ladies and gentlemen, it's my pleasure to welcome you to the Highland Park City Council in person and virtual regular meeting scheduled for today, Monday, September 16, 2024, at 7pm uh, we have nothing for opening ceremonies today, so I would ask our clerk to please call the roll for attendance. Present.
Council member Martin.
Council member madam
here. Robinson President Thomas here. Thank
you very much. Moving on to Item three, the approval of the agenda. Members have had an opportunity to take a look at the agenda. The chair will entertain a motion related to the agenda. You
I will the gender with some deletions or deletions, 6h and g,
you say H and G, G and H. Chair wall for support with questions. Miss Manica, could you help me understand this is a resolution to sell the vacant residential lot at 29 Geneva, and a resolution to sell the vacant lot at 191 Winona. You want to have those items moved this
1h does not have all the Okay, okay, then g and maybe even H. So I know that we're going back to clear up some of those people who passed or go back and look at the previous applications. Okay? So they may have come in early, like June or last year to make sure that the new signatures should have the date from where we are now, meaning that they will check so they will check in September, even though it was applied for in June. So my question would be, maybe, if we can find out what is considered a good standing, how many months can be still considered good standing in our water.
Okay, so
to see the department, that question is, where's Mr. Clyburn, Miss Clyburn, I think the way that that question is coming across is that Miss Manica wants to know, particularly on items G and H, are these people? Is their file still current? Are they still in good standing, based on the data that was collected, looking at item g and h from the agenda it was in the gym, are they still in good standing? Huh? Okay, so can we roll these back into the next meeting with
that? Are those people
here? One? Wow. Okay, Miss
Manica, would you hear? Yes, you want, you want to have these taken off. You want to dig in
deeper. Yeah, you want to. You
want to dig in deeper. If someone has an answer to that, because the signature is dated for it. So how many months are you still in good standing? We know that they're still in good standing.
So that's 60 days. That's That's what they is that.
Yeah, is your current water bill paid, sir.
So everything is, I guess that sounds that's the issue here. Miss Matt, I want to just make sure, since we since we're here and they're here, that we dig into this, the only alternative would be to get it on the floor and hash it out. I see a hand miss that
shot on both of these resolution can be sold, but it doesn't say what their address
is in the daily and next door to these times, I'm
looking at. So Jesus says resolution to say, obey His residential at 29 Geneva two, just the person, but it doesn't make the person. It's 31 it should be only it's a sort of resolution, okay, gnaf,
GNA and then remember, too, the ordinance requires it. It's just the adjacent property owner. You don't have to live in the
house. And the actual application
has to change that motion. So, yeah, because so, so let's stay
on the agenda. So
this is on both it reflects. It's reflected on both resolution and it's on application. Okay? So
I will, I will change
the Okay? I will withdraw my support. Go ahead. Miss ma'am. I'll
change my motion. I move to approve the agenda, removing item,
H, 6h, because that one was, I had a signature at all, okay? And then we can still discuss. So that's my
function. Okay? I would offer my support for that. So we have a motion on the floor to approve the agenda, as is, with the exception of the removal of item 6h because the file is incomplete. Do we have any other additional questions, concerns? So would you call the roll please on the approval of the agenda? Madam
Clerk, yes. Council
member, I member Mark council member Manito, yes, council from Yes, council president. Motion
carries agenda is approved as it is moving on to Item 40, approval of the proposed minutes for the virtual and in person workshop meeting on September 3, 2024 City Council worship.
I moved to approve the proposed minutes of the virtual and in person workshop meeting, September 3, 2024
chair office, of course, questions concern, dissent. Madam Clerk, would you call the roll on the approval of proposed minutes for the in person and virtual workshop on September 3? Council member
Asha No. Council member Manica Yes. Council Robinson Yes. Council President, yes,
yes. Motion carries. Next is the approval of the proposed minutes for the virtual in person, regular meeting on September 3, 2024 City Council. What's your pleasure?
I move to approve the proposed minutes of the virtual in person, regular meeting, September 3, 2024
chair offer support. We have a motion on the floor for the approval of proposed minutes. Uh, virtual, in person, regular meeting on September 3, 2024, questions, concerns, dissent. Madam Clerk, would you please call the roll?
Council member? Asha, no. Council member. Man, yes. Council, no. Council
Yes. We have stalemate. This should come back to the next meeting. These minutes are the official record. That means whatever happened at the meeting is not in the record at all. We go back 10 or 15 years, the permanent record is altered, and there will be no account of what happened in the actual meeting. We should never do that, but it happens quite frequently, so there will be no official record of the proceedings that happen in that meeting Next, we move on to the section of every meeting where we offer a few minutes for Mayor McDonald to come and address the city council as well as the citizens. Okay.
Good evening to the honorable body. Have quite a
few things, I promise I won't take more than three minutes. Uh, Saturday. This Saturday, coming up, September 21 at 12 city, of Highland Park will host the first annual city high block club promise state that will be right out here on California and Woodward, all black clubs and citizens who want to sell items, you're invited. Bring your tables, bring your chairs, bring your items. It is free. There's no v charge. What you want. Citywide club association is planning to clean up on September 28 Thank you. Council members that are submitted to put purchase doctors for your district. If you are having problems, maybe you're having problems navigating the news website, please utilize the search bar. Or how do I PR director and it. Director are working on how to video, How To video, to help as well, and working also to make it better.
And friend to everyone,
a list of the most violated ordinances that affect your homes have started to go out. You might have received some of you might have received them at your door already. I think we have 1100 out already at doors. They're going door to door to make sure everyone get them. Please read those ordinances. These are the ordinances that affect directly affect your house or the property that you own, such as garbage cans being left out, things like that, parking on the lawn, those kind of things that you get tickets for and you don't know why. Please read those court business so that you'll know exactly what why the court. Alright. Now let's get to the one short auditorium you want to know why that veto, or that motion, the veto was issued due to two reasons. One, the charter speaks to our lawyers, including the resolution or language reports introduced that did not happen. It was a motion made at the meeting. There was no resolution and no language was reviewed. Two, we are in a rock type agreement with legal and state of Michigan. This is agreement that was voted on by the Council. This is an agreement that was a judge gave us order for and we have to comply to this agreement in order for us to continue to have our water sent to us in that agreement. It also talks about legal being able to shut our water off not to the whole day. Wouldn't do that, but that's why they agree. So we have to pay them. We cannot tell people not to pay their bills, because if they don't pay their bills, we can't pay that's why we're not it's a part of the agreement that must be adhered to. We have money. The state gave us money for people to help people pay their bills. I find not a lot of people are not new. They're not going into it. We had thought come in once a month. They go to the water department. They come, come in. They help you fill out your application. That's all is needed. We're even starting to look into some possibilities of even trying to figure out how to get a mobile unit to come out, just to make sure those people who cannot get there get help. Also you can you can apply for a agreement with with the water company, a paid in Greek, so you should be able to get your bills paid for those who qualify. Now, I know there are some people who don't qualify, but an agreement is still applicable to those who do not qualify. You can go to the water company, sit down with the director and ask talk about your bill and how they can help you. Or how did you get them? The State gave us money, and we have to utilize that money that was given to us to help those pay their bills. Now I understand that 98% of the citizens are paying their bills, so we know we're collecting from 98 plus 98% 2% of time. When you look at the list, 26 people were shut off out of all the people in the city, and it's not because they didn't have opportunity to come to the water department and try to get help. Most did not come. They didn't come to make arrangements. If they came to make an arrangement, then you get the help. If they came to find out about the block with DHHS, Wayne Metro and Paul receive funds to help you pay your bills. So we cannot ignore not only Wayne Metro. I think it's one time. And so you have, but you still have to pay your bill, because if we going back and forth and and I'm hearing
it, hold on this. This matter proton. This is mayor's participation. This is not an exchange. If you're
paid what you can, what you can, and I'm not saying that everybody can. What I'm saying is go seek the help, figure out what else is out there if they can. Because if you paying oil or you paying what you can't, I know the water department will look at to see what they can do to help. So those are some of the reasons that I veto the water moratorium also, Cindy Council's purview covers a water your water bill being placed on your taxes. That's the purview. We don't want that. You don't want that to happen either, but that's, that's, that's what they can do, and so it can be collected. Well, we have to collect the debts. If we don't collect the debts, we can't pay our debt. So that's why we we're in a agreement. City Council voted today, voted today, and so we have to honor so that's what,
thank you. Thank you, ma'am. So
we're going to move into citizens participation. This is for items that are on the agenda. Citizens participation for items that are specifically on the agenda. If we don't have any citizens participation, we can move straight into the agenda. I don't see anybody moving, so we're going to move straight into the agenda. This is for item five. The mayor of veto verbal motion to enact a moratorium for water shut off for residential homes to run until December 31 2024 City Council. What's your pleasure on this
move to accept the mayor's
veto, move to accept the mayor's veto.
Accept the veto after after a careful study, I moved to accept the veto. But I do understand that there is a way for us to assist those residents, and that's not matter. Mr. Shopping,
let's make sure that we have a motion on the floor. Let's not get into conversation until we all so you're making a motion. This the thing on the floor says, verbal motion, right? Mr. Mayor of veto, verbal, verbal motion to enact a moratorium for water shut offs for residential homes to run into December. How are we going to dispose of item five, I'll give you a minute. You either we're devoting to we're devoting to overturn. You're going to make a separate motion. What are we doing here? No. So Miss El shapi is making a motion to accept the mayor's veto. Do we have a second for that's
I'm just saying so if we have an action to either overturn the veto or let it die on the floor, so we have a motion on the floor from Councilman el Shafi to accept the veto. This has been supported by Councilwoman mannequin. Now let's make sure that we know, for the sake of our record keeping here,
may I speak? Yeah, you can.
You can go ahead and have roll call on this, and then this, if it doesn't pass, you would see if there is going to be a roll call motion to reject, to overturn it, or will that die on the floor? Okay,
so Mr. Shafi, I will. We'll take a roll call on this, and if you want to speak on it after that, we'll go ahead and allow you a couple of minutes. So we have a motion on the floor to accept the veto made by Councilman Shafi. Madam Clerk, would you please call the roll on that? It
was supported
by Councilman medical? Welcome to the meeting, man. We're taking a or we're taking a or we're taking a role on accepting the mayor's veto. If you go ahead and call the roll
on that, ma'am, Councilman Shanti Yes to accept, Council Member Martin to accept her view
for the moratorium. Yes,
I know. So right now, Miss Miss Martin, the motion on the floor. We have the mayor's veto. We have a verbal motion. The mayor canceled it. The typical action here is the motion to first bring this back on the floor and then to challenge the veto. Mister El shapi, who made the motion, said he's willing to accept the veto as it stands. He made a motion to accept it as it stands. Miss Manica offered support. Mr. Elshafi has already voted to accept the motion as it stands. After the vote, I'm going to offer Mr. Elshafi an opportunity to address this. So right now, we're calling a vote on whether or not this council will accept the motion as it stands, and the vote is in your floor. It's in your seat right now. I'm sorry. It's either to accept it or not to
accept that the veto. I'll repeat it.
Mr. El shapi made the motion at the last meeting. We suspended the normal procedure. He made a motion for a moratorium. It was vetoed by the mayor. The mayor explained the reason for her veto. Mister El shapi decided I'll accept that he made a motion to accept it and to not challenge the veto. Miss Manica, accept. Yes, yeah,
okay, yes, okay, yes, no. Council President,
Yes. Motion carries. Four out of five members decided to accept the veto. Miss Al, Sharpie, you made this motion. You had something that you wanted to
offer. Yeah, yeah. So, so, in doing my little research, the Glee would deal is, is is quite iron clay, so I understand the motion. Okay, I understand you, but my concern is the people that are falling through the cracks. It was not my intention whatsoever to tell people not to babysit. Okay? How departments don't play about their water they tell you, okay. I'm talking about those people who are at home, who are unable to get to the water department, elderly people who can't get to the water department and nobody take it. Missus square made a wonderful suggestion on the phone to me about maybe starting on mobile units with the water department to go out to that 2% and knock on those doors and see if we can get those people signed up for either a phone or we can get them signed up for Wayne Metro. I like that idea. You know, as long as we're not allowing people who don't know that this assistance is available fall through the crowds, I can accept the video. Okay, thank you so much. Yep,
and I'm going to share something and we'll move right on. I asked on Saturday. I don't typically ask anybody to do any work, but I reached out to Mr. Garrett on Saturday. What you see on the screen up here is the data that I asked for. I asked him, Can you please give me the total number of metered accounts? It's 2837
can you make that a little bigger?
I asked him for the total number of metered accounts, 2837 the number of accounts tagged for shut off in the month of month of August, the number of accounts shut off in August 24 and that shut off amount accounts for close to 2% we rounded down. We rounded it up. It will be 2% so this is not a widespread problem. We're talking about of our 2837 customers, 110 got a warning notice, and 24 actually had to have somebody come out to their property somewhere between one and 2% so the problem is not widespread. For those people who thought the problem might be widespread, it is not, and for anybody who had any concern about how commercial customers are being handled in this whether you have a water bill or, let's say, for example, you have an enormous water runoff fee, this tax is being applied. No property is exempt. If you're a property owner and you have a large water runoff fee, you have a lien on your property. That means you cannot dispose of your property. You can barely do any developments because you have this significantly. Nobody is unscathed in the process. So you think about the means group, how large the means group is. If the means group decided not to pay their water, shut off their property has a lien on it in the amount of 10s of 1000s of dollars. I know personally what that's like. It means that you cannot sell your property, and it affects your ability to do development on it. But as I said at the last meeting, the city of Highland Park is being hit with a tax. Our water runoff fee is a tax, so let's not lose sight of the fact of what we're dealing with. Thank you so much for my members of council. So we can move on to the next item. I ask for. I asked for one month. So the assumption is that this month is no different than last month, no different than the month before. We're not going to see a large swing in the data. The data is consistent. So I asked for the last month because these trends, the data is typically consistent. Most people in Highland Park, like they said, 98% of people are paying so we wanted to find, get some fine tune information. I asked for
that number could increase as September, October, November, December, that number,
so, so, so from 1% to if it, if it multiplied times 10, if it was 10 times higher, it would be 10%
so we're going on if and as No,
no, I'm saying these. This is math. Right now, the numbers that the water department gave us for this month, which is no different than last month, they gave us a stat that said 98% of the people in the city with a metered account are paying on time. So we had a stat up here of 10% I'm sorry, of 1% if the numbers were 10 times higher, it would only be 10% Does that make sense? No,
I'm not saying that doesn't make sense. That
is a cross section of the data set for right now. Yeah. Okay, so we can move on to item six under community development, we're moving on to item six. A this is a resolution to accept the mister mi neighborhood grant City Council. What's your pleasure?
I move to accept the resolution to accept my neighborhood grants.
My name, we
have a motion on the floor to to accept the resolution for the mission in my neighborhood grant chair offer support to miss Monica's motion. Any concerns, questions, go right
ahead. So
explain it. We
have the explanation right here in front of us.
How would the grantees be selected?
So it says eligible applicants nonprofit organs, a nonprofit organization that is currently servicing the proposed community neighborhood within the state of Michigan, a public or private nonprofit organization must be organized to aid persons and families of low to moderate income. The applicant must have at least one full time employee. Cannot operate the agency, be it a principal residence, must provide a projected, sustainable operating budget through fiscal year 2026 not included in the mister funded project. I don't understand your question. Who is the ministry?
That's mister Burgess. Yes, Mister Burgess, if you would,
okay. Uh, the grant is similar to the My hope grant that we are just winding down, and we plan to follow much of the same procedure with my neighborhood as we did with my grant. And that is, we will place notices throughout the city and on Facebook. We will set a time, a time and a date to be that citizens can come and make applications after we qualify the applicants. We will then have a random drawing and proceed up to the number of opportunities that we have. That's primarily how we did it, in my hope and we'll do the same thing for my deal, for my neighborhood.
I understand that because I'm the one that pulled the names for the Michael. That's why I
actually yes, but do the same thing.
Thanks again for this big part.
Are you going to replay name
again for this?
That's correct.
Okay. Any additional questions? Madam proton, yes,
so
I see you, Mister Sharpton,
um, actual resolution says 12 eligible home orders. How many actual applications or names will you put that?
I don't know how many will qualify it. I don't know how many will qualify at this point, but all, all applicants who qualify will be placed in the hat, and then 11 or 12 of those will be drawn, and those will be the first ones that we go through to qualify for the loan. If they fall through, then we go back and pick some more after everyone has been notified, it is the one thing that we will make sure everyone is known this time, that you don't have to be present when the names off of pool.
Thank you. Mr. Burgers.
Mister sharpen. You
had question, yes, is this the first time that we're receiving this grant? Mister Burge, did
you hear that question? Is this the first time that we're receiving we're receiving this grant? Because
I remember something similar to this last year. That's why my neighborhood
this is the first time they have offered a my neighborhood grant. We received. Which is the same as the my neighborhood with the dollar amount changing.
Okay, so, right, that's right. So when the applicants are approved. Does that come before Council, or is that something that the administration will do at school to be by themselves?
Well, the administration will run the the process, the process, okay,
okay, so here's my concern, Mister Burgess, I'm concerned about the process itself. I have a number of of my constituents that have called me and expressed to me how they did everything that was was required of them, the elderly. This block grant is is specifically targeting 55 and oh, that's correct, right? That's
correct. Okay,
so they have called me and expressed to me about how under minor technicalities, that they were denied the grant the last time. My concern is I don't see an overview of how the last Grant was used. I don't see who was picked, I don't see what was awarded. I don't see what scope of work was done, and I don't see who the contractors are that did the work, you know, I'm concerned about the fairness of this process. I'm concerned about everybody getting a fair shake, as opposed to certain people, you know who may be your cronies or your friends. Get your first pick here, and then you sprinkle in a few people that are not your cronies and your friends to to to make it look like this process has been fair. I need a little bit more overview. So I'm going to ask Councilwoman Manica, if I could get an overview of how this grant was done, if she could change her motion, and if we could simply table this item until the next council meeting, uh, so that we could get a more thorough overview of how this money was spent the last time and how this money is going to be spent this time and what that process is going to look like this time around. I am, I am dead sex against any impropriety, anybody not getting the fair shake, and people are being favored over other people who are more in need. So I need a list of what you did last year. I need a list of who received the grant last year, how much they received, what scope of work was done, and who the contractors that did it. And please don't tell me that this is out of your reach. Okay, I need more information if I'm going to vote on
it before you do that. Okay. Thank you. Miss El shapi, so for those of you who have their packets, if you turn the the members of city council turn to the last page. It says Page eight. It under the next steps. It says Mister will review fully completed applications and notify applicants of determination by email within 30 days of submission. This is Mister. This is not the city of Highland Park. This is not a crony setup. It says Mister. But hold on a second. Mister shapi, I didn't interrupt you one time. Yes, sir, Mister will fully, will review fully completed applications and notify applicants and determination by email within 30 days of submission, date and an executed grant agreement anticipated within 90 days. All submissions will be evaluated based on the following criteria, eligibility, timing, consistency with one or more of the priorities within a corresponding regional action plan, feasibility, potentially selected components need impact on the proposed areas, geographical distribution, targeted activity and population to be served, and agency capacity, a conference call, formal presentation of proposed proposal and or site visit may be required by Mister. May be required by Mister as part of the deliberation process for final awards funding. Reservation amounts are determined by mishta staff, at our discretion and our contingent upon available funds, responses received and scoring outcome. There is no gray area. There is no crony space. There is nobody within the city who can pick and choose who gets what this is in the packet. We received this on Thursday in response to that so Miss Manica made a motion to again, we're talking about free money that is coming to the city, and we cannot nitpick our way through it. It's right here on page eight of the packet that was sent out to us last week.
Okay, so if I'm allowed
to miss medical has her hand up, you had your turn. I had mine. Miss, Miss Manica, go ahead. That's all I had to say. The instructions, the answer to that question is right here on page eight.
Okay, Miss Manica, in response, Mister Shafi asked me to, I think, change my motion. You added some other stuff in there, and I think you were just asking me to change my motion. But I do want to respond or just add this bit that I think it should be. Did mister Thomas President Thomas did point out on page eight that Misha pretty much has the last say. I think it's the part before there. So just to offer to administration some possibilities to put down what you are asking or you should expect is that we go by who instead of doing the pulling of the hat. I think that's questionable. Am I correct? Are you questioning that? Okay, so I'm asking you, are you
okay? I'm simply making a statement that I get the fact that mister reviews the applications. I get that, but they're leaving it to the city to collect those applications to decide who goes forward and who stays behind. Okay, once that happens, then mister reviews the applications that were sent to them by the city. So I'm concerned about what happened with the last grant. How was it processed? How was the money spent? Who received the money? I'm not asking anything outrageous. They're not alive. I'm just curious because we didn't get an update from the last grant, and here we are with another grant. It's somewhat similar to the same thing. Okay, so I'm simply asking for more information. I don't believe that I'm asking too much in that situation. Okay, now, some residents may feel much, but
I don't feel like, Mister shapi, just listen, I didn't get a chance to finish. Okay, I'm sorry. So I'm offering to us well as I'm offering to administration some some alternate possibilities, so to still approve this grant. But instead of doing maybe the pulling of the hat, how a lot of municipalities do it is either they get another nonprofit, or somebody else or a third party to actually run it, we don't have that option in the sense of being able to pay a nonprofit, because when you do that, you have to pay the nonprofit, the people that they select. So for example, if we was to say to thaw or we would say to Wayne Metro, hey, we have this grant. We don't have the people to actually facilitate it and do all these extra steps. Can you do that for us? We would have to end up taking money out of the grant to pay them. So if they hired five people, you would have to pay those five people to do this work. So right now the city is actually doing the work themselves, which is fine, because I think it can be done. And so the people who come along and are able to do everything that's necessary pass all the eligibility requirements, begin to be the first people accepted. So if there's 30 people that apply the first I think it's 12. We have enough to do 12 people. The first 12 that absolutely follows all the eligibility are the first 12. They get accepted. That's just how it runs. There is no extra to that when doing it that way, so. But even in the pulling of the the way we did before, Miss Robinson, actually, you did say you,
so I trust the process. It was,
it was a, I think, a pretty decent process. Now, just to eliminate that, because I get it when we just do somebody from the hat, then you, I think you talk about who we're putting in the hat. So now doing it the other way. Instead of having somebody decide, oh, who goes in the hat, there's no hat. If you have all your stuff and you pass all the eligibility requirements, then maybe you're the first person that gets however much goes to you. Now I don't think second part to that that you were, I don't know what it was on there, but the second part is some of that information we are not privy to. Actually, all we are doing is approving it. And so their questions actually should be to administration those people who have complaints. Our job is just to approve the monies or the funding or the program that is coming into the city. We need this program. Our residents need this program. But again, I'm offering that other option to take away. Oh, well, how did you get in the hat? There's no hat in this case. If you don't fill out and you don't do all the eligibility requirements, you just happen to not be in that way. Now last the third thing that usually happens in those situations, if there's money left over, they might be able to call number 13 that did not get picked the first time, but because there was money left over, hey, Imma, call Miss Martin. Say, Miss Martin, did you ever get those things improved? We we're able to now assist you, and then now we assist maybe a 13th, 13th person, but until then, it's only 12. You get those 12 done, but they have to fulfill the requirements. So I'm offering that so that we can indeed go ahead and vote this in and get this grant
going. Yes, we remember grant funds that Pell Grant, summer grant, youth grant, is first come first served. Miss square, do you have something want to add to this kind
of question? Mister Ferguson, I think that if you got a grant last year, you shouldn't be eligible for a grant this year, because that's not fair. The same person, Oh, you mean the person can't be and, you know, because it seems like the application is everybody can put in an application again. And sometimes in these applications, they're requirements that are stringent. You gotta be current on your tax. You gotta be current on all your bills. You gotta keep a certain income assurance. And so it might be that a certain people are qualifying for it. Okay, so if you gotta this, and if you were, in my hope, you should not be eligible for this, that will allow other people to qualify. I think that's something that would make the process a lot.
Yeah, Mister Burgess, can you verify? I see Miss mister Burgess, can you verify in this process? Is there a way for you to be able to look and see who was the previous grant recipient and disqualify them?
Yes, yes, we know the names, okay, but no, okay. Now, may I speak for just a moment? Uh, pro Tim Robinson made a request to the mayor for a report, a comprehensive report on all the things that we are talking about. I personally wrote that report, sent it to every council person, so you know you have seen the process that we followed up until the time, up until now. So we said that we are going to do the same thing over again. It is a requirement by mitchner that the candidates must be randomly selected. There's no other option to that. So when we put everybody's name on a sheet and put it in a hat, their name the same as the thing that you play lotto or what have you, and I called up a pro councilman, Robinson, to pick the names out of the head and you have a report in your hand that you've had I believe, I believe, since March, that gives the procedure I would recommend highly that you would not delay receiving this grant, because one we have promised it, because we were late, it didn't fall in time for the last meeting versus this meeting. I got a note today. When are you going to send me the City Council acceptance of the grant so we can move forward? So by all means, don't take it away and not accept it tonight.
Okay? Thank you, sir. Miss Martin, I see your hand. Can you call the roll? Yep, um, Madam Clerk, would you please call the roll on item six, a resolution to accept the mister in my neighborhood grant. We have a motion on the floor by Councilman Manica, supported by the chair, if you will, call the roll on item six A,
Councilman Shockey No. Council Member Mark Yes. Council member Manica, yes. Council Robinson Yes. Council President,
Yes. Motion carries. Thank you very much. Moving on to Community Development to 6b resolution to approve the amendment to the planning and zoning ordinance to include a solar energy system SES provision. This is the first reading. We had a workshop on this item. We've had this body before us to discuss it. The chair will entertain a motion on this first reading. I believe we've all seen this on multiple occasions. So the chair we entertain a motion on Item 6b resolution to approve the amendment to the planning and zoning ordinance to include a solar energy systems provision. It's our first reading.
I move to accept the first reading of the resolution to approve amendment to planning and zoning ordinance to include a solar energy systems SES, provision,
chair will offer a second Do we have questions, concerns? Yeah.
Council President, this is the first read. Uh, who's reading?
Go right ahead, sir. Oh
no, sir. I didn't write it. No, sir, I didn't write it. I wasn't consulted on it, so whoever wrote, it should read. It's gotta be read into the record. Those are the rules. It's gotta be read into the record. If it's a first read, it must be read. This
is Part 12 of planning and zoning, title six, zoning, general provisions of the chapter 1262, the definition is the meaning of the words and phrases. Solar energy systems, a device, array of devices, or structural design feature the purpose of which is to provide for generation and or storage of electricity from sunlight or the collection storage and distribution of solar energy for space heating or cooling daylight, for interior lighting or water heating. SES units include the following, building integrated SES and SES is an integral part of a primary or accessory building or structure, rather than a separate mechanical device replacing or substituting for an architectural or structural component of the building structure. Building integrated systems include, but are not limited to photo photovoltaic, VIP V or hot water solar energy systems that are contained within the roof, material, windows, skylights, awnings, fences or walls. Do use Am I reading the numbers here? We got 12, 62x, y the numbers on the side, it represents the actual numbers that are going to be placed in the ordinance that doesn't need to be read. Do use SES. This is an solar energy system. Subtype designation may be applicable when the design of an SES increases the overall productivity of a property by means such as using vertical clearance to enable vehicle parking underneath the SAS. We're talking about a solar powered canopy, a carport, a canopy above a parking lot, of parking spaces, land management or the conservation practices listed below these types of SES are encouraged, but may not require deviation from the city during the special land use review process. Example, of proposed grass or planting height or landscape plans conflict with the city or other requirements under that same dual use. SES item a agrivoltaic solar sites that combine raising crops for food, fiber, fuel and generating electricity within a projected area, or maximum land use, conservation cover, B solar sites, design and consultation with conservation organizations that focus on restoring native plants, grasses and Prairie within the aim protected specifics, aimed at protecting specific species, example, bird habitats, or providing specific ecosystem services, carbon sequestration or soil health. C pollinator habitat solar sites designed to meet a score of 76 or more for the Michigan pollinator habitat planning scoreboard for solar site, alternatively, the tier two pilot pollination scoreboard developed by the right of way as habitat working group, can be used to evaluate, evaluate pollinator habitat and management practices. General, mounted SES, an SES mounted on a rack or pole that is balustered on or attached to the ground, and the system is accessory to the primary use. Ground mounted SES, principal use, a solar voltage system mounted on a rack or pole that is balustered on or attached to the ground, and is the primary land use for the parcel or which on which it is located. Repowering, in addition to repairing and replacing the SES components to maintain this, to maintain the system a principal use SES may at any time, be repowered by reconfiguring, renovating or replacing the SES to increase the power rating within the existing projected footprint. A proposed change, a proposal to change the project footprint of an existing SES may be considered a new building application, subject to the ordinance standards at the time of the request, Roof Mounted SES and SES mounted on racking that is attached to or battles to the roof of a building or structure. Solar panels are fixed on the roof or the carport structure or mounted on a free standing canopy or pergola. Our roof mounted SES solar access, unobstructed access to direct sunlight on a lot or building through the entire year includes access to a cross adjacent parcel, air rights for the purpose of capturing direct sunlight to operate the SES solar voltaic, or PV system of SES that uses semiconductor material to convert solar energy directly into electricity. The primary components of this type of SES are solar panels, mounting devices, inverters and wiring components may also include cleaning mechanisms and sun tracking sensors and mechanisms, etc. Solar thermal systems, the type of SES that converts sunlight into heat. Examples include, but are not limited to solar air, solar hot air systems, also referred to as solar air heat, or solar furnace or solar hot water systems, solar rights, easements of direct sunlight. Solar access may be acquired over the land by another of another may be legally obtained by expression and grant of grant covenant. So across references, we're moving into the next section of cross references, chapter 12, 64.12 major use groups of SES, solar energy systems. Part 12, planning and zoning. Title six, zoning provisions of the chapter 1264, land use classification system. Intent under 12, 6401 12, 6402 classification of the system, 1264, 12, major group use that is solar energy systems, SES, 1264, 12, doubtful use classifications under 1264, 12, major use group, SES, solar system, the intent the city of Highland Park solar energy systems ordinance intends to, one, provide a renewable, abundant, local distribution, resilient and non polluting energy resource. Two, decrease the cost of energy. Three, improve quality of life for current residents, while also protecting the public health, safety and welfare. Four, protect property owners rights to construct SES in all zoning districts and protect legal permissions from landlords to tenants. Five, encourage and support environmental site design through conservation and preservation in places, example, woodlands, wetlands, cultural resources that should not be disturbed. Six, increase employment and business development in the region by furthering the installation of SES this ordinance does not prohibit the sale of excess power through the net billing, net metering or net credit or other arrangements in accordance with Michigan laws overseen by the Michigan Public Service Commission, npsc, or any other federal statute. Administration of this SES ordinance is to be jointly executed by municipal city Highland Park departments who will also who will each have unique responsibilities for specific aspects of its implementation. These departments include the Department of Public Works, building Department, Department of Engineering, Department of Community Economic Development and or the planning department and fire department be permitted uses. Solar energy systems are permitted as these are SES types allowable due to zoning. Accessory use, roof mounted, I just read this, so I'm just repeating Roof Mounted principal use, ground mounted principal use, ground mounted less than an acre, one acre or more principal use, ground mounting any size. The allowable zones consider all district, all non residential districts, all non residential districts for ground use of greater than the acre for our residential uses, our uses under Section C. Hold on a second. I'm making sure that I'm not reading redundant material under Section C u standards, Roof Mounted building integrated SES the roof mounted solar energy system shall comply with applicable state and local fire codes to ensure emergency access to roofs. Provide pathways to specific areas of the roof, provide areas for smoke ventilation and provide emergency address to the roof cannot exceed the height of the underlying zoning district to produce more than six feet above the highest point of the roof to which it is attached if the building is already at height. Height limit the SCSI variance request cannot exceed six feet of the allowance. See all exempt from screening requirements. D, solar panels cannot protrude beyond edge of the roof. E, solar panels are fixed on a roof or carport structure or the pergolas, type of freestanding canopy or roof mount assist SES, both types of freestanding structures. Ses can be used for accessory uses under SES. Carports do not count towards the maximum percentage of lot coverage. New carts and commercial districts should consider the height for emergency vehicles. Clearance of the carports tilt snow and sheep for shed provide different heights of restrictions for photovoltaic collections associated in structural sources. We're going to move on to ground mount imma. Pass it on to you. Madam ProTeam, if you were paying attention, you can pick up where I left off. Go right ahead. Underground mount of SES, and we will rotate around through the rest of the members. There are five of us. We're all going to read this. Go right ahead. Man, a pro tem, I'm waiting so we can pick up right under. Ground mounted double I if somebody will pick up right there.
Ground mounted SES, thank you all. Zoning districts cannot be located clearly than 10 feet to any principal building. If the Electrical Code requires a large horizontal separation from any SES equipment, then use that distance. Number two must be a setback at least eight feet from any side or rear property line three cannot exceed 15 feet in height at maximum tilt. Taller structures not to exceed the maximum height of the underlying zoning district may be considered by planning commission as a special land use, or are exempt from lot coverage and impervious surface requirements. If the area under the system contains vegetative ground covering five fencing a principal use SES covering one acre or more shall be secured with perimeter fencing to restrict unauthorized access. If the Electrical Code requires fencing around other SES equipment or systems of smaller footprint of land, then electrical codes shall overrule one acre threshold. A fencing is not subject to setback C whenever installing around a principal use, ses parameters shall meet the minimum fence height requirements as outlined for business properties in part 14, Building and Housing code, title six, miscellaneous building regulations. Chapter 1460, Section 09, 14, 609, Barbara white C, note that her legible code if no Bob wire is installed on top of a six foot tall fence. The fence height shall be minimum of seven feet tall, but shall not exceed a maximum of nine feet in height. The residential zoning district number one accessory use SES must be located in the rear or side yard, unless they are screened per sub subsection below, then the SES may also be located in the non regular required front yard. This provision is not applicable to principal use SES number two, principal use SES do not have the rear and side yard requirement, but a landscape screen may be required by the Planning Commission to stream from lots inside public rights of right of way, as applicable number three, when located within the non required front yards in residential districts, a landscape screen may be required By the Planning Commission to screen from lot inside public right away. As a number three, the use standards and applicable to all SES a aquible, all SES applications must be include site or plot link plan whenever is required for zoning compliance review or city required permit applications for Roof Mounted SES must include horizontal Ember vertical elevation drawings that show the location and height of the SES on the building and dimensions on the SES a SES used to power a single device or a specific piece of equipment, such as a lawn ornament, lights, weather stations, thermometers, clocks, welcome or other similar singular devices is exempt from the SES ordinance requirements. B anchoring, sealed engineered drawings must be submitted detailing how the SES securely anchored to the ground for a permanent roof structure to meet the state of Michigan frost laws a minimum of 42 inches below grade C ground cover a ground mounted principal use SES covering one acre or small included the installation of perennial ground cover vegetation, main maintained for the duration of operation until the site is become componize. How do you pronounce that
decommissioned?
There we go. Decommission. You're reading next thing, the application shall include a ground cover, vegetation establishment and manage plan as part of the site plan one, a SES utilizing a
is an agro voltage. Say that again, agri voltage, agri what is agrivoltaic? What is that? That is solar panels over farmland. It's very common. Agrivoltaics got
it is exempt from perennial ground cover requirements for their portion of the site, employing the dual use practice number two, project sites with the majority existing impervious surface or those that are included in a brownfield plan adopted under the Brownfield Redevelopment financing act pa three, eight of 1996 as amended, are exempt from ground covering requirements. This site must comply with the on site storm water requirements of the ordinance D land clearing, land distribute disturbance or clearings shall be limited to what is necessary, necessary for the installation and operation of the system to ensure sufficient all season, access to the solar resource given the to graphy, what is that? What is that anybody tell me? What is that you tell me, what tobigraphy, yeah. What is like the land? The land is outside. Okay, got it of the land. Top soil distributed, distributed during site preparation. Guiding on the property shall be retained on site. E permit required. A building permit with the city building department is required, and all systems must comply with the most recent adopted electrical and building code. F, maintenance. All SES must be maintained in a safe and operable condition. G become commissioning plan SES that a cover one acre or greater, and total land area dedicated to the operation and maintenance of the SES not only the area of the arrays themselves. A commissioning plan is required. The decommissioning plan shall indicate the anticipated manner in which the project will be decommissioned, including a description of what above grade and below grade improvements will be removed to retain excess drive fencing or restoring for valuable use of the property, consisting with the zoning district.
Somebody else want to pick up? I
was just about to finish this last thing. Okay, go ahead. H removal. If a SES ceases to perform its intended function for more than 12 consecutive months, the property owners must remove the collection, mount and associated equipment and facilitates facilities no other than 90 days after the end of the 12 month period, the property must be restored to the condition prior to development of the system. I sites one acre or greater for SES and that cover one acre or greater total improved surface area of land use by the system. A feasibility study required for implementations of a pollinator habitat is required. Somebody
want to pick up this last page, starting with Jay signage, don't get shot out. You.
This is a first read, ladies and gentlemen, somebody suggested that we read it. Somebody suggested that we read it. Why don't you go ahead and close us out, Miss down shopping under Jay you
you gotta keep this meeting moving. Are you gonna mute it or no? Mister, okay. Jay signage, the area of any signage should be consistent with the zoning district, and shall meet the setback eliminate illumination and materials construction requirements of the district for the project site K solar rights number one, the city of Highland Park recommends that all proposed SES have a solar access sensitivity analysis performed by qualified professional for the specific proposed location and orientation or orientations of the proposed SES. The purpose of the solar access sensitivity analysis is to a determine if there are any existing obstructions that will reduce SES power generation. Examples of obstructions include, but are not limited to existing buildings, structures and tall plants and or trees B determine if and to what debris future development or plant growth scenario, scenarios on adjacent properties to impact solar asset access quotes, particularly any adjacent parcels to the south, but also adjacent parcels to the east and west. Under B there is a number one analysis for future conditions should assume the quantity and height of possible plant growth located a few feet past the adjacent property line has increased significantly, which is quite possible over The lifespan of an SES PV panels made in 2023 don't have predicted lifespan of 30 years, and the lifespan of future SES technologies or other types of SES may be significantly large longer. Number Two under B analysis for the future conditions should assume that the adjacent parcels listed above are developed with buildings or accessory structures that are the maximum height allowed in the existing zoning district and at the minimal associated setbacks three under B note that the city of Highland Park zoning map determines what zoning district each parcel resides within, but the zoning districts may change over the course of time, whether a sensitivity analysis is performed or not. The developer of a SES must either one accept all risk with regard to losing solar access slowly or all at once, at some future, unknown point in time or two, pursue the easement options described in detail below two under solar rights easement. Easements of direct sunlight may be acquired over the land of another by legally obtaining an express grant or convenient, convenient asset forth below a the originator of the easement is required to submit a notification to the city if there is a solar access easement being sought by a property owner or solar developer, notify affected neighboring property owners in Writing 10 days before provide the opportunity for a hearing if requested. And requestation, recordation. What is that? What I'm saying, Did I say that?
Yeah, recordation of such easement, of such
easements on burdened and benefited property deeds by the city building department, any instrument creating a solar right easement to maintain solar access may include, but the contents are not limited to the following one, a description of three dimensions of the easement expressed in measurable terms such as vertical or horizontal angles measured in degrees or the hours of the day on specified days during which direct sunlight to a specified surface of a solar collector device or structural design feature may not be obstruct or a combination of these descriptions. Two, the restrictions placed upon vegetation, structures and other objects which would impair or obstruct the passage of sunlight through the easement. Three, the amount, if any, of permissible obstruction of the passage of sunlight through the easement, expressed in measurable terms, such as a specific percentage of sunlight that may be obstruct four the provisions for trimming vegetation that would impermissible, impermissibly obstruct The passage of sunlight through the easement, including any compensation for trimming expenses. Five, any provisions for compensation of the owner of property benefited from the easement in the event of impermissible obstruction of the easement. Six, the terms or conditions, if any, under which the easement may be revised or terminated. Seven, if either party believes they're recorded solar rights have been impeded, then the cause would be brought before the Zoning Board of appeal. If either party is seeking negotiation or arbitration with regard to impeding the terms of solar rights, a neutral third party analysis and report by the qualified professional is required in the Zoning Board of Appeals workshop to review the third party report finance include the planning department, building department, CED and the city's legal council, which has structural oversight. Thank
you, Miss Manick, Imma stop you right there for future reference. The person that calls for an ordinance to be read into the record will be the person who starts the reading. No, that's not the I'm saying as chair, the person who asked for it to be read into the record, the person that the person who calls for the record, I'm going to turn over because we don't have a parliamentarian. We don't have a parliamentarian. That's the requirement don't have, right? It's a requirement to make sure that we do it, to make sure that we do it. The person who brings it up to the table should be the person who reads too. Okay? In order to adhere to that requirement, the person who brings it up to the table will be the person who calls to the read. Uh, Madam Chair, would you call the roll on a resolution to approve the amendment to the planning and zoning ordinance to include the solar energy system provision. We had a motion on the floor by Councilman Manica, supported by the chair. Thank you, Miss Martin. Thank you, Miss Manica, for your assistance here. Would you please call the roll on item six for the first reading? Yes for the first read? Would you call the roll on item 6b? Councilman
Shockey No. Council
member Markey Yes. Council member Manica Yes. Council Robinson Yes.
Thank you very much. Yes. We're going on moving on Item 6c resolution to approve McKenna to provide general provision, professional, technical advisory service and reimbursable service under the memorandum of understanding between the city of Highland Park, the Michigan Department of Treasury and the state land bank city council, what's your
pleasure? I move to approve McKenna to provide general Professional and Technical Advisory Services and Reimbursable Services under a memorandum of understanding between the City, Michigan Department of Treasury and the state
land bank chair offers support. We have a motion on the floor for the approval of the resolution to for McKenna to come in and provide us professional planning services. This is professional planning and texture Technical Advisory Service. This is reimbursable service under memorandum of understanding to the city of Highland Park the Michigan Department of Treasury and the land bank. Matter would you call the roll? I have some questions. Council President, oh, I didn't see your hand. I have some questions. What are the this is, this is the same McKinney came to two workshops, went to a meeting. Go right ahead. You
just said so at the last meeting, I did not hear the words reimbursable. That means that we're paying for it, and what to trust that they're going to reimburse No, that means
the state is paying for it. Am I correct in that assessment? The state is reimbursing them. They provide the service. They're the vendor. The state is reimbursing them for that service. Okay,
okay, okay. Well, the way you said, it sounded like we were, we were paying and then being being reimbursed. So that's the question I had. You know, we're being reimbursed by the state. Okay? So we are paying? Yes, we have
most of our most of our grants. Are we pay, and then we have to get money back. Okay? Did
we pick who was going to be in the last meeting, I made a suggestion that that this council should be the one that is designated to oversee the activities of McKenna, and that suggestion was looked up on favorably. I just don't see the contract stating that that change has been made that
is in violation of the charter. I'll pull the charter up once this vendor comes in. They work for the city administration. The charter has specific, specific provisions that council is not to interfere in any way whatsoever with the Administering of services by vendors for the city. We can't do that. It's right in the charter.
So no reports, no updates, no nothing. They just get to run free later. I mean, every other
department in the city right now, the police department, the finance department, in the building department, and
we see how this come on the
work. Okay, okay,
okay, so the reports will be provided. They're just a part of their work. Just like we get the normal financial statements from the finance department, we get them right. No matter what, what we do with them is completely up to us. So they will be available, Mister the director Clyburn has told us they are that is a part of their work.
Thank you, Mr. Clever. Thank you.
Can we call the roll on item 6c please? This is a resolution to approve in Canada provide general professional and technical advisory services to the city of Highland Park in agreement with the state of Michigan and the state land bank. Motion was made by Councilman Manica, supported by the chair, if you will, call the roll on item
60, Council Member Asha No, Council Member Martin Yes, Council Member Manica Yes, council president, council president Robinson Yes, council president Yes.
Motion carries, moving on to item 6d resolution to for the acceptance of the local government energy program. LGP, community spark investment in transformative energy. Cite application to the US Department of Energy. Doe, by the city of Highland Park's Community Economic Development. CD department. We have a motion on the floor for Item 6d resolution to accept.
Go ahead.
I'm sorry, Miss Manick, I interrupt.
I just said I moved. I moved to support. So Miss,
there's a motion to approve the resolution made by councilmanica, the Chair will offer support again. This is a resolution for the acceptance of the local government energy program, community spark investment in transformative energy application to the US Department of Energy by the city of Highland Park's Community Economic Development Program, means department Councilman Manica has made a motion. The chair has offered support mister el Shafi,
this particular item has deadline. Sorry, I could hear you. Has what now? Yeah, this particular item has a deadline on does it the 20th of this month? Yeah? Exactly right. Yep.
The last meeting, these things come in. Okay, whenever they come in, that's not
a problem. Um, my question and concern is Is the administration has told us on several occasions that we cannot put two items in one resolution. But here I'm looking at two items. Not only am I looking at the item to accept the grant, which I don't have a problem with, but I'm looking at another item to also hire Carlton Clyburn as full time with a salary increase of $55,000
is that correct? So it sounds as if, since we can't afford to hire a full time CD director, I understand that that's the state of Michigan is going to supplement the salary so we have a full time okay, Senior Director.
Okay, I understand that. I understand it. But again, it's just two items in one resolution. I would like it split.
You'd like it split? Yeah, that's not how it comes. I'm
sorry, sir, y'all have told us on the number of cases me and council pro tem, we have had multiple things on resolution. Go for it, and you have told us that we cannot put multiple things on one resolution. Here I'm looking at a multiple item on a one resolution. I got no problem with either. But if you set the standard, you set the rule, and now you're breaking that rule.
Mister Clyburn, it's an opportunity for you to go in and provide some I see your hand Miss manner. Go right ahead.
Where did you see that?
This is for No, no. Where is it in the resolution you just said it's in here, right here. Show me
right here, on the last
Now therefore, be a resolve that
Carlton park director designate to administer the program with his right where is it? Where's
the salary? $55 where's that?
Oh, that's in the packet here. Okay, let's
turn right to it. I had a let's go right to Italy. Let's go right to it. Show me the page.
Mister Fargo, if you would like to address that you can Yeah. So
you're a part time current. I'm part time current, yes. So if I was to go full time. So what you're saying is the Department of Energy, these other partners, are willing to give, they're willing to supplement, basically, to stipend a department in the city,
2.5 million for those
but they're trying in order to make sure that they have somebody to administer it, right? They're willing to take a part time individual that works for the city and stipend them into that role.
Somebody has
oversight the school
of times with ministers. Okay, Mister el Shaki, what's your issue with that? Again, I had
no issue with that. You have two items on this agenda. Second
item is done on the floor. The second item
is not on the floor, and it should have been broken down. The second item is not on the floor. All we're doing is accepting the grant, and as part of the grant that is in there, it's not two items, it's just one. So we're
accepting the grant, we're accepting the grant, and we're hiring full time for the CD director. That sounds like two to me. So okay, that's not how I read you want to
read it? Go ahead and read it so we can understand it. Go ahead. I'll
let you read it. Go ahead. No,
let Mister Shafi go ahead and read it so we can all understand it. Because the people in the audience don't know what what's happening. So go ahead and read it to the audience so they can understand it. Whereas
the C site branch was developed by us, Department of Energy to support eligible local governments to implement projects that provide direct community benefit, Spark additional investments, meet community identified, excuse me, priorities and deal with local capacity. Pause, right
there. If I could get you to pause, sir, it says, whereas the seaside Grant was developed by the US Department of Energy,
listen, listen, I just asked you to pause. I just asked you to pause. You just I did and I asked you to pause. I want to finish. Go right ahead. Then, man, thank you. I'll go back because I'm saying I don't want to have to read it twice. I just asked you to parcel again. Go ahead. Let him go ahead. Go ahead. Go ahead. Go right ahead, sir, go right ahead, because it spells it out right there. Go right ahead. Miss del Shaba, the floor is yours.
Just the first page. Yep, that's it. Point of order.
I'm with you. Miss Manica, I'm I'm sorry. Imma let the man finish the page. No
one, one moment, my point of order is he's going to read it. If he reads it, he's just reading what's here. I don't know if it's just for an audience to to hear it. Yup. But his his thinking is that we're doing two things. It looks like I just I got that. So I just wanted to point out that even if we reread this, that does not change. He's part time. Administration picked him as the employee. I guess they could've picked somebody else, but he's already in CED. He's our CED director. I get that so later, after we approve this, they still have to come back and and get approval from us that He is
the budget of me again, I got but I was reading to me it seemed like two items on one again, which is
why I ask you to read it, because the way that you're interpreting it is not the way that it's on the page. It says, whereas seaside Grant was developed by the US Department of Energy to support eligible local governments. Us to implement projects that provide direct community benefits. Us. Paula, I
have a question. I
see your hand, Matt approaching. Go right ahead.
Have we already been awarded? This was awarded.
Mr.
What date was this grant awarded
to us? It was.
They had a press release on September 5, and they named Highland Park as one of the recipients. So what happens now is we have to have the local governing unit accepted, but then there's a negotiation period that starts this debate. That is the September 20. There's some documents and things that need to be submitted in order for it to be official. Fish.
They already put
the blast out to everybody on the fifth and said, Highland Park got 2.5 million. Now the whole that was kind of a problem, because we hadn't come here yet, but they asked, did we want to participate in the press release? And I said no, because it has to come to council. But I can't stop the Department of Energy about, you know, putting it out there to get to get there, to do what they do. So that's why we're here discussing it. Now.
I'm not involved in in the Carlton hiring, okay, we didn't
come to you right after the kick with the ground of
the water that we got blasted.
Why we didn't come? Yes,
our last meeting was September 3. It was on a Tuesday. This happened after the last meet. And
why not, and explain everything to us, why not?
Mister Clyburn, you, you, you are an employee of who and your boss's name is. That's one of the checks I want to. Just want to check. Okay, so let's call for the roll on item 6d. This is the ladies and gentlemen. We had somebody on last week who does non profit work, who's non partisan, Miss Turner Johnson came on and told us all she gave us a little bit of education. She said she's been doing this for years. She shared with us. She's a part of the bishop's Council. They shared with us they've been doing this for years, and they said that grants and grant activity that's decided by another party, the federal government, the state, a lot of times, this activity, this activity, comes in at the last minute, and it was explained to us thoroughly. So Madam Clerk, would you please call the roll on item 6d that's the resolution for the acceptance of the local government energy program. Community spark investment on a transforming energy application to the US Department of Energy by the city of Highland Park, Community Economic Development Department. Motion was made by Councilwoman Manica, supported by the chair, if you would call the roll on item D?
Councilman shapi,
no Council,
Council Member Martin, I have a question, ma'am, the paragraph. I don't know why. We can just read this first page and then go back and dissect this. Doesn't make any sense. But the only question I have is the question where it says, whereas the CEE department has a condition of accepting awarding fund, will be responsible for naming a full time member of the administration to review contract documents, submit the same to the legal department for review and Comment review paid applications, be responsible for attending meetings for this project, and all of which contract and payment shall be subject to the review and approval of city council. Subsequent resolution, I only want that. Can you explain? Does that paragraph we don't have to go through? I mean,
how? Will be in the meetings. I will not give information for approval of that contract. So every time, anytime we get into another agreement with this time.
Thank you.
Your vote, Madam, maybe she did call. Thank you very much. Miss Manica, yes,
I'm not done. Let me stop Robinson. No. Motion carries, yes. Thank you very much. Moving on to Item e, this is the resolution to approve the 2024 Highland Park, reschedule, be scheduled, and question is for Austin services, zoning board, site plan, special use permit, zoning ordinance, zoning compliance, street vacancies fencing. It covers all the entire pre schedule for the city of Highland Park that is covered in our zoning ordinances. Um, city council, what is your pleasure for Item 6e?
I move to approve resolution to approve 2024 Highland Park fee schedule with questions.
Okay, chair, offer support. Miss Manica, go with your questions.
Just out of curiosity, we're creating a fee schedule. But when McKenna comes on, don't you create a don't they create a fee schedule as well? So and
they haven't been
20 years.
There's a change, right?
Okay? I'm
sorry, I see your hand, sir.
Are these fees new? Is there been an increase, or these, the existing fees that we had. Are these fees new? Has there been an increase? Or are these,
I think we need to go a little bit higher and be honest with you, it's just me. Be honest
with you, it's just me. It's just
me. Yeah, now that would have been a nice, embarrassing book that
they gave us last year. The book last year, okay? On last
year. Okay, alright, okay. So question I had,
okay, okay, so we call the roll on item 6e the resolution to approve the 2024, Island Park beach schedule, motion made by Councilman Manica, supported by the Chair. Madam Clerk, would you please call the roll on item 6e council
member Joffe, it's not enough. But yes. Council member Martin Yes. Council member Yes. Council Robinson, yes,
yes. Motion carries moving on to Item F, resolution to sell a vacant residential adjacent lot at 309 tuxedo to Neil enterprises LLC, the adjacent property. Owner, 315, tuxedo. They were at the workshop. They were at the workshop. Okay, so we've seen them already. Okay, city council, what is your pleasure on item F, we've seen them twice. I
think I moved to support with questions. Go
ahead. Miss Manica, finish the motion.
I moved to seller, vacant residential adjacent lot at 309, tuxedo enterprise LLC, the adjacent property owner of 315,
Mister Shafi. Go ahead with your support. Support with questions. Floor is yours? Go ahead.
Uh, is he here today? Probably not,
huh? He's online. I think I saw him online just a second.
He is under as a participant. Clayton, Neal, Mr. Neal, I'm going to ask you to you're on, you're on, muted. Can you go ahead and speak?
Mister Neil president, yes. Can you hear me?
Yes. Thank you for joining us virtually. Go ahead, mister, if you got a question for this gentleman, Mister Neil,
um, what is the schedule for when you want to have this property, right? Well, because I enjoyed, I enjoyed talking to you last time. You seem like a pretty honest guy. I'm just curious about the time frame for who you going to have it up and running?
Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Well, right now I am in the process working with the state of Michigan, state, the MDC, working to try to solidify building my communities grant. So right now those funds are limited. There is still funding left. So, long story short, the sooner I can, you know, solidify, you know, the acquisition of this lot, then I can get my full renderings done by my architect, which shows this lot along with the building and its completion. And then it would probably take about, you know, anywhere from 60 to 90 days to get the grant. And I anticipate the, you know, the duration of the project to be anywhere between eight to 12 months. And that's just based upon the timing of when the project actually starts. If it starts in the winter time, then obviously that's going to be, you know, limit us to do certain things specifically, like on the exterior. Um, so in short, you're looking at a eight to 12 month project just depend upon when it starts. Okay.
Mister Neil, so imma hit you with a hypothetical, because you know, you know you are in out of town or so, Imma hit you with hypothetical. Say, everything falls through. Say, everything falls through. Say, the funding falls through. The project falls through you're unable to complete. Would you be a verse if you had to say you had to abandon your property and sell it? Would you be a verse as the mission that if you did say, on that delay, would come back and say,
I would not be opposed to that. However, the I've been doing residential construction, commercial construction for 21 years and and on the Towner, not really. I'm from Detroit, just not from Brighton city.
Yes. So, so the reason I ask that question because we have a lot of people that come into this town. They buy property, they sell for years. I don't take you as that individual. You don't say I got a good buy from you at the workshop, but you know, the city needs to start putting some, some form of state guards in place for outside investors. Okay, you know, you know if, if the project falls through, and actually this is a question for legal, what are our safeguards of repaying the land if the project falls through?
Mister Buster, would you go ahead? Mister
Yes. Mister, thank you. Mister President, well, this is just on the agenda as a sale. You wouldn't really have those safeguards. I don't think those contingencies would be required by what's on the agenda right now? Does he want to enter some sort of development agreement or something like that? That would be a different type of agreement, right?
It should be some form of safeguards, just in case.
If I
say something like, say, five year period, if he decides to settle before those five years, did the land reverse back to
the city? Yeah, I don't. I don't disagree with anything you're saying, but the item on the floor at the moment is just the sale of the property. It doesn't have an all encompassing development agreement. I
asked that question. But we really do try looking out for the city's best interest. We have people all over this city. I mean, in in District Three that there are people who own lot that live in California. They don't cut it, but the neighbors are tired of looking at it, so they cut it because it's next door to their property. And then when they call the owners to ask them if they wanted to sell, the owners give them some outrageous price. Yeah, give me $60,000
I got a neighbor right now
who keeps the lawn, because it's a household, but the lady who owns it lives in California. Okay, you know, so there's gotta be something somewhere that this council can enact to ensure that people do what they say they're going to do with the property, in which we sell to them, who may do investments. I'm not concerned about the residents. They're not going nowhere. So we're
going to bring the motion back to we're going to bring the the discussion back to what is on the floor. I see your hand, Madam pro tem, we are here to discuss the resolution to sell a vacant residential lot to mister Neil. Mister Neil, you said you from Bray
Morris, yes, sir, yes. Council president. Okay, so
you from Brighton, so you a D boy, you from Detroit. You ain't from out of town. You just live out of town.
Oh, and I've done, I've done some successful projects in the city of Highland Park. Okay,
I just want to make sure that I put that out there. And if you ain't you from around these parks. Miss Martin, I said, Miss I saw madam Pro Tem first, and I see your hand. Miss Martin, out of time. Go ahead. Madam Protem,
this is a residential commercial
we looked at this last time and we looked at it under number two, I'm speaking please.
Thank you very describing detail, in detail, your intended use of the lot or structure, parking for adjacent work unit at 315, 17, only answer questions two to four, only if you are purchasing a commercial lot or structure. Current, current zoning classification of the lot more structure, the current zoning classification allow for intended use. To say yes, of the attendees require a zoning variable correct. So if he's going to move to apartment, he's going to have to rezone that for
parking. No, it's residential.
The block you Yes, ma'am, yes, ma'am. Okay, so let's go ahead and get the vote on this too. So yes, ma'am, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry miss mine. Go right ahead,
yes, ma'am, yes, ma'am.
I heard you say that you're getting a grant, and then after that, it'll be eight to 12 months, correct? So my question to you is, you're if you don't get the lot that's adjacent, are you not going to then get that grant?
No, not necessarily. The adjacent lot is to make it a project, right? Um, my thought is that this, this particular block, won't stay vacant forever. Um, would imagine that there's going to be further development and a four unit building with no dedicated parking limits, limits, a lot of things, right? It's going to cause street congestion, because I'm sure that residents don't want a bunch of cars parked on the street. So what I'm trying to do is create a project that is one attractive to have some additional green space, because I believe you actually saw the property. You know that there's really no backyard at all. So in addition to the parking, there would be some green space for the residents, and then also trying to eliminate congestion and and have safety for the residents that live there. Um, you know, parking is a big thing. Um, very underestimated as far as the importance of parking. So, um, no, it does not
hold a second. Miss Martin had the floor.
It doesn't, it doesn't make it as attractive as it would be with it. So,
you know, I received that. You're right. You know, I did see it, and I looked at it from three points of view. One, if I was somebody who's renting that space, yes, my car would be subject to be on the street possibly hit or, you know, if a family moves in there, I'm thinking a kid being little street playing. So, you know, that would be initial space. There's no backyard. Another thing is, I'm thinking that as an investor, yeah, it's more attractive with you having that lot. Also, I'm thinking of it as a neighbor, because the same thing that district three said, you know, there's so much life around the city, my concern is, how soon are you going to start working on that house? Because, you know, we get a lot of people that come through our meeting and say that they're going to work on house, or they're going to build a fence, and they want to blah blah doc. The thing is, they're not working on the house, and that's my concern. You're saying eight to 12 months. That means that, though, on I didn't speak to those neighbors in the area, that means that possibly they're going to be looking at that same house until 2021 possibly 2026 so so
that's my concern. I
understand where
you're coming from, because I looked at it three different ways. If I was someone who rented that space, if I was somebody who's investing, and if I was a neighbor,
totally understandable. Um, I've actually been trying to acquire this lot since February. Um, my I go through the process, and I definitely didn't not think that it would, you know, be this long of a duration. My actual time frame was, actually has started that project this past June or July, if everything had aligned. But now we're into September. So it kind of limits me, even once I get the grant, you know, let's just say, everything happens and I'm able to get the grant in January. You know, hopefully funds are still available. I'm still going to be limited to what I can do on the exterior until the weather breaks. So it's not that I'm
going to stop you. I'm going to stop you right there. I'm going to go ahead and call for the vote. Why? Because the gentleman just reminded us that he's been trying to get this lot since February.
Where are you in the process of the grant? That's all, that's question. Okay,
go ahead with the last question.
I put things on hold until I can get this lot. I mean, pretty much everything waiting on me because they my the last thing is for me to provide architectural renderings, which cost money, and I don't want to provide renderings showing a complete project when I don't own the adjacent lot just yet.
Okay, okay, so let's go ahead and call for the vote on this one. This item. We're dragging these people over the coals that are trying to invest in our cities. Man, wanted to start this project this past summer. Resolution to sell to we have for item after resolution to sell the vacant residential adjacent lot at 309 tuxedo Tenille enterprises, the adjacent property owner at 305 would you believe the motion was made by Councilwoman Manica, supported by Councilman el shapi. Would you call the roll on item F, please? Council Member ashapi,
Mister Neil, I believe you going to keep your word. Imma say yes. Council Member hardington,
yes. Councilman, yes. Council Robinson,
yes. Congratulations. Mixer, yield. You got a lot today. Thank you. Moving on to Item G, the resolution to sell the vacant residential lot at 39 Geneva, to to the navorsky family. I'm not going to to mess your last name up. Novotsky, is am I pronouncing it correctly? Novitsky, sorry about that. So ladies and gentlemen, we have item G in front of us, city council. What is your pleasure on item G?
Thank you show us this? All this phrase, sure. Can
you Can I get a motion?
Has anybody seen
tonight? Sorry,
this is right behind that horrible, that horrible little building signal corner, that horrible and what, and this
is at Geneva between second and third.
You do a 3d view or no, you
ladies and gentlemen, I'll ask one more time. We have a We're on Item G resolution to sell a vacant residential sideline, sideline at 29 Geneva, Mister
President,
are you able to do a 3d I'm doing a 3d view, and I'm actually you got me. I'm trying to figure out where to make your residential lot in
31 it. I stand corrected. Mister ashaki, you are correct. It is close to six mile. Just map sent me in the wrong direction altogether. He's
right behind that horrible little she
so you, bless your heart. So you're trying to buy this, ladies and gentlemen, can we get a motion on the floor, please?
You can't pull it.
I mean, it is, it isn't. You
want to return it? Yeah, we're still
looking at the roof. What we're looking at, the roof. We're talking about the lot,
the chair. We entertain a motion, please. This is a resolution to sell the vacant residential lot at 29 Geneva to novotsky family. What are you going to do with the lot? Can we get a motion on the floor? I can't see what we're looking it's in the packet. Do
ladies and gentlemen, I have called for a motion just Diane on the floor.
I have no question. I I asked, what I asked, thank you
to the people who are here, is that next to your house? Yes, it is. That's where you live at, yes,
31 Geneva is a bungalow right it's 29 Geneva, okay, that's all it is. There is an additional one. Yep, that's
all I wanted to know. I just want to know that you live there.
Yes. Hold on,
hold on hold on hold on Oh, I'm sorry, ma'am, go right ahead. Miss. Manica,
I moved to the sale
of vacant residential sorry. By the 29th
with questions,
I offer support. I have questions as well. The motion is on the floor now. Miss Martin, please hold on. I'm sorry. I didn't mean interruption before I ask any questions at all. Miss Martin, I will turn the floor over to you. It's procedure that we had to do it that way in order to be able to discuss. You can't you can't call the motion. No, I cannot the chair. Cannot call a motion. That's the limit to my power. I cannot call any motions at all. Alright? So Miss Manica, you were first, and I will turn the floor over to Miss Martin after that. Go ahead. Miss after that. Go ahead. Um. She called the motion. She said she had questions. Got it go ahead.
So let's start with you. You were the gentleman or the people? The person who housed is 20 the house is 29 or 3131 the person who lives in 31 could you come to the podium?
Please? Whoever owns the house or whoever's I need to talk to?
Okay? Thank you, Linda. Are you? I am the realtor with an exclusive right to represent. I sold 31 Geneva to my clients, and they were interested in purchasing the sidewalk 29 Geneva because the property is a bungalow and it only has a very small strip of green space in the front, very little in the back. So my clients want to purchase the sidewalk for additional green space. Thanks, sure, Michael, last name I'll spell for you is coffin, dapper, C, O, F, F, I N, D, A F, F E R, that was
your only question. Ms, Monica, no, it's
not okay. O, f, f, i n, e n, D, A F, F E R, and you are a realtor, correct? What's that? When you're a realtor,
it's Max Brook, Detroit, Max, Max Brook, E R, O, O, C, K, Detroit. The offices at Woodward and Mac 3633, Woodward Avenue.
My next question is, you sold them the property at 31
correct?
And who lives at 31 at 31
see my mind, son and mother,
she looks like she wants to say something. Look at her.
Okay, sure you want. Did
you want to say something to
him? Is there? Okay, what language are we talking?
Russian? Ah, okay. To say something too?
Did you want to well? Paula speaks English perfectly well, and I'm just asking, Do you have a question for me? Because
I am not too much. Not She said she's very happy that I'm helping.
So I noticed that there's a note. I don't know if anybody else sees that note, but it can only be so to over to
and why is that it has to be the adjacent property owner can be sold to you as a realtor, of course,
of course. No, it's being would be it's being sold to my clients who are both on the warranty deed for 31 Geneva Street. Mr.
Martin,
when did you sell the house?
It was February. February March. February March. I
and you said green space,
Jessica, well, the house itself is a bungalow, so there's just a little strip of grass in the back, in the front, and then the backyard is very small as well. So with the additional lot, it's the green space for a garden, because there's hardly any property.
I see your hands, um,
is this the house? Right? Now? You said there's a small what is it? Right? It's so little, right?
I have the application, please, sure.
So there's already a fence around the economy.
Oh, yeah. So, so this is the house. This is a better picture, and this is a
lot, yeah, that's correct. And then so she's going to knock down the fence.
Yeah, yeah. Most likely will extend movements. And then what I mentioned before, what's larger, but there's an additional one, it's privately so I was just clarifying that my clients are simply purchasing the sidewalks. Okay, I'm sorry. It's the same application,
same thing. You don't have anything
like no, it's simply the whole what?
So the address of that house that they live in right now is 31 Geneva. 31 okay, and that that's okay, just verifying some stuff, yeah,
and the sidewalk is immediately adjacent side, I
have no more questions.
Who is Donald Brewer? That is the prior owner, okay, yeah.
Additional questions from members. Go ahead, Miss man,
so tax records show that that was the previous owner. Legitimate sale of the primary property the sideline is owned by the city of Highland Park has been for a long time. I guess we can go ahead and call the roll on this under community development. This is a resolution to sell the vacant residential lot at 29 Geneva to the novotsky family. This was a motion that was made by Councilwoman Manica, supported by the chair Madam Clerk, would you please call the roll on item 6g,
I did have my hand up. I'm
sorry. Mana pro tem,
thank you very much. Mana pro
tem. I have my head down. Forgive me. I apologize. You had your question. You have a question you can get answered. I'm sorry. I have my head down on the computer. He was, forgive me. I'm I'm in the documents. Miss Manica, go ahead.
So on here it says, or you've been there since
you've been here since February of
March, and go stadium. Savings
this moment, yes, but you need
repair, yeah,
and clearly,
and I require Geneva 21
so they're working on it to repair
right? The home required some renovations. There was water damage, for example, a hole through the kitchen floor, etc. So the property needs some light renovations. My clients have been out of town for what about six weeks, so that's why the work is ongoing. But the intention is, as soon as the property is renovated to be moving ready, they'll be moving to that address so it's not livable, right?
No. So again, the sale is only to the owner from our legal says it's the young lady right here. Okay,
so the again, the warranty deed for 29 Geneva is in both names and with the sidewalk when I presented the application to the real estate person, both names are on the application. She said, I'm just going to put it in one name for this particular piece of paperwork, but both names are clearly on the application
and I understand that, sir, yeah, but our legal gave us some direction, so I can withdraw and come back.
Well, we can go for this vote. Let's My recommendation is to go for the vote, and then we can make that correction after we have the warranty deed to add the additional name. That's perfectly
fine. So to add what additional,
that's mother and son is on here. Yeah, mother and son. So he's acting as a caregiver for his mother. Primarily, no, I'm just, I'm going to ask. I'm asking. No, he's not. So this is, this is going to be her home independently. No, they're both going
they live and live in the home when the renovations are complete. Okay, okay, so, so we can leave the motion. It's perfectly fine under policy
again, and I don't want to belong this. I don't want to carry this on, but I'm listening to you talk to them. And so you said, now we can later, after we assuming we approve it, right? You can add a name to the warranty. So I'm asking add what next warranty heat, because now, either way, she owns it, right now, correct? Yes, our legal department says it goes to her, okay, that's, that's my, Are you? You're,
you're okay with that?
Yes, yes,
sir. Oh, Mr. President, if I could, yeah, yeah, Mr. Contest from our firm, did, did make a note on the paperwork indicating that that it be sold to her, and this is sale only to so so it sounds to me like the like the petitioners are fine with the resolution as is, and if they need to do any corrective deed work after the fact, they're able to do that, the city wouldn't be
involved. Okay.
Additional, vote.
Okay on Item 6g Madam Clerk, would you please call for the vote? This is the resolution to sell the bacon residential lot at 29 Geneva to the novotsky family.
Council member of that no council member, Mark Yes. Council
member, Manning,
no Council Roseanna Roberts, yes,
yes. Motion carries three to two. Congratulations. You have your lives. I will caution you by saying this, though this was a contentious discussion, in good faith, please and comply with the documents that you have in front of me. Every person after you is measured by what you do Understood. Thank you. Thank you. Congratulations. Thank you.
As contentious as it was, I would like to commend my members of city council for doing a good job and really combing through that one real good because I've uncovered some stuff I didn't see. So thank you very much for that. Moving on to eight under Department of Engineering resolution authorizing the contract award to Lakeshore global, and we took it off. We took it off, H is off. H is off. It's incomplete. No signatures, yes, but CD didn't finish the document. The signatures weren't one on it. Oh, when they bring it back, everything will be on it. I want to have nothing hanging out there. Moving on to Item eight, Department of Engineering resolution authorizing the contract award to Lakeshore Global, Inc for phase one and tentative award for phase two of the 220, 23 water main and service line replacement program City Council. What's your pleasure? I
move to approve the resolution authorizing the contract award to Lakeshore global, Incorporated for phase one and tentative award for phase two of the 2023 water main and service line replacement program
chair. Offer support. Questions, concerns. Madam Clerk, would you call the roll for item eight? A councilman, shocking has a question. Thank you, sir. Go ahead. Nope, I didn't see any questions, so go ahead. Now you have a question. Go ahead.
I feel like I've seen this district before. Have they done business with the city before?
Yes,
Lakeshore, global, yeah, yeah. Mister Garrett, they have. They have
was this? Was this just handed to them, and then we do an RPR, no, this went out to bid, and bids were
opened here, and then sent back to the engineering for review. And we went through three bids that we received.
Okay, the Okay,
well, yeah, we did actually last several projects, last three projects. So this is LTC, first opportunity of doing Waterman replacement.
I've done Council friendly additional questions before I call the roll on item seven, a on the Department of Engineering resolution authorizing the contract award to Lakeshore global for water main service line replacement programs. Miss. Madam Clerk, would you call for the roll please? On seven, eight, no.
Councilman Martin, yes. Council member, yes, I'm yes motion
carries moving on under 7b resolution to approve the comprehensive safety action plan and to endorse Vision Zero for the city of Highland Park to strive to achieve zero traffic deaths and incapacitating injuries on the streets of Highland Park. By 2024 we had this info workshop City Council. What is your pleasure on item 7b
So move, I move resolution to approve the city, I'm sorry, to approve the comprehensive safety action plan and endorse Vision Zero for the city of Highland Park to strive to achieve zero traffic deaths and incapacitating injuries on the streets of Highland Park by 2004
we have a motion on the floor by Councilwoman Manica. The chair will offer support. Do we have questions concerned? Remember to Yes. Miss madam Protem I
underground?
No, we have not talked about underground.
Thank you. Okay, I'll see any other hands. We go ahead and call for the roll on item 7b Councilman
Yes, Council
Member Martin Yes, Council Member Manica Yes. Unspoken Robinson,
yes,
yes. Motion carries, alright. That concludes our agenda for tonight. Imma set this timer for two minutes flat for citizens participation. And let me remind you, ladies and gentlemen, citizens participation is coming to address city council. This is not the place to perform. We get some performances up in here, and we've given instructions to our bailiffs, and if we get performances, we're going to end the show early. So I just want to make that clear, in the city of Detroit, they will, like Sandman, get that hook and drag you out of the room. So please be mindful of the fact that this is an opportunity for citizen participation. So if you come to before, just know show will be short and I will not start until you say your name.
Good evening, council resident, I need some clarity, and I know you can't answer the question right now, but maybe afterward, did I understand council or couple of council members said, if we got, whoever got the M neighborhood grant, that they wanted to know what they were getting done to the people's house and how much it was going to cost.
Also,
is it that privy information. If we're sending that information to the state, why would that personal information go to council? Per se, I don't understand. I don't think that's right. Do Whoever get it that's private information, somebody might need a rule. Why would Council need to know that person needed a roof? That's not here. That's right, my opinion, that's not their business. So I just need some clarity on that. Also, when you get these blocks for sale, for up for sale, why is it that you don't go on Google and bring up the picture yourself? And this is to Miss Martin, because you guys took a lot of time trying to drive around. You're not going to answer me. I'm just putting it out there on record. I pulled it up as soon as they said the address. So it took you guys almost 2030, minutes to try to figure out for somebody to three did. And I got it on my phone in less than two my next question, and I'm almost through, you sold the property to the young lady, and I overheard she speaks Russian. So did the property go to her? Or did the property go to her and her son? Or is the property going to come back and you're going to put two names on them, because that don't make no sense. When my mother tried to do her property, it had to be one name only. When my dad died, we had to go through downtown to get the name taken off. So why are we? You know, whenever somebody can answer that character, we can't do one thing for somebody and do some for somebody else, but we want to get rid of some property. Yes, ma'am, I agree with you, yeah, because I don't want to get in trouble. I have changed. I Alright,
next citizen.
My name is Sandra Luis, hi. My name is Sandra Luis, this is my first time in our council meeting. I was here for to buy the back and lot the last one, I just, I'm not sure if there is something that I need to be like, given or done, because it didn't got here to be resolved. So that's just my question. Is
that age? Yeah, it has to be fixed, you'll still have an opportunity.
Okay, so just for the next meeting, yes, check
with CED, check with the community economic economic development
department. Okay,
thank you. Good evening. Blame is David chief Tommy. I was invited to the council meeting by Councilman Robinson for the sake of time, it's late and working with the governor right now on mixed use billion dollar development for housing Park. So for the sake of time, I just like to show you an exhibit. This is going to be one of the anchors over the development. What I like to do is to request that you I was supposed to be in Vegas right now that's rendering I supposed to be in Vegas right now, to cancel the trip to be here. I promise I would be here. I'd like to propose to meet with issue individually. I'm working with the governor on this deal. For the sake of time, it's going to take me much more than two minutes. I'd like to meet with issue individually to I know you can meet other than two at a time. So I just like to be able to get on this for five years with the governor. I was designated developer for the casino for Highland Park in 1995 we had it approved. So I'd like to ask you, Mr. President, to after the day, I'd like to send you an email. Hopefully can read together the two at a time. I already met with your brother here already four times. So I'd like to, for the sake of time. I know it's nine o'clock, I got a plane to catch. I like to meet in the building with you. I've been on this for five years. It's a billion dollars. We got the money in place. It's going to create 2500 jobs. But I'd like to be able to write issue you email and request a meeting with you, maybe two at a time. I know you can't meet more than two at a time and explain what we're working with the governor. Ronald. I think it's worth your time to hear me out. What's your name? Chief Tom Deaton, like Indian chief, T, O, M, B, y, like, like, Tomboy.
Did you show you the
people, the residents here? I think you said people here? No, if you not ready for publication, I just wanted you. It's just the council's eyes right now. So I'm done an email and requested me with you maybe two at a time, to explain what we're doing with the governor. We've been on this for five years. I when I was a developer for the casino for Holland Park in 1995 we had it approved. We got all the votes the event, city council went with us to Lansing. We had the floor votes, and one of the officials from Highland Park made a big mistake. You killed the deal. So I'm back again. I used to live in Highland Park 20 years at Gabriel, so I'm not a copy backer, but I'm back to see what I could do to help Highland Park. I felt like to send you an email. I've been sending you emails all the time. I'd like to send you an email explain to you situation and request a meeting with each of you together, maybe two at a time as soon as possible. Okay,
thank you, sir. There are certain area that you look
at, well, I don't want to be specific. It's over. It's over two minutes.
We're going to keep it to two. He will be back. Thank
you. Okay, alright, alright. Thank you. Have a nice night. Any other
citizen would like to speak
to the council public? I don't understand why Kathy square is worried about somebody's name being pulled twice. I'm not worried about it. I said, if you're talking about fairness, you got fairness with water, not the house. No, I'm just listen. I that was, that was just something. I said, it wasn't necessary. Throw it out want you just say one person is winning everything. It doesn't say winning everything they're picked. I'm just saying, I'm just saying they're being picked.
Sorry for offending. Good. I apologize.
Additional citizens want to speak, okay, then we going to move over into Council affairs. Thank you so much, citizens, uh, starting with the Council of the person from the third district, go right ahead, sir. Okay.
Last Council meeting. Last Council meeting, I did something that I normally don't do, and that is I, I normally follow my first mind. I normally stick to what I said I'm going to do.
Hold on, hold on. Miss. Del Shockey, just one second, sir, when we say, when we say, is anyone any other citizens would like to speak? You know what? Mister shapi, would you? Would you? Would you be willing to Okay, so imma get you. Imma set your two minutes up, and we going to make sure that you because before you start, brother, I want you to know we have a meeting construction. Nobody is trying to be disrespectful to you a lot of times. No, listen, a lot of times you, when you leave, you think that we're turning the screws on you. We're not. We're just trying to follow the structure, which is why I asked the brother to pause and imma give you a full three minutes. Okay, I appreciate it. Okay. Imma give you a full regards to what I'm here to talk about. I actually guys consistently, who was Hamilton corridor. I sitting on the third cemetery. You guys voted yes on Eric Ejm and Hamilton corridor. But to my regards. Mister Shanti said in the last few months ago, sir, we don't know who Hamilton corridor, so you guys voted September 3 on I pull up the record. Why you talking? Imma pull up the record to see what we voted on on September 3. I just want to make sure that we support you, bro. Can I ask anybody who's the owner of Hamilton corridor? We don't, we don't know he's like on the mean, there's 1000s of properties that are owned Hamilton corridor. Hamilton court is a location, or is it a the Hamilton corridor? Yeah, what is it? Help us understand, pull up whatever I can find. I spoke with mister Clayborn hallway. He said, two months ago, I asked him Hamilton corridor. He said, Hamilton corridor is owned by Agnes. I said, No, that's not true, sir. I got a PDF sheet with Robert Burgess and the president of the owner of the Hamilton corridor had listed was Robert Blackwell, who died a few, many years ago. So I know he didn't wake up about the grave and just signed to be the owner of Hamilton corridor. So we have a conflict of interest in him with the regards to where my property lays at because I have been sued by having the corridor, and AJ means now, with the regards to this, considering having the corridor, I've been left inheritance. I've been left something that was left to me by the elder, because I took care of these elders, they left me as a leader in the community, and for me to fulfill what needs to be fulfilled in this in this community. Not only that, I'm a general and I'm a word for God. I'm obedient to this call, uh, I've been assigned to holler park for a designated reason, and when I get to the designated, designated reading while I'm here, it's all because of you all. So I don't, I don't straddle the fence. I'm pure in heart, and that's why God recommended me and showed me the way it told me to come here. It's a lot of desolation going on in Highland Park with living stores, drug addicts, alcoholism, and the beauty of Highland Park has been, not been up to, up to par, the way God has wanted me to be. So I'm here for children. I'm here for elders, and God has assigned me to the spot, and I won't let anybody take it from you guys. Have took it inheritance. You guys have took things from me. I have come to these people that have seen you talk consistently and say, Why is he coming here? And I'm coming here for that solely reason. I walk back God's wallet that you got. I want back God's finances that you took. You want it back. When you say you, you mean, which one of us, everybody involved? Yeah, well, see, well, you don't have to know, but listen, Sir, you said that this is, this is the last meeting. I spoke with Charles September 3. I spoke with Charles lack man, on the third of September, we vacated the alleys. We didn't sell anything. All we did is vacate the house. So why did I get sued? I have no idea why you got sued, sir. How was the corridor? Who is that? We're the city of Highland Park elected officials. Nobody know where the court is. No more we. That's why we going to play it. Y'all, ladies and gentlemen, how are we supposed to know we were here on September?
I'm going to show you one more time. What happened on September the third? I'm going to show you one more time. What happened on September the third, because your three minutes are up. But listen, I'll show you one more time. I don't know. I'll show you one more time on September 3, this city council voted for vacation document, meaning we let the alleys go. Whoever the it says means Highland Park LLC, Hamilton corridor project. Okay, that's a project. All we did was approve the disposition of the alley. So we're over the middle. Applause, you. We're over the three minutes. We're over the three minutes. And what I wanted to make sure that you get from me, cuz a lot of times you come in here and you got some strong words for me. I don't know why, because, because the thing is, but you gave me three minutes. Can I solve No, listen, you only supposed to get two. I'm trying to accommodate you. We, we just got elected. We just got elected. Last January. The means group happened before any of us were elected, before any of us got elected. The means project happened. So when you look in the affidavit of the Hamilton court during the lawsuit, we don't look at it, it said, Well, who votes on it? It had to get voted by this administration. So, so we don't have square was part of so what we doing? We cover another in line right in front of my face. You line the guy. That's what I'm trying to say. You line the guy. So I thank listen. I thank you for being patient with me. We don't have any reason to lie to you or to deceive you. We're low pay elected officials. The people at Popeyes make more than we do to come work at these meetings. We've only been in this job since January of last year. You know what? That is it. That's it. That's all I appreciate you comment, but that's all we can do for you. I want to make sure that you, I would like to ask attorney Bosley, because you said in the last meeting, brother, this is what you said. You said you was ashamed that all your colleagues getting rid of old affidavits and documentation. I had that on, I had that on, I have that on my email. Okay? And for attorney bosnick, I want him to ask him, you are an attorney, and make sure you overseas everything as administration, make sure everything right now, I'm coming. I ask you to leave. I'm covering the meeting. Oh, I'm going to ask you to lead a podium, brother, I'm sorry we couldn't help you. I hope I was able to give you some time to address
because you know what, you
thank you so
much for your patience. Thank thank you so much for your patience, sir. I know it might, it might have messed up your flow. Okay, so I'm alright. What I want to do is I want to just ladies and gentlemen. Can we? Can we, sir, gentlemen? Can you walk him out? Can you walk him out?
Can you walk him out? Can you walk him out? Can you walk him out, sir, can you walk can you walk him out? Alright, thank you very much. That's
Hamilton swam doors at Lowe's
Okay, thank
you so much. Uh, Mister El shapi, the floor is yours. Okay? Forgive my interruption, and thank you for being patient enough to allow that
go for it. Okay, so
last Council meeting, I did something that I normally don't do. I didn't follow my first line. There was something on the table that I should have voted in the opposite direction. So tonight I'm going to remedy that. I would like to make a motion to find no vote, to unappoint Lisa stolarski as Treasury.
Are we back on that again? Yes,
we are. We have to suspend the rules. We have to have a motion to suspend the rules before we go back.
So I'll make a motion to suspend the rules to add this on,
I guess the mr. President the motion would be, I guess, to suspend the rules to bring back the resolution that was before the body the last council meetings. So
first we got to get that motion to suspend the rules approved. Okay, you have support.
Nope. I No, oh.
So I allow my personal feelings to deter me to go the opposite way. Yeah, yeah, it's a tinkle, yeah. And if you took a little bit of time out to pay attention, you'd understand that I think we've gone on long enough. I think it's been long enough. I think it's some drug on for damn near year, and I think it's time for us to move on. I think it's time for us to move on, leave the seat vacant and let the residents appoint who they want to have in that seat. We have given enough time. There's been enough patience. I don't know who's blocking, either the city or it's her problem, whatever the case may be, I think enough time has gone by on this particular subject, and I would like to have it resolved. I want to wash my hands of it. I want it erased. I want it done. I want it finished. This has been long enough, and we need to move on. So I'm hoping maybe the administration can bring another resolution back at the next council meeting, and we can put this to bed, cuz I'm tired. I'm tired of hearing it, I'm tired of smelling it, and I'm tired of tasting it. Enough is enough, and I yield back. Thank
you very much. Miss Martin, you would floor is yours?
Got a couple of things that I want to address. First off, about Lisa. I don't even know why we're bringing this back, or why we're even talking about or why is it the discussion, but I'm going to just state that she was the only one that submitted applications, showed up and showed for the interview. And imma leave it like that. Number two, Miss Ford, um, Google doesn't always have things updated. It's not always updated. I always go and look at the property this particular moment I did not, yeah, only because my vehicle has been having some issues, so I wasn't able to go around and look at the properties this time. But usually I look at the properties and I talk to the neighbors around that area just to get an idea, since they've been living there longer than I have around that property, and what they can whatever they can tell me, I usually talk to them, so that's usually my habit of what I do. I didn't get to do it this time. Google don't even do that. Google's not going to ask the neighbor about the property. It's not always updated. The reason why I was asking for D is so I can get an idea of their surveillance that's around that property. That's why I was asking for three days. What else? I think that's the only question you asked. You said, Google. You asked about Google. I agree with you on the first conversation that you had. I agree with you it that should not be our why they were chosen, what's going on that should be, that should be personal information of the owner. So I agree with you on that, um, number two, like I said, I looked up Hamilton corridor, and it said that it was Hamilton slam doors at Lowe's. I have no idea. I have no idea what that man is talking about. I Anyway, on that note, I'm, I'm definitely going to say thank you for coming out, thank you for being here. I appreciate that so much. And imma go ahead and turn it over to Monica. Good evening, everyone. I just hope that you make note of all the things that are happening in the city, and hopefully we make some progress to move forward. Thanks for hanging out with us. I look forward to you participating in citywide Canada from September 28 that is the citywide block club. Is actually the host? Am I correct on that is actually the host, and the city council is is participating in the way of the dumpsters, but please make sure that you participate in that, in cleaning up in your area, the dumpsters will be around. Also, you may be able to, if you just need some assistance, talk with DPW or your blackhub presidents to help get some of those things to those dumpsters. We cannot, you know, guarantee that you can get them there, but you will know where they are located. So be prepared for that. I know some of you heard the mayor mentioned the citywide, I call it garage, but it's not lumber sale or yard sale. So we're going to attend that. Also, I just asked again. We are still seeking in some cases, I think in all districts, I know for sure, in one and two, we're still seeking our CDAC members. I believe district three needs increasing five, and I need them increasing one. At this point I'm just going to do I'm going to pick whoever wants to do it. See what happens. Don't look around. Miss Ford you. I'm not counting. You're not in my district, so. But again, and also, let's think about the commission. I know you guys come here, but some things that you ask us about. Again, you need to attend the police meeting. You need to attend the traffic Commissioner meeting. You need to attend school board. To attend you want to know about zoning, you need to attend those meetings. Uh, find out when those meetings are meeting him. Usually they are posted downstairs in City Hall. Um, so keep those things in mind. We are a growing city. It's one day at a time, one step at a time, one move at a time. Everything's not going to happen real fast. My last request is actually to administration and to CED. When you bring us the information for the lot, please make sure that it is all there. The other thing is, for the water piece, I think you need to have an updated I'm asking for updated meeting. If it's being requested, it's going to be brought to us in September. If that water date says September as well, that in September, they look at the bill and said, these, this person, or these people are in compliance, not from, I don't want to date from the six. I don't know how my counterpart school, but in my case, I think that that should be for all the dates actually should be September, but definitely the water should be in September, and so should CED should be in September that you have checked everything. So that is my request, and I actually already mentioned that to Mr. Claiborne. But other than that, I don't, I don't really have anything other than to say thank you for attending. If you have any questions, also feel free to write them down, bring them to city council, and maybe they can be given to us, we can take a look at them in advance and to whichever district, or just to council Pro Tem and council president on on those things other than that, everybody have a good night.
Thank you, ma'am.
Last meeting, my mind didn't work. You guys can hear me? No. Well, anyway, I have two things to address that we agenda tonight for the record. The first is
the veto for the moratorium.
The first thing says that the city attorney's office was never provided with a written copy of a resolution, so they were unable to approve it
as before
September the fourth, and I have the email. I sent email out to the entire council, the mayor and the attorneys, asking what the process was to put together that resolution. Was it attorney's job, or was it because she took
to actually asking more choice?
I never got a response to that. So that first
one is a lie, and
for those who wants to know why I voted no for the Department of Engineering. Resolution authorizing the contract award Lakeshore global. Global is because may 21 in 2018 you can go look at the minutes and look at the agenda. The exact same person was awarded. And if I'm lying, please correct me monies to fix whatever was wrong with the water situation, and I was just waiting for the contracts and competence, whatever they did, so we can see the quieter back doing it again, whatever he wants to.
That's all I have to say. And I want to thank my pastor and
my sister Joyce for coming out tonight.
I love y'all. Have a good night. Okay?
Thank you, madam. Pro Tem, I have a very short request to the members on city council. I'm asking for you to have empathy for these people that are coming here and trying to invest in these homes in this city. While I was sitting here listening to people's Council affairs, I started to do just a little bit of research to find out what the numbers were at Home Depot, a decent double hung window is $345 each. Most of the houses in Highland Park have 20 to 40 windows in so if you buy a house and you replace the windows, you deep in some 1000s of dollars just to get Windows, to replace the doors on a house, you also a couple two, $3,000 in a fence on an existing property is going to cost you somewhere between 40 $507,000 a survey on your property just for them to come out and put the little maps in the ground, the little flags in the ground. It's between three and $4,000 we have to stop turning the screws on these people, as if we got all the money in the world when we ask these people that are trying to invest in the city Highland Park. When you going to hurry up, how soon you're going to do I just want you to understand what it takes. You have to go to safe building. You have to get a permit. Then you have to go to a vendor and say, I need 43 yards of concrete to make a parking pad. And then they have to hire those people. You have to pay them in cash, and they have to keep those cement mixers spinning while they wait to get that done, and all those guys standing around 56789, guys, okay, at $60 an hour, working 12 hours a day, just on the corner of your block, doing work in the Highland Park, you probably got three or $4,000 worth of labor standing there in front of you. So when we tell these people, how soon you going to get it done, when you going to hurry up and do it. Most of these people are spending out of their pockets. If we had any expense, if something happened to our car, I had to get a rack and pinion replaced on my car. It cost me $1,200 in parts. Then I had to pay the mechanic. So let's just have a little bit of empathy when we're placing demands on these people to hurry up and do stuff. How much money do you have in your emergency fund? The data says the average American does not have $500 in their emergency fund. They do not have $5,000 in their disaster fund. Do you have $5,000 in jelly jars on the shelf in your kitchen? No, you probably don't. So we need to be a little bit more empathetic with these people. We when we tell people who are actually spending money on real estate, the average cost of a house in Highland Park is pressing up to 70 to 80,000 the average cost. Yeah, you can buy a house for $5,000 but if you want a nice house to live in, one of the last ones that sold so for close to $300,000 it's not cheap. You drive down Colorado. It's a man with a $7,000 door on his house. Drop down Colorado, you'll see a beautiful door, no less than $7,000 for that door. Let's stop placing demands on people that are trying to make improvements on their property as if we have all the money in the world because we don't. Let's treat these people like we want to be treated and have a little bit of empathy for them. When we say, how fast you want to get a project done? For somebody to be able to do something in 10 to 12 month, they have to set money aside, plus extra money. We don't know, we don't know what that's going to cost. No, I'm talking about the individual people who are, who are making these investments in property, are spending their own money. How much do when the question is to all of you, how much do you make a year, and of that money that you make a year, how much do you have set aside for special projects? Chances are, depending on how much money you make, you spend all of that. You spend all of that. I just can my family just came from the grocery store and I was looking for somebody with a mask and a pistol. That's what it felt like when I looked at my bank account. I feel like we had got robbed buying the same thing that we bought six months ago. I'm just asking the members of this council, Home Improvements are not cheap. These developments that we're asking people to do offense is going to cost you between five and $7,000 with today's prices. Then pick your fences. They're not cheap. Five to $7,000 when we tell people, fence it in metal fence is even more than that. And then you gotta wait for four months because supplies are not here ever since the pandemic. So when we place these demands on people, how soon are you going to get it done? What are you going to spend? What are you going to do? You have to understand with each question, you're adding dollar signs to it. And I personally okay how much money I make, I personally am not in a position to just be grabbing funds out of my bank account and allocating them to a project because somebody says I should. We don't have the right to put demands on people that we ourselves cannot live up to. We do not have the right to place demands on people that we ourselves cannot live up to. If you don't have a disposable income set aside of 15 or $20,000 to fix your house, to fix your car, let's not place those demands on other people. It's unfair. We look like hypocrites, telling people who are buying houses Well, you gotta come up with another 25 $30,000 and we don't have 25 or $30,000 in our own bank account. Let's just stop doing that.
