It's now 7pm ladies and gentlemen, good evening. Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to welcome you to the in person and virtual regular meeting of city council scheduled for today, Monday, April 21 at 7pm Madam Deputy Clerk, would you be counting up to call the roll for us today? Councilman
Shafi present, Councilwoman Martin here, Councilwoman Manica here, council Pro Tem Robinson, Council President Thomas
here. Thank you very much. We have a quorum.
Um, members of council, you have had an opportunity to review the agenda. Chair will entertain a motion on today's agenda.
I move to approve. I move to approve the agenda for city council meeting. So
we we have second, we have the motion from Councilman Manica, seconded by Councilman Shafi, questions, concerns, dissent, hearing none. I'll call for the role on the approval of the minutes for the in person and virtual workshop meeting for April 7, 2025, council minutes. I'm sorry, ma'am, the minutes. Oh yeah, this, this is for we just approving the minutes. Okay, sorry, I'm
sorry. Hold on. Hold on.
Just one second, ladies and gentlemen, I skipped right over item three and went straight to the minutes my apology. We are approving the agenda for today. We had made a motion from Councilwoman Manica to approve the agenda. We had a second from Councilman el Shaki to approve the agenda on the note, point of order on the note of making that motion for a public hearing that can be done at any point, okay, during our regular scheduled meeting, all we need is confirmation from the clerk the dates that are appropriate to meet our obligation as far as our public notices. So again, we had a motion on the floor for the approval of the agenda
made by the agenda,
so that we just had a recommendation for Mr. Bostic to go down to item. If we go down to Item eight, we can add, we can make a A, the resolution to retain Jacob and Daimler PC for the matter of Manchester LLC versus City Highland Park and A, B could be the setting of the public hearing.
One for water. I think it's set to so
budget.
Hearing, item B and possibly Item C for the water rate. Public. Hearing,
okay, so I rescind my motion to make a new I'm sorry. I'll let you resend your your support.
So Miss madica has rescinded her motion for the approval of the agenda as it stands. Mister Asha, your support still remains. Was rescinded?
Is she resent? She did okay. I was saying as well.
So okay, now the floor is
open. I make a new motion. My new motion is I move to approve the agenda for Monday, April 21 2025 city council meetings to include
8b and
C, B, reading, setting the budget, hearing the budget. Public Hearing budget. Public Hearing and C setting the water public hearing. Water rate. Got you water sorry, water rate, public hearing. So
do we have a second? Second
vote for May 5?
Is that operable
base May 5? Let me just confirm with the clerk. That's clerk is telling me that it'll work. Alright. Thank you. Yes, madam. Pro Tem, your motion is, let me finish our motion. So your motion would be for the amendment of the budget to include under legal item B, budget, public hearing and C water, public hearing. Vote for May 5, 2025 Yes. Okay. Thank you so much. And Mister ashapi, is your support still? Yes, remaining with that. Okay, so we have a motion on the floor from Councilwoman Manica for the approval of tonight's agenda, amending the agenda to include a budget public hearing and a water public hearing under the section of legal it will be Item B and C for May 5 that was supported by Councilman Al Sharpton, questions, concerns or decisions. Madam pro tem,
Item five on the agenda under closed session.
Yes, it
says regarding Woodward Manchester company, LLC and Woodward County Park, University Park, but on the actual revolution, you only have the woodwork,
although this is different some kind of way.
I think those names are pulled off, one of the pleading I
yeah, I believe the resolution was pulled up is,
I think there may be that the case numbers correct, when sugar
courts Correct.
I think there are two
plaintiffs and breath. Okay, council to answer that question, I guess.
So what you only have one on one
resolution, yes, it's the same case. The same case number, the same court,
so case number is correct or referred to the part. Okay, so we have a motion on the floor for the approval of the agenda. Any additional questions concerns of the Senate? Madam Deputy Clerk, would you please call the roll on the approval of the agenda? Councilman
Shafi, yes, to approve the agenda. Councilwoman Manica correction. Councilwoman Martin Yes, Councilwoman Manica Yes. Council protein Robinson, Council President Thomas Yes. Motion
carries the agenda is approved now moving on to item four. This is the approval of the proposed minutes for the in person and virtual workshop meeting on April 7, 2025 city council What's your pleasure?
I move to approve the proposed minutes for the in person and virtual, virtual workshop meeting, April 7, 2025
chair offers support, questions, concerns or dissent. Madam
Deputy Clerk, would you please call the roll?
Councilman Shafi yes for the workshop? Councilwoman Martin Yes, Councilwoman Manica Yes. Council approach and Robinson. Council President Thomas Yes.
Motion carries moving on to the in person and virtual regular meeting, April 7, 2025 this is the approval of the proposed minutes for that meeting to the council wish pleasure I moved
to improve, to approve the proposed minutes for in person and virtual regular meeting, April 7, 2025
chair offer support, questions, concerns or dissent. Madam.
Deputy perfect, please call the roll. Councilman
Shafi Yes. Councilwoman Martin Yes. Councilwoman Manica Yes. Council Pro Tem Robinson Yes. Council President Thomas Yes.
Motion carries because, ladies and gentlemen, the audience, this is a section of our meeting every week where we allocate time for the mayor to speak before Council and to address the public, Madam Mayor, if you be kind enough to take the podium right
back this way. Good evening. Um, I'm not going to be before you long. I had an opportunity to to go to Washington, DC and meet with over 50 African American mayors in the across the state, and at that conference, it was very enlightened. I was very enlightened. I was enlightened because we all share the same problems. We share water problems, infrastructure, numerous problems, but the main thing that I brought back was there's a housing shortage across this country, and they're all in African American communities. And so when we looking at the numbers and the statistics, and we think about who and where these are placed, we have an issue that we have to solve here. So severely inadequate housing or an lack of in the black community, is severely inadequate, 2.1 moderately inadequate, which is 5.7 which is 7.8 of the share of US households in adequate housing and 2023, by race and ethnicity,
we have the highest the highest is 7.8
so with that being said, we have to do a lot of community development in order to make that happen and change the numbers. And I want to change the numbers here, so I'm bringing this information so that we can look at statistics versus just having conversations. These statistics are very important. They're very important to the livelihoods or the people that live here and the ones that need to live here. So that was a very good conversation. The other conversation that we had was we need to support each other. And so the African American mayors across this country, some somewhat large, large communities, somewhat very small, are putting together a coalition of mayors to start supporting other communities and making sure that we all know that we're here and we're going to do what we need to do to change our communities. So that was good. I brought this information I wanted to share that. The other thing I had real quick was sharing information on Facebook. And I talk about this all the time, because most of it is fake. It's not true. There's a lot of fake news out here, and one with the other day was about a police officer that is not that was supposed to went missing in Highland Park and her baby was left in a car. Before you start sharing those things, please, please do research that is not correct. It is something that went across the country, different places, different faces, used to panic the community. Last time I think a baby was born found in a dumpster. That did not happen in Highland Park, Michigan, that did not happen at all. So please start asking people who post things on Facebook for their evidence, and if they can't provide evidence, please don't share it. It's not factual. We have a lot of that going around, and it's gotta stop. It's creating panic in this city, especially when it's not true. So that's all I have today, and I'm hoping you guys show up next month for my coffee and conversation. I need everybody to come and get the information. I need everybody to come and get factual information, not the lies being spread on Facebook, not about my police, not about my water department, not about the people in this city come get factual information. Thank you.
Alright, thank you. Ma'am. So
ladies and gentlemen, let me get my timer set. Out. Let me get my timer set, because now we're going to set time aside for public comments on the agenda items. Now we have a very brief agenda tonight. Praise God. Um, there are two tabled items that fall under CED, and we're going to do something from now on, I'm going to make sure that the CD director has an opportunity to address the items related to his department. He does not, he has not, in the past, had an opportunity to create a framework to for council to have a clear understanding of what's coming in front of us quite often. We have just left him out of the conversation, and that's going to change. These property dispositions are of the highest priority, as the mayor pointed out. So we have two tabled items. It's a resolution to sell the vacant commercial lot at 12535, Hamilton, and the resolutions to sell three vacant residential lots at 6973 and 79 Kendall, we have a resolution to accept the generous donations that came to us in the form of water during the crisis. We also have item eight, which is the legal resolution to retain council to represent us in this water lawsuit and public hearing. If they're individuals that would like to speak on agenda items, you can line up at the podium. Otherwise, we'll go right into our council meeting. And this is what I would do for you. I'm going to wait until you state your name. Once you state your name, I'll start the timer for you, and I'm going to give you two minutes, which in Highland Park is two minutes and 30 seconds, um, typically. And I would try not to interrupt you if I can, but if you see me waving a little bit, I'm trying to trying to get you off the ledge. Okay, so go ahead, man, would you please?
My name is Doris Mitchell. I'm the administrative assistant for Greater Philadelphia, tabernacle, 74 Kendall, Highland Park, Michigan, I'm coming before you. Good evening, everybody. We would like to change the position on purchasing three lots to just purchasing one lot, 69 Kendall, that's all. Thank you. Okay. You
house. My name is Pastor Patrick Franklin. I'm the pastor of healing spring Baptist Church. I'm here tonight regarding the property located at 12, 535 Hamilton, request and proposal to purchase this property fence as a parking lot, just the third meeting that I've attended and requesting approval from this council to purchase this adjacent property. In the past 15 years, we've helped to maintain this property by keeping it, the lawn mowed and keeping the property on multiple occasions, and I watched other ministries get approvals for the same purchase request that I'm making tonight, and we were tabled to the night. I provided details of the plan, what we plan to do with the property, which is defense it and to pave it as additional parking. We want to purchase this additional parking due to a growing accommodative, growing congregation and bike lanes, as you know, was added on the Hamilton it kind of took away some of the street parking that we have become accustomed to. And you know, as you know, our church has been in this community over 65 years. We're vested interest. We're here. We've been here for years.
We're pillar in this community, since this 1960s
we're voting precinct for the city of Highland Park. You know, we, we're we ensure that our properties are properly maintained. You know, we're not a nuisance. We just humbly come before this Council today requesting approval for the purchase of a commercial lot at 12, 535 Hamilton. Thank you very much. Thank you, sir.
Okay, seeing no other bodies moving towards the podium, we're going to go right into our regular meeting up. This is an agenda item, I believe. So yes, ma'am. What
good evening everybody. Happy Monday. My name is famika Roberts, and I'm the Vice President of this Highland Park School district, school board out here. And I would like to say Hello, good evening to everyone. Thank you for being here. Thank you for allowing us to come here. I don't know the pastor there, and please forgive me, but I hope that you all would definitely consider that you know in support of him getting those lots, especially if he's going to pave it, beautify it, you know, because his congregation is growing, you know, I'm up here. In addition to that, Madam Mayor made a statement about going to her conference and bringing back how we all share the commonality of the the housing, you know, shortage and everything, and how we need to come together and think of ways to to bring that here. I'm in support of that as well with the school district. And I know there's a few of us here this evening that is in support of growing this educational system out here, which means more families and everything. And so I just want to say that I would appreciate, would appreciate that I wasn't even here for that. I just wanted to introduce myself and let everybody know who I was and how I'm interested in becoming more active out here. I'm also part of the CDAC for District Two, precinct four, so y'all will be seeing me if you're in that district. So, ma'am, I gotta,
so I gotta stop you, because it was supposed to be agenda item. Oh,
I thought it was because he it was you did. You did reference the church. Okay, so, and then the family stepping that's it. Thank you so much. But
I want you to know that if you wanted to come back and you wanted to share additionally, at the end of our agenda, yes, after, before, council affairs and citizens participation, anything else that you wanted to share with us, you come back up and get two minutes. Thank
you. But that was it. I appreciate it. Thank you so much.
We we want to try and keep it we don't have a parliamentarian. That was my first order of business as city council president. It was voted down. I'm very familiar with the parliamentary process, which is why I thought it was extremely important to make sure that we had a parliamentarian it was voted down. So now I have to function as council president and parliamentarian at the same time, which sometimes can be a little bit cumbersome. So if I don't, now that I don't see anyone else coming to the podium, we'll go ahead and move it to our agenda. Madam, Miss Manica,
I moved to go into closed session.
So moving on to Item four for closed section. We have a motion on the floor from Councilwoman Manica to move into closed section. I will. Miss Martin has seconded that motion. Questions, concerns dissent, or we just call for the vote. Madam, Deputy Clerk, would you please call for the role on Item four to go into closed session? So what let me just read the closed session is to discuss the settlement strategy regarding the Woodward Manchester company, LLC and the Woodward Highland Park LLC, versus the city of Highland Park as this relates to unpaid water usage. So go ahead and call the roll on that you would.
Councilman and Shafi yes to go into closed session. Councilwoman Martin Yes, Councilwoman Manica Yes. Council proton Robinson Yes. Council President Thomas Yes. Motion
carries at 720 we will adjourn and go into Closed Session.
Ladies Gentlemen, we Will be back Shortly, Good.
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It is 750 and the Chair will entertain a motion to reconvene the regular scheduled meeting for tonight, Monday, April
21 motion to reconvene.
Okay, motion made by Councilman El shapi, seconded by Councilwoman Manica, roll call vote all those in favor. Aye. Meeting is reconvene at 7:51pm, moving on to item six is tabled items. We're starting with item a a resolution to sell the vacant commercial lot at 12535, Hamilton Avenue. This item has been tabled. I would entertain a motion to bring the item back from the table. I moved to bring
sorry, give me a chance to read it. I moved to bring back the resolution to sell the vacant commercial by at 12535, Hamilton Avenue to the commercial property owner of 12647,
Hamilton Avenue second,
we have a motion to bring the tabled item back resolution to so the vacant commercial line at 12535, Hamilton Avenue to the commercial property owner at 12647, Hamilton Avenue back off the table, made by Councilwoman Manica, seconded by Councilwoman Martin, questions, concerns. Dissenters.
Yes, ma'am,
we like to bring the CD director to the to the podium, please, if that's possible.
Yes, ma'am, but we so we had this motion on the floor.
Okay, well, that's our question. Our questions are to the CED director.
Okay, and then so thank you for that. And after, as a matter of procedure, yes, ma'am, as a matter of procedure, moving forward members of council every time there is an issue related to property sales, I'm going to defer to the CD director so that he can give us a proper framework of what's actually taking place. And this may alleviate some of those questions, concerns or frustrations related to property sales. Director Clyburn, if you would, the floor is yours.
Good evening, Council of Residents, um, thank you for the time. We're Wait a minute. Hold
on, hold on, hold on we need to vote to take it off the table, and then we can discuss it openly. We just we have taken a roll call. Oh, so would you call the roll please? On taking the Remove, bring the item back from the table. Councilman
Shafi Yes, to bring back from the table. Councilwoman Martin Yes. Councilwoman Manica Yes. Council proton Robinson Yes. Council President Thomas yes.
Now the measure is up for a motion for approval. So can we also have, if there are members who would like to make a motion for the approval of this item? If we have that motion right now and then, we can turn it over to Director Clyne to address,
make a motion for what so now, now we need to give a motion to make a motion for the approval of the resolution to sell the vacant commercial lot at 12535, Hamilton avenue to a commercial property owner of 12647, Hamilton Avenue, healing springs, missionary, Baptist Church support.
Chair, offer support. The motion is back on the floor. This is the resolution to sell to vacant commercial light at 12535, Hamilton, Director Clyburn, the floor is yours, alright?
So this motion has been before the council. It was table and springs has been interested in this for some time now. So CD department feel like we should move forward with it in your packet, established as a resolution. And the resolution references the ordinance which convene, which governs property sales, vacant lots, and from the resolution and the ordinance healing spring check, all the boxes also in the packet is the application which was signed off by The Water Department, treasurer, legal department in the CED department, which says that there is no code enforcement violations and they don't owe any deafness to the city. So that's all signed on, off, on, also on the packet is a offer to purchase agreement, which is directly from the ordinance, which outlines everything that the property owner must do by ordinance and assigned and dated by the representative for mill and springs.
Also in the packet is
a developer plan, a notarized development plan, which talks about exactly what the purchaser is looking to do with the property. So it is signed and notarized. Also in the packet is a paid receipt for the application, driver's license. Also, what I've included is actually a diagram of the properties and what what it looks like. So they own, 126712647, and 12601, across the street, but adjacent is 12535, which they are asking for parking, additional parking and green space. One of the reasons why we found this to be fine, I know some issues about parking lots on Hamilton, but we are in the process of planning. And we're looking at a commercial, a commercial entertainment district on Hamilton, more more so north than we got industrial. And there's some other plans. So we are planning it out. So we're not looking at parking lots up and down Hamilton, this area here, if you know, two doors down, it's a so it's that vacant lot, another vacant lot than the Met clinic. So you got the Met clinic, you got the church, and across the street there's the funeral home. Some days, parking is very tough. You know, the Met clinic alone parks up and down the streets. The church has been requesting additional parking for some time. So we feel like we can move forward with this. The next sheet just shows the property area that's without highlighted so you see the exact property borders. The real estate summary shows what the what the what Hitler spring owns. We have the domestic nonprofit corporation articles of incorporation and pictures of what Hillary Springs is looking to do. So I'll entertain questions.
Um, Miss Monica, if you would. So
here's the questions that seem to be on the table for city council. Mm, hmm, and that one is, you're absolutely right. We're concerned with parking on Hamilton being a commercial area, and that we are trying to bring that type of business into the city to generate revenue. I'm asking CD, was there any other options for parking, maybe going down the street versus on Hamilton. Did we own any property going down the street next to the church? Mm, hmm, that could have been sold to them versus being on Hamilton. That's the first question.
So we did look at that, and we look at that may be more suited for residential bill because they are vacant lots, so we look in the building and bring in housing. I say talking about Leslie and Sturtevant, right? Both of those streets are ripe for residential. So that was, and you say, into consideration. So in planning Hamilton and our different target areas that that fits more of the
plan. Mister, shocking, I saw your hand first. Miss, madam, pro tem, I saw you as well.
Okay, is it on me? Council President, yep. Alright, ahead, okay, um, the land behind the church across the alley. What was that land
you can so, from the diagram, so tell me what you're talking about. Okay,
so there's land that I parked on across the alley of the church where we had a town hall meeting there not too long ago on the side. Mm hmm. Okay, not on Hamilton. On the other side of the church. Alley running down, and it's laying on that side. Is it on Hamilton? No, no, on the other side of the church. So if you're facing the church,
are you talking about upstart events? Are you talking about Nestle?
Okay, so there's a alley running
right behind
they're laying on the other side of the alley. Who owns
that? I can take a look and let you know. Okay, okay, see
my concern.
My concern again, is parking lots. Where does it end? I mean, what revenue are we going to generate from a parking lot on Apple?
That's a question. Nope. Okay, one word for you. How
is that going to help us? Okay, I got no problem with helping people get lane for parking, but everybody who's accessed for land for parking, they were off a beating path, off to the side, out of the way, not in the way of of development. And then you're selling this land of for less than market value. This is less than market value for this particular piece of land,
fair market value by the assessor. The assessor assess this property. Okay,
so, okay. So when I talk to Doug Shaw, he tells me he's not an appraiser, he's an assessor, and that's true. Okay, so why wasn't the Property Appraised?
Because by ordinance, we the ordinance and the charter says we sell for fair market value. That's why I wasn't appraised. Plus, there's no money in the budget for appraisals. So,
so that's fair market value. So we look at other comps in the area.
That's that's not fair market value. You you talking again, appraisals. We talking about a municipal corporation where it serves better to be on the tax roll out of our inventory. I get that. Okay, so, so we're not, we're not go ahead. Okay, so we're not comparing appraisals and comps, because that's a whole different market. That's a private corporation versus Municipal Corporation. You
made the statement. You said it's better than having off our off our roads. If I go to tax rolls, right, this is a non profit.
There's no tax Yeah. And if you look at the if you look at the resolution, it states that there's no tax exemption on this slide. There's no tax
exemption on correct okay, so okay, then how about this? I'm willing. I'm willing to say yes. If I could get and and don't tell me that it can't be done, because we do it all the time, if I can get a form of a deed restriction, I'll be more than willing to vote yes. I don't want this soul. And then turned into something else later on down the line, okay? Everybody says, are they going to do this and do that? And then they do something else, okay? And then his application says, mix use. What is mixed use? That
was so they were first interested in two properties. So this one is for parking, if you continue to build and with the next lot, that would have been mixed use, but we took that off the table because we're just going to focus on this. And then when we come with the development plan, as far as what we're looking to do, up stern event and up Leslie, then we'll revisit what happens a plan to develop something. There's not a plan. There's been conversation, not with just, not with just healing springs, but as a whole, as a department, as a planning department.
I'm not being difficult. I'm just, I'm uncomfortable with a lot on Hamilton. I'm sorry.
Where does it end? It's just going to keep going.
Okay, madam, thank you, sir, madam, pro tem, did you have something that you have something that you wanted to add to this
context? So just Just one quick second, please. I just want to because he did sign a statement saying that intended use compliance. He did sign off on that, saying that it would be used for the intended use, which is the parking lot. Okay, so there should be no problem over the deed restriction. That's a if, yeah, that's, I would have to refer to the legal department. Yeah, that that's,
that's one of those things that you can't so
if he said he would keep his word to use in the property for what he wants to do, it to be used for, then what would be the problem with the Detroit? Yeah, no, that's
something pro town.
Doug Shaw, the assessor. He has a formula. He came before a council. We brought him before Council. He did explain this process. Yeah, okay. Comps, right. No, we don't know. No, no, no, that's no appraisals. This is fair market value. It's you have something
that you wanted to add? I have a comment that I'd like to make too, as we go through this. Did you have something you want to add? Miss man I
do. So here is here's another big problem, an issue. It's not that city council doesn't want to see us move forward, or see people get property or be it or develop. The issue comes in when things have not been really discussed. So maybe this is a situation that in a workshop the mayor CED City Council and the bishop, Bishop right would be able to sit down and have a conversation on how we can really purpose that whole area, considering The fact of when she came back earlier discussing housing, which is something that I've been saying for months or months or months, and now in this situation, it comes back again that okay. Now when we mentioned the other parcels, oh, man, we'll put housing there, but there's never been a clear understanding of discussion. So what happens is that we look like the bad people, and that's not really where it's at. We're not it, but the oppression has been given that city council doesn't want this to happen, and I don't. I don't have a problem with a lot of things. What I do have a problem is play on words. And so when I say that, I mean, I know that people hear what we say so then they come back to us and they repeat or they change it or they put it, and I say not happen here, but I'm saying that if we could have a discussion. First, about it, and that way too, we can assure that things like this, don't. t happen. So again, that's where a workshop.
person. Now let you go see you. Miss Martin, so Miss, are you finished
for right now? Yes, okay, so let me go ahead and jump in too, because I'm a dissenting point of view to my to my esteemed members of the Highland Park City Council, we are picking curtains, and we haven't even purchased windows. We are as a group, we are stagnating the process of growth in the city by splitting hairs on the early adopters. These are the people that are investing in the city when there's no other money. Here, we're having a discussion about real estate and what would prompt somebody to come to the city of Highland Park, our dysfunction when it comes to dispersing small lots to organizations like this church that is a long time custodian of goodwill in this city. They are a voting precinct, and here we are. We're splitting hairs with these people. They have been there for a very, very long time. I'm going to pick up at the street something that I want you to see. This is Hamilton Avenue. Now I'm born and raised in the city of Detroit. I go down liver noise on a regular basis. And to those of you who do not remember liver noise, okay, you don't remember living away, living or used to be an easy to navigate Street. If you use Woodward Avenue in Ferndale, or you use Woodward Avenue in Royal Oak, those those businesses that are on that street, that main thoroughfare, on Main Street, they all need. They must have parking lots if you're talking about a few, if you're talking about a real future, and not something that we're imagining in our own machinations these Hold on a second. No, no, I'm saying, and that's not being disparaging. I'm just saying we're imagining a different outcome than what is actually going to come in a perfect world where funds came to Highland Park, all of those businesses on Hamilton Avenue, this is from land grid. They all need parking. Because if we had a smart bus running down Hamilton. If we have four lanes of traffic running down Hamilton, that means everybody, the funeral home, the gas station, the barber shop, the liquor store, they're not going to have places to park right now. We have a lane and a half with a bike lane. We have a lane and a half with a bike lane and no businesses. Think about that. We have a lane and a half with a bike lane with no businesses and their accidents on Hamilton. Every other week, there's a fender bender. There's a lane and a half. It's a dead Street from six mile all the way down to to basically to calver, and there are no businesses. Imagine where the traffic is magnified times two, times four times 10, like it used to be when I was a busy street where splitting hairs, we should be aggressively trying to make sure that the businesses that are there, including the nonprofits that are there, have adequate parking so that they can remain when they tore linoy up, a dozen people, a dozen businesses went under because there was no place for their people to park. They didn't have the luxury like they have in Woodward Avenue of parking behind Woodward Avenue. We're talking about this. This church is a member of the community, and every Sunday, just Easter Sunday, if you didn't drive up and you didn't see what it was like over there on Easter Sunday, just with people coming home for Easter services. Imagine a wedding.
Imagine a home going to somebody with more than three friends.
All I'm saying is that as we discuss, as we discuss these, this is a this is another one. And I'm not picking on anybody. I'm just saying I want us, the five of us who are making these decisions. We are making decisions ourself and nine under nine other people. That's the way I make a decision. Every time I vote, what would I say versus nine other people sitting on my front porch when it comes to the disposition of a piece of property, after three times coming here, after five or six months, after several years of trying to get a parking lot, I'm showing you on the screen there's a parking lot in the front. They're trying to get a parking lot in the back, just being on the zoning board, I'm telling you. They don't have enough parking.
They don't have enough parking.
And so these residential lots that are owned by the city of Highland
Park. Miss Manica, you have made a point that I stand by if you have a buildable lot, and Mister Clyburn is on your side. If you have a buildable lot, it has to be discussed as a buildable lot west of Hamilton is the most blighted area in the entire city. Say that north of the city. So that means we're there. Everybody is bending to us, and yet we're still threading them through a smaller and smaller needle and members of city council, we are asking people to do things that we cannot do. We are asking people we got three homeowners, we got people with we're asking them to do things we can't do. If I went and bought a lot I couldn't pay $7,000 on a privacy fence. Okay, point of information, yes, ma'am, I
don't think this is just my comment like everybody else's,
but now I'm going to respond, because nobody else knows how long they've been here. Yes, ma'am, okay, nobody else knows that. But the question here stands, what's good for the city as a whole, as a whole? Nobody said no to the parking lot just yet, but you kept talking about the business, mister Thomas, and we're not talking about business. We're
talking about well, they work for
God. I mean, they kind of are their bosses. Their bosses,
the state, the state treasurer did give us some money right to bring in a planning firm, and we have seen putting a plan together to bring before cost, which includes our housing, yeah, which, which includes what it looks like for housing. We're doing a housing readiness study. So a lot of work being done to prepare for that, to prepare for what it looks like, the type of houses where to build, houses where the businesses need to go. So all of that is being knocked out, and all of that being taken into consideration. Also we still operate under the master plan. Yes, we're looking to do some updates to bring before Council. But all these things are taking place. So all the studies, everything taking place when it's time to come before Council, community, for the community engagement piece, all of those things will be discussed. But right now we have a few things on the desk that I'm bringing before you that's not going to disrupt any other plans for the housing, for the businesses, for innovation districts, for all these different things that the city of Highland Park can grow into. So it's not just being aimlessly like, Imma get this person. Imma get this person. Imma give this person a lot. All of these things are strategic. That's why they come in. Now everybody gotta make an appointment to even talk about buying property, because we're not taking people's money and we're not going to bring it before council. So before when somebody come in pay for application, I know that's a target development area where I know we're not really selling one off there, then I'm not going to take their money or their application, because we are putting together a plan. So it's not, it is everything is being done with the plan,
yeah. And so I just thank you for responding. I want, I wanted to be clear. Yes, madam, I just wanted to be clear. I was offering context. Yes, ma'am, yes, ma'am. I was just offering context because I think it's important as we discuss it, not just for this item, but for other items moving forward, to make sure that we have the appropriate context around our discussion as we deliberate. Madam, pro tem, thank you for your patience. If you will. Go ahead and then after office
of purchase paper, and it says project name, healing springs, NBC, parking lot. Project location, 12521, Hamilton Avenue and 12535, Hamilton and down here it says number of units, one each, mixed use development cost.
So previously, yeah, it was for two lots. Now it's just for one,
which was the parking lot, and the application should have been fixed,
the application and resolution matches, because okay.
And then to just for development. This is the zoning map. And so our UV urban village residential is where that falls. So anything that falls in this area on the map would come in as mixed use development. That's just the way the nomenclature for it. So if you look on the screen right now, you'll see the zoning map for the city. I've highlighted the area in question. That tan section that you see is where the church would be. Anything in that area will be mixed use, urban development. The red that you see would be mixed is be urban village, mixed use. So that is where the church is. So there are two. There are two urban village designations that are but right up to each other, r, u v urban village, residential and m u v urban village, mixed use. That is the nomenclature for the area. I will go back and put it up on the screen for the people at home that area that's highlighted in red, all the way up and down. All of Hamilton, that this entire area is, is designated the same in the master plan, Hamilton, all the way up six mile all the way down. With the exception of the Ashley capital site, which is industrial, the entire stretch of Hamilton Avenue will have the same designation, M, u, v, urban village, mixed use. So all projects in that area will use that nomenclature. It doesn't mean anything other than that. Is the way that the master plan defines projects in that area. So Miss Martin, you have so
I want to take out a few questions for you. Claiborne,
so
is it can't, can we make money? Can the city make money off of parking lots?
Taxes? Okay, and it relieves us from that water deal. Okay,
okay, so I'm just gonna say one of my biggest concerns is I don't want Hamilton to look like a bunch of parking lots. I would say that would be my only concern, because that's what it looks like. That's what's going on right now. You say
that's
what it looks like, that's going on. This was one like, what other parking lots
like? There's lots and there's like parking lots, like Hamilton is real empty, right, right?
That's what I'm saying, right? So, no, like, I said, so right,
I got you. You said, McKenna, you guys are making plans, yeah, yeah, I got that. I'm just saying that's just my only concern. I'm not saying it's gonna stay like that, right? Okay, that's it. Okay. And then you answered that question. Other than that. I don't have any other questions. I do have questions for Pastor Franklin, can he? Can you come up to the podium real quick? Okay, so my first question is one, how would how many members would you say you have? Currently
we have, I would say about 500 500
How many can healing springs hold altogether?
How many capacity correct the capacity? About 600
600 Oh, you're 100 away from that. Okay, nice.
What is lighting like over there,
lighting, lighting this. We light up our building from our parking lot that has along the building, the alley all along the perimeters of the building is lit up, okay, but you know, as you know, there's no street lights that's in
in that parking lot area, there's no street lights. No we have,
we have ample lighting in our live, okay, yeah, two poles that give off plenty of light, okay,
alright. And what are your hours?
Nine to five, only on Sunday. No, every day. Oh, every day. Okay. Except Saturday, except Saturday.
Okay, and you answered that question. How many of your members are here right now? Want them to stand up? Yeah, go ahead. Well,
hallelujah. Okay.
Nice, nice, nice. Or thank you for that. Keep
your head in the hallway. And you said, Did
you say there's some in the hallway too? Yeah, oh, that's okay. They can stay there. I got the just of it from in here. Thank you. And then that space you you get that, that the one lot that you're asking for, my question is, my last question is, what kind of activities does the church do you do that you would change? You know, use the parking lot a little different other just parking
Well, we're, we're doing
community events, carnivals for kids during certain times a year we're doing Back to School activities, you
know? We we've hosted
city health health fairs and things of that nature. And so we're always doing something that we don't have ample space. Because when we use the lot for the outdoor activities, now, the people don't have right, right, right? And so it just, it's just on a given Sunday, if you ride by there, our lot is full. The street on both sides is for, you know, the alley. I mean, we just capacitated and we wouldn't be coming before this council asking for something that we didn't have the need for, right? I got that, and our congregation is growing, and I'm just trying to accommodate. I mean, the needs of the growing congregation. Are
there any houses along stern I don't remember that map that you showed me
serving. Is very sparsely populated at the moment. It is very scarcely, very sparsely, very few, very few, very few.
Okay, so right now, you guys are parking along Hamilton, I'm assuming servant, right? You said across the street, both sides of the street, and that's about 500 members of everybody show up on a great day. Okay, alright,
I have no more questions. Okay, so I'm going, I'm going to pull this up for Miss man and she and I'm going to, then I'm going to call for the vote on this item, because we have deliberated for quite some time on it, Miss man, to hear the images that you were asked. Start event is Leslie is nearly there's no population. And then we have one resident down here on the end of start event. So this area is ripe for development. The entire block is right for development. And I would encourage, well, let me point out the church. This is the Church here, and that's the this is the church this current parking lot, and this is the proposed parking lot right here. So again,
did you tell me what was the other option? And then the other question was, you said that we would make money on the taxes, right, correct. So what is the average amount a year a tax that will come from having a parking lot? Matter it is, but what's the average amount?
Yeah, it's a measurement. It's a measurement the county will
that would see the amount of taxes he had a mixed use with parking building and
be the same. There's a vacant lot right behind this. No, no. If you, if I'm making it, if I make an improvement on my property, it'll, it'll, they'll have to come out, and they'll have to reassess it, and then they'll increase it by a percentage. It cannot be more than 5% annually.
I'm just throwing those questions out because at the same time, that would actually be very beneficial to the church, actually, when they use the word mixed use, even if the area is mixed use, that wasn't what the purpose is in the paper
form, mixed use was useful. So I mean,
it wasn't describing the area. When we use the word mixed use and and what I'm doing is I'm trying to clear up some things here, but also the church was actually benefit from having all three of those things versus just having a parking lot. And so would we, because it's going to be more taxes on that, then it will be on just a parking lot I
wanted to have, I promoted, we might,
as you have Park I mean, Facebook, because Hamilton needs to look different. And what Miss Martin was speaking of was all the things that everybody that said yes to and how they're maybe you shaking your head no, but I don't think anybody here don't want to give them that spot. I really don't. I just think that if we look at things strategically, you want to park on you on, put a street in between their parking and we can just open up their parking space and probably even give them a lot on both sides, on both streets. I see what I'm saying. And now they have a whole square. They don't have a square, a square, and then a street, then a square. They have a hole that they can if they choose to fix it in. That is all of theirs. Then they have it. It's just, to me, more strategic, so I don't know where we are, and everybody can't see what I'm saying. I see the faces in the audience, but right next to the church,
there's a park, there's a lot.
You can't, we can't based on zoning, you can't vacate the alleys. You can't the alleys cannot be vacated. We vacated houses before. So, so. So this is on on hammer on Hamilton Avenue. You have to be able to get a garbage truck back through here and a fire truck. You have to be able to get a garbage truck and a fire truck through here based on zone, yes, ma'am, you have to off Hamilton Avenue, off Hamilton Avenue,
park a lot where we are requesting
and build housing up.
Can you get into the church from there
on the that side?
Yeah. And then we're looking at leveling
starting for residential housing. So also, also, when we first talked about the two lots we talked about, I asked, What would the priority be? He said, park a lot. And then later down the line, we could discuss what we want to look what it want to look like upstart event with the Navy mixtures on Hamilton and some other places on Hamilton, okay? And residential, civil family homes, maybe mixtures, all those things are being
planned out and
looked at point of order. We've been on Item six A for over 30 minutes. I'm going to go ahead and call the roll right. The
roll. I'll just go ahead and call the roll if, if we're going to give it to him, we we are. If we're not, we're not. I'm ready. Okay, so for Item six A, this is a resolution to sell to vacant commercial lot at 12535, Hamilton Avenue to the commercial property owner at 12647, Hamilton Avenue, healing springs, missionary, Baptist Church, a Michigan Nonprofit. We have a motion on the floor made by Councilwoman Martin, supported by the chair. Would you go ahead and call the roll on item six? A Councilman
a Shafi No. Councilwoman Martin Yes. Councilwoman Manica.
Council, Robinson
Council, President Thomas, yes motion carried
sand. To do
Spanish. Imma turn the floor because you did that grit, grit in your teeth. So Imma make sure I leave some time for you before
we move on to the next one. Yes, ma'am. Imma say
this right now. Please
listen if paperwork doesn't come
to this table, correct, it's not going to be, at
least for me, because this is going to consistent thing. And so all the questions that are other council asking, or the things that they're saying, if we just do it right and and redo it, it wouldn't be nothing to just redo it and take off that, you know what I mean. And so here, here, I just think that we cannot continue in this matter, because right now it says two, but we understand it's only one.
Application says one, the resolution says one the application says
they're looking at something. I don't know what they're looking at,
and she ready to Okay, so the best thing to do is to make the paperwork right, and then you won't have a 30 minute conversation. Carl, do that. Okay.
Okay. Moving on to item 6b this is a tabled item. It was tabled a resolution to sell three vacant residential lots at 69 Kendall Street, 73 Kendall Street, 79 Kendall Street, to the property owner at 66 Kendall Street, 74 and 77 Kendall street. That's the Greater Philadelphia, tabernacle Church of Michigan, nonprofit City Council. What is your pleasure on this tabled item? We moved to
approve. You have to remove
it. I bring it back from the table first. Oh, I'm sorry. We moved
to we bring back on the table. Re faith in registering for rocks at 69 Kendall Street, 73 Kendall Street and 79 Kendall street to the property owners of 74 Kendall Street, 66 Kendall Street, 77 Kendall Street and 14027, Lincoln, great Philadelphia, tabernacle church in Michigan, nonprofit corporation.
So we have, we have a motion on the floor made by Councilman Manica second by Councilwoman Martin, uh, Matt, approach him. I can get you on the next one here. But this is to bring the item back from the table, questions, concerns, dissent. Otherwise, we'll take a roll call vote and get it off. Get it back on the table.
Yeah, yeah. I got a question. Yes, ma'am, um, we're only voting on 66 Kendall street right now. We're voting just to take it off the table. No, no, I know. Yeah, we gonna take I got that. Yeah, we
gonna take it off table. Then you can make a motion to amend.
Okay, I want to make a motion to amend. Hold on
a second. Hold on a second. We got a motion to take it off the table. You provided a second. Would you call the roll on? Yeah? Would you call a roll on, bringing back the table? Item, Item 6b the resolution to sell three, three vacant residential lots on Kendall Street.
Councilman Chaffee, yes. Councilwoman Martin, you have to take it off the table. Councilwoman Manica, yes. Council proton Robinson, yes. Council President Thomas,
yes, the item is off the table now City Council now the chair will be willing to entertain I
would like to make a motion to amend the resolution to sell the three vacant residential lots at 69 Kendall Street, 73 Kendall Street, 79 Kendall Street, to the property owners of 74 Kendall Street, the 66 Kendall Street, 77 Kendall Street and 14027, Lincoln, greater Fidel, Philadelphia, tabernacle church. So
let me help you with that, because you, what you're saying is you want to make a motion to approve the sale of the vacant lots, but you want to amend this resolution. Am I correct? Right?
Wasn't it said that only Yes, ma'am, voting on 66 Kendall street. So I want to make sure. So Don't we have to make an amendment. So
there's a motion on the floor to approve the resolution to sell vacant residential lots to the property owner at 6674 and 77 Kendall and so and the Chair will offer support and know that modification will be, ma'am, if you would spell it out for just 69 Kendall,
right. Okay. So the motion of the floor
is a resolution to sell the banking residential lot at 69 Kindle to the property owners of 6674 and 77 Kindle. That motion was made by council Councilwoman Martin, and it was supported by the chair. Questions, concern or descend, can we take a roll call and get a vote on hearing none Go ahead, Madam Deputy Clerk, would you please call the roll on the resolution to sell the vacant residential lot of 69 Kendall to the property owners at 6674 and 77 Kindle Councilman
Shafi,
I will say yes.
Councilwoman Martin, yes to amend.
Yes to approve the sale. To amend. So
I thought we were making a motion on the amend amendment.
That motion was that, if I was I wrong that you were making a motion to approve the sale or just to amend it, because by making a motion to amend it, so by the only way we do that, so right now it says we approve the agenda. So you can make a motion to approve the resolution of the sale of one lot in your motion, you made that clear you wanted to amend it only to include one property Correct? Yes. So right now we're approving that motion just for 69 Kendall, okay, so I'll be your vote again. I said yes, okay. Thank you very much.
Councilwoman Manica, yes. Council proton Robinson, yes. Council President Thomas Yes. Motion carries,
okay,
so that is taken care of, and just as we are on these tabled items in CD, I concur with Councilwoman Manica. A lot of the frustrations that we experience up here is the fact that we are held to the highest standard. They're putting our names on these resolutions. If it is wrong, the burden of responsibility is on us. So I understand her concern, because it'll go on the record the resolution is how Council speaks. So if the resolution is not correct, if the information that's in front of us is not correct, it's incumbent upon us, as members of city council, to ensure that that is correct, and I want to make it clear, my desire to look out for the people who have been keeping the city alive is not superseded by the by desire to cut corners. So Miss Manica is absolutely 1,000% correct, and her demand that the documents that come before us be complete, be accurate and be correct, because it's our names that are on those documents moving forward. So I completely okay. Alright. So moving on to item seven of the administration. This is the resolution to accept the donations of water that were given to the city of Highland Park, for the people in the audience who don't know, we cannot accept any kind of donations without the approval of city council. And during the water crisis, if you will, there were a lot of people that came forward that gave us pallets of water, and some people grandmama, just came down here with two or three gallons of water, and we can't accept it unless we get approval for so the resolution says, whereas on March 29 2025 the city experiences second low water pressure, resulting in the need for a boil water alert. And whereas the Mayor of the City of Highland Park asked citizens and local businesses to make bottled water donations during the boiler water emergency, which was also issued on March 29 2025 and whereas, according to section 24604, of the city of Highland Park ordinance, mayors may exercise this emergency power and authority specified in this section whenever a situation requires or is likely to require that the mayor invoke such power and authority he or she shall as soon as reasonably expedient, convene city council to perform its legislative and administrative duties as a situation demands, and shall report to that body relative to emergency activities. And whereas multiple citizens and business respond to the request of the mayor with sizable donations of drinking water to our community, in which we are grateful now, therefore, be it resolved that the city of Highland Park City Council accepts the donations from the following donors attached to this resolution and a letter of Thank you will be sent out from the city of Highland Park. And those donators are Aldi, the Pepsi Corporation, Glory supermarket, Thomas Hardiman, Mike Curtis, Troy, towing Caron Wilkerson, senior, Trevor Gordon of The or the order of Eastern stars, greater, Saint Matthews, missionary, Baptist Church to order the Eastern Star. Youth, paternity, East Lake, wine and spirit company and Carolyn Walker, those are the people who made donations to us.
Yes, ma'am. I'm sorry.
I'm sorry. So that is the resolution that is before us right now, city council. What is your pleasure on item seven, the resolution to accept,
I move to approve, the resolution for acceptance of donations of water.
Motion was made by Councilman Manica. The chair will offer support, questions, concerns. Otherwise, we'll take a roll call vote. Madam Deputy Clerk, would you please call the roll on item seven?
Councilman Shafi Yes. Councilwoman Martin Yes. Councilwoman Manica Yes. Council proton Robinson Yes. Council President Thomas
Yes. Motion carries. Thank you very much. Okay, so moving on to the last item on our agenda. Under legal there are three things here. That's a resolution to retain Jacob Dahmer, PC, in the matter of the Woodward Manchester LLC versus the city of Highland Park City Council. What is your pleasure? Motion to approve, we have a motion on the floor from Councilman el Shafi. Second was made by Miss Manica. Miss Manica, would you call the roll on item eight, please under legal? Aa, yes. Ma'am, go ahead. I'm sorry.
Legal, are you allowed to explain what this is to the audience, or
I wouldn't want to go into it in any detail in an open session,
so if you would call the roll on item eight under legal
Councilman Shafi Yes, Councilwoman Martin Yes. Councilwoman Manica Yes. Council proton Robinson, Council President Thomas Yes.
Motion carries moving on to Item 8b this is the budget public hearing scheduled for May 5. So we need to, I would entertain a motion to hold a public hearing for the budget. So moved, we have a motion made by Councilman Manica to hold a public hearing for the budget scheduled for May 5, 2025 that motion was made by Councilman Manica, seconded by Councilman el Shafi. Would you call the roll on item? AB, question, I'm sorry, question. Miss madam proton, go ahead. Seven, the public hearing is during the meeting, regular seven, at 7pm what Day on May 5, on the fifth Monday,
did you call the roll now? Ma'am,
Councilman Shafi Yes, Councilwoman Martin Yes, Councilwoman Manica Yes. Council proton Robinson, Council President Thomas
Yes. Motion carries 7pm right. 7pm during the regular schedule, meeting up under item 8c this is a chair we entertain a motion to hold a public hearing on the water prices, the water rates. So moved. So we have a motion made by Councilman El shapi to hold a public hearing on May 5, 2025, for the water rates from the water department. The chair will offer support. It will also be held at 7pm if you we have questions, concerns, descent, otherwise, we'll take a roll call vote. Madam Deputy Clerk, would you please go ahead for a roll call vote on item? HC, Councilman
Shafi Yes. Councilwoman Martin Yes. Councilwoman Manica Yes. Council program Robinson, Council President Thomas Yes.
Motion carries, ladies and gentlemen, it is 841, we have covered our normal agenda. We are going to go into a session of citizens participation, and we will have Council affairs today. I will ask this is me leaning on the audience. Our meetings are so much more productive when those chairs are filled. There is something about an audience that makes this process that much better. It is very difficult to explain to people at home what happens in city council unless they're there. So I would just like to thank all the people who are here now, I would please, I would beg you, to stay to the end of council affairs our colleagues here, that's the only opportunity where they have a chance to discuss things that they're choosing. As long as we're not running for office, we can discuss whatever we want. And so I will open, I'm going to set my clock here for two minutes, which is Highland Park. It's two minutes and 30 seconds, and I will turn the floor over to this young lady. And once you give us your name, we'll go ahead and start the clock. Good
evening. My name is Renee Ford to the council and the audience, uh, my concern is
it's directed to Christian.
I was very appalled at the last TV interview you did concerning our police department. You're representing my district, which is district three, and when you have a personal feeling about the police department, I feel personally, it should not have been made public. That's my concern. Also, when you do something like that, it makes the whole city look bad, not just you or what they did to you. It makes people on the outside feel that our police department is very incompetent. And I am here to stand to say that they have been doing a wonderful job, and I would like to thank him also. I would like to say congratulations to I'm finally getting the lot. We appreciate it. But I would also like to see some of you guys come to war of the city council meeting, those that live in my apartment, because I'm here every council meeting, you are and I'm I'm not representing myself. I'm representing your church. I'm representing everybody. Because I feel as what Christy did was very impolite and very rude, and I think he needs to apologize and step down.
Okay, ma'am. Thank you very much. How are you, sir? Come on forward.
Good evening to the 16 City Council President Thomas President Pro Tem Robertson, to the citizens of Highland Park. I am Robert Douglas laws, Junior, 213 East Grand. I am excited about the fact that the May 5 meeting is going to be public pertaining to the budget. I am asking that the best practices are put forth so that eternal controls, policy procedures, that the transparency and the accountability of the budget be put forth that we as citizens can see every item, every line item, where the money is going for this city and the administration. So I would like to see the the mayor's pay rate. I would like to see they're assisting every individual who holds a position in this city. We need to know what they're making and where the money is going. Every dime needs to be accounted for. I believe that we deserve transparency, and I don't want to take up too much more of your time. But I do want to also say, now that I'm back in the city, the water rates are just Yeah. It is a heart it is hard to see how people can go forward in this city. And so we thank God for long time, residents, and we thank God for long times entities as healing springs, because even though I'm not a current member, I am a son of Highland healing springs in the city of Highland Park that pastor's father launched my ministry. And so we're thankful for this esteemed Council going forth and releasing the lab. Thank you so much for your time.
Good evening, ma'am. I'll start your time once you give us your name. Hello.
Carla Oliver, just want to make three points. I'm going to go very quickly. The water bill on taxes is consciously unfair, especially with bills that are not accurate, are over 60% higher for charges not coming from Glee world, as well as negotiations and unfair rates that are astronomically low for certain businesses, number two, residential streets like East Grand, do not need to be rezoned from residential to commercial streets. It creates room for more traffic. Can create more accidents, crime and liability. So it should be a no go most of those, most still houses and apartments on that street in between Woodward and Jen are, if you number three, if you notice, the inner cities and urban areas seem to have the most liquor stores and strip clubs and now marijuana shops. We don't need that here. We don't need another liquor store, another, another strip club, or another marijuana,
not any marijuana.
The city does not need it because it creates the same things I just mentioned, and moving from residential to commercial, commercial streets. We don't need that crime, we don't need that liability, we don't need that flow of traffic. There's other ways to make money. All money is not good money. Think outside the box for for further development, other than those things that are negatively stereotyped for inner cities. That's all
right, I just wanted to come back and say thank you so much for approving, even though it was one single lot. We appreciate it. 74 Kendall. Most people know us as the church that collapsed in well, we finally got our permit, and we will start building, you know, breaking ground to build in the next couple of weeks. I wanted y'all to know, because I know when you drive by there, if somebody sees it's like, what are they doing? We were held up when you I'm not going to say you, when the city of Highland Park transitioned from one engineering company to another, we had to start all over. So that's what held us up. But thank God we are moving forward. I just wanted to let y'all know how Hi,
I will board. My name is Jamil Edwards. I live on East Grand, and I too want to ask the two times our water was turned off, no one told us what were they testing, and they did, never give us the outcome of what they tested in our waters. We always ask people to donate, but the residents should know, who are you testing? Why did I Why was our water low, low, excuse me. Is there any way we can get an answer to that? And then I did. I wanted one more question was, what's local street in Highland Park has half a major role and half a local role. The answer is East Grand
pastor, Patrick, Franklin pastor, pill spring, Baptist Church. I'm coming back before you to say thank you to this Council, to the steam Council, for approving the purchase of the lot at 12, 535 Hamilton. Thank you very much. I don't
see anybody moving towards the podium, so I'm going to move over into Council affairs, and starting with the gentleman from the third district,
good evening. HP, good evening. So
imma say very quickly
for those who can't see this for what it is
that's your fault, not mines. But let me make it clear, in case you forgot who I was, in case you don't recognize who I am, in case you don't see the rage behind the face that you're looking at here, you want me to move you want me to step down. Make me step down. I'm here. I'm not here for a popularity contest. I don't give two shits if a person likes me or doesn't like me. I'm here to make sure that you survive and you get what you need. Now, granted, the news hasn't been pretty, but anybody who can't see this for the setup that it is. It's a flipping it in it is what it is. And if you can't see it, that's not my fault. That's yours. Okay? Anybody who got a problem with me, tough, you want me to move come move me. I'm sitting right here, and Imma be here until my term is up, or until the Lord calls me back, one of the two. So anybody that don't like Hershey to shop that's just tough titties for you deal with it. Okay. And just for the record, for every action there's a consequence. And for those of you who know this, Gemini sitting up here, you know they didn't do nothing but poor gasoline on an already enraged Inferno, revenge is a dish best served cold, and I love a good fight, so park my language and you all have a good evening.
Thank you very much, sir. Miss Martin,
hello, great evening.
First off, I want to start off saying, congratulations on getting that lot for the extension of the parking lot. Congratulations and welcome to all the members came that was that's exactly what a community looks like. And I'm glad that all the members came in. You even had some people in the hallway. I love to see that. I want to see more of that in Highland Park. I don't know how many of your members actually live in Highland Park, but it was nice to see that we need to get back to community. I would even love to see the members to start talking to some of the other and get that 600 members that you can hold. The next thing I don't want to also address is, I don't know if any of you guys filled this out, or if you see this. This is the public survey I'm going to ask that some of you fill it out. There's a QR code, what streets or things that you want us to focus on in Highland Park? You know, where do you want this grant money to go into Highland Park? On your streets, your your residents, yeah, check this out. Fill that out, and let's get a so we can know where we want to focus on in Highland Park.
Next thing I want to say is,
I don't even know who we're supposed to talk to administration, but can we get some I know Ferndale has like meters, like parking meters. Can we get meters in front of that methadone clinic. Like, I mean, they stay there. Like, I mean, I don't I, I don't know what there is to state it, but we can't get, like, no meters, parking meters there. You know that we have some revenue coming in. You know, in the city. Can we get that? Can we also get a roundabout? Who do we talk to about getting a roundabout at Puritan and Hamilton, so we don't have all those accidents that's going on. It's going to slow traffic down, especially if we want to see Hamilton be business district, if we want that, can we do that for safety issues? On that note, imma say thank you. Thank you for coming out. Love all of you. Imma, go ahead and pass it over to Manica. Good
evening. Everyone. Good evening. Everyone. So, congratulations. I do want us to still talk and have conversations about the ability of growing and growing in a way that it not only assists the church, but that it assists the city as well, and the citizens, hopefully to bring in more citizens here, and maybe also to your church as well. Also look forward coming in May health equity resource fair for the third year in a row that I've had at the Justice Center on Hamilton, and so hopefully it'd be even bigger. Every year. It seems to get bigger and better. So we're hoping for that. Also, I like to say I might have to go and do my council affairs earlier than Miss Martin, so she won't give away all the things I'm going to say already. So earlier, I also mentioned to you about the QR code. So it should be out there circulating. No, I put one out there earlier. Somebody might have just took the whole thing, but it was out there to circulate the QR code. Everybody don't like writing right now, and it's late in the evening. So doing a QR code might be a better scenario, but please do that, because it only helps us to understand and the engineers to understand what's happening. I heard a statement about we have a new engineering company. Actually, it's just a planning company. We still have the same engineering company that we had previously, also on zoning. I know that everyone comes here in regards to the zoning or the construction of a street, but as we say, we like to have citizens come in and talk to us, and we be able to talk to you as well. That should also be happening at your zoning board meetings, at your planning meetings, at your block club meetings, at the Police Commissioner meet. Or is that the right meeting is the police commissioner, or just the meet with the chief, chat with the chief, just like you show up here, or you showing up here. And some of the issues, and I really trying to explain this, some of the issues that you bring to us, they fall under those other jurisdiction jurisdictions, but if you never go to them, it kind of doesn't matter, because then they don't hear that's what they said on their boards. For school board, all of those things, seems like we get it all. We get every single piece. But if you don't go to those other boards, all those commissioners that sit on those other boards, they have a responsibility to you as well to hear what you're saying, to get your roundabout. So I have talked to the engineers Miss Martin, and so that's kind of who you talk to. They do engineers, yes. So what they've already had that request, though, that's what I'm letting you know. So they have to look at it. But right now, our concern, my understanding, and they can later correct that our concern right now is our infrastructure to do whatever we need to do with what responsibilities we have now, but they are looking at all kind of ways to make our walkways safer, our area safer. Is that our streets safe? So those are things, of course. I've mentioned parking meters before, tons and tons of times. I'm going to keep mentioning it because I want a parking structure too. That's consistent money. I don't care how small it is, it's consistent. And those things can be changed. We are here to make we're legislature. That's the part that we really have to get across, and that we really have to start working on ourself as well. So again, I thank you guys. Just look forward to a community assistance day coming. I don't know what date it is yet, so hopefully by next council meeting, I'll be able to so just look for it out there. If you know what a community assistance day is, it is not handing you out a flyer. It is actually servicing you on the spot if you need some help. So remember too, that the water company has thought that comes to to the water company and set to give you some assistance. But in a community assistance day, you have like Wayne Metro, etcetera, etcetera, that will actually offer assistance on that day, as well as a resource, a resource health equity fair. Last year we did immunizations for children. Year before that, it was for children and adults. We're not sure what we're going to do. We're hoping for some actual mammogram testing and maybe even some other testing that comes mobile, not sure yet. So just be on the look for those things. And everybody thank you for coming. And remember, we do have other boards in the city that represent you.
Thank you. Thank you, ma'am.
Moving on to the council, proton Robinson
and God bless all the pastors, especially mines that's in the audience today. God bless you all. And I just want to speak on the phone calls that I received myself in regards to the language and the way that some officers speak to the system. I told them to record it, take pictures, get their bags. Now, I can't do anything unless I have and also, last year, I think it was Christine and I met with the chief at MC Paul's office on Grand and Woodward, and we talked about these things and conditions at the jail over there in glorious parking lot. So we have spoken to the chief about this thing, and with that being
said, we just gotta do better. But keep praying. Love you. Have a good night. Thank you, ma'am.
Get this done in like two minutes this past weekend, as always and my life has been a very interesting weekend only Muslims in our family, in my immediate family, of my brother, of my father's nine brothers and sisters, there were two, two of my grandfather's sons who had who were Muslim, and my grandfather was a pastor. So Easter Sunday was always interesting for me, because as Muslim children, growing up in the city of Detroit, we were encouraged to go to Easter Sunday for a number of reasons. One, it was going to be food, definitely going to be food, and everybody that we knew from school was going to be there. But I was always fascinated with the sermon and
the notion that that
so I'm a scientist, energy cannot be created or destroyed. So the imagining that that God could be put down in human form is something that never really registered in my mind. The more chemistry I studied, the more that I was absolutely sure that there was God, the more I understood about science. I mean, the more I understood about a molecule, the one understood that that the presence of God. The most fascinating story after Easter was the story of Barabbas and Jesus and Pontius Pilate. I could not believe that as a child, that the people had a choice. They had their Messiah right within their midst, and that they chose to kill him. They had a man who caused a riot in the city, who was known for these crimes, and they enjoyed his company so much that they said, We want to hang out with him. And they sent their Messiah to his death, which I found very fascinating. It's like that, and I'm using that example is because those people sitting in the audience, sometimes you look at us and you say, it's that Council's fault. It's those people's fault. It's y'all, you're doing these things to us, and I will assure you that we're actually not. It's the chair that we sit in that is the seat of power. And we're forced to, if we're going to be honest. We're forced to hold ourselves to a higher standard. That means sometimes disagreeing with things that in our heart, we might say, Oh, I would like to do that, but we know structurally that we can't do those things. So I want to just raise that concern. I mean, just just to raise it as a point of discussion that sometimes we have the best intentions, but due to the framework we have to take positions. These are the people I agree with and the people that I disagree with, and that no matter what the subject is, and the subject that I really want to talk about is, is housing so I can speak personally. I invested in Highland Park long before I became a public official. I bought Liberty school in 2019 with great hopes of investing back in this city. I lived here my whole life, and I can tell you personally that I am 10s of 1000s of dollars in the hole. I have a astronomically large phantom in my mind, water runoff bill that has been assessed to me, and nothing to prove that it's actually valid, and I'm still trying to work on a development, and I'm certain it's going to cost me 25 or $30 million and as somebody who lives here, whose family lives here, I can tell you firsthand, as somebody who wants to be a developer, you're not a developer until you finish building anything in the city of Highland Park is an is an immense challenge, because our citizens, our city council, myself included, we don't have the background knowledge that the developers in the city of Detroit have, nor do we have the financial interest in our city. We are poor people again. We are picking out curtains and we don't have windows. So it's very, very important for me. I'm going to put two things on the screen. I'm almost done, but it's important to do the whole screen. Imma put two things on the screen, and I want you to understand where we coming from. So I did a search on Gen Z housing crisis. Gen Z, those people in their middle 20s all the way down into their teens, they're never going to be able to own a home. These are the people in your family, you're young people, they're never going to be able to put 20% down on the average home in America is $290,000 that's across the country. They're never going to be able to do it their houses in Highland Park that we know they're going for over 150 $160,000 okay? Why can't today's young people leave the nest? Blame it on high housing costs. This is an article for Detroit without affordable housing. Some destroyed Detroiters struggle and lose stable housing. Last one Detroit's affordable housing isn't affordable for the average Detroiter. Building housing in this area in southeastern Michigan, south to eight mile east the telegraph is extremely difficult, because whose money is it? Whose money is it? What bank is going to finance a development in our community? Look at us now making a look at us, regular blue collar folk. They don't see an upside on it. So we have to actually take the initiative and encourage the little people. We have to give the little people an opportunity to make the city viable. Because before they were developing down by the train station. All they had in Corktown was, guess what, gardens and green spaces and bike lanes and people wearing flip flops, checker shirts, and now it's one of the hottest areas in southeastern Michigan. So I just wanted to make sure that we have that conversation. We can't do our job unless we have an audience like we have tonight. The more the merrier. The more people we get here, the better. And the last thing is, as a high school chemistry teacher, I'm going to encourage all of you, we young people, please talk to the young people in your family about seeking out jobs in the skilled trades. There's a tremendous opportunity for them. You talk to a guy with 10 years of college, and I'm telling all of my students for go college right now, get in the skilled trades program. We need electricians. We need carpenters. We need we are desperate for welders. I drive past the Gordy Howard bridge every day and there's not enough welders up there. We don't have enough electricians, and I don't want them to incur the same type of debt that I did. So if you have young people in your family as we get close to the end of the school year, I know you're having parties and you want to send them off to college. Consider sending them to the Detroit Training Center, to one of the community college, community colleges that are available, and encourage them to get involved in the skills trades. That's my two cent, having covered all the business of the city of Highland Park, the Chair will entertain a motion to adjourn all those in favor. Meeting adjourned. 907. Thank you.
