phase one is 13% of the total cost or for that face, and then the other ones are broken down from 2025 to 2028. Doing similar activities CIP lining, open cut repairs cleaning and TV as well as manholes and miscellaneous repairs. And the bulk of that work again will be the CIP lining and open cut repairs. Can you tell me what? Yeah, so I want I want to also I want to go through some of the kind of frequently asked questions, and that may address some of the terminology that I've used in the presentation. So the CIP lining is stands for cured in place pipe. And what that is, is that's where a lining material is sent through the pipe, and it expands within the sewer, through methods in their their process of obscuring the pipe, and it sets and cures and then it acts as the new pipe without having to actually excavate and open up the the ground. This is a transport transfer list method. So there's no digging as as I mentioned, or the instructions and the pipe is access through manholes. And I know there's been some within what we call the quadrant D within the southern portion of the city where we've had those activities and past projects. Some of the other questions that we receive in the past were will basements backup backups be addressed under this loan? The soar real bail rehabilitation plan under the project under this project plan is aimed at indirectly solving basement backup problems by addressing the public sewer lines. Our the laterals on the public size will still be the individual property owners responsibility. Now the question is with regards to street flooding with street flooding be addressed on its loan. And with that the CWs our CW s Rf is a loan to address the rehabilitation of the Highland Park sewer system. The street flooding issues can be addressed through continuous maintenance, street sweeping programs, cleaning up catch basins and etc. If there's a loan or a grant, and who will repay the loan, and how will it affect the sewer rates. The CW SRF is a loan of $3 million for 2024. The sewer rate is anticipated to remain steady over the next year of the loan. And we're looking at 1.2 5 million for each of for each of the years for the next four years from 2025 to 2028.
are we applying for any grants? Yes, we readily apply for grants. We've been applying for the FDC T CTV saw grants and various others that come our way. Say what areas are being targeted. This law aims to target the entire city. It cannot be done at all at all. At once. That's shown on the handouts. The project plan is divided into five phases, which aim to complete the phases starting in 2024 through 2028. How are these prioritize the priority the prioritizing of these days were derived based on the party the third party contractor study of the meter flow based flow monitoring data from 2028 and available condition assessments. of sewers inspected within the city. And then last question was what is AI and I ini stands for employee infiltration. If there are leaks, offsets in the joints within the sewer, ground can can groundwater can seep in through this is clearly seen in a sort of videos that we review and clean water can be directly determined from a sewer system, which is generally not clean. So we can tell the difference between clear water and marking your cloudy water that we would normally see in the sewer. And then this can cause this clear water or stormwater can cause higher costs to the city for the city to gleyber assay. A thorough investigation using sewer inspections and meter studies will help us to garner more information regarding the amount of i&i that we can that we get to repair so that repairs can be made. This will cause a long term reduction in the cost to the city. I think the last one was replacing two with many houses torn down or they're being mentioned of squatters and disconnection of water. And yes, there are investigations within the water department working with C D and other departments to disconnect any homes scheduled for demolition and vacant or abandoned properties. And then lastly, you just want to mention that this submission to the state is due on May the first I think that concludes our
special so we'll open
it up for questions.
So at this time, we're going to open the floor for questions. We'll start remember the City Council Mayor Pro Tem I saw your hand go up first.
Okay, I just have questions in regards to the streets that are listed are those where the mains are located? Why are these streets targeted? The strike veins loaded on the streets like Midland and Victor streets.
No just streets. The streets are the boundaries that I mentioned are the boundaries of the phases. phases one through five. So a lot of the work that we will be investigating and doing would be within the alleys between the streets within those boundaries of those particular phases.
So I understand what you mean by boundaries
so that's the boundary
so you know all the streets within that boundary. When events the Monterey everything in that so when he called out the streets even just trying to get your revenue off our last top bar nor top bar he's not just on mainland now. That was what it's all of the streets into. Does that answer your question?
Yes. For the people that are still out here in the making. See
so what she was suggesting is he was rattling off a number of streets that he's going through the different phases and all of the streets basically all the streets. He was just trying to get people were waiting. Thank you. Yes,
Councilman Ashraf.
Okay, so, um, question. So,
I don't know which one y'all can answer this for me. Are the trunk lines metered? Because that's a major issue for us. And gli one dose trunk logic sewer lines, are they meter yet? Are we planning on getting them is that in the budget?
So we have had we have had some meters in the ground since 2018. We had one manufacturer that we were using, that was familiar with the Gleevec practices. So that was a strategic move. But then as we got into that, it became not such a strategic move, right? Because information was being shared that we didn't we weren't ready to be disseminated so we had to kill that company and go to another company. So to directly answer your question there are meters in the ground. And it's a very astute question, because, you know, you heard all that manufactured debt, right. That was on the water side. Yeah. But on the sewer side, it's all this extra water in the pipes, right. So now the ball is a hole in it's all predicated about these leaks, these perceived leaks, and this water that's getting in to the sewer, and then them charging and then the question is, well, how much? So if you don't have the meters, you can't really say how much so the answer to your question is the meters are the silver bullet to that, that argument over there? We've been, you know, we've been looking at data internally. It's not it's in draft format. It's not ready to be released. Because as you've heard, these people are very powerful the animals you talk about hundreds of attorneys got hundreds of engineers. They got a million Mr. Smith, okay. So we are being very careful about what we're looking at. And and when when we're able to compile that and it's it's and we know because anything technically that we put out there, they will absolutely tear to pieces, tear to pieces. So short answer is yes. Can't find it without the meters because we can't prove that you've got two and a half $3 million extra in the bill that shouldn't belong there. So saying it's the same thing on the water is just on the different side. Does that answer your question?
XX. I got one more thing for you. Mr. Gary in the future, if you could, one page. That's really not enough information upon Okay, okay. Don't say yes. Just a little bit more detail. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. In the future, no one page is really not enough information for this particular Council. I'm not for sure the practices of the previous council with a little bit more information in the future, please.
What is that page that you have? That you just add?
Yeah, okay. Yeah, there's nothing else
with it. You can speak on them. Okay. So so that was one of the requirements that we needed as well for applying for this loan that we had to put an advertisement within the
local. Yeah, yeah. I I totally understand that just in the future. A little bit more detail for council we'll get
we'll do that. So appreciate it.
So when we when we carefully of course
yeah, when we come before council to ask for permission to make the submission into the local. What we can do is give you the one page summary and then give you the backup and explain so that you have that so yeah, when you see that, you know what is behind that? Is that what you're asking? Yes. Okay, we got Yeah. Fine.
Just the way I interpret his question is that he, once we get to whatever we, we publish, he wants to understand what it is that we're publishing. He's not talking about buying or buying says talking about like, Hey, we got to get, we need to put this in. So when we come and ask for permission like we do, we'll just provide a little bit more data and say, Okay, this is this is this is the ad. And this is why so this is not going in there. But this is why and this is the little three four paragraphs there because we got to pay for that. So we can't put a five page letter in because it costs 1000s of dollars, but we can give you the explanation that we understand what Yeah,
I definitely don't want that by and I got the Bible already. It's called the ordinance. Okay, I got a big Bible I'm dealing with already I'll need another
approach. Yes.
All of this is great. And this is the type of stuff that's gonna save our city and move our city forward. So that's why I voted no. on bankruptcy and stuff like this because this is safe.
All right. Yeah. Citizens who wanted to speak as it relates to the public hearing, you're going to need to sign in and if you want to please come to the podium, they're recording this information is required as part of the process. So if you wouldn't mind signing in and coming to the podium. You'd like to speak Absolutely. Yeah.
I just wanted to know what is it I closed circuit television, what is that?
I get your name, sir. My name is Daniel Pakman. Daniel Pakman.
So for closer television, all we do is send a camera through one manhole, take it out of the other. That way we get a full view of what's going on. Inside the sewer. All the leaks, cracks, everything
went up.
If you folks would be kind enough, we'd love to get a whole bunch of signatures. You're here as part of the viewing audience for the public hearing. We'd like to be able to record that and submit the information as well. You don't have to all come up and do it now. But if you could do it at some point, it was certainly helped the process.
Yes, ma'am.
I hit done here. Director Garrett, explain why we're doing this at all. I did read your order that we're on that we can pass out we are required to want to we have an obligation to prepare every line city and this is part of that we don't have the money to do it all at once. We can because this requirement is based on the city. We are required to borrow the money to fix the system. So Ben, why we're doing it at all.
If you could speak to that, sir. Sure.
So we we've been under administrative consent order for about six years now. We, we were put under that order and told that we need to fix every piece of infrastructure in the city. And I remember standing here with Miss square, and we went back and forth whether we're going to sign that document another pivotal decision that the city needed to make. And at the end of the day, we said well, we don't have the money, so we got to sign it. So if you want us to do these things, then you have to assist us doing these things. We understand that there's issues with the infrastructure, but you're seeing the finances we can't do that. So we got under consent order and as a part of that, they've asked us to fix all the infrastructure. Well, obviously we've got almost 120 miles of sewer. We got 60 Miles watermain in this little three square mile town. It's a lot. We need to fix every piece of it. You know, just somebody asked one of the questions is loans. This this year, we've applied for over 20 million. That's on grants, not loans grants. Let me fix that. We've also told them that we don't have we can't we can't adjust the rates anymore. There was questions coming up about who's paying bills who's not paying bills, we're tapped out we've been tapped out the last our debt service. We can't We can't really loan any more money because we don't have the capacity to loan to get any more loans. So somebody if these things are going to be addressed. We have to go through these processes and this process is a public hearing. We're asking for money too because we have to go through this process to go to the state improve. And this that we know that there's a need for it. And and that's part of the process. So it's phased because we can't get it all at once. We have limitations but it's a requirement. This is this is not optional. This is something that we are required to do on sewer side and on the water side. So you know we're is Mayor Pro Tem Council Pro Tem talked about this is this is the other half of the battle that that we're that we're that we're fighting and we've been diligent we've been doing these things we're hired to do them. We report on them. We've reported on them. We've gotten favorable remarks based on the reports that we've done on the progress on fixing the infrastructure. So that's that's some of what Miss squares talking about. We're on the consent order to do this. So they if they don't give us the money, it won't be done. It won't be at our at our choice. We don't have the money. We told you that six years ago, we didn't have the money. We don't have any more money now than we did then. So either you're going to help us fix it or that's it, but we've checked all the boxes that way. It's Tommy,
Nathan Harvey homeowner and I just have a quick question is the sewer gonna remain a combination storm and that's a that is a very, very astute question. At I would love to separate the sewer, if we could.
So we would have to have an individual separate system that would be all of our stormwater like clean water. And we wouldn't be that would certainly reduce charges because we would put it in a in a detention basin or have it evaporate and separate different ways we could deal with that. And it wouldn't have to go get treated because it's combined with our sewage. So that's not a part of this. But I would love to separate the system. I mean, communities like Ann Arbor have done it. There's been several communities have done it. You know, there's there's all kinds of stormwater disconnect programs out there for disconnecting your downspouts from the combined sewer system letting them run out of ground putting them in rain barrels and all that which we have talked about. It's in our stormwater ordinance that we created years ago. We talked to residents when they come in and talk about hey, how can I get my sewer bill reduced? You know, there's that's that's one of the ways so now it's not a part of this project. But we would love to do that. That is that would save us millions of dollars.
So, with that being said, once we finish this project, is that something later that can be done if possible.
It's something that if you know where we are right now, you talk about the do over financially. If we're talking about the real do over and we're really talking about how the system should be from an engineering standpoint, those things should be on the table when we're when we're getting into these discussions on the finances on the technical side, we would like to have an opportunity to do something like that. So we're going to be bringing that up, you know, whenever the engineers get an opportunity to speak, which is not there's not a lot of opportunity with all the legal folks but whenever we get to the table, that's something that we that we can discuss and we'll discuss. Yes, ma'am?
Last summer before last,
okay, would you mind stating your name they're recording this for you ma'am. And
the same back that one would kind of be dead from the last rain. I'm gonna water in my basement have never got in water is coming out. Right and that's coming after the pipes
did you do on the anniversary?
What street are you on? Okay, so a lot of the we take a lot of calls for residents about sewer backups and what to call the cause of those. Right now we're focused on the main line. So you have the main line, you have the laterals go, you know, into the basement. The problem with the laterals are we have a lot of vegetation that has grown into those joints and clog the laterals up so we might come through clean the main line and it's crystal clear and it's clean. What have we got trees and groups and things that are in those laterals that is that
they don't talk about after they've saved the last year. Well, wait, I don't think come after the fact. Right. Okay.
So Well, what I would say to that is, you know, we're the system has not been touched in a long, long time, water sewer. So, you know, it's like, you go over here and you do this, and you make this new, and how does that impact this over there? So the best answer I can give you is we can go back and look at that. I don't know what the particular causes, but I know that when we were fixing way back four or five years ago we were fixing water mains, and they were breaking everywhere we fix a break over here, and then we get a break over here. And then we fix the break over here and we get a break over here. So what happens is is you take that problem and you push that pressure somewhere else and it breaks another problem and so behind yours. So we'll look we'll look at at that and try to get back to you with some maths. Lucy fry.
That's not a proto.
I worked at 17 years of Ford Motor Company and we did preventive maintenance. What do you have in mind for that?
So we do we do preventive maintenance? We cleaned out how many catch basins do we clean a few years ago? Yeah. Every every one of them. We clean we cleaned out all those catch basins we cleaned out a lot of sewer. The issue with some of that is some of our larger trunk lines. is very, very, very expensive to clean those and like are you talking about a 48 inch pipe that's pulled to the top without that much room in it. And that costs a lot of money. So we have we have a sewer maintenance program. We have a water maintenance program. We clean as many lines as we can. We TV as many lines as we can because we need to keep these capital improvement projects ready. So when it's time to get money that we can say here you go. So we are doing preventive maintenance every year. As much as we can but we're limited on finances Yeah, yeah. You tell by how many years how many years it take to get a 14 inch pipe 75% Full
Okay, we have another citizen would you mind stating your name please for the courtroom for the reporter please.
I am Shannon rice. Couple of quick questions on matters. Of Water sewage. Guess one considering looking at financial like the ordering of city. Sounds like maybe part of the discussion of $6 million. Sounds like we'd be paying citizens expats or less for get grants to plan for for other financing. I don't know Yeah, it's relatively new things hear me over there
I can hear ya.
Okay, Hi, I'm Shannon. I was just saying just with this new discussion on a bankruptcy essentially financial re constructing what we're looking at for our city's infrastructure and such just sounds like maybe it's a discussion, some food for thought also, if you're looking for $6 million you know, I think we're we'd be paying it over time. Because he said the city doesn't have money. It's like you represent. I mean, we're the city and such so. So maybe that maybe that could be you know, there's like attorneys involved and stuff like that. So maybe that could be something we look at. So, that's the end of that point. As far as now moving forward, with sewage drainage fees on each bill, is it fixed right now? Or is it subject also to continuing to move or improving with any repairs on the infrastructure? Project?
Secure thanks, Chief.
Yeah, yeah, I own a couple of properties and vacant land in Waterville. Thank you.
Thank you, sir.
So we, one of the council women this evening was talking about the this bill escalating. So it's kind of it's kind of a two part answer to that. The as gleyber raises our sewer portion of the bill that impacts the residents and business owners portion of the bill and this goes back to your question about metering and saying I have no you can't raise it that way because this is the volume that's in the pipe. So that's part of it. Generally, the other part of it is on these residential properties. It is it is somewhat fixed based on the amount of impervious that you have on your on your lot. Okay. So it's kind of a it's a fixed conversation and a non fixed conversation. So they want to raise the rate and I think over the past several years that we have kept it even though that they have decided that they want to escalate it, because, you know, we were Yeah, we can't do it. We can't afford it. Yeah. So. So yes, your portion is on your lot and did lots that you own is fixed based on your imperviousness that you have on your lot. But our overall bill that comes from Gleevec, they are going to try to increase that and continue to decrease increase it every year. Every year. They have a a number that they would like to meet, regardless of if it's legitimate or not. So this is the spike that we need to continue to fight and have legal backup as well as technical backup to say no that that's not accurate. We're not doing that.
And is it the unpaid bills or really all water it's been put on property taxes moving forward.
Well, not one. So that's that's it is water. That's not That's it has nothing to do with sewer. So that's just that's just the water deal. Yeah, that's only water and that I don't think anything's been finalized. But that is the discussion is water on. It's not we're not even talking about the sewer portion. Charge. So, if you if you want to have some, if you would like to have some individual conversations about your bill and what you're being charged, I would say come down to the water department and we can address that. I mean I'm open but I'm just saying I don't want to get into a back and forth about your individual bill in the middle of a public hearing about getting some money to fix our infrastructure but I'm we're very open to this to addressing your concerns down into customer service center. So we I don't know if I have let's put on the property.
Yes, sir. But let's due to the nature of what the subject matter is no disrespect to you. This is a public hearing about this particular project. And we do have public comments at the end. We don't have public comments all night tonight. So we want to make sure that we stay focused on what the actual agenda item is. And if you still had some more things that you wanted to talk about at the end of the meeting. I'm handing out two minute slots, I will be using the timer and we can address that I suggest that people try and keep their personal information personal and talk to the folks from the water department directly if that's at all possible. Okay. And yes, ma'am. I Rossi you Mr. Shafi, but this young lady is staying here at the podium.
Don't know if that's good, but is it safe for us to drink of water now?
Yes, ma'am. Take my filter off and don't take your filter off. Do not know and here's why. Here's why. Because as we continue to make improvements on the water, there's particles that could there's particles that could become free because the construction so we have to we publish on the city website accustomed a CCR report and we have passed we don't have any lead violations and haven't since over two years. Now. We were on probation. We're off probation. So the short answer is yes, but I would keep my filter on because if we start construction in the spring or watermain, where it might have been okay, there might be some particles that gets that gets shipped loose during construction and I don't want that could be a problem. So yes, it is we've we passed all our tests. We are in very good standing when it comes to our drinking
water companies still given
Yes, we all come down and get one. Okay.
Yeah, it comes from the shop.
Okay, so the young man, what's your name again? Shannon. Shannon brought up a nice point and I was going to bring up so a little while back I remembered that we got some monies to put new meters in every home and every business in the city. Correct. You're talking water meters? Yeah, yes. Okay. Okay. So so, you know, I know that that 90% of the residents are paying their bills that's without a doubt. There's no argument there. Um, I have a list. Oh, properties that's just in my district only focused in my district because I didn't want to meddle in other other districts as other council members for me. Um, these places have gas to be used in a substantial amount of water and we check to see if they're still metered.
Yes, yeah. So we have when those meters got changed out several years ago, is like a million dollars. It came in, and this was before slightly just before we came, so it's like 1514 So we have this we have the software that we that we monitor all the accounts, right. So this is how they're you know, you might see some leaks and some elderly people's accounts that you know, we reach out to them and say this doesn't look right you using this many units of water, you couldn't be using that. So we also know when people have been turned off. And we're seeing we're seeing water usage at their residence. You know, and you might recall, we did a bunch of cutting caps because we were turning people off they were turning them back on and it was like this back and forth. So ultimately, we had to dig up the line and cut in cabinets. Okay, you're done. You're done. We're done with the game. So as far as having a list of properties, I would urge you to share those with us if you can, but we do readily look into when we look at the accounts to see if those bills match up if they're saying that those homes are vacant, and then we go by those homes, and we look at the account and there's water usage, but the home is supposed to be vacant, it's supposed to be active and shut off. So we do that quite a bit.
Okay. Okay, because most of the properties that I'm talking about their own Darryl Hamilton, Oakland and sell the street Oh, and and some are off of off a six mile on our side of six miles. So I'll I will email you those those addresses. And I'll make sure to cc cactus square of course.
Yeah. We were looking to say
yeah, I just want to check to see if everybody's meeting here and everybody's paying just like the residents are paying okay, because we can't, we can't stand here and demand that the residents hold the very end of the bargain, and nobody else is. It's either accepted.
I agree. Okay,
thank you Miss Manik
is gonna answer it. I was gonna ask him. Is he trying to businesses or President
businesses? Yes. Yeah, yeah, the residents debate. If I If my memory serves me correctly, during COVID You guys were paying over 80% I'm very impressed. Everybody else they fell off the map. A Highland Park pays its water we pay our bill. And it doesn't matter how we feel about one another. You know how the park when they come in here for one. They come in for lovers and we stand together do we not? All right.
Thank you. Let's continue with the public hearing Mr. Applegate. I'm just wondering in the microphone if you could. Yeah, we're recording. Okay. They go on.
Good evening, everyone. My question is, um, just to Gary, you mentioned that $8,000 or $8 million. I can't remember why. But would that be grant or would it be a loan or
it's it's a loan at the at this current time, okay.
Because the reason I max because I'm just saying we go into bankruptcy. I was wondering now what that impede our ability to borrow money if that's one of the dishes of the bankruptcy.
I really do. I'm not a bankruptcy guy. So I don't know the answer to that question. But I'm sure to be revealed in the near future by someone who's qualified. I can't I can't speak on. I don't know. That.
One more question. In a perfect world, in ideal world, how long would this take for you to finish the infrastructure under the ground?
On the water side, you know, we had talked about 10 miles a year for five years, which would finish out the rest of the water system that's been started. But honestly, I don't even know if the city can handle 10 miles of watermain construction at once. I mean, we've kind of we started out with a couple of miles I think we're up to do within four or five miles at a time and you know, we get the calls about you know, the dust and the construction and the restoration and you know, people hate it, but they love it. Right? So, in a perfect world we would be doing about 10 miles a year and that would that we'll clean this up real quick. You know, as far as water goes, the sewer is a whole different animal. You know, I gotta say we got 120 miles and sewer. You know, that's a long, much long longer term investment. I don't I don't have any numbers on that. Do you have any Amen? Yeah, we talked about we talked about it quite a quite a while, but the water the water can be done expeditiously and a little bit more quickly. But if we are in a situation to do that, you know, we're going to need some patience and grace from the residents so that we can we can do that. It's not gonna be fun. It's gonna be painful, but everything will get prepared. Okay,
thank you. All right. I don't see any more hands up. We have anyone present. Oh, yes.
I was gonna say yes, we
do have one online.
Okay. Can you please state your name your this is your question or comment related to the public hearing for the proposed sewer distribution improvement project.
Chico Hamilton Hello, sir.
What did you say your name was
Chico Hamilton.
Sir, would you mind repeating your name? Well, he's that's me.
I'm calling them he's that the it doesn't appear to these respondents. Maybe put his hand up. I'm mistake.
No, I did not. Can you hear me? Can you hear me sir? Yes, sir. All right. My concerns is if you clean the main line, what do you do to the alternate line? He made a question or he made a statement that they can't get to all the lines and if he cleaned the main lines, the routes get to the alternate lines that goes to the home who's responsible for cleaning those lines as well. And do they get cleaned because they need to be addressed? Because they are a problem?
Yeah, no. So these are residents responsibility beyond the right away that is that is a private line. We that that's who would be repairing now, though, needing to repair those lines.
The resident needs to repair the service lines, but the routes and all that gets to why is that the responsibility of the residents when they're on
private? They're on private property. Those are trees and roots that are growing on private property.
Trees get the city on private property without our consent, because there was a tree planted down in front of my house by the city that I couldn't approve. So that same tree grows into my life. So now I'm responsible for a line that you put a trio
well, is that is that a good point? You
know, that was me I want to understand what you're saying. Just you know my restate that you say that the city planted a
tree in front of my home. Several years ago to treat the city came down Main Streets and planted trees in front of our homes. Those same trees go into the lives and I think the young man, he understood the question. So now you just want to make sure I understood the question. Okay, go ahead.
So I just want to make sure I was listening to you. So I want to make sure I heard you so a majority
of the sewer laterals are in the alley. They're not on the street side. I don't I wasn't privy to the trees where they were planted. You know, you would I'd have to know where exactly was it was like a waste. Out? Is it gonna proceed right away the actual writing. I don't have any of that data. But I would agree with his point is that if there if a tree has been planted in the public right away, then that would be the responsibility of the city. Okay, if there if there's trees that are in on the private side and the alley and in the back, you know, I can't We can't be responsible for those routes.
Okay, so So I understand exactly what he's talking about. Because I'm Take for example, my neighborhood, okay, so I live on appeal. Okay. It's pilgrim and I'm on the corner of Curwood and bill. Okay, so all pilgrims they planted some trees Okay. In the front so okay on peel well, that that's not a problem is where they came down curve with crops in the alley, where they planted trees. Now those roots and those trees have grown and those roots have grown and that digging into the sewer lines and digging into the service lines, okay, so we have to stick our lines out on a yearly basis just to keep the roots out of our lines. Okay, so I totally understand exactly what he's talking about. In fact, it's a neighbor of mine says right on the corner of Pilgrim and Curwood when she was renovating her home over there, he had to come in and remove that tree because it had pour into her foundation and had ripped into her water lines and sewer lines right there on the side. Okay, where the city has the right to plan what they want to play, but they removed that tree, but after the fact. Okay, the damage had been done already.
Let me let me dress Councilman Shoppies. So and I don't I can't speak to to the tree. I understand what's going on. But what I would say is where there's a lateral line or public line should be within an easement in the right way and then in there should be an area of influence that you should not be planning. You can't you know, if you if you're going to plan on the edge of the easement the route is going to go down. What kind of tree are you playing? Are you playing one with the spreading root base are you planting planting one with the tap roots? It's a tap roots going straight down. It was a different tree species is spreading. So you know if we want to get into the technicalities of where these trees have been planted and why then we got to go into we got to go into sticking out right aways community. Different departments need to communicate with who I don't even know who planted those trees. We didn't plant those trees. I wasn't contacted that the trees were planted I would say absolutely not.
Mana Jack can you guys still hear me?
We do. We're those army and he's he's absolutely correct, but I would never because I know because guess what? Whether it's public or private who you come in, is private. You still come in to me
that's right by object with one point please. If I may, with property let's let's go down the alley line. And let's go with let's go with properties that's been dismantled and then you got lots and then you got what you they're not trees. They're called like they used to be called Switch trees back in the day. So who's who's responsible for the trees that grows up the alleys when the trees they go up the alleys? And connect to the sewer lines, but you got it on a vacant property and it just grows. So if the city don't come out and clean those vacant lot, who's responsible for the vacant lot that attracts to a neighbor who been a long resident for 40 or 50 years, and that vacant property had grown a bunch of debris called trees and it's messing up the sewer line? Who's responsible for that? I understand if it gets to my property. I will be responsible for helping the city but who helps me when you allow a vacant lot to grow over years and they make it my responsibility?
Okay, hold on a second Mr. So hold on just one second. Thank you so much, Mr. Gary. I'm going to take this next comment and then we're going to have to close the public here and we've been 40 minutes on this so we haven't even got to the agenda item. So if you could address this gentleman, and then go on Absolutely. Got to answer that question. Then write out a second Mr. Frank, he's gonna answer the gentleman's question and you're gonna be the final.
So I'm gonna I'm gonna say to answer his question, it's, it's some intra departmental communication needs to happen if the city has the resources to maintain the lots that they own. Then that's that's what should be done. I mean, you know, we kind of came and cleaned out that while we didn't, but we helped DPW clean out the alleys five or six years ago, when they were clear. They back grown again. Right. So I think I think that there's some it's a couple of departments that should be communicating if resources available. If you have staff right now that can do it. We don't DPW doesn't have staff available to do all the things that they're required to do when it was cutting grass, clean the alleys, clean the catch basins. But yeah, I think that in a perfect world, it would be if we own the lots that the city owns a lot then we know whose responsibility it should be. But as we talk about $8 million loans if we talk about 50 miles or watermain. I mean, we're in a situation where we've gone beyond what should be happening and I think Mayor Pro Tem brought it up is you know, the maintenance the go forward, right? We're you know, we're talking about 30 and 40 years, but when we when we clean the alleys, why should they should remain clean when we clean the catch basins, they should remain clean. When we fix the water main they should remain maintained. So I think moving forward, we understand what needs to go when these happen. But you know, looking back and you know, we don't have the proper resources that are needed to do all the jobs that need to be done. It that's what it is. Okay. So
thanks so much. Mr. Drain, you're going to be the final note here.
Okay. Thank you.
I just wanted to add to what Mr. Hamilton said. I mean Highland Park was the city of trees. And so the city planted the trees all along every single street on both sides used to it wouldn't even the rain wouldn't even come to the ground because the trees would cut into the water. So 95% of the trees that are planted by the city, my department.
Okay, thank you so much, sir. Okay, do you have all the data that you need? I got plenty. Okay. Thank you very much. At this point, we're going to bring the public hearing to a close and before we move on to the next item you know dumbest question is your there is one that you don't ask not you and I thank you very much for your the silliest thing that you should say is the thing that you don't say. Our city council meetings are widely viewed, whether you know it or not. Some people watch these council meetings for entertainment. They've been very, very, very entertaining for the last few months. Those of you who are not from the corporate world don't may not understand the efficiency, the ruthless efficiency to supply to managing a business. The city is a business. And I would like to hope that citizens can think about that same ruthless efficiency that they will want their business to run. Like when they consider the actions of this body of our government. Highland Park is an incorporated city this is a business just want us to remember that. That's how people get away with calling us delusional when we're not focused. That's how they get away with it. So what I'm hoping is that we can be focused moving forward, not just on the next agenda item, but on our priorities here. We have a lot of information come out in conversation. People have shared some things that are very valuable but I will hope that people can be focused on what's the priority as we move forward, because everyone is watching us and they're making assessments based on what they think of us. Now when we think of ourselves. So if you don't mind, Madam Clerk, we'd go to the next item. Before we move on.
I ask you a question.
I'm sorry, you're right, Madam pro tem.
So all of that you just say to me what?
It was called a statement man. I made a statement. And it means what exactly the words I said. It didn't make sense. Okay. We need to get a motion to close public hearing.
And we'll close the hearing.
motion on the floor to close the public hearing related to the proposed sewer distribution improvement project. Second, we have a second we have a second for miss our Shafi we've got a row please
and also President Thomas. Yes. Oh, Tam Robinson. Yes. Councilwoman Monica? Yes, Councilwoman Martin Councilman Ashot.
Yes. Thank you Next item please.
Motion Yes, yes, ma'am. Okay.
She didn't record it. She needs to record it for the Miss Monica, if you would.
Yep. I will close the public hearing.
We have a motion on the floor to close the public hearing. Do we have a second second? We have a second from councilman. Oh, shouting at a clerk would you please call the
roll as President Thomas? Yes. Tim Robinson Yes. Councilwoman Monica? Yes. Councilwoman Martin Houseman? Yes.
Next item, please.
Item number seven. City Clerk parade permit. Damon petty. Monday, June 19 2023. From 11 to one hand.
Thank you motion to approve. We have a motion on the floor from Councilman Shafi to approve. Second. We have a second from we have a we have a second from counsel Pro Tem Robinson. This is on the from the city clerk. The parade permit for the mind petty for Monday, June 19 2023. Do we have discussion with management? Yes, I just wanted to ask him if he couldn't stay. I mean, he stayed as long as he could. Because we can pray
then how can we have great is like any other pair their parade? Is he okay with just having a down?
Crosses he crosses what we're we're crossing on Manchester Parkway to Hamilton to Oatman. So I believe he crosses at Woodward Avenue in Manchester for a section and the majority of his parade is on Manchester and Hamilton to Oakman I think he only crosses Woodward Avenue for probably Yes, ma'am. I think
something has to happen there. I'm not sure what it is. Well, something has to happen. Well, that being approved their monitor cut off. Yes.
Ladies and gentlemen, would you guys like to table this and so we can get that gentleman back? Yeah. Okay. So I need a motion to table. Table.
We have some we have a motion on the table too. We have a motion to table. This item on the city clerk. It's a parade permit. For Mr. Demand. Patty. From Councilman Martin. We have a second from Councilwoman Monica.
Council President. Yes, sir. Is that going to be brought back at the next meeting? Is it being tabled? To the next meeting? Or what does it mean table to
serve? We should at this point, we should table it and bring it back to the next meeting. This gentleman needs to answer that question. It's a legitimate question that I can't answer for him. So the only way that we could get an address is he's going to have to be able to stay for the entirety of our meeting. No matter how long it is, but that's also going to have to be addressed as Miss Monica pointed out the crossing of Woodward Avenue in one is not our jurisdiction. So tabled to the next meeting.
Rake next week.
We have a motion on the floor from Councilman Martin. For item seven on the city clerk to table the parade permit for Mr. Petty. We have a second from
Councilwoman Monica. Madam clerk would you call a call to roll on this item
as the president comments? Yes. Robinson Yes, Councilwoman Anika? Yeah, Councilwoman Martin. Yes, Councilman Shafie.
Yes, this item is being tabled to our next regular meeting.
Next item please.
City council presentation by Lane Metro Community Action Agency.
This presentation from Wayne Metro will require a simple receiving and filing of the documentation. There's no action to be taken on this item other than receiving a file and
that's fine. There's a chair. That is what I was going to recommend due to the lateness of the hour. We do have we do have flyers though, here and we
Councilman Shafi Yes,
I didn't I didn't see anything in my packet afford a car I see it on the agenda is
yes, he's out in and out now.
All right. Yes, sure. We can do that counseling. But again, the chair due to the lateness of the hour. We would like if it's possible to return at a later council meeting to go over the full presentation. But one of the flyers that we do have here is what we call a community assistance day, which is coming up on Saturday in Highland Park, where we're able to assist individuals from everything from water assistance, to your property tax assistance, and all of the services that we have to offer. And so you have a flyer that as well. Thank you, which will be on Saturday at New Mount Moriah Baptist Church from 10 to two
and will lead to flyers for that as well.
Okay, thank you very much. Thank you. At this point we are we would entertain a motion to receive and file these documents
to BC federal agency and to have them return on a later date.
Support motion to receive and file the documents from Wayne Metro from custom amount of support from Councilman Shafi. There are no questions. Madam Clerk, if you will call the roll, please.
That's President comments. Yes. Tim Robinson. Yes. Sounds cool. Nanika. Yes, sounds a woman Martin. Councilman shot. Yes.
We have decided to receive and file these documents. Thank you so much for your time. We apologize for the lateness of the hour. Next item please.
Item number nine engineering resolution to solicit contractor or sinkhole repaid.
The resolution to solicit contractor for sinkhole repairs whereas since 2019, the city engineering department in conjunction with Department of Public Works has continuously assessed all of the public roadways in the city. And identify and repair roads, sinkholes, and catch basins throughout the city that pose a potential threat to the infrastructure as well as to the safety of the residents and roads and users and whereas since 2019 The following repairs have been completed in the year 2019 69 pet repairs with the approximate cost of $318,000.20 2179. repairs were completed for the cost of $393,750. And in 2022 56 repairs were completed for the for the approximate cost of $299,998.42 whereas the city engineering department would like to repair 48 sinkholes slash catch basins and 2023 with the first 33 identified on the attached listing, and now therefore be it resolved that the city approves soliciting bids for 48 sinkhole repairs to be completed. As act if you want funds become available. No repairs to be made from ag 51 funds. At this point the floor is open for council to make a decision on how they would like to proceed with this item. Elsa president
yes sir. So so my eyesight is blind but know right?
We are we are deficient in a number of ways and apparently toner is one of those ways to okay
you provided an addendum for us at the beginning of the meeting. Could you check your files I believe there was an addendum provided to you these two documents
Okay, so before we get into the nuts and bolts, let's get a motion as to whether or not are we going to do anything with this who we can get questions. We have a motion Yeah.
Council president is this is this budget is it? Is it coming out of general fund?
I'd love to answer that question, sir. But we need to get a motion on the floor to see what we're gonna do. A motion to approve with questions
motion to approve questions.
We have a motion on the floor to approve the resolution to solicit contractors for sinkhole repairs. Do we have support? You have support from Councilman Martin so we have a motion on the floor to approve with questions from Council in a Sharpie support from Councilman Martin. The floor is open for questions sir please.
Okay. Again don't check out the President is this coming out of a grant or something or is this that is coming out of Cities conference
right on the page it says repairs to be paid from act 51 ones
Okay?
All right. Let's see that.
We have additional questions. Madam Clerk, we want to take a row for the item on the floor.
As the president comments, yes, Councillor Robinson? Yes. Councilwoman Monica? Yes, Councilwoman Martin. Councilman?
Gordon, no. Sorry. I'm gonna go with no
so the motion carries three to two.
Next item please.
Finance admission a monthly financial statement March 2003.
So under item 10. For finance a we receive our monthly financial statement. The option that we have is to receive and file a motion to receive a file. We have a motion on the floor from Councilman Shafi to receive and file a financial statement. Do we have a second? We have a second from Councilman manacle. Any questions
this is just a receiving FYI. This is our receipts from the month of March.
Do we have Miss someone from the finance department still online?
Evening Council I'm here.
We have speaking
of the finance director,
ma'am. This Martin if you would.
I'm looking at the instead of just proceed counsel. Could you explain the columns? That's it like Hey, you said in the balance 630 21
normal or abnormal?
I'm sorry. Could you repeat that?
Did you explain just the columns I just want to know the the title of different columns where it says in the valid six in June 30 2022. They said normal and abnormal in the second column to 2023 original budget. And then it goes the next time to 2020 to 20.3 and amended budget and it's been year to date balance.
Are you looking are you looking at the right financial statement? Man? Are you looking at the budget or this is the the
monthly right yeah.
Okay, okay. Just wondering. Yeah.
Yeah, well, the ending balance is when the last fiscal year when is the first column. The next column is what was budgeted. Then the next column is any amendments that have been changed. The next column is the year to date which is what has been done from July one till March 31. The next column is the activity just for the month of March and then the late the next column is available balance is worth less of the budget for the rest of the year and the present but the use of the word has been used for the rest of you know from July one up until now.
Okay, that's that's all
you have additional questions. Madam Clerk, would you call the roll on item 10 A. To receive and filed a monthly submitted monthly financial statements the president yes.
No,
that's all Nanika Councilwoman Martin. Yeah. Sorry. It's March. Okay. Council, passing the next shot
Yes. Motion carries four to one. The next item under finance
can be submission of proposed fiscal year 2324 budget.
Yes. Now this is not the actual budget. They're just submitting this document to us to receive and file. The actual budget hearings will be something completely different. It's the same as item A were receiving and filing. So I would entertain a motion to receive this information. And if there are questions that go along with that we can have those questions address.
Motion to receive and file
we have a motion to receive and filed a proposed fiscal year budget for 2023 2024 from Mr. Howe. Shafi do we have support? We have support from Councilman Manica. Are there questions to receiving a file in this document?
counsel present is there a is there a time or a date in which these hearings are going to get started with his budget?
Well, I'm looking at a workshop date for full review of the budget. That's something noteworthy that we should spend some time on. So that'll be a workshop. That I'll say set a hearing date to Yes Mr. Williams.
We want to yes, we want to propose for a council but lunch and workshop hearing for May the eighth and for public hearing on May 15.
Yes, ma'am, I call you in your office.
That was the president said ma'am.
We will go ahead and set those dates in stone right now. 530. Yeah, maybe for the workshop and a public hearing Council, prior to
the public hearing. The public hearing may think yes, may fear things as the regular regular council meeting for the public
will open with you.
Yes, so no, the main five proposals may aim for the the council budget workshop and may 15 for the public hearing that the wrinkling schedule council work council meeting.
Okay, so we have this this way. Let me go back to the item on the floor. We have additional questions before I call for a vote Mr. Shafi.
Okay, yeah, I just wanted to say what's the guy's name to talk to me. I can't forget I want to say to every council member if you get an opportunity, take out a day a couple hours and go down and talk to him. He will help you understand this budget immensely. Once he explained it to me the stereo structions started to look like English language. I'm good.
Sir, thank you.
Yeah, council pro tem.
So this meeting Omega aids and have a special meeting.
No, it's a workshop. Okay. Right. Correct.
It'll have one item. This
Yes. So council so you have this time right now. To review the budget up until May 8 And bring your questions to the council book legend workshop meeting on May 8.
We have additional questions. On a park would you call it a roll? On item 10. B. This is for the this is to receiving and filing.
Council President Thomas Yes. Robinson Yes, Councilwoman, Danica yes Councilwoman Martin. Yes.
Yes motion carries. Next item.
Budget
avoids the need.
Shoppies point earlier today the public hearing notice has to go out with sufficient time. So we're going to need to entertain a motion from someone on council so that we can put the notices can be aware of it well in advance. The finance department will provide additional support for counsel in the form of documentation. Well, we need a motion on the floor and then we have a motion from Councilman Oh, sharpie to hold a public hearing at our regular meeting on May 15. We have support for that motion. We have second from Councilwoman Martin, would you please take the roll on that?
As President Thomas Yes. Tim Robeson.
Yes
yes
Councilman Martin. Absolutely.
Councilman a shot.
Yes,
motion carries. So there will be a public hearing on May 15. related to the budget. The information will be made available online for the citizens if you have your questions, please peruse the document. prior to arrival. We'll provide appropriate time for you to get those questions addressed. Anything further on that one? Okay. Madam Clerk next. Thank you, ma'am.
Item lead this department resolution to approve the practice of a police K nine officer handler training from Oakland Community College.
Gaming Council. Good evening so I know it's late. I feel really uncomfortable coming here asking for money after after hours to spend money rather after this. What's went on tonight but fortunately, most of this is covered by Well, this resolution is covered by Grant. So we're asking to to employ a canine handler as well as purchase a canine. We believe it'll be a huge benefit to the city in terms of tracking and locating as well as dealing with some of our issues with narcotics complaints and things of that nature.
So for item A, do we have an A? What action would you like to take on that?
Motion to approve.
We have a motion to a questions. Item A under police by Councilman Shafi with questions. Do we have support or you have support from Councilman mannequin for the resolution? The floor is open for questions please.
The floor is yours
Okay, Chief it's really not so much as a question is more of a statement. I would appreciate it whoever the officer is. That's going to be handling this canine his background is history. Be spotless. We're dealing with a very dangerous weapon here. And I've seen these type of weapons mishandled by beliefs okay. So whoever the obviously if I just asked a clean background and a clean history No. Sorry, my phone's ringing. Okay, so then, you know, so we could just do that I would greatly appreciate it. I'm good.
So I completely respect that. And I agree with you this. There comes a lot of liability with the canine and the it's important that we pick the right handler. We will be Oakland Community College, their trainer. He is 27 years experience in training this and they've offered to assist in interviewing our officers to help us pick the proper candidate because they know what's what's required and what you know, what is needed. So we can make you know, choose the right fit. Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am.
We had the out for somebody, right.
So typically, let's say we had an event where we have like a home invasion and someone fled on foot. We're at the mercy of other departments. So sometimes we'll reach out to Wayne State we'll reach out to Detroit or reach out to the Michigan State Police. We've reached out to US Marshals Border Patrol. And all of those agents agencies have been very gracious to help us and, but unfortunately, a lot of time goes by and and sometimes that that plays a role in how successful we are in catching, catching our sauce by so having having our own canine we will be able to to put that canine out there immediately and and hopefully have a have a better success rate with with, you know, capturing this plus, we believe this canine will be a great tool for the community. You know for local parades for kids for the schools. You know, let people know that. You know, there's a fun side of policing everything is not doom and gloom. So it could be as a courtesy to the other agencies who have assisted us we would certainly make that available to them as well.
So the the animal will be new, it's a it's a puppy it's been trained for for nearly a year. And then once a handler is picked the animal and the handler will train together. But it'll be in house we'll pick a handler from in house
roto Hi, how are you?
Good. How are you? So well this canine poach be employed at every traffic stop.
Point every traffic stop. No, we wouldn't be able to do that. The officer is going to work a set shift. And you know when he's available, but he'll be subject to the ability to be called in during emergencies. So Correct? Yep. Yeah, they're a package deal. The canine and the dog I mean, the handler and the dog trained together for six to seven weeks and then they have to certify every so often. To make sure that the that basically to make sure the dog and the handler know what they're doing. So they're required by you know, by the state to to be certified in and so they they run them through tests and make sure their information basically make sure your dog's nose is working. Right so
you have additional questions.
Thank you, sir. With no further questions on Item a. He'd like to take the role
as the President Thomas yes, that's bro Tim Robinson. Yes. Councilwoman, Annika? Councilwoman Martin. Yes, Councilman? Yes. Thank you.
For item a Next item please.
The purchase of three police vehicles from last I think GMC. Just the
resolution to approve the purchase last time we allowed them to go and look now it's time to purchase. So do we have any action from Council on this resolution to approve the actual purchases?
Motion to approve.
Motion to approve. Councilman Asha. We have a second. Second. We have a second from Councilwoman Monica, Do we have questions? Hearing none, can we take the roll on this item is
the President Thomas Yes. Alpha Pro Tem Robison Yes. How Salam Nanika Yes, Martin. Council man. Yes.
Motion carries four to one. Thank you, Council. Next item please.
Resolution to approve the purchase of risk management services and an updated police policy manuals.
Council. Motion to approve. We have a motion to approve the resolution to management services from Councilman shopee. Do we have a second? We have a second from Councilwoman Martin. We have questions.
Hearing no, wait, wait. I do I'm sorry.
Councilman Monica please questions.
One second.
So we're going to update the police manual to fit
new rules for
risk management or how we're
doing this. We're doing both
well so this company is a risk management company. And what we've asked them to do is update our manuals. You know, I have returned at AdWords here. She can tell you we've been working on our manuals for over over a decade. And unfortunately, our policies and unfortunately no one, you know, we never get it quite right. And in terms of our policies, it's it's a huge liability to the city. You know, the officers need to know the rules they need to play by. So we're we hope to seek accreditation one day, and with that will be it's required that we have policies that are that conform to state law and all the legal updates. And right now, unfortunately, some of our policies are insufficient in that area. And so we're looking to get this updated. I believe it'll it'll be a huge asset in terms of insurance rates for the city. I know it's something that they asked about in terms of providing insurance. They want to know how often the policies are updated when they're reviewed. And when the last time they were updated, you know, as far as as far as our policies. So again, unfortunately, we have some of our policies that that are over have not been updated since 2012. Although there's a lot of them, we've updated our you know, our extreme extreme liability policies, we've recently updated those and and you know, past you know, again, I bring her you know, we tend to average up she was involved in in updating a lot of her policies, you know, when she was here, and so we have a good stepping stone. We just need help to get on board. Yeah.
Yeah, Steve, I appreciate you bringing this to our attention as far as updating because we need a lot of stuff updated in our city for our for our people, and this is the first step like our website.
Additional questions? Hearing none, Madam Clerk, would you call the roll on item C?
As the President Thomas? Yes, ma'am. Robertson. Yes. Councilman Anika, yes. Councilwoman Martin. Yes.
Yes. All right. You can take your hands out on pocket.
All right, Council. Thank you very much. Have a good night. I appreciate
it. It's always a pleasure.
Well, they recreate recreation resolution to exempt fiscal year 20.3 economic development initiatives slash Community Project Grant.
Motion to approve.
We have a motion on the floor to approve item 10. This is 11 A now? Yeah. 1212 12 a motion to approve on the floor from Councilman Shafi seconded by councilmember Martin. Do we have questions to this? Hearing none Madam Clerk? Would you take the row?
President Thomas? Yes. Council Pro Tem Robinson. Yes. Councilwoman manifest? Yes, Councilwoman Martin. Yes.
Yes, motion carries. Next item please.
Be resolution to enter into contract with the charter county of lane to corporately fund the purchase and installation of a play structure and medmen feel.
Council What's your pleasure?
Motion to approve with questions.
We have a motion to approve item 11 B from councilmember Shafi with questions. Do we have support? Sorry. We have support from councilmember Martin. This item is on the floor. Mr. Chavez questions?
Yes, sir. To the chair. I just have a concern about the about the commingling of funds. I know we just approved one and we're approving the other one. They're both going in for the for the Rec Center and improvements there. I'm just I'm a little bit concerned about the commingling of funds. Is there any harm or danger in that? If there is a what's our liability for?
Liability question?
Relationships from parties and the twill. If that's the on page for
as long as we're okay, I'm fine.
Page four item 12. This resolution that what you're referring to Yes. So page 12 item 12. Under liability.
Go to page where
you say item 12
Item 12 is on page
okay all right
yeah
there's Mr. Burgess or Sue on the line.
Lost everybody
said Mr. Sharpie. I don't believe that we have anybody remaining online to be able to answer this question for us. But the issue of commingling funds is something that will probably have to be addressed with the with the recreation department as I'm sure they've handled something like this in the past. Right.
Exactly. So So you know, I don't want to want to hold up the process, and she could get back to his lady I would greatly appreciate it. I was there when Mr. Rashida to leave came to with these funds and I definitely do not want to hold them in process with the rec center.
So we have any additional questions on this item? Hearing none, for item 11 B. Not a perfect you take the row.
President Thomas Yes Tim Robinson. Yes. That's a woman Malika. Yes. Councilwoman Martin. Yes, Councilman Asha.
Yes. Motion carries. Next item please. Item
number 13. Water Department resolution requesting submission for Clean Water State Revolving Fund project application for the city of Highland Park to Department of Environment.
Council are we sure we proceed on this?
Motion to approve.
We have a motion to approve for Councilman a Sharpie with questions. Do we have support? We have support from Councilman Martin. floor is open for questions. Mr. shocky.
Okay. You know what I'm looking at this and I take that question back. I'm good.
Do we have any additional questions? I'm good. I think that bank clerk would you call it a roll on item 13?
Yes, approach in Robeson. Yes, Councilwoman Monica. Yes, Councilwoman Martin, and Councilman shot. Yes.
At this point that completes our agenda, the only thing we have left to citizens participation. We've had a whole lot of that tonight. Do we have any citizens that have something on their chest that they just absolutely want to get off at 10:25pm? Okay, I'm limited this to two minutes when you start hearing this beeping Miss gray so you got to stay to the end though. I got some I need to say to you I want you to stay to the end. Come on, sir.
Yeah, this is also a kind of a weird time but it's for the pyramid concrete are also known as MLK Park.
Could you state your name sir? By Daniel
ended up passing out of those. A little bit of work that I've done. The woods are down and it's a liability for the city. I'm asking for $706 Maybe contingent upon finding volunteers.
You're asking for seven years.
And it's just to have all these cross
beams
those were all stable and it really wouldn't matter if the the base of the beams has rotted. It's like I like to say it's like a giant piece of furniture. And yeah, later on, I do decorative lighting and would like to ask for money to do that to do solar powered lighting. But the first step is to stabilize these beams. And I've already started doing it. Yeah, I gave you guys my contact info and we wanted to talk about it more. Was there a question over there?
I do. Councilman Monica. Oh, Councilwoman Anika counseling done. I was gonna let you finish I just wanted him to recognize that a question for you. So finish what you're saying.
You know, I pretty much said it. And yeah, we'd like to keep it as brief as possible in the interest of time, but
so I could be wrong. But there's a couple of things that that can't happen. One, I would like to know did you see this and write it down and give it to parks and recs and say hey, this is happening. I'm over here playing on this material or I
did it without permission and in my best judgment, it was okay to do right now. They're falling down.
Okay, I understand that. But you can't just do it in the best interest of yourself and then say, Hey, I'm gonna come and ask you for 706 hours and let me finish. I appreciate it. I definitely appreciate it. But one there's a liability to you did it on your own three. Hey, there's a way to do it. You come to parks and rec she comes to the council say, hey, maybe you have some kids. I don't know if you have children. It's over there playing or you just like to do sculpture work. Hey, can I be can I put a bid in to do this? I get it or am I volunteering this? I'm volunteering my services. One because if we let everybody just come in here and do something and say hey, now you we want some money for we that's me I could be wrong.
Sure. And I'm sorry I didn't get approval before starting and I am volunteering. This is just money for the materials but here I am now. You know, there's there's a lot more to do and I
yeah, I'm
I'm here now. So I used to live like within side of the park right now I live on Avalon street between second and third. When I finish ready, they are yeah there maybe there's a line but there's a few others here that would also like to talk about. Okay,
so we're about two minutes. Thank you so much mana protein.
Yeah. We do have application for people to adopt the park. rec center. Yeah, that's why so Noranda Yes,
that's what Patricia is gonna talk about next. All right,
thank you so much, sir. We appreciate you didn't ask for forgiveness than permission sometimes. Right? Maybe this is one of those times. Thank you so much. Hello.
My name is Patrice Johnson. I'm I've been a residents of Highland Park for 47 years over 47 years just bought my first home here. I am looking to work with him also on doing that. rehabilitation for that park. I put an application for the adopt the park program. I'm waiting on it to go through I went up there and spoke with her several days ago. She said she was putting it in a system for me to be able to go forward with it. But she also had an issue with she said something about by abuse to be a waterpark or something like that. She said they had concerns with the underground plumbing system and whether or not it was still running there. So it was gonna be hard to even get going on anything at that park. Someone trying to see where can we go from here to at least try to rehabilitate and make it a nice decent place for people to go family and stuff like
that by the
licensed biases that work
I do not have any kind of license.
There is an issue as far as water and they haven't gotten to that area yet. So she's definitely she could still put it in for you. I'm aware of that. And then he has to go engineering and different things. So my next question is congrat first and say congratulations on to you for purchasing your home. Is your home happened to be in that area? Yes, it is. Okay. And children?
Yes, I do. I have five grown children and I have five grandchildren that are being raised here. Okay, I also I'm sorry, excuse me. I also develop my own I'm also trying to develop my own community organization for children and youth as well. I already have my paperwork and everything that I'm trying to do my 501 C three
All right, thank you ma'am.
Going up to the mic, sir. Just want to work. On my state your name first. Hit the button. Sure.
Is there a button? Oh, no.
I have a button on my timer.
Okay. Yep. Hi, I'm Shannon again. I've been running a urban garden about a block from the park for the past several years. We started a nonprofit called Highland gardens. And we've been using the space to maintain the area keep it less blighted and we give away the vegetables when we have them at Community concerts at the park. And for the past several years we've been helping to cut the grass, pick up trash. We've done several concerts and just carrying that on this year. With Danny Danny was interested in just looking at the beams were in some areas not not really like all of them, but like some like needing repair really. A lot of infrastructure could use like some TLC like some of the pyramids are a little crumbly it could use like reordered and a bit better basically just been kind of doing a grassroots just engagement with my local community to help take care of the park with other neighbors who also come along and they've been there for several years. Some their whole lives. And yeah, I'm just moving forward. I'd like to just continue to also steward the park and bring what we've been doing with the Urban Garden side of what we've been doing for the past several years over to the park and try to help maintain into like a public green space where we could also have maybe some vegetables there. Cut the grass. What's a garden? It's Highland in Lincoln and the park. MLK Park is like rich tin and Lincoln Street. Yeah, so yeah, moving forward. We'd like to get maybe a little bit more proper alignment to work with the city to maybe help to, like put a sign in. There's not a sign for MLK Park can be a part of like the green, green like the urban gardening. Just kind of we come we black it we're not asking for any money or anything. But if you knew, possibly access to grants that could support acapella with some of that stuff, too. Yeah, we'd be interested in applying for stuff like that in
your view, the two minutes but I like what you're talking about. So I'll let you go. Okay, I'll let you go. I'm gonna retire from my career to move in urban agriculture. So I'm a big fan of what you're doing. Oh,
nice. All right. Thank you take your brain some time.
Yeah, President May I come in shortly.
Please go right ahead.
Okay, so, so you're in my district. And I really like what you had to say. Maybe we can we can get together and brainstorm. for that. We're looking at Barack Obama at some time and I see his potential.
Great. Yeah, great potential. Yeah. Yeah, I've seen a just a little love go a long way. So I've been getting some volunteers over the years to help me with that along with like, just engaging with the local neighborhood. So just like keep elevating this year. We're doing a Halloween fest or like concert. Giveaway pumpkins going to have a pumpkin patch. Yep. Yeah. All right. And yeah, we can talk definitely.
Okay. Thank you so much for being patient man. Thank you, sir. So Okay. Well, thank you. All right. Thank you for being patient man. Please go right ahead.
I love all the participation,
participation. Please make sure you work with Dan talk to read in your city as in your district, as well as talk to parks and recs. I tried to point a thing, but we cannot continue to just let people go about what they want to do when they want to do it. And then coming into saying I've been doing this for years. I don't know how many years that is. Well, I don't think it is many years is S is on that. And so what I'm saying because you want to do it, there's a proper way to do it. And we're trying to get there. So I need you to talk to the Rec Center and talk to the city before you just continue to move forward because he sounds like a guard. They'd all kind of stuff going in that area, which could cause you harm as well as anyone else. And he gets the VMI view. Okay, so he does have plans, rec department parks already have been working with water engineering on different parts. So please communicate with her before you go forward. Especially to pick up trash if you have permission, but I'm just saying to you sir, which I was talking to a gentleman is the viability. I don't have a problem with anything being done. But when you start talking about building and putting bolts and things together, it begins to be an issue, just like he just came and said, Hey, can I get several $100 Because I've done some of this work and I'm starting that's like me going to your house and deciding to do some work on your property because I think oh, we all need a green space or we all need this. We are totally aware that we need green space, but just like you're coming and asking that question in that type of tone and manner. Again, there's people aren't they're doing more damage to us. Then we need to declare ourselves so I'm not going to continue to entertain that,
ma'am. Yes, um, my name is Geraldine Moore Morton, and I've been living in that area for over 40 years and I'm the MLK Park has been neglected for over 25 years. It is horrible. And it's no sign up there to see as M L. K Park and the man that MLK was we should have something there is grants we can go after grants with the MLK Foundation to help in that area. It has never been a waterpark. Never it was it's mostly like a reserve here men see men are Park. It has some. They were talking about doing something like a water park. But this was years ago. This was during the black wheel administration, the father. So this park has been neglected. Parking with ration does not come up there and clean it or anything the neighborhood is cleaning. They've been around for about I want to say three years.
Five or three
years, but it's a young man that's been cleaning that park. It would not look like it's looking. Um, his name is Tim. And he lives on that street on retune. Right off of the freeway. He's a long service person, but he takes care of that park. He cuts it down he goes and cleans in between everything. He picks up everything constantly. He does this on every year he does this he'll do it by himself. If he can't get anybody to help him do it. So it does need some attention from the park and recreation because the key is really can't play on it. We have people coming over there at night because there's no lighting over there. The police can tell you that they were over there. The other night when all the gunfire was going on. And they couldn't see they had flashlights looking around trying to find casings and stuff. That's how many shots were fired. You have people living on that park that come across from Cass community services over the bridge of witches Monterey, come down and go over to the park. They don't walk down our street as much as they used to because we stopped them from doing that. They go around the other way and go over there off of the latch. So I don't know. I know you guys have I don't know if you're doing it on your own if you go to a proper regulation to have the parties that you do have over there because I know of them. You've been doing it for at least the last three years because then you live in a house on Monterrey or someone
I live on island you moved on
right you know Right, right, right.
I know you do. You have done it before but I didn't know where you approved by the park and recreation. I have to go through them first to have those. Yes, you have to but they don't care about the park anyway, so the last version, and they need to look into that because you can put a sign at every other park. Monterrey Hansa sign. Um, will Monterrey know they had noticed the second site Okay, since they did the basketball court, but that park has been neglected for so long. And that's why us as citizens have to go over there and pick up stuff. Stuff and everything I used to walk my dogs in that area one down here. And I'm afraid to walk them in the park because they break laughs and
apart so we all over them. So So ma'am.
I know. I know.
I know
it was never a waterpark. So yeah, and I want and I want to recognize the fact that I've seen you don't see me I look different every time I go out in public. I've ridden my bike over there. I've seen what you're doing. You're doing a good job. You know you don't recognize me because I look different. I might be driving a different car have a completely different clothes. I see what you've been doing. I see the work that they're doing. So sometimes you have to ask for forgiveness. Versus permission but thank you for coming to city council letting us know what you're trying to do. Maybe we can get some momentum behind that. We're not we don't you go out to ask us permission to pick up trash and I get I get what the gentleman was saying. I get it in my heart. You saying? At what point do you decide you have a problem with something you just decide you're going to do something about it and for that. I appreciate you okay,
you more people you need to appreciate that need to be acknowledged. Yes ma'am. Because it's my man has been doing it for over
Yes, man. This man due to the lateness of the hour, do we have additional Yes. This price, you want to close this out?
Okay. You do have someone one person on line.
I turn into a pumpkin in about 30 minutes.
I'll be real fast. My name is Mark Ashley. I'm from the hunger PA school boy and I was going to pick if I wasn't gonna say nothing but I just want to pick up what what they were saying about the MLK Park on Danny and Shannon had been doing that for as they said they've been doing that for the past few years. And they've been a day been helping take him out that part by David mentioned to them. There's a way to do that to go say counsel asking permission like Councilwoman Monica was mentioning but that's fine. Why they do stuff. I didn't mention that to them. But I am glad that you're here tonight to ask you guys about that. But it's not ma M LK Park is just the pause period in the city and I'm not blaming Obama especially you guys you just got says took off his anyways. But um, but my point is since I feel like I'll pause could need some extra help. Because it's not just our park it's all over the city. And Satya so like all plus needs some extra attention. But the sauce I think again I saw God then you guys have done a good job. So far. So it's our new mayor. And God bless your guts and God bless to say thank you guys so much.
Mr. Lackey. We have someone online. Yes. Can we hear from that person? Would they mind stating their name?
Yes. Again, I'm Chico Hamilton and I just want to quickly take 2.5 minutes of your time just to say two subjects once
Go ahead, come home with the hammock.
All right. One subject is the streets. Hopefully there will be a future street pavement between pilgrim all the way to six miles and roads are horrible. Jocelyn area 12 Street area and all the streets adjacent to that all the way to six mile from pure growth that needs to be addressed at some point in time with this new council a new mayor. It didn't happen in the previous mayor's I will hope to see that being improved in the city because though roads are terrible for the people who've been in the community for years. Secondly, based on the agriculture and the recreation center, and what we provide for the community as far as the children and hope for future. The Reggie McKenzie Foundation has been a staple for this city for the past 50 years that provided an outlet for children, families and for the community that reached out to not only the state of Michigan but around the country of the United States that has been doing a great service for the city as well as the state. I would like to see the city of Highland Park support the Reggie McKenzie foundation more so better as far as having a park tech appeal which was been a staple for the city up kept you know rebuilt and help the community just like your did a great job with the Monterey Park. If the Hackett field which was a base for the whole city if that can be re reinvigorated for the future with the helping the Reggie McKenzie foundation just to get a football field ready for summer camp in a basketball camp at Ernest T Ford Fieldhouse. If the city could come and support that and support the original Kinsey foundation any as a break coming up, which he will be the grand marshal, I would like to see the city support someone who supported the city over the years that has done a great job for the city with no blemishes and he has done nothing but notoriety and help the children so the future for the city so if the city council with the only people at the meeting steal if you guys can get bandwagon and just help the children for the future. I would love to see that happen. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Hamilton. Mr. Shannon, are you gonna break the MO I see your hand back there you just trying to hold your head up and falling asleep? Okay, I thought she was falling asleep but you just wanted to prop your hand up to keep from falling over. Not Yeah.
I was one Shannon, resident of Highland Park. Good evening, everyone. Council Mayor citizens. I'm going to be two minutes or less. Please bear with me for a moment. I've been a resident of this city for 57 of my 59 years on this earth and there are a lot of things that I do not like. I do not like the fact that we have not replaced some of the street signs on many of our blocks where people cannot park on both sides of the street. And with great respect for our new Chief, you know, these things have been gone for a number of years. So they probably possibly don't even know to enforce that. But it does cause a lot of problems. I don't like the fact that my neighbor has been running and illegal car operation across the street for a while he's been ticketed and all the rest of that kind of stuff. He still does it. He has customers including himself that urinates publicly in front of his house and on the side results. And I told him I said the minute a trial sees that you're gonna have a very, very big problem existing on that street. Moving forward. I don't like the fact that we are facing a bankruptcy with all due respect to Lieutenant Edwards, who has endured a personal affront to you know, her well being with all due respect to miss Wooten who is always ready to, you know, launch a protest and bring the torches in baseball bats, and she ready for it. And even though I don't like it, I believe that the council made the right decision in order to buy us time to address the problem. fafi you know? Tonight, you and your colleagues faced a very difficult decision. And I wanted to point out that those are the types of decision that many of your predecessors also had to face and make those decisions whether they like them or not. And so, I wanted to make note of that, more to make note of that with you. So that you understand that hey, we are in a very major fight for a lot of things. And if we don't find a way to work together on those items, you might have to turn over the keys to Highland Park now. That's all I'm gonna say everyone have a fantastic evening. Take care. Thank you very much
for public comments, citizen participation to oppose right now we have counseled Affairs, Mr. Sharp if you will kick us off.
Similarly, council president. So I would like to simply say, ladies and gentlemen, I've only been here 20 years but one thing I learned about this city is when there are outside forces pushing at us, coming after us, trying to destroy us, regardless of how we feel about one another, this city post together. It has survived and it will continue to survive because we're willing to fight for everything that we got coming. Nobody has ever handed us anything for free in this city and that much I've learned about HP, everything that HP has ever had. She has fought for and I know I've only been here 20 years, but I'm honored to be a resident in the city. And I'm honored to stand alongside you and fight like hell for everything that we got coming. I believe he HP and we're not going down without that fight. Thank you so much.
CAC meeting I have flyers up front
we are on
930
I also want to say this
at some point you need to be
right so what do I mean by that?
I heard ahead but I bet
I heard that at some point they can show up and let our faces nice. I'm also that trial package or whatever the fee but we business chakra water