All right. Good morning, everyone. We will now call to order our formal session for Tuesday, Tuesday, February the 18th. And Madam Clerk, please call the roll council member Scott Benson,
Council Member Fred durha, the third
council member Letitia Johnson, present council member Gabriella Santiago Romero. Council member Mary waters, present. Council member Angela Whitfield Callaway
council member Coleman, a young the second
council president pro tem James Tate.
Council President, Mary Sheffield, present, Madam President, you have a form, alright? There being a quorum present. We are in session, and we will start off with our invocation. We have joining us. Doctor Micaiah Gaines of greater Christ, Baptist Church who is joining us virtually, if we can, Please promote Reverend Doctor Micaiah Gaines. Is it? Micah, Micah, Micah, oh. Micah, okay. Sorry about that.
Not a problem at all. Good morning, everyone. Let us go before God in prayer. Shall we God in the name of the Lord Jesus? How? We thank you for this day. We thank You for the privilege of prayer, God. We thank you that we can gather around your throne humbly yet boldly, because God, you told us, we can cast our cares on you, knowing you care for us. So God, even now, we pray that your presence would abide in this session. God bless every piece of business. God bless everyone who is gathered in this sacred space, both in person and virtually. God, we pray that peace would reign supreme, God, as we continue to let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream, God, have your own way in this place, God, and we'll be ever so careful to bless your holy and righteous name, God. We love you and we thank you, and we seal this prayer by faith with thanksgiving and expectation that you're going to move in a mighty way on today, God, in your son's holy name, let the whole room say, even virtually and in person, amen.
Amen. Thank you, Reverend Doctor Micah Gaines, good madam, pastor of greater Christ Baptist Church. Thank you so much for the energy and the prayer this morning, and we look forward to seeing you again shortly or soon. Alright, thank you so much. Alright. We will proceed now this morning, we do want to, of course, provide an update on the water main break that took place yesterday in southwest Detroit. I know that there have been several questions concerns, and a lot of our four city departments have stepped up to provide relief and support to the community. And so we do have DWSD director brown that is in route here to formal session to provide an update, you just want to make sure that the community gets all of the information and resources that are available as relates to that incident. And so we will proceed with the agenda, but as soon as he arrives, we will pause so that we can have a update in real time as to where we are with the water main break that took place in southwest Detroit, the Journal of the session of Tuesday, February the fourth will be approved. There being no reconsideration or unfinished business. We will proceed to the budget Finance and Audit standing committee for the budget Finance and Audit standing committee six reports from various city departments. The six reports will be referred to the budget, Finance and Audit standing committee for the internal operations, standing committee, five reports from various city departments. The five reports will be referred to the internal operations, standing committee for the Neighborhood and Community Services standing committee, one report from the mayor's office. The one report will be referred to the Neighborhood and Community Services standing committee for the Planning and Economic Development standing committee, two reports from various city departments. The two reports will be referred to the Planning and Economic Development, standing committee for the public health and safety standing committee where reports from various city departments. The 12 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, okay.
All right, so we will now proceed with general public comment. And again, as a note, we will pause when our director from DWSD comes in to allow for DPD and DW SD to provide an update on the water main break here in Detroit. So we will proceed with general public comment. Everyone will have a minute for public comment today. We also do have an evening council meeting this evening, so we want to be aware of that, and we will proceed with our first public comment.
Miss Betty Lyons,
alright? Miss Betty Lyons, go right ahead. You have one minute for public comment. Okay,
I'm still looking for that over $600 million of overpaid property taxes stolen and coveted, yes, hidden from and belonging to Detroit residents. This satanic deed, assisted by Dugan, where was attorney mellit Who, in my opinion, assisted in this evil and unjust deed by being of no effect and not Upholding justice for the Detroit residents. Harry T Stewart, the Tuskegee Airmen, who was segregated even during the war while he served this evil country. When he got home the the airplane, the pilot, he he wasn't a he was unable to be hired. They refused to hire him. They put him in the baggage company. You talking about disrespect, is how they did this, man.
Thank you so much. Miss Lyons, Madam Chair, and if the clerk will note, we've been joined by President pro tempore. So No madam president member Callaway, thank
you, Madam Chair. Miss Lyons, can you hear me? Miss Lyons, it was wonderful seeing you the other night at the theater, and you looked amazing. Did you enjoy the musical? So did I? It was great seeing you and you look amazing. Yes, ma'am, thank you, Madam Chair,
thank you member Calloway. And we are also going to cut off our public comment as well. Steven hands to
Good Morning, honorable council members. I am here for the first item I want to talk about. I'm here both for the National Federation of the Blind and the himalaho tenants Council. We strongly support the ordinance before you protecting the rights of tenants to have their leases renewed, and we request immediate, speedy action on that. The rest of my comments are from the himala tenants Council. On the coldest day of this year, at least two residents at hamilho, 80 active engineering women have windows that do not work properly and they can't heat their apartments properly. This morning, we have one of two elevators that is down. It's been down for three weeks. They say it won't be back up until the middle of next week, last night, the other elevator went down for three hours. I have a lot more, but I hear my buzz. Thank you for your assistance, and we
need more of it.
Okay? Thank you so much. Mr. Steven. Hands to Mr. Landon,
good morning. Esteemed council president members, Roger landin, president of LULAC, League of United Latin American Citizens, just here to state and acknowledge the leadership of each and every one of you, especially Council Member Santiago Romero, for stepping up in in an immediate fashion in response to the water main break, a lifelong south southwest resident, born and raised, I can say to you that we appreciate beyond words, the speed with which every stakeholder has responded to the needs in southwest Detroit. And I think you know it's incumbent upon us to come before you and acknowledge that, not next week, not next month, but right now, in real time, as we proceed to address the needs of all the presidents who've been adversely affected by this water main break again. Thank you.
Thank you so much.
Miss Jacqueline Miller, you
don't want to speak. To speak. Ms Miller, okay. Mia Williams,
hello,
I came to y'all last year around at the end of the month and well, about eviction, and y'all helped me out with that. Now I'm being harassed, trying to they trying to sell the building undercover and put me out, because I've came to him with a complaint about the same old situation. The maintenance man kicked in my door. He somebody could have came in there, robbed me or kill me. The landlord want to buy me out for $1,000 and I told him, No, he would have to talk to my lawyer. I've been harassed just because I filed a complaint on these particular people. On Christmas, they tried to run me over with a car, and they will not remove every time I make a complaint about these people, I get in trouble. He want to buy me. I don't want me to move. I'm comfortable there. Mayor Duggan opened that building up 2019 and I'm comfortable in the neighborhood. I can go to my doctor's office in the little stores in Highland Park, and I'm comfortable there, and they just keep harassing me, the owner of the building and the landlord. And amaze me, okay,
right? Thank you for coming down. And yeah, I'm trying to, I was going to get the location of where you're referring
on on street in Detroit. O W E N, in Detroit, Mike Duggan opened it up. I'm sorry, what building is this on across from Northern High School? O W E N, third. 35 on street, yes, okay. Mike Duggan opened it up. Okay, alright,
if you can, if you don't mind, we'll get your information and also work with you in city council member at large as well to see how we can assist you. Ma'am, Emma, followed by Miss Mia Williams, followed by Steven,
Hi, I'm here to support the right to renew with good cause. I think your landlord should have to have a reason not to renew your lease. I think being displaced from your residents unexpectedly can cause undue amounts of stress and having to find a new residence can cost you a lot of money, or can be the first step towards homelessness. And we just saw, unfortunately, in the city of Detroit, it's very dangerous to be homeless for several months of the year, two children were frozen to death because they were sleeping in their car in a parking garage. And I think you shouldn't try to tackle the problem of homelessness at the root by stopping people from being displaced before having to find them shelter, other sorts of resources to get out of that situation by stopping it before It happens. Thank you.
Thank you so much.
We were remember here, Detroit tenant association here again to request that you introduce and pass a right to new ordinance with good cost protection, as written by us the DTA, a right to renew ordinance will require landlords to offer lease renewal to tenants unless there's good reason not to good cause will prohibit landlords evicting a tenant unless there is a good reason. Currently without this ordinance, landlords can file a termination of Tennessee eviction against at will tenants at any time, and for those on the lease as soon as it expired. Renters in Detroit have been pushing for this ordinance Since 2023 in that time, Sherman Butler and Antoine Allen have lost their lives during termination of Tennessee evictions. Could this ordinance have prevented their evictions and saved their lives? We'll never know, but that's what haunts me. We, the Detroit Tenant Association, stand before you today, not just as tenants, but as people, as families, workers, seniors, lifelong Detroiters, fighting for our right to stay in our homes, our stability and dignity, our very lives are on the line, introducing pass right to New Orleans with good cause protections, as written by the thank you so much.
Katie O'Donnell,
Malik Shelton,
Hello all. My name is Katie O'Donnell, and I live in southwest Detroit. I'm here with the Detroit tenants Association, speaking as a member of the Barbara tenant union. I've experienced many issues with corporate landlords during my time as a renter. The management of my current place of residence was unresponsive for weeks as residents reached out every day for issues ranging from pest control issues to heat and they didn't respond until we organize as a union and began addressing them together. The building that I reside in was purchased last October by a company that runs properties in Arizona, California, Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and DC, in addition to those they managed in Michigan, this overwhelming ownership of homes across the country makes it impossible for them to have our interests as Detroiters at heart, and it leads us to fear that they will evict us for the only reason to increase their own profits as landlords, rather than providers of a human right of housing. So I'm here to urge you guys to pass the right to renew ordinance, because this will prevent these corporate landlords from evicting us for the sole reason of increasing their profits. Thank you. Thank
you so much. And just really quick on the Detroit right to renew ordinance, we have been working with the law department on a version that is legal, and going back and forth the law department. We originally were working with member Young's office, and hopefully we can still collaborate with member Young as well on the ordinance, but it has been requested and assigned to the law department, and we are currently waiting on a draft that we can start to discuss with the organization. So thank you for coming and thank you for your advocacy.
Mr. Shelton, yes. Malik Shelton, when the proposal in bond
was being touted
and tried it out. The bond language specifically said that half of the money, approximately that two, $50 million you TGO bond, will be used not just for demolition, but to acquire and to rehabilitate houses, and not just to board them up and do trash housing. Now we have no oversight and no accountability, no transparency in that area, because I can't not get anyone to tell me or find anywhere in any document, how many homes have been acquired and rehabbed for Detroit residents, and dug in this flooding. It happened on his watch. He's responsible. He's going to come out and try to minimize it. Oh, I'm going to do everything. Everybody's going to be taken care of. Anybody that wasn't insured. I'm going to take care of everything.
What caused that flow.
Thank you so much. Pastor,
followed by Adam de morning
city council, I want to let you know that we're praying for you, City of Detroit. We are praying for you. Pastor, my first church in southwest Detroit. So my heart goes out to my brothers and my sisters southwest Detroit. Also, I want to let everyone know that every Friday, at 630 we have a local election coming up, and we wanted to make sure that every citizen of the city of Detroit that they understand exactly who to vote for and how to vote right. We want to make sure that people are equipped to understand the city charter. We want to make sure people are equipped to understand municipal bonds. We want to make sure that our community understands how to be able to take our elected official through what we're calling a job application, right? We want to make sure that all those who are elected by the citizens of the city of Detroit, they understand what's going on. Also on March the fifth, we will be going to Washington. I'll be with the President this Thursday, if you want to go to Washington with us on March the fifth, you can call me at 248-755-1896, we will be taking a charter bus to Washington. If you would like to come, you can call me 7551896,
thank you so much. You want to just finish the in person, and then I'll come straight to Okay, Mr. Barrett, followed by Miss Williams,
Adam Barrett, Detroiters for Tax Justice. This past week, in the news, two kids freeze to death in a van. Researchers say there's up to 14,000 homeless DPS students. A bailiff caught a bullet while trying to serve an eviction tenants of City Club apartments being illegally evicted after complaining about unsafe conditions. City Council has thrown a billion dollars in tax incentives that developed at developers to build affordable housing, yet we still have rampant homelessness and evictions in this city and a child poverty rate of 44 goddamn percent. There's 116 vacant homes in Detroit for every single please,
try to remain from profanity, please. There's 116
vacant houses in Detroit for every single homeless person. That's the worst ratio in America. Whoever is calling this a Detroit rebirth is ignoring the inequality of starving and freezing people right in front of our damn eyes. Excuse me, this is a moral outrage of historic proportions, and if you aren't fighting against this apartheid, then it's your legacy, especially if you're running for mayor no more dugonomics, I stand in solidarity with Detroit tenants union and the man that you passed the right to renew as written.
That's right? Hey,
hello, everyone. I was here last week speaking about
this woman that's in my shelter. Yesterday, she showed me a social security card. She was like, yeah, look at my social and then she bend over, like if to say, to kiss her behind. But she's from Russia. Her name is so Sana, and, like I said, illegal identification, that's not acceptable. And this is the same woman who's getting housing before me. Now, how can you come from Russia, stay in a shelter and receive housing and then you getting fake identification. That's not acceptable either. And Mister William sees the case manager. He called her up to the front. So apparently they know what's going on, because they apparently everybody's working together on all this illegal corruption. And as this man said earlier, about these babies being they died in that vehicle I've been talking about police officers living in these facilities, and you all act like it's not going on, but you know it is. Have a great day.
Katie Carlson, miles, sorry, my name is
Katie Carlson. Over the last 10 years, I've lived in like eight different countries, and I came back to make Detroit my home, but I found that public transport in Detroit is much worse than any of those other countries I've lived in, like I never had to own a car anywhere else. And I was in developing countries. And now if I want to go from like Lafayette Park to Virginia Park, I have to wait, like, it takes an hour and a half to get two busses. So I'm asking for you guys in the budget to double DDOT, and hopefully that would like have the transport time that it takes for me to get between places. And hopefully I can get rid of my car, because it's like, my biggest expense. And I also want to stand with the right to renew ordinance for that. Thanks.
All right. Thank you so much.
Mr. Miles, followed by Jack Van Dyke,
okay, well, I came down this morning to ask you guys, I'm trying to figure out how many council members voted for this. Water trainers, water runoff or drainage speed for the, you know, for the city of Detroit, because it clearly makes no sense that you're charging people $10,000 a month for water drain off speed for parking lot and dirt for rainwater. I understand it's not happening in no other city in the state of Michigan that I can find. So why is it only happening in Detroit? Really? That's really why I came here. And you know about my concerns about my properties that I've been talking about with no response lately, for the last month, no response is that I need a lawyer. Which I should need a lawyer. All I've been asking for for the last 10 years is actual
copies of recent
alright. Thank you so much, Mr. Miles, and I think we all are familiar with your situation, are trying to help as much as we can. And as it relates to the drainage fees that did not come before City Council for a vote at all, I think that was the
water question for him, yes. Go ahead. Member waters, yes.
Miss miles. We were told that you currently have a a case in federal court regarding that issue. Is that correct?
All right, thank you. Okay, Van Dyke,
members of city council, I come here before to talk about the separated bike lanes, but today, I brought some show and tell, but last year, my eight year old daughter and I received a citation riding our bikes on Mack Avenue, and you know, it was a situation where the police thought that we were being dangerous because we were riding in the street. So I'm here to appeal to this council and people of Detroit, because I worry that we are creating a public policy environment where a cyclist riding the bike in the road is now seen as dangerous because they're not using one of these fancy new bike lanes. So, you know, I mostly worry because the the accident rates associated with these lanes are very troubling. Even in our own city of Cass Avenue, the accident rate for accidents involving bicycles has doubled since the lane went in, and I see the same numbers in every city where parking demand is high and these separated lanes have been put in city of Ann Arbor also is scrambling right now to put in cameras at intersections. Okay? So just
design the current design right now, it's sight lines at intersections. Impossible. I can't hear you said, the current design is what now the
where the parking, where the bike lane is hidden behind on street parking. So that creates a poor sight lines at intersections, and as a result, we're seeing higher accident rates than we had before the lanes went in, okay, and but the main point that I wanted to make is this city can lead. The city has cultural credibility in this issue, like no other place, and we can do it. I
thank you so much, Mr. Van Dyke. And if we can get the exact area that you're referring to, where that bike lane is located, I think you mentioned that the street, but if you can make sure my team gets that clean, so that we can make sure the department study, Madam President,
my apologies. I believe Mr. Van Dyke, situation occurred in the fifth precinct. Okay, in District Four, I actually had a meeting yesterday with the commander, as well as Todd Scott, who you may know because he reached out to my office in regards to the incident the commander did indicate that the police officers of the fifth precinct in particular, and I'll have a conversation with the chief about this, will go through a training for them to understand what the laws are in regards to bikers utilizing the roads, because bikers, as we all know, have the same rights that a vehicle has, and so your ticket will be dismissed. It was indicated that you do need to go, go to court. You don't have to say anything, don't have to do anything, but the ticket will be dismissed because it was written in error. But again, we will reach out to the chief just to make sure that all of our police officers are aware of the the laws, and we are supporting safety for everyone who's using the roads. Thank you. Thank you. Madam President,
thank you, member member Johnson, Miss Logan, Miss Logan, if you can know Madam Clerk, Council Member duha and council member young are both present. Clerk will So note. Madam President, Alright, Miss Logan, followed by Miss Mathis. And then lastly, we have Miss Mayberry. Good morning, good
morning, good morning. City of Detroit. I'm here because I love Detroit, and I'm here because I've been plundered. Please read the book plunder by Professor Bernadette, a y, a, H, I you honey. I think is her name. But anyway, the name of the book is plundered, and it's concerning the racist the system, systemic racism against black homeowners in Detroit, and you have not addressed that or did anything. You listen, but that's it. I'm homeless again after losing my house in 2007 due to tax foreclosures over assessments. And you act like you don't have you don't have to do anything about that, that's, that's wrong. But just yesterday, when we had this, this disaster in southwest Detroit, oh, you got it. You're gonna, you got the money. You gonna everybody but us. We lost our home. I am out. I am, and you agree for me a lot more. Alright.
Thank you so much, Miss Logan.
And just to be clear, there has been several things that has been done regarding the issue of over assessment, one in which we currently had it is and I agree, and I agree we have a lot more work to do, and would love to work with you. Miss Logan on how you can better support the work that is being done regarding those who lost their homes, who are over assessed, as you know, as you as you know, Bernadette also has been working with the dignity restoration project, where they've raised over $3 million to pay compensation to those who are hardest hit, and those are individuals who lost their home during that time. We also have a special benefits program in Detroit where we're providing in kind benefits to individuals who are over assessed. We also recently passed a property tax improvement ordinance which better provides transparency and accountability as it relates to property tax assessment process in Detroit. With that being said, with Miss Miss Logan, Miss Logan, I'm here. I want to work with you. I appreciate your advocacy and your support. More work needs to be done, and let's work together to get it Alright, Miss Logan, Miss Logan, Miss Logan, Miss Logan, we can't close that enforce. Miss Logan, Miss Logan, Miss Logan, Miss Logan, Miss Logan, and you know that you can give me a call. We don't have to do this right here as well. Thank you so much, Miss Logan. Thank you, Miss Logan, let's log in. Alright, thank you. We appreciate you. Thank you so much for me. We and I would love to hear from you. Miss Logan, anytime you want to talk, I'm here to listen. Alright, thank you so much.
Alright, Miss Mathis,
okay, he's in person. Okay, Miss Mathis. Good
morning. My name is Kia Mathis. I'm the housing and family engagement organizer Detroit people's platform. I'm here to urge council to create protected protections that we wet, that would be preventative in nature. We believe that all rental properties should require a written lease, because it is a legally binding contract and it outlines everyone's responsibility. Also, in order for renter owners and management companies to be more accountable for maintaining their rental properties, we believe that those who are repeat offenders for COVID violations should receive rate of penalties such as loss of property or prosecution. Creating the standard could discourage real estate predators and speculators from taking advantage of our residents. Most importantly, we believe in property maintenance and rental practices that create housing security and stability for Detroit tenants. Rental practices such as fully funded right to council just cause evictions, right to renew moratorium on rent, crease increases, rent control and the ability for tenants to become eligible for home ownership of properties when the landlords forfeit their properties due to neglect and foreclosure. These practices will stabilize our neighborhood.
Thank you. Thank you so much.
Miss Mayberry,
followed by Mr. Foster, and then we'll move over to the update on the water bank brightness bill,
Miss Mayberry, followed by Mr. Foster
Thank you. Hello, everyone. I'm going to say a great job. Mrs. Logan on speaking about the urgency that you have for Southwest Detroit and we still have homeless people, we are trying to open up all sorts of resources as far as making sure that the people are have at least a hot place of hot meal at different locations. Some of the residents in city, Detroit, are opening their doors. And we want to know myself, want to open a 24 hour warming center as well. So it's just, I want to know what kind of paperwork I need to do this. Get this done. I got people on deck ready to move right now. So it's just idea, what do I need to start these shelters to be open for the residents of city, Detroit. Also, I wanted to talk about that the garage. If I'm going to pay after $5 I want an elevator. That's what made me late today. You know, saying, so let's get on the job on that. But most definitely, we must do something about the homeless, and we must do something about the citizens of Detroit. We have been neglected. Thank you so much.
Mr. Foster.
Good morning through the president. Just a few things. As a citizen here who have not is not on any CVI, have not gotten any grants or anything from from anyone. I absolutely advocate for black rising and black authority within the city. Okay and so 16 one after speaking with our Interim Chief, do support him? Once again, he has not done any favors. For me. Have not done anything at all whatsoever, like the other ones that are lined themselves up to come up and speak. So that's important, that we know the difference when we talk about homelessness and housing. I think it's important to understand that we had two federal indictments last year, one with the Housing Coalition and one with the Detroit riverfront Conservancy. This is oversight. When we talk about cbdg, the same 20 to 25 CBD groups have been responsible for every category, everything that we got going on for the last 10 years. This is where the issue is, and I can't express it all in one minute. We have to do that.
Thank you, Mister foster
alright, we pause on public comment before we turn over to virtual. We have director Brown from DWSD, as well as Officer Fitzgerald that is here in officer Williams, to just provide an update on the status of the water main break that took place in the efforts that we had here in Detroit. So thank you for being here. I know it's a busy time and appreciate, let me just say I appreciate everyone's work on this issue. I think everyone has collaboratively come together to provide as much support as possible. So director Brown, thanks for being here, and if you could provide an update for
us. No, thank you for having me. And I can't, I can't. Thank all of the other city departments. I know the police department is is also here and can speak to this, but from DPW to BC to to General Services, everybody that's been involved has just been been outstanding and in helping us get the situation under control. I was out on the site earlier this morning, and actually the streets are cleared. They're dry. It actually looks better than some other streets and other neighborhoods of the city of Detroit, because we've put so many so much emphasis on getting the ice and the streets cleared. So right now, what's going on with this 54 inch water main break is we're still pumping the hole that was created. We're pumping the water out so that the crews can get to excavation and repair of the break, um, there. I saw some reports on the media this morning that there was another break that took place. That is not true, that's erroneous. What's happening is the Great Lakes Water Authority is turn, are turning valves, uh, in order to get water on in different areas, and that when they turn a valve and it just causes some water to leak out, but it's all under control. That's being controlled very well. I know there's going to be a press conference by the mayor at two o'clock to do an update. I know that approximately 80 buildings inspectors are going door to door within the next couple of hours, doing safety checks and strongly encouraging people that are living in homes that don't have heat to take the opportunity to go to a hotel at the city's cost,
that seems to be a problem.
Yeah, so
I'll just say that the break has been isolated. There's no the water is not leaking, and repairs are underway. A break of this size normally takes anywhere from a week to 10 days to complete the repair. No one is out of water because of the 54 inch break, there was a secondary smaller six inch break in the area that's a DWSD line. We believe it's underwater. We haven't gotten to it yet. Last night, I had two pallets of water delivered to the homes of those that were out of water because of that smaller six inch break. There were about three blocks that were were affected, and I've been told that we should have that break repair this morning, and those three blocks should be back in service. So people have water. It's it's a lot of folks don't have electrical and gas, so they don't have furnaces or hot water tanks. The priority for DW st is to get contracts in place today, emergency contracts. I have 12 contractors that will be on a zoom call at 12 o'clock that have done this work in the past. So we will identify first, the homes where people are out of their home at a hotel, and we will get the basements pumped down if they haven't already been drained of water. GSD will go in and clean out all of the debris in the basement. Ron brunge will pick it up at the curb, and DWSD contractors will start going into those homes, sanitizing those basements, and repairing or replacing any furnaces or hot water tanks so that we can get people back into homes. At the same time, we've expedited a claims process, and I can assure you that Glee will has is also going to split the cost with DW st in servicing those claims, as well as the cost of of everything involved with regards to to this incident. So I'll stop there and and be ready to answer any questions that you may have. And
the central number that everyone calls is the 313-774-5261,
is that where people process claims, get access to the home repair work that's needed, they need to maybe move into a hotel was that the centralized number that every resident will call for any situation, that's
absolutely correct, that's a good question. So that starts the process. Just call that number that starts the claim process. That that kicks off everything I can tell you that there are approximately 398 homes, almost 400 homes, that are in the footprint of this incident, I can tell you that 200 of those homes have already called, so more than half now, and that number is as of last night. I haven't got the new number from today, so I'm I'm sure it's closer to 250, 300 so we've just about talked to three quarters of the people of the homes that are in that they've contacted us with that number, and that one number will start the process. We will get back with them, make arrangements to get into homes, do the inspections and get the contractors on board just as quickly as possible.
Okay, and I'm assuming the remaining ones you're doing door to door outreach today you mentioned, yeah,
the door to door is a health and safety check as much as a building safety getting in. So that I can prioritize the homes that need to be done first. Obviously, if we have 100 or 200 homes, we can't do them all at one time, and we want to prioritize the ones that don't have heat, the ones that don't have water, the ones that need basements pumped out so that we can get the water out the basement.
Okay, all right. Thank you. Director Brown, before we go to questions, I don't know. Officer Fitzgerald, did you want to provide any additional information? Yeah, sure.
Assistant Chief Fitzgerald, not a whole lot more to add. Just the collaboration was incredible yesterday, the amount of individuals we can get out, pull them out. The last hole, we had 76 family members that were impacted, and over 260 some have we were able to pull out, along with a lot of different animals, 12 dogs, a pigeon, a chicken and a rabbit. So it wasn't just individuals were getting anything we can out of the house. The collaboration from the southeast Michigan dive team was amazing. We had 11 boats on scene quickly. What was really, really nice was that gwsd was using the front loaders to get families out, and we had folks just walking through that water to get individuals into a boat, to get them to safety. And what they don't want to tell you is that that it's like little shards of glass underneath the water. It's cold, but it's also really, really sharp. So just an amazing day. We'll have our MPOs. They were going door to door yesterday with some a lot of our civilian volunteers, and we will be there today again. Through the end of this thing, we'll have folks on the ground giving special attention to that entire area just to ensure that folks homes are safe and there have no other issues on top of this horrific thing about experience.
Thank you so much.
Any questions from colleagues? Council member, Young,
thank you, Mayor, President, Director, good to see you. So yeah, I just want to ask, Where was the capital improvements plan here. Where was the where was the at, where was the management?
Yeah, there's more than 800 miles of just Great Lakes, Water Authority, transmission lines. There's more than a billion dollars being spent on capital improvement of this system. There's more than 2700 miles of DWSD distribution lines in that area, and so we have a system that's more than 100 years old. As I said earlier today, it's a lot easier to do inspections of sewers because we can put robots in. We can get video. We can do a thorough inspection. You can't do that with a 54 inch water main because it's under pressure. You can't shut the line down and put people out of service to do that type of inspection. So you have to go by the age of the material, the soil composition that it sits in many different factors in order to determine where you're going to rehabilitate your system.
But isn't there any sort of preventative maintenance, or isn't there any sort of, I mean, I know, like you said, you can't shut things down, but can we start talking about rebuilding the infrastructure? Don't you have, like, a ranking in terms of which assets are in poor condition, which ones are fair and which ones are in good or great condition? So we can prioritize these types of things. We can't have this happen again. I mean, this just, yeah, this is unacceptable the imagination, and I understand what you're saying, but that, unfortunately, that comes with the job. It's what it is to be the director, and so we got to be able to make sure that we can at least have some sort of plan to go to the public with how we can prevent this would happen, particularly in the cold weather months. Yeah, and when
you get a frost line that goes as deep into the ground as this, you're going to have shifting soil. And I don't care if it's a new line, if the soil shifts, the pipe is not going to bend, it's going to give way and burst. So it's not necessarily the age of the pipe, it's certainly the material that it's made of. And we, I can assure you, that we have a capital improvement program that identifies assets that need to be rehabilitated and that we've we've come a long way in identifying lines done the repairs before breaks take place, but there will be other water main breaks. It's very unusual to have a 54 inch transmission line that's even in a neighborhood. They're usually on large main streets that aren't in neighborhoods, but this one is very close to the water treatment plant, and you have a transmission line in a neighborhood.
Okay, I understand what you're saying again, but I think that we have to be able to say something more to the public then that this is just going to happen. It's just the way of doing business this. We have to be able to do something to be able to prevent this from going on. And we can talk about this that now it's Terry, and I don't, and I don't want to, but I just also want to say there's something a little bit different. But I know, and I think this might be more for you. Officer, what's your rank? Sir, give me your rank. Assistant, chief assistant. I didn't want to. I didn't want to. I want to respect you, but I just want to ask you. Another problem that I have is that it has there been, will there be hesitation from us being able to pay out benefits to people who have been affected by this, because at the same time this is happening, we are having mass deportations. They're happening in these communities. So there might be people who qualify for this, but who would not ask for it because they're scared that this information will be used to deport because the city is going along with the mass deportation policy of the federal government. So what are we doing to kind of assuage the fears of the people in this neighborhood after this tragedy, that if they qualify or they apply for these benefits that will be used against them to deport them and separate them from families?
Yeah, and one of the reasons we went with the generic number 7745261, is they can call that number, and that number will, whatever their issue is, will be routed to that specific entity that handles it. Detroit Police Department is not in the business of immigration. We never will. That's all I can tell you. Yesterday, we were not looking for anything, but trying to save people's lives, get them out of their house, get them to safety, and that will continue to be our mission as we move forward. So no conversations
about being deputized or deputization of anything within that part of the department. No, no, that's all my questions.
Thank you council member Johnson.
Thank you, Madam President, Madam President, and to member Young's point, I just want to share something with you all in hopes of getting your support so District Four knows disasters, right. We are in the process of creating and will soon have a resolution that comes before this body to create a disaster recovery Task Force. I would like to ask for both of your support on that task force, because the plan is to create a disaster recovery plan so that we know who's on first when we have disasters. We know how where the community should seek information to understand what is happening and how we are addressing the issue. We, as council members, the administration, should have a plan and know exactly what we are doing when we have these disasters. I think you all have done a great job here, but I think it's something that we need to work on, just to make sure we have something that gives protocol and process to addressing disasters. So just looking for your commitment today, thank you.
Yeah, we'll be more than happy to commit any resources that you need to help build out this disaster recovery plan.
you. All right, any additional yes council member, Vincent,
thank you all for coming out today in the papers reported about the 5050, split between glua and DWSD regarding responsibility for this. How is that split determined, being that, if my understanding is correct, we are basically tenants in the house now, and they are the landlords, if their control and in charge of the pipes. Why isn't there 100% responsibility?
Well, first of all, they, we own the system. We lease the assets to Glee what, and so we, we still own them. They're not. They don't belong to to gleewood Lee, what? Normally would tell you that they have governmental immunity. They would normally tell you that they don't have any liability at all. They would normally tell you that they don't want to set a precedence for around the region for future water main breaks that would obligate them. I went to CEO, the CEO Sue Coffee an hour after I got back to the office and said, we've got to do the right thing by people in southwest Detroit and all of Detroit. We got to do the right thing. And the right thing is it's single digit temperatures, and we've got to make sure that folks are taken care of immediately. So we're not, we're not I'm I. I can tell you I, I wanted more than 5050 but then, you know, I negotiated a 5050, split. Let's get the work done and we'll add up the cost, and we'll split the cost between the two entities, and so I'm not saying that there won't be some further negotiations if I think that Glee wood should be paying a heavier share for something that than Detroit. But right now, it's 5050, we're not going to fight legally over them, not having any liability or having governmental immunity and not paying anything. So we're going to Detroit's going to figure this out, and we'll worry about how we split that cost, other than 5050, later. Thank you,
right. Thank you all right. Thank you so much for the update. And as was mentioned, 2pm today, there'll be another briefing on the status of everything today, and that will be streamed as well on television and media services. The mayor will present that update at again, at two o'clock today. All right. Thank you so much. Thank you, Assistant Chief Fitzgerald for that update, and we will continue to go back to our public comment for this morning. We are now going, Yes,
did I just address an issue not related to the water. There were some folks here a little bit earlier who talked about the tenants rights commission, so I want them to know, and I know that you're going to be sending something over to the to the clerk's office so that the tenants rights commission, one can be sworn in so that they can get to work. There was somebody else concerned about 750 Shane and what was happening to some of the residents there. That issue has not gone to court at all when there's time. If it should happens, if the if the management company of that building should send them to court, they will all have access to attorneys, right to counsel. The article that was written in Metro times was actually kind of misleading, because people thought that people had already been evicted. They have not been evicted. If it should come to that, they will have their day in court. According to the chief judge, he says he will address that, that issue, and they acknowledge the fact that there is an ordinance now, the compliance ordinance, and they recognize that within the court. So I just kind of wanted to address that. I'm not sure if that satisfies everybody, but we are also in the process ourselves, um, meeting.
Good morning, Madam President, there were 37 callers who raised their hand before you would cut off public comment, and the first caller is monkey wrench. True. Okay? I
uh, yeah, what up, dope to everybody out there with their ears shot, everybody listening by hearing attendance in the auditorium. Mary Sheffield, now you can't be trying to run this city, and y'all don't want to get Mimi what she want. And Daisy Tate Junior, you investigated that seven and a half to 10 minute time period where that girl was at work and somebody was supposed to have called her to give her information that Kenisha shot herself. That's poppycock. You did a fraud investigation, and you a whole fraud. And Mary Sheffield, your co pilot, is flying drunk now we got Scott Vincent and Angela Whitfield Callaway then put my name, put it tarnish on my reputation. I'm 100% stand up. And Gabriella Santiago Romero is lying about reading that allegations on the findings of voter fraud by anonymous citizen report. Oh, all
right. Thank you. Our next caller, please.
The next caller is Peggy K Goodwin,
Miss Goodwin, good morning. Good morning.
Um, I'm here to support agenda item 1916 the tow rate resolution, and I want to thank Council Member Santiago Romero for her leadership in spearheading this and taking the time to ride along with police authorized towers. I also want to thank auditor general Laura Goodspeed for her leadership on the tow rate commission, and I was a member of that, also regarding the ordinance that was discussed last year and brought up by council president Sheffield. I do want to mention, while that's being worked on, there are a couple of things that could help the driving public more immediately, I think, by placing Detroit police authorized tower identifiers in the form of stickers or something like that, on all trucks. I think they are on some, but I don't think they are on all and educating the public through public service announcements, we have a lot of footage and photos we could share or put something together with you, so I just wanted to offer that because that would be a more immediate opportunity to educate the public and help them out with combating predatory towing. Thank you so much.
The next call, I'm sorry, the next caller is, we see you all
right. Good morning. Good
morning into the chair. May I be heard? Yes, you can. Thank you for the appointment of Edison. Could you please ask him, does he have any plans to reduce the number of indemnifications that we're receiving in legal representations, and what role does he play in the decision for the indemnification I see on 16.4 that's a disturbing trend of salary increases. We're going to have a base salary of 100,000 if you all don't stop this is actually what we would call union busting, because these are officers who are not within the union, who are trying to get the same pay as union workers. 16.5 Can we have a report please on all of these task force, what are you planning on accomplishing? And Claude Dr Claude Anders, he told us a long time ago, anytime black people in the in the city of Detroit consider themselves a minority when they're when they are the majority, there is something underlining in that minority phrase, and it's a shame that we don't get the same attention as six. Thank you. Thank you.
The next caller is William M Davis,
good morning. Could I be heard? Yes, you can. Okay, I like to start off by saying that it's tragic what happened over there with that water main break. But you know, the city of Detroit has been a terrible steward of our resources, and it continues to be also just within the from January 1 2014 to December 31 of 2024, retirees have lost 32.67% of our purchasing power. At the same time the mayor's salary has gone up 45% you know, right now we have more appointees and people in the administration making over $100,000 at any other time in our history, and a great number of them don't even live in the city. We need to have greater accountability in what's going on in our resources. You need to do more to help city Detroit retirees. I see that I was pleased that I was able to act so quickly over in southwest Detroit. But think about retirees also. Thank you.
Thank you so much. Mr.
The next caller is Yvonne Jones, you
Good morning.
Good morning.
Okay, Ari, can we come back? Hello,
hello. Can
you hear me? Yes, we can hear you. Miss, okay, I'm calling about the right to renew with good cause, as written by the Detroit Tenant Association. I'm calling to encourage you to renew this right to approve this ordinance for Detroit tenants. I'm also calling about Detroit's failure to protect Tatiana Williams family, the Detroit failed this family, not the services she called, and they deem it her case to not to be an emergency. This woman even came before Council, asking council to help her, and we failed her miserably. This is unacceptable, and I'm calling to tell you all that we have got to do better by our citizens. We have a large percentage of people in poverty, almost 40% and we need to know how to help people and not tell them to call a number.
Thank you. And just to be very clear, because that was definitely a tragedy that I think we all in a city are grieving and looking at how we can be better at responding to the issue of homelessness in Detroit. But I want to be very clear, and I don't recall and anyone can correct me that this family or this individual never came before the Detroit City Council, and so I just want to make sure that is not information that is being spread that is inaccurate. I do think the system did fail her, in a sense, and I think we all have to look at how we can better address it. But to spread a false statement that this family, particularly came down the city council to ask for had help, is not true. So thank you for calling in. Thank you for your advocacy. And again, we do have much work in this city to do with the issue of housing in housing insecurity in Detroit, and I think we're all committed to addressing Thank you for calling in and our next caller please.
The next caller is Cunningham.
Cunningham, Good Good morning.
Can you hear me?
Good morning. Good morning. Good morning,
Madam President, thank you for your cordless and every city council person that voted on that resolution in regards to DDOT, I was double duty this morning. There was a V, l, a, c meeting, and on one phone, and then on this phone, city council, DDOT still needs to improve and be on time. I run a taxi service, so and the outreach out of that taxi service, it benefits me for the bus service to stay horrible. Most people just look out for themselves, but no for the people it needs to be better. And I'm praying, and others are praying that it gets done and the ball is in your court. And thank you, Councilwoman Johnson, for that ride along coming up. Hopefully I have some more. Everyone at home or anyone listening, 31344491143134449114313449114,
that number was made you can remember it and on Facebook, two words not alright.
Thank you, Mister Cunningham,
the next caller is Betty a Varner,
good morning to all within the sound of my voice, I'm Betty a Barner, president of DeSoto Ellsworth black Association. I'm reaching out today. Honorable council member. Waters, can you please help me? There was a gentleman who spoke yesterday. After I spoke, I spoke about the Finkle corridor and the theft of our fence for the park that we have created in the area. The gentleman stated that he lived in the pink accord the area. He was interested in what was going on, and he asked for us to be contacted if you can't have someone from your staff, or whatever the process is, you can get us contacted. The gentleman might be able to help us with our fence, because I had been asked for we need help getting those poles removed and getting the little fence that's left removed. Beautiful park now is a eyesore, and we we're needing help trying to get back up so that we can have our event.
Council member waters,
thank you, Miss Vernon. We will reach out to you today. Thank you, Madam President. Thank you.
All right, our next caller, please.
The next caller is Felicia Brock,
may I be heard? Yes, you can Good morning and to the chair and to this honorable Council. I am Felicia Brock, and I am calling on behalf of BBK towing and recovery. Inc, we are one of a number of police authorized towers, and I've spoken before this council and before committee a number of times, and I just want to maintain a consistent statement to this council, or maybe request we have not received a pay increase in 10 years. And I just need you guys to really think about where you were 10 years ago versus where you are today. Salary wise, even certainly, we deserve an increase. We work very tirelessly, 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the city of Detroit, and we are a good company who follows all of the rules, and we're looking to you to help us to be able to better provide service in the future. Thank you.
The next caller is Darren McCluskey,
great. Great, good morning. Hello. Can you hear me? Yes, we can hear you.
Hi, um, I. You might remember me from the prior few city council meetings requesting a list of 9310 parcels that were used to determine just compensation of vacant land in the solar neighborhoods. I've actually been able to obtain that list thanks to council member Tate's office, and there are quite a few regularities. Jay rising uses this list of properties to determine $2,500 as just compensation. Yet the vast majority are $100 side lots. So it's fairly simple to see the error of that the city is using a majority of $100 sales that are, in fact, not arm's length to lower the valuation of what they're offering hundreds of people whose property they're seizing for this novel experimental solar farm. So it is a fraudulent action, I do believe on the on the case of the city. Thank you.
The next caller is make BCA hearing recordings available again.
Alright, good morning.
Yes, hello, may I be heard. Yes, you can Okay,
so everyone here who voted for the Solar Initiative, that means you supported the use of eminent domain to clear out black bottom in 1951 if you didn't realize that you should really do your homework about that. I'm also very disappointed that every member of this body voted for a development that could not be built that's north and landing and us would be most impacted residents were disregarded. Now we're enforcing our rights at the Board of zoning appeals, and it just seems like we're facing non stop corrupt practices that I really believe stem with the have to do with the law department. And don't just take what the law department tells you is the truth. Do an independent investigation, and I think the law department needs to be investigated. Member waters, when will your staff get back to me and Miss Johnson, what did you do about the BCA You still haven't told
right? Thank you. Miss Laurie,
next caller is phone number ending in 301
caller, 301 good morning. You.
Caller, 301,
can you get can I get my time started over? Go right ahead.
Hello. This is Richard clay, and I was calling to just reflect on how all it took was freezing cold weather to blow open the lies about how the dugging turnaround of this city has helped us all. We have homeless people and homeless families like Miss Williams is living in cars, garages, freezing cold, children dying while the billionaire owners are doing great and the stadiums are being built, but when the homeless go to tap into their resources, they're not there. And we have the mainstream media and everyone buying into these lies, and we still have these property owners of these giant apartment buildings refusing to turn the heat on and fix the heat for their residents. While we get calls, I'm getting calls on the coldest days of the year from seniors, disabled and bond.
Thank you, Mr. Clay,
the next caller is judante Smith,
good morning. May I be heard? Yes, you can.
Good morning, honorable body. I guess I want to support the right to renew, even as a new found owner of a home in the city, right to renew needs to happen. I want to say the board isn't holding the mayor and the administration accountable enough, so many tragedies and so many different things are happening with the mayor's oversight and the board's oversight, and they're not doing anything to hold the mayor. You guys are not doing anything to hold the mayor accountable. Correct. Also, does the land bank have an MOU that you guys have agreed upon yet? And if not, when is the vote coming? Also, Mike Duggan is directly responsible for that flooding in District Six. He brought Glee will in and made it a body and a board that is not that has governmental immunity, which is evil. Also the toll rate commission does not address predatory towing, those people just want to make money. I attended almost every one of those toll rate commission meetings that was open to the public, and honestly, the towers make a lot of money off of the things and valuables inside of people's cars once they told them also, what is the homelessness Task Force currently doing.
All right. Thank you so
much. The next caller is Steven Boyle,
hello. Note from my experiences from over 35 years ago, disaster recovery is best prepared for with disaster mitigation planning that ensures integrity issues are addressed before failure occurs. The Dugan playbook acquired through the Detroit future city plan of 2009 is dereliction to enable demolition, to enable development, it must end. It is sacrifice the well being of 1000s, many left without access to uplift themselves. I want to uplift the work of the Detroit tenancy Association and the homeless union communities working together as needed more than ever with the administrations at hand, our transit communities must be funded in abundance to enable access to opportunities. Otherwise, the opportunities must be targeting select groups with access I've seen performance charts from Detroit Public Schools and third grade makes a is a point when peer support networking needs to be acknowledged, and the stresses and influences in our communities are recognized.
Thank you. Mr. Boyle,
the next caller is Cindy Dara,
good morning. Cindy Dara, you
I'm driving, but I just want to say that if you had, you're going to be asked to vote for a 10 year contract for Comcast. If you had something like Barton cable TV, like we used to have before we got Comcast that then we had community access for Steve Hume, started filming your meetings at the City Council, and they'd never been filmed before and put on TV. We could have all these committees that are secret, committees that we're not allowed to attend right now because they won't tell us where they are. We could actually have those filmed if we had public access. So I'd like to see that also, the Democratic Party is having their convention this Saturday. It's starting at nine o'clock in the Renaissance Hotel. So go on down there and see what the Democrats are planning. They're gonna
thank you Miss Darren.
The next caller is Rhonda Adams,
hello, council members and the citizens of Detroit, we do have some concerns in regards to the adjustments of the budget when it comes to the flood mitigation and climate mitigations of our community. Now these fundings should have some sort of attitude towards that, the exact thing, um Glee, well, and the Detroit water and sewer department, even though it was just clean water, it could also affect our budget with the sewerage. If I don't, I don't know whether it will or not, but will, if the budget priorities have been shifted. We want to know if mass deportation and renovating of those homes will not also lead to some more funding being moved and reallocated outside of our city. So we do want to put some oversight and see if we will continue to participate in the funding of our Thank you.
The next caller is Bobby Johnson.
Good morning. My concern is it flooded in six. It's flooded in four. It's flooded in seven we have a infrastructure that is just cracky. Gary Brown sat up there and said that the city of Detroit is taking 50% responsibility when we have a contract with Great Lakes Water Authority, where they're supposed to fix our infrastructure, they're supposed to how are we as the city of Detroit taking 50, 50% blame of something that, first of all, we didn't vote on to make an authority? Second of all, they have it. Every other community that has flooded has got no kind of emergency concern like the rest over here in seven it's flooded several times when people have lost furnaces, furniture, have people living in the basement. We got to do better, and the ones that are running for mayor need to think about who they will have standing over that water department.
Thank you, Miss Johnson.
The next caller is Samsung SM, four, five, I'm sorry, a 546, you
all right. Good morning. You
all right, good morning. Samsung,
all right. Ari, can we please come back to this caller?
Okay, the next caller is Frank Hammer.
Frank Hammer, good morning. Good morning.
City Council and President Sheffield
extremely frigid temperatures that account in part for the broken water main resulting in the massive disaster in southwest Detroit are directly traced to the global warming. Global warming is drawing arctic air to Detroit and way south. City Council in 2019 passed a resolution supporting the green New Deal, saying, and I quote, we now have less than 12 years to reduce all carbon emissions by half, or we face even more catastrophic climate change, virtually certainly at a scale in violence that will be beyond our capacity to sustain or recover major institutions of our societies. Council should be discussing that resolution that green New Deal support in the times that we're facing now and helping preserve our Southwest communities and others from such drastic disasters that just recently took place. Thank you. Thank you. Mr.
Hammer, the next caller is Detroit disability power,
okay, good morning. Good morning. Can I be heard? Yes, you can. Thank you so much. This is Casey Peller, a resident in District Four and Policy Manager at Detroit disability power, calling in today to advocate once again for doubling d dot budget by 2030 with at least an investment of 150 million this next fiscal year from general funds that's necessary to realize the DDOT reimagined plan to double the service and keep it reliable to get Detroiters where we need To Go. Thank you to the council members Johnson office and President Sheffield's office who have accepted meetings. Excuse me with our coalition, and we ask that all of you please take us up on those requests to meet with us to discuss the path to doubling DDOT. Thank you.
Okay, thank you.
The next caller is Renard Manning, good
morning.
Can I be heard?
Yes, you can. Good morning. My
name is renardsky. I am a organizer with Detroit people's platform, transit justice team and the District Six resident, I wanted to bring to your attention very serious issue that's taking place today, as of February 18. All sort of, all us, department of transportation programs, us, dot, that's DDOT. Is under that authority will have their funding eliminated. That's related to climate change, electrification and equity focused infrastructure policies. So it's anything related to electric vehicle funding or clean energy, climate change, and anything related to diversity, equity and inclusion. Unfortunately, this could have repercussions for our city, because we have the i 375, reconnecting Communities project, so that could be in peril as well overall our area and it will lose millions of dollars. It's very interesting.
Thank you. Renard, applause,
the next caller is calling. User one?
Can that be heard?
Yes, you can. Good
morning, Madam President, I've been asking your office make sure that the bus stops are shoveled off of Lynwood and West Grand Boulevard they are not. Makes it dangerous for the kids that go to Northwestern High School or they have to walk in the streets. It's your district your responsibility to make sure that this is done, other than keep telling me you're going to get back with me, and you never do. I've been asking you for two years to make sure this particular light that reflects on the street is put up by the Valero gas station. You still have not done it, but I noticed that immediate shelter can be for those in southwest Detroit, and you'll let a woman freeze with her two children freeze to death. You all didn't take up no immediate hotel or nothing that just
thank you so much, Miss Shay, and as always, we are here to work with you and looking forward to responding to your calls in your emails. Thank you so much, Miss Shay.
The next caller is to hear
Good morning.
Good morning.
Thank you for taking my comment.
Member Callaway, we want to thank you so much for alerting us to the foreclosure refund under the Wayne, county treasurer, Eric Sabri Mary Sheffield, President you. You have been on council for 10 years in in city government for 10 years. The illegal foreclosures is under you. Homelessness is under you. Miss Williams did come before this council. I'm an avid City Council watching. She did come before you, and you gave her a number like you did. Miss Logan, you're not you. You're not qualified to be mayor. I'm sorry to say, Miss Sheffield, because I like you, you nice person, but we don't need nice people. We need advocates. We need people who are going to help us, and we should be getting hotel rooms for these people and families in the cold.
Thank you. And just so you know, again, I still want to mention that I until someone can prove me wrong, I do not recall and I would have remembered Miss Williams coming down the city council. So thank you so much for your call.
The next caller is phone number ending in 337,
all right, father, 3370,
caller 337, good morning.
Caller 337, good morning. You
okay, can we come back to this caller? Please?
Okay, the next caller is Malik Shabazz.
Good Morning, Mr. Minister. Malik Shabazz, COVID.
Malik Shabazz,
can I be heard? Yes, we can hear you now.
Okay, thank you. Happy New Year. City council given honor and recognition. God who's heading the guide of my life, I'm calling in support of intern police chief Todd Bettison to be placed as the permanent chief, if I remember correctly, I met the brother better. I think it was in 1994 and he is the same then today as he was in only better. He is the perfect balance between supporting the hard working and underpaid, underappreciated men and women of the Detroit Police Department, but also their boss, which is you and I the community. And thank you for listening,
right? Thank you so much, Mr. Malik Shabazz, and great to see and hear that you're doing well, sir. We appreciate you for calling in. Thank you so much.
The next caller is iPhone.
Good morning. May I be heard?
Yes, we can hear you.
Awesome. Thank you. My name is Whitney Clark. I live here in district five, and I was calling in because it's apparent that we have some major challenges here in the city. People are asking for a better housing. People are asking for better transportation, people are asking for better education. People are asking for Detroiters to be prioritized. People are asking for better city services. People are asking for Tax Justice. People are asking for better protection of our women and our children. And this is normally the time where we criticize city council, and that's not really what I want to do. I want to just I want to make sure that we as the citizens make a conscious decision about the future of the city, and we know that this would be the power exists in city council. And so we just we're going to look forward to people who have the will and so, and that's what we should be building on. Thank you for your time.
All right. Thank you.
The next caller is Karen hammer.
Aaron hammer, good morning. Good morning.
I support the transit initiatives that double d.is puts forward on housing. State of Michigan housing data says that 60% of Detroit renters are cost burden. They spend over 30% of their income on rent. Half of these, over half are severely cost burdened, spending over half their income on rent. We cannot end homelessness unless we have one affordable housing at 30% of the AMI instead of this current 80% two, we have to hold landlords accountable that don't maintain their properties the right to renew ordinance by the Detroit tenants Association be passed once the draft is made available,
right to council should be fully funded.
The next caller. The next caller is Courtney Hall.
Courtney Hall, Good morning. Hi, good morning. Can you hear me? Yes, we can. Okay, um,
my name is Courtney. I'm here on behalf of COVID Michigan. We support the Detroit tenant Association's tenants right to renew ordinance with good cause. I emphasize good cause because state sanctioned violence against tenants in Wayne County is on the rise, and landlords have been emboldened due to the lack of accountability. An example is the murder of Sherman Lee Butler at the hands of the Detroit bailiff who was serving him an eviction notice that he had no understanding of because his rent was paid to date, he was a victim of the lack of tenant protections that many in the city are facing. As you are well aware, many tenants are living in deplorable conditions due to poor management on behalf of the corporate landlords there, and when requests are made to make repairs and for the conditions that they are living in, they're met with hostility and unjust evictions. It's a violation of human rights to allow this.
Thank you so much.
The next caller is phone number ending in 558,
good Morning.
Other 558 Good morning.
Caller 558 Good morning. You.
Okay, our next caller, please.
The next caller, please. The
next caller is Mikko a Williams,
Hi, good morning. Yes, I want to send much kudos to the water and sewage department, to the men and women, the workers that are aiding with the Southwest Detroit disaster. And I would like to place blame and shame on the Great Lakes Regional Water Authority. You're going to raise our rates, but you're not going to fix our infrastructure. I find that to be very appalling. That $50 million lease needs to be looked at over and it needs to be investigated. There's a meeting happening on next Wednesday at the Detroit water sewage department for their GWA board meetings. We must say no to this rate increase, because you can't guarantee repairs infrastructure and fixes. DWSD is going to charge a rate increase on top of that. So we need to say no, and we need to do everything we can to hold them accountable. But most definitely, the C, O, W, A and D, w, s, d is trying everything they know how, and it What a shame you all are exploiting that young mother. You know the truth and it's going to come out so you can't keep blind and denying
it. Alright. Thank you.
The next caller is Kevin Steve. Tell us, Ramos,
may I be heard? Yes, yes, we can hear you. Good morning.
Good morning. Yes. Thank you. I would like to call in support of the Detroit tenants Association's right to renew ordinance with good cost protections to limit evictions throughout the city and limit rent increases. This is essential for tenants rights. Through the rehabbing of all of our vacant buildings in the city and the rise of the economic power we have here, it is ideal that landlords are not the only power holders, and we should also consider attendance and community nonprofits opportunity to purchase of these buildings. This has been enacted in DC and Los Angeles alike to improve affordability and wealth building for our residents and cooperatives and Shared Equity as homeowners, local news outlets have reported slum more conditions terrible for residents, disrepair, LLC ownership lacking upkeep throughout our streets and cryptocurrency investment internationally. You know, I would like to call in support of the land tax that Mayor Duggan has brought in, and also say that there was a typo of the relocation fee from that right to renew or the sorry, with section 12, not section 13 for the relocation fee. All
right. Thank you.
The next caller is Rachelle Stewart. Um, morning
Councilwoman, council president, Sheffield and other council members. My name is Rochelle Stewart. I'm a Detroit people's platform transit justice team. I'm calling again. Thank you for the resolution for doubling d dot, but we need to double D dot. People are waiting too long on busses. Some is hours or two hours wait. We need to fast up these routes, especially Grand River Dexter, etc. It's a shame, with these cold temperatures, kids are standing out in cold waiting on the bus to get to school, waiting to get back home. It's taking them extra time to get back home. It's ridiculous. We're the city that put American wheels and we don't even have a decent transportation system. We're the worst in the state, in the country. That's not acceptable. The residents, the essential bus riders, deserve better than this. Please, please. Double D dot. They're saying Double D dot 450 million. But d dot actually needs about two 50 million to get back on track when you have drivers sitting sitting waiting for a bus because there's not no repairs on the busses. Miss Stewart,
we are now back to the two callers who did not respond last time, which is Samsung SM,
right? Good morning.
Samsung SM, good morning. Yes, morning.
Can you hear me? Yes, I can hear you. Go right ahead.
Welcome to the most corrupt city in America, the Detroit City Council, majority black city council. Hey, this is the devil's pick
you've been hearing all day, basically, ever since y'all been in in council, all these black issues, and y'all can't seen seen the fry, uh, saw them. That lets us know that you don't like black people. We're gonna remember this when y'all running for re election in mayor and etc. Again, this is the devil's piss, the most corrupt city in America and is ran by majority black people that call themselves Christians, college educated all these black issues, and all y'all got to say is, we'll get back with you. We're willing to work with you, but in live time, y'all solve the immigrant problem. Do a get them in hotels and south and get white contractors. You you guys been peeped out. Mary waters, all y'all need to get up and get out of there. Y'all need to resign right now.
And the last caller who had raised their hand before you would cut off public comment is phone number ending in 558, do? Eight.
All right, good morning. Yes, may I be heard. Yes, we can hear you.
Yes, I am calling in regards to line item, I believe is 25.3 in regards to truck routes, I am in District Three. And district three is an area of Detroit in which residential abuts industrial and commercial, and we have a serious problem with truck trucks coming through our community. They actually are driving down residential streets. And so I'm asking today, when you have discussion in regards to truck rocks, to ensure that district three is included in the conversation.
Thank you.
Thank you, ma'am, thank you for calling in.
Okay, Ari, was that our last caller?
Yes, madam president, no less. Okay,
all right. Thank you. We will now proceed back to our agenda for this morning, understanding committee reports for the internal operation, standing committee from the mayor's office. Council member Johnson, a resolution. Line item 16.1,
Council Member Johnson, thank
you, Madam President. Move for approval on line item 16.1, this is to appoint Todd Bettison to Chief of Police for the city of Detroit,
right? And I know we do have
interim chief Edison that has joined us virtually. If we can promote chief Bettison, please to a panelist
motion to discuss
Paris, okay, Debbie's virtual. Oh, your honorable body. All right. Thank you so much for joining us, and we are taking up the appointment. I'm not sure if any colleagues have any questions or concerns. Definitely just wanted to thank you, chief medicine, for your long work here in the city of Detroit, I could not think of a better person to carry on the work of DPD than yourself. Extremely excited to work with you. You've always been someone who's just been very open, willing to work with everyone, and just excited to have you as our chief. Moving forward, there was a question from someone from public comment that just wanted to briefly talk about how you would work to reduce some of the lawsuits and identifications that we receive here at the City Council. And I'm not sure if you can briefly just mention that. Um, that, but just excited to have you on board, and wanted to allow you the opportunity to briefly speak before we move forward.
Absolutely. Matter of fact, I just was meeting with some vendors as of yesterday in my office, in one of the technology things that they were offering or bringing is a way to reduce vehicle accidents for first responders, and so I know that the fire department has it installed on a couple of their trucks, which will alert the public When police or other emergency responder vehicles are responding in an emergency capacity, and so oftentimes, with technology and with how our cars are so well insulated and individuals, when they're driving, it keeps the sound out. They're playing music. Stereos are going it's hard to hear the siren from a police vehicle or a fire truck or EMS unit. So looking towards running a pilot program where this technology would actually notify citizens 30 seconds before the emergency vehicle get there. So in our case, it will be police vehicles, and so when they're responding On certain vehicles, and with the waves app, it alerts everyone to know exactly where the first responder vehicle is that's responding, and then also when the first responder vehicles are parked on the side of the road as well. It alerts the community that via the waves app and also their radio system. It'll kind of like an alert, where, when the responder is responding, it will interrupt your radio to let you know that a first responder vehicle is approaching in an emergency capacity. So it'll be a safety enhancement for the community, for the first responders themselves, reduce accidents, and it's going to reduce costs. And so when you stop an accident from happening, we don't have the subsequent lawsuit, but more importantly, we don't have injured people. And so it's going to also save with vehicles not having to be replaced so much, because anytime an accident happens, vehicle has to be replaced. Folks are injured, the community sues. And so that's one of the one of the ways right there that could be significant, but I'm going to look and utilize every opportunity to reduce risk, and also by ensuring that our members are well well trained, and continuing that when something does happen, that they're put in remedial training to really ensure that whatever that deficiency was that is addressed. So those some of the ways right there that I'll be doing, but always open with this council and the community as well to take in other ideas also,
for sure, and I know you would do just that Chief medicine. So thank you for that response. Any additional questions or comments from my colleagues? Yes, Council Member Young, thank you.
I just want to say, Mr. Bennison, for the first time I heard your name, it was from a dear friend and a community activist, Brenda Hill, basically rest in peace and power. And she spoke of you so highly and so often, and she introduced us, and I begin to see why. She said, How do you spell community? You spell it, B, E, T, T, i, s, O, N, Denson. And when her house is broken into, she said, I'll call Bettison. He'll fix it. And you did when she needed a speaker for her rooster tail community gatherings. She said, I'll call Bettison. He'll do it. And you did anytime she needed a representative for the community, she called you, and you showed up with friendly, humility and honor for our beloved community. I also found out that you continued to do the same thing as deputy mayor. One day, we found out that a community activist that we both knew needed help, and I called you, and you came through that day, it took us six calls, but we hung together and we got it done. Yes, sir, thank you. Before that, there was a little church on the end of my street. It found itself in the middle of the Free Press race, and you Chief sent out a representative, K Rob who stayed at the church and changed the route so that the congregation could get in and out of the races that undisturbed, because you really saved my banking from that one, because I got a whole lot of calls about that. So thank you. Then I received something more personal, because I received a call from the family that reported a young woman was missing from their family for over a month, and this one, this girl, was basically being sex traffic. And you took the call, and in one week, she was safely returned to her family from a long distance. I could go on and on, Chief about the many, many stories where you stepped up and made a change in so many Detroiters lives. But you know that I know what you have continually done make our beloved Detroit community safer for our residents, whether it is your part in the Jumpstart program with the mayor and working with the community service providers to keep jobs unemployed or your part in development and implementation of the community violence intervention program, which has made a huge decrease in violent crime data through the use of your community violence intervention partners. Most importantly, Chief, I want to remind you of how Brenda Hill said the spell community, it is, B, E, T, T, i, s, o, n. So I just want to say advance congratulations, and thank you Chief medicine, and thank you for your continued focus on safety, in your service to Detroit community. And thank you for the service of all the brave, courageous and community minded members of the Detroit Police Department, Detroit finest. Thank you, Chief Benson and I look forward to proving this appointment. Thank you.
Thank you so much. Council member, young member, Calloway, yeah.
Thank you. Good afternoon, everyone. Very briefly, good morning. Chief medicine, and information that you shared this morning regarding regarding the new technology that you're planning to implement to curtail or reduce the number of incidents and accidents that some of our police officers find themselves in when driving the vehicles is refreshing, because the three of us, member waters and Chairwoman, Letitia Johnson, every single week, we're settling lawsuits. Sometimes we're at fault and sometimes we're not. We still have to settle, and one of the biggest causes is sometimes the negligence of some of our officers when they're behind the will of a car. One case in point is we had an officer that didn't look behind him. He was he hit a parked car. He was parked in front of a parked car, and he hit the parked car. All he had to do is simply take a look in one of the three mirrors that were at his disposal, and probably more mirrors inside of a police vehicle. I'll never know. I don't know how many mirrors are in a police vehicle. I shall never know that, but that being said, thank you so much. I'm looking forward to you implementing the new technology, hopefully it will address the issues that we do have with some police officers not exercising the best care when driving these vehicles. So thank you very much, and congratulations, and I'm going to continue to look forward to working with you. And thank you so much for being absolutely responsive every time I call. Thank you, sir. Thank you Madam Chair.
Thank you so much. Council member Callaway, and I did want to recognize Chairman Woods is here from the board of police commission. I know you all did your work, your due diligence to get this before us as well. So we appreciate you all as well, too. All right, there are no additional comments or concerns or questions. We know that this went through committee already, and we are excited to move forward. And so there was a motion to approve the appointment of Chief Bettison. Are there any objections? Hearing no objections. The resolution will be approved. Thank you so much chief medicine for joining us, and we're looking forward to the continued work, sir. Question waiver. Thank you so much
request the waiver. I hear you all
right. A waiver has been requested. Are there any objections?
Hearing no objections. The waiver will be attached to 16.1
you all All right. Thank you. Have a great day
from the Office of contracting and procurement council member Johnson, a resolution line item, 16.2, Contract Number 6006358, 100% city funding to provide as needed, preventive maintenance and installation services to existing city of Detroit, Gen tech, systems contractor, nurse, express LLC, total contract amount 750,000 that's for do it. Council member Johnson, a resolution.
Thank you, Madam Clerk. Council member Johnson, thank
you, Madam President. Move for approval. I'm
all right, a motion has been made. Are there any objections to line item 16.2 Hearing no objections. The one resolution will be approved from the law department council member Johnson, a resolution. Line item 16.3,
Council Member Johnson, thank
you, Madam President, Move for approval. This is a settlement request,
Hearing no objections.
The one resolution will be approved from the Human Resources classification and compensation division. Council member Johnson, two resolutions, line item 16.4 and 16.5
council member Johnson, thank
you, Madam President, Move for approval. Line item 16.4 is a request to amend the 2024 2025 official compensation schedule for the supervising and investigators for the police commission as well as the supervising investigator for the police Commission's quality assurance and line as well as the senior investigator and line item 16.5 is a request to amend the 2024, 2025, official compensation schedule for the OIG manager of investigations and audits.
All right, any discussion
on these items? Discussion? Madam Chair, yes, Council Member call the way. Thank you so much. Madam Chair, I'm not even sure if we can justify the increase online. Item 16.4 with the police commission, I wasn't pleased with what I heard during the session last Wednesday, and I just cannot support line item 16.4 Madam Chair,
okay. Thank you. Member Calloway, thank you.
Any additional questions or comments?
Member Johnson has moved both 16.4 and 16.5 for approval. Are there any objections?
Madam Chair, Councilman. Council member Calloway objects to line item 16.4
the clerk would note, clerk will So note, Madam President
and hearing no further objections, the two resolutions will be
approved. Madam Chair, yes. Request a waiver on line item 16.5
Hearing no objections. A waiver will be attached to 16.5 under resolutions council member waters, or resolution line item 16.6
council member waters,
thank you, Madam President, Move approval.
Renewable Task Force. Motion
has been made for approval. This is continuing. The minority business Task Force, any objections,
hearing none. The one resolution will be approved
for the Planning and Economic Development Standing Committee under unfinished business council president pro tem James Tate, an ordinance noting a roll call line item 17.1,
President Pro Tem Tate,
Madam President, I move to take from the table and ordinance to amend the chapter 50 of the 2019 Detroit city code zoning by amending article 17 zoning. District maps, Section 50, dash 17. Dash 43 district map number 41 to revise the zoning classification for one parcel, generally located at the southwest corner of Toledo and Campbell streets, commonly known as 5807, Toledo street from an r2 zoning classification to A r3 zoning classification laid on the table January 14, 2025
hearing, no objections that action will be taken. President Pro Temp Tate.
President, move the ordinance be placed on the order of third reading and consider read,
hearing, no objections that action will be taken. President Pro Temp Tate,
I move the ordinance be passed as submitted. There being
a roll call required. Will the clerk please call the roll council president pro tem James Tate, yes, Council Member Mary waters, Council Member Angela Whitfield, Callaway council member Coleman Young a second. Council President, Mary Sheffield, yes. Council member Scott Benson, yes. Council member Fred durha The third Yes. Council member Letitia Johnson Yes. Council member Gabriella Santiago Romero, yes. Eight yeas, That motion passes. Madam President, the ordinance is approved. President Pro Temp Tate. Madam
President, I move that the title of the ordinance be confirmed,
Hearing no objections that action will be taken
from the Office of contracting and procurement.
Madam President, there is a second ordinance, yep, under unfinished business. Council President, pro tem, James Tate, an ordinance noting a roll call line item 17.2
President Pro Temp take
Madam President, I move to take from the table an ordinance to amend chapter 50 of the 2019 Detroit city code zoning by amending article 17 zoning district maps, Section 5017 58 district map number 56 to revise the zoning classification for two parcels, generally bounded by West Grand River Avenue to the north, Burnett Street to the east, I, 96 Jeffreys freeway to the south, and Prairie Street to the west, commonly Known as 9715,
Burnet Street and 10141,
West Grand River Avenue, from their existing r1, and b2, zoning classifications respectful, respectively, to the b4, zoning classifications for East, each parcel laid on the table January 14, 2025
Hearing no objections that action will be taken. Pro Temp, Tate, I
move that the ordinance be placed on the order of third reading and consider read,
Hearing no objections that action will be taken. Pro Temp take
Madam President, I move the ordinance be passed as submitted. There being
a roll call required Clerk, please call the roll. Council member Mary waters, yes. Council member Angela Whitfield, Callaway Yes. Council member Colvin young second. Council President, Mary Sheffield, yes. Council member Scott Benson, yes. Council member Fred der Hall is the third Yes. Council member Leticia Johnson, yes. Council member Gabriella Santiago Romero Yes. Council president pro tem, James Tate, yes, eight yeas, That motion passes. Madam President,
the ordinance is approved. Proton tape. Madam President, I move the title of the ordinance be confirmed, Hearing no
objections that action will be taken from
the Office of contracting and procurement council president pro tem James. Take two resolutions, line item, 17.3 and 17.4 noting that both items are from the housing and revitalization department. First up is contract number 6006957, 100% city funding to provide to operate a tool bank to support the serve Detroit volunteer program, contractor, Bailey Park neighborhood development corporation. Total contract amount 90,000 next contract is contract number 6006959, 100% city funding to provide to operate a tool bank to support the serve Detroit volunteer program, contractor, Premier group, associate LC, total contract about 150,000 Council President, pro tip. James Tate to resolutions. Thank you. Madam Clerk, pro tem Tate.
Madam President, I move approval of both line items, nine, excuse me, 17.3 and 17.4
right? Just for discussion we have, I'm sorry, with discussion, do we have Department of neighborhoods, just to briefly talk about what this program is, I know this is a brand new program that allows the community to access tools and various other methods, methods to help beautify their community. And just want to make sure that the community and public is aware of the program. I see that we have our
Thank you. Madam Chair. Ray Solomon, Director, Department of neighborhoods.
Good afternoon. Tony Stovall, Department of neighborhoods volunteer coordinator.
Oh, absolutely. To the chair the serve Detroit volunteer program. We're excited and thank you. Thank you. Thank you to council for setting aside extra funds and special thank you to member durha So we were able to ramp up with those extra funds and now at a tool library to a volunteer based program that we call serve Detroit, started maybe two and a half years ago, grew into now with the snow removal this past weekend, we had a great exercise, a great challenge, over 100 volunteers, and we actually cleared 200 homes snow of disabled, low income, I'm sorry, disabled, not low income, but disabled and seniors that needed help being shoveled out of the driveway. So with this addition, we will be able to add tools. So already, we needed more shovels over the weekend. We needed more snow blowers over the weekend. So with this, this will allow us to do that, and then moving into the summer months, those that do gardening, those that have guards in the area, they will be able to go and get tools for free if you are a registered block club. So it is exciting program. It is headed up by Tony Stovall, our volunteer coordinator, so we are here to answer questions.
All right. And so who do the block clubs call? I know. So we were passing two contracts, one for the Bailey premier group, and then there was another one, I think, in district five. That was Bailey, Bailey Park neighborhood development corporation. So do they call those entities to get the tools? If you could explain the process for neighborhood organizations, black clubs, who are interested in being a part of or receiving some of the assistance? Yes
to the chair, there will be a formal process. One the partners will come on and do tons of community engagement. They are they will be required to do up to three district meetings a month, block clubs, block club and community association meetings, as well as we'll be doing some media, social media, promoting it and how they can get in contact with this free resource through the list that the Department of neighborhoods has of registered black clubs and community associations. So we will be sharing and working with them so they will know who is who has free access for this program, but we will be promoting it in neighborhoods and all the term community meetings. All
right, thank you. Yes, Council Member. Callaway,
thank you so much. And good afternoon. I would like Mr. Solomon to have a list of the 100 areas where you shoveled snow, because I had quite a few calls to come into my office, so I sent staff out to shovel snow. So you said you shoveled 100 I'd like to see that list. I want to see which ones fall in district two, because one, we had quite a few phone calls and we rendered assistance. Which is what we do. I see both of these locations are in 48207, how do the folks on the west side access these tools, and why this one zip code. And my other question is, how will the tools be stored, and how will they be safeguard or protected?
Yes, so through the chair, we did an RFP, we took we had three bids, and so with these are the partners that were chosen to work with us through that process and so, but this is a mobile service, so these companies will be able to support all districts through providing a mobile service. So once they sign up, request the tool, they put their information in, these companies will do a pickup and a drop off and a pickup for the tools that are being requested, and they will provide the housing and all of that space that space that is needed and provide the maintenance on the tools to make sure that they are working properly. Okay?
So, um, through the chair. So these companies will own ownership, have ownership, or retain ownership, of the tools. Is that what you're saying? Because this is a lot of money for us not to own the product. So we're, we're hiring this company to do essentially what, get the tools, safeguard the
tools through the chair, yes, and provide be a community resource, ongoingly, for all that's for to support all seven districts, yes, but they will own and operate the tool bank.
Okay, all right. Thank you so much. But I would like that list, Mr. Solomon, on the 100 properties that you were able to to remove snow from and that's amazing. Thank you, Madam Chair. All
right, thank you member Callaway, Council Member durhau.
Thank you, Madam President, and good morning to or afternoon. Now to both of you. I just wanted to publicly thank both of you. I remember, as we got this money in the budget, we were hashing out what that exactly means for snow removal, particularly for our residents, our senior citizens and our disabled community. But I really appreciate the time that you took to really build it out and even work on how we expand this. I really think this is a very important tool, no pun intended, but it will also open up for further opportunities, not just in the winter time but the summertime. Oftentimes, here in the city, we take it for granted, if we're a little bit younger, that we can shovel our snow. If we are able, we can shovel our snow, we can cut our own grass, and there are so many seniors throughout the city of Detroit who are not able to do that. And so a program such as serve Detroit, I think, is a great program because it also connects those volunteers in those communities who don't have the resources each and every day that like to help our residents with access to those tools to be able to do that. And so I wanted to personally thank you both for the conversations that we've had, engaging on how this works. It is very popular, not just in district seven, but even in district two and district three. I've talked to a couple of folks that did testimonials in those areas that said they were excited when folks have come out and shovel their snow, even going so far as to need or quilt them hats, even though we don't recommend that we don't stay in your house when the folks are helping you. But again, I just think it's a great a great program. I look forward to doing that. How To video, really so we can get it out here more. I got the number memorized now. 313-224-4415, just in case, folks need to know who they do call so they can get this service for snow. That's 313-224-4415,
I really appreciate it. Thank you, Madam President,
thank you member door Hall Council Member Santiago Romero, thank you, Madam President, through you to Department of neighborhoods to that end about expanding. How can we do so? Because there are a lot of block clubs in District Six who would be interested. Do we add additional funds to the budget this year? Do we identify the nonprofits? How can we help recreate this around the city?
Through the Chair? I mean, I would lean on council and continue to work one on one and see how we expanded. You know, it's our first year for the for the two library, more is always better, but we are extremely excited. But, you know, working with council, working with Department of neighborhoods, how to push this further and see how much we can get done. We had a conversation a few years ago. Sometimes you don't have volunteers because you don't ask, and we have so many city employees that actually come out just because we just simply add. So it's a great program. Agreed
yes and something that we've been looking at. So we will stay in touch. Thank you. Thank you, Madam President, thank you so much. All right. Thank you for the information. And council president pro temp Tate has moved both of these items for approval. Are there any objections? Hearing? No objections. The two resolutions will be approved.
Non President request for a waiver online, 17.3 and 17.4 please, Hearing
no objections, a waiver will be attached to both items. Thank you all for being here from the housing and revitalization department Council. President Pro Tem James Tate, a resolution line item, 17.5
President Pro Tem Tate, Madam
President, I move approval of mine. Item 17.5 please.
Motion has been made for approval. This is a commercial facility. Certificate for 9301, open Avenue, the Stafford house. Any objections to this resolution? Hearing none this one resolution will be approved. Request a waiver, please. Protein tape.
Request a waiver online item, 17.5 please.
Hearing no objection, the waiver will be attached to 17.5 for the public health and safety standing committee from the Office of contracting and procurement. Council Member Santiago Romero, a resolution noting this item was postponed from last week formal session. Contract number 6006894, 100% bond funding to provide proposal in demolition release s group s2 contractor Sally bean, trucking and excavating. Incorporated total contract amount $2,676,385.75 cent that's for construction and demolition. Council Member Santiago Romero, a resolution. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Council Member Santiago Romero, motion to approve all
right motion has been made for approval for line item 18.1, discussion,
right discussion. Member Johnson, thank
you, Madam President, through you to the administration. We did send over a series of questions relative to some of the items, the ones, particularly in District Four, would like to identify when we can receive a response to those questions, because I had previously requested that this line item be postponed because I wanted to ensure that we received the demolition report or information relative to the houses, so that I knew what the status the condition of the houses were before we moved forward.
Right? Mr. Washington, do we have someone on please?
Yeah. Yes, Madam Chair, if we can bring this item back towards the end. I do not see group is that counseling in the queue right now, but I do know that she was working on that request when I spoke to her earlier this morning.
So we can move this to the end of the agenda. There is no objections to doing so, all right, and we will proceed now from the Office of contracting and procurement. Council member Benson a resolution line item 18.2, Contract Number 6006972, the lease agreement to provide land lease of airport property to the FAA contractor, Federal Aviation Administration, total contract, amount zero. That's for airport council member Benson, a resolution, line item 18.2,
Council Member Benson, motion to approve.
Motion has been made in Hearing no objections, the resolution will be approved for line item 18.2
Buster waiver.
Hearing no objections, a waiver will be attached to line item 18.2 under unfinished business. Council member young an ordinance noting a roll call nine. Item 19.1.
Council member, Young, thank you, Madam President, I move to take from the table ordinance to amend chapter 45 of the 2019 Detroit city code, telecommunications. Article Three, franchises, Division Two, uniform video service, local franchise agreements by amending section 45 dash three, dash 22 approval of uniform video service, franchise video service, local franchise to Comcast of Detroit to provide for a new 10 year agreement period start from july 29 2024 and to end July 28 2034 laid on the table january 28 2025
Hearing no objections, that action will be taken. Council member young,
I move that the ordinance be placed on the third reading and considered read,
Hearing no objections that action will be taken. Council member young,
I move that the ordinance be passed as submitted.
There being a roll call required. Will the clerk please call the roll council member Angela Whitfield, Callaway. Council member Coleman Young, the second yes Council President, Mary Sheffield, yes. Council member Scott Benson, yes. Council member Fred der Hall. The third yes council member Leticia Johnson, yes. Council member Gabriella Santiago Romero Yes. Council President Pro Tem James Tate Yes. Council member Mary waters, yes. Nine yeas, That motion passes. Madam President, the ordinance is approved. Council member Young, thank
you, Madam President, I move the title to the ordinance be confirmed, Hearing
no objections that action will be taken
from the mayor's office. Council member young, for resolutions, line items, 19.2 through 19.5
council member Young, thank
you, ma'am, President, I moved to approve line items 19.2 through 19.5
All right, these are all various city events that have received departmental approvals. Are there any objections? Hearing? No objections before resolutions will be approved from the Office of contracting and procurement. Council Member Santiago Romero, five. Resolutions, nine items, 19.6 through 19 point 10. First up is contract number 6003776, dash, a 250, 3% grant, 47% city funding. Amendment two to provide an extension of time for transportation planning, engineering and program management services. Contractor HNTB, Michigan incorporated total contract amount 750,000 that's for transportation. Next contract is contract number 6001851, dash, a two, 100% grant funding, amendment two, to provide a time extension only for transportation planning, engineering and program management services, contractor WSP, Michigan incorporated total contract amount 6 million. That's for transportation. Next contract is DSS number eight, abatement and demolition of residential property, solar 100% city funding. Amendment two, to add additional funds. Vendor and phase two properties for abatement and demolition of the approved residential properties located in areas where solo Air Race are proposed. Total maximum order limitation is 2 million, not $897,244.52
that's for construction and demolition. Next contract is contract number 6006817, 100% city funding to provide medical supplies and equipment through my deal. Contract Number 23000000326,
contractor J and B medical supply company incorporated total contract amount 200,000 that's for health. Next contract is contract number 6006993, 100% bond funding to provide proposal and demolition release. S group, s4 for nine garages, contractor, Sc, Environmental Services, LLC, total contract amount, $104,428.80 cent. Council Member Santiago Romero, five resolutions, thank you, Madam Clerk. Council Member Santiago Romero, thank you. Madam President, motion to approve 16. Excuse me, 19.6 through 19.9
right? Any discussion on these items? Discussion? Madam Chair,
Council Member Callaway, yes. Do we have any one on from transportation that can explain what the differences. Difference is between line item 19.6 and line item 19.7 I see one is 100% no one is 50% grant, 40% 47% city and then nine. Line item 19.7 is 100% grant funding, which ends February 26 which is in another week or so. So have they not completed the terms of this agreement? I know they're not asking for more money. Madam Chair, so I'll wait to hold my questions until we can get someone on from transportation.
Mr. Washington, yes, through the chair, we do have Jonathan on door online. DDOT, you that.
Okay, we are promoting him,
hello through the chair. Maybe Can I Can everyone hear me and see
me? Yes, we can.
Thank you, and thank you for the questions. Apologies for the confusion on this. So these two contracts are our master contracts for smaller task orders. So the light items, 19.6 HNTB, Michigan Inc, that is our architecture and engineering contract for the East Jefferson pilot project that we were working on. We've talked about that before, with those bus stop boarding platforms that were temporary. This is for the design of that and with because it's a pilot project, it ended up being a bit longer than we expected, and the initial timeline was related to that master contract, but because we need to go through construction as of yet, we need to make sure that we have that design team on board through the construction to ensure that it's constructed appropriately. A similar situation with the WSP Michigan Inc contract in line item 19.7 that is another larger master contract. That one is specific to the bus shelter installation project, which is 100 bus shelters.
That one,
we have a task order out for that.
That project, and we are still in the design phase, so we just need to make sure that we have the contractor on board and available so we can complete the design and continue the construction.
I hope I answered all your questions. Madam
Chair, partially so for line item 19.7 if the contract is about to end in like a week or so, they've not met the terms of the contract. I know they're not asking for additional funds, but they have not completed the terms of the original contract, because now we're in amendment two, and I suspect there's going to be an amendment three on the horizon. So they've not met the terms of this particular agreement, which has already been amended twice, possibly going to be a third amendment
through the Chair. I'm
not sure about a third amendment. We don't have any plans for that yet, and I hope we don't have one, but the purpose of this is only to extend the time, and that is because the original master contract was for multiple services. And this is a specific task order that was started later, later in this contract, later in this master contract. So this task order started later last year, but we still required their services later on to make sure that it fulfills the needs of this specific, specific project. Okay,
so through the chair to you, it's going to go all the way to June 26 not June 2025 is going beyond another year this, it says, right here, is going to go through June 2026, so it's going much further. So they've not met the terms of this particular agreement. That's my question, because now it's taking the much longer to meet the requirements of this particular contract, because I suspect, again, sir, since I've been sitting on the council, there's going to be a third amendment and I'll be here. But I'm saying that this particular contract is now taking us beyond 2025 and taking us into 2026 possibly into a second quarter in 2026 Is there a reason for that?
Through the Chair? Yes, the reason for that is to ensure that that this contract is available for engineering services through the construction. So we need to make sure that that the construction is available. They're available to assist with the construction in this contract. So the this project is is a large one 100 shelters, and the design of that has a lot of need, and the process of that project can take quite a bit of time, so the need for assistance with design services can last quite a long time. Now, the the original terms of this contract, the timeline, just it it being ending at the end of this month, and us putting a task order on it later last year. Just has new needs for this contract that are specific to this project. So HNTB, I apologize. This is WSP. WSP has been fulfilling the needs that we have, requests that DDOT has requested of them, and this is the contract that we were able to use for this project.
So I hope that answers your question
through the chair to you, sir, my last question is, why the last minute? It's already February 2025, this is at the end of this contract. Now you're here less than a week before. So right now, our back, our backs are against a wall. We have to say yes. We have to say yes to the extension. Because right now, in another week or so, this contract ends, it's supposed to end on paper, but it's not going to end on paper. Now we're going all the way into June 2026 not June 2025 June 2026 that's why I was asking, did they meet the requirements in this contract? Obviously not, because now they're asking for a year and a half extension, of course, not asking for any more money. But thank you so much for your question. And I'm just concerned about the lateness of this coming before this council. We don't even have a week to consider it, because it expires according to the original language of the contract, February 2020, 25 and today is what the eighth. So in eight days this expires. So we have to approve this. And if we don't approve with what, sir, through the chair,
through the chair. Absolutely. That's a very understandable issue that you have with this, and my apologies on that we will work with Office of contracting the government to ensure that I make sure that we we submit any requests such as this far earlier.
This is just, you know, this is what happens here all the time. It's just unusual through the chair that a contract is about to expire in eight days, and we get it on the 18th it expires on the 26 and now we have to extend it because they've not met the requirements under this particular contract, because if they did, it would end on February 26 2025 but they had not, which means they're going to get another 18 months, close to two years, probably two years, and there will be a third amendment. Thank you, Madam Chair, thank you, Mr. Horn
door, thank you so much. Member Calloway,
any additional questions or concerns,
hearing, none. A motion has been made for approval. Are there any objection?
Madam Chair, objection online. Item nine, through the chair. Council member Calloway objects to line item 19.7 and 19.6
the clerk would know circle note, Madam President,
Madam Chair, yes. Member Callaway, we
were covering line item 19.6 through 19 point 10. If I'm not mistaken,
no, she's I think she stopped at 19.9
Okay, thank you. Madam Chair, I will also be if I might know online item 19.8 city funding for abatements for solar arrays. You can show me as a no online item 19.8 Are we still on these line items? Madam Chair, yes, so if you can show me as a no online item 19.69
item 19.7 and line item 19.8
and line item 19.9 Madam Chair, Councilwoman Callaway,
thank you for the clerk will please note local so No Madam President, but Madam President, I believe all items were mobile together, 19.6 through 19 point 10. For No, I thought I stopped at 19.9 members Santiago Romero, you just want to state where you stopped. I stopped at 19.9 Okay, thank you. Okay. So member Calloway just showed her objections to those items, and if there are no further objections, the resolutions will be approved and we will go back now to member. Santiago Romero, thank
you, Madam President, motion to approve 19 point 10.
Okay, a motion has been made for approval for 19 point 10. Any objections to this item, being objection Member Santiago Romero,
any further objections to 19 point 10?
Madam Chair, Council Member Calloway, is an objection to line item 19 point 10.
The clerk will know. Clerk will So note. Madam President, hearing no further objections. The one resolution would be approved. Madam Clerk from the Office of contracted and procurement, Madam President, Council Member young a resolution. Line item, 19, 2011, Contract Number 6006915, 100% city funding to furnish trailer mounted power washer equipment, repair service, labor and or parts contractors, Eric and Robert Thompson LLC, total contract amount 90,000 that's for general services. Council member young,
a resolution.
Council member, Young, thank
you. Madam President, I moved to approve line item 19 point 11.
Any objections to line item 19 point 11? Hearing none the one resolution will be approved. Madam President, yes,
I moved to, I'm sorry, I get a waiver online, 19 point 11.
Any objections to a waiver,
hearing, none that action will be taken. Madam
President, yes. I also just wanted to register with the clerk that I would have been confirmed to vote online, item 17.1 and 13.2 when I was out of the room because nature called
Thank you. Member Young
from the law department,
Council Member Scott Vincent, joined by council member Angela Whitfield Callaway, an introduction of an ordinance line item 19 point 12, Council Member Benson. Remember Benson, Madam
President, I move that the ordinance be read twice by title order, printed and laid on the table,
Hearing no objections that action will be taken. Council member Benson. Excuse me from the law department. Council member Benson, joined by council member Angela Whitfield Calloway, a resolution set in a public hearing. Nine, item, 19, point, 13. Council member Benson, a resolution. Council member Benson, motion
to set a public hearing for three March 2025, all
right. Is any objections for the scheduling of a public hearing?
Hearing? None that action will be taken
from the Office of Development and grants Council Member Santiago Romero a resolution. Line item 19, point 14, Council Member Santiago Romero, motion to approve. Motion has been made to accept and appropriate the fiscal year 2022 transportation alternatives program grant for West Jefferson and Rosa Parks. Any objections? Hearing none. The one resolution will be approved. Request a waiver, Madam President, Hearing no objections, a waiver will be attached to 19 point 14. Madam President, can we also get a waiver for 19.6 through 19.9 any objections? Objection? Madam Chair, okay to all of them, all of them, if the clerk would note, clerk will So note. Madam President, I right from the Office of Development and grants. Council member young, a resolution noting that this line item 19 point 15 was postponed from last week formal session.
Council member Young, thank you, Madam
President, is there a motion to discuss line item, 19, 2015, alright. Thank you, Mayor. President, I just received word that we are waiting for the state to approve the budget amendment for the Jefferson Chalmers flooding prevention grant and for us to change how we're going to be using Mr. Rico Ross is here on standby to address his current status and answer any questions about that. Thank you. So that's okay, through you.
Thank you. Member Young,
thank you through the chair. Rico RO, Chief of home repair Neighborhood Services, HRD, was
there a specific question?
Yeah, well, I just had a quick I just want to know, do we know what the status is of this? I know we're waiting on the state to be able to approve this. Have they approved this yet? Do we know where it's at in the process? Is it a committee? Is it on the floor? Is in the House, Senate? Is it going to the governor for approval? Where is this actually in this in the pipeline?
Yeah, through through the chair. I believe it has already been approved and appropriated. We just need work from me Dc on the updated line items that we've submitted. So we've had a conversation with council member Johnson about putting an additional $250,000 or moving $250,000 from one line item to the overall sea wall repair replacement cost. So that would increase that to about 650,000 with $100,000 still in contingency, effectively creating $750,000 in sea wall repair replacement. I know council member Johnson has already done her due diligence, going door to door, trying to identify households that may be in a certain Am I bracket that could benefit from these funds. And we do believe that the number that she's come up with is is adequate to what we think we can do in terms of repairing and replacing those sea walls. Just to add to that, we we are amending the language. Will resubmit it back to the me, DC, from what we sent last night, there was a question about a line item just adding a little bit more verbiage to state. City of Detroit is managing a private sea wall repair program. So we'll update that language, get it back to me DC. We'll wait for their approval, and then hopefully we can move forward with creating this program. No,
actually, and I just want to so this is just more of a regulatory you know, they're just trying to wait till they get authorization for us to use this money for the way in which we're trying to use it. We're just waiting. Do we have a timeline of how long that would take for us? Because the reason why I'm asking is because more than likely. I think we're gonna, I think we're gonna hold this back from one week until we get that approval. So I just wanna know how long can we we have to wait, just so we can have an understanding how long we have to hold this before we finally get approval to stay
through the chair. I would hope by today or tomorrow we'd have an answer definitely before the week is out. Okay, but I don't, I don't think it's going to be longer than that. So
we bring this back next week. We should, we should definitely have time for this be approved and everything to go
specifically. That is the will of this body. Okay. Excellent, excellent.
Um, I want to defer my time to member Johnson. Is there anything he wanted to say? Council member
Johnson, thank you, Madam President. Um, thank you to Mr. Razzo. I never remember your title, so I'll just call you Mr. Rousseau. I appreciate all of the work that has been done with the Department of neighborhoods, with General Services, with the Detroit building authority to get us where we are today. I appreciate you clarifying the language that's being submitted to the state. I don't think it will be a long time or the state to actually turn this around, so I'm okay with moving this forward without a waiver, just to make sure that the amended language is amended so that we don't continue to hold this up. But certainly do appreciate everyone working with me as we've been going back and forth to ensure these these funds are being utilized to help in the Jefferson Chalmers community, to address with some of the water issues that they've had in the recent past. So thank you. Thank you, Madam President,
yeah, and I just want to make sure that we see that written agreement. That's really what I'm looking forward to seeing this direct agreement. I mean, for me, you know, I like to see like, you know, the eyes dot t cross by approving, but if this is something that you're comfortable with doing, oh yeah, I'll go along with it. I'll follow your lead here. Thank you,
Madam President. So I have received the updated, amended language that was submitted email to the state. I did. We did have a little bit more back and forth, just to clarify some of the verbiage that was submitted to the state. I understand that amended language, that clarifying language is going to be submitted, and I'm still believing that we'll get a response from the state so that before Friday or by Friday, we can make a determination on whether or not I want to reconsider my vote, but I'm I'm believing that everything is going to work in the community's favor and that we can move forward with this. Thank you
all right. Thank you so much. Thank you so. Member young you,
Mayor, President, I move to approve line of 19 point 15,
Hearing no objections. The one resolution will be approved under resolutions. Council Member Santiago Romero, a resolution line item 19, point 16, Council Member, Santiago Romero, thank you, Madam President, this is the resolution regarding the towing rates move for discussion. I did see there were some questions floating around regarding the resolution. This again, has been brought back. This is something that we worked on, the ages office worked on last year, and we send it to committee to allow for more time for discussion with council members. I feel comfortable moving this out, but will allow if there's any other questions that are needed to be discussed or answered before we have a vote, if not happy to motion for approval. Motion has been made for approval. Any objections
to council member Scott Benjamin,
the clerk would note, clerk will So note, Madam President. So that's council member Benson and council member young for 19 point 16 and objection member Johnson. Session, we're in the middle of a vote. Discuss any further objections for 19 point 16,
Madam Chair. Council member Calloway objects.
Further objections. And does that feel? No, madam president, is five to four. Okay, all right, hearing no further objections. 19, point 16, the one resolution will be approved.
Remember, Young did you have something? No.
I was just gonna say, I did ask some questions that I have outstanding that didn't get answered. I was gonna say, if this didn't go through, do you want to take this back until those questions got answered? And maybe that would change the vote, but I see you've already passed it, so it's okay, not really needy. I was just trying to, you know, say, Remember Romero wanted to do that, but I see it
passed before we move to referrals. We did post call one item from earlier. Mr. Washington, do we have this counts on to address that line item? Please to
the chair. Yes, we do have group. Is that council online? Madam
President, that will be line item 18.1
all right, line item 18.1 and we will move over to group, exact counts. I
All right. Group exact counts, I'm going to turn it back over to member Johnson, who had some outstanding questions for this item.
Thank you, Madam President, and good afternoon group executive counts, just wanted to get clarifying information from you. I know I sent an email over and the team had requested information previously to anything you want, information that is received that sends properties to demolition in order for us to make a determination on sending these contracts before city council, I will say that my team and I had an opportunity to lay eyes on some of the properties, and we questioned whether or not they should be demolished, and So that's why I was asking for a demolition report so I could get a better understanding of the condition of a select few properties that were on the list,
as long as it's documented through
the chair. I did receive your request with the addresses listed yesterday afternoon, and I do ask for a little bit of grace with the Southwest flooding situation, as well as with the flu, taking an outbreak in the in the unit I'm struggling with, with with hands right now, so I am working through your list. We do have survey reports that we can provide for you, and I will have those over to you by the end of today. You
okay, thank you.
Right. Thank you. Group is that counts member Johnson, was that sufficient for us to proceed? Or would you like to hold
this? Madam President, I'd actually like to hold it for postpone it for another week, and hopefully we'll be able to receive the report and respond to the community, because there was a request for a couple of the properties that some of the neighbors were interested in. So if we can postpone this line item for one more week,
okay, any objections to postponing the 18.1 for one more week, one additional week. Madam Chair,
can we still ask questions of Miss counts? Or too late for that,
we can continue discussion. Council member Callaway, yeah,
thank you, Miss counts, the report that you are providing to council member Letitia Johnson, what will be in that report Exactly? Will it cover? Cover other district? Because I like to know if there are any properties in district two. Can you also list those as well, include or just a separate report? Since we are not voting on this today is not moving forward until next week is being postponed
through the Chair. Yes, this particular contract has 72 properties in District Four and 43 properties in District Three. What I'm providing to council member Johnson is the demolition survey, or the hazmat survey, reports that are created during the demolition process, and those are for a select number of the properties that she provided addresses for. There's currently no properties located in district two in this contract.
Okay? Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair, thank you Miss counts.
Okay, thank you member Calloway, and if there are no objections, we will postpone for one additional week line item 18.1,
okay, moving to our referrals
for the budget Finance and Audit, standing committee, one report from the office of the city clerk, City Planning Commission, the One report will be referred to the budget, Finance and Audit standing committee for the internal operations standing committee, it looks like we do need to move 22 point 17 to new business if we can have a motion to do so. Motion Hearing no objections, 22 point 17 will be referred to new business and Madam Clerk, that will be 17 reports that will be referred to internal operations. Standing Committee, Yes, madam president does, 17 reports from various city departments, okay, and moving to the neighborhood and community services, standing committee for reports from various city departments before reports will be referred to the Neighborhood and Community Services standing committee for planning and development, committee, 12 reports from various city departments. And from my understanding, 24.2 also needs to be moved to New Business motion and President carry no objection. We will move 24.2 to new business, and the remaining items will be referred to Planning and Economic Development for the public health and safety standing committee for reports from various city departments, before reports will be referred to the public health and safety Standing Committee under the consent agenda. There are no items. Madam President, okay, we can go back up now to 22 point 17, with which is the scheduling of a closed session for next Tuesday at 3pm
council member Johnson, a resolution.
Council member Johnson, motion
to approve. I And that's
a roll call. Roll Call is required for the scheduling of a closed session. Madam Clerk, if we can, please call the roll.
Council member Comey on a second.
Council President, Mary Sheffield, yes. Council member Scott Benson, yes. Council member Fred der Hall, the third Yes. Council member Letitia Johnson, yes. Council member Gabriella Santiago Romero Yes. Council President Pro Tem. James Tate Yes. Council member Mary waters Yes. Council member Angela Whitfield Calloway, eight yeas, That motion passes. Madam President, all right, the ordinance, excuse me, the resolution is approved and moving to 24.2 Council. President Pro Tem James Tate, a resolution. President Pro Temp Tate. Madam President,
with discussion. Yes, with discussion. Thank you. This item for my understanding. Excuse me, there was a request from City Planning Commission wanted to move this item today because of the time on the extension. If we do allow for it to go through its normal process, we would not, we would actually be out of time. And so I just do see Director Todd available if there's anyone who has any questions. But from the chair's perspective, I have no issues with this. I'm being approved today. Okay, all
right. Thank you so much, Director. Ty, thank you,
Madam President. Good afternoon to you and the members of this honorable body. Briefly, as President Pro Tem indicated there's a text amendment before you for screening and buffering. We have been waiting to get the approved as the form ordinance from the law department, which we expect to get this week. But during that time period, going back to last fall, the 120 day clock, which is applied to all text amendments received from the planning commission by this honorable body, whether they are text amendments or again, rezonings, that 120 day clock will expire unless this extension is authorized by your honorable body, the extension would allow for another 120 days of viability for you to consider The text amendment.
Thank you so much. Director Ty, any questions or concerns with the extension hearing? None Pro Tem Tate has moved 24.2 for approval. Are there any objections? Hearing? No objections. The resolution will be approved. Thank you so much. Director Todd,
you're welcome and thank you. All
right, we will now move to member reports. Council President Pro Tem Chase negative report ma'am. Council Member Santiago Romero, thank you, Madam President. Just want to invite District Six residents to join us for our second annual Let's skate d6 we're going to be at roller Cade this Thursday at 6pm the first 250 residents that join us can enter for free. We also will host our next noir rights training on Tuesday, February 25 at 6pm this will be virtual on Zoom and Facebook, we'll have translation available via zoom in Arabic, Bengali, French, Spanish and volo. And we're asking that, regardless of your immigration status, that you join us to learn how to best support your neighbors. And want to invite folks to join us for our next monthly office hours. We're going to be joined by the property assessment Board of Review. We're going to be at county Rock Center on Monday, February 24 from four to 6pm Thank you. Thank you. Council Member. Member waters.
Oh, thank you, Madam President. I just want to remind everybody that the skilled trades task force meeting is tomorrow, February 19, at the operatives and meal rights training center. 11687, American street, and that is from four to 6pm again, that's 11687, American street from four to 6pm on four February 19, Wednesday, that's tomorrow. Thank you, Madam President, thank you.
Member waters, member Johnson.
Thank you, Madam President, just want to remind district four residents that our February monthly meeting is taking place on Monday, February 24 at 5:30pm it will be a hybrid meeting. The in person location is Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, located at 17100
Chalmers. Again, 17100
Chalmers. We will have treasurer Sabri and the director of the Board of Review, Mister Willie down will present to speak all things related to tax foreclosure and prevention. So we are trying to get the information out, and just want to say thank you to all of our community organizations for assisting us in going door to door to the properties within their neighborhood that are potentially facing foreclosure. So again, if anyone has any questions, any issues with their property taxes, please join us on Monday, February 24 at 530 if you'd like to join us virtually, please call the office for the link to the meeting. The office number is 313-224-4841,
thank you, Madam President,
thank you. Member Johnson, member Benson,
alright, thank you. Just wanted to remind everybody that tonight is the third district annual evening council meeting. It will be held at Solomon's temple that will begin at 7pm looking forward to seeing all of my colleagues as well as the community there this evening. Please sign up for a wheels and estate planning, a workshop done through the city of Detroit that is very important. It is critical that we ensure that our families are taken care of, and that we plan our states so we can have the efficient transfer of wealth and then inviting everybody to come out and ride and bike to Blizzard this Sunday, at 10:30am we'll be starting at back alley bikes, since the fundraiser for back alley bikes and the ability to provide free bicycles, as well as training for youth on bicycle safety as well as mechanics, we are partnering this year with the Joe Louis Greenway. We'll be opening up the trail head in district seven. We will have the big fireplace will be up and running, as well as hot cocoa and other treats as a brief respite for the cyclist this Sunday, 10:30am say, about a 10 mile route, then in about an hour, raising money for youth cycling. Thank you. Thank
you pro tem council member Durham,
thank you, Madam President. Just want to remind members of the public that our upcoming retiree task force meeting chair by member waters and I will take place Friday March the seventh, from 11am to 12:30pm you can also join us virtually. We will be doing a hybrid model or in person right here in the Irma Henderson auditorium. And attendees will have the opportunity to receive important updates, voice their concerns, as well as connect with fellow retirees. And this is to take place Friday, March the seventh, from 11am to 12:30pm our retiree task force meeting. We will also be having our 21st policy session that will take place Monday, February 24 from 6pm to 7:30pm at the Edison library. And we will be doing a comprehensive review on the US Constitution. If you have not attended one of our sessions, we encourage you to it's a great way to learn alongside fellow residents, and this will take place the 24th of February, from 6pm to 7:30pm at the Edison library. This is our 21st policy session. Also want to just remind the public that budget season is right around the corner, and the mayor will be presenting his 2025 to 2026 recommended budget next Friday, February the 28th at 12:30pm in the Committee of the Whole Again, that is next Friday, February 28 at 12:30pm that concludes my report. Thank you, Madam President. Thank
you member durha, Council Member Callaway. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Want to thank Wayne County Treasurer, Eric Sabri, for joining the district to virtual call yesterday evening. He was our featured guest speaker, and he shared a lot of valuable information, and we had a question answer period. So thank you. Wayne County, county. Eric Sabri, he likes to appear before the council, Madam Chair, to talk about that Supreme Court case and some other matter. So I'll share that information with you after session. Madam Chair, also, everyone is invited to come out at the Detroit coffee lodge on Monday, February 24 and that is located at 19 737, James cousins Detroit coffee Lodge, minority owned, woman owned February 24 from eight to 9am and it's open to everyone, not just district two residents. And that location for the Detroit coffee Lodge is 19 737, James cousins, and then continue to walk is two miles a day. In recognition of American Heart Association. Month, it's 56 miles for the entire month. So that's two miles a day. And today is day 18. If you've been joining us, you have walked 36 miles or more. We will be indoors at the University of Detroit Mercy Fitness Center on Wednesday, February 26 from 515, to 615, come prepared to walk. We'll have some light refreshments after the walk. And then on February 27 Thursday, you are invited to come to learn how we are going to navigate. The people's budget is not the city's budget. Is the people's budget. So join us on Thursday, February 27 at the street than a dark, excuse me, Congressman Street, than at our community building located at 18, 405, Livernois Avenue. Again, that is Thursday, February 27 from site, from five to 7pm and we're going to have mister Corley there and some other folks there from the finance department to answer the people's questions about their budget. Again, that is Thursday, February 27 from five to 7pm at the Congressman Street and our community building located at 18, 405, Livernois across from the locker room. And lastly, our March coffee and conversation will be at America's Community Council located at 62 West Seven Mile Road, and that will be again March the 10th, Monday from eight to 9am Thank you Madam Chair. Thank you
member. Calloway. Just a reminder that the industry standards boards will meet tomorrow here in the Irma Henderson auditorium at 5:30pm this industry standards boards is an effort to ensure better working conditions for our men and women who work in all of the arenas in downtown Detroit. We will be reviewing the survey that was submitted by the arena workers and moving into next steps and recommendations to better the working conditions of our arena workers. Again, that meeting will take place tomorrow at 5:30pm here in the Irma Henderson auditorium, again, the mayor will present his budget next Friday, encouraging all residents to tune in and also come in here the mayor's proposed budget that will be next Friday in the committee of a whole at 1230 in the afternoon. Also want to remind residents who are looking to appeal their property taxes that the assessors review is from February 1 through February the 22nd closing on the 22nd at 4:30pm you are interested in appealing your property taxes, please do so now until February the 22nd at 4:30pm Lastly, I would like to wish Council Member Santiago Romero a happy birthday. She celebrated her birthday this past Saturday, February the 15th. We can wish her a happy birthday. And I think her staff does have something in the back after our session today. And that will conclude my member reports, and I see a few hands. Of course, everyone always has something. Council member young, which we did miss you the first time.
No, that's okay. I don't have anything. I just have questions. Just in lieu of, you're not to be Debbie Downer after mentioning mental Romero birthday, but in lieu of what happened with the may break in southwest Detroit. Are we also going to include a detailed presentation with DWSD or glee? Will, I think DSD more appropriate, but in terms of their capital improvements program and what they plan on doing, you know, just so we can assure the public, happen again? I don't know if we're going to have it during budget after, but I think that needs to happen. No, yep, for sure. We
will work with them on coordinating that. And I think the budget hearing when they come before us is also a great time to dive into that as well. Member
Callaway, yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. I would be remiss if I didn't make the announcement that my senior policy advisor Ramsey stoops is relocating to Washington, DC. He'll be working for the Department of Defense as a contractor. So his last day is the end of the week. He's been amazing. He was my first hire, and he's been just an amazing, amazing team member. And we will also be celebrating him at the same time as we celebrate Council Member Santiago Romero's birthday. We will also be having cupcakes at the same time. Now I asked him to come in. He's wrapping up, and he's getting ready to relocate. So we're all going to miss him, but we're going to be celebrating celebrating him as well at the same
time. Thank you. Thank you. Definitely miss him, for sure. Yeah, okay. Well, that will conclude all of our member reports. Thank you everyone, and we will proceed to adoption without committee reference. There are no items, Madam President, 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. Council
Member durha, a resolution line item, 30.1
council member Durham, thank you. Move for approval hearing, no objections. The one resolution will be approved. There is nothing else to come before us is there a motion to adjourn.
Hearing no objections. This meeting will stand a job.
