All right, Good morning. Everyone. We will call to order our formal session for this morning. And Madam Clerk, if you can, please call the roll councilman,
Mr. Benson, Councilman, present. Customer, Letitia Johnson, present. Councilman Gabriel Santiago Romero, Council Member Mary waters, Councilman Angela Whitfield Callaway, Councilman Coleman Young the second council president pro tem James Tate and council. President, Mary Sheffield. President, you have a quorum present, madam. President, thank
you. There being a quorum present. We are in session. We will start off with our invocation. None other than Sergeant Knox will lead us to the throne this morning by delivering our invocation, yeah, wherever you're comfortable, Sergeant Knox. Sergeant
Knox. Microphone, good
morning, everyone. It's good to see everyone today. Please, if you would like to join me in prayer,
Great Father, we thank You today. We thank you for your love, your grace and Your mercy. Oh God Lord, we lift our hands to you to give you all the praises that you so rightly deserve. Oh God, Lord, we just ask of you just to come in the midst of this place. Oh God. Lord, have your spirit saturate this room. Oh God, touch each and every person, the butter, the sound of my voice. Lord, you know everyone's story. Oh God, whatever it is that's going on in their lives. Oh God, we just ask your view, just to be there, oh God, your spirit is everywhere, and for that, we just say, Thank You, Lord. We just ask You to cleanse us, purge us. Oh God, cultivate us. Oh God, cleanse us from every wrong word, every wrong thought and every wrong deed. Oh God, those that are known and an unknown. Oh God, Lord, we just ask you to touch this council right now. Right now, in the name of Jesus, oh God, pour into them, give them the wisdom, the knowledge, the know how, oh God, to do the people's business. We ask that right now. In Your name Lord, we give you all the praises. We give you all the honor and glory, Jesus name. Amen.
Thank you so much Sergeant Knox for filling in beautiful prayer. Thank you so much for that. All right, we will proceed. We have a update from the board of ethics. Those who are with us, please join us. I'm not sure if they're here in person. If they're in person, for those who are wanting to make public comment, public comment will be cut off after this first presentation, and so we will proceed now with our presentation from the board of ethics.
Good morning, everyone.
Good morning.
Thank you very much for having us. I do have some slides to put up. We'll get that in just one second.
Okay, my name is Michael O'Connell. I'm the Training Specialist for the city's board of ethics. I of ethics at the request of Councilwoman Santiago Romero, during her training, we do have some campaign best practices, for example, for you today, especially with the November election coming and then local elections next year, it's really important for public servants to be aware of all of the issues that surround campaign activities and make sure that we allow individuals to participate as they would like to in the political process, but also in a way that is in accordance with our law. So this is part of our new guidance series. We're going to be submitting different pieces of the ordinance for clarification and expansion to council and to our city of Detroit public servants. This is really just to provide that broader guidance on issues facing our public servants and to provide some clarification where the ordinance is rather vague. This guidance has been approved by the Board for submission to this honorable body and to our city of Detroit public servants. So when the ordinance speaks about campaign activities. It really is concerned with campaign activities during working hours and with city property. So we realize that the ordinance doesn't actually define campaign activities very well. It the definition is activities surrounding campaigns, state, federal and local. So this list that's on the screen right now and on the handouts in front of you is a included, but not limited, to list of some campaign activities the board has identified. We're still studying others, such as endorsements and appearances at different campaign events for state and federal elections. The main ones here are going to be the use of city property and staff and time to be signed, the signing of petitions for submission onto a ballot, distributing any literature or potentially wearing any campaign related memorabilia to work, especially so to that end, the board has developed a few different things that we can do to help you, because we do want people to be able to participate in that process as best they can. The biggest one is going to be to differentiate between your office staff and camp and campaign staff. Making that clear line is always easiest when we need to give information to the campaign or to our office. We can make sure that we're putting those that information in the right bucket wherever it goes. For those with non traditional schedules, as mo as a lot of US public servant have, it's really important to clearly schedule what time you're working on a campaign rather than doing your regular public service, that'll just help avoid any kind of mix up and then any perception of impropriety surrounding campaign activities.
Another couple easy ones that we've seen in the past are to not use your city of Detroit email to to send out campaign related information donation requests or event invites, and don't send those from your campaign activities to the Open Outlook city of Detroit address book that is not a pool to draw from for attendees, we want to make sure that we're inviting people outside of The City of Detroit public servants, we've seen that quite a lot in the past. So that's one thing the board wanted to address, and then to remember to file your required campaign contribution and expenditure disclosures. If you're required by state or federal law to file a campaign contribution disclosure or campaign expenditure disclosure, you should just submit a copy of that disclosure to the board along with the cover sheet that's provided on our website. Under that disclosure, we're not asking you to fill out a completely separate form. It's just a cover sheet that says I am required to file this disclosure by state or federal law, and I'm filing filing it as required under the ordinance. Okay? I
have a question, yes, through the chair,
yeah, yes.
We get into now council member Calloway. Where
is that required that I would have to share with you a city employee, the information is public. Why would I have to share that with you and attach some type of document to my financial statements? When all that information is online? Where is that written? But that's required? I've never, I have not read that. It's in
the city of Detroit ethics ordinance. I can find you the exact section and send it to you after this. Please do? Will do? Thank
you. Thank you, Madam Chair, thank
you. Member cavalry,
so discussion. Member Benson, just want to verify because I'm unaware of that requirement as well. So as elected officials, when you're running and you have to file campaign finance. We need to copy the Ethics Commission as well. Yes,
that it is a disclosure requirement under the ordinance that you file any campaign if you're required by local, state or federal law to file a campaign contribution or expenditure disclosure, you are also required, as a Detroit public servant to file with the board of ethics. So this is only for current public servants, contractors and vendors and appointees, elected officials under the ordinance that we follow campaign contributions and expenditures, expenditures, yes, so basically, our campaign finance Yes, just copy with the ordinance, yeah. Okay, all right,
so I'm looking forward to seeing that highlighted as well. Yeah, I
can, I can send you all the section where that is in the past. This hasn't been utilized or enforced by the board. We are making an effort, especially with all of the elections currently happening and then coming next year, we want to make sure that we expand our education program to include all of our disclosures. We we don't get enough disclosures, quite frankly, with 10,000 public servants in the city, we should be inundated every year, and we're not, and we're trying to increase that number,
okay, and so you're aware of how many reports we as city council members have to file annually. Yes, okay.
And then, for those seeking additional guidance, questions, anything like that, it's just important to remember this is not a complete list. This is a included, but not limited to and we're always studying new things. If you think that we've omitted something, please let us know. We'd be more than happy to add it and have the board consider it, public servants with a specific request on a specific situation should still follow the process outlined in the ordinance, which is our request for advisory opinion process to make sure that they have an exact set of guidance for that specific situation for themselves from the board, all public servants and members of the public should feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns, any additional information, any more questions like that. Our contact information is included there for you. There'll be copies of the actual guidance document in the available in the clerk's office in physical copy that'll be disseminated to public servants through our communications department, and then it's also available on the Board's website, which is Detroit ethics.org
Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you so much for that presentation. And if there are no questions, we will proceed, and we do have a copy of the PowerPoint, and we can reach out to you directly if we have any additional questions or concerns. All right, thank you so much for being here. All right, we're going to cut off our public comment, and we do also have a point of special privilege. Second, please do
from Motor City Law, PLLC, Black Caucus, foundation of Michigan here to present before Council. If you guys can, please join us at the table. You
Thank you, good morning.
Good morning. Just make sure. Make sure your microphones are on, pressing the bottom of the microphone should turn green right and just state your name and titles and the floor is yours to begin with your presentation.
Good morning. I'm KB Stallworth, chairman of the Black Caucus foundation of Michigan. Andrew
Monroe, member of the Motor City Law. Thank
you, Madam President, Members, we are here this morning regarding a very, very serious issue. The City of Detroit has already lost $100 million in property tax recovery as a result of stubborn decision making by the law department. I have a one page summary to clarify the recovery program that we were asked and contracted to implement on behalf of the City of Detroit, how it originated and where we are today. And this dates far back from when many of you members were on council. In fact, in May of 2013 we were asked to meet with the state treasurer and with then emergency manager, Kevin Orr, to discuss known and unknown losses in revenue to the city of Detroit in June of 2013 based on a belief that there was a gap in the wayne county treasurer's tax collection system. The Michigan State Treasurer assembled all of the auction data from years 2011 and 12 for us to do an analysis. That analysis concluded with us, finding that the Wayne County Treasurer borrowed 100% of anticipated and old tax revenue and dispersed checks to municipalities accordingly. And this is, this is a significant point. Tax collections did occur, but they primarily occurred on a voluntary basis. Money was being borrowed from the county loan fund and then paid out to municipalities. The result of this was a destabilization significantly in the housing stock in Detroit equity declined because there was not an investment in property. And so the question was, what could be done to reverse it? In November of 2013 Don graves, the US Department of Treasury, Deputy Assistant, met at our offices at the Black Caucus Foundation, discuss this a recovery strategy that would address how we would rebuild the infrastructure associated with neighborhood stabilization, which included an investment in CTE programs as evidence now of what you see as a new and re envisioned Randolph as well as other trade schools that are now in the city. All of these things came out of the African commerce initiative recovery plan. In November 25 2013 Jones Day and City of Detroit's Office of Emergency Management drafted a recommended contract for execution by the incoming mayor. So Mayor Duggan was not the mayor at the time. Mayor Bing was december 2013 I, along with Sonia Mays, who was senior advisor to the Office of Emergency Management, met with the incoming Corporation Council, Melvin Hollowell to brief him on the research analysis and recommended consulting contract to address legal recovery of old property taxes. It's important to note that, the time we shared this with the incoming Council, no taxing authority in Michigan had ever attempted such a recovery plan. In fact, Corporation council didn't believe it could be done, and they fought it until such time as the Michigan Attorney General told them that our premises were correct. In 2014 instead of accepting the view that we had in our model to do this recovery, they opted to attempt to do the recovery internally and failed miserably. Then, instead of allowing our team to move forward, they opted to hire council from Macomb County, who attempted to do it and failed horribly, notably in February of two, in February 21 2014 the City of Detroit's plan of adjustment filed with the US bankruptcy court specifically states recommendations received from a third party consultant designed to increase The efficiency of the city's property tax collection process have not been implemented, and the city remains forced to rely on Wayne County for funding and collection of delinquent taxes. And this is significant, because in the plan of adjustment, it contemplated that the city would move forward with a new recovery process in May of 2017 the city of Detroit ultimately entered into a legal representation agreement with our project management team Motor City Law to pursue targeted non occupant recovery of property taxes. Importantly, the law department still did not want to acknowledge that this process was going to be ongoing and limited our ability to do collections. So what you will see in the legal representation agreement is a focus on judgments rather than collections. Importantly, because the statute of limitations had ran out or would run out within 30 days of when the law department wanted to move forward. We were only able to pursue judgments. And this is a significant point. The statute of limitations from 2007 had expired. Therefore there was $100 million in revenue that will never be collected. And so the city of Detroit, not wanting to repeat the same mistakes made by the previous Corporation, council asked us to focus specifically on achieving judgments so we would not bump up into a statute of limitations on what was out there. And this is a significant point, because this is what is the crux of now our compensation disagreement today, the city of Detroit seeks to retain council to collect $111 million in judgments attained by Motor City Law on behalf of the city, and what we're merely asking for is that the legal representation agreement be honored. That's all we're asking for. We're not asking for anything else. There's a legal representation agreement. The proposed third party Council has signed a non circumvention agreement with us with the hopes of having access to the intellectual property associated with our model. We have agreed to that, but what we expect is for the city to stand behind this agreement. One thing Madam President members, I did not share is that as a result of our work, the Michigan Legislature amended public act 206 of 19, of 1893, and that's public act 189 of 2017 which now gives the city of Detroit the powers to do this kind of collection on their own. So not only did we move forward with adjusting a recovery plan, but we also work to amend state law so that city continues to have these expanded powers. I'm sorry my time is up, and importantly, the judgments provides the city with 20 years to do these collections without an expiration. Thank you, Madam President.
Thank you so much. And I just wanted to make sure to Malik, Mr. Washington, or do we have someone from the law department? I think we possibly have Corporation council that wanted to respond as well on the record to the to this particular situation, I want to make sure that the clerk notes President Pro Tem is here, member Calloway is here, and member waters are all present. Okay, do we have someone on from the law department, Mr. Washington, or Graham? Do you know attorney Graham
through the chair?
I'll I'll see
if Corporation costs available to
speak on this matter.
I don't believe he's online.
Let me check real quick. Okay, all
right. All right. So we just wanted the opportunity you wanted to speak before council to make sure that everyone was aware of what is going on. Does any of my colleagues have any questions at this time regarding this situation, understanding that we probably will get a report from LPD in the law department on the status of what is taking place in this situation here. So council member Johnson, thank
you, Madam President, would just like to request a copy of the recovery plan that has been referenced and also the legal representation agreement that's been referenced. Okay. Thank you.
Andy, yes, we did a vendor protest, and it was attached to that. I'm happy to send it to all of you. And the legal representation agreement and its amendment are attached as exhibits. If I could just speak for a moment. So couple of points I wanted to make when we talk about the property tax program. They're really the two components. One is, if property is foreclosed, forfeited, sold at auction and at the end of the application of the auction proceeds, taxes are still owed, taxes are unrecovered. The owner of the property has personal liability for that efficiency. And so that's one of the programs. We call that the in Persona program. The other program is as KB indicated. We had access to the auction data from 2011 and 2013 we found out, and that by going through this process is for forfeiture, foreclosure process, the Wayne County Treasurer, back then, only recovered about 17% of unpaid taxes. We also find out that about 82% of successful auction purchasers never paid any post auction taxes. And for 2011 and 2012 these unpaid post auction taxes exceeded $79 million we also determined over 85% of the successful auction bidders for investors and landlords. So we came up with a theory, which has been proven in court, that there was an auction contract. And so we sued on behalf of the city as a third party beneficiary, the people that bid at auction, that didn't pay post auction taxes that they contracted to pay, we sued them for breach contract,
and that's been very successful. What motor city law did, beginning in 2017 we sued 2900 defendants on behalf of the city. There were just under 14,000 addresses involved. The damages that we sued for
was 110 100 and 11 million. But then there's interest beyond the date of judgment, which would almost double that number. To date, what we have been able to do, we have entered into 203 settlements. Every settlement is signed by it used to be Chuck Ramey, now it's Conrad mallet, $2.8 million of settlements, we have 1055 judgments. The amount, the original amount of those judgments was 112 100 and 13 million, of which 111 million is still owed. The other benefit that the city received was that we exchanged our claims against an investor, Michael Kelly, and by exchanging that the claims, the city was able to complete an Eastern Market project, land project in October of 2018 and we exchanged $278,000 of claims for that project. When I say we it was a law department. It wasn't Motor City Law. And then the Brownfield Redevelopment for the automobile plant, Mr. Kelly had two or three parcels right in the middle. He wouldn't sell, but we had 1.2 almost $1.3 million of claims against him personally, which the law department exchanged for the critical parcels to put piece together
the flexing gate plant, yep.
So that's about almost $1.5 million of benefit that the city received, motor city laws, legal fees. To date, they've been 1.1 million. I um, what's required,
alright, sorry to cut you off. I know we did talk ahead of time, four minutes per per speaker, just because we're not going to be able to resolve all of this here at formal. But wanted the opportunity to present to council so that everyone is aware of what is taking place. And I see Corporation Council has joined us. Would you like to share anything at this time?
Good morning, council members, Conrad Mallory, corporation, Council, City of Detroit, the only thing I will share, Council President, is this is that this is not the forum to have the discussion that we are engaged in currently, the Detroit City Council is a legislative body obviously able to owe anyone who desires to make a presentation to do so. The issues that are in front of us are pretty simple, though. Bottom line is is that this body, Detroit City Council approved a contract for collections that included Motor City Law Allen group, with Motor City Law receiving 5% of collections not yet attained by the Allen group for all of the previous work that they have done. The issue before us is that the agreement that we thought we made, which unfortunately was not in writing, Motor City Law Group is determined is no longer satisfactory, and what they continue to want is to enforce a contract that entitles them to receive a contingency fee of 22% plus costs. The only other thing that I will say is that the contract that Chairman stalwart and that Mr. Monroe referred to is a contract that was never approved by the Detroit City Council. Let me repeat that, the contract under which the collection activity that has been described here this morning, all of the collections that have occurred, the payouts that have occurred in the activity that has been conducted in the name of the people the city of Detroit, has never been approved by the Detroit City Council. Under this administration, we came to this body the express intent to be sure that a collection contract, potentially this size and magnitude, had been brought before the body and approved that occurred we had hoped to move forward. We are now struggling, obviously, over the disagreement of the enforceability of their previous contract and the lack of a written agreement that, in fact, manages we thought would manage the relationship that we currently have, this is a matter I believe that is capable of resolution. Frankly, Madam President, city council members, I don't know why we're here. Motor City Law and the Michigan Black Caucus Foundation are not frustrated vendors. They are, in fact, frustrated contract participants in a contract never approved by the Detroit City Council, where they are claiming that they are old dollars and continue to be entitled to dollars for work going forward that they would not be involved in executing. So there's lots to discuss. Conversations are going on. Litigation is likely. Litigation is likely, and it Council President, I just this, this, with all of the work that the Detroit City Council has in front of it, I'm sorry that this is taking up your time. All
right, thank you. Corporation Council. Any comments or questions from my colleagues on this? Okay? Hearing none. If we can get the information that was requested by council member Johnson, and any other documents that you would like to share with us, please just email that to us, and we will be working with both Corporation Council and you all offline to see how we can get some resolution.
Thank you, Madam President, thank
you all for being here.
Thank you for the opportunity. You're
welcome. Thank you so much. All right, we will proceed now with our agenda, the Journal of the session of Tuesday, July 30, will be approved for the internal operations Standing Committee, the minimum random the memorandum will be received and placed on file for the internal operations standing committee,
seven reports from various city departments.
The seven reports will be referred to the internal operations, standing committee for Neighborhood and Community Services. Standing Committee, two reports from various state departments. The two reports will be referred to the neighborhood and community services, standing committee for the planning and development. Standing Committee,
five reports from various state departments.
The five reports will be referred to the Planning and Economic Development standing committee for the public health and safety standing committee, nine reports from various state departments. The nine reports will be referred to the public health and safety standing committee. We will now move to the voting action matters under other matters, yeah, no and Madam President, under communications from the mayor and other governmental officials and agencies.
All right, we will call for
our general public comment. Everyone will have a minute and a half for public comment, and we will start with you. Miss Lyons, okay, where's the clock should be coming up shortly.
Okay, um, here we go. Statute of limitations. Does that mean that if I wasn't notified of this thievery of my monies, that I should not be held responsible? I was never notified. So don't let that lie go to you. I'm serious, this is not a game. I've been coming here by bus every week, and I want my money. You know that it's true. You've always known it's true, and you're standing in front of me with all these lines and things that's not true. Just get the action done. That's all I want. Satanic Dugan and Dana Nessel, two evil people. I wish attorney Whitaker would challenge Dugan and breathe the law down his serpentine spine. That veteran last week, did you take care of him? I hope you did, because he's one that needs your help. So don't forget him. You sure seem to only fight for the Mexican people. Mr. Young, leaving this veteran to fend for himself. Stand up for him. Miss Romero does not need anybody to stand up for her.
Alright? Thank you. Miss Lyons. Mister Shelton,
good morning, everyone. Good morning, residents and taxpayers of the city. I'm down here not to discourage people from voting, not to spread false information or dangerous ideas, to prevent people or discourage people from voting. I'm down here for a specific reason and for specific purpose, and that is, I'd like to see the report that was issued by the City Clerk's Office, that which contains an investigation relevant to the specific allegations that were made by some Detroit residents regarding specific individuals who said they never voted in any election. Yet the city of Detroit has them voting via absentee. These were specific instances and incidents with specific names and circumstances as well as addresses. It has nothing to do with rumors or spreading false information. So how this whole thing can be taken care of is just to make available to myself, as well as the public, the investigation that allegedly, supposedly had debunked or disproven specific allegations.
All right, thank you, Mr. Shelton, and I know we talked about that last week, so we will follow up with the clerk's office to see the status of posting that public report on detroitmi.gov under
the clerk. And very briefly, you know, the last one didn't debunk anything. I read it. Thank you the one that was issued, if you're talking about that one that didn't debunk it, skipped over the evidence and didn't address it. Thank
you. Thank you so much, Mr.
Shelton, so she's going to have to issue another
William Ferris, yes,
my name is William Ferris, I'm here because I started something back in 2017 she and people in wheelchairs and walkers around to the venues, and recently, Thursday, this Thursday, just passed, police stopped me on the golf cart. Said, Well, you cannot do it. So he said, take it on, or we going to impound it. So I took it home, and I want to know I put in for a permit down here for a golf cart back in 2017 I never heard an answer on it. The police told me just go and do it anyway. So I've been doing all the events. Aretha. I even do Southfield. The police told me, just do Southfield. Do all the suburbs. Do not come downtown. So I want to know why is the rickshaw sitting up, taking pictures of me, taking peoples with walkers and wheelchairs, which they cannot do.
Okay, were you finished? Yes, all right, thank you for doing that. We we appreciate you. Um, let me have my team connect with you and see what permitting is available. I'm not quite familiar with permitting for golf court golf carts throughout the city for events like that, but we can definitely look into it while you're here. You said you did apply already for a permit.
I've been applied back in 2017
Okay, so we can reach out to Director, Bill while you're here and just kind of see what's going on with that and what's the proper process to follow. That's, in fact, what you want to do here? Okay,
in our city, still do the seniors for the city. That's nice
to you. Thank you, sir. Okay, we want to make sure it goes as easy as possible, but want to make sure we're safe as well, so we will reach out to BC while you're here. Okay, okay, thank you, sir. Um. Ron krachola, oh
yes, yeah, I'm here behalf of will that just spoke. I've known him since 2017 and I've written his golf cart taxis. He is very responsible for his passengers. He does not break any laws. Is, I mean, he does a lot of it's just a really a great thing for the city as we're out there. And he gets us to this stadium so in a safe manner. And I think he keep that car down the road.
Mm, hmm, alright. Thank
you so much. Okay. God bless you. All you as well, sir, thank you for being down, coming down. Uh, Frank Shepherd, yes, ma'am,
good morning. Everybody. Morning. Okay, I'm I'm here on the same subject this. I was in this gentleman footsteps back in 2018 I filed a petition with you guys to add golf carts to the ordinance. I well, they just told me I had to look it up to whatever it is. But make a long story short, I went through the all the procedures getting the license through the state of Michigan. I'm licensed through the state of Michigan now, with the with the carts, I got two carts, but I'm still having the same issues that this guy has happened. You know, my vehicle is plated, everything, everything that the state required me to get in order to get the license. But now they put me in the same category as the regular golf carts and told me the same thing, if I bring my cart back down here, whatever it may be, you know, Imma get licensed. I mean, get a fine. But I he told me I had to get a city permit, which the city does not pass out permits. So they told me I had to go through the state. The state took it over. So it's a miscommunication between the police and the city, I mean, the state. So now I'm stuck in the middle, and I have no way of getting them to communicate, to let them know that the state took over the tax the transportation service, not ain't up to the city to pass our permits up to the state. And that's exactly what I did. I got my license here. I got my ordinance that I filed back in 2018 I got all my all my insurances, all my LLCs, everything that was asked on me. I did it Okay, and I'm still getting fine. So I'm trying to figure out, Is there a way that we can solve it? Yeah,
we definitely need to look into it. And also, if we don't mind, Madam Clerk, can we put this as a line item in public health and safety? We'll do an official memo just getting an overall status update on the permitting process for golf carts for residents to take. I guess you are taking residents to and from events downtown. I'm licensed taxi, or my license taxi, right? So we will follow up with the full details in writing. But if you can line item that for public health and safety, please, thank you so much, and we will follow up with you guys. We're going to reach out now to see what answers we can get for you. Okay, I really do appreciate thanks for being down here. Thank down here. Thanks for all you do, sir. Thank you. Jake Gregory, love
Good morning,
honorable body. I come before you this morning, advocating on behalf of the citizens of district five, the city of Detroit in general, and the i 375 coalition, the act 375 coalition has been brought together because of the raising of the act 375, corridor into a boulevard. As most of you know today, it's approximately $300 million on the table regarding that project. The advocacy, on the other hand, is almost nil. It's almost deafening, the silence the citizens would like to know where our administration stands at in this particular project, when it's all said and done, will there be restorative justice for those who were displaced, for the businesses that was displaced. When this is concluded, it's not a matter of when. It is a matter of what actually happens to the 40 acres that are going to be on either side of the i 375, corridor. We would like to see the framework for that. Some folks say that the train has left the station. We don't believe that. We would like you to step up and step out. Speak up and speak out on this issue. Thank you so much. Alright. Thank
you so much. Community Advisory Council member, good to see you always. Thank you for your public comment. Eric Kinsley,
good morning. My name is Eric Kinsley. I reside at 3928 Porter Street in District Six, and purchased this as my first home in February of this year. I'm lucky to be alive as a Detroit disposal owned semi truck pinned me up against my home while it accessed an unlawful alley extension behind and adjacent to my home created by Southwest housing solutions and BC, while I appreciate DPW installing a barricade at their dead in alley behind my home, and despite, despite bringing this to the attention of 11 city departments, it wasn't until I hired an attorney that my property rights were acknowledged and the barricade was installed, what should have been done at No expense has cost me $10,000 the parking lot located at 3932 Porter Street is also owned by Southwest housing solutions and created in 2012 with taxpayer dollars approved by City Council. This parking lot has been in violation of numerous zoning ordinances Since 2012 It is literally right next to my home, and at any time, vehicles accessing the parking lot can crash into my home. BC and the mayor's office refuses to hold southwest housing solutions accountable when I brought this to the attention of Council Member Santiago Romero's office four separate times, instead of helping me, her community and resident Services Manager made uninformed and unset unsubstantiated false claims about my property and then dispense those false claims throughout my community. On a final note, do I have to spend money that should be spent renovating my home to litigate this parking lot that is the city's responsibility to resolve not mine? Thank you.
All right. Thank you council member, Santiago, thank you, Madam
President, thank you for coming down and yes, you're correct. My office has been working with you on this issue since you reached out to us. We will continue to work with with you, and want to definitely make sure that we find a solution. Most recently, we heard that the alley that you went ahead and blocked prevented someone from leaving their home. I
didn't block. DPD, excuse
me, cannot cut off. Definitely
working with you, because currently, the alley that you want blocked is keeping public people from walking and accessing their home and leaving, and there was an emergency and someone got, someone got got, someone got really hurt, and they weren't able to go to the emergency room. So thank you for coming down. You already have this alley blocked off. It has already created a huge issue in the community. I have heard so many emails from residents in your neighborhood that have seen this blockade as an as an issue. So thank you for coming down. We are very much aware of the incidents, and we will continue to work with you and the city, because we need to find a solution. I understand that you want to make sure your property is safe. Residents want to make sure that they have access to the alley to leave when they have to go to the hospital, when they have emergency appointments to make, and they currently cannot, because it is being blocked from your blockade. Thank you for coming down. We will continue to work with you, and we definitely the solution, because I can't have residents calling me again, telling me that, thanks to this blockade that you put up, they can't go to the hospital now. Thank you, Madam President, we will continue to work with this resident. Thank
you. All right. Thank you so much. Council member. All right, we will proceed. That's not working with me. Okay, that's all we have for public comment. Uh. Frannies Hearn, yes, yes, followed by Dominique combs, yeah. Okay, hi,
yes. On September 12, I was attending an art therapy session at the psychedelic healing shack when I was the first person to cite a man dressed in all black, wearing a mask, pointing a shotgun at me. When I began to take couple steps back, that's when he yelled for me to come outside, and I was then able to ascertain that this was a police officer. When we were going through that entire situation, there was a lot of lack of communication and things that just weren't handled properly. Generally, these are not things that I take a strong stance on. I won't call myself an activist in any way. But later on, we decided to continue the art therapy session in an act of solidarity and peace. And two children attended towards the the end, and they were sitting right where I stood, and was able to identify that man, and that was something that I just couldn't continue to allow. So I'm here today to raise some awareness and to get some understanding and just to, as a Detroiter, just exercise my rights to say that this was a traumatic and potentially dangerous situation. Upon being able to reenter, I found that my bags were illegally searched because it wasn't communicated that I was not an employee at this location, also that there was another gentleman who was resting, who had a gun placed in his face as well. So I just really want to stand
up on the behalf and thank you for coming down, your courage to come down and speak up on it. I'm sorry that that happened to you. You said you did identify the officer. No,
I they had like ski mask, or the like facial mask, but he identified himself just, but he just said, Come outside. Oh, the
officer is yes. No, I
don't know who that particular we can work with you, but I
would definitely have you reached out to the board of police commissioners make any type of complaints, official complaints against that situation. Maybe they know who was at that event, on duty at the time. Has there been any complaints to the Police Commission? No, this
is my first time dealing with anything of this nature. So I just wanted to start here to see where I can get some more information to follow up.
Okay, well, thank you for being here, and we'll also give you some more information on how to actually file a complaint as well, too, regarding the situation. Thank you. Okay, Madam Chair, Council Member Callaway.
This venue is in my district. It is a psychedelic healing shack on Woodward at West Golden Gate. I'm very familiar with what happened on September the 12th. I'm in touch with the police department, the commander of the 12th precinct and the captain. So I have a few more details that I probably, probably need to share with you some things probably were happening that perhaps should not been happening legally, and I won't go into any detail at this table, but I'm very, very much aware of what occurred on September the 12th, and that location has been since shut down. They did not have a license to operate, and so I will share that information with you offline, but this is as much as I can share right now at this time, but I'm very much aware of what happened on September the 12th. Thank you, Madam Chair, thank
you member Calloway.
Dominique combs,
yes, I'm here for the same reason, and I was actually at that location as a customer receiving service as I'm a PTSD veteran, and I've been there over a month every day, and I've received some of the most valuable opportunities to healing in the city that I've come across, you know, and last week, that piece was jeopardized by unidentified hostile police presence that put customers lives in extreme danger. As a former Navy Special Operator, I've served in hostile zones across the world, and this is the first time I've had a gun put into my face, and I'm disappointed it came from someone who's supposed to protect and serve the city that I grew up in. They use the same level of force that I employed during decades of time in the Navy, the forces who conducted a raid with the customers in the line of fire could have violated some constitutional rights by what she said, because we were customers there, we weren't part of that establishment. Could you guide me to who should be held accountable for the lack of de escalation and inflicted mental, physical and emotional trauma, because if the places of therapy aren't safe for us to heal in, then that we need to re observe our values, you know, reassess that this experience is traumatizing, but it's also opportunity to bring insight and awareness on The current use of force that's happening in our community.
Thank you. Thank you, sir. First of all, thank you for your service, and I'm so happy that no one was injured physically. Again. I do have information that you may not have access to yet, that may change your opinion about what you're saying in terms of what happened. Those officers were there, they had a search warrant, and that doesn't happen unless the prosecutor has determined that there might be something there that needs to be searched. That's all I'm going to stay at this table right now, but I'll talk to the two of you outside of outside of this room. But we do. Thank you for your service. We are I apologize that you were traumatized from the event, but they absolutely executed a warrant that was a legitimate warrant, from what I understand and from what I am reading. So again, I am the Councilwoman of that area, and I'll talk to you offline. Thank you, Madam Chair, thank you member. Calloway,
all right, Mr. Cunningham,
Oh, I thought I was next. Okay.
Is my mic on?
Miss Williams,
can you hear me? Yes, we
can hear you. Ma'am. Okay,
good morning, everyone.
I'm just here to speak on reality and being realistic on a lot of life situations out here in this world. But I grew up in Detroit. I was born in 1967
and I'm a piggyback on when Coleman Young started board of commission in 1974 he started it for the citizens about all the illegal corruption that was going on, and the citizens to speak up on it. So you all, I just want somebody to have integrity and be true to our people, the citizens of Detroit, regardless of what's going on in this city. You guys have the the right, the opportunity to do your job correctly, for the citizens by law, and there's a lot of illegal corruption going on. The bottom line is, if you do not respect your job, should nobody should be sitting up there, period. Because at this point in time, we can talk about the illegal DTE the city ain't paying. We can talk about a lot of stuff, I know, but I'm talking about what should be going on for the citizens of Detroit, accountability. You all want us. We can't lie to the police, we can't lie to the prosecutor, internal affairs. We going to be held responsible and accountable for this. But what about you guys? Accountability should be for everybody to sit behind that all up, all up there, everywhere I go. That's all I'm asking. Accountability, the transparency for everybody.
Alright, thank
you so much. Miss Williams, mm hmm, Miss Mr. Cunningham, you can you hear me? Yep, go right ahead. 31344491143134449114,
that number was made so you can remember it and on Facebook expensive vehicle repairs. Um, so I do a lot of outreach out of my taxi cab, and any assistance that you can. I buy bus tickets, and it's time for hand warmers and gloves. I gave you a flyer. There's DDOT meeting this week. Each council person received that with a bus ticket at the top. Paying it forward really feels good, and I want you to join me. Take that bus ticket and give it to somebody at random panhandling side of the road at the bus stop. You name it, you choose. Just pay it forward. It does feel good. Just to do a little, little tiny gesture for a system that's only on time 70% which is not good. It's like a D so and also, please continue to keep Detroit department transportation as a whole in prayer. Smart bus passed a huge contract, and they're paying a whole lot more than DDOT, so they may be jumping ship. If you want the information for the DDOT meeting, go to social media and put in Detroit Department of Transportation in its entirety. I'd ask you to pray in the Holy Spirit, chant whatever you do, for sure. Marie Lyons, my mom at Rivers of gross point and myself, brother Cunningham and imma spend my last 15 seconds people been asking, What are you doing? Language between me and God it is in the Kyoto. Thank you so much. Go ahead.
Thank you so much. Mr. Cunningham, always good seeing you sir. Mr. Foster,
good morning through
the President. First thing I wanted to say, I had a great time with Miss. Miss Betty Varner, I think that those community events are important. I think it illustrates how well when Community and Government works together that they can have and develop good principles within their community. So I did want to highlight that that's in district seven, they always do a good job over there. Grateful. District Two community meeting last evening. One of the things I want to highlight is that we want developers that's focusing on to be more focused on equity in the surrounding areas that they are developing in don't make a difference what development it is. Everyone knows surrounding areas should be able to receive and benefit from equity. Thirdly, conflict of interest. I missed the board of ethics presentation this morning, but as a citizen here, I believe it's unethical to have active government officials on the same nonprofits in which they're governing the win. Secondly, I believe that all our school principals should have access to the Community Education Commission. I think it's a great program. Thirdly, our mental illness and CPL holders. We cannot have people provoking other people to justify self defense. We need laws and ordinances to improve that. And lastly, I've heard Miss Callaway during budget season. Stress of our written contracts, all contracts should be written and come before
Thank you. Thank you so much. Mr. Foster Callaway, thank
you, Mr. Foster always. Thank you for your engagement, thank you for your participation, thank you for your advocacy. I appreciate every time I see you on one of my walks. I appreciate every time I see it one of my coffees, and I thank you for being on our virtual community call last night. And the developer for the hickenbottom project should have gotten in touch with you by now. If not, then I'll make sure you get that information before you leave today, I have my staff member over there, Miss Bailey, she'll make sure that you get the hickenbottom contact information. We appreciate all that you said last night on the call. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair, thank
you. Member Callaway Alonso de larte,
yes. So last time I spoke here, I talked about how I need help, how I have asked for help, how I'm not getting help. After I spoke, you know, the 90 seconds then Councilwoman Romero said a very brazen lie, I will continue to help, which was just like, my god and, you know, but you know, obviously my time had run out, so I wasn't going to, like, you know, make any sort of comment, you know, like, because my time has rang out. I will continue to help you cannot continue to do something you've never begun. So then the rest of you that like, well, she's got it, not my district, not my problem. So, so I don't know. So, so, so she read that line to the record, and, yeah, I don't know it's like, I need help, but I'm not getting it here.
Thank you. Um, yes, Council Member, Santiago Ramiro, thank
you, Madam President, and for the record, once again, yes, we have been happy to help you along. So good to see you. Since our very first year, we've been trying to help you, make sure that you are able to access a job. My staff, once again, we've gone through your resume, updated your resume. I have been in emails where I have been CC, where we are connecting you to different organizations that are hiring. You're here now in front of the full council, I welcome my colleagues to help me help Alonzo find work. We have tried all that we could. And just for the record, this is a second residents of mine that has said My office is not helping. That's not true. My office helps, and we've done all that we could, the results you may not like, but that's not the that does not mean that we did not help you. We have helped you, and all that we could from walking you through, accessing jobs, how to prepare for one, and it has not helped it has not helped you. I understand that, but I do welcome anyone. If you come across any jobs, Alonso wants to be in tech. He's got a lot of background in tech. Is very, very interested in getting into that field. If anyone hears of anything, let us know. We will continue to let you know Alonso, and again, just for the record, we help every single person that wants, that walks through our door and emails our office, sometimes the results may not be what you want. Um, that does not mean that we did not do, do everything that we could. Thank you, Madam President,
thank you so much Council. We unfortunately we can't go back and forth at this at this time right now. Thank you so much for coming down to Dante Smith,
good morning, honorable buddy. Um, I just want to say a couple things troubling at the solar power ordinance passed without with breaking city ordinances. I want to say, hopefully you guys can vote on the land bank MOU before the year end, so we don't have a whole year the land bank operating without one. I want to mention Lieutenant Cole and his lawsuit against the city of Detroit. I will testify in that lawsuit to save the money, the city money, because he's going to get a very nice lawsuit, and he's going to get a settlement, and he's going to be able to walk away in the sunset, and that man definitely says some very abusive things with his power. I also want to say there's a dossier of files Lieutenant Cole has testified to from the city of Detroit, anybody who protests in the city of Detroit, which is very troubling. I want city council to research that and look into that. He said he had eight members of the Detroit Police Department under him, looking into the people. I also want to talk about the Tory Commission and the amount of money they're trying to raise the toll rate to, or the toll the toll fees to for Detroit police authorized tolls. I have my vehicle told in October, and I'm not gonna sound well off, but I do very well, and I was not able to pay those fees. They're trying to raise those fees $100 I will organize as many people as I need to to come before the council, to make that to strike that down, also to know when that will be brought before the body of the whole and is that information will be public, because every time I went to a meeting, they would not let me get that information. Um, is the City Council also, where the city of Detroit has 17 tow trucks from the from the police department, and they're going to be in in housing, the towing, and they're going to cut out the outside tours or the public tows. Also, we need to get an ordinance to stop outside police agencies from being able to come into the city of Detroit, because they are preying on Detroit residents in the city of Warren, fatalities, and there's chases
spill into the city of Detroit. Mr. Smith, and we can work with council member just to get a status on when that will come before us, the changes in the police towing rate, okay, and make sure we get the information to you. You have it already, Council Member,
thank you, Madam President, that conversation happened yesterday in PHS. So this is a flag for anyone that's interested in knowing what's been discussed and what's being proposed, and it will be in front of us again on Monday with the hope of it being discussed, if not that following that same Tuesday the following week, Madam President, but it is before us now. Thank you,
perfect. Thank you so much. All right, thank you, Mr. Smith. And lastly, Miss Renita Moore,
yes, hello. Okay, I would put the house that I was interested in and I was in 2017 okay, I would put some buying. We already know that. Okay, this next one was at 5711, Eastside. They put me in that house. They had two pages of violation, okay, they moved me from there and the house that I'm in now, the perspective failed the first inspection, and then they turned around and still put me in that house. And he came back out and said, I don't know why you've been in here. I've been looking for houses this don't make no sense that I'm constantly have to move and I and I understand y'all have my program, but this is ridiculous. I end up, had I lost a child through this and I had a stroke through all this mess that I'm going through dealing with our government system. And it's ridiculous. The first house it went nothing wrong with it, but our system simply made it seem like it was something wrong with it, and it wasn't. So I couldn't buy it, and I've been going through the flux with this section a program ever since. And it's ridiculous. It they should be giving me a house, not shipping go through all this stuff because what I already been through and trying to do the right thing like I supposed to do.
All right. All right. Thank you so much. Miss Moore, and you know we're always here to help with help you and work with you through all of the housing concerns and issues that you have. So thank you for coming down, and we're here to help you. Okay, alright, appreciate you as always. Alright. That concludes all of the in person, and we will now turn over to our virtual callers. How many do we have this morning voting,
Madam President, we have any hand 20 followers who raise their hand before you would call public comment the first caller, it's William and yes.
Okay, good morning, Mr. Davis, uh,
good morning. Can I be heard? Yes, we can hear you. Okay. First off, I would like to say that I think there needs to be some improvement in the application process for the citizens, for the senior citizen, solid waste discount in that myself and others came down there on different, you know, on Friday and find out that they can process it because the office is closed to the public, even though that application says they can do it in person. So we shouldn't have to spend the paper parking to come down there for something that's not available. So hopefully I can improve that by next year. Also, I find it fascinating that, for some reason, that the city can have a look back of up to 20 years for taxes that was not fully paid, but yet we have pensioners and retirees that was overtaxed and others. But, you know, there's a small window for the city. The city doesn't want to pay us what we was overtaxed. You know, sounds like unbalanced justice here. And as usual, I like to say that thank the city can and should be doing more to help the city Detroit retirees, because I don't think not a single one of y'all could live on what y'all was making 11 years ago. Well, Father, you know, an increase, especially with this horrible inflation that we had in the last few years, and just taxes, water, everything goes up, but the money that we receive. So we need help. We need assistance, and we look forward to y'all doing something productive to help us. Thank
you. All right. Thank you. Mr. Davis,
the next caller. Sarah habo,
good morning. First, I just want to say every week that there are comments about Mike Duggan caring more about Mexicans than black residents, pitting us against each other, when the real issue is that rich investors have access to resources that residents don't. My name is Sarah haboob. I'm the president of the Detroit and Michigan chapter of the National Lawyers Guild. My fellow board member Emma Helen Bolton and I worked on the clinic protection ordinance with reproductive justice partners to ensure that patients, providers, volunteers and community members can be safe in the city of Detroit, the clinic protection ordinance will help make people seeking preventative medical care and reproductive care safer as they access these services. In the city of Detroit, the leading cause of death in pregnant people is homicide. This ordinance will allow some of the most vulnerable people in our city to safely access the care they need. Violence at clinics has increased since 2022 nationwide. Assault and battery has increased by 29% picketing has increased by 29% obstructing and blocking patients has increased by 538% and stocking has increased by 913% this ordinance is incredibly important in this moment in our country. Thank you,
right. Thank you so much.
The next caller, Shelley,
all right. Good morning.
Good morning. Thank you everyone for listening to us and to Emma and everyone that's worked with her. I've been running a clinic seven mile in Evergreen for almost 30 years, and everything that was protesters are very aggressive. They are literally standing at our side when we enter and exit our workplace. They are screaming at our patients. They are going up to patient cars and our location being so close to seven mile, we have a small apron that's private and another small apron in front of another door that's private, and they literally stand right at these aprons, or come to our cars follow us in. We have to have extra security, just having this buffer zone, just so we can comfortably enter and exit the building and and the way they wrote this was so it just so thoughtful in that they want to protect the protesters rights to protest and protect the patients. I think is amazing. And I also want to comment, I'm not sure how much time you're giving today, but the Detroit Police are the most amazing of any place I've ever worked. When we call them, they show up. They have take care of protesters when they're aggressive or when they're fighting or touching someone.
All right. Thank you so much.
The next caller is black bagu. Ruben
Crowell, Crawley, go right ahead. The floor Is yours.
You I labeled It her death or suicide. She couldn't have possibly shot herself, according to the laws of physics in my investigation, which just cost me time, money and resources. Scott Benson, you come out your mouth one more time, and I demonstrate on you exactly why they call me back. Bag rule,
next caller, please.
The next caller is Ruth, good morning. May
I be heard? Yes, you can.
I would like to invite everyone to celebrate national voter registration day. Today is a national, nonpartisan civic holiday for over 5000 community partners across the country, including ceded and some of our members, to help our neighbors, friends, family members and co workers register to vote. Understand the importance of voting the entire ballot. Know what's on the ballot to fight misinformation and disinformation, make a plan to vote and learn about the many resources to ensure that everybody who's eligible to vote, whether that's absentee early voting, drop off or even on the day of election, which is November 5, from 7am to 8pm I'd ask people to look at either the city of Detroit department Elections website the Michigan Secretary of State website, but there are also some nonprofits that have some great nonpartisan resources, including national a.org O, R, G, the National Low Income Housing Coalition, our homes, our votes, has information in English, Spanish, Arabic and other languages, as well as nonprofit vote.org, O, R, G, my message today is to vote, Be prepared and have a plan to vote, because all our votes matter. Thank you.
All right. Thank you. And before we proceed, I just want to make sure it's clear that any threats during public comment towards any of the public staff colleagues will not be allowed or accepted, and your public comment will be cut off again if there's any threats that are made to my colleagues, me myself, staff, anyone here, your public comment will be cut off. Council member, young Thank
you, Madam President, you kind of took the words out of my mouth. Listen, no one likes a good debate. No one likes a good slap and tickle like me. But we have got to be able to say how we feel and say what we're passionate about, without it getting or hinting towards violence. And I think particularly in this time where we are having, where we are literally having, in my opinion, the danger of the normalization of violence towards elected officials within the presidency and beyond, I think we need to be very careful. You could disagree without being disagreeable. You can say things that make you upset. You could talk about what you like or what you don't like, but please refrain from engaging in violent behavior or implying that I think it's dangerous, and, more importantly, it's unnecessary. We are all public service. We are all here to serve you. If you do not like the service, there's these things called elections. Please participate. Democracy is not a spectator sport. Please get involved. But I refrain. It is not appropriate, nor is it as nor is it necessary to be able to express yourself with violence. And I think in this time that is the danger that we're seeing. We are starting to see the normalization and the rationalization of that. Please refrain from that. Thank you, Madam President, and thank you for your leadership on this.
Thank you so much, member, young our next caller, please. Next
caller is phone number ending in 299
Thank you. Good morning to everyone city, Detroit, council members and Madam Chair. My name is Joyce, more community coalition within the boundaries of the Virginia Park community. I have a concern that would you, first of all, would you please be allow me or let me know when my time is up? Number two, in regard to the to a water source department, the drainage fee we're finding out is almost half of what a person's water bill is. I talked to a couple other people, and they had the same concern that the drainage Bill was like 35 $40 so can we have that investigated, please, because we don't need to be overcharged for drainage fee, and a lot of water use is seven or $8 as compared to the drainage fee. Number two, in regard to the over just the LSP program, the city to try to allow a certain amount of CCS. I'm not sure what that is exactly, but it comes at minus six, and if I go over that, they charge 1.5% more whatever that rate is. So now people's water is being jeopardized, to be cut off due to the overages, not because of being on the LSP program. So can you please look into that? In regard to the master plan, I did apply for an advisory council committee, and I'm saying simply that anybody on that committee should be a resident city, Detroit, along with any focus groups that are showing that are going to be established in the near future. Basically, that's it. Thank you so much for your time.
All right, thank you so much. Ms Moore,
the next caller is Mikko a Williams.
Nico Williams, Good morning.
Hi. Good morning. Can I be heard? Please?
Yes, you can.
First of all, I just want to say in response to the last caller, there is a drainage fee adjustment form that is on the DWSD website. You need to pull it up, and you need to fill out that form so you can be waived off the drainage speed. We've been trying to get people to sign up for that form. Beulah Walker has access to the form if you need more information. Don't know why people are not taking advantage of these opportunities, but it is very important. Yes, we need to fight the drainage fee, and we also need to fight the inflation that has come with our water bills. I am in total agreement that I want to work together on that. Um, I want to say Bob Carmax Memorial is tonight at six o'clock. Nazarene Missionary Baptist Church located on 901 Melbourne, in Oakland on the north end. Tonight, please join us in remembering a great man, a warrior for Christ. Bob was more in learning about his life, but also what he's done, and all of the great things he's tried to do. But also he was robbed by the city. He was murdered by the city. He was also taken away from his loved ones and his family, fighting for his business, fighting for his life, and also fighting for a great future. And that I just imagine all of the good people that tried for the city, to make the city better, and they were victimized. They were come after all, because of corruption and to expose corruption, Bob went out a hero, so please honor our hero tonight.
All right, thank you. Mika Williams,
our next caller is Natalie Gladstein,
Hello, can I be heard?
Yes, you can. Thank
you. My name is Dr Natalie Gladstein. I'm an OBGYN and an abortion provider in the Detroit area, and I would like to strongly encourage the support of the buffer ordinance for our healthcare clinics. I am harassed every time that I go to work by protesters who are often armed with at sometimes AR fifteens and are often very threatening to myself and to my patients, and I don't think that anybody deserves to be harassed when they are seeking health care. The buffer ordinance in Detroit would really help our patients and would promote safety for people seeking health care in the city. Thank you so much. I see the rest of my time. Okay, thank
you as well.
The next caller is Betty a Varner,
the moment, morning. Good morning to all within the sound of my voice, I want to thank Mr. Foster for his kind words and thank you for supporting my black club. And it was a pleasure meeting your beautiful mother and speaking with her. Today, I'm here as a resident of the city of Detroit for 75 years, born and raised the Detroit home accessibility program. This is a good program that is needed for disabled Detroiters. However, there are entire populations of people that wasn't included. There are seniors who have mobility challenges, who are considered disabled, that have never received SSI or any other senior security disability monies. These people receive Social Security, and some might receive a small pension. The seniors aren't receiving a large amount of money. I am part of that population, and when I take care of my monthly responsibilities, there isn't money available to pay for ramps, lifts or any other modifications to my home. The handicapped accessible entry and exit is a good program. I have applied for this program. I was denied because I don't receive, or never have received SSI or any other social security disability benefit. There are other seniors who have been denied because of the same reason. I am advocating for these seniors. My prayer is that the eligibility requirements will be reviewed.
All right. Thank you. Ms Verner, Council Member young Excuse me. Council member, duha, thank you, Madam
President, and Good Morning, Miss Verner, we have had the opportunity to speak with you. I know you spoke with Yolanda earlier relative to the decision from your application, and we are in the process of engaging some discussions with HRD to find out specifics about eligibility, but also the possibility of expanding eligibility for this program. And so I look forward to having those discussions with them. We will keep you updated on that as well. But thank you for calling in. Thank you, Madam President.
All right. Thank you member, durha, our next caller, please.
The next caller is Renard monkski, good morning.
Goodnight. Gunnar, good morning. Bernard machinski, morning, we can barely hear you, Renard, I'm going to try again. You're breaking up.
Can you hear me?
Okay, yep, go right ahead.
I'm so sorry. Hi, good morning. My name is Renaissance key Madam President and council members. I'm a resident of the city and also organizing with DPP and I just wanted to reach out to the entire city council, since you are some literature regarding some resources for the infrastructure investment job Act, or some people call it The bipartisan infrastructure Act, as it pertains to resources for converting our paratransit fleet to no emissions or low emissions, I'm looking forward to having deeper conversations with many of you about this proposal as well, and I have draft resolution language as well for consideration. I just think that this effort of including para transit passengers into our sustainability goals and climate goals is very important. I think the city is doing a great job in converting into a green infrastructure in Green City overall. I think the city has a great potential to show other cities, especially as we are dealing with climate change, on how to adapt and how to have lower impact on all of us. As an asthma sufferer, I can't imagine being a paratransit passenger, you know, with COPD or asthma other issues, and not have to deal with emissions when I'm being serviced. So please consider that and looking forward to further deliberations with you. All
right, thank you.
The next caller is phone number and then one through four.
All right, good morning. You
are, do you say called a, 124,
yes, a phone number and again, 124,
yep, called a, 124, good morning. Caller, 124, okay, Ari, let's come back to this. Caller, please.
Okay. The next caller is Stephen Harring, all
right. Stephen hiring, good morning.
Can I be her?
Yes, you can.
I just want to say Ruben Crowley's public comment was a 20 year felony. You know, I believe, a few months ago, a man in Indiana was sentenced to, I believe, five years in federal prison for threatening the clerk of Rochester Hills and similar way. So really hope you guys at least file some police reporter, at least someone sees it and teaches that, not job lesson. So I first going to say, you know, regarding transit, before we start greening the air of transit fleet, we need to start getting more drivers paid. Because smart, they just had the biggest driver increase in probably every decades. They're going to be the most, highest paying transit provider in Michigan, and I worked hard to get that so did several other transit advocates, including Cunningham. But you know DDOT, when they're paying $10 more an hour, those drivers are going to leave. And you know we're already short on drivers 70% um so you know, I think you really need, we really need to start fighting for higher driver pay. Yeah.
All right, thank you. Mr. Hari,
next caller is calling user two. All right, good
morning.
Can I be heard?
Yes, we can hear you.
Good afternoon, Madam President, I would like to know why hasn't anything been done to make sure that it's proper lighting that these bus stops, I've been complaining for a year with this gas station not having the proper lighting that reflects on to this bus stop, and Nothing that's been done. Nobody from your office has reached out to me. I keep asking, and it's been a year. You and I know it doesn't take a year to get this resolved. My second point is, why hasn't anything been done about a sense of drug selling going on in this building, nobody has reached out to me. I keep asking, and I asked that early this morning when I sent emails to each council member office, nobody has taken time to get back with me. I'm tired of having to keep asking this day after day after day. This needs to stop. And I'd like for you to tell me, what are you going to do about this? Did you tell me other than just getting back with me? Thank you. All right. Thank you
so much. Miss Shay, and just going to be as honest as I can, we will continue to respond to all of your emails in phone calls, direct them to the appropriate department and assist with the various neighborhood issues and just needs and concerns that you have throughout the city of Detroit, so looking forward to continuing to work with you. And if you have additional comments or concerns, please just call or email our office. Thank you so much. Ms, Shea, Okay, our next caller please.
The next caller is Torah. The next caller is torah.
Torah Brown, good morning. Good morning, Council.
This is Tara Brown. Typically, I have been asking questions about the Sherman Lee Butler case, but today, my concern is more about the FOIA department or the law department. I guess I should say I've sent several foyers and I'm getting responses back, and they're being denied, and they're being denied with just like a blanket denial of
15, 240, 311, interfering with law enforcement proceedings. Two, depriving a person of the right to a fair trial or impartial administrative adjudication. Some of these things that I am foying doesn't even apply to that. I mean, these are just blanket denials. There was a concern that was raised to me by somebody, that there was a concern about the foyers, that I was sending the questions, that I was asking things like that. And that's fair, however, to blanketly deny foyers and use 15 to 43 as an excuse. That's not right. I would like to say, though, in response, the foyers also do take too long to get a response back, but I will say, Sonia Eckerman and David, I'm sorry. His name is Devin barely I believe it is. They do an excellent job, whether it's approved or denied, of getting your FOIA response back. And I wanted to uplift that while I was while I was speaking to you all today, but again, something needs to be done about the FOIA department and how long it's taken to get a response, and the number of just blanket denials that they give out. Thank you, Council. Have a good day.
The next caller, phone number earning in one through four you Yes, hello,
can you hear me? Yes, we can you hear me?
All right, something strange going on anyway, thank you. First of all, I would like to ask again and urge some members to stand up for us, residents who would like to be included, in a meaningful way in the master plan advisory group process. Now this is a selected, unelected group of people that supposedly represents us. I see no legitimate reason that doesn't involve accusing residents of some behavior in the future or something that we would not be allowed to attend these meetings. It looks like the Master Plan advisory group is getting a whole lot more information than other residents. I'll be attending one of the city voices tours. I've asked to be part of a focus group, and so I really don't understand this lack of inclusion, I want to say my prayers to Bob Carmack. I thank him for letting us know what happened with the Manhattan Project collapse into the Detroit River. I'm very disappointed that all my democratically elected officials, including senators, Peters and stab and state reps and the city council did not call for a federal investigation into what happened and the safety of the water. Now, why would we believe things are safe when people of Flint were told things were not safe? So please, why can we not attend the master plan.
All right, thank you. Miss Warwick, the
next caller is demanding election integrity.
All right, good morning.
Demanding election integrity. Good morning.
Oh yeah, good morning. And through the Chair, may I be heard?
Yes, you can.
Yes, we have had a lot of disturbing conversations today, but I wanted to get 21.1 I wanted to mention that this, this entire body, seems to be adversarial to the population, especially the black population in the city. The Detroit legal news is not a highly circulated in our community news media, and you want us to pay $2 million for a contract for her to put what about the Chronicle? What about other publications that we do by and are in our community? Mr. Benson, I'm I'm surprised that you don't know the ethical rules around what you need to file for voting. That's just indicative of this entire body. You seem to care less about rules and laws, although you're sitting there writing ordinances constantly. The Samantha wall incident where the young man was accused of killing a woman that began in the in the house, but there was no evidence, but he was in the house. But this prosecutor's office and this police department decided to make this man go through this legal process and spend all of this money for something that they know he didn't do, and at the end, they charged him with lying to the police an ordinance that you passed while the police lie to them something's wrong in this city. Thank you.
Our next caller,
the last caller who raised their hand before you cut off public comment is Karen,
Hello, yes, go right ahead.
Yeah, good morning. Last, but not least, I'm on moles. Pose overhead. Wise. Now we know we have, we got a cool or a click or something going on here in the city. Now, I just found out public act 159, of 2014 it's the uniform Collaborative Law Act. Now this membership uniform Collaborative Law Act. So it's actually in the Constitution. I mean, it's, it's a statute, public act on 59 2014, so what it does is all of the legal folks get together. They're all like in a little clique, a group, judges, lawyers. I mean, so it was interesting the first speaker, when he spoke of, you know, cases going back to 2013 and money, not, you know, being delivered, not going where it's supposed to go. So we, everybody needs to know about that, because a lot of people were affected by that. And that has to be criminal. You got millions of dollars. That sounds more like riverfront consortancy. But nobody, you know, watching the pot of money. Now, Michael Kelly never done deals with him because he already, you know, he already owed the city money, so that all those deals should have been illegal, and they gave away public lighting infrastructure, you know, to build up. Still, there's a lot of things going on, lobbying. You can't lobby for bills either. You can't say, pass the split tax whatever, because you're lobbying for it. You got to stay on.
Alright. Thank you so much. Miss Winston, and that will conclude all of our public comment for this morning. Thank you to everyone who called in and came down for public comment. We will proceed now to our agenda. Yes. Member Benson, thank
you. I just want to acknowledge what was said in my absence regarding threats to my person. I do want to thank my colleagues for speaking up and a zero tolerance policy has been implemented at this table by Madam President. Violence in political discourse has no place in our American democracy. I've published that. I've said that before. We've seen a former president and a current candidate who's been attempted to been assassinated twice in this past year, the level of violence and then the thought that that's acceptable and appropriate is inconsistent with our American democracy, the tolerance of it is also unacceptable, and I will not tolerate that, and so I will be making the proper complaints to ensure that my personal safety, as well as my family and my colleagues, is taken Seriously. Violence has no place, and we will not joke about it, nor will that type of discourse be tolerated, at least by myself. And so the appropriate authorities will be notified, and we'll take it from there. Thank you.
Thank you. Council member Benson, all right, we will move now to our agenda under standing committee reports for the internal operations standing committee from the Office of contracting and procurement council
member Johnson a resolution noting that this line item was postponed from last week formal session contract number 6006208, 100% ARPA funding to provide data and event monitoring for cybersecurity contractor CDW government, LLC. Total contract amount, $2,747,985.38 cent nest for do it. Councilmember Johnson, a resolution. Thank
you, Madam Clerk. Councilmember Johnson,
thank you, Madam President, Move for approval with discussion on line item 16.1,
discussion. Thank
you, Madam President. Just wanted to open it up for discussion. I know that there member Calloway postponed it last week. I'm not sure if she has had her questions responded to member Calloway, yeah. Thank
you, Madam Chair and member Johnson, I have had my questions answered by art Thompson. I have them in writing. I appreciate him taking the time to do that is very, very detailed. And as I alluded to last week, this company is associated with crowd, which had the it meltdown in July, and Delta was mostly impacted and some other municipalities around the nation. So I just wanted to make sure that our information was not compromised. He assured me that it was not. But I would like to ask him a question if he is available, because this is a $2.7 million contract that's being 100% funded with ARPA dollars. If that is the case, then how are we going to sustain this contract after June 2026, when the ARPA dollars have been expended? So that would be my question to Mr. Thompson, if he is available.
Okay, I see Mr. Thompson is here with us. You can join us at the table. Thank you. Madam Chair,
good morning. Art Thompson, Chief Information Officer for the City of Detroit, thank you through the honorable body. So how we are going to pay for this? After this, ARPA funding is going to cover the initial startup costs and the implementation phase, but this will actually subside into our current cybersecurity budget. I am actually collapsing a tool into this so that we can grow our capabilities without growing the cost. So this will be absorbed by the current cybersecurity budget that we have
through the chair, yes, so you are saying that there will be no additional charges that the budget that you already have will be enough to absorb this this amount, yes, ma'am, okay, and to sustain this contract. Yes. Ma'am, okay. So after June through the chair. So after June 30, 2026 we shouldn't see this contract again like this, because it is going to be absorbed. That's what you're saying, and to your budget that already exists through the chair, yes, ma'am. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair, thank you, Mr. Thompson,
thank you so much. Council member Calloway, any additional questions? All right, hearing none. Thank you, Mr. Thompson, for being here. Thank you. And member Johnson has already moved this for approval. Are there any objections to 16.1 all right. Hearing, no objections, the one resolution will be
approved. Madam President, yes. I'd like to request a waiver. Okay?
Hearing, no objections, a waiver will be attached to line item 16.1 i from the public health and safety standing committee
Council Member Santiago Romero, 16 resolutions, line item 17.1, through 17. Point 16. First up is contract number 3077067, 100% city funding to provide an emergency demolition for the residential property. 19931, Winston contractors, inner city contracting, LLC, total contract amount, 18,700 that's for construction and demolition. Next contract is contract number 30772221, 077222, 100% city funding to provide an emergency demolition for the residential property, 5558, Vancouver contractor, salad, main trucking and excavating. Incorporated total contract amount, $20,253.44 cent that's for construction and demolition. Next contract is contract number 3077212, 100% city funding to provide an emergency demolition for the residential property at 14954, Manor contractor selling, trucking and excavating. Incorporated total contract amount $20,559 that's for construction and demolition. Next contract is contract number 3072534, 100% city funding to provide an emergency demolition for the residential property. 401, South Cottrell contractor, DMC consultants incorporated total contract amount $24,750, that's for construction and demolition. Next contract, which is line item, 17.5 contract number 3073167, 100% city funding to provide an emergency demolition for the residential property. 13369, Wade contractor, DMC consultants incorporated total contract amount $34,450, that's for construction and demolition. Next contract is contract number 3073484, 100% city funding to provide an emergency demolition for the residential property. 12016, Montrose contractor DMC consultants incorporated total contract amount 21,800, that's for construction and demolition. Next contract is contract number 3075269, 100% city funding to provide an emergency demolition for the residential property. 9088, Thaddeus contractor, DMC consultants, Incorporated total contract amount 29,900, that's for construction and demolition. Next contract is contract number 3075309, 100% city funding to provide an emergency demolition for the residential property. 8339, military contractor DMC consultants incorporated total contract amount $20,064 that's for construction and demolition. Next contract line item, 17.9 contract number 3077208, 100% city funding to provide an emergency demolition for the commercial property, 431, South harbor with basement backfield. Contractor is automotive demolition company. Total contract amount, $442,183.40 cent, that's for construction and demolition. Next contract is contract number 3075354, 100% city funding to providing the emergency demolition for the residential properties, 592, and 600 West Hollywood contractor, DMC consultants incorporated total contract amount 63,000, that's for construction and demolition. Next contract is contract number 6006529, 100% city funding to provide vehicle maintenance and repair services contracted by maxi ford incorporated total contract amount 40,000 and that's for fire. Next contract is contract numbers 3075094, 100% city funding to provide an emergency demolition for the residential property. 5968, Seminole contractor, DMC consultants incorporated total contract amount 32,600 that's for construction and demolition. Next contract is contract number 3077358, 100% city funding to provide an emergency demolition for the residential property. 1527, Dickerson contractor, Sally bean, trucking and excavating. Incorporated total contract amount, $55,089.33 cent that's for construction and demolition. Next contract line item, 17, point 14. Contract Number 6006580, 100% city funding to provide an increase of funds and assignment of contract. 6004429, for vector services contractor benkari LLC. Total contract amount $407,400 that's for construction and demolition. Next contract is contract number 6003894, dash, 831, 100% city funding. Third amendment, to provide an extension of time and an increase of funds to assist with the annual audit CAFR for ddlt. Contract is Randy, K lane, PC, total contract amount 268,000 that's for transportation. Last contract is contract number 6006491, 100% city funding to provide bus. OEM parks, contractor, Gillick LLC, total contract amount, $3,526,254 and that's for transportation. Customer. Santiago Romero, 16 resolutions,
right? Thank you, Madam Clerk. Council member. Santiago Romero, thank you. Madam
President, motion to approve 17.1 through 17 points 13.
Any discussion on 17.1 through 17 point 13? Discussion?
Madam Chair,
okay. Council member Callaway,
thank you, Madam Chair, line item, 17.9 Do we have anyone on from the demolition and construction department? Have a couple of questions regarding this contract.
Okay to mr. Washington, you can have someone come on, please.
Morning Madam Chair, I'm
sorry I couldn't
hear you. Good morning. Madam Chair, can
you hear me? Yes, yes, we have director counts online.
Okay, we will promote director counts. Director
Council has been moved over. I over.
Good afternoon, law accounts, director of the construction and demolition department. All right, thank
you. Director counts, were you able to hear member Callaway question?
I'm through the chair. No, I'm sorry I didn't hear a question, she
actually hasn't asked it yet. So Galloway,
thank you, Madam Chair, I've noticed a pattern on these last three years since I've been serving on this council, and we have folks who contracts, contractors, who bid on contracts, and then they all of a sudden discover basements, which almost doubles the amount of the original contract. My question is, why are we continuing to allow this to happen? If somebody's going to bid on a contract, and if this is a commercial property on Harbaugh, why would they not go out and survey the property physically to see whether or not there's a basement on site, instead of bidding. And, in my opinion, sometimes low, low balling on the bid, get the bid, win it, and then all of a sudden they discover a basement. What is the requirement with the surveillance of the property before you bid on a property? Because you should not be allowed to come back and almost double the amount of the original contract, because you all of a sudden discovered a basement the bidders, if it's not, we should, we should require this honorable body, should require bidders to go out and actually survey the property before bidding, because you don't ignore what you're bidding on. Because this contract, if I'm not going to vote for it, they discovered a basement which added $150,000 to the original amount of the contract. And this has been a pattern since I've been sitting on this council. So I don't know if we need to change the ordinance. I don't know what we need to do, but these bidders should be required to go out and do a physical survey of the property to determine whether or not there is a basement in place, because I believe some contractors offer a low bid and then say, Oh, we discovered a basement, and then they're doubling the amount of the contract. So I'm not going to vote for this, but I would like to hear your take on the requirements in terms of the process of bidding on these types of um property demolition contracts
through the chair um, we did revise the process in which we submit these emergencies. Under an emergency, no one is able to access the property because the building official has determined it's in imminent danger of collapse, so it's a safety concern. So no one is able to access and actually perform a survey like we do in our scheduled demolitions. But what we did revise our process to include was that we would do the initial emergency bid portion of it and then have the contractors act on the demo to mitigate the hazard, which is the imminent collapse, and then have them submit the change order if they do identify a basement at the same time of the final submission of the chain of the the original emergency. So we package it all together. We still don't know at the time that the demo happens, if a basement is going to be present on a property, or the extent of the basement being present from an emergency standpoint, it would be a guess. It would be a guess for any contractor who goes out at that time, if they were giving us an estimate for it, because they're not able to access the location. So it could be one basement, it could be three basements, depending on the property, but and they determine that, after the demolition, actually happens
through the chair. So I'm trying to understand, we know that the properties are in a dangerous condition, and they probably have been secured, I hope, and taped off. I don't know how they're secure, but I'm hoping that they are. I'm just not understanding if we have renderings and blueprints for properties that the blueprint or the renderings is not showing that a basement exists. This is a problem because this bid was originally $291,000 now we're going to add $150,000 because they discovered a basement. They bid it. They bid it, and one at 291, so what if we had another bidder whose bid was a little higher? They didn't get the bid because this bid came in lower, but it really didn't, because now we're discovering a basement which is almost doubling the amount of the original contract that was one. So I'm just not sure that I can accept your answer. I mean, that's the answer that you're giving is, to me, it's not an ad. It's not a good enough answer, because there should be a way for contractors to go out in a safe process and look and survey the property to determine whether or not there's a basement there that should be available. I don't know make to the naked eye. I don't know if you actually have to go into the building to actually see whether or not there's a basement there. Most buildings in the city of Detroit, if it is a basement, maybe residential only. They have windows around the basement. You can see it. You can see that the basement is there. So that's not the case in commercial properties. We don't know that a basement is there. When we go out to the property through the chair,
every property is different. And it's, it's, it's a generality that you cannot apply to all structures across the city. Depending on the time it was built, the type of construction it was, it all varies. And it's so it's difficult for us to be able to say that there's going to be a basement present. What we would be doing if we assume that there's a basement in every location is we are potentially driving the cost up, and at that point we pay for potential work this might not be there. So although I understand your concern and your frustration, the other thing too is that there are not drawings that exist for these locations, even for the properties in which we have scheduled demos and we are performing those surveys. They're not drawings for those either. So to make the assumption that we have access to resources that exist, that's just not the industry standard or the industry norm that we encounter out into the out in the city when we're performing these emergency demolitions. And to to reiterate the fact that this was an emergency, it was not just a dangerous building which we would normally have access to to be able to go in and to inspect and to survey because the order is an emergency, we're not allowed to go inside of the property, and in some cases, being close to the property is A hazard or a risk as well.
Madam Chair, Director. Count, are we in touch? Because this is a privately owned commercial structure. We do we know who the owner of any of these commercial properties are? Is there a way for us to get in touch with them? Maybe they can tell you whether or not there's a basement there, since they're probably happy that we're tearing it down on their behalf and we're not going to charge them, because we don't go after them. Don't go after them very often, and we do. I don't know what the results are, but do we know who some of these commercial, privately owned commercial properties are, or is there a way for us to find out? Remove it from the tax rolls
through the chair we do go at we actively pursue any privately owned commercial demolition that we execute for cost recovery efforts. This particular location was a church, and unfortunately, I'm not able to tell you right the second, although I'm searching to see if I can find it, but it will go the same process as well, especially if it's privately owned and not by a religious institution. But we definitely, we even send those invoices to the churches when they own their properties, and this is still we are able to see. Is Jehovah Jireh Full Gospel Church,
Madam Chair, my question again is, is there a way for us to make a courtesy call to the immediate previous owner of the commercial properties that we are intending to demolish due to emergency purposes, and maybe negotiate with that owner that we are not going to come after you, if you can just provide us with a little bit of information about the property, because this is costing the city, US taxpayers, 100 and, originally, $291,000 in addition to $150,000 so that's a lot of money that. And it's not, it's, it's, I think it's city funded, and it's city funding. So is there a way for us to do a little bit more due diligence in terms of reaching out to the immediate previous owner of the commercial property, just to ask some very basic question that will save us $150,000
through the Chair, if you prefer that we Take the time to execute. Instead of executing the emergency demo, which we are given a very short time period in which due then we get them down in seven to 10 days. If you would prefer that, we use some of that time to research, to find out, to use that time to find out if there's a basement on site and still have the property standing we will do that,
Madam Chair. And I think you know, that's certainly not what I'm alluding to or suggesting at all. Of course, if it is an emergency state, then that property needs to be demolished. We don't want anybody to get pulled into the building, and for whatever reasons hurt, we know that, so that that's an erroneous question. And so you know exactly what I'm asking. I'm asking you whether or not and you while you are demolishing the property, we can find out prior to don't stop the process. Just add this to the process. If it's an emergency demolition, demolition has already been approved. You can have assigned one person to find out whether or not there's a basement there, especially with this amount of money, it's a phone call, and if we just, I mean, I'm not sure how much time it would require. It would require some time, but we're not even doing that. And but this has been happening since I've been sitting on the council, and it's just regularly, routinely approved, and I have to question it today,
through the chair again, we have, we've reduced the amount of time as best we can to be as efficient as possible in order to get the properties down as quickly as we can. So there, there is really no wiggle room in the process, but we will if that's what, if that's what it takes in order to provide some level of comfort for you. In the future, we will definitely make sure that we make a phone call or try and attempt to contact these owners. Madam
Chair, it's not about you providing any comfort to me. This is city funded. It's $150,000 city funded. So it's not going to provide me any comfort. I'm just asking what the process entails regarding the discovery of basements, and if you can just come up with the process, but you're saying you can't go on the property because it's in a dangerous condition, but you can go on to demolish it, but you can't go on prior to to determine whether or not there's a basement. So I'm not going to ask you to, you know, prolong the process. I'm just asking, you know, that we try to find out whether or not there's a basement before we allow the bid to go through. Because this routinely happens that we have a book a low bid, and then we double it because they discovered a basement, when sometimes maybe they already knew their basement was there. But thank you for your your diligence, and if you could try to work on coming up with the process to determine whether or not a basement is there, is there, so we can avoid spending the taxpayers dollars in a in a manner that I certainly don't agree with as one of the taxpayers. But thank you, Madam Chair, thank you Director Powell, thank you.
Thank you. Thank you so much. Member Callaway, Council Member Santiago Ramiro,
thank you, Madam President. I just wanted to thank member Callaway. This is a question that we have asked many times in our committee public health and safety, and the results are what you heard today. So we to ask these questions. We are concerned of what we're seeing, so we encourage and think any other colleague that's asking this question as well? Thank you, right? Thank
you. Thank you. Member Callaway
And Madam Chair and two. And I know Santiago Ramirez understands what I'm saying, and I listen to the deliberations during public health and safety. So I know this is a problem. We have to come up with a solution. I do not accept the fact that you can't go onto the property to discover whether or not there's a basement there, because it is in a dangerous condition. It's a dangerous condition. When you go on the property, is it in? It's already in a dangerous condition. So this continues to happen, and we have to come up with the way, because it could. I'm not saying it's big rigging at all. Oh, I certainly won't say that, but it smells like it. It smells like it. It smells like you know, we're Bid rigging here, and that we're lowballing these bids, and we don't know if they know, whether or not there's a basement there. They're telling you they don't know. I'm not saying that. I'm not accusing anyone of anything. This is just my perception of what I have encountered or read since I've been on this council for the last three years, and it just needs to stop, and however it can get stopped and say, We the taxpayers, a few dollars, that would be great. Thank you, Madam Chair,
thank you so much. Council member Callaway and director counts, if you can just follow up with us via email, just to you know, the resolution of how we can address this issue and what are some changes that could possibly be made to address what was raised here, both in committee and at the table today, okay. Director count. Okay. Thank you so much. Council member, Young,
thank you, Mayor, President, um, Director counts, good to see you. I just wanted to ask you, what kind of technology are we using to be able to deal with this issue? What I mean, are we, are you partnering with, do it? Are you using any artificial intelligence at all, any spectrographs or anything of that nature, to be able to find these basements at all? Because I mean, are we using, you know, robots or machines or drones to be able to look to see or overhead views at all? What are we actually looking to be? What kind of technology are we using to be able to deal with this problem
through the chair? We, the contractors themselves, actually have drones that are capable of giving us elevated views or views from inside of floors. A lot of times, the drones are not able to access the basement because of signal issues. So that hasn't been we haven't been successful with that. Some of the other type of sonar information or equipment that you're talking about requires somebody to actually be inside of the property. When we arrive on site to perform a demo, no one goes inside of the location. We are actually limiting how close to the location actual people can get. And the closest thing that gets to it is the actual excavator, which is, of course, a fortified kind of unit. So then event that some debris does fall, it's the driver, the operator is actually has some level of protection. No, no, no, I
understand, because you don't want people going in there, because they're dangerous and in the city and people can get hurt when people can lose their lives, God forbid. But secondly, the city will be liable. No, I I understand that. But I just want to know, is there any me, is there any way towards the automated demolition, because there's actual machines that kind of do these sort of things that exist now, currently. And I just want to know is that something that you're investing in at all, is that something that you'd have to put an RFP, RFP out in order to be able to achieve that type of services, to have the man to be able to work that machine? But I would understand there is technology that you could use that could be able to help, I'm not saying it's going to solve it, or it's going to be 100% successful, but there is technology that's available that you could use that could be able to kind of reduce the amount of times you are missing the basements, because I understand you're working hard. It's a it's a yeoman's job you're doing. But I think that there's technology that we can use to be able to solve this or at least reduce this event from happening. I just want to know, has that been looked into at all? Are there partnerships at all that you made with do or partnerships you made with our universities in that field?
Through the Chair we have, we have reached out and done some some resource sharing across departments to be able to use some of the other drone equipment that exists across the city. As far as this, other technologies that exist, we have not, we have not utilized that as a opportunity for us, mostly because of is cost prohibitive. And while there are options that do exist, I think that would be it's counter. Is just even if we allow or require that to be a part of the scope of services during the time of the emergency demo, there's going to be a cost associated with its with its use. But we can definitely look into any potential possibilities that there may be, that may exist for additional technology, or different, newer technology that exists to support this investigation of the basements.
No, listen, you're absolutely right. And I'm not saying it's not, I'm just saying that it seems that either way, there's going to be a cost. And so it seems that if we continue to keep going down this way, it's going to be a cost to the city one way or another. And so I think this is kind of like, you know, this can, like, pick your poison. And so I definitely think that we should just be doing this upfront, so we're paying this one time instead of paying these reoccurring costs over and over again. And I'm willing to make that sacrifice. You know what I'm saying? I'm willing to take that chance. So I'm not just telling you, just throwing you out there on the I'm just not just running you up to the plate by yourself here. I understand there's cost to this, but I think that that's the best this is either pay me now or pay me later. And I think we should pay the cost now. Thank you, Mayor. President,
Madam Chair,
thank you. Member young, Council Member Callaway, thank
you, and thank you. Member young I'm looking at construction dive.com, American Institute of Architects, and the general conditions of contracts of construction. In a nutshell, the contractor is responsible for confirming that they've done their homework on the site and have identified any and all anomalies, ie, a basement. So through the Chair, I'm going to ask LPD to look into what we can do to address this issue that has been ongoing since I've been on the council, and obviously prior to my arrival, this should be unacceptable. What are the city's options with respect to entering these contractual agreements with these contractors to demolish these properties on an emergency basis, and later discovered that a basement was there. So I'm going to give you the article that I'm reading. And the website, again, is construction dive.com and they are quoting the American Institute of Architects. Form a 201, general conditions of the contract of construction. So through the chair to LPD, I'm asking for a report on this very issue. What is the responsibility of the contractor when they bid on these contract, they haven't gone out to the property because it's dangerous, unsafe. How do they then bid on a bid on the contract, if they have not been to the site, and then later discover all of these anomalies, ie basements or unforeseen conditions that I've also here at this table. Thank you, Madam Chair,
thank you member Callaway, is that a motion?
That is a motion? Okay,
there's a motion for LPD to do a report based on the article, and you'll get that over to them in writing as well. I will thank you. Madam Chair, and Hearing no objections, that action will be taken. Okay? And was there any other discussion on these items? And we're doing 17.1 through 17 point 13.
Madam Chair, yes. Objection to me moving for approval. Okay,
all right, so hearing no further discussion. There was a motion to approve and any objections. Objection
line item 17.9 council member Callaway,
Objection, 17.9
Okay, the clerk will note. Clerk was a note.
Madam President,
all right, hearing no further objections. Those resolutions will be approved. Request a waiver, Madam
President, for 17 point 11.
Waiver has been requested for 17 point 11, and if there are no objections, that action will be taken, madam
president will request away with the line item 17.6
waiver has been requested. 17.6 there are no objections that action will be taken. And Member Santiago Romero
motion to approve 17 points 14 through 17 point 16.
We're now moving 17 point 14 through 17 point 16. Any discussion on these items? All right. Hearing no discussion. A motion has been made for approval. Are there any objections? Hearing no objections. The three resolutions will be approved. Crystal waiver, Madam
President, for 17 point 16,
okay request for a waiver on 17 point 16. Hearing, no objections that action will be taken from the law department. Council
member Benson, an introduction of an ordinance. Line item, 17. Point 17.
Council member Benson, remember,
Benson, your microphone wasn't on. We couldn't hear you.
And present order that the ordinance be read twice by title order printed and laid on the table,
Hearing no objections that action will be taken from the law department. Council
member Vincent, a resolution sending the public hearing. Line item 17, point 18.
Council member Benson, motion to accept the
public hearing. TBD discussion member Benson,
just to my
colleagues, we will be reaching out to walk through the ordinance, understanding that this is an ordinance that impacts the justice system. And want to make sure that everybody understands this, and we understand that just a history of our people, there is an extreme amount of trauma with the justice system, and so we make sure everybody understands what the intent is here and what we're trying to do. And as the current vice president Harris has indicated, everybody, no matter their income, their race, ethnicity, is afforded access to the justice system.
Thank you. All
right, thank
you. Council member Benson, looking forward to those discussions. All right, a motion has been made for the scheduling of a public hearing for this ordinance. Any objections? Hearing? No objections. That resolution will be approved from the law department. Council
Member Santiago Romero, introduction of an ordinance. Line item 17, point 19.
Council Member Santiago Romero,
thank you, 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 from the law department. Council
Member Santiago Romero, a resolution set in a public hearing. Line item 73 point 20. Council member,
Santiago Ramiro, thank you, Madam
president's brief discussion for 17 point 20. We're looking to schedule this for September 23 at 10:30am we have heard today from folks about the importance of this ordinance. This is for the clinic buffer zone, so that both patrons of clinics and folks that are protesting have a safe distance from each other to do so. So we would like to schedule this hearing for September 23 at 10:30am
all right. Thank you. Council members. Any objections? Hearing? No objections. The resolution will be approved for the scheduling public hearing.
Madam President, yes, through you to remember Santiago Romero, this particular ordinance you want to set the public hearing for the 23rd which is next Monday. Because this item does not have a waiver on it, it will not lead the city clerk office to go to the mayor office for approval until Monday of next week. Therefore this public hearing will not be able to be set at that date.
Madam President, would like to request a waiver for the ordinance,
the clinical ordinance, I can 17 point 19. Thank
you. Request a waiver for 17 point 19.
Okay. Waiver has been requested and Hearing no objections, that action will be taken. Thank
you, Madam
President, thank you, Madam Clerk,
so we're good now we don't need to read, okay, perfect. From the Department of Public Works city engineering division. Council
Member Santiago Romero, three resolutions, line items, 17 point 21 through 17 point 23
Council Member Santiago Romero,
motion to approve. These are all requests for enrichments and or vacations.
All right, any objections. Hearing, no objections. The three resolutions will be approved.
Madam Chair, yes. Request a waiver, online item 17 point 21 all right.
Waiver has been requested in hearing, no objections. A waiver will be attached to 17 point 21 under resolutions.
Council president pro tem James Tate, resolution, line item 17 point 24
President Pro Temp Tate,
Madam President, moved to remove line item 17 point 24 with discussion. All right, thank you, ma'am. This side item has already been approved. It was approved during the formal session of July 30, 2024
All right, there are no objections. We will remove line item 17 point 24 from the agenda, and we will now move to the new business portion of our agenda from the Office of contracting and procurement Council
Member Santiago Romero, six resolutions, line items, 18.1 through 18.6 first up is contract number 6005673, 100% city funding to provide Mobile inspection invoicing and billing services for all fire inspections and fees charged to fire department customers. Contractor is Tyler Technologies Incorporated total contract amount $414,802 that's for fire next contract is contract number 6006495, 100% grant funding to furnish bus ome parks contractor Neal Park transit LLC, total contract amount $674,354 that's for transportation. Next contract is contract number 6006452, 100% city funding to provide environmental consulting services contractor nth consultants Ltd, total contract amount 500,000 that's for BC. Next contract is contract number 6006373, 100% city funding to provide a two year rental agreement for IO for gas monitors, contractor, Argus, Group Holdings, LLC, total contract amount, $320,184 that's for fire. Next contract is contract number 307772, 100% city funding to provide the activation fee of 550 new and or replacement radios of the Michigan Public Safety Communication System contractor, state of Michigan. Total contract amount 137,500 and that's for police. Last contract number 3078051, 100% grant funding to provide emergency purchase to restore functionality of existing police surveillance ban used for the investigation of crimes such as homicide, narcotics operations and trafficking. Contractor is Bert Services LLC. Total contract amount, 76,500 that's for police. Council Member Santiago Romero, six resolutions.
All right, thank you, Madam Clerk. Council Member Santiago Romero, thank you, Madam
President. Motion to approve 18.1 through 18.4
All right, 18.1 through 18.4 any questions or discussion, hearing no discussion or questions, a motion has been made to approve these items, any objections, carrying No objections, the resolutions will be approved. Councilmember son Okay, a waiver has been requested 18.4 and 18.3 any objections Hearing none a waiver will be attached to both items. Madam
President, request a waiver for 18.1 and 18.2
any objections to a waiver on 18.1 and 18.2 all right, hearing none a waiver will be attached to both items. Council member, thank you, Madam
President, motion to approve 18.5 through 18.6
All right. Motion has been made. Any objections on 18.5
and 18.6 objection member, Santiago Romero, 18.6
the clerk would note, clerk will So note, Madam
President,
any additional objections? All right, hearing. None. The two resolutions will be approved from the Office of contracting and procurement.
Council member young a resolution noting that this line item was postponed from last week formal session, which was contract number 6005849, dash, A, one 100% city funding Amendment One to provide a change of scope for fiduciary and program management for city walls and ACE program contractor Space Lab development incorporated total contract amount 2,660,000 that's For general services. Council member young, a resolution.
Council member Young, thank
you, Madam President, I moved to approve line item 18.7
All right, just with discussion. Want to make sure the issue regarding the Detroit artist that was addressed. Council member Calloway, did you receive
Thank you, Madam Chair, can we have director Perkins, come on, okay, I spoke to her earlier. Thank you. Madam
Chair, all right, Director Perkins, Mr. Washington, can we have director Perkins Come on? Please? Yes. Madam Chair, we
have director Perkins on. Okay?
Director Perkins needs to accept the promotion of panelists.
Madam Chair. We
also have Lorraine Smith online from GSD as well.
Okay, we can promote the Ray Smith as well. Applause,
Madam Chair. I'm not sure if they both step away, but if I can reach out to them and we can bring this back at the end.
Okay, remember young we motion to move this to the end of the agenda. All right. All right. Hearing no objections, we will move this to the end of the agenda from the office of the development and grants.
I Council Member Santiago Romero, thank you, Madam
President. Motion to approve these are all various grant applications.
All right, a motion has been made for approval. Any objections, hearing, no objections. The five resolution for various grants will be approved. Request a waiver on all items. Madam
President,
all right, Hearing no objections, a waiver will be attached to all of the grants before us. Request
a waiver for line item 18.5 Madam President, and that is to provide the activation fee and replacement radios for the state with the state of Michigan,
any objections to a waiver for 18.5 Hearing no objections that action will be taken from the request to speak before Detroit City Council and Madam Clerk, I'm going to actually ask that we postpone this for one more week. We did have a conversation with Miss Harris, and also with Director bail from BC, there may be some pending litigation going on between Miss Harris in the city, and so we're just trying to get all of the information before we move forward. So if we can have one more week to continue our discussions, and then we'll have a better opportunity to brief everyone next week so we can postpone this for one week. Please. Motion All right, Hearing no objections, we will postpone line item 18 point 14 for one week, and we will move now to our referrals from the budget finance audit,
for point of clarity, um through unit Santiago Romero, you requested a waiver for the ordinance for nine, item 17 point 19. However, a waiver will also need to be requested for online item 17 point 20, which is the actual resolution for the scheduling. So, all right,
motion has been made for a waiver for the scheduling of a public hearing and hearing no objections that action will be taken. Thank you. Thank you. Okay, so Madam Clerk will move to referrals, and then we'll come back to that item when member young comes so for the budget, Finance and Audit standing committee
from the Office of city clerk, slash state, city City Planning Commission,
the one report will be referred to the budget, Finance and Audit standing committee for the internal operations committee,
seven reports from various city departments.
The seven reports will be referred to the internal operations standing committee for the Neighborhood and Community Services, standing committee,
several reports from various city departments.
And I know that line item 22.4 there has been a request to move this to new business for a vote. Member Young is not here to do it. Is there a motion to move line item 22.4 this is the Detroit Pistons to hold a event at Campus marshes on September the 25th All right, Hearing no objections, we will remove or we will move 22.4 to new business and the remaining items, six items will be referred to neighborhood community services for the Planning and Development Committee
14 reports from various city departments.
The 14 reports will be referred to the Planning and Economic Development Standing Committee, and for the public health and safety standing committee, six reports from
various city departments,
the six reports will be referred to the public health and safety Standing Committee, and we will go back now to the one item. Mr. Washington, do we have anyone on one?
Yes, ma'am, sure. Director Perkins is online. Okay,
we will promote director Perkins.
And larae Smith is online as well.
And Loray Smith,
and this is regarding contract, excuse me, line item, 18.7 i
All right, good. Good afternoon, Director Perkins,
good afternoon. How
are you doing? Good?
Thank you for joining us. And council member Callaway, I know has several questions regarding this contract, so I would turn it over to her. Thank
you, Madam Chair, and good afternoon to Director Perkins and your team. I was just curious about when it says Detroit artists, is that a Detroit based artist, artist that just has a studio in Detroit, and perhaps lives, lives outside of Detroit, because this is 100% city funding, and I want to make sure that the artists will actually reside in the city and have their studio in the city reap the rewards of this particular contract, and not those who live outside of the city.
So thank you through the chair. So the contract will be for artists that are locally connected to Detroit. My team is working now to spell out what that local connection is. The example that that I was given today is that we have a young man who was born and raised and grew up in Detroit. He currently lives in New York. As you may or may not know, artists travel throughout the country and sometimes across the world to participate in art and creating art for that local community. So we wouldn't want to exclude someone who has spent their time in Detroit, is our, you know, like maybe one of our Detroit babies, from being able to participate in something like this. So we're going to be looking for artists who are locally tied to Detroit, meaning they have some connection to us. Be it that their business is in Detroit, their studio, be it that they trained at some of our great schools in Detroit, like Creative Studies down over there, by the DIA, be it that their current Detroit residents, but that they have a local tie to Detroit, not to just say, Oh yeah, I like Detroit, but no, what's your investment to the city of Detroit? How are you connected to us?
Thank you. Thank you Madam Chair. Thank you Director Perkins for that clarification, and I absolutely support support the local artists here in Detroit and their connection to the city. Thank you so much. Thank you Madam Chair,
thank you so much. Thank you. Member Calloway and director Perkins and council member Young had already moved 18.7 for approval. Any objections to 18.7 All right. Hearing no objections. The one resolution will be approved, and we have done all of the items we can now move to the one contract, or do we have another one? Sorry,
madam president, to you, there was a walk on that I believe we've let the clerk's office know as well. This was removed accidentally from our agenda, and we simply just want to add it as a referral. Yes, okay,
thank you. Okay, so we will. We will take that up next. Soon as Paris gives me a copy of Okay, remember, young, if you want to move yours, we have already moved the petition for the Detroit Pistons request for Detroit Pistons afternoon kickback events. Madam Clerk,
Council Member young, resolution
council member Young,
thank you, Madam President, I move line item 22.4 this is a petition of Detroit Pistons request to hold Detroit Pistons and partner afternoon kickback at Campus marshes on September 25 from 12pm to 6pm
Alright, a motion has been made for approval. Any objections, hearing, no objections, the one resolution will be approved. And you like to press a waiver? Yes,
I would like to request a waiver for line item 22.4
I Hearing
no objections, a waiver will be attached. Thank you, Madam
President.
All right, and we now have a memorandum from Council Member Santiago Ramiro to be referred to public health and safety. Is there a motion to walk this on to new business to be referred. All right, Hearing no objections that action will be taken.
Madam President,
yes member Johnson,
thank you. Line items, 21.4 through 21.7 are requesting a closed session for next Tuesday, and noting that we have an evening session in evening council meeting next Tuesday, I would like to remove, make a motion to remove line items, 21.4 through 21.7 and the Law Department is going to identify a better date and time for these closed sessions.
Okay, all right, through the
chair Graham Anderson, law department, that's
absolutely correct.
Thank you. Council member Johnson,
okay, all right. Thank you. Thank you. Member Johnson, any objections to removing these items? Hearing none that action will be taken. All right. That will take us to the end of our agenda. We will now move to the consent agenda.
There are no items. Madam President,
we will now move to member reports and President Pro Temp Tate report. Madam
President,
thank you Council. Member, young member, young member reports, No, all right. Member waters, thank you,
Madam President. I just want to first of all say that how sad I am to hear that when people gathered at the Eastern Market that they decided to do a shoot em up, losing life and and I know that all of us speak out Time and time again as it relates to to crime and and when people gather in large places, you all recall that I did do request gun free zones when they're large gatherings. I think that I mean, because if you look at all of the arenas and Ford Field and so forth. Those are clearly gun fee gun free zones. NFL draft was a gun free zone. We might have to take a look at having Eastern Market be if, in fact, they're going to continue to tailgate there. For there to be gun free zones, we need to begin to normalize gun free zones. People, for some reason, don't want to just have an argument with each other. They don't want to even fist fight anymore. They just want to pull out a gun, start shooting. If they don't have the guns on them, then they won't be able to do that and so and so, that's how where I am today, normalizing gun free zones. And I do hope that the board at the Eastern Market, my colleagues who serve on that board, will take a look at at those kinds of things. It's just a shame, a downright shame that we cannot just enjoy clean, safe fun. Thank you, Madam President,
thank you. Member waters, Member Santiago Romero,
thank you, Madam President, I would like to invite all residents to our next coffee Council and conversation this Friday, September 20, we're going to be at the Detroit people mover at the grants circus station from 11 to 12. We will also be joined by Senator Chang and want to continue to invite folks to join us for our community office hours. We're going to be at bridging communities from four to 6pm on Monday, September 23 Thank you.
Thank you. Council member, member, Benson.
Thank you. Just want to congratulate the to Detroit organization for another successful to Detroit. In the city of Detroit, we had over 2000 cyclists who rode safely through the streets of Detroit in an effort to highlight and showcase the areas of Detroit via bike and a great family event that I want to make a special acknowledgement to my colleague, member Tate, who finished the metric century at the Tour Detroit in the second Fastest group, also a great accomplishment. And so if my mistake is also the first metric century that he's done, and so that's a great milestone when it comes to cycling, to grow from starting the activity in the sport to a point now where you're doing 62 plus miles in one sitting with a group of people at speed through the streets of Detroit. So it's really want to acknowledge that and say what a great activity and sport this is, and how great it is to be able to highlight Detroit to all these visitors and bring this type of acknowledgement to the city of Detroit and this, once again, congratulations, member Tate, that is a big accomplishment, the first century.
Thank you. Member Vincent.
He passed us way ahead. So he is much faster, much more powerful, and somebody I need to look up to continue my journey. So thank you.
Congratulations, pro tem and member Vincent, Council Member Johnson, thank you, Madam
President. I first want to say thank you to Rodney deal and the Detroit Historical Museum for the amazing event that took place yesterday at the museum with high school students from, I believe, five or six high schools throughout the city of Detroit, recognizing and acknowledging Constitution Day, Citizenship Day, or national voter registration day, whichever day you'd like to consider today. But the students were extremely engaged. They had a great time at the event, and so just wanted to give kudos to them for hosting the event and looking forward to it being an annual event. So and hopefully my colleagues will be able to join next year, as I think it was phenomenal. They had individuals from the Carl Levin center who talked about the Constitution, the 27 amendments of the Constitution, really just to inform our young people about how it was formed and why it was formed, and really encouraging them to exercise their voice to encourage others to get out and vote as well. So great event. And would also like to remind everyone that on next Monday, September 23 that my office will be hosting our monthly community meeting. In collaboration with Comcast, we're doing a digital equity tour. So anyone who's interested in learning more about technology, we invite you to join us next Monday, September 23 at 5:30pm at the matrix Center located at 13560 east, McNichols and Gratiot again, that's next Monday at 530 so we hope to see you there. Thank you, Madam President.
Thank you so much. Member Johnson, member Callaway,
thank you, Madam. Madam Chair, join us for a walk in the park every Thursday in September, at 8am this month, will be at the DMC Sinai grace, location at 6071 West outer drive. Again, that is this Thursday, 8am at the DMC campus, Sinai grace, 6071 west out of drive, and that is an hour brisk walk from eight to 9am. Also this Saturday at Palmer Park, we are hosting our annual senior picnic. We'll have fatty fast Freddy there with barbecue. So we and playing bingo as well. So this Saturday, September the 21st join us for our annual senior picnic at 12 noon, shed one, Palmer Park, fast Freddy barbecue and bingo. Then also, we're highlighting our small business. Aquila peoples is the owner of natural ish Beauty Supply and natural hair salon. She hosted our coffee and conversation Monday before last. It was a wonderful, wonderful gathering. She is located at stopo, at West Seven Mile Road in district two. Also, if you believe that when your house was foreclosed on and the county received a windfall or received money from that from your foreclosure, you can call the you can email Eric said, Say Bree, they have a new email address that was a recent Supreme Court case that came down last month. It is WCT claims at Wayne County, myth.gov, that email address, again is WC T claims at Wayne County, mi.gov, and we have identified several residents who may, may have been impacted by the foreclosure of their home, and the county received a windfall from that foreclosure. That money is due to those homeowners. And so we have, again, I've been reaching out to Eric Sabri. He's been amazing. So they do have an email address, and if you believe that you were impacted, please reach out to Eric Sabri at WCT claims at Wayne County. Mi.gov Thank you, Madam Chair,
thank you so much. Member Callaway council member durha, thank you,
Madam President, and just want to give a special shout out to all of our folks who attended our retiree task force meeting that is co chaired by me and member waters. We had over 70 people join us virtually, and many more join us in the ermine Henderson auditorium to speak about solutions for our retirees. And you know, we want to just continue to educate folks on where folks are, and just work with folks to develop the type of solutions that will assist our retirees. The insights and information that were provided were extremely helpful. So we appreciate the administration. Mr. Corley was there from LPD as well. Appreciate all they do to again, help us work to improve the quality of life for our retirees. Do want to give a shout out to our d7 residents who are anticipating our d7 community engagement meeting. This meeting will be in person. This is our first in person community engagement meeting. We do our coffee hours, but we normally do our community meetings virtually. And this will take place Tuesday, September 24 from 6pm to 7:30pm and this will be located at the carpenters and millwright center, right in d7 located at 11687 American street. That's 11687 American street. And this is Tuesday, September, 24 2024 for those who cannot join, who are still comfortable virtually, we will still have the virtual office. Which option, excuse me, which we will send out later today, also our policy session, which is our 18th policy session, will take place Monday, September 30, from 6pm to 7:30pm at the Edison Library, located at 18400, Joy road again, this is our 18th policy session, and this will be our second policy session focused and dedicated to housing. So please join as we will be able to talk about some other things that will be transpiring this week that you will hear about. And we, we will be able to give you an update on that other than other than that. Excuse me, Madam President, that concludes my member report. Thank you.
All right. Thank you. Council member durha Also wanted to send my thoughts and prayers to the victims that in the tragic incident that took place that was in district five at the Eastern Market, have been in contact with the families, particularly with Rashawn Bryant, who was very popular and well known throughout the city of Detroit. In fact, one of his videos went viral with him dancing and doing a JIT right before that tragic incident took place. And his family actually reached out, I think, to all of us, to recognize him. So just want to, of course, just uplift the issue that the work must continue with, the issue of gun violence and really conflict resolution is, you know what we need to continue to press upon. You know you don't have to resort to picking up a gun to address issues and beef with one another within our community, so hearts and prayers are with the families and we will continue to address the issue of gun violence. Also wanted to thank Council Member Santiago Ramiro for the resolution for the Teamsters. I had the opportunity to go over to the picket line and walk with the Teamsters and workers at Marathon who are on strike. We also were able to feed some of the workers in the individuals that are on strike. So want them to know that we appreciate them, that we want them to stay encouraged as they engage in a fight for fairness and dignity of work. And so thank you for putting forward that resolution as well, just to uplift the struggle that they are enduring right now over at Marathon, just as a reminder state of the, not state of the, excuse me, the evening council meeting for district five will be next Tuesday, at 7pm at tabernacle, Missionary Baptist Church, again that city council evening district five meeting next Tuesday at 7pm at tabernacle, Missionary Baptist Church. And then this coming Monday, September the 23rd at 4pm our office will be hosting a neighborhood opportunity, fun conversation for nonprofit organizations to learn how to receive funding through the city's CDBG process. Please join us if you're interested in learning more about this process this Monday at 4pm it will be virtual. Learn more about access to the city CDBG funding for your neighborhood organization or nonprofit this Monday at 4pm Lastly, save the date for our annual coat giveaway, in partnership with coats for kids, that will be Saturday, October the 26th at the Velodrome at 1pm again, save the date, Saturday October the 26th in partnership with coats for kids at the Velodrome at 1pm Saturday, October the 26th and that is all I have for member member reports, just a reminder that today is National Voter registration day. There is a huge event over at the Huntington place to drive young people out to vote and to get them registered to vote for those who are interested in attendee. All right, that will be the end of my memory, reports and we will move now to adoption without committee reference.
There are no items, Madam President, under communications from the clerk, a report on approval of proceedings by the mayor, a report
will excuse me. The report will be received and placed on file under testimonial resolutions and special privilege
council member Whitfield Callaway, on behalf of council member Benson, three resolutions nine to item 29.1 through 29.3
Council Member Santiago Romero,
it was council member Callaway, I'm
sorry. Callaway. Council member Calloway,
motion to approve, Madam Chair,
all right, a motion has been made for approval, Hearing no objections, the three resolutions will be approved and seeing that there's no further business to come before us today. Everyone Have a blessed day. Thank you for your patience, and this meeting will stand adjourned. You
