Dr. Powers Good to see you happy new year Mr. Coralie
it's the first like the first day of school it really does. Alright we can get started great rising everyone. It is such an honor to be back and exciting to be back top of the Year. Happy New Year to everyone. We will now call to order our first formal session for 2023. So order and Mr. Clerk Happy New Year, New Year nickel, please call the roll for us
councilmember Scott Benson. Councilmember Freda there, hold the third councilmember Leticia Johnson present. Councilmember Gabriela Santiago Romero present. Councilmember Mary waters present. Councilmember Angela Whitfield Callaway,
Happy New Year and present.
Councilmember call me on the second here. Also President Pro Tem James Tate, Council President Mary Sheffield. Madam President, you have a quorum.
All right there being a quorum City Council is officially back in session and again, welcome back to all of my colleagues. Welcome back to the general public. Thank you for being here. Those who are tuning in virtually Happy New Year to everyone excited about all the work that is ahead of us. We will now go straight into our introduction of our clergy. In this morning we have joining us Bishop Percy Henderson. Good morning, Bishop. Good morning,
Miss Miss President. How are you this morning? Happy New Year's to all of you.
Same to you. Alright, Bishop, the floor is yours if you would like to lead us in a prayer this morning and invocation?
Yes, ma'am. I would ask that everyone would take the privilege of their heads towards heaven. Heavenly Father, we thank you and we praise You for Your goodness and for your tender mercies. We thank you for bringing us all into the new year. We thank you for this opening session of city council for year 2023 And we ask Heavenly Father that You would bless us as we continue to do the business abroad and behalf of the city I ask that You would bless our great council our great mayor, the officers and the officials of our city we pray for our officers who do such a great job of protecting and serving in this great community. I pray for each and every individual who is a citizen of this community and we pray to God that as this council does business today, we pray that You would give them direction that you would give them wisdom that they may lead that they may guide that they may do the business at hand and may it be in the will of God and may the will of God should be shared abroad amongst us all that we may prosper that we may be successful and DO what is pleasing in that site. We pray to God that you would minister to every man and every woman in Jesus name. Amen.
Amen. All right, thank you so much Bishop for joining us. feet feel free to hang on if you would like to stay on while we deliberate and have our session this morning. If you do have to jump off we do understand. Okay.
Thank you and God bless all of you. God bless you as well. And good morning,
folks in the park OneNote we've been joined by pro Tim Burke was so no the journal this session of Tuesday November the 15th 2022 will be approved. There being no reconsiderations or unfinished business. We will proceed to the budget Finance and Audit standing committee for the budget Finance and Audit standing committee
one contract approved during the recess procedure.
The one contract will be received and placed on file for the internal operation standing committee,
three contracts approved during the recess procedure.
The three contracts will be received and placed on file for the Neighborhood and Community Services standing committee
nine contracts approved during the recess. procedure.
The nine contracts will be received and placed on file for the neighborhood and community served excuse me for the Planning and Economic Development standing committee
will have contracts approved during the recess procedure.
Those 12 contracts will be received and placed on file for the public health and safety standing committee
23 contracts approved during the recess procedure.
The 23 contracts will be received and placed on file for the president's report one standing committee referrals and other matters for the budget Finance and Audit standing committee
nine reports from various city departments.
In those nine reports will be referred to the budget Finance and Audit standing committee for the internal operations standing committee
21 reports from various city departments.
The 21 reports will be referred to the internal operations standing committee for the Planning and Economic Development standing committee 10 reports from various city departments. Center reports will be referred to the Planning and Economic Development standing committee and for the public health and safety standing committee.
Five reports from various city departments.
Five reports will be referred to the public health and safety standing committee. We will now move to the voting action matters under other matters. There are no items Madam President, under communications from the mayor and other governmental officials and agencies. There are no items, Madam President. All right. We will now call for our public comment. How many hands do we have virtually? Okay, we're going to cut off our public comment. We have 17 Hands virtually. So we will do two minutes for public comment and we'll start with individuals that have joined us here today. Mr. bulat you can come up first. Steven hands to you will be second. And Tanya wells.
Mr. Biller, the floor is yours.
Thank you. 13 months ago, two employees of the finance department committed an act of wire fraud against the accounts of the Detroit Public Library. In January of 2022, those employees repeated that again. The money is controlled by the city finance department. The library cannot issue checks and control the its own accounts. It's all controlled through count set up by the city and managed by the city and the library sends directives for expenditures. So I wanted to tell you what happened. The library lost half a million dollars I hope you're hearing me through criminal actions of two employees. The city severed their employment but refused to prosecute them. And the city took the position to the library that the library had to suffer suffer the loss themselves, there would be no repayment.
I want to suggest to you that this is the problem with the attitude toward the library that we have been dealing with when it comes to tax captures when it comes to pain, and because we would not accept the loss. They held up to contracts that you approved for HVAC development for part of the cultural center regridding That included putting in an HVAC system they held up that HVAC system changed for a year to try and force us to agree to suffer the loss from their employees from the accounts that they control. We have of coming by budget that you're going to hear just real quick like Mr. biller that's gonna jack up the tax capture over almost a million dollars instead, please stop it.
Thank you. Thank you so much. We appreciate you and if you have additional comments, just feel free to give those to us so that we can make sure we receive I'll stay in touch. Okay. Thank you. Mr. Biller, Madam Chair. Yes, Mr. Member Callaway.
If what Mr. Blonde is saying is true, I would ask that this matter be turned over to the inspector general's office. Um, I would also ask that the law department chime in if some criminal activity has occurred if embezzlement has occurred, that's something I don't believe this body would want to be swept under the rug. At least this member does not with the legal background that I have in the knowledge that I have. It sounds like some something criminal has occurred, allegedly. So I would ask that the law department chime in. I would ask that the matter be investigated by the Inspector General's office and maybe the prosecutor's office. That's my request.
Thank you thing. Thank you. So member Callaway, you need to put your request in the memo form. I'll put my
request in the minimum form, Mr. Rhodes, but I want it noted for the record. I'm making that request and thank you Madam Chair.
Thank you. Thank you so much, member Callaway. All right, Mr. Hands two.
Good morning, council members. I'm speaking on behalf of the National Federation of the Blind this morning. And I am here to thank you for your assistance. Thank you as a body for your assistance in the paratransit issue, which occupied you for six meetings shortly before the end of last year session, of course the four of you who supported our position, your RV heroes. Two of you have already been honored at the annual celebration of warriors on wheels and National Federation of the Blind participated in that honoring of you the other two who voted with us. Ms. Franklin will be presenting you with your award today from us, but I want to thank the whole council our heroes who supported us, the rest of you also supported us in the amount of time that you spent and the seriousness with which you took the problems that we faced and I want to end by saying to you do more of it. Do more of what you did with and for us. And most of you who voted against us made it clear that you wanted to be with us. But you were terrorized by the bullying of this mayor that we live under. And I want to encourage you because the contract when the mayor came in and said, you cause the problem. We got a better contract. Then he you told you none of what he did could be done. Done. Thanks to you.
Thank you. Thank you and thank you to you all as well. And as you all know there were four six month contracts that were approved for paratransit throughout the city of Detroit and so we will be taking up this conversation again as the time progresses and as we get prepared for when that six months does expire. So appreciate your work on the issue and I know all of us are dedicated to ensure that paratransit services are efficient for the residents that we serve here in Detroit. So thank you. And Mr. I'm sorry, before we get to Mr. Halliwell for Halloween, I'm sorry we have this Will's tiny well, so morning
Council, how are you? Right? I come to work to situations building safety and engineering is not doing its job with respect to the rental compliance ordinance that is on the book. That should be enforced not just here in the city county building with fees and costs, but it also has to be enforced in 36 District Court, over 500 people every day have lost their homes. Over 500 people every day is on the docket at the 36th District Court. It's time to get back to business. vacation is over COVID is over. Let's go back to work. I'm here to volunteer my services to Eunice waters, or to you miss Santiago. We're now regarding the bill building safety engineering piece because I don't think they understand how important it is that the houses are inspected and that they pass inspection because if it doesn't pass inspection, you can't go to court and say hey, you owe me money. It goes a whole different gondola. Just go through that. So there's waters in San Diego. Mr. Benson if you choose and copper you know I'm gonna be honest, my parents. I am not asking for any money. I'm asking to be a part of the solution rather than the problem. I must sell. I must tell you, it is very difficult being homeless. We don't have any place to go. We have no place to stay. And the rent the landlords are charging too much money for rent and they don't pay anything in terms of what they charge. If they charge $1,500 A month a rent for 12 months. It should be a rental tax put on these landlords to bring those costs down. They count the attic as a bedroom, which is off the class by saying that it's a three bedroom instead of a two bedroom. They are asking for the people to pay the water bill that is the responsibility of the homeowner. And they're also charging three times the amount of rent. Thank you very much.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for your willingness to be part of the solution and using your voice and your advocacy and I'm sure that the members that you just mentioned will love to work with you and all of us really to put you to work for a great cause. So thank you for coming down and using your voice. We appreciate you.
Um, let's see here. Mr. Holloway, one one
New Year. I hope new things will take place for us in our community and not just downtown. Oh, you know, we still dealing with them films. And I don't know why no one took it to the state and order an order for them to put money back into community for the people that live over there this inhaling all this this the film which they have failed. The mayor don't care and on and you guys have the power to get his attention by stopping tax abatement contracts to come here for the city. We need some attention over there. We catch in hell over there. I've been down here and you guys know I've been I'm not begging but not and I'm beg. I'm telling them to do the work for my money that I'm paying everybody with my tax dollars here in the city of Detroit. You know, it's sad that we have to deal with this weekend, week after week after week with the same thing when other community data is not going through this. You know, I talk with my city council person. We talk you know, but it seemed like it should be a team effort to get this done over there where they gave the bonds over there to the Chrysler to put paint over there and community were residents staff, and it said that no one seemed like they get nothing done. They keep saying go to PR and whatever that pa Gio ABC whatever you want to call it, and they not still not doing that. We just said no to inhaling that and people would getting sick. You know what nerves and all that inhaled and all that and it said, you know that we stood up here and say we care about the people, but we catch in hell over there. We need a community driven Mayor Duggan is not that's what we need. We need someone who is best for the community and not just for the people downtown or Portland people and thank you for listening to my complaint.
Thank you so much for coming down and member Johnson would like to respond to you. Thank
you, Madam President. Thank you, Mr. Holloway for coming down. We certainly appreciate you and all the work that you do and keeping us informed. We have been pushing for eagle to bring some of those funds back into the community that still anticipate as a fine. We'll continue to push into ask. I am asking for the NIC to support that ask. Eagle has continually shared with us that it still Lantis is interest in what they'd like to do with the funds that have been paid. I continue to ask them to provide for the community as opposed to the two solutions that they came up with. And so will will continue to apply pressure and continue to ask because I know you all have been dealing with a lot of odors in your community that continue to perpetuate the community so will will continue to do the work on your behalf.
Appreciate it. It'd be good if they can. If they just bad people out over there. They actually bought the street out the next street over, you know like they did in Hamtramck. I don't know why they didn't do it over there. And they wouldn't have to deal with all that. Thank you. Thank you. Miss Johnson for that.
Thank you. Thank you member Johnson. Thank you, Mr. Holloway. Barry Aikman. Your microphone on? Just make sure it's green at the bottom. Yes, ma'am. All right.
Thank you. I'm Barry Altman of Barry Altman consultants LLC. submitted proposal in regards to row Gale golf course and the consultant ship involved there. I've also realized that I am all out of order all out of process protocol procedure. Ask for a little bit of grace here as I am new to this format. The city acquired that, that that parcel in 2018. We're in the fifth year of ownership and it is still currently at Ground Zero. However. There have been obstacles. My proposal went forth as as a small firm. And I mean, I'm sure somebody will correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that that whole process purpose of establishing a bank of Citi certified contractors and service providers was to give smaller firms like Barry Altman consultants, LLC, a competition a level playing field against bigger, better connected firms. And over the years, while the city held that property and waited on the soil test to come back, they recently came back and but they still haven't been able to provide analysis and application of those soil test results. However, Apple provided a proposal that addresses that. It also addresses other things. So for example, the site itself cost the city $1.9 million and I'm assuming everybody here is a Detroiter, if you go to grant, evergreen and six mile and just zoom out a little bit and extend out a mile and a half. If you turn to the north west, you'll run right into row Gale, you turn a little bit further south and west. You'll be realized how can you go a little bit further? Is that my time? Yeah, I actually
unfortunately, we during public comment, you only have two minutes. But all of us are available to talk offline as well. So you have ample amount of time to engage with us but I noticed this pro Tim Tate's district and he has worked hard on this. So he would like to respond to you.
Thank you, Mr. Hoffman. Thank you for being here. So I know you've been in contact with my staff member Ashton. We have been working with you. Yes. I'm glad that you came down here as well. But there's a process that has to go through and we're going through that process, but as you know, we have we held a Zoom meeting to update the community about what where we are as a city in this particular process, with Rosedale Park. So we have received your information. We're going to have those conversations with you while my other colleagues are getting to know you our office is familiar with you already. And so we're going to continue to work with you see what we can do. I don't make promises I can't keep. So what, again, the promise that I can make is gathering your information and seeing how far we can get you to where you want to be in this particular process. But they are levers and pieces that we can't necessarily move as it relates to the state as you know. And we are at that stage right now. We'll continue to work with you.
All right. Remember, waters wants to respond to one second remember waters. You sure. Okay. All right. Thank you for coming down, and we'll be in touch with you
I was able to give everybody a copy of the proposal, the Revised Edition. Would I be able to do that.
Right behind you, Tyler from my team will get it from you. We'll make sure everyone gets a copy. Thank you. All right. Thank you so much, sir. Mr. Shelton.
The morning morning I'd
like to read a little bit from the preamble of the Detroit city charter. It says that the people have a right to expect city government to provide for his residents decent housing, job opportunities, reliable, convenient, and comfortable transportation recreational facilities and activities. cultural enrichment including libraries, and art historical museums, clean air, and waterways, safe drinking water and sanitary, environmentally sound city. I just called the Health Department about the pollution air pollution is going on over there on Benetton Street in the shadow of the FCA. steeliness plant expansion. They immediately referred me over to the state perhaps this part of the preamble should be taken out. If the city is not responsible for clean air. Either they are or they aren't. Maybe it's the states that's responsible for the city of Detroit having clean air. If that's the case, this this part should be taken out into the city charters preamble. years again, there have been Capital Improvement Bonds as well as revenue bonds issue since Mayor Duggan has been the mayor since 2014. According to state law, whenever a capital improvement bond or revenue bond is issued in his city, where any municipality in the state of Michigan there must be a Notice of Intent, put in a newspaper of general circulation like the Detroit News, a free press informing the residents and taxpayers that they have a right to a referendum against that bond. Now it's only two answers. Either the city has issued those referendums. Well, if the city has not, then they were not legally required to issue the referendum. I can't get either answer. The only thing I get is people staring at me sick not saying anything. I have a four year request in private right now. Do they want answers? Perhaps you can give us the correct delivery. Well, Mr. Whittaker
Thank you, Mr. Shelton, and I think Mr. Whitaker has responded before to the question that was raised regarding the legality of the issuance of bonds. No, yes. Okay. Well, we will make sure that we get with him. You see, he's
talked about buying cars now talking about bad cops. Thank
you, Mr. Schultz. And if you want to get the exact question to us in writing, we can make sure we get a response for you.
It's in writing. It's a lot of crime. They just won't answer it. All right.
We will make sure we follow up with you. Miss Riley? Happy New Year.
I had to come that had come in our head this morning to wish you all a happy new year. Also Councilman Coleman Young at large I'm here to speak to the staff in regards to my room. Councilman Benson I liked it and I heard that you change some people in your office I needed the information because there's a whole lot I need done. Because you know, I've been able to 77 but my block went down like around maybe 22,005 It was going down. And whereas home has been you know tore down, left open and you know, I've been stewarding to them. I've been stewarding and taking care of the maintenance of forest grass and snow and bushes and and tree limbs that I bought a chainsaw myself to cut them down. Now, it belongs to land back, but I feel it belongs to me because I've been taken care of long enough. I shouldn't have to pay anything for it. They put the last block up their price I don't call 911. My neighborhood police told me one time they had a car in there. It came and told the car. Another time there was a Caucasian guy and his girl now you know if I live next door I see what go on. Because yeah, they say a lot of people say they wish they had me as their neighbor because I don't like need to go back. So what I did is they got out the car has some tools and they they cut the lock next door for me. And they asked me I said what do you do? And he said well does slam bangs house and we look at it because we're gonna measure windows and data. No, he broke the mirror a lot. And those screws the other two locks and they went in there. So I see that weren't their property. It might take me a while to fix it up. But I feel in this city belong to the city before they make it concise in 2005. They got it in 2014 I need to be compensated I would like to have and take the time to fix it up. Because I'd like to bring my brother and I had there was an accident in Ohio that had to be cut from what the jaws of life from the car so everything is like on one for
you goes by. Thank you Miss Riley and I know between member Benson and at large members, we will all work with you to ensure that we handle all of the issues that you're raising. So thanks for coming down and Happy New Year. To you to Miko Williams, Happy New Year.
Happy New Year to the Detroit City Council into this body and to the administration. Thank you for allowing me to speak My name is Tamika Williams. I am the Chief Executive Director of hydrate Detroit. We are a 501 C three local grassroots nonprofit that helps people get their water turned back on and I come with a very nice announcement for the new year that we are partnering with the Detroit water and sewage department to get people into the new water affordability lifeline plan. We were the authors I served as the board member of the Detroit blue ribbon panel that was authorized by this body in 2015. And everything as water amnesty as I have been raising for seven whole entire years to erase the old arrears and debt is now happening $7 million have been cleared off the books by people signing up and also the moratorium that have ended on January 1. We are calling for an extension of the moratorium to allow more people to get into the program. We've been diligently working with the water and sewage department the director, the customer service team and everyone to come around to and all the water advocates have now come around full circle to getting people help and the assistance that's needed. I would recommend for people to get into hydrate Detroit call 313-279-0608 We will take your name and information to get on that program to add Dwayne Metro and also I would like to say please open the auditorium. We miss you all down here you said that things will be finished by November we have not heard an update I would love for all of us to come together so that we can have more room this is so tight you know and most definitely, to you council members. I do wish you all the best of a new year. Please listen to the people that are coming before you that are presenting their concerns to you. We need you more than ever and to the mayor that disrespected this body. Happy New Year. To everyone. Thank you.
Thank you Miko and as always, we appreciate your work. You know ever since I've been on council, I remember seeing your face and your work around water affordability. So we made a lot of progress and are still working on it. So it's good to hear that you're collaborating with DWSD so we'll be in contact with you as it relates to the moratorium. I know that even though it has expired individuals can still enter into the other plan which will allow them to still have a reduced rate one their water bills and so working with DWSD as it relates to the auditorium Have you been in there to see the dates I encourage you to go and pee into the auditorium. We are almost at the final stages there. It has completely been retrofitted and it was screens audio technical upgrades and so if we need to host an emergency emergency session in there because the capacity here is too small we can and we're looking forward to in the next month being able to host more sessions in there. But I encourage you just to go look and see the improvements that have been made in the auditorium we have been working diligently understanding that there are a lot of delays in shipping over various items that we need. So a lot of progress. All right. Thank you so much for joining us to Miko Have a blessed day Miss Franklin
Happy New Year everyone.
Thank you to Marguerite for yielding her time to me. I was a few minutes late. So I appreciate that. I echo my colleague here when he says thank you to all of you. Because the last time you go here and I promise for what happened last year with paratransit, thank you for the hard questions. Thank you Dr. Hall for recommending that there needs to be additional funding into paratransit. We still have not heard anything about the training. And we also want to make sure that we don't get too far into this new year before we start that RFP process for the next providers to come for it. I have some certificates here for I've already given Callaway and also Ramiro, their certificates and they came into our room with a rousing round of applause. And we're glad that you were there. But for Leticia Johnson and Mary waters, I have your certificates here for you. I don't know how I become like the room guru for problem solving. But yesterday I got a phone call from some residents over at Russell Woods apartment. Russell Woods apartments with them 11590 LaSalle Boulevard. Those residents received a seven day eviction notice. They just paid their rent in January. And they got the seven day eviction notice because there's raw sewage coming up in the basement and from my understanding from the residents that sewage has been coming up for over a week and a half now. And the apartment managers their names our mutual property manager out of Dearborn, these residents have been there. The one lady that called me had been there since 2016. So I really need someone to look into that. I've given them all of your phone numbers so that they can contact their councilmember Sheffield I believe that's in your district, and also waters and Coleman. Yeah. I yield regarding the Transportation Innovation Zone ordinance. I don't have enough information about that, to speak on it. But I do think the public should wait.
Thank you so much. And we will look into that Mr. Clerk if you can actually line item the rest of woods for public health and safety so that we can get an official response from the administration.
clerk was Oh No madam person. I just wanted to verify the address again. Is it 11590 Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Alright, that is all of our public comments that are here in person. So we will not turn over to our virtual public comment. Mr. Ari Rittenberg.
Good morning, Madam President. Our first caller is Cunningham.
Happy New
Day everyone under the sound of my voice, please call 313444911 for that message has been upgraded. Again, that number is 313444114 Again, we're on three full flow Phone 911 Phone. I just want to send a special greeting to the Fabulous Four that voted down that paratransit Council, council woman Mary waters the great Councilwoman Johnson the great Councilwoman Callaway and the great great Councilwoman Gavin center. Ramiro on Facebook for subservience Cunningham on Facebook forced subservience, Cunningham, you can find me those undecided my boys at home or wherever you're listening in. I would like to know that if paratransit or metro lift the people that ride it are getting surveys since the new system is in effect for six months or whatever. Are they Is there any outreach to get their feedback? And it's crucial to get that feedback for the new RFP because those with good standing or getting good reviews should be first in line or should get some type of advantage. So it's important to get their feedback. I don't know if anyone's going to answer that but has there been a major outreach to those that are taking paratransit at this time under the temporary contract? How is the job? And lastly, Council Member Benson your Chief of Staff banks, gave me your email banks see at Detroit mi.gov And I've been sending over people and I want to know if you've been getting those complaints and what have you ever been praying the Holy Spirit and drink all out of water put my name and atmosphere as I pray for you Chanda ramaco yara Marcia Rama
Thank you Mr. Cunningham. Well, we will check with DDOT on the status of the surveys so we will get that answer to you. Thank you so much and happy new year.
The next caller is Amira Hyman?
All right, if you could just repeat the name one more time I'm sorry.
Yes, the name is Amara Hyman.
Alright, if we can come back to miss Amara Hyman.
Okay, um, the next caller is Detroit is our black city forever.
Happy New Year, everyone. Thank you for allowing me to make a statement. I hope that this new year means that we'll get people on the board to recognize that this is our black city and our people are the chosen people that black people Detroit is who has kept this city together and continue to do that. I also want to thank my Councilwoman mushy ro Angela Whitfield Callaway, Mary waters, and Leticia Johnson and Gabriella Santiago Ramiro for your courageous stand for us paraplegic collegiate and disabled individuals here in Detroit. So I want to let everybody know we are not getting our repair money and repairs for our homes. Councilwoman cheffy Oh, you know, I've been before you ever since you got even before you got on city council and I've been telling you about the horrible condition my home is in and now being overtaxed. I sure would like for you to try to maybe personally helped me knowing that for 10 years I've begged you for help. But counsel as well. We are not getting not repair money and I want to audit because I don't know anybody in my neighborhood. My friends, my family, my acquaintances word of mouth. My enemies, nobody's getting repaired. I know many people I'm 63 years old, so I know they're not getting repairs. We want you to look into a city council you have the right and and the ability to find out do you need to subpoena people and Detroit? We need to get rid of this mayor. Why are we continuing to complain about him recall this man. You know he doesn't have us in mind when he takes him or does what he does to us. And Stan City Council please stop giving these billion kajillion their money they got billions of dollars it just don't need our money. Stop giving them money and the Gilberts and you guys have a beautiful new year.
Thank you have a beautiful New Year as well. And just contact our office if you need assistance with your home repair grant 313-224-4505 however we can support we are able and willing to do so thank you so much. Our next caller please.
The next caller is Amara Hyman.
Good morning Council members you our esteemed public servants. We're here this morning to register our continued opposition to the possibility of the Detroit Public Library system being placed under the authority of the Mayor Michael Edward Duggan. Our Public Library system has been through the Great Depression, two world wars and the pandemic and has managed to serve the residents of Detroit and southeastern Michigan despite it all I don't have faith that it would survive under the authority of the city. Other departments and services that move them to the city's authority have been decimated and stripped to bare bones existing largely in name only. The premise for the takeover the library system ignores the fact the tax captures are the unnamed reason for the fiscal state of the library budget. The assertion that the city provides money to the library system and therefore should have authority to run it. Is both mendacious and outrageous. The city takes from the library system with no accounting for how those funds are used. We'd also employ the console to use its power and influence to income tax captures, or at the very least amend the act to apply percent cap. Right now tax captures from library fund standard 11 point 76% with no legislative cap. Such a bold and brave action by the console will impact every taxpayer in Detroit along with every man, woman and child in southeastern Michigan and beyond. Who uses the services of our library. We pray in 2023 console serves our community. Thank you so much. All right. Thank you
the next caller is Renee Anderson, the MBA.
First let me do a test. Can you hear me?
Yes we can. Good morning.
Excellent. Good morning. City council members, staff and residents of my hometown. My name is Renee Anderson graduate of Cass Technical High School Class of 1982. I would like the city council members and the residents of Detroit to consider updating the city of Detroit flag. During the previous holiday whoever pottery sent me an email with their latest creations which included a tile the city of Detroit flag. I thought to myself great I would like to have that time. My next thought was, what is the symbolism and history of the flag? After doing some research, I really did not think that the flag was representative of Detroit where I was raised. I do think that the Latin phrase resurgent acinar Rebus which refers to rising from the ashes, does tie into renaissance in my personal belief that the residents of Detroit have a unique determination to strive, flourish and rise. Should you be wondering, I never purchased the tile on the city of Detroit flag. Instead, I was compelled to send to send 12 emails make 10 phone calls and so far make the city council appearance to encourage you to begin thinking about the city of Detroit flag. I thank you for your time I look forward to any remarks or questions you may have and ask that you look at your city of Detroit flag and ask yourself, What does your flag mean to you? Thank you so much. Happy New Year to everybody virtually and in person.
All right, thank you so much for calling in. If you would like to also email that information to us, please do so. And we will make sure we review it as well.
The next caller is Robert Palacky.
Good morning. Can everyone hear me? Yes we can. Perfect Good morning and happy new year. Robert Pulaski here representing the Wayne County Youth Council District 15 of Wayne County. This morning I'd like to come in and welcome everybody back in session especially staff and city council. We have a lot of hopeful possibilities for 2023 especially with our Transportation Innovation Zone and also our new development going on in the district Detroit. We have a lot of hopeful possibilities in 2023 is the year that we're going to see things change here in the city. And future development grow. But in regards to the transit hub contract for everybody that wasn't supportive it you know me personally, I have been on the sidelines fighting for this issue regardless if I use it regardless if I'm eligible. It is near and dear to my heart because this is transit This is transportation for everybody here in the city of Detroit, and we need reliable transportation for our seniors. So I encourage everybody that wasn't a part of this to get involved while you still can. This is a very major issue in the discussion isn't over. And one thing I'd like to see there's been a lot of divide and a lot of disrespect towards City Council with our mayor. Our mayor has not been the person he has been for the last several years fighting for us and fighting for transportation in the city. Especially when we had new coaches implemented in 2014. We need to do something we need to do a partnership with our public we need to get input he needs to be able to sit down and listen to the concerns from the residents that use this service. We need to host roundtable discussions. We need peace and we also need a resolution here. We cannot keep this fight up and if we keep this fight up, nothing's gonna get done. But city council did the right thing for the residents and the residents speak the truth Transdev is not reliable. And that is the end result. So thank you to the four members that really encouraged you know, peace and making sure a change for the city has come to light especially in this new year. And we look forward to the hopeful possibilities and all to my good friends at warriors on wheels and my colleagues over at transportation routers united. We have a lot of work to do. 2023 is the work to get things done. Thank you.
Great. Thank you
the next caller is Virginia Park. One.
You're part one. All right. All right. If we can come back to Virginia park one and go to our next caller.
The next caller is Siri Simpson All
right, good morning. Good morning. Can you hear us we can hear you are you bear with us
here today
to alright, what was the name you said Miss Simpson.
Oh yes,
sorry. Series senses Alright, are you let's pause this particular caller and go to our next and try to come back to miss Simpson.
Okay, the next caller is phone number ending in 301. All right. Can you hear me? Yes.
Hello, this is Richard clay representing the National Federation of the Blind. And I am I want to start by once again I want to congratulate the heroes of the day. Our councilwomen Callaway is Ramiro, Councilwoman waters, Councilman Johnson for their courageous stance and helping the city of Detroit get rid of trains there. They should have been gone a long time ago. We want to thank and congratulate the entire city council for doing his due diligence and helping us bring the transportation issues to the forefront for the disabled and the seniors of Detroit. And we are glad that we now have a new beginning. We trust that directors Ogilvy and Staley are good people who were put into a bad position. But who now, thanks to our courage and your courage, have the chance to use all of their transportation expertise and provide a new and a better paratransit situation for Detroit than we have known in a long time. And as we move forward, I hope that in 2023 that courage will be the word that will be the mantra of this city council and council and council president Sheffield. I hope that you will lead this council and build on the winds, the People's winds of 2022 and the water lifeline plan the getting rid of trans DM and getting a better paratransit contract, the right to counsel wins, and move on and get some people's wins and some very other important situations. We need to see progress in a $600 million dollar over taxation and reparations situation the library tax captures need to be fixed and we need real police
thank you so much Mr. Clay
the next caller is Tonya Myers Phillips.
Good morning.
Good morning. Hear me? Yes.
Well, first I want to say Happy New Year and welcome back to this honorable body. I am calling this morning to express this point and the contracts that were approved for the Detroit landlord tenant council program that were submitted by the administration taking advantage of the recessed procedure. I'm asking you to vote no on the remaining three contracts that will be coming before you for approval. I want to thank and continue to thank each and every one of you for passing the right to counsel ordens. I want to thank President Sheffield and member waters for the resolutions that are on the agenda today that continue to disprove me for funding to fight back against the evictions. And I want to thank all of you for the resolutions that you've offered. For funding for the right to counsel ordinance. This landlord Council program is not the right to counsel It was started to process emergency rental applications. That program was over and this program was supposed to in when Sarah ended as well. These contracts were originally approved using the threshold of being under $25,000, which allowed them to escape counsel review and public accountability. Now the value of these contracts have tripled and quadrupled in some instances. So I'm asking that the other three that were held by member Callaway during a resource proceeding and thank you member Callaway are voted down. This honorable body should not find any more private attorney contracts before the ordinance is fully funded. Before you ch these contract is finalized. And before the office of eviction defense even has as much as a working phone number. We ended the year with over 22,000 evictions, which is an undercount, because that doesn't even capture the illegal evictions every day. So I've wanted to bring this matter to your attention when these contracts come before you asked me to vote no and keep up the fight are fully funding rights accounts.
Thank you, Attorney Meyers Phillips Madam Chair. Yes, member Callaway
to Attorney Myers Phillips point. I did hold three I think it was seven contracts I accidentally did not hold all seven of them. So I would respectfully request that the that they be removed. I don't know what the process is to remove them because I have quite a few questions. And all the questions pertain to all of these individual lawyers whose contracts came before us during recess. So I did call LPD I was less than 24 hours late, letting them know that I did not submit a request to hold all seven. It was only three that I was able to hold my goal was and my intent was to hold all seven they're all the same contract. I'm still reading what the city says about the contracts. There was only supposed to be a certain threshold amount that they're receiving, but it has triple and I would hope that we do not vote on that today. I think it's on the on the agenda today for a vote no. Okay, so I'm hoping we can just, you know, you said it's not on the agenda you voted on today. Good. Okay, so what do I need to do to make sure that they're held because I had quite a few questions. They all relate to all seven of the law firms,
the ones that were held should go back to committee and be taken up during the normal process. If you have additional ones that are being referred to Committee, you can ask the chair to hold them at that time or before they come to the formal session for a vote but nothing will be voted on today. And I also have a meeting with Attorney Myers Phillips to address some of her concerns as well regarding right to counsel as Okay, so I'm with you on this on the same issue.
Thank you Madam Chair. Thank you.
Thank you. All right. Our next caller please.
The next caller is Virginia park one.
All right, Virginia. I can you hear me? Yes, we can.
Thank you already and thank you for this opportunity. I just want to make over in district
five there health sector pay for these scores
with the influx of
Rubino Virginia park one it's kind of hard to hear you if you can speak a little bit more into your phone. Okay, yeah, a little bit. We have a slight echo but we can hear you a little bit better.
Are you there? Madam president appears she dropped off actually. But there is a second Virginia Park. hand raised I will unmute the second one and see if that works.
All right, Virginia, Burke one. Hello. Yes, we can hear you. Perfect.
Thank you. Okay, so what I'm seeing is that we have some new development that's going over in district five offered to off street and with the city's scape, new houses being purchased and cleaned out and backyards mean clean. We are now being infested with rats and roaches and not Roaches and rats and rodents in that particular area. We have still seniors here. We brought it up at our last committee meeting with the new DM. And his response was if they send us any inspectors, anything else they they find our side of this infestation, that they were fine as for that so it was like a give or take either you deal with this issue of invasion. Of Mice and everything coming into your home or you take the risk of being fine, which should not be a give or take that should it should be. We have a problem with this our prime minister the Detroit it has escalated to this point where all this development is now causing the rodents at this time to see well worn in food. We need like three months ago bait over there. Again, we have seniors sick people over there. Is it possible to day I can come pick it up and I can just share that because I am part of them neck with the community members that are being if you look at our homes, we're doing everything to keep them out. There climbing up the side of the homes coming in so openings in the attic is it's crazy. Is that the point now? Do we need to collect them and sharing with everybody because it's so many of them. And it's still areas of abandonment that need to be cleaned out? What can we do as of today and I want that on record. Are you guys willing to help us because hundreds of dollars each month for bait we shouldn't have to do that. On top of the fact that we're paying property taxes increasing our water because we pump up people water we paying for people DTE bills, we need some assistance is ridiculous over Thank you and enjoy the rest of your day.
All right, thank you you as well. If you can just hang up here and directly call the office 313-224-4505. We will direct you with the representative from the environmental department within BC to coordinate how they can get back to you regarding the road in issue is something that I raised on our last budget cycle for me several times if they have sufficient amount of funding in bait to assure that residents can address that issue. So 313-224-4505 We would love to assist you thank you for calling. Our next caller please.
Oh the next caller is Siri Simpson.
All right, Miss Siri. Let's try again. How are you? Good morning. I keep getting muted.
It says the host is muted. So hopefully you can hear.
We can hear yes.
Can you hear me? Yes we can. Okay. Two issues. I'd like to address this already, which transmit and but I have a serious issue with the allocation of funds that were given for transfer recently. I attended two meetings for something called D that three image which costs money but did not really reach the people that were supposed to come in. I attended two meetings in two days, less than two blocks of it which there were more DDOT employees. So then there were transit right. My feeling is this was unwarranted waste of money, if interest issues that writers had not been consulted on and gave us a choice that was predetermined. And then we had like a number of multiple choice, but one that did that itself had come. I think this was a waste of money. When we need shelters restore, particularly in your district. President Sheffield, all our bus shelters have been misplaced. But money is being wasted on meetings. No one attends. Thank you.
Thank you and good to hear you Siri. I haven't seen you in a while. Glad to hear that you're doing well. And from my understanding a part of those engagement meetings they did take feedback and bus shelter improvements were a top priority and money has been allocated to fix those two while several of the districts in fact I think all city council districts throughout the city of Detroit but there's a particular one you're interested in or particular feedback that you believe has not been heard. Please let us know and we will make sure we get that over to the DDOT director. So we appreciate your call. Our next caller please. next caller is Carol Hughes. All right. With us miss Hewes Are you with us? Alright, are you can we go to our next caller and come back to miss us.
Okay, the next caller is Casey.
Good morning, may I be heard?
Yes. Good morning.
Thank you. This is Casey masseter, the policy analyst with Detroit disability power. I hope you all had a happy new year and enjoyed your holiday breaks and had lots of good food. Today after working with the Office of mobility, innovation, and some of you over the past month or so, we are pleased to support the proposed Transportation Innovation Zone. We support including specific language on consulting with the Office of Disability affairs during the permitting process. And we have received commitments for partnership during the opera, opera realization of the TOS. And like many others here today, we also wanted to express our thanks for responding to our concerns with paratransit despite the stress of a time crunch and being scapegoated by the mayor. You came together with the community and really put the work in to find a solution. So again, we really appreciate your time and addressing our concerns and committing to protecting Detroit and all of us residents so thank you for
that. Thank you our next caller already.
The next caller is William M. Davis.
Good morning. Can I be heard? Yes. Well, I'd like to say Happy New Year to all of y'all. Hopefully I had a wonderful holiday. As many of you know I'm a civil Detroit retiree and we have not been doing quite well. Also none of the many things is going on. I would like to know if the City Council President Xi can look into why the general retirement system does not have any minutes posted for October, November and December. I can understand December because we do not regularly get any updates or information from the retirement system or from the city of Detroit that's greatly needed. Also. Can you do a special session I have a special meeting to let city Detroit retirees know what Thanks Dan was released as we get into fiscal year 24. Also, where you'll be doing more to change any existing Emergency Management statutes is still on the books for the city of Detroit. And ask the state of Michigan to repeal any emergency management related harm that was done to us especially looking at you know the the review board in our financial review board. You know, I think that should be discontinued and we shouldn't have to live with that I think is horrible. There's just a black city had to follow up under that others municipalities had it was up on the emergency management. But this board especially you know, this council especially in so much that we have democratic control of the House, Senate and all statewide offices should be asked him for some relief and some changes as stuff that adversely affected the city of Detroit. Thank you.
All right. Thank you, Mr. Davis. Mr. Knapp, Mr. Bhatt, Council Member dr. Hall would like to respond.
Thank you, Madam President. And good morning everyone. To Mr. Davis. We will be discussing as you know, budget season is fastly approaching again. So those discussions will be happening in the budget Finance and Audit subcommittee. But I would like to make a motion to put a line item to specifically discuss retiree where where our retirees are relative to this budget and upcoming pension payments of
2024 as well. Thank you, Madam President.
Thank you remember there ha that the clerk would note to add that for Budget and Finance work well, so
no. All right. Thank
you. Our next caller, please.
The next caller is Adam B.
Hello, yes, we can hear you. Good morning. Good morning.
I'm a patron of the Boleyn branch library. I am here to oppose the suggestion that the DPL commission you put under the authority of the mayor and I asked city council to reject any budgets takes money away from the DPL. The premise for the takeover of the Library Commission ignores the fact that tax captures are the real reason for the fiscal state of the library. The city allows the DDA which is chaired by Mike Duggan to steal from the library system and give it to rich developers. That's their budget money to operate. I asked counsel to use its power and influence to end tax captures, or at the very least, amend them with a cap. lurking behind this recent paratransit issue is the fact that our libraries don't all have ADA compliant entrances or bathrooms. The reason that the updates like these have not been made is because of these immoral tax captures. Try to operate without 10% or 11 or 12% of your personal budget. Come on. This is immoral. Thank you.
Okay. Thank you so much for your call. Madam Chair. Yes, member Callaway.
Thank you Madam Chair. I have a question. Who do we need to talk to to find out or perhaps do an inventory or audit of all the libraries in the city that are currently open that are not ADA compliant? Because that could possibly lead to, you know, a lawsuit. Our public spaces are required by federal law to be ADA compliant and I just think I read recently an article where, you know, the city is not in compliance with other public spaces that we are, they're not ADA compliant. So do we call the DPL over here do we call the law department to come before this honorable body to let us know whether or not our you know public libraries are all in compliance? Mr. Whittaker would you like to respond? Thank you
Madam President
ADA compliance certainly isn't is an issue with the the library and as you can tell in our report, we asked him for for the library to submit comprehensive review the capital needs. Certainly, money is the issue is has been said all day to day with the library finding the money to make capital improvements for neither services. Aba compliance as well as a whole host of other capital needs to take lack and I would say that the libraries responsibility, it really isn't the city's direct responsibility for their capital knees. However, as we stayed in the in the writing, there is bonding money that was available for them. And we asked him the city give strong consideration of releasing those funds. But But largely their problem is finance. I think they recognize that the lack of of ABA compliance and a number of their facilities because all of their facilities are over 50 years old. Some of them they way back into this, I guess, two centuries ago. So they've been around for a long time. And they're not compliant with a whole host of things. So money is their is their issue and trying to give them sufficient capital, so that they can cover their capital needs and operational needs is what's desired.
Either Callaway and thank you. Mr. Whittaker. Madam Chair. I'm just concerned that you know, I just think I just read in last week that the DDA has voted to to give the religious and Ross development $50 million. And of that $50 million, I would want to know how much of that should have gone to the Detroit Public Library. And if we weren't capturing the tax dollars from the Detroit Public Library, perhaps they would have enough money to make some of the upgrades and improvements that they need, if we if we're taking money from them. How are they going to have any money to make the upgrades but we're getting we're getting ready. Well, I don't know if it comes before the council or not. That's another question that $50 million that was just approved by the DDA to give it to Ross and the village development. That's $50 million dollars. They could go toward upgrading our libraries that the citizens or citizens of the city of Detroit would use and the children. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you
are your next caller please?
The next caller is Stephen hollering
at one second,
can I be heard?
Yes. Good morning.
Awesome. Well, welcome back everyone. I hope you had a great holidays. I want to speak in support of releasing the names of the caps in the Berber a sense it in I mean, there needs to be more transparency and EPD. I mean, essentially how much money in taxes we spent. I mean, the last year I mean the city has done nothing but wasting millions on useless technology like ShotSpotter I mean when they could invest billions in community outreach provide much better training for mental health. I mean, I think it's ridiculous and I do not support the deep bond even police but I think you need to support them. Hmm. Right. And I do want to thank the council members for the voting against the trans step and surely managing to get the situation I mean, the service they were providing was deplorable. I think what needs to be done next is the DDOT budget needs to be doubled or even tripled. I mean, you just love the last four decades, probably five. I mean, the city has wasted so much money and I mean they never even any of the Council for the last 5060 years have never even considered doubling or tripling the budget. And you know, I also want to state I don't I'm not a fan of that $10 million eat out low income. I'm not completely apologize, but I just think it's too broad it needs to be because 10 million is a lot of money and you know, unless you like treble or triple or double the budget. I mean, I mean it's just not feasible to do that. And you know, I think they need to have more like
alright, thank you so much.
The next caller is Carol Hughes
Good morning, honorable body. May I speak? Yes. Good morning. Good morning. I'm glad to see everyone made it to the New Year. I have to I'm gonna did all the gentlemen just before me on the police. I really believe a lot of our budget is going to the police and we need to audit the performance to see what are we getting for all the funding that they're getting? And one of the things that we need to audit the police on is their agenda for hiring practices. There are ways to root out people who have underlying issues and obviously people who shoot people that many times a portable proto Brooks is just one example of the mistreatment of the people in the city. So we need to know from Chief white what is his plan, first of all to increase the number of Detroiters and the number of ADOS Detroiters because we are about 80% of the population but not representation of our police department which causes a problem. We also need to audit him in his resolved cases we need to find out how many violent crime cases are being resolved. We know that we have a problem we had more than 10,000 rape kits that were not tested. So we know that the abuse that occurs to the people in this city the library should not be under Mayor Duggins control please do not let him do that. It is an independent operation. It should remain independent. I can remember going to the library. As a little girl I spent a lot of a lot of time in the libraries and all children and adults should have access to libraries. I want to I want to caution you on Councilman dura halls pilot programs that allow people to get property and pay no taxes. Tax capture from the citizens is important, but I guess it's not important for other people. These pilot programs need to show how they are reducing housing problems or the crisis and the city of Detroit before we approve anymore and you all have a blessed day.
You as well. Thank you
next caller is Karen Winston.
Hello. Yes, we can hear you Good morning.
Yes. Good morning and welcome back. I'd like to first say that I'm noticing some different communication between the callers and counsel. I see you're trying to at least show that you are understand you're not just you know, we're not going in one ear out to other that's a good thing. Because yeah, that's that's what we got you guys therefore and and what we what we need and what is expected is not that you just hear us with that you try to help us get some resolve. If you can't resolve it, then you're supposed to pass it on to the ombudsman or an individual that can resolve it. So you know and then a person so doesn't shouldn't have have issues that linger and linger and go unanswered. I have issues that have gone unanswered for years. years, literally back since the time I retired, but that doesn't make any sense. I think the problem is because of the change. You know the changes and personnel that goes on, you change the attorneys, you know, you're and so things just get shuffled. I know my case has been shuffled because I've haven't had any contact or any answers since 2009. That doesn't make any sense. And then since then, I've suffered more to install nobody you know, nobody acknowledges that you stir up a lot. He spoke of finance issues and finance. He's absolutely correct. That does need to be looked at. We have hired attorneys, for instance, the lat the prior. Garcia, he was a contractor he wasn't even a city employee yet he's you know he's representing the city. And you know, so we shouldn't have contractors that are you know, doing the job search study where people are supposed to do and I think that's why my situation has been shuffled you know, the change personnel, you change personnel, somebody definitely needs to check into the finances of retirees, library. All that funding comes from the state is from the penal codes, all of all of the fees and things that are paid at the courts are supposed to finance the library. I can send you the documentation if you like. Thanks.
Thank you so much.
The next caller is Renard munch on ski
Good morning. Can I be hurt? Yes. Good morning. Morning, Madam President to you and also and everyone that's listening today. My name is Renato miszewski. I'm transit justice organizer with Detroit people's platform and long term resident City District Six resident wanted to speak and thank this body for pushing back against an abusive and out of town out of the United States company that has had a horrific record of mistreating our residents in terms of paratransit and regardless of what the administration has said, and even vilifying this duly elected body I thought it was very undemocratic and telling of the administration in terms of your action so I want to commend this party for your votes. I know that were very difficult to do so. But that's what democracy is about. It's about abiding by the will of the people as elected representatives, and just know that the people are aware of your actions so much regardless of what the media says, about what this action with paratransit This is about people standing up to a major corporation that has not been a good neighbor or good player for our residents. As we move into the new year, very interested in how is this Transportation Innovation Zone given this very limited area of District Six, I want to benefit the rest of Detroit residents in terms of equity. And in terms of safety as well too, I don't think is sufficient to post pilot projects that are very limited in scope on the website. And no but putting all this money into this mobility research and everything to make the choice and sort of laboratory for mobility research. But this is all just about pivoting to the automotive industry once again as a solution to our transportation problems. Instead of investing in things like working with the state of Michigan now with our new Democratic leadership to have no signal priority for buses or other technologies that are make our current systems better. Thank you.
Great, thank you so much. We're looking forward to working with you this year as well.
Yeah, next caller. Is the four R's and. Hello,
good morning. My name is Gerardo Sumpter, I'm with the four R's Incorporated, Detroit nonprofit. We actually got to start the day both center demo center. So thank you to President Sheffield and her father her great family. We have a couple of questions today, one regarding the actual website for the City Council and the meetings because we actually couldn't find this meeting on the website. We had to make calls make calls regularly monthly. So that's one concern. The next concern has to do with the actual land bank itself and any help that you all can provide with auditing their processes, because we've we've been a nonprofit since 2016. We've actually only been able to complete one purchase of a property and we've submitted over I'd say 30 proposals for multi properties, single properties. And the list goes on and on. We're actually waiting on a property to clear the year. Yeah, we waited a year for a home to clear title service. So it just seems like with a lot of the people here today speaking about evictions and all the homes that the land bank hold, it seemed like they would make it a lot easier, but at least clear up the process a lot better, so that we can be able to go in as community partners, as they say, and be able to clear up some of these houses and because we have the capability to do it, but we're sitting on funds and the properties are just sitting after we see them saying they have been bought. They still just come up just abandoned that we're talking about yours on yours. So same properties in the same districts. So that's our main concern. And thanks again to the council and President Sheffield. You all have a great day. Happy New Year again.
All right. Thank you Happy New Year to you as well. Not sure what district you are in as far as the properties that you own with the land bank but if you give our office a call, we will connect you with your council member and hopefully facilitate a meeting with the Detroit land bank to try to expedite or assist you with your your projects. The office number is 313-224-4505 and we can also help you navigate the website as well too because it is on the City of Detroit's main page to view the City Council sessions. All right, our next caller please.
The next the next caller is Larry verse. Have you heard?
Yes, you can. Morning Morning.
Good morning and may y'all have a happy and successful new year. Labor Donald verse to choice pieces platform transit justice team first like to say thank you for the boat concerning trans debt. Other than that, I have a personal comment at the end my concern is with the current operation of Dida, there seems to be some serious problems. And most of it has to do with money. It's not only a matter of retention of drivers, and I would hope that this body would support the idea of a mini contract and for the higher wages for drivers and maybe others considering that $15,015 An hour really isn't that much. When you talk about a family of three or four, it really doesn't work and that you're asking drivers to not only drive the bus, but to direct people be a psychologist, a social worker, a security guard, if not a police officer and to handle the mentally challenged all at the same time while getting people from one place to another my personal concern is who do I contact besides the contractor which I cannot get any satisfaction from when they tear up the Dobbs container that they empty into the truck or am I supposed to pay for this? myself when they destroyed it? Thank you. Can I get an answer specialist to that last question. Are you about
I'm not sure what area as well that you're in but we can connect you with the service provider in your particular district to make sure that we reach out to the company to get you an additional trash bin. And so again, if you contact our office, we will direct you with your particular council member to assist you with that. It's 313-224-4505 Thank you
the next caller is at McAfee. Hello, good morning. May I be heard? Yes. Good morning.
Good morning. I would like to first off thank members of the Council for Continuing to abide by the will of the people and listen to what the people actually want. And I would also like to touch on the recent violent murders in the city that took place over the holiday season. I was very personally touched in striking out by the murder of a woman that we were named Tracy golden overall in Rosedale Park. And it's very sad when a person can simply make a run to the store to grab something without running the risk of not making it back home. It's sad when family members have to worry and fear whether they're gonna see their loved one again and it's sad when people have to close their year out with that type of energy. And there really needs to be something done about getting rid of these guns on the streets, especially the illegal guns. The young people attaining these guns is a major issue and that needs to be looked into not only for the protection of our selves, but for the protection of our future because we don't have a future is that's where it begins in violence. And in order to move on and to grow, we must let go of the trauma of the past and that begins with starting from a place of love and positivity. So I would just like to extend my condolences to the many families in the city who are dealing with grief and dealing with dark clouds hanging over their heads. Just know that someday those clouds will pass and you will see the sun again. I'm members of council I once again, thank you, my city. I love you. Let's stay positive and move forward.
All right, thank you so much. We appreciate you. And looking forward to the work ahead as relates to gun violence which I know we all are committed to plan our road to solve and reduce in our city so thank you so much for your call. Our next caller please.
next caller is Detroit unity All right
I'm not even asked whether or not Chaka hear me because I know y'all can hear me clearly. What I'm gonna say. Off rip is we need to enter a new word into the vernacular here in the city of Detroit. And that word is Sh ID, is she it's an acronym that stands for slaps head and discuss which is used to express disappointment or embarrassment. It comes from the action of slapping your head with your hand. When you are disgusted with someone or something she as is pronounced is typically using text messages and online well see JC tape we got a matter of gun siblings it's a burn is caused by firearm was shot in close proximity to the body. Now as gun stiffening is on an entry room, suicide could not possibly be a manner of death. Suicide is not possible without a gun siblings. Now I've sent several emails over to the city council during this recess. What I want is that David Whittaker he's been giving sketchy information to the council we need to get clarity on whether or not a suicide can happen without gun stippling so that assignments should be passed off to him to clarify for the council, because we got the president pro tem who knows the chief of police who knows the mayor who knows that without guns stiffening it cannot be a suicide. And Daisy Kate, James D White, and his predecessor James D. Craig and Mayor Michael E Duggan, also know all this yet, suicide is labeled on a case two zero dash 11112 erroneous week bogus ly and with criminal intent.
All right, thank you so much.
next caller is inclusion matters.
inclusion matters Good morning
yes, good morning. May I be heard? Yes. Good morning. I'm sorry.
My choice
Yes, we can hear you Joanne.
I don't know what the problem
I only see myself in zoom once
Ms. Word we can't hear you clearly go right ahead.
Okay, that must be on my end. Could you please set it again at two minutes?
Go right ahead. We'll start with two minutes. Go right ahead.
Thank you. Happy New Year everyone. I hope that this will be the year of following the preamble of the charter. I want to say thank you to the heroes and the council who voted down to trans contract contract. I also would like to urge the city to sue still and test to stop the fumes. That's completely intolerable. Second of all, now that the Democrats have control of the state legislature, it's time to make sure that overtaxation problem is fixed. There's no excuses now, with the Dems in control. Please rescue the libraries do not allow this mayor control of the libraries. And you know he has a credibility problem. He won the 2020 Golden padlock award for secretive government and when they destroyed emails about his girlfriend's program also, can we please use our money to hire tutors to help our youth who are so behind because of the COVID shutdown? Please open the rec centers. We need that for people to be healthy. I also would like to thank Mary waters and her staff for agreeing to meet with the impact residents of the secretly planned north and landing project in which the impact residents were disregarded. And it's caused great, unnecessary tension in the community. We should have inclusionary planning studies for all and it's sad that some people are
worried, madam president that was our last caller. All right.
Thank you so much. That will now conclude our public comment. Thank you to all who took the time to call in and come down for public comment. We will now proceed back to our agenda.
Mr. Clark? Madam President, this is for the public health and safety Standing Committee under unfinished business councilmember young and ordinance noting a roll call, also known that this line item was postponed from the last formal session line item 19.1.
Councilmember? Yeah,
thank you, Madam President. I think there's an amendment to this ordinance. And so I think it'd be appropriate if we take it up at this time first, and then we take out the ordinance, I believe, and then we take up and I have a walk on resolution afterwards. That would be appropriate, ma'am. President
Dr. Powers?
Madam Chair, I believe you should take it from the table first so that
you can discuss it.
First, and then we'll open it up for discussion. Thank you. Sorry about that. Dr. Powers. Appreciate
you though. All right. I moved to take from the table an ordinance to amend chapter 43 of the 2018 Detroit city code, streets, sidewalks and other public places by adding article 14 Transportation Innovation Zone, which consists of section 43 Dash 14 Dash one Transportation Innovation Zone, section 43 Dash 14 Dash two innovative technology deployments. Section 43 Dash 14 Dash three notice to city council to allow for temporary authorizations of deployments of innovative technologies within a designated Transportation Innovation Zone laid on the table September 28 2022.
All right, Hearing no objections that action will be taken. Councilmember Yang.
Thank you, Mr. President. Do I read the rest of this now or do we just I do yes. Okay. Thank you. Thank you. There's an amendment to that this morning. So I like to
Alright, we're gonna open it up for discussion member Dr. Hall.
Thank you, Madam President. And good morning to everyone again, first, I'd like to thank the bill sponsor, or bill sponsor, the ordinance sponsor. Still got that Lance and I'd like to thank that ordinance sponsor for his diligent work on that. We brought this back from from last session, relative to some concerns from the disabled community. As we have heard in public comment, they are now on board and I will be making a motion to introduce an amendment but want to speak just briefly to the amendment just an odd transparency. This amendment is going to ensure public transparency and accountability. And also there's an intention for the LMI to opera operationalize public notification of T IC permits via the Oh mi website that at least includes the following information, which will be permit recipient activity description and detail safety plan and public feedback mechanism. And so this will be great. In the ordinance the language will read as proposed change that the chief of mobility innovation and consultation with the Office of Disability affairs and the department director or agency head that may otherwise issue the approval shall apply any regulation or provision of this call related to that permanent license or authorization that he or she determines is necessary to protect the health, safety or general welfare of the public. So this brings everyone to the table. This amendment allows that transparency and allows the ability for the Office of Disability affairs to weigh in, as well as a voice from the disabled community relative to permits and authorizations that will come as a result of the TI Z and I am happy to sponsor this amendment and work very hard with the bills the ordinance sponsor on this. And so Madam President, I would like to move my amendment
right into the law department on discussion on emotion you have that in writing. I know that was a lot that you just read off. I'm assuming you have that already.
Is it going along from the law department for clarity in this particular meeting? I believe member Hall, the actual language that will be added in on line 17. On page two, it's subsection e the office of mobility invitation already exists. What is added into the amendment is in consultation with the Office of Disability affairs. And so it's a very discreet addition to this particular language, including another person at the table to ensure that that information is shared, and that is the small portion of the amendment. The rest of it is the subsection in which the amendment is couched. Is that accurate? Remember for
all that is accurate.
Thank you, sir. All right. Is there any discussion on member door hos motion? All right, hearing no discussion. Is there any objections to the motion? Hearing none that motion will be approved to amend the ordinance and they were young Did you would like would you like to move forward now
and be amended? Yes. You should hear from the law department as to whether or not this amendment necessitates and
yeah, we can hear from them but I from understanding it doesn't but tourney long if you want to speak to whether this will be a substantive change and require an additional public hearing.
I agree with you, council president. This is a very discreet change. The report in the consultation always required it's just bringing one more person to the table.
Okay. Thank you Mr. Ward. Member Yeah.
Thank you, Madam President Move to approve line item 19.1.
I think we need to continue the script at this.
Oh, so I'll get ahead of myself. Oh, sorry. I'll just forgive exciting. Yeah. I've been trying to get this or just trying to get this bad boy across the finish line. All right. Um, so I moved the ordinance to be placed on the order of third reading and considered read. And then I moved on is and then you finish so yeah, I wonder do I continue or Okay, go ahead. I'm sorry.
Hearing no objections, that action. Okay. So there is discussion? Member Benson.
Thank you. I'm looking at the resolution. No, this is going to be a walk on is well, this concerned about the ability to actually make some of these urges showers. I trust that the administration will do as it says, And as we're being urged, I want to make sure that these become a shower and so I would like to see if there's the openness from the author to turn these into showers at later dates via ordinance amendments that could come back to the table at a later date.
Now, is this your resolution member? Yeah, yes. Okay. Member Young.
Thank you, Madam President. I was just trying to get this ordinance through and then we're going to take this up as we get to the resolution, but to answer your question, yes.
I wholeheartedly honored to present. Okay,
thank you. So we'll come back to the resolution after we finished with moving forward with the ordinance. Hearing no objections that action will be taken member young.
I moved the ordinance to be passed as submitted.
There being a roll call required with the clerk please call the roll.
Councilmember young? Yes. Council President Shifu. Yes. Councilmember Jensen. Yes. Councilmember Hall? Yes. Councilmember Johnston? Yes. Councilmember Santiago Romero? Yes. Council President Pro Tem Tate. Yes. Councilmember waters. Yes. Councilmember Whitfield Callaway? Yes. Nine yeas, zero nays
the ordinance is approved in great work. Councilmember young on this. Great work. Councilmember? Yeah.
I moved the title to the audits be confirmed.
Hearing no. objections that action will be taken.
All right. We will now move to the new business portion of the agenda under resolutions.
Councilmember Johnson a resolution level 20.1.
Council member Johnson.
Thank you, Madam President. Move for approval on line item 20.1. This is the Detroit city council meeting days and times for the standing committees that has not changed. All right.
motion has been made. Are there any objections? Hearing none, the resolution will be approved. I was wondering if we get ready to get to this point.
You want to make sure Okay. Thank you.
Alright, so we're gonna now walk on do you have the resolution?
I do. Madam President, Mr. Clerk? Did we walk around you and I'm not sure. If we move it to
Libya. We have not member younger we can motion to move this to new business for our vote. Your resolution.
So dataprise was was the language to get them to move to new business. Thank you, man. Pres. I'd like to make a motion to move. Just walk on to new business.
All right. And this is a resolution urging the office of mobility innovation to provide ample notice and quarterly reports for activities within the Transportation Innovation Zone. Is there any objection to walk this on to new business? Hearing none that action will be taken.
Councilmember you know a resolution.
Thank you. I moved to approve this resolution.
So discussion the November based on wanting to change some of the language here to shoutouts
Thank you, Madam President. And so this resolution while a great start, and I would I would look for as a placeholder doesn't give me the confidence or what I like to see I like to see a shadow. I don't like to see a urge is or should. And so as per the conversation with the shepherd, the ordinance, there's a willingness to turn to actually make changes to the ordinance at a later date, which would incorporate what is here this resolution into shambles. And so that we won't have to trust the administration will do this. We won't have to worry about a future administration. Say you know what, I don't want to do an urge i want it i don't want to do this. And this becomes something in writing. So I will take the word I will trust in this situation. But I will look to verify that we make the changes to the ordinance at
a later date. Thank you, man. Yeah, remember? Yeah.
Thank you, man. President. Through you, madam president to member Benson. I absolutely. I look forward to you doing this and this is something I think that's very important. I appreciate you letting us move this through but I look forward to doing this in the future. And whenever you're ready, if you want to offer that and we offer that I can get this done. I will do that. That's my promise to you,
sir. All right, sounds good. So motion has been made for approval of the ordinance. Are there any objections? And the resident the resolution excuse me the resolution? Thank you. Hearing no objections that resolution will be approved for the president's report on standing committee referrals and other matters for the budget Finance and Audit standing committee to reports and their city departments. Alright, those two reports will be referred to the budget Finance and Audit standing committee for the internal operations standing committee,
nine reports from various city departments.
Those nine reports will be referred to the internal operations standing committee and there's a discussion yes, member Benson.
I'm hoping we're here. Line 23.9 motion to remove that there's some language that needs to be changed and will be resubmitted on
Labor Day. All right, there's a motion to remove 23.9 Are there any objections? Hearing none that will be removed in the eight reports will be referred to the internal operations standing committee for the Neighborhood and Community Services standing committee several reports from various city departments. The seven reports will be referred to the Neighborhood and Community Services standing committee for the Planning and Economic Development standing committee
21 reports from various city departments.
The 21 reports will be referred to the Planning and Economic Development standing committee for the public health and safety standing committee.
Only two reports from various city departments.
The 22 reports will be referred to the public health and safety standing committee. And before we move to the consent agenda Member Santiago Amuro. does have a walk on. Thank you, Madam
President. Yes, they do. And I believe all of my colleagues should have received a copy of this at your seats. This is a petition that we've failed to pull and approve on time so I'm asking today that we move this this is petition number, it reads petition number 2022 Dash 310 the Detroit Metro Convention and Visitor's Bureau request to install 112 banners on Washington Boulevard in front of Huntington place Woodward. Avenue and Jefferson Ave. From January 1 2023 to February 11 2023. In order to announce the 2022 I'm assuming 2023 American Bus Association Conference. So I'm asking I would like to offer a motion to pull this from PHS
All right, motion has been made. Any objections? Hearing none that action will be taken.
Madam President. May I
request a waiver on the TI Z ordinance as well?
Okay, we'll go back to that. Soon as we move this member Santiago Ramiro. You moved it already that was approved.
I pulled it and was gonna move it now to new business. Yes. So that is my motion to move this out to new business
today. All right, Hearing no objections that action will be taken and Mr. Clerk if we can move this for approval.
Sure. Councilmember Sontag we're Mara a resolution and this is for petition. 2022 Dash 310
Number Santiago Ramiro
thank you both I motion to approve. Petition 2022 Dash 310
motion has been made any objections? Hearing none that resolution will be approved. And member Doha requested a waiver on the Transportation Innovation Zone ordinance. Are there any objections Hearing none that motion is approved? Under the consent agenda,
there are no items Madam President,
we will now move to member reports. And we can start with protesting
no real
report at this moment. Just happy to be back here physically at the table ready to get started. For the business of 2023. Thank you, Madam President.
Right pro tem, member Young.
Thank you, Madam President. I just want to thank all my colleagues for support on the transition Innovation Zone. This has been a long process but it was well worth it. And I just want to thank all of you for your support. I also want to give a special shout out to the law department for MS long as well as everyone here for right we had kind of had to burn the midnight oil a little bit in trying to get some of this stuff done. So I would appreciate it awesome. Just want to thank my staff for all the work that they've done. Thank you so much. And they also want to thank LPD as well for me being in rely on them and reach out to them. As well as the clerk we had to call them about some questions that we had as well. So we were doing a lot of work in a short period of time. So I just want to thank everybody for their support. And I appreciate you and I look forward to a productive and prosperous new year. Thank you again, Madam President. I thank you for your leadership as well.
Thank you. Thank you member. Yeah. Member waters
report.
Members, Santiago Ramiro. Thank you, Madam
President. I just want to say how excited we are to be back and to urge District Six residents and Detroiters across the city to be engaged with us this year. We already have over 150 community events scheduled for this year, we're going to be doing our monthly zoom calls. I mean, we have much, much more in store. So looking forward to a really, really great year. Thank you, Madam President.
Thank you.
Mr. Benson.
Thank you. I just want to say Happy New Year and welcome back looking forward to getting back to work. All right.
Member Jackson,
thank you, Madam President. Happy New Year to everyone and just want to say a special thank you to the district for Community Advisory Council. They hosted a meeting with the mayor and his team at the end of the year. We continue to press forward asking for still Lantus to address the issues that we are having in the district. And we're also looking forward to working with the Detroit water and sewage department to work on and address the challenges that we are having with the water infrastructure. System. So just looking forward to a robust year and getting a lot done so we can put some checkmarks next to things so thank you. All
right. Thank you member Johnson and member Callaway,
thank you, wishing all of my colleagues a happy blessed and safe New Year and all the residents of the city of Detroit. And the state of Michigan. I'm inviting everyone out to a day of family fun at the Adams butzel complex located at 10 500 Linden. We'll have food trucks out there. We will have video games out there carriage rides out there. Photo Booths raffles and a DJ and I will have a table out there and we'll be giving out lots of free gifts and lots of hand warmers for everybody who stops by my table. I hope to meet and greet everyone. And again, happy new year to my colleagues and everyone else. God bless you. Thank you. Sorry, I'm sorry.
Is it Saturday
is this I'm sorry? I got a little anxious is this Saturday, January 14 from 12pm to 4pm. Thank you member waters.
Thank you. Remember Doha?
Thank you Madam President. I just would like to echo my colleagues comments. Happy New Year to everyone. I want to give a special shout out to member Benson who was involved in a Kwanzaa celebration. First time here in the city of Detroit I unfortunately I couldn't attend I was ill, but I wanted to give credit where credit is due. Also just wanted to briefly mention you know, as we listen to the public comments, and we talk about the gun violence, I want to send my deepest condolences to the family and Tracy golden as well as others who have lost their lives to gun violence. Since we've been gone. We are ramping up this year with the gun violence task force and bringing a lot of initiatives together, myself and council president co chair that many of my other colleagues have shown concern about what's happening here and so that will be the focus. My main focus this year is making our streets and our neighborhoods safer as I know my other colleagues share the same sentiments so we hear you on the public comment and we live in Detroit. So we witness it every day as well. And many of our family members and friends are affected by it as well. We will continue to push forward to do all that we can so just wanted to enter that in that on that note. Thank you Madam President.
All right. Thank you and just want to echo everyone and say Happy New Year to all my colleagues. It's great to be back with you all. Just one save the date every year at the top of the year. We hosted Organizing for Action community meeting with district five residents to kind of go over our priorities for the year that will be held on the 25th of this month via zoom so stay tuned for more information. Again, our annual Organizing for Action will take place on the 25th of this month for district five residents. Please stay tuned. And I just have to shout out all of my colleagues I know we did various things during our recess. Whether it was holiday parties I saw member waters and member Callaway over at the Northwest activity center. Having an amazing senior holiday party. I know our office hosted one at the pistons practice facility. We also did our annual toy drive this year where we gave toys back to inner city kids and so while we were not here at the table, we were very active in our respective districts addressing the needs in the various ways that we address them. And so just want to shout out everybody for the hard work. And also hopefully we got a chance to pause for a little bit and reset because we also oftentimes talk about hard work but I think you know resting and resetting is just as important mental health and getting ourselves together for the long road ahead for 2023 is just as important so glad to be back and with that being said the first evening community meeting of this year will take place next month and that will be held in district five as well. So stay tuned for more information for that. And that will conclude our member reports for today. Under adoption without committee reference.
There are no items Madam President, under communications from the clerk, a report on approval proceedings by the mayor the report
will be received and placed on file under testimonial resolutions and special privilege
councilmember we feel Callaway a resolution noting that this item was postponed from the last formal session, line item 31.1.
Member Callaway
Thank you Madam Chair and thank you Mr. Clerk. We're going to present that testimonial resolution to Mr. Wyatt Jones in person at his school so his students will be able to witness the presentation. Thank you Madam Chair.
All right, you still want to move to approve it.
And we I move to approve.
Motion has been moved for approval. Hearing no objections, that resolution will be approved and under testimonial resolutions and special privilege.
Councilmember Santiago Mayor resolution land on 31.2
Member Santiago Ramiro
Thank you madam president before moving on to my resolution in memorandum for the late Deborah Walker, I would like to quickly request a waiver for the walk on that we did for petition 2022 Dash 310 All right.
Are there any objections to a waiver? Hearing none that motion will be approved at number Santiago. Thank you so
much, Madam President. As I mentioned, we had the unfortunate lack of losing Deborah Walker who passed away last year on November 23. And I would love to just take a minute to read the resolution that we have in Memorandum of her incredible life. Deborah wachler was a mother grandmother and commonly known as the mayor of cork town. It is with great pleasure that the Detroit City Council recognize and distill honor upon upon Deborah Walker needed the trigger and proud mother of two daughters Lisa and Lauren and grandmother of three grandsons Gabriel TJ and EO Deborah Walker was a graduate of Wayne State University, the University of Wisconsin MSU Extension and animals tuck Graduate School of Dartmouth Dartmouth. While at Chrysler, she worked on issues such as quality control and minority supplier development led corporate employee community initiatives and traveled to Mikiko in Germany to train employees. Deborah Walker, a long time resident of District Six neighborhood cork town was passionately involved in happenings within and far beyond her neighborhood borders. Her main goals were to enhance neighborhood safety and foster channels for communication to ensure residents were aware of issues and opportunities impacting their quality of life. Their belief Corktown to be the perfect place where progress and preservation can coexist. I truly believe this as well. Deborah Walker was an exemplary leader who never stopped serving she volunteered with many causes such as a Detroit Institute of Art friends of school of Detroit's and had one year assignment with AmeriCorps further she sat on many boards and leadership positions for local organizations including alternatives for girls, people Community Services friends of historic Hamtramck stadium, Michigan church streets neighborhood Advisory Council, cork town Business Association, Corktown neighborhood association and East and Corktown block club. She was also a city council appointee. And Vice Chair of the Board of zoning appeals, where she heard appeals and help decide issues related to the enforcement of City's zoning ordinance. highly informed she was sought out by many for guidance. Deborah Walker founded many initiatives including mighty words, an after school conflict resolution program Black Cat Compassion Action Team, a group working to change economic and social justice issues in Detroit and power in poetry experience of Detroit's piped a two year survivor of cancer She also founded a support group for African American breast cancer patients and their families women achieving victory and esteem wave. Deborah Walker has been recognized for his or her immeasurable contributions to the greater good as the recipient of many awards including the Presidential points of lights the hermanos hears on breast cancer award the eagle leadership award the United Way torch lighter and writing and scholarship awards in reflecting on Deborah's Walker's life, neighbors noted how she was the glue that kept everyone together. She was a beautiful soul who acted in every way possible to improve the community. The neighborhood and the City of Detroit's residents were lucky to call her a neighbor and friends. The whole she leaves in the community is immense and residents find it hard to believe imagine from our friend it's hard to imagine cork time without her because they looked for her for inspiration and guidance beyond being an activist, community organizer, writer, poet and friend. She is effectively known as the Queen of the whole neighborhood and Mayor of courtown. Now therefore, be it the councilmember Santiago Romero and the Detroit City Council hereby join with family and friends to honor the life and legacy of Deborah Walker and thank her for making a lasting difference in countless lives. Thank you so much, Madam President. And with that I motion to approve line items 30 31.2 Great,
thank you so much. For reading that. Deborah Walker was the amazing woman. I will never forget Miss Walker and we appreciate the testimonial and definitely want to send our condolences to her family during this trying time and we know her work will continue though. Why her physical presence is not here. So we appreciate that. There's a motion to approve the testimonial for Ms. Walker. Are there any objections? Hearing none that resolution will be approved? Yes. We place that in a member council please. Yes. Is that okay? Okay. So that will be added in the name of the council. So no. All right under testimonial resolutions is special privilege.
Council President potentate a resolution Latinum 31.3
Hold him tight. Madam President.
motion has been made for approval. Are there any objections? Hearing none, the resolution will be approved. And there's nothing else? Yes. All right. Sounds good.
Yes, thank you, Madam Chair. I had an opportunity to witness the lighting, the largest canera in the country and in the world. I've been corrected by my colleague, Scott Vinson, I want to thank you personally for the invitation. I want to thank you person for the hard work that I know went into that. And it was such an honor and a privilege to be there standing next to you and feeling the emotion of a lot of people who put just as much effort into that. And I want to publicly thank you because it brought us such a positive spotlight on this entire city. Sometimes the city is always in a negative spotlight that because of your efforts and the efforts of so many others, the city was in a positive spotlight. And I wanted to personally thank you for that. Thank you, member Benson. Thank you. Thank you, man.
I just wanted to say let's give a round of applause for Scott Benson. For what he did. Please do that. And I just also just want to thank all the people in the public as well, for allowing us to be in these positions and deserve this has truly been the honor of my life. And I just want to say thank you so much and I appreciate you again. I look forward to serving with all of you in the future.
All right. All right. Again, congratulations, member Benson. And so everyone, we appreciate you. There is nothing else before us today. And so is there a motion to adjourn. All right. Our meeting is adjourned. See you all throughout the week have a blessed day. Hey,