President here thank you very much for item three this the approval of the agenda members have you had an opportunity to review the agenda? If so, you can please take action on Item three at this time the floor is open
I move to approve the corrected agenda
for
Monday's meeting August 21 2023.
We have a motion on the floor from Councilwoman Monica to approve the agenda as he has do we have support support with questions we have support for Mr. Shafi were questions Mr. Shafi, if
you would, I'm not seeing what was correct. The council president. Was it the date the time what was it?
It was the day sir.
Okay. All right. And then we find
we have a motion on the floor. Do we have additional questions related to that item? Madam Deputy Clerk, would you please call the roll on an agenda item three?
Yes.
Yes. Yes. Yes.
Yes, motion carries. The agenda is approved for item for the approval of the proposed minutes in person and virtual regular meeting for August 7 2023. City council. What's your pleasure? On this item?
Move to approve the proposed minutes in person and virtual regular meeting August 7 2023.
We have a motion on the floor to approve the in person and virtual regular meeting minutes for August 7. Does she have support?
Support with amendments?
Staff Shafi please remember sir. Okay, um,
um section six B, resolution to use the title, LLC auction services sale city owned properties. I would I would urge the council to reconsider this and to walk this item back. This is something that should have been put out to bid and it also needs. It also needs a supermajority vote which it did not get it only had a three vote.
Item 60 This is the resolution to sale to use title check LLC auction services to sell sitting on property. Yes, sir. Okay, so you want us to reconsider this? Yeah. Hi.
Yes, sir. I want the council to reconsider that, that particular item as I said it needs to be put out to bid. It can't be a third party recommendation. I respect Mr. Mr. Eric soubry. But he clearly overstepped his place when he when he asked the city to pick up this particular company instead of putting this item out to bid which is what it should have meant and on top of that, I would also like to point out, it was brought to us by the Rome Wii U. It should have been brought to us by the city treasurer not the administration because it's the city treasurer his job and responsibility to make sure the auction goes through her and several of these factories
Okay, so those who were in favor of that item, this was Thomas mannequin, and Martin, the nays were Robinson and now shopping so we pass that at about a three to two. So what you're suggesting is that we go back Yes, sir. Okay. Do you feel that you have support to change the votes of either these other members? Yes.
You're not trying to be difficult council president. I don't want the process to go the right way.
I don't think you are. What the clerk is explaining to me is at this point the only thing that we can do with this item is the approval of the minutes. Um, it I mean, it is what it is. It says this is item four. And what we can do here is the approval of the minutes now you can vote nay on the approval of these minutes and protest to that item. I don't really know how we would go back and address that because it was approved to use this resource. And if I'm not mistaken, we were recommended this resource by the actual county clerk who administers auctions. So yeah, at this point, the only thing I believe we can do is moving forward with the vote either voting in favor of it or voting against it.
Mr. Shafi, the park is explaining to me that there at some point you can ask for this item to be added to resend this vote. You only need two council members today. And someone else can can take this item have a question?
Okay. Well then I would like to make a motion to resend this particular item. But okay, so yeah, you can do that. Yeah, I would like to make I would like to make a motion to rescind this particular item.
I don't know at this at this moment, the best way to help you achieve the goal that you you have there. And if you feel strongly about it, I think we should figure out a way for you to get that item brought up again if it's possible. Okay.
Present is gotta be done before these minutes are approved. You know,
the only thing that we're doing here basically is just to either approve them or not approve. I think that's all we're doing. I don't think that we have the ability to change the course of the votes that are recorded. I went through and I read the item. I'm not the one you're talking about specifically. It was carried by a majority. Not a supermajority that we needed four votes supermajority is for for overriding vetoes only and no
no, no, no.
You know what? Council President I would I would suggest that we look at chapter seven in the in the city charter. For these particular items, especially for for land developments and major sale of city properties. It requires a supermajority vote
which items are in chapter seven. If yes, we respond.
Oh, first of all, good evening, Council. I believe you were the one that's one of the Yeah, I'm sorry. You voted. You voted no. Yes, ma'am. On that particular item yesterday. So in terms of the reconsideration effort, it would have to be brought by one of the parties who actually yes,
okay, there we go. Okay.
Okay, okay, so one of my council members, so what you're telling me is, is only the council members are which is what I read in which I thought was the case only the council amendments who voted yes. can sit in this particular vote, correct. Okay. All right. didn't sing y'all ball for the council president. But the rules have definitely been violated.
Okay, so back to the matter on the floor right now. This is the approval of the minutes please go shopping. Do you wish to remove your support or will you still supply
I wish to resend my support.
Thanks so much. So we have a motion on the floor by Councilman malecha to approve the in person and virtual regular meetings for August 7. Do we have support? Chair offers support? Madam Deputy Clerk, would you please call the roll on the approval of the minutes? No. Yes. Yes.
No. Council President.
Yes. The minutes are approved at this point who will turn the floor over to Mayor McDonald's and she may address the Publican City Council. Mayor McDonald.
The floor is yours
can you guys hear me? Good afternoon citizens of Highland Park, City Council and Administration I only have a few things. One is first I'll start with Thank you thanking people. I want to thank the east and black club for their awesome event that happened on yesterday. between third and Hamilton. It was really really nice event. They had a taste of culture and which was a vendor and food festival. So thank you guys for that. I also want to thank Mr. Willie Johnson, who held his 20th Barbecue cook out and or what you call a contest. He had a contest, which was awesome. It was held in Avalon village. So shout out to Mr. Johnson for his 20 of year. Looking forward to more. Also I want to thank some of the residents who have been continuously coming out this weekend. I went by a senior's house who needed some help. And so, you know, I went by myself, but the citizens on that blog came out to help. So I want to appreciate I want to thank them for just joining and trying to make sure that the senior could be able to see pasture fence and get up off bushes and stuff and that's the efforts that it's going to take. I will continue to go out for anybody that needs help if I can get help with them. So I appreciate that. So much those systems that came out on a $300,000 grant that I hope to council, consider it is for seniors who live in houses on the on the streets who are lead energy efficient products like rules, doors. It was a list of things so I don't have them all on here. You must meet the needs must meet the eligibility requirements. You have to own the home yourself. You have to be within a certain guideline and income guideline. And so this is what $300,000 And we're trying to do. I think Mr. Burgess said about 30 Seniors if possible 20 to 30. So if you know anyone who meets that correct requirement, please let me know. And so I can write it down and we can come by and look at the house have somebody combined make sure that it qualifies. So I hope you guys can let me know as The auction will go live very soon. The list of properties will be placed on the website. Signs are up front and other homes that are slated to be auctioned off. So if you see one of those little signs, just know that's one of the houses that's going to be auctioned. The auctioneers have done their due diligence. We have signed a contract, we will sign the contract and making sure that we go for it. We're getting rid of these properties so people can buy them and develop them. I'm hoping that people will join in trying to make sure that they get some properties they will be continuous auctions, not just this one. We are obligated to according to the charter to have these auctions quarterly. And so be on the lookout for him. If you don't make this one. There's going to be another one after that. Probably about three months from now continuously so that we can continue with getting those properties off of art and ask questions right now. Sorry, can ask questions right now. Getting those properties off of our tax roll and into the hands of others so that they can put it they can start paying taxes on it which helps the city. It helps the city grow. The more tax base we have, the more we're able to hire and to do things that we need to do. So that's all I have for you right now. Thank you. Oh, and I want to make sure that I'm sorry. I want to make sure everybody knows that. You know, I've been listening to a lot of stuff and I try to ignore it and I'm going to ignore it. But in order for the city to go forward. We have to stop these backdoor fight backstabbing dealings, all this kind of stuff. We have to get this city in order and the only way we could do that is if everybody's on the same page. So I'm looking forward to working and getting this done. And I hope you are too that's all I have.
Okay, ladies and gentlemen, this is the section of the agenda where we have citizens participation for agenda items only. So if you will, please take a look at the agenda.
Council president you. You forgot to access if we had any questions for the mayor.
I don't know we don't routinely, we don't retain.
Usually you do sir
because it's something that Okay, sure. Yeah, sure.
Thank you, Madam Mayor. I appreciate it. Okay, so my first question is how is our police department looking?
We have we have two people in the Academy right now. Okay, three since I've been here already. So that's five and I think the chief is over there. We need about what five more? Yep, five more to fill our roster.
Okay. Okay. So how many officers do we have as of right now?
The chief what we got?
I don't share anything.
Okay, you can't share that information. But we are still in the process of hiring. If you know someone, anybody you know someone who wants to be a police officer, please let us know we is on the website. Go to the website. Fill out the application. We are hiring and we try to do get as many as we can.
It's okay, I have we decided on on on on DPW director yet we still have a supervisor.
We still have a supervisor and we will have a supervisor until we can get someone who's willing to take the part time position at the rate that we can offer. Getting a full time position would cost us at least 120,000 or better. No one with the engineering license would like can work for less than that or what don't want to. So we still are looking to hire a part time. We've been advertising for it but we got no one to take the date. We did have one person but then he found out a court conflicted with his other jobs. So that didn't happen until we get one that's qualified. We still have a supervisor.
Okay. The reason I asked that question is because according to the charter, only the DPW director in xx x 51 funds, and I remember about about eight years ago, we were looking at a file from the state for about $2 million for the mismanagement of that 51
After reading the act 51 obligation it requires us to to have one person be the access to those funds. It does not ask for a director okay. It just says one person, okay.
It's in the act that the state said five,
Kathy, can we get that to him, please?
Thank you. We appreciate that. Thank you.
Okay. All right.
Um, the last
thing and I'll let you go just three questions as council president essay. I wanted to talk to you about the water department and their policy. Okay, so over this weekend, and it was a minor little technical error. But over this weekend, my son had his watershed off. It shouldn't have been shut off. But he had to shut off he paid the bill, but somehow he got on the list. It's clerical error. It happens. Okay. So he had his watershed on. What they did was they closed the office, and then they come out and they shut off the water. Now this is a practice I've noticed. They closed the office on the weekend. On Fridays on Fridays they closed early. They closed early on Friday at two o'clock I believe it is okay. They senior people out and they turn off people's water. So my concern is what happens to the residence who doesn't have access that I have who's not sitting here on City Council who doesn't have Kathy squares personal number and who doesn't have Mr. Garrett's personal number? What happens to those people who accidentally or by mistake did they want to shut off no winter coat, no way to go, no one to call and they have to sit from Friday afternoon until Monday afternoon. That's four days without water.
So Mr. Garrett has an email and maybe some people might not have access to that but he has an email that can be accessed at any time. And he I can honestly say he watches those emails. Okay, so if someone sends an email to him saying, hey, my water was shut off accidentally What am I supposed to do? He's supposed to respond so but I'm gonna I'm gonna ask Mr. Garrett to come up and talk about that. That's why they're here
Good evening. So first of all, a couple of points of clarification Water Department calls at 430 Not to
write their calls to on Fridays.
Not Not every Friday, every.
Every time I go up there to pay the bill. Two o'clock on Friday in any resident here I tell you, they call them door at two o'clock on Friday. They're going
at the front at the front. Okay. We're still working right?
But that's the only accept residents for that. I'm just I'm simply suggested that maybe we can change that policy. And maybe you guys can do your shut offs on a Thursday and give the residents Thursday and Friday to make some type of arrangements instead of them. Sitting all weekend because maybe they might not have your email and maybe they might not have a way to reach you. Then what do they do? Okay, not everybody is counseling shots. It's okay that I
still have access to date on that shut offs are not designated on particular day so that they can happen any day from Monday through Friday. So it's not strategic where we wait to shut people off on the weekend. That will probably be the worst time. Yeah, that's not normal operating protest. So if you get on the shut off list, and it's a Tuesday, then it happens on a Tuesday. It's all depending on when you're what you've done and you're billing your billing history. So it's not a it's not like, hey, let's wait now. One of the things it's out there is this BSNL being able to pay online. So yeah, one of the things we've talked about is though, unless you're checking that every day, you can get shut off and hit pain. Okay? So one of the things we've been talking about internally since this incident issue that you spoke about happened, was trying to get that trying to get that pay 48 hours before the day so if it says you're going to get shut off on Friday, that you should probably make that payment because we can't check that every day and if you make a payment online, it doesn't post so we have to content constantly go and check, check and check and we'll do that. There's no way for us to actively get that. So we need that we need to update the policy. So yes, if you're to be shut off, it'll be beneficial to get in at least the day before that so that we can do that checking and make sure that you don't get on a list to get shut off and actually make payments. So that's what happened since late last week when we had that issue.
Okay. Yeah, you guys responded extremely fast.
I understand. Like everybody doesn't have the connections that everybody Yeah, exactly.
So so the mayor, she mentioned your email, is there a way that we can get mass produced that pass that out to everybody in the military by the ASIC
we can we can get we if it's not on website, we can get that contact information on the website. Okay, perfect. So we can you know, we're here to, we're here to service the community and people want to get in touch with me. I'm here.
I appreciate that Mr. Gary.
Okay. All right.
No problem. other questions for me? But somebody
Okay, so unless we have any other items from council members for the citizens participation
hands went up fast. So this is for agenda items. Okay. I'm sorry. Only for the agenda items. The things that can be discussed will be item 62nd ordinance reading the table, the higher than the resolution to sell 55 Avalon the reappointment of Andy's Owen Jeffrey Harris Community Development accepting the resolution for $300,000. In the grant the engineering and safe streets arose in the monthly submission of the monthly finance statement. So those people whose hands are raised, you're raising your hand for the agenda. Okay, we're gonna start in the back. Sorry, you in the middle. Will you be different to this? Okay. All right. So we're gonna start from the back and work our way forward. Okay. Thank you, sir. Ma'am. Let me go and set my timer. I gotta do the two minute thing.
Hello, my name is mama Chu. I'm the founder and CEO of Avalon village. I'd like to say hello to the mayor, administration and also community. This is in regards to the item number seven table item for Avalon street on a 55 Avalon since 2009. Avalon village has been transforming like to beauty on Avalon street between Woodward and Second Avenue. Perhaps due to the positive notoriety and overwhelming national media attention to Avalon village and Highland Park, Michigan. PMP 51 Avalon LLC and out of state investor purchased 51 Avalon from the Wayne County Land Bank in 2017 for over 220 $1,000 We also did it for 51 Avalon obviously we could not go that high prior to their purchase of 51 Avalon our project manager informed PMP 51 Avalon LLC that we were looking to purchase this property to add to our project. After the purchase. There was some discussion with our project managers that they would consider donating the property back. That didn't happen. I have even contacted them on several occasions about purchasing the blighted house to no avail. To date only the roof has been repaired and the garage was updated for tool storage. The house has been boarded up for years currently PMP 51. Avalon LLC, the estate investors attempting to purchase 55 Avalon and adjacent 251 Avalon and also 59 Avalon which we have owned since 2016 55. Avalon has become our community garden and outdoor classroom to feed the people and to help address the blight on our blog. If 55 is sewn to PMP 51 Avalon LLC it will add to the plight just as 51 Avalon has unfortunately for our blog, our community PMP 51 Avalon LLC has a track record of doing the bare minimum to 51 Avalon. Meanwhile, Avalon village has a long track record of the following mowing the grass at 51 and 55. Avalon and the entire block watching and security properties to make sure they're not vandalized, beautifying and building up the area around the property for residents and citizens to enjoy since 2009. Repairing sidewalks up and down the block. Adding value to our city and the entire community continue to be a grassroot land developer in the city I was born in continuously bringing positive media to Highland Park a city that many others feel is ratchet Hill and hopeless demonstrating that we have citizens who care and want to see our city restored. I'm gonna continuously add and find resources that helped to rebuild our black thus far receiving a span and a span of years close to 1.5 million in donations, grants and inkind philanthropy from other communities that love our work and currently working on receiving funding from the Michigan Health endowment fund, Huntington Bank and chase Morgan Stanley.
You know I love your system, but I hate to interrupt you but
I'll finish it up later. Thank you so much. Thank
you so much. Let me do something here while we sit here
everyone,
good afternoon.
My name is Donald Clark. I'm representing dreamer Detroit which is nonprofit about a mile from here and we came here today to support mama Sue. Now I'm a 62 year old me I'm referring to a person's not physically my mother asked mama Sue. She is here for the community. She has so none but love respect for us Community High and apart and lead by any
means necessary should be turned over to Avalon village and to mama shoot. Thank you
Thank you, sir. Next, coming from the back
Welcome, sir.
Good evening Council. My name is Jimmy Brown. I'm a hip hop artist. A Highland Park resident and I believe that
that prop that property that rest
on Avalon village shouldn't be turned over to mama shoe. Because this woman has has tooken took that situation over there for one there was an in, in in not the best way but in a in the best way that we can see it as now. And I think that by her doing that and her watching over that land and mowing that legacy garden over there. It supplies something to our city. It gives our city something that we don't have. So I don't understand why somebody is not a part of this city should have that land when he got a piece of the city already. Did they not taking care of that house been boarded up? I've walked past there all the time. It's a part of the blight. So I don't understand why they should even have another piece of the city to have more quiet p&p what it sounds more like pi MP listening. This is our city Highland Park and this lady keeps it up. At least at least the piece that I know the piece that I see. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you, sir. There's no citizens that would like to be hurt
Good evening. Good evening.
I have frequent that block. So much loss has occurred there for so much beauty to come afterwards. I felt like everything on it should belong to her for what she lost to be there. And instead of turn our back on the city, I mean I'll be honest with you, if I had taken a hit she's taken out the idea when you want to see the street or wherever Highland Park, but she stayed and she has taken her loss or hurt her pain and turn it into beauty. And I've been aware and I generally don't come on at night. Now. I'm six years old. I've been in my house early and in the city of Detroit and here, but I'm safe. I feel safe over there. And surprisingly behind the way that's happened and I just see the I see the whatever the spirit is on there, it's good, and it's of God. And I've seen young people that I would never be in the presence of I act accordingly. I've never seen such I've never seen the spirit wave and I've seen it over there. Okay, and I just think that our city city Detroit, the city of Highland Park, keep being sold away to people that's not even there. And why why don't why haven't Why won't my city belong to us? We have some residents who want to take over and make things better. Why not? We got to look at it anyway. If we want to lift it one. And this this mom should have shown herself approved by all before us and before God. Whether it was intentionally undertaken she has shown herself approved and I think that it would be an atrocity but another big corporation to get home to some property that belongs here with the people who are taking good care of it. Okay, I mean, that's, I mean, it makes sense. Common Sense. Thank you. Thank you I'm sorry, Leslie. All right.
Thank you have additional citizens I want to be heard. I see some hands two people have been sitting after this young man and brother with the shirt on. It's very
good afternoon. I'm good. My name is Caroll Wilkerson. I'm Highland Parker business owner, right here in the city of Highland Park. I'm a part of the Highland Park youth committee and state about Glenda McDonald and I came over as well to speak on behalf of mama Chu in the village because of what it means to me. I had to come because as a resident, like I said, As a lifelong Highland Parker, there's a lot of things that I feel like, unfortunately weren't weren't present enough in my upbringing in the city that I love so much that we love so much. And now as an adult I get to watch mama Chu and the entire Avalon village. work day in and day out to bring those things and work with the city of Highland Park to make sure that the things that are going on benefit the community in every way possible. We recently went to the Avalon village for an event and the event was beautiful. Everything was wonderful. And people kept asking if mom was showing the village on this particular property. It's a house that sits there. And I was taught I didn't know but I found out later that she didn't and it made so much sense because if you look at it, it's the only thing that is not beautiful right there. But the garden that she's placed on the lot next to 55 Avalon I believe it is is beautiful, and that's what she has done to continue to make her community our community better and is I think imperative of us to do everything that we can as Highland partners as people that care about the city and want the city to be as best as it can to make sure that we are making decisions like this with that in mind, especially when it comes to 55 Avalon mama shoo in the village not only have put in like like the last person said God's work and making sure that everything over there benefits everyone. But we have seen firsthand that the people who are potentially able to get this have not done exactly that. And so I just think that we should all do our part to make sure that the city is taken care of and the people in it are taken care of
very much sir
thank you
honorable body. My name is drum drain our resident on Monterey. And I am here for I know eight under administration asked me this honorable body to reconsider the reappointment of Annie Zobel and Jeffrey Ayers. I watched the last Council meeting when they were denied reappointment. And there were a couple of statements that were made. One had to do with how long have they lived here and where did they come from? So so one is so Jeffrey has lived here for 10 years. He's been on a historic district since 2015. And he's a very active member of the mosque, Blackfoot. So it's not like he's coming in. He's been here. He's rooted in the city of Highland Park. Now Andy Zobel and his family has lived in Highland Park for over 60 years. In Addy has been a lifelong kind of partner. That family has been lifelong partners. And he has served and worked at HP Depakote, which is now be bought see his work with the Highland Park Business Association, who was continuously active and any became the actual chair of the historic district. When Mrs. Frank Ross stepped down and she became the Chair and under her leadership hdc has been able to be recognized as a historic preservation certify local government. So what does that mean? That means that the city of Highland parks in the historical district can go after many grants specific to historic designation. And that came under under her right. And so yeah, and I I would like for this council to reconsider the appearance of both and he's available and the historic mission. The next item of course, I am in support of mamma Shu, and that brown. So adding some up here for that, but I want to make that clear. Thirdly, I just wanted to get a clarification on the Michael Grant. And so there is in my Is it the understanding that that grant is only for seniors? Is that is that a result of how the city plans on using no funds?
I'm saying is that the result of of the city using those was only for seniors, because under the Miko brand. It is open to individuals, homeowners and it goes by of course income eligibility and a couple of other items, but it is not segregated to see
Mr. Burgess would be applied the apply for it. 30 feet and so when he sent the information
the very desire you ally
I don't see him here
here's the grant
okay, this is what is
the state of Michigan to Mr. Michael Brown three as a ward of the city of Highland Park, a $300,000 grant to make efficiency, energy efficient improvements to homes and this grant will focus primarily on Highland Park senior citizens living independently in their home. However, funding may be used in areas that in the administration's opinion may attract developers to the sick. So my whole funding will be used to renovate what I'm sorry I gave up my number 12 homes and the city with the price 2500 My home assist assisted a tip activities are limited to roofs storm doors, exterior doors, windows modification, efficiency, replacement of walls,
cooling,
only ventilation system water meter upgrades, including on demand retro reading, and up to date and exterior security live. The city must submit a written outline of the fleet process by carrying out this point. I would appreciate your assistance and agenda via proximity. We'll have senior citizens in the city living independently and what process will be use identifying the Select selected citizens shortly after the city process cities process for executing the grant is approved they will ask what your assistance in selecting it will
attach are some of the qualifications that must be met. So,
okay, can we are you okay? All right. So when the application went in,
we went in specifically.
Okay, all right. And the reason I was asking is that, we're doing that saying Mr. Drain but other Mr. Draghi
you're gonna get me dragged out here. People in the back with Johanna thank you for being patient. And if you guys don't I don't mind if you queue up the next person who wants to go afterwards. I don't mind if you guys queue up. Okay. Good evening, ma'am. The next person who would like to go with okay if you stand in that aisle, right there. That helps me know. Give yourself a little distance though. We still got the fire marshal worried about Okay. All right, ma'am, if you would.
Good afternoon. My name is Sandra Sanders and I'm on behalf of 51 everline. I'm the one that you really need to talk to I'm the one that created that garden. I planted every plant every fruit, every vegetable, everything in there and I maintained I came to the village in 2021 as a volunteer, I seen 51 Avalon it was overgrown with bushes and weeds. That's when I decided to adopt that space. Mama zoo provided raised beds for a garden. I created a thriving and sustainable garden to this day and provide food and vegetables to the community. We buy fresh fruits and vegetables every Thursday. I'm sorry, every Tuesday and every Thursday. Another thing I was interviewed by CNN news and politics segment from Channel Four News on programs that we're doing in the garden right now. The first program is the greenback. Project. This teaches K through 12 you on how to start and maintain and why it's important to grow a garden. The second program is growing to survive. This is for adults, and I teach them how to grow a sustainable garden by propagating plants collecting and storing seeds for next year. The garden is so important to the community. It provides educational purposes and it also feeds the community. Giving 51 everyone to anyone else would be would be doing an injustice to the community by causing additional blight, lack of education and food insecurity to the community. Thank you
greetings and peace everyone. My name is Malika Shabazz. I'm the events and Program Consultant at Avalon Village. This is in regards to item seven, the selling of 55 Avalon. Over the years, I've watched Avalon village service to community and provide resources for Highland Park residents. As mama Chu continues to create an oasis for Highland Park residents. That blighted eyesore known as 51. Avalon continues to stick out like a stubborn weed and a valley of roses. This property is clearly in violation of the ordinances that this respect that council has put forth. However mama shoes dedication, time and park runs so deep that Avalon village has incurred the financial burden to maintain the upkeep of that board and blighted mess cost that the owners have yet even offered to reimburse. So to hear that the company not residents that own that blighted property now wants to take Avalon village garden is greatly disappointing. The owners of 51 Avalon have shown they have no respect for this council by refusing to follow city ordinances and no respect for the city of how to park itself. By intentionally leaving a visible red representation of the Black Mamba shoo in this console has been working to improve I have no doubts that the owners of 51 Avalon have no plans for 55 Avalon and this this is nothing more than an opportunistic attempt at gentrifying a majority minority community. In closing, I ask that when you make your decision keep in mind that the Highland Park community and the surrounding areas are watching show them and the world that Highland Park home of the Model T and the nation's first freeway isn't just up for grabs to the highest bidder, but that Highland Park is a community invested in itself its own future in the mission. To quote return to excellence
Thank you.
For AB director at Avalon Village, I am here to talk about the lot. We lot encourage lots of expenses because it was overly blighted. We had to use machines to dig up concrete that hasn't grown into the weeds. Also, we had to use dumpsters to bring in and get all of this out. It had rats already in there. So the varmints were all over the I mean it was really really overgrown to the out. Okay, after we put in all the work to clear the groundwork as we did with all the property on Avalon village to help the community look the way it looks right now. It was a disaster. When I came to Avalon village, and I asked that you vote in mama shoes favor. That Avalon village gets delighted Thank you.
What was your name?
Cynthia Cynthia.
Thank you. Good evening.
Yeah, for the steward. Hopefully a future Highland Park business owner. Here today. Talk about three things on the agenda. One just to get the property to mama she already like I think she deserves it. So wanted to get that out there. Another thing new business for the city regarding the sale of property which is on the agenda is that we've got some residential properties, what's going on with commercial properties? commercial properties have to go to businesses with what's going on with the sale of these properties. My business is committed plans to purchase a property on Hamilton back in March and we have nothing to show for it. We're not on an agenda. We haven't been in a workshop. We've requested these things to happen over and over again. And nothing's moving. So I am asking for the city's help to help yourselves. start selling your commercial properties. That's what I'm asking. And regarding the cannabis reading so that we're going to do another cannabis reading this evening or striking it down. It has now been 33 days since the judge had thrown out the previous ordinance. What are you guys doing to refund the $5,000 you've collected from each applicant? What is their great question it should be included in the verbiage of you guys rescinding the ordinance in the city because Jacqueline Stewart JSA consultant I believe the price tag is $75,000 all together. Yes, that's all together. I personally put in the $5,000 I don't want to have to go through legal matters for me to get my $5,000 back I gave you guys 30 days. So that's what I'm asking you. What are the plans to return our money?
Someone's gonna answer you. Right.
Yeah. Comes from City Council does not have anything to do with licensing or the sale of property. All of that goes to the city's administration.
I'm speaking at the city right now. Right so ministration doesn't have anything to do with it.
But I received an email and asked that she speaks
is that you Madam Clerk?
Yes, ma'am.
Yes, ma'am.
That is That is perfect. We're in the process of Proc. We're in the process of getting those $5,000 refunds to the applicants as we speak.
That it's the city clerk that's addressing Yeah, no, I'm looking for the remote.
They are in the process of setting.
So that will come ashore.
Fantastic. Thank you very much. That's all I have for today. Thank you. Wait,
before you leave, I just have a question for you. You said that you want to establish a business on Hamilton. Just curious what chi was originally for campus. Thank you. That's all I want. Thank you.
Thank you very much. One second, sir. Go for it.
Good evening Council administration. Madam Mayor. I'm here. Nathan Harvey, resident and business owner and counterpart regarding item six. ordinance for the second reading of this ordinance to amend the Highland Park code to add a chapter to prohibit all forms of recreational marijuana establishments within the city of Highland Park. Given that Highland Park just recently had a $24 million judgment placed against it, how the administration or the council can even form their lips to deny significant sources of revenue to the city is mind boggling to me. As opposed to voting to no longer allow marijuana establishments we should be looking at creating another ordinance yesterday. Oh, I don't know what the reason that was given for creating this was the judge threw out the last one we just flat out don't have one. So nothing is legal. The city doesn't have to do anything. regarding marijuana. I contend that we should be working on another ordinance. I personally don't want my taxes to triple or quadruple because the city itself can't pay that bill. And I know personally, that currently marijuana can generate a million dollars a year for the city given certain certain constraints and we need to work towards that because I don't see anything else that's going to generate that kind of revenue. Now, given that judgment, and I don't see anybody telling me well, this is what we expect to happen. After mediation. Does anybody really expect that mediation is going to laminate this day? I don't think so. So it may boil down to who's gonna pay it and how I don't want to pay it. I don't want my taxes to triple or quadruple. I need the city to step up and generate this revenue. And right now marijuana is the thing that can do
so Hold on sir. Okay. So
we have to opt out of recreational marijuana and to start the filters that have already applied in Michigan already up in the state of Michigan have five licenses to come into Highland Park. And guess what? We don't get a dime. And the reason we don't get a dime is because they vacated our orders. So we don't have them. So we have to stop them, which means we have to opt out at this moment to stop them from coming in here. And then start the process of rewriting the oils. That's what this does. And the law. We have the laws itself we show it we have to do that because people now are have already tried to apply and in order for them to come in here just like we have right now we have a lot of people here under the cares that that's not getting a dime because they're operating at state. So if the state gives up nice so they can pop up anywhere, not in the zoning areas nowhere that is because we don't have one. So at this moment, they can fight for a license. They can get a license, come in here and just pop up all across the city anywhere because there is no zoning, there is nothing in the ordinance our ordinance has been voided. So that means we have no so the City Council can start the process after opting out to rewrite an ordinance. And once they get a new ordinance and voted into it, then the process can go forward. That's why we're asking you to opt out. If not, again, you might not get a license or anyone else because they're going to pop up all over the place. That's my
I'd like I'd like to address that. I
can't let you do it because I gotta get the mayor I came Mr. Harvey because I gotta make sure and I gave everybody three minutes. I don't know if you notice another minute because it's not fast to be honest. The stuff that people have to say I don't like interrupting you when you're in the middle of sandwich having to say because I'm listening to so supposed to be two minutes ago I haven't noticed it's been three minutes I got slapped my hand later because two minutes is really not enough. Sorry. So I want to make sure everybody gets their two minutes. All right. So sir, good evening.
My name is Karen Walker. Say I'm a business owner of Highland Park. I'm also a pure product of Highland Park. I'm proud of the city I love the city. I talk about the city everywhere I go all over the world. And one of the things that I always point to when I talk about the city is my my shoe. I watched her from the beginning develop that block. I think she has inspiration but not only me but for a lot of Harlem Parker's to see what can be done in our city to combat these blocks and blocks of blight. I remember when we had poor residency and trees touched each other from both sides of the streets when I was a kid so I think that the path that she's land is getting us back to that. Anything else outside of that is nothing. So I'm just here to say I'm supporting mama shoes and that we should be doing it by all means necessary. You know that piece of property I'll pick up by Babylon.
Thanks, sir. Good evening, sir.
Good evening, everybody. My name is Dale Vaughn here and I'm the CEO of S for security solutions. I am here by way of mama Chu. Since October, we have partnered to create security solutions for Avalon village that's creating the Avalon peace team. We patrol from Woodward and one of VISTA Avalon and Glendale all the way down to second. So since October, we've actually noticed just a spike and just activity just behind that how specifically mama she took it upon ourselves to actually just clear out some of that blight there as well because we've been able to notice a small congregation that people don't like to set up behind there. So going through the alleys patrolling through those alleys sold out we've actually made it a point to go there because it's kind of like if you know you know situation, it's kind of like why do they want to kind of be here, you know, I'm saying so, um, I like to work them on what she's been doing. And I would like to just see that this vision that she has for Highland Park has been that she has a lot to do to finish missing. Appreciate. Thank you, sir.
Good evening, everyone.
Good evening, sir.
My name is Mark Fentress, and I run horn Wine Oh farms. I'm a Detroiter, but I'm about to become a Highland Park. I've grown up with a lot of people from Highland Park and a lot of families from Highland Park like church with people from Island Park. So we are going to be Highland Parker's we're going to pattern what we want to do after what mom Chu has done in the Avalon village area. And we're looking to work on Leslie and Sturtevant streets between Hamilton sir I'm gonna
interrupt you because you got to be dealing with something that's on the actual agenda. We exist related to 55 Avila No. Okay, this is the part of it. This is the part of the public comment where you can speak on agenda items only if you have an open comment. That will be at the end. I'm sorry. I thought that's what we were no sorry. No, so you get cool. Thanks for the shirt. I'm a farmer too. Okay. Sorry for the misunderstanding. All right, agenda item. This agenda item I gotta check.
I got I'm playing devil's advocate a little bit. So the ordinance I actually agree with you are doing the maybe because the judge didn't request out of the citizens read that but they did say that it was throughout. So by you all deciding to amend it. It does show that you are taking steps to try to create an ordinance and actually try to create his own. I do think that you should consider medical because I think that's something being left out. I've had my medical marijuana card since he came out as a disabled veteran as alternative alternative to opioids and pretty much um, if I went to a caregiver right now they will go to jail. So I can get marijuana from but the police if y'all had a law, they will go to jail because technically, under my license, I had 12 people or I can add five or whatever. But now they're gonna say this isn't for you. And this isn't for your patients. Let us keep track of each plant being sold. And DTE is supposed to keep track of electric and in the water bill. That's the main thing is there. There were bills going to be at least two to 5000 a month. They're not growing in the house and their water bill is a certain amount. So I think that's something to be aware of. And lastly on his marijuana things I'm going down the list. In Florida 1100 Black Farmers applied to be growers for marijuana. Zero was was given a license to grow marijuana and Tennessee same issue so black farmers apply for marijuana licenses for is now building their brand new electrical vehicle power plant in North Atlanta black farmers have in Tennessee. So we're looking at if I wanted to dispensary who's going to give me the product, who's going to test the product or overall so I think the city should look at the places of convenience if I want to smoke weed Where would I go? Where's the bars? Where's the cafes? Where's the parks? Where do I go to experience and do something because there's no city currently offering that experience. Second resolution I think I'm not into the land thing. I think if she's been in the areas great, but currently it is 26 parcels so I think if you could try to get them to cooperate or have some type of means of a relationship, but also I think as a city we need to adopt once you get a parcel what is the timeframe for development, or what is the timeframe of a project because now it's in the county to get my lights because the city wants to sell we anything when I resided here for five or six years. The county said once you get five watch, you have to have a plan. You have to show a proposal and you have to have a timeframe of when your project is going to be done. And I think it's very important when people are talking about trying to bring income. marijuana in the state of Michigan is inflating is no more income is a lot of mold on a week. But overall it's become corporate. So unless you're again a corporate sponsor, and you gain some money, you're not going to make it as a regular person. So looking at different tax bases as somebody brought up you have multiple businesses in the area and I'm still on the marijuana thing where again, if I wanted a restaurant or a bed and breakfasts you can incorporate marijuana to where mom and grandma don't have to be in the room with us. It could be a section like smoker sections when I was growing up where they smoke they cigarettes and in his regular people eating their food. The issue I'm having is we need some innovation and creativity. Second shirt
you're wearing so we ran into three minutes.
Also say they was born they
had they went three years I've been using the same visa the same time.
I was just saying I just had this
one last Okay, I'll give you 15 seconds.
The last thing is with this grant if we could possibly have something to where these people get assistance because the elders don't have internet and they don't know how to use a computer. So they can't go here and apply it keep doing these grants and programs because it's honestly at the point where you got to create a program to where obviously I've met like I'm trying to summer if I'm 30 and I'm able to get a house and they're not able to get a house is waste where we operate for generations to make sure we all get what we want currently is no cooperation with the city and everybody would I've heard sitting here it was all i i want this. I didn't get this and I want it that's all it was. And so that's it.
I appreciate you so much. you,
ourselves
how's it going? My name is Justin
Smith. I'm a resident I happen on Avila. I'm here supporting mama Chu. She's been more than more than an inspiration on the block. A lot of people talk about her a lot of people know her name it's because the work that she's put in that garden is something that you get out of every day. And I believe
that's something that should be heard. So I just wanted to show my support. Thanks, sir.
Good evening, everyone. This falls on the topic. Yes mama soon she does. So anyway, I wanted to ask possible for where the um how apart football field said this is the engineer or on the community development that finance because the young people are practicing there. They have some jet football games coming up is to
the potholes are terrible. Mr. Landy. Which item are we talking about? I don't know.
Maybe it comes on in the field at the Highland Park needs.
No. That's not cool. Can you can you come back? I think the general comments cuz that's not agenda items. Okay. All right. Please stay and come back to here. As you got that. I want to talk about what you want to talk about today. All right, ma'am.
Good evening. My name is Annie Zobel. I live at 35 for clean. I just wanted to speak regarding item number eight resolution to reconsider for reappointment Annie Zobel and Jeff Harris to the historic district commission. I am Annie Zobel. I have many people know that I've served the city, you know, very thoroughly for decades. I was born and raised in Highland Park. I keep a low profile but I love the city. I have a real passion for historic preservation and we've done I was really surprised to be honest to not be reappointed. I am happy to serve. I am happy to answer any questions that anybody might have about the district about our purpose about our activities. About our strategies. I can say the same for Jeff Harris. He you know it's been serving for close to a decade now. And we really want the city want to continue to serve and hope that you will consider the reconsideration for those appointments. Thank you. Thank you. Good evening, sir.
Hello, how are you? My name is Roy. I want to talk about Lamassu and Avalon village. Just the specific things that people don't really realize the amount of time and money that's been spent over there at the property that we've been talking about. Mama Sue has gone on her way to even have bulldozers and different machinery to come over and clean out some of the debris and the Blight an area sometimes we will have the day days, on and on and on work. Whoever been over there for years prior to her. They've been doing some dumping and you talking about bricks and tires and all type of debris just under an under an under an under and we have to take year after year after year to chip away at it. The price of dumpsters. Has anybody ever rented a dumpster is ridiculous that you got to pay you know, four and $500 for a rectangle box and you clean up stuff that you didn't even have nothing to do with the amount of security even on our security cameras. We'd look straight at the house that's there. And we're not here about the house. We're here about the lot next to it. But still just the amount of time and effort that we put in for cleaning and debris and making sure people are not putting trash there. If you drive down the street, you might not see a piece of trash on that street. If you see it somebody just dropped it so we're concerned about even our neighbors to make sure that don't break in my neighbor house. Even around the corner we send our security around the corners and up and down the street because if you break it in your house, you will break it. So we got to be a community and care for each other and care for all of us. Highland Parker's everybody else. They got the right to come and do their thing under the right ordinances and rules and all of that. So we just want to make sure that we take care of our own first as we've been doing over now Avalon
Thank you, sir.
Good evening council meeting. Everybody. Back then you can get I've been on random. I've been I got three minutes right? You got to do I'm gonna read the name of Highland Park. Jamie about letting him go. The President's Council acting and for this to pay attention to what was going on on Avalon. And I'm now so happy to see the results of the work a lot of good people put into Avalon. And that's that whole block there. And what's so fun about this council, they have a great opportunity to make a decision. So the community the people, how much you love what the people that we can do nothing about a perfect example the candidates on Avalon. So I know I have two minutes, but I'm gonna give you the rest of the time. All right, thank
you very much. And so I see no more people standing. So I'm going to know people who would like to be heard who's going to bring the citizen participation and the first time to present
that was present. Before we move on. Can I have five minutes to go to the bathroom? Yeah, okay. Yeah, because I know we got to go in again, sir. Yes, sir. Just give me a
camel for recess. Five minute recess.
We have a motion on the floor for a five minute recess and Councilwoman Monica those sport Second. We have a second from councilmember Shafi. All those in favor, please. Okay, so we're gonna take a five minute recess
she made a motion for recess. We're gonna do it. We're gonna recess. For five minutes and come back. Oh, no questions. Yeah, yeah. We know we're going after we hit Finish Thank you.
From
don't want to walk out on the resume. It's why they speak that's why
all right. Yeah, I can't complain. It's just being the Lord.
Today.
Is. Going
On secondhand
then we have to go to closed session.
is a 14 I want to call the meeting back to water. We'll be moving
on to Item five under legal
item five under legal.
I'm going to request on
a second. Okay. Item five under legal will require us to move into a closed session. So I will turn this floor over to my fellow council members to take action on moving to a closed session for this pending legal matter.
I moved to go into closed session by I'm sorry, I want to discuss legal matters. And I'm not sure if this pronounced right.
It's the pure planet.
Dupree the second versus City of Highland Park and Dewey versus Highland Park.
We have a motion on the floor from Councilman Manica to move into closed session. For item five. Do we have support? Support you have support from Councilman Southie Madam Deputy Clerk Would you please take the roll? Yes.
Yes. Yes. Yes.
Yes. Motion carries. It is currently a 15 Council moving to closed session we'll reconvene once we have completed both session thank you. Very much.
One
It it Right
On You.
Guys. You Like and
senator I would just
you're here. So so couple things. So yeah
so if you don't like all districts, was quite different. From all the way orange is all just announced two things. One, coming up on Friday right so 1/3 more often. Here state level also, we have a resource here. That's one center. Outside it's not
just a lot of different things. So so it's open to everyone so neighbors family outside Water
Water affordable for years
is better. Just it's gonna be exciting I think you're gonna get it
state
well, water what you do here so yeah
I know they're all here
Oh, yes. And I have an office very close by. So it's
115 to one. So free way to buy online all in first, just make sure 3226926 hour I'll share more updates.
Friends.
What's Up?
was so cool when one
more bite to eat I hate that's why
coming out here
a 43 we like to call it a general session back water
okay, so either I need a longer torso. Shorter desk. I call the meeting back to order at 8:44pm. Counsel we are on Item five under legal related to the tweet the second versus City of Highland Park and DePuy first the city of Highland Park members is your discretion how should we proceed on this matter?
I moved to approve the settlement of the depuis versus City of Highland Park and the decree versus Highland Park both cases as recommended by legal counsel.
We have a motion on the floor by Councilwoman Monica to approve the recommended settlement provided to us by legal counsel. Do we have a second? We have a second from Councilwoman Martin Madam Clerk, would you please take the roll on?
Yes,
yes, yes. No.
Council President.
Yes, motion carries four to one. Next item item six under order. The second reading of the ordinance is the ordinance to amend the Highland Park Administrative Code by adding a chapter two prohibit all forms of recreational marijuana establishments within the city of Highland Park. As a point of order we will have at the request of Mr. Shafi a workshop related to this item where City Council unencumbered by any losses will have an opportunity to work on an ordinance from scratch the floor it's open to members as to how we proceed on item six.
I moved to have the second reading of the marijuana establishment ordinance.
I think I think that's correct me on
second and final upsell
so we're approving the second
and finally Okay, so Miss Manik thank you for that. I think the word is that I want you mean that we need to have here is you want to approve the second reading a motion to approve the second reading for the ordinance. Yes. Okay. We have a motion on the floor from Kevin Romantika to approve the second reading of the ordinance related to changing the Administrative Code by adding a chapter to prohibit all forms of recreational marijuana establishments in the city of Highland Park do we have support for this? Support your questions? We have support from Councilman SFB with questions Mr. Shafi The floor is yours.
Okay. So
I don't know if everybody's aware. was something very similar to this happened to ham trimming a few years back. So, hand trimming missed this deadline. And when they missed their deadline, they created a freefall in city which is similar to what the mayor said. When you missed the deadline. The state law says that you automatically opt in if you don't opt out. So when the state issue the licenses, they allowed them no zoning, no planning they allowed them to pop up anywhere they wanted and as a result of that since the state issued the life is the status only one that gets paid, you get nothing. Absolutely not. Now that's something I don't want to have happen in the city. But what I'm concerned about for the city is what is the timeline for us to notify the state that we opted out because we have to notify the state. If we approve this tonight. What is the timeframe? If if someone can answer that question for me? What is the timeframe for us notifying the state that we have opted out because there is a timeframe and if we don't let the state know that we opted out and they're going to automatically assume that we afternoon and it's gonna be the wild wild west and here
was Burton Can you address that?
Yes. Good afternoon. And good evening.
Is that better? Isn't that I'm sorry.
Yes, you want to Okay.
Can you hear me now? Yeah. Yeah, like every other ordinance that's passed 15 days the terms of his being affected. So we can notify the state that has passed if it's passed tonight.
Okay, is there one days or calendar days are counted? Okay, so 15 days? Yes. Oh, okay. So. So this will take us out to recreational marijuana, and also medical. Yeah, right. Yes. But in fact, the caregiver law which protects the residents, that's great. Okay. These these businesses that are currently operating and what is the outcome for them? Once we have that?
Well, we're gonna have a discussion because we understand that they do have some businesses that hey,
we're gonna be meeting
with the chief. The Mayor, Mr. Chubb regarding how we're going to address the businesses that are currently operating without a license that are not considered to be caregivers. Okay. So if they have more than the number of plants that are required, they were gonna have to address those issues. We haven't determined.
I think I think the issue you might be had, you might have to lean forward over your microphone. It's very physically uncomfortable, but it might be necessary for folks to hear you.
Okay, so okay. So is is, does the city have the option? After we opt out, does the city have the option to call in the state to assist in the removal of these individuals that are illegally operating here in the city?
So we can enforce our old roles we don't have to call the horse
Well, Miss Burton, you know, my confidence in things is very low. You know, you know, my my confidence in things is very low. I've been here in the city a long time and the confidence level that I have, for us handling our own affairs is very low. It's extremely low. This problem, not the problem, and I'm just concerned that nothing is going to be done even after we opt out. That is my concern. These people cannot be allowed to continue to operate. And furthermore, I'm pretty sure if we go through every single one of these buildings, over half of them aren't paying a single dime in water, but they're using our water. They're running us up. Okay. The because to my understanding according to the city, you can get water service in a commercial space without a business license. Is that correct? That's exactly my point. So is that all I'm saying? Miss Burton, if they're operating right now, see, there's something that could be done right now. Each one of these places, the water department that the engineers need to go out and shut these people off if they're not paying water bills, okay, at least that much can be done while we wait to shut them down period because they're bleeding. Right now.
We're being blessed. That's a separate process that has to be handled by the water.
Okay, then that is something that I would suggest that the water department get on immediately because this is something that can be done effectively immediately. No water is no growth. Oh, Miss. Bye bye. You were watched the plants shrivel up to nothing overnight. Okay. And I know they're not paying in the water bills. I'm almost positive but I see cameras everywhere. bars all over the doors. Nobody's there except when it comes time for harvest and they've been harvesting here for a long time. And they need to go everybody needs to go and then once the slate is clean, then I will be willing to start over but they tell the slate is clean. You will never hear about marijuana in this city. Not for me. I'm not giving you nothing to the slate is clean. I want the slate clean. I want everybody gone. And then we can start over. And I yield back council president.
Thank you Madam pro tem.
I just wanted to state for the record. November The 18th 2019. The city of Highland Park did opt in. So now they want us to vote to opt out just for the record
to respond, please.
So what happened was when proposal was passed, the cities of the municipalities had to determine whether or not they wanted to opt in or or not. We held a couple of public hearings regarding that. And it was determined by the prior city council that individuals in the city wanted to opt into to that after that we drafted an ordinance but unfortunately that ordinance was pushed through and it wasn't a prompt. It wasn't proper as the judge moved. So if it wasn't if they want to have marijuana in the city, there's going to have to be more this at some point. What we're trying to do now is to put an ordinance in place anything until Council can make a decision about which direction you'd like to go.
Thank you ma'am.
I think this is a fantastic opportunity. To start from scratch. This will be the first time this city council will be able to take this controversial issue without the pressure of any pending litigation. That has been a cloud over us for the past eight months. That is the thing that as for me as an individual made me reticent about moving forward with anything related to it. Knowing that some legislation I'm sorry, some some legal action could come along and upset the whole process. I was not interested in participating because I knew that the law, the outcome of legal proceeding could change everything that we did in here. There's nothing in our way. We could start from scratch. We have members of the community we have interested parties from around Metro Detroit, who have been having these conversations and we have all of the people in this room. So this is something that I will be interested in holding a workshop discussion. I've already reached out to Laura as the licensing regulatory agency to see if they have resources they can provide to the community in the form of people who can answer questions for us at a state level. They can give us some information about potential oversight. We have an opportunity to look at ordinances of other communities across southeastern Michigan, put them out in the open, make those ordinances available for the community to look at and cherry pick items that are appropriate for council to deliberate at length on these items. And to come up with a document that's efficient for the people in the community. I don't have a dog in the fight. I'm just one of 10 votes. That's what I think of every time I sit in this chair, me and nine other people what would y'all decide? And so we have an opportunity to do that from scratch, moving forward depending on how we decided tonight. So I'm not I've got a lot of phone calls from citizens and I've talked to people grill me on this subject. And their what they've asked for is an opportunity to write a clean ordinance from scratch. And this could present an opportunity for us to do that to write a clean ordinance from scratch in the open in this building. smile smile in the comment we have any additional comments before we move to a vote on the sign. No shirt. Okay, so this was motion by Councilman Manica supported by Councilman schaffen. So would you please take the roll on item six this is the second reading second and final reading to approve the language for the amendment of the ordinance. The Highland Park Administrative Code by adding a chapter to prohibit all forms of recreational marijuana establishments within the city of Highland Park.
Yes.
So this means we're opting out Yes. Yes.
Yes, as opposed to now.
Yes, motion carries. Like I will reiterate the fact that we will have a workshop at our next council meeting and if it requires on this topic, we will have a subsequent workshop on this item and if it requires we will have a subsequent workshop on this item until we can put together ordinance legislation that addresses the concerns of council as well as the citizens. And I would like to point out that Mr. Shafi made a point that there were at least a dozen of the such unnamed facilities in his district is probably at least a dozen. Yeah, more. Yeah. And it doesn't have to you don't have to be Scooby Doo. All you got to do is drive around a neighborhood and you can see what he's talking about. There are substantial, there are numerous and if you were blind, you could smell them depending on what time of day it is. So I want to thank my council members for addressing this issue and wishing us all the best of luck crafting the ordinance as we as you out there. And us up here all approved as it relates to decision. Thank you very much. Yes, ma'am.
Council has various documents. How do you want them to handle that? You know, you want them to forward it to you, so that it can be part of the discussion. I know
that Absolutely. That's exactly what I asked Mr. Shafi to eat at both things I asked him to do he sent me a document in writing. He had an opportunity now to make changes to that document based on what has occurred here today. It includes all the things that are important to him. There are other members of the community who have come forward with their legal representatives to this they wanted to submit information. I would ask people related to this topic. If there's another communities ordinance, someone mentioned to me the city of centerline has an ordinance. Let's take the best practices from the people who have been successful, who have been providing revenues for the community and also protection for the people who live in those communities. Let's look at those documents and pull together something that's efficient. I would like to see at least this many people here on that topic for the workshops and to meet with your individual counsel people outside of the meeting and bring your concerns to the forefront because when they sit down to talk to us as a group they'll be talking for you. So please,
Councilwoman Martin heads with
documents
as well that include all of that in the process, and just make sure that it is sent to all members and if there's something that you want to submit for discussion, if you could provide a copy for the public, because the public should see it first. They should not be surprised by this law. It's going to be a lot. It should be no surprise it should be well circulated in the public prior to us discussing it in a formal meeting. Okay, so let's move on to tabled item item seven. This is the resolution to sell to a vacant residential adjacent lot of 55 Avalon to the adjacent owner at 51 Avalon City Council. What's your pleasure council I moved to bring this back from the table. We have a motion from Councilman Osaka to bring this item back from the table do we have support support the support from Councilwoman Monica you please take the roll and bring it off the table.
support what questions
I'm sorry Councilman Martin Martin requests. Go ahead Miss Martin floors yours.
Yeah, I wanted to ask a question about this property. I've heard from so many people today. I think that's pretty awesome. My first question is Does anybody have a before and after picture?
We just
Miss Martin.
Tape
Okay, we gotta vote to binder from the table. Okay, come on.
Okay. So Madam Clerk, this is to bring item seven off the table camera motion of former councilman. Councilman Shafi seconded by Councilman Martin. If you would take the roll on bringing this item off the table.
Yes.
Absolutely.
Absolutely. Monica. Yes. Yes. Yes. Item seven to be discussed fully now is resolution instead of making the JSON lot of 55 Avalon to the adjacent owner and 51 Avalon so your council What's your pleasure on the side
of support with questions?
We have a motion on the floor from Councilwoman Martin did not hold on a second you said support requests. This is a resolution to sell. This is a I need you to get a motion on what we're going to do.
Can I make a motion to support with questions?
Okay. Council President? Yes, sir. I'll make a motion to approve the sale with questions. So
that's what I need to say. I'll make a motion to support the cell with questions. After approve with West approve the sale. What questions do we have support for Miss Martin? Yes.
You gotta say okay.
We have support from counsel pro Tim Robinson. The floor is open. For questions as Mark floors yours, yes.
Do you guys have a before and after picture?
No, haven't
don't have a right now? Okay. That's my only question.
Additional question from customer shopping.
Gotcha president is Miss Roslin on the line. Is she available to speak to this? Yeah,
she's not on here. Okay.
Okay. So okay. I just want to say
Mr. Hinton is here.
Can I Can I borrow you for a second MSA and I'm all those application came in first. Both them came in the same time. Okay, so Lopez came in first. Mr. Hinton, this is by far and I'm not saying it's your fault, but this is by far the messiest lot sale I have ever seen in my life. This was hard. Because either way it goes I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't. This is horrible. You guys are putting us in a position that we should not be. This lot. Sale is horribly messy. You have one hand PNP major developer in the city pays taxes of $400,000 a year. Why he didn't see that how most people don't know that. pays their taxes, does what they're supposed to do. They have several rental properties, several apartment buildings, they do their thing, okay, that's fine. It's nothing wrong with people trying to improve their development and make money I get that part. Okay. On the other hand,
you have mama
shoot. community activists been here longer than I know that I have been alive. Okay, great individual. Charlotte Highland Parker. She has rights just like they have rights. The problem is, we're missing the elephant in the room. Both sides, believe it or not, are messy. Both sides are messy. That's why the sale is so messy. You understand that? This is a land that's already been illegally occupied to begin with. If anybody gets hung up on that land, we bear the brunt now that nobody should have touched this land, or made any improvements on this land or did anything without this Council's approval. I see why Rodney Chu went back and forth so much. Oh, arugula village. He does a lot of fighting about Avalon village. Most people don't know that. There was a lot of fighting about Avalon village, especially when those lights went up. lights or city property without approval. The lights fall somebody gets injured. Who's to blame. It's definitely I shoot.
It is us.
And then we have a property that has been sitting vacant for years that should have been fixed and improved before they came to council to access for the light.
So everybody's messy on both sides. Now what do you want me to do here? How am I supposed to fix this problem? He has a right you have a right. Where am I supposed to go?
Where's the middle ground here? Where's that middle ground? You don't have to try to save that us all. The domicile much to the property to achieve a vacant lot on the side of your property. Not a right next to a lot. Our house next to a lot. That's the chart. That's your charter. I didn't like that chart. I didn't approve that but those are the rooms. Now both sides is actually to violate the rules in favor of the other. How does that work out? Where's my middle ground? Can anybody help me to get that middle ground? Here anybody helped me and tell me where I don't piss off. And I don't piss off the image. Same time. Our tax payer and a community activist What do I reach that middle ground?
Please tell me
they can't Oh, no, no, no, we can't we can't bring them in here on this. Unless you're talking about calling them up. This is us discussing you can't bring them in, but it's okay. Well, please
allow me to know and citizens participation. In the meantime, I'm going to withdraw my approval for the sale. And I'm going to ask counsel, I would like to make a motion to have this put at the end of the agenda after citizen participation so they can weigh in. Because this is the most messiest lock sale I've seen in my life. So
Mr. This should be easily done Hold on a second Mr. Shafi, well, we will have a recourse to do with move moving in any agenda is not going to change. It's not going to change anything by allowing them to come up here and speak. I wish to see well would you answer your question? What you said is absolutely true. It's messy. I wanted to look at the sale the sale of vacant residential side last residence so your hammers manager for individuals purchasing sidelights the following conditions must apply the purchaser must obtain purchasing application persons or cannot owe back taxes. No code violations within 18 months securitisation Bacolod removedebris Maintain land within 14 days after closing, neighboring vacant lots who submitted an application to purchase for the same lot may have the last split for purchase. That's both of them. I'm looking at what you're saying here. So I don't think I don't I don't I don't see anything here that says that there should be a residence on it. And that's a valid question. The code the Latin question, Mr. Han Can you help me with this? The lighting question, there is a solar light on there. Is this is this 55 There is a solar light is the solar light is not on 55 Avalon? Yeah.
Is it single application.
Okay. So Mr. shocky has removed to support for approving this item so we have an item that does not have a full motion of action on the floor right now. Well, he was the person who made the motion like right yeah,
I was one to make the motion and made the motion. Also, I made the motion to sail to approve the sale motion with no support.
So what happened? She was trying to make the motion. He was trying to help her out and he made the motion. But it was assumed that Martin did and then when she said when they said that she made the motion. He didn't support it. And now Mr. Shafi back his support of the motion that Ms. Martin may but what she was trying to do was just have a discussion. Correct. She didn't mean to make ocean to sail the problem.
Here's the application. And here's the solar light right in the picture.
I'm looking at it to see if
I see something I want to rescind my motion.
Okay, so what do we do here? So you we've had a we have had a motion to support, resend it. Yeah, Original Motion maker, resend the support order rescind my motion. Great. So right now we have we're back at square one. You know my two minute rule. So on item seven, city council, how do we proceed on this?
council president I think that we need to have both sides here. we I don't know what
to do here. okay. Okay. Miss mentioned on both sides. I don't know. that's been patiently waiting. let me, let me make sure.
So, is first and foremost, that when you have two parties on the property on either side that you split the property between the two. The problem that we have.
Would you? Maybe not exactly in those wording, you cannot just take up a space. You cannot. So I heard everybody's comments out there and I I like everything that's been done in Avalon village. But so the challenge is that Miss she was going to face. I hope that all you guys that supported her is willing to help resolve those challenges. Because on our sheet there are several things that say, and this goes for both parties do you have a water bill? Do you have property taxes? That's Oh, do you have x, y and z? And then Mr. Shafi brought to our attention, that she's already occupied it I understand that so then there's actually something against occupying something that's not yours. How do we proceed in that? How do we help? Right now we don't sell it to either one. But then we still have the situation that it's already being used. So now what do we do? Do we penalize her for that? Because if we penalize him, then we're gonna have every last one of you back and firm in front of us say, Oh, how dare you? How dare you penalize her for doing such a good job? So you have to understand our position in this and so I've said it several times. When you go before, see the Community Development Department, there has to be some thorough things done. Here's my biggest problem is that everybody has come before us in a rush. Because you knew that we were new. Everybody has come before us in a rush. You didn't care. You did not care about the community, nor did you care about your residents, nor did you care about us who are residents, because you came before us trying to get what you want it in a quick manner because you knew that some of us did not know the law or didn't know what was happening. So I fought you as well. Because you wasn't thinking about us and how many of you out there are all Highland Park citizens paying Highland Park taxes, paying water bill paying any of that spending your money in
Highland Park.
I think it's wonderful. Thank you. I think it's wonderful, though. Don't get me wrong. I think it's wonderful what she done and I think the young lady said earlier considering some of the things that she has been through. I probably wouldn't be here either. But at the end of the day, if I feel allies, James and don't penalize jam for the same thing, you're going to six in one hand and half a dozen another just particular council would like to get it right. But I need you to help us get it right. Don't come and ask us to get it right for one person and not get it right for somebody else. That's unfair. That's unfair to us, because we have to again, go out there and see we don't mean again just always on Mr. hittin because yes, he's gonna take the brunt of this because I keep saying putting me in a situation. Now Mr. Shafi saying the same thing, but he's not the only one putting us in a situation you are to. You are to because you want to get what you want. And I get it. Guess what I want some stuff to but I can't get it, because I choose to serve you. And I say that on the property sale. Nobody up here can participate in some of that.
Because we choose to serve you.
If you think about that before you come before us and be mad at us, because we're following the law all of a sudden. That's what you asked us to do. So I'm sure that the city is willing to work with you to figure out how to go forward to continue the good deeds, but there are some things in our charter in our ordinance that are going to have to be enforced. Unfortunately, they are. Now she does have a plan. I understand. So that's part of it that's been done. So Mr. Shafi, the answer to your question, really was to split it, but then it also provides the other situation. I was a no in the very beginning for several other reasons. Because I understand and I said this last meeting, if you come before us and you haven't done anything with your previous property, I really don't want to see you up here asking for more property. I don't care if that's the land bank, if that's a residence, if you have not done what you need to do with your already own property. There's no need to come up here and ask for any more that just makes a lot of sense to me. I don't know why I hope I answered a little bit Mr. Shafi or to any of you I'm sorry this
isn't no for me. Yep. So hold on just a second Mr. Shop Yes, your hand. So here we are with item seven. Item seven came off the table. We had a motion that motion was rescinded. That support was rescinded. Right now this item is floating in outer space. If I don't get any emotional action anytime soon. This item is going to die on
the table. So if I may give you a motion. I'm sorry. Mr. Shafi. Go
ahead. Yeah, no, I'm just saying I want council to know that we have to take action this dies
on the tape. Okay. Well, if counsel press I just want to say very quickly.
There's got to be
men around here. It's got to be
it's got to be a middle ground. If you don't reach a middle ground, I see lawsuits from both sides. I see it. And I'm telling you right now, we're not paying out any more money. We'll fight like hell before we give you a dime. We don't have it to give the citizens a Highland Park. I can't stress enough more lawsuits and not stuff that we need not missed the time hitting said that Mr. Lopez and and put their application in first.
Where's the middle ground here? It's got to be the middle one.
And until that middle ground is reached or until we come to some understanding a council president. I would like to make a motion to table this item
to the next meeting. We have a motion on the floor from Councilman Oh chopping the table I've got to be celebrating Residential Life at 55 Avalon adjacent to the adjacent homeowner at 51. Avalon do we have support? Support? What a quick question we have support from California MONICA The floor is yours
ma'am. What would violate
Salinas to Mr.
To TMP do I mean, what exactly why so we all say no. What would be a violation of that? Can anybody answer? I'm
not sure what it looks like. It's not what it is, is what it looks like. It looks like discrimination. That's what it looks like. So it looks like we're favoring one resident over another. That's a clear cut lawsuit. When we have to be fair across the board. We got to be fair across the board, Mrs. Manduca. If we favoring him if we favoring her and he put his application in. What does that look like? Well, currently, if we favor him and snub her, what does that look like? It's a damned if we do and damned
if we don't.
We do get the parties in question and opportunity to come up with a resolution on their own. So it's
my understanding and I think I think earlier she or miss you or she already expressed that she reached out and so I guess there was no communication. So I can see the tabling, but I believe if I understand there was no communication from PMP to rectify this with her.
So
the charter says we split it when both people want it. That's correct. That's actually what it says when both people want it. We split it she's not then you also pointed out that they both have situations that recommend that we not we don't give it to either. It's just it's just it's almost cut and dry and simple and to somebody rectify what you're doing or what has what we have problems. With, then there is no sale. But it sounds like you're telling me that if we don't sell it to PMP because he put his bid in first, then we're being favorite. My favorite is not to that my favorite is the fact that if I look at your other properties that you owe in the city that you own in the city, and if they are not presentable, up to par up to code, etc. I do not sell to you. That's just real simple. I would hate for a judge or anybody else to say that no, you should have sold to him even though they have these properties that are not up to par. So I think that would be the first thing to figure out because even though I asked that question last time, and I know about the private the private What is it against our five LLC limited liability corporation? Yes, that you don't have to tell everything. But I would assume that the city would know everything that they own. It could go out and look at it and say hey, wait, no, I looked at building a building D C, E,
F and G. And
he's hasn't done X, Y and Z to those properties or go out and find out if those properties are up to par alright aren't even renting to me. You know, that's a renters rights case. But either way, we should not have to sell to somebody because they came first if they have some legitimate things that are wrong with the properties
that they already had. Yes.
Go ahead. So so I get your compensation, but there's a it's a slight flaw in it. Okay, so when that application came here, both applications came. Here's just happened to get here first. Both of the both of these individuals are calling property taxes, pay water bill paid, everything is paid. And the idea of splitting it is still a problem because the light is on his side of the line. If you split it down in the middle, it's on his side of the line.
That's her right there saying that it's not that people I'm just pointing to people in the audience and saying the light is on.
So let's just take let's move on because I'm on your side
okay, so I gave you support. Everybody answered my question. To
the vote. Yes, the table Yeah. So this floors to table this
item again. I still haven't worked on this.
So Madam Deputy Clerk, would you please take the roll on this retainer?
Yes.
Okay
to Table
No. Yes. No.
Yes to table this item has been tabled.
That we don't we will get out of
this live. Move on to Item eight of the administration. This is the resolution reconsideration for reappointment of Annie Zobel and Jeffrey Harris to the store commission City Council. What's your pleasure? Council president yes sir.
Thank you. Can we discuss it before we vote on it?
No, he then he didn't take motion. We need to make a motion Okay. Hashing and then okay.
I'll make a motion to approve with
discussions. We have a motion on the floor from Boardman a Shafi support but as soon as Monica mismanage Okay, the floor is open
to you, Mr. Okay. Council president. So we brought so so this matter was brought back to us even though we voted on it last week. I mean, last Council meeting, this matter was brought back to us so so since since is back in our presence, I must address it, please. Okay. So um somebody made the statement that we asked, Where did she come from everybody in this city knows and Zoli is I know who ends up it was before I met Angela. Several I know who's and locally. So I didn't hear councilmember Ed's question. But what I have a problem with is we
asked for something to be done.
When
you apply for the grant for the library,
we accept that the application you submitted be adjusted. We didn't like the work. Okay. The wording of 50 I didn't like it at all. Okay. You know, so I eggs that word Justin. I asked that before the application is same thing that a copy of that be brought back to us so we can see it and know that what you're putting in is going to be reflective of the city. I don't see myself as a black Highland Park. Okay, I see myself as a Highland Park. I don't like the color scheme of it. I didn't like that at all. Okay. That was not done. Instead, this council was snubbed. Nobody came back to us. The application wasn't brought to us. Nobody said anything to us about what the outcome was on when he was going to happen. I don't know who who gave you the advice that it was a smart idea to just ignore what we asked you to do. And then come back to us and access for a favor or reappointment. Whoever gave you this advice should have should have should have let you know that you don't burn a bridge and what you have to cross back over. So we asked for a little respect and a little bit of appreciation. You should have come back to this council and did exactly as we asked to be done. Nothing that is going to be said here tonight is going to change my boy from last week and I yield back
to the council Miss MONICA I saw your
support for it and I'm still giving us some Wait wait wait let me finish for you resend
your yes
I'm about to Yes. So some things didn't happen. And it's unfortunate. It's miserable out there.
I'm not sure. Yes, yes. Yeah.
Just something he would have not. I guess handled I agree. Not just for his elbow, but a lot of people and I've talked about it with some of the other entities. If the grant does not go through, if it fails, they should still come back and let us know that it failed, or that it did not get past the part that I just want to make note of actually, if I'm correct and if I'm not somebody please correct me. library actually does not fall under the historical part. So in the last meeting when I asked her it really only deals with mostly the Ford plant, if I'm correct, so I get what you're saying. And I totally agree that we need for all the things that have been asked to come back and let us know if they've been approved or disapproved. But I just kind of wanted to make a mention that really, that library piece does not fall under this particular job. Because it's not in that historical designation. That Am I making you understand I'm saying it, does everybody get what I'm saying and it wasn't made a point to be understood assumed that it was under that historical job. And the library's not that was almost like a side thing. I will say that was being done just because she is has that certification of historical I don't know the exact terminology but we do have that certification. And she did get that so she kind of was able to do those grants for the library. If i Correct i don't think we even got it. I think it was denied. It was denied. So it really doesn't fall just so you know. So that's just a formation. It doesn't fall under this previous what we need from that particular group. Is to work on a historical preservation or whatever is going to happen with the Model
T area.
Okay, Mr. Shafi
counterpressure on that before I make this motion, I just simply want to say that my mother taught me a lot about self preservation. And one thing I don't do was cut off my nose to spite my face, and I don't burn bridges in which I have to walk back over. Something was x. And we asked the very respectfully to have a person turn around and spit in our face is if we not significant enough for you to come back and do like we asked you to do but yet you need us to do something for you now.
You don't get to spit in my face. And disrespect this council again, actually. Hey,
can you reappoint me?
Don't think so. Respect. Respect must be given. You respected the previous council. You need to respect this council.
And having said that, Council President, I rescind my motion
of approval. So for Item eight, the administration resolution and reconsider for reappointment and he's opened Jeffrey hairs to the store commission Mr. Shafi has removed his motion. Counsel Amanda, do you want to extend your support you can also leave by making a motion for the reconsider of appointment. How would you like to proceed?
I moved to
I made a note to miss Monica that Mr. Shafi has removed to support if she was still like to keep our support she can take over that motion and move to consider the reappointment of Annie Zobel and Jeffrey hairs. Councilwoman Monica,
moved to
I'm sorry, reconsider the resolution of reconsideration for the reappointment of Annie Zobo and Jeffrey here to the historic
commission. Do we have support? Chair offer support. Madam Deputy Clerk would you call the roll on
automate? No. Yes. Yes, motion fails three to two.
Moving on to Item
A Community Development This is the resolution to accept around $1,000 for the end my hope. Round three grant City Council I would just like to proceed. Motion to approve council president we have a motion on the floor from Councilman Shafi do we have support? Second from Pro Tem Robinson. Do we have questions or discussion on this item? Madam Deputy Clerk Would you please call the roll on item nine Yes. Yes. That's a woman Annika? Yes. As opposed to Robertson? Yes. That's the President. Yes, motion carries. Moving on to item 10. For engineering. This is the resolution to accept the fiscal year 2022 safe streets and roads for our grant program for the United States Department. of transportation. US DLT and the Federal Highway Administration, F. F h wa of 200 and out of $200,000. City council on item 10. How would you like to proceed?
I'll make a motion to accept the resolution.
Second, we have a motion on the floor from Councillor approach and Robertson second from Councilman Shafi square questions
or discussion? Yeah. Is there someone here to speak to
this for them? Someone from the engineering department? Kevin
I know you're back to head and I get on that
what's going on? You're not gonna come up me.
Okay. All right.
Well, come on with it.
The floor is yours. Yes, sir. Yeah, I just I want you to give us a slight overview. Or you know, this is a generic thing. This is your department all day long. Okay. So give us a slight overview if you would, please. So
this sacred this grant is set up for us to perform a study of the issue that may occur as far as the injuries or fatalities within the city on a track transportation side, and then that will allow us to create an action plan so that we can receive construction dollars to move forward in the future for future projects and developments upon the roads within the city. Uh huh. Okay,
okay. How was how was opening coming along?
It's going ultimately it's coming along. Okay. Yeah, we've had we found some some discovered some things on the
site, road tracks that
we're trying to move along. We wanted to make sure that the funding was going to be available for us to move forward with doing that repair.
Okay. All right. So the, what's the what's the what's the total amount of this again?
I'm sorry, the total amount of the entire thing is $250,000. Okay, yeah, let's see that. Okay. Let's see it was required with the 20% match which was
50,000. What would be your your estimated time of completion? If approved? You get the money, everything. How long are we looking at for that study to be completed?
Sorry, action plan has to be in before November the first of 2025
I believe. Okay. Okay. Yes.
Not a lot of time. No.
Yeah, we would have to come back to you and start once we create the action plan come back to you for for you to receive it and accept it for us to submit it then. Any corrections that you would have at that time. We would have to make those before we submit that planning. Okay.
Perfect. All right. I appreciate it. Thank you so much. This request, ma'am.
One of the things that the
residents in the community wants they want to see. Yeah, they've been coming in for years. People are speeding down the street. Yeah. So maybe this is an opportunity to study that determined where those see the feasibility came in.
They wanted to get a grant that
shot down by the city because of the condition of Rome. Maybe bounce an opportunity.
See your hammers mannequin mannequin? You got something?
Square brought up something. So the other part of that is I was wondering just Just a thought. Have we considered anywhere doing Colas acts again? Or are doing I'm not sure exactly what it's called. But we routing where most people who have to go one way they don't like that, you know what I mean? So this particular area has a lot of speeding or a lot of traffic due to the industrial area and people trying to go to the store, etc. And we also have more children than we've had in prior years actually. So is there any way to consider some of that in these areas?
So Safe Streets is exactly what it is safe streets. So you look at the signage, its its speed limits, its, you know, cross through traffic, all of that would be in that study, okay, making recommendations to if you need to resign the street. If you need a street to be a one way that's bi directional. All of that will go into that study. And now we would come up with that, study here and present a walk through what our findings are why we're proposing and then once that study is done, then you can go and look for construction balances, we can say hey, we need all this stuff. And then we don't have any dollars and we can't get anything done. You'll be asking me why you came here with the study. Do anything so no, there's a lot with the traffic calming has been one that's been going on for years. So it's not just the speed health, but what streets are they on? What do you mean we got streets with signage is not there. We got to get a feedback from the traffic commission. There's a lot there's a lot that needs to go into that study. We're bringing a comprehensive study back and then discuss it, you know, put it out and put it in the package, whether it's in a workshop or whatnot, go through that get the comments and then submit it in its final form. And that would qualify us for future funding or destruction to do all those things are things that are high priority getting this done to take care of dogs and so that's kind of I think that's a yes, yes, yes.
It's gonna be comprehensive, no worries. I just want to make sure that was included. And I want to say years ago, it may have been some of them may have been called a sack. In some areas. So just saying that's the point.
We'll take. Thank you, Mr. Garrett. To her point, I can I can attest as somebody who lives in what are called a cross. I live in the crosshairs. So because I live in Rhode Island and John are in Japan, Rhode Island connects across Woodward Avenue. We get a lot of cars coming through. They're very fast. The only other area I can think of that is more dangerous in that corner than that stretch of John are from the Davidson freeway down to the city's border is the area at Puritan and Hamilton. I don't know how every other week a car gets that Blackberry or at the corner of John are in the service drive that poor woman's house that has been hit over you know, over a dozen times the idea that sister road has been closed, the number of speeding vehicles through the cross streets has been significantly reduced. You see kids on bikes in the street now which was a common factor. We were growing up, but they don't see the cars flying through the streets. And I think it has a lot to do with the fact that you can't get in from Oakland. So most of those cars that were speeding were flying through to Woodward Avenue they weren't they were not hitting the brakes at all coming across the streets California
on Farren Park.
Those are the streets with the smooth the ground Winona and bears for where there is an Buona Vista of course you know the potholes over there so they avoid those streets and go to the smoother streets and will fly through not at that open areas closed off the traffic has been reduced significantly and we kind of like it a lot. I see your hand Mr. Shafi.
Okay. So when you have high volume, high traffic roads and you do connectivity to those you facilitate that and so so in a road network, you're supposed to have collector streets and you have arterial streets and you kind of need to separate that traffic where you have you know you coming off of a 45 or higher and then you into a residential 1525 miles an hour if you connect those don't people are going to slingshot into those collections. So you need to direct that traffic to a entry point when you're looking at a road network. So you put it specifically we want traffic to enter from the arterial streets and this location, right not in locations that might be you know, on the on the periphery because you know you start having going from let's say the Hamilton to Woodward and you connect that you know people just gonna be zipping back and forth through that. You might want to take one take one of those streets may get a call to sack direct traffic down to another area. So that all that kind of stuff, which you look at doing these
kind of studies. Okay, thank you for that Mr. shopper.
You got something Yeah. Well,
this study include residential roads.
Is the whole network. Okay. Everything all streets within.
It goes up because the council president have mentioned Rhode Island and Hamilton appear to but he forgot to mention Jocelyn, you need a whole new area over there.
Where there's their DNS. You need a moon rover. But there's no speed here. That's why you get that's why you get no speed. You do get speeding on Geneva leaving the city you get a lot of speeding on Geneva leaving the city you get speeding coming from Florence out of Detroit into Highland Park. You get a lot of current today hit those potholes. Yeah, these are people who are coming down. roads, parks, they they break 55 miles an hour, even fewer. It's heading north to six months easily. You can hear him you don't even have to you can hear that. You get a sonic boom almost because they're coming through there that fast and it's because Rosa Parks is fairly smooth is one of those weird places where Detroit and Highland Park are but and so that road is very smooth and smooth is bad for us. But it's good for drifters and speeders, and that's where we tend to get those people. I agree. I agree. I'm sorry, but thank you. Thank you gentlemen, for your input. anymore to deal with item 10. We have everything that we need for this gentleman. Okay, Madam Deputy Clerk, would you call the roll on item 10? Thank you, gentlemen.
Yes, absolutely. Yes, Councilman. Yes. Yes. Council President
time. Yes. Motion carries on item 11. Now we are this is a submission of the monthly financial statement. This is a receiving file. Counsel, how should we deal with item 11 Here, motion to receive and file I have a motion on the floor Councilman Shafi to receive and file second from Councilman Manica. Would you please call the roll? Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes, motion carries. You receive a final financial statement from July. We are now in citizens participation. Citizens will have two minutes week to discuss anything of their choosing. I believe we ended off with Miss cry. So Miss fry. I don't want to put her in front of anybody but she had her turn and I asked her to sit and I want to call her back up here so I can give her an opportunity to speak madam if you would. Yes.
That meeting is now something but I'm asking. And during the break, I found out that the deal was being like parks and recreation, or something like that. But I wanted to know that we can get some help up there in terms of filling up those potholes in a parking lot. In some of the booths cut around the fence. The children practice football every day, and they have games coming up. And I think it'd be great if we can get some help from DPW. The game starts in two weeks, and the first two home games are here.
Hope you all come on a Sunday on
bear. Thank you. And the citizens are invited out tonight. It's knowledge Cafe tomorrow, seven o'clock. We'd like to discuss citizen stuff was going on around the house. It was happening in Highland Park. They'll come out tomorrow at seven o'clock.
Thank you, ma'am. We have any citizens who would like to be heard, please come up, man. You gotta come on work. Come on. Let's work. Everybody can work their way to the podium. I'm not gonna use Washington. But please
Are you doing? Well, I want to thank our illustrious mayor that came out saw to cut down all those weeds so I could sit down. I want to thank her so much. Of course she can. We got some of the restaurants, some of the neighbors to help her. But she says she was coming. And she came with her. And she did have a job. And I appreciate so and I also want to say belated Happy Birthday.
today and I think we covered and
thank you for watching. Thank you Good evening. Everyone. here on behalf of the past is going to lengthen on October 12. Border for water problems that we're having here. But we need you to though you can call my number on this flyer or sign up at 90s Nautilus cafe or
sign up to them
with waste
but we've been around different locations get people to sign up or I can take your name and number and not call you or whatever because we trying to fill up two buses and right now you know you don't want to wait until October. So right now we have two buses going I told you 12 leaving at 8am Waring supermarket and contact my number one I can read it out loud 313-333-0993 or Charlie Turner. And this is very important. We have a rally on the stairs
of the Lancer
capitol and we're doing the first part of the day we're gonna be talking to state reps. And symmetry is then the next month, which is I think starts at 12 o'clock, then that's when we'll get a microphone and chair. And it's something we've just been working on and developing and we need people to be there in order to be heard. So October the 12th Remember to call up Thursday morning and hope to see
everyone thank you
man. Also some like be her
first time speaking all right.
I live on Manchester. And between Woodward and second. The block that's between wood and just east of where those Council boxes are. I call the number that's on the sign on Woodward. I said you need to come over here and see about your property because it looks like a wilderness. you pride yourself on being able to acquire property you need to take care of because this looks a mess. And I'd like to know when is something going to be done. Please tell us that.
You're on I'm looking right now on a map you're on. You're on Manchester between.
I'm at the bishop more. That's all I need to know. But there are two mechanical
boxes
about midway is between the driveway by Bishop Moore and the driveway going round to the bell
towers. Anyway,
if a myth there was a pile of trash that has been there for a very long time, and it was removed, thank
God but
the grass needs to be cut because there was a tree that was cutting
and it was about that much. Well,
what's growing out of it now due to all this rain. It's taller than I am. We shouldn't be alive like that.
So please. Yes, ma'am. Thank you so
much for sharing that information. If I take care of that, please. Yes ma'am. Thank you
any additional citizens I would like to be heard.
Good evening again, counsel. Again, Nathan Harvey, brilliant business. Owner. The mayor and I had a sidebar after Citizens participation earlier. She did not convince me that opting out of recreational marijuana was a good idea. So I have to reiterate we need to keep the process moving on generating an ordinance that's actually going to work for the city Island part. Don't worry. As Miss Burton pointed out, opting out of this recreational marijuana does nothing with respect to folks that commercial caregiver grows at any location at any business location in the city. Does not so you're gonna have to do some kind of action to
address that. Council
President will do during Council affairs because I want to jump in here to okay we will be will be over to three minutes and downtime between the two of us. So I wait. That's all I am. Thank you, sir. This no citizens that would like to be hurt
Sorry. Good evening again. I just wanted to finish up my presentation because I was cut off. The last thing I had to say was Avalon village would like to purchase 55 Avalon to consistently and enthusiastically continue to transform blight to beauty and Highland Park and grow fresh produce for our residents and train are you on food security. Also in closing? Why are you here? PMP 51 Avalon LLC really? See me? This is more of a principle thing. This is more of a moral thing. Whatever happens or whatever, whatever y'all choose, I'm gonna live with it and I'm really really good with it. For real for real.
You need to know that.
But I talked to your dad back in 2017. He knew I didn't have the money before. Our project managers talk to them. And saying you know this woman is really trying to get this house on this line. I'm talking about 51 Avalon because we're going back. So
you're adjacent to that. And that's what happened
and just the whole thing has knocked on my door and
of course I could win
the money
fix them offline.
I wanted to let you know.
things
I came to I came to the Father mama shoe to me for interrupting you. Again so I want to make sure that two minutes as man but it was a while back conversation it will be probably best because I got the nudge from at least two of my colleagues up here about the another point that I also wanted to make is as soon as that that's what happens and it also happened at 66 Avalon there were two people that came in they bought the house for $20,000. They tried to sell the house for $300,000 on Avalon street. They weren't able to sell the house for 20 but $300,000 the light it just kept going down, down down and apparently one of our neighbors he bought a house which is a good neighbor he ended up buying I think 98,000 for the house. So this is unfamiliar with this particular move. Another thing is is that I wanted to address as it relates to putting stuff on the block and the garden. Well the garden and the streets are very very terribly blighted. For one thing. It seems that no one even complains about when I put the lawn more on to the grass to cut it on that quit a risk to and just even being able to put a dumpster to clean up the mess. There's a lot of citizens who feel that way who want to get things cleaned up and even though if it's not our lot, we still go ahead and cut it we still go ahead and cut the thing so we're at risk of whatever doing that. So I feel two I feel the same thing. Damn if we do damned if we don't. So I have to sit next to a block that maybe your staff can get to and guess what, you know I've never complained about that in the years that I've been here period. I've just been doing just whatever just to make things better. So that's basically what that is and stuff. I know it's it's not our lots but it's cars and lots and entertainment all over the city. I don't know how that's going to be solved if people have a lot next to them or across the street who don't want retinas who don't want mattresses who don't want abandoned cars who don't want stuff thrown all over their property and stuff which has happened on Avalon street. You know Avalon used to be one of the big dope places on the block. Okay, people were afraid to come on that blog. Now. They don't feel that way. So I want to apologize right away for putting my lawn mowers and putting our crew and putting our you and putting volunteers over at the rescue mission to clean up because that's exactly what was happening all the time. Nothing else nothing else. Nothing else so um feel either way about it however your deal and go with it. I just hope that everybody can live with it. Especially Mr. Lopez because he know what he did. He know what he did. He didn't have business coming over there on that block and he knew the act of project this is just principles right now. Okay, thank you
counsel. I'm sorry. There's lacking you have a Mr. Lopez
Hold on a sec. Speak out.
I've already a lot already.
Is that Rick Lopez?
Correct. Yes, I'm here. Yes,
I'm here. Okay, Mr.
Lopez. Just a second. Yeah. And you are okay.
I'm getting in the car. And I pulled over I was driving and I'd like to make myself available to you over this zoom call. Please excuse me for not being there. As I am taking care of my brother who had a heart attack. So I can't really leave here the west coast for a little bit. I do plan to come back next time if this keeps going on. I'm a little disappointed in some of the things I've heard because I don't know where to start on that but I can give you a little bit of a background of who I am and what we're doing if that's important. Or if you'd like to ask me questions, please. You know, let me go ahead and do that. But I'd like to know which Which way would you like me to address
this? Well, this is an opportunity for you to make the comments are okay about
what you Okay, so I really don't like being slandered or you know, all that stuff that's going on there. Someone referred to my company as pimp PMP. It stands for Premier Michigan properties. What I do, it's not a huge corporation. selling out Highland Park, please save your comments for someone who knows what they're actually talking about. So what we have on me and my son's personally put my own money, not company money into this community. We have bought homes have made them beautiful and they're available for you guys to see. We have rented it back to the community at low rates. And I shouldn't say this, but just I'm gonna go out there and say it all of my renters actually are black, Afro Americans. I'm not trying to gentrify this community as people have been stating, what we have done is put money into community without me expecting any type of return on this. The type money I've put into this community. I'm 61 years old will not come back to me. It will be many, many years before this investment. Actually makes income. We have bought homes have sold zero homes in the entire time that we've been there. Okay. And I've seen people despairing, you know, saying remarks like I've you know, I leave them abandoned or that's not true. What we do is we buy a lot. I mean, we buy a house and if it has a lot next to it, we immediately ask for the lot because what that does is it lets us plan how best to make this house. You know the best way to remodel this house and to present it back to the community. If you don't plan before you take the lot. You would have possibly remodeled the home in a way that was not maximized or you know, reached his potential. So we've been asking for this lot for six years. And I have to tell you something I have watched everybody else ask for a lot. But when it comes to a Lopez lot, they actually table it. Guess what happened this day? They tabled it again. Why is it that everybody else gets a lot but when it comes to a Lopez lon they're not able to get it. What it's what's different about us? That is not different about the rest of the people asking for lots that you must ask yourself, because we pay our taxes on time all the time. We are one of the biggest contributors of tax money for this city. If I were to stop paying taxes, you might go broke. And don't take three years at my home
I just reached the end of your three minutes. I don't mean to do that to everybody. Thank you so much for your input. Thank you so much for your comment as well do we have any additional citizens that want to be heard?
Okay, honorable Councilman I was
gonna get you to speak in a microphone. We have some
66 years old. Okay. You ask the question. What's the middle ground and what to do? Yes, please. I lost a couple of properties. And a lot a couple years ago. I've personally been limping on grow. And second. Why because I couldn't maintain that area because I didn't bring that area of the code within
six months.
Presently, I'm on kandler. Between jar and put sem rush. And I'm listening to Oh, as soon as I moved in because of the previous owner had destroyed the whole I had to rent a dumpster and move everything out of that hole. It wasn't 24 hours before arbitrarily. Somebody in an ordinance car pulled up and told me I had to move or I was gonna get fined. But I look at everything around my home
right now. It is filthy.
It's all kinds of debris and everything else there. Now when I first met mama shoot five years ago when they did the documentary, nor was he supposed to do. Mr. Lopez says in his own this home I don't know for how long but what has he done to maintain it and approval? You're asking for a middle ground the middle ground is in the ordinance. Has he improved it since he bought it? If he hasn't that's it.
Thank you, sir.
Have any additional citizens that would like to be
heard? So I was gonna say something before Mr. Lopez poll, and I don't even need to say it anymore because he said some stuff that I think everybody heard and I'm not gonna just repeat it. instigate that you heard it what you're all ears you make your own decision. But I do want to go back to the rat holes was that was there and some kid could have got hit by those rats. So that would have been a natural thing that would have happened, other than the city should have been able to do it. Like Mama's who said she didn't complain. We got out there and we started cleaning that stuff up and we dug and we dug we dug with Bulldogs. And another thing was said by one of the council people about it being fair for the both sides because they were residents. Then the Lopes are not residents, Mama shoes residents. A lot of us over here are residents. They're not residents, their business. No, you're not a big corporation, but you are a business and you're going to present houses back to us. With you getting paid. Go on to another state, not not us, because I don't think he's going to live with us apart. I just wanted to say that they're not
residents. Thank you, sir.
Leave him out. Council
My name is Tim Stafford Am I live on Fairmont Park and Highland. And my first question is for the mayor, the mayor. She's probably on a lot. I just wanted to want her to give us either a website or a phone number that we can pause in order for the senior citizens to get help big send their homes for that program for their grant. And that wasn't provided. And also I live on Karen park and I live on last block apparent park between Oakland and brushy. And there is a lot of traffic there from the freeways. And there's also a lot of traffic from the plants over there and when people get off of work, go to work. And they also go on to lunch and everything and people speeding down the street. So from Beresford, Winona and Farah Park, it does need speed bumps over there. And another thing the two apartment buildings on Woodward and Ferran Park, that's like adjacent to each other on the side of the island. I would like to know like who owns those because several years ago, I guess it was the owner and they didn't come up with the money or something. What is want to be done about that?
That will be those real estate questions go to the administration, but I know the mayor is listening typically takes notes during this section. And so she was more than likely Tammy state your name again for the record, Tammy staffer, Tammy Stafford, so she was probably going to try and get back
to you. Okay. And also, I know, seniors that need like handicap signs in front of their homes. And they came to the city county building and they were told to go to the department where, you know, you get a listing of the homes in Highland Park. Yeah. And so he I forgot the young man's name, but he instructed one of those seniors to go up to the water department ads for the engineering department. And when we got up there, they didn't even know what was what so you still don't know where to get handicap signs in front of your home. So we need answers to that. Last question, that I have purchased. And a while ago a guy had retired from the water company, and he had put water he had put rocks inside of the I don't even know what you call it just out in front of the sidewalk or whatever. So I got a call from the water department and they was like, Well, we know that the water is off in the hall because we came out and inspect the year because I let you in and then they didn't know why the water was still on in the on the street park with a little spout is and I saw her look that's been several decades ago. That's never been fixed. Oh, that's not
me. So let me ask you this question. Gentleman from the water department. Is there any way that you can get contact information or share with this young lady so she can get those questions answered? They can probably help you address that too, ma'am and three minutes is has given me two minutes. All right. Thank you very much. Leaving the Sir,
I don't anybody here. Yes. So I just got a real quick comment. And so now I'm from Detroit. So Detroit is still pretty much the same. City I just want people on I'm also envisioning the National Guard. So when I heard that disrespect, from DMP, or whoever, he kind of picked me off a little bit like the fact that I don't even really know this shoe or a&p, whatever.
But I know
disrespectful connotations not here. And if that's his key, it's in here, when he's listening or whoever's listening. Y'all can't have that line. Because why would you disrespect these people out there?
Or allow your daddy to get on here
disrespectful like that? These people are new. They try to figure something out and they try and do you a favor. The fact that they kept saying that, you know, hey, if I pull my money out, y'all go bro
I don't want to I'm not speaking for Highland Park.
I'm not City Council. I'm just speaking from personal experience working with bigger companies, the North Shore care company, and they'll be happy to pay whatever they said. So you know, just from me, loving your dog. Don't let them have it. Because they disrespected us by just saying, Oh, let me quit. Every day consultation. That's not the people. So that's all I have to say. Thank you, sir. Thank you
I have some other concerns. So pretty much um, I wasn't going to address that. I guess I still on that topic. Um, I'm gonna talk to the how the Parkers as a people, especially as African Americans, we have to learn to do business and understand politics. So I understand how people feel. But this isn't a place of films or what you think it's about what's occurring in a city hasn't done any public sales. According to Mark. It's got almost 20 years. Is that what he said? Yeah, so pretty much if you've got a property and usage, you didn't go to a public auction. So technically, this is the issue I'm having. We need to have some corrections when it comes to that because the last council left y'all a lot of mess. And you're sitting here y'all keep saying, Oh, we didn't know we're trying to fix it. No, they need to be here. They need to have an investigation because a large amount of property was sold before y'all got in here. That's right. And then it happens every mayor term since this is the city has been functioning. It's built its properties with water bills in the millions How are you going to collect that water? Because I'm confused on I'm getting lots from the communist state. I'd like again I when I come to the city is too much hassle trying to get a CD. When I go to them, it's already a sewage and water field, every property not. They're not even telling you on it. So I'm already locked out. And this is where we talk about generational wealth. I don't see generational wealth from my generation, the millennials and those coming after y'all forgot about us because everybody again, everybody said here why these houses with the lead thing? And then nobody does. I'm not looking at the woman. I'm looking at the man that's why I keep making eye contact with sharks. I'm gonna give you all the shout out. You're the good today. You're not arguing you're not fighting. I'm giving you a shout out because you didn't say nothing about the miracle and she had a dialogue. And then this is the best job done. Since I've been on council with eight months. y'all haven't argue I haven't thought about actually did you got on the agenda? I actually was able to hit the bullet points and have a discussion. But the issue I'm having now is people got to go to jail. And y'all being friends because y'all went to school with them. Y'all live with y'all sitting here trying to advocate for people it is no reason why flares up because I'm all over the place because it's not my talking point. The college I'm looking at I want him to domain on the next agenda. I want to know when does eminent domain comes into place when you sit here you have assets vital to the city, and you're sitting here doing nothing? He's in Nicaragua right now. His Facebook, Chile. He has a community college, you all still have your college permission pretty much to have a college status. So you can do online nursing and online education school, which used to be number one in the statement. It's no reason why you all are sitting here saying you can't find no money. And maybe it's the Detroit hustling because I'm sitting here like I see nothing but when when you put me on a TV and I'm dribbling a ball or I'm rapping that's money like people make money we get in the room is the fact that you got the movie license you on the website says Highland Park you can get a movie production license you I haven't taken advantage of that. You know studios, there's no music scene. I said I want for part to be hard class. I want the African festival that got kicked out downtown, the Jazz Festival they can't afford it right. And the riff festival that can't couldn't they will sell the risk for $2 or $20 for two rights. Get them a space that they can actually function. You having block parties and you haven't just get oh Vince is not bringing money for the city. Nobody's pulling licenses. And that's a legal issue. I don't want to keep her I know I know it's time but this is what I wanted to talk about. The Internet. That website is trash. That website has been the same website for almost 10 to 15 years. You have stuff from the 90s from the 2000s I can't find the ordinance. I can't find the minutes. I don't know what was sign. What was
cat talk? No, no.
Gotta go. We normally do two minutes but three, this I'm saying I hate what you're saying. But this is just second time that I have so you so far you don't have to say okay, I'm just saying I'm being fair legal. Legally. No, no. I'm just saying everybody gets the three minutes or two minutes. I got a minute plus one. But please come back. I got two jobs. Please come back to the next council meeting. You're welcome all right. Everyone was for
getting me everyone. My first question is, I didn't ask him out of property on University, which 187 189 was the
university and
I was told or I understood that it was to be demolished. And nothing has been done yet but the money is damp. So I want to know about that property. I'm putting it back out on the record. When can I get something done? School is getting ready to start back. I won't be sitting on the porch drinking coffee watching them body. So I need to know when that property is coming down. Also Mr. Sharp just bear with we just had this conversation two weeks ago. I would like a public apology on the way you beat on that table and I understand your your passion. Don't get me wrong. But as I stated to you in private me for this man, there's a way to do things. And a way to safety. So me personally, I would like a public apology when it comes time for you to do your council wrap up. Yes ma'am. That's all I'm asking. Everybody else we had a good meeting. I understand we have a lot of problem. Mama Chu has done a wonderful job over there. So the two young men, I was very highly offended by what their dad said. I mean, I am black. That's all I could say.
Okay, seeing no more people. Public comment
from the chief.
Ah, and we'll close it out what you
guys doing? All right. All right. So work. Yeah. All right. Yeah.
anymore. I'll be honest with you, I every week I advocate for new new system here. But so I wanted to I wanted to come on, because last week, Councilman chopping some comments about the police department. And I believe he got those comments from a third party and so I don't fault them for me. However, I wish he would have came and spoke to me prior to me. Okay, we had that discussion, but I want to set some things straight. We had a homicide on July 23 of this year, and one of the local bars Councilman had stated that it took us a tremendous amount of time to respond. And that ultimately the Detroit Police responded before we did and then he insinuated that possibly that young man may have lived had we responded faster. To me that that really bothered me. And it hurt me because I feel that that causes the community to lose faith in the police department. I'm willing to take responsibility for where we where we have our issues, and we're not perfect and we have issues and I'm first to admit that but we are definitely working on our issues and improving our police department daily. Whether it's hiring more officers, whether it's disciplining bad officers and getting rid of bad officers whether it's new programs to try to be more community involved. every week or every month I have sit with the chief and now once has Mr. Shafi have not been he says he has no faith in our police department and to police and to handle business. Well, I'm willing to have an open forum and have those discussions because if someone doesn't have faith in us, I want to know why. And I want to address those issues. I don't like people just making statements that I don't think the police can handle. We can certainly handle I don't make comments about counsel. When I feel that there's things that are done inappropriately, because that's a discussion I would have directly with you guys as individuals. Okay. I don't want the public to lose faith in this police department. Anytime you have specific concerns in the past I've addressed them in a very timely manner. So for me, it's very discouraging, and I know it's discouraging to the men and women who worked hard and lessly and put their lives on the line for this city every day to say that you don't have faith in and I hope to change that dialogue. And so in terms of that homicide that occurred, we received 911 received their first call at 1240 and 44 seconds. The call was dispatched to the Highland Park, several 16 1316 109 16 canine 116 Charlie, one and 16 112 41 and 46 seconds. So a minute after 911 received the call they dispatched to us at 1243 and 34 seconds, which was two minutes and 50 seconds from the first call one minute and 50 seconds from the time we were dispatching. Our first officers
arrived on scene.
They arrived to a crowd that did not appear to be alarms. However, they informed one of our officers that the man was on the side of the building shot. Officers then responded to the male line on the side of the building and immediately called for rapid response which their Ambulance Service Officers zero 4412 44 and 26 seconds. Officers began rendering aid to that individual. They started chest compressions and airway and all that stuff. He suffered numerous shots and unfortunately and he later succumb to those injuries. At 1245. A two black females arrived on scene and physically attacked our officers that were rendering aid and they began robbing the person of his belongings including cash and jewelry. The officers attempted to stop that while still rendering life saving aid as a result of that they contacted DPD and said we need additional units. Now mind you there was already five units on scene. They needed more units because the crowd once they saw what this individual was possessing, he wanted to rob him. No one cared about this poor poor guy who was lying in the parking lot shot. They robbed them. So when you say that you receive third party information for people on scene, that disgusts me, because if people aren't seeing no one rendered aid to that individual, no one said Get the hell away from him, stop robbing
them, treat them with respect.
No one said that.
Instead they come to you and say the police
didn't do their damn job. Which is not true. Okay.
So, rapid responded rapid response arrived on scene. Three set three minutes and four seconds after calls for service at 20 minutes like you had state rapid response has a policy. They do not arrive on scene in less than six the scene is secure. It was far from security at that time. People were doing rambling everywhere, stealing from the individual fighting with the police, but yet rapid response took it upon themselves. To say hell with that we're going to deal with this individual we're going to get in and get out and they did their job. So we we continue to maintain life saving efforts and unfortunately this individuals to come to them. I say all that to say we need to work together as a council and a police department and see it's not going to be worth it for me to get up here and badmouth you guys and talk about my disappointments or you guys to badmouth the police department and talk about your disappointments. In public when no one can do anything about it. In this form, now, if we want to have a meeting, come to the seat with the chief it's on Wednesday. Let's have an open discussion about what you what your concerns are and why you don't have faith in the police department and anyone else who doesn't have faith in this police department. Because I guarantee guarantee just like this situation, you don't have all the
facts. Thank you for your time.
Thank you, sir. We don't close out public comments. Thank you everybody. What I would love to see is this number of people at every council meeting. You said temperature this is a meeting for your city. Council but I would like to see this many people here to hold us accountable to see what we're doing to offer us some insight. I got a whole lot of phone calls between this meeting and the last meeting. I talked to a whole lot of people had people pulling me over on the street. I like that I like to provide that service to my clients. So right now we're going to turn it over to council affairs, starting with confidence in the third district. Mr. shocky The
floor is yours. All right, Chief. I got
you first. Um, for the record,
for the record. The third party that I got the information from our residents who actually there at the sea and saw what they saw and I and and you know, I didn't solicit that information. They came to me way, which is where residents do Okay, so they may have a time and off I went with what the residents told me and I do take the word over everybody else's word I believe in the residence more than I believe in anybody. This Police Department, whether you like it or not chief, is that the shittiest track record I've ever seen in my life. Pardon my language,
okay. It's got the worst. Okay.
And we have to do better for the residents of out in the park. Okay, so I'm not picking on anybody per se. I was relaying to you what was relayed to me. Okay, Mr. Harvey. Oh, with regards to the marijuana. Yeah, you understand that? There are three marijuana laws, right. Okay. So there is a recreational marijuana. There's the medical marijuana, and then there's the caregiver. Okay. The caregiver alone protects the residents who grow in their homes. It's specifically designed for the residents because they legalized marijuana in the state of Michigan. They don't want the residents to be prosecuted for what they enjoy the day. Okay, the same way that they are protected. Okay. The caregiver law does not apply to commercial or industrial businesses, which is what they're doing right now. They're illegally operating in these commercial and industrial businesses. Under the caregiver law is illegal, what they're doing so so Right, right. So so the reason I was for opting out, I want to opt out and clean the slate to sitting needs to be improved. We are not getting any revenue from these people who are illegally occupied and not fish. You can come here and suffer like the teat of Highland Park and don't pay tribute to the residents who have fought and slaved to keep this city up and running for as long as they have done so. Okay. We should have been taken out back when the water plant guy took off. Okay, behind the Parkers are tough. They never thought we would survive this law. Here we are. They thought once they shut their plant down, they had, they didn't. We're still here. We're still fighting and we're not going nowhere. And I'll be damned if I'm going to sit back and watch people come into this city abuse and misuse this city. Don't follow the rules and think they could do whatever the hell it is they want to do. And we're supposed to accept it and smile about it. There's a lot that needs to be done. So by opting out, we cleaned the slate. Now the state can come in, we can reach out to law and let them know that these businesses are operating I'm pretty sure that operating outside of the law in which they are currently claiming that they're operating in because if they're claiming the caregiver law, they definitely be operating outside of the law. Okay, so now larki coming in with the state police and we can clean house everybody can go and then counsel can have the right to start over fresh. If they start over fresh is with me at the end of the end and so be it if it's not then so be it but Council has the right to start overpriced without all the chaos and hailed as ensued over the last five years of this ordinance coming into play. So much has been lost so much money has been spent fighting something that shouldn't have been fought in the first place. Okay, even when we attempted to save the ordinance.
We were beat up about
oh, we're in somebody's pocket. Somebody's got us on the payroll. We belong to somebody else I show love to know who that individual is because I pay you some
money. I'm broke. Okay,
I'm alone and nobody who I belong to is a residence at Highland Park. I belong to you. I will continue to belong to you and I will continue to fight as you see it for me to fight now at any time.
You're tired of my service,
by all means as God is my witness. You have the right to remove me. Very few council members have opened a mouth and made that statement. I'm more than happy to step down. If you're sick of looking at me and you're tired of hearing me talk but as long as you got me sitting up here we're going by the rules. We're going to follow the process because if I can't break the rules, why the hell should they be allowed to break them is unacceptable. People come into this city and do how they see fit. And we actually have some form of the city protecting them in some shape.
form or fashion.
I've been on the end of bad protection.
I remember when used to send the police to my house in the middle of night every night. Oh, we got to call for domestic violence. My wife was out of town. I'm the only one in the house when Esther bites at two three in the morning to intimidate me because I was fighting against him and the water and when he shut down the plant. So I know how it feels to be on the end of having someone who's got favor with the city using the city against another resident. I've been on the receiving end of that. It's not the first time it's been done. And it's not the last time it's been done. And I'm not taking anything away from the chief. But we have a bad track record here in this city and he's gone on for 20 years.
How much are you going to take
How can you say?
I talked to the residents all the time I say sometimes you see acts like a battered woman. You let them knock your hands.
But what's your lip
shaking around shutting you down?
They pick you back up bless y'all give you some spaghetti and chicken dinners and you forgive them and take them
right back. How long have you done that?
Yeah, it's been
20 years today. You had councilmembers who set up here for 20 years. What have you got? You don't have a pot to piss in or winning thought
either. What did you get? And did
you leave us this big pile of crap. shoulda known this table. You gave him 20 years. You want us to fix it
in less than a year.
You gave them 20 I'm sorry, Miss for you. You gave us 28 in 20 years. 20 years of chaos. 20
years of pure hell.
And you want us to fix this problem in less than a year. That is unfair.
It's selfish of you. is so wrong.
We are being hindered in ways you have no idea. Everybody is against this council. We have to hunt for information information. That should be freely shared. We'd have to scrape and claw for everything that we get to bring to you to try to make this city
better. Nobody's helping us
and they're and they're using the fact that we're new. So they're making up rules as they go along. Because they know that we don't know yet. But once we find out then they switch up again. Oh, catch me. You're right. You could do it this way. You could do it that way after we figure it out. But before we figured out there was a game to be played.
You gave them 20 years. You can at least give us four
gave them 20 years ladies and gentlemen. You can at least give us four. It's going to take two years just to get caught
up to speed here. This crab sandwich is big.
It's very big. And the young man is right and investigation needs to happen so much of what is yours has been stolen. mismanaged and misappropriated. You'd have no idea as we keep digging more and more keeps popping up every day. I've never seen so much chaos in seven months in my life. We are the eighth month we're in the middle of the eighth month. So seven and a half months of chaos. Now one break. I don't sleep at night. I'm up to three four in the
morning. I got headaches, I'm stressed. But this is a
job I chose. I chose to serve
you. You can at least assist
me in helping you don't hinder me. Help me help you.
We are not naive here. We are not children. We are not child. You can't afford to be this naive and have loyalty to anybody just
because they're your friend.
This is not how government works. Favoritism is what got you into shape you're in right now.
It's time to go a different way. Enough is enough.
Everybody plays by the rules. Everybody gets treated the same. The city will survive and grow. But if you keep on this path that you're on you're not going to be here in five years. So you have a choice
to make. It's your city.
This is your government. I'm your councilman. What would you like for me to do? Would you like for me to sit down and shut up and just let
the dice fall where they may I would you like me to continue
show of hands for continuing.
If you want me to lay down
I'm more than willing to do what you ask.
I promise you that. So to that I say
I love your HP. I really do. I love this city. When I came here in 2000 I had nothing I didn't have a place to stay I had my Muslim brothers. They put me up in six months. I bought my first home here. I've done things here that I could have never done back in Chicago. You pick the worst house in this city and you put it in Chicago it's 90 grand
and up the worst house.
The worst piece of trash you could think of here is 90 grand in Chicago. I could have never done in Chicago
what I did here. This city made me
and in less than six years.
I have five houses, three cars.
I'm paying for my son to go to college, something I didn't think I could afford to do. This city made me so why don't I give back to it. I asked for nothing in return, but that you give me an opportunity. Give me a chance to serve you. The way that you should be served, how you want to be served. That's
all I'm asking for.
And that'll be the end of the speech. Thank you Mr. Shafi holder city council president I have I have a request though. I do have a request. I would like to request from you and opportunity to revisit and re establish our organizational meeting that we never got done.
Duly noted. Thank you, sir. Miss Martin floors yours
50 minutes is up. Oh, thank you for the low No, no, no, no. You don't even need a microphone. So great evening, everybody. I'm so happy that you're here. Shuffling me some crazy, really great points. Some of the things that I do want to address, Mr. Harvey is he's like, no, no. I am surprised that you brought up marijuana. I'm very shocked. I only say that because I know when they were talking about the water from before. I don't remember you bringing anything up or saying anything about the time that water was broken up and we couldn't talk about marijuana. We only could talk about water. So I'm shocked about that. We could probably talk about that another time because I see the look on your face like what so we can talk about that. Another I want to dress Mama's shoe and the mamas shoe crew. I get your message I totally understand what all of you are saying. There is a city of Highland Park and same thing that a shopping was saying that I noticed that the city of Highland Park is a
business. However, in
saying that there's something that shocked created, right? Y'all created more than just Highland Park Yukari like she said a blight. He took light from Beauty I'd never saw Highland Avalon the way it was before. But I have seen the way it is now and it has grown and it has blossomed into something very beautiful Mama's shoe I don't know if you remember when you first saw me I'm also created my community also where we didn't even talk. We didn't even speak with each other. And it took time. I think we started in 2016 where we wouldn't even speak or find out how each other was doing that I had to start creating the language of this as your neighbor where my kids were like Mom, that's not our neighbor because they live behind us and I was like nowadays your neighbor behind you. That is your enabled diagonal tell you that is your neighbor that looks to you across the street and y'all can we each other from across the way that is your neighbor y'all created something bigger than that. And in our neighborhood, not only did we create neighbors we then went on to create new families in that network, molars show you have donated to a lot of the events that I've done in my own community. I don't know if people know that I'm sure I don't know if you remember donating even the kid and people in my community. They brought up your name like crazy. Your name has grown not just an Avalon your name has even grown to where I live. You've done some beautiful things. So I'm gonna say even though we tabled that event, I'm gonna say I just want to see pictures from what it looked like before. I already know what it looks like now. I would like to see what it has come from and what has become. That's all I'm saying with that. And that being said, I'm also going to say district school, precinct three and four. They've done a lot of cleanups and everything. It's awesome. That they've done that also in district three at the Martin Luther King, they would love to reach out to you because they've done some, some cleanups. They would love to hear your voice and let you see things that they're doing they will also want a dumpster. So they definitely reached out. I also want to say on e sin that that that cultural taste Fest was beautiful. The planning the execution. I absolutely loved it. I did check that out. It was very, very nice. And on that note guys, thank you for staying here. We did have a great meeting. It's not our first great meeting. But we haven't had many. We haven't had many the fact that we can't even remember the last night's meeting we had. It was almost like I Are we dreaming. But we did a great meeting you guys thank you.
Thank you, Miss Monica.
I'm actually the same way I don't know where to start. I do know I don't want to keep us wrong. I want to say actually to everyone. Thank you for coming. And I was hoping that our meetings will go shorter considering I have a whole workday ahead. But nonetheless, whether it be PMP or any other company, I still say the same thing. And that actually goes for businesses and residents. We have to clean up and if you're not cleaning up what you have. I really don't expect you to come before us and ask for anything else. So that is one thing said the other thing. Mr. Shafi did make some great points. He's very very passionate so we might have to move the table when he talked I'm not sure. But um I think that sometimes he just it's just the way he brings it across to you. You know, sometimes he does have good points, and sometimes it doesn't, but it's the way that you deliver it to your audience. And so with that being said also, again, we have a lot of things I said that earlier, so really no need to exactly just continue to go over all of them. But there are some ordinates that we are going to enforce. So a lot of things you bring us some time they're really not ours. And I hate to say it like that, but they're really not ours. But the good thing about this form, is that who they belong to they get to hear them, the administration DPW and whoever else get to hear those issues. But understand that for some of us who even have been doing good, there are going to come some ordinance but I would think that the city would be able to work with you. So example shoe, I know everybody talks about that light and they talking about now and we're saying about you have something on that property in my in my mind. I can't see anybody not working with you. And so again, I have a different reason for not wanting PNP there because again and now I have a second reason. So I don't know if Mr. I don't remember his name right now is listening. But I think that was very disrespectful and insulting to make that assumption. And so I was taught that usually when you hear some things, then you have to know what those things mean. I didn't I have a young man who stood up a few minutes ago talking about Candler. And so one of your properties, which we actually did give you a lot. If I recall, we gave you a lot a couple of weeks ago. So now you disrespecting because you're saying we didn't give you one or either you forgot about it. But then it also was a comment that was made that every time you purchased a home you bought a lot that could not be true if we hear now, are you asking me for a lot? So that could not be true. But what I have found is that people listen and understand he's all the way in California. So before I make this point he made it for me. People are watching and listening from all over the world. And they they're sending people or they already have people here that have purchased and bought and have done nothing. Understand this nothing and we'd be so we are so hard on each other for not doing nothing. But we're not hard on people that's not here. So the gentleman made a valid point is that when that money leaves here, whether it's being rented or not, it's not leaving and staying here per se. And if I go on countless fairs and that is my district, I know what it looks like. So you could not possibly have such beautiful homes, that they wouldn't come here and say how bad that area looks and if you really want to do something for Highland Park, you want to also get you a lot more and help fix that area that your property is in not just quote unquote, where you have a property. The other thing I asked Are you willing to sell it not sell it for an unreasonable and unreasonable rate. That and that is part of the problem with our water situation. People are not looking at what this community is going through, or headroom, whether it was what we caused or somebody else cause but nine times out of 10 we listened to somebody who told us something great. And then they didn't do what they said they would do. And then we didn't do anything behind it. We had no tea. So the gentleman asked also, about what do we do for that and tonight I actually wanted to read it. I just feel like it's gonna take too long. And so maybe next meeting, but we do have it if I have to send DPW to cut your line, you're going to pay for it. You're going to pay for it. That's in the charter and if you don't pay for, then there's another step. And there's another step where you go to jail and pay for it. So understand that when you come before us and start talking about what you want us to do and we started doing it. There should be no question, be it out of state in state resident non resident businesses, I'm asking you to also take take pride in your business just because Highland Park owns the sidewalk or the breezeway or whatever it is, but if it's in front of your business, when do you realize that it affects your business? Because I don't want to come in there. I don't want to walk past that weed or whatever it is I want. I want it to look like when I get to nine mile or eight mile. I wanted to look like when I'm going down to Detroit and you just no harm and you get and I guarantee you you have one because if I asked most of the people who have businesses or came in here a little while ago talking, they're gonna tell me they leave here. But when I was born and raised here, everybody lived here. Police, fire teachers etc with that being said, you have lights, guys, you gotta warm some houses on those lights. I'm sorry. But you gotta want some houses on those lights so that we can gain some of that revenue and income say how do we create it? We also create places because we have a lot of industrial areas. We have a lot of industrial now. So now we have to create some spaces for families that or people who want to create family and have a tax base to come in here and live. I don't mind a renter. What Hey, can we educate those renters so they can actually only at home? Yeah. So those are some things we need to look at. Again, if you check out two charter is to have a 10 for policy to resell and get a lot for some of that TIF. It's two. Oh 2.05 And those people that want to look at the chart online, and it's 2029 Okay, maybe next time I'll get a chance to read that. But I want to say here's the good part. Wonderful, wonderful events this this this month period. I feel like I need a rest from the weekends. Okay, we've had reggae we've had. We've had Lemon Festival so thank you to Bishop and his crew and district one for the limited festival. It just happened to happen at a time that so much is going on like the Dream Cruise extra. There was just a lot going on in our city. Big Wheel. Thank you. I went to that. I couldn't stay as a judge but wonderful he does all the time. And it's just the way big wheel likes to get you together. Okay, and have fun and have family coming up this weekend.
Is the
Community Assistance day at New Mount Moriah for people who need assistance in their water etc. Also on the flyer out there, I see that they're gone. So that's a good thing. A lot of people took them that's way Metro by the way, working with your community. Really religious entities. If on a Saturday it's at a church. It is a collaboration between those entities and Wayne metro to bring that in the water department. By the way. I'm sorry because the water department is actually there too. So the water department is trying to help the best they can and they do send you you go there and you have gotten a shutoff notice. They will send you directly to Wayne metro to try to get some services so they are collaboratively working together to help the residents with the water okay, there are some other programs people mentioned me that meet my hope. And you have me half etc. that's out there. It's not that way Metro is doing it is they helped facilitate for somebody mentioned about seniors being able to be on internet and fill out the forms. That's kind of what they're you so I'm gonna say it's on a municipality at this point to see how we can help CD CD to get that taken care of so seniors can apply. Okay, so that that was that also beautification. You miss district one, Miss Martin, you miss district one on the cleanup and beautification. Mr. Harvey laughing back there, but if you take a look when you came in City Hall today, if you haven't been out there, there's flowers out there. The grass was cut. It's been looking nice. The property next door on the front is cut that was done by your citizen district Advisory
Council myself. Miss Thompson, I don't know if she's still back there. But that is president's wife and DPW assistant as well. And so it is the start to beautification, along with you know, you already know about all the dumpsters, they've been out. So I would also appreciate if you see something good happening. Can you come tell us? Come on tell us that we did something great. I appreciate the fact you don't say we have a good meeting today. By the way, I thought last week was a great today, but I thought it was a good meeting last time whether you know it or not. I've been watching it I've been I've been pegging it, you know when we can, you know, and when we're not always gonna agree guys. We're not we're not always gonna agree. So again, that was a start to our beautification. I'm probably missing something because I at this point is late. The handicap signs please make sure if you can get me a list of those seniors because that sounds like that's my district. I'd say the bar has the seniors. And so I hope Mr. Harvey I can't I cannot forget you Miss Martin said the same thing and I told you last week I kind of shot I want the apartment building can I get the apartment building is okay Okay, stay guys. I always say stay on task and stay focused. We cannot check out of this. This life here. All we can do is change the class will stay on course and we are on the right course. Please note that we don't mean any harm. We wish you all the best and keep doing what you do. I love you. And if I miss something, just send it to me. I apologize. I'll bring it up next. Next time.
Thank you ma'am.
That approach him.
Hello, everybody. Thank you guys for coming out tonight. I don't see my pastor but I do see my sister Joyce. Just want to thank y'all and the state for the record of man. That says January the fourth. I've been trying to put some teeth into our blight ordinances because I have some PMPs on that need to take care of that property. It's all over the city, all over the city and we have to put some real teeth into our blight ordinance. So we can make them do what they're supposed to do in our city.
I love Highland Park.
And I just want to thank y'all and I love y'all.
Thank you very much, ma'am. So we are still at the end. We're still in summer. This is technically the end of summer. I would like to encourage citizens to start to look at their weatherization projects. For fall. This is the perfect time to caulk around your windows. Any winter weatherization activity that you want to get started is ideal to start that during warm weather putting insulation under your crawl spaces in your walls. That is a project I would like for citizens to actively be engaged in the first week of school was coming up next week for the fact that we will have young children out in the street. They have not been going up and down the street to school. They will not know how to act they will need to be reminded we also have to start to stare down some of these cars that are flying down our streets. I make it a habit to step to the curb when I see somebody going at a high speed I want them to see me seeing them driving down the street so if some don't go right, I can identify the car, maybe get a license plate. Look these people in their face. Our babies are gonna be out here walking. So those of you who have children going to school please remind them to be mindful that although the weather is breaking the school is starting. That doesn't mean that people who drive stupid are going to be paying attention so we have to make sure that our kids pay attention. Lastly we can write an ordinance starting now. What I tell all of my clients when I tell all my customers, when I tell my students, I'm going to give you back twice what you give me, whatever that is. So you give me 100% Give more than that back for me. This is an arrangement I've had with everybody I work with. I match energy. I'm going to give you back what you give to me under whatever the circumstances are. It appears now unencumbered, that this city council has an opportunity to sit down in the open and deal with this controversial issue. And I will sit in the middle as the chair because I don't have any personal feelings about it one way or the other. I asked from the beginning of the year as it relates to the workshop, send me something in writing and make that request Mr. Howe Shafi did that. He asked for a workshop. We would have had it today but again we had a pending legal issue from the administration hanging over city council. And I would like to make it clear that city council and the administration are two different bodies. It will be my preference that we act unencumbered and we won't have anything lingering from one body over the other, meaning moving forward as we deal with this ordinance or any other ordinance. We won't have the issue of pending litigation, and as long as their requests come in, and we have an amount of time and there's documents that can be read and perused with all members share with our lawyers to offer us advice and that allow us to go back and do diligence on our own. We can move forward with those items. I appreciate your time this evening. Thank you for hanging with us to nearly 11 o'clock and I really would like to see this many people in council meetings on a regular basis that will be delighted to see these chairs field having completed all business related to the city of Highland Park. The chair is open to hearing a motion for a German council president.
Yes sir. Before we say that, I just simply said Mrs. Ford. I apologize publicly for slamming my hand on this table. You have pre warned me ahead of times I apologize. And having said that I moved to
close we have a motion to favor aye. Aye meeting adjourned at 10:53pm Have a good night. Okay.