Morning, Miss Jackson.

How many hands do we have raised via Zoom?

Good morning, Madam Chair.

We currently have 10 hands raised for virtual public comment.

All right, thank you.

We are going to cut off our general public comment in three seconds.

If you'd like to make a public comment, please raise your hand.

Going once, going twice, going three times.

The collection of public comment has concluded.

And we are going to set the clock for two minutes and get started with the young lady who's here in the committee of the whole.

As I sit here loudly and boldly, I'm Melissa Love never voted.

November 2020 or August 2024.

And I come here to tell and show people that cheated votes is real.

And I am the evidence.

Until then, I will apply heavy pressure.

I will continue to call or come in person to expose this evil plot.

I stand here today, the man in the city officials to get a hold of these mental people off the streets before somebody get hurt.

Those mental people should not be wrong in these streets.

If we had true representation, this wouldn't be happening.

Yesterday, a circus was outside with mental people everywhere.

One naked and the police force just rolled past with no care in the world.

Detroit has become a circus.

Thank you.

And Madam Clerk, if you would please note that Member Callaway has joined us.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

We are now going to our virtual callers.

Who's our first caller?

The first caller is William M.

Davis.

William M.

Davis, you have two minutes for general public comment.

Good morning, young ladies.

Can I be heard?

Good morning, yes.

Okay, I like to start off by saying that I think it's pretty bad that y'all continue to have these uh unfinished business where y'all have where y'all paying for stuff retroactively, where y'all are approving stuff retroactively.

I think that's not sound proper business practice.

I know I I worked for the water department, the wastewater treatment plant for 34 years.

The only time we would approve something like that if it was a true emergency, you know.

I think frequently the administration like sort of overlooked y'all and just sort of let y'all dot the eyes and cross the T's.

Much labor, which is not a good business practice.

Uh also I'm looking at the agenda, and I say that y'all identifying you know, gymplifications for two former employees.

How far back do you do y'all do that for?

And how much is this continuously costing us?

I know one was the former chief of police, which I think is a nice guy and did uh a really good job in general, and then I know some somebody else just retired.

I think it should be some rules and regulations on how far back we're gonna go and make sure that whenever y'all are indemnifying somebody or potentially having lawsuits that make sure that they did everything that they supposed to do.

And of course, always I think the city of Detroit needs and should be doing more for the city of Trump retirees because we continue to suffer.

And y'all continue to give all this money to a lot of people who don't even live in the city, which is very troubling to me.

Y'all have a nice day.

Thank you.

The next caller.

Next caller is not that Karen.

Not that Karen, you have two minutes for general public comment.

Hello.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Um, yeah.

Um, the retirees, city of Detroit retirees, we're still waiting um to be made whole.

I know you we bragged almost every year on balance and and budgeting and it being in the excess.

So I think we could use some of that money to make the retirees whole.

At least closer to the whole.

Um, our health care is skyrocketing, inflation has skyrocketed.

And um a retiree called, I think it was yesterday, and she was complaining.

And no one even acknowledged her or said to speak to my you know staff after the meeting.

She said she can't buy her food, she can't buy, you know, her roof is falling in.

Um I think we need to do more for especially the retirees who didn't have a uh, you know, a pension that would sustain them.

Uh social security is not very much.

And if you had a minimal paying job, then you had minimal wages that you know will put into uh minimal savings that was put into social security, but it was put into social security.

Thank God social security has a cost to live me or most people would already be uh infinite and dying from you know the elements, like Miss Amad who called repeatedly about her home falling and so our winner is imminent, it's coming, and we gotta get the homeless off the streets.

We gotta do more, we gotta stop tearing down homes, and we need to build and rehab as many properties as possible.

I don't think the financially it'd be much different in saving a home versus probably cheaper to rehab one than it is to tear one down.

So I just like to see those things.

Um thank you for your uh punctuality and your gratuity for graciousness forgiveness two minutes.

Thank you.

Thank you.

The next caller.

The next caller is iPhone.

IPhone, you have two minutes for general public comment.

Uh good morning to all within the sound of my voice.

I'm Betty A.

Barner.

Uh uh born and raised citizen of the city of Detroit.

Uh at the uh formal meeting September 23rd, I mentioned that I had received a letter uh stating that my lifeline benefits was going to expire September 30th.

September 30th now has passed.

I asked questions in regards to did it everyone on the lifeline program receive the letter, because I spoken to some seniors and they say they have not received that letter.

So is everybody going to be uh their benefits going to expire?

And I also asked if there is a program, not the easy plan program, but a program to assist seniors or all just residents, period, that who are having trouble with their water bills, but are keeping the water bill current at this time to continue to keep their water uh bills uh current so that they can continue to have service and be at peace in their homes.

Now it was mentioned that someone uh was going to speak on it or something.

I can't remember if they were gonna contact me or they were just gonna speak because I'm quite sure there are other people who have the same concerns that I do.

And uh if there's anyone from administration that can speak on if there is going to be any additional um programs to help us keep our water bill on, I mean keep our bills current.

And the gentleman who spoke who advocates for people who are having problems with their water bills, I thank him for the information he shared, but I would like to hear something from the administration.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And if we can have someone from DWSD to connect with Ms.

Verner, that would be appreciated.

That is to the administration.

Thank you.

The next caller.

The next caller is Cunningham.

Cunningham, you have two minutes for general public comment.

Cunningham, are you there?

I'm in Macomb County on Roseburg.

I'm pulling over to the side of the road for safety.

I have a gentleman who's homeless with two children.

He's called in a couple of times, and I told him that y'all don't bite.

Is any way that he can uh come behind me on this public comment because his phone died.

His phone died, madam chair.

The number here is uh 31349114, 313, 444, 9114.

313, 444, 9114.

That number was made so you can remember it.

And on Facebook, not enemy.

Again on Facebook, not enemy.

Uh and you'll see a picture of my mom reading the Bible or myself and her and the family behind.

I want to thank those for their help and support.

So many people are in a bubble.

They don't touch people that I touch on a daily basis, or I encounter by giving out the bus tickets.

I get a lot of folks who normally you just would not encounter.

And I help those when I can.

Like I just help him this morning with bus tickets and um other information.

Sir, what is your name?

My name is Deontay Design Brown.

Uh what do you have to say?

Uh yes, uh, I have was calling a while ago uh at a past meeting.

I called Miss Colloway, and she is a liar.

I came to a Paterson meeting, and she once told me that she will help me because I was struggling with homelessness with two kids, and she will not like she will not help.

She did not help me.

You don't have to call her a liar.

Um anyway, uh I'm helping folks.

Keep me in prayers, and I'll keep you all in prayers.

Thank you.

Thank you.

The next caller.

Next caller is owner papa.

Owner Papa, you have two minutes for general public comment.

Uh, good morning.

And through the chair, may I be heard?

Good morning, yes.

Uh, this council should be entitled Marie Antoinette.

You're telling the people to let them eat cake.

Um I see active genocide going on in this community, and I can understand coming from uh a person like Mike Duggan, but I'm really perplexed at this body going along with it.

Um the state always you you're always cognizant of the state, and we don't want to violate state law, but you're violating state law by allowing the land bank to participate in uh blight remediation in the way that they do, uh writing tickets.

That is not a purview of that authority.

Um we have many problems here in the city of Detroit, and you heard many of them about the elections.

This is the internal operations committee, and we were supposed to hear from them about people in the jails voting without and using that address.

That is illegal.

We we have contracts that you all co-sign that even Graham Anderson informed you that you pick your battles, but they're unconstitutional.

So if the black people, majority, are being controlled by a minority.

What do we do?

Voting is not going to help as long as we're being controlled by a minority of people.

Um I believe that the internal operations committee ought to have a hearing with subpoena to the elections commission and the elections uh department with Janice Winfrey being subpoenaed.

Uh, we had an election in 2016 that was thrown out.

We don't live in a vacuum.

We understand what that means.

The black people in the city of Detroit have been disenfranchised and it's incumbent upon you to fix it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And I believe that question was answered as it relates to individuals voting who are um in the county jail waiting for waiting to um for their for their trial to take place.

Um, and so if someone has information that shows that this is their legal address as opposed to the address where they receive their absentee ballot, receiving the absentee ballot while they are in county jail at the county jail just ensures the ballot gets to them.

It doesn't necessarily indicate that their address has been changed to that of the county jail.

So if someone has that information and would like to share it, please share it with our office.

Um, we appreciate it.

Thank you so much.

The next caller.

Next caller is Mika A.

Williams.

Miko A.

Williams, you have two minutes for general public comment.

Yes, hi, good morning.

Can we heard, please?

Good morning, yes.

Yes, hi.

Uh Demiko Williams, taxpayer, private citizen, resident of Detroit on the North End.

Um, I just wanted to speak about um some things that have happened yesterday.

You know when it came down to the ombudsman, I mean, there were three qualified persons, but the process was rushed.

I kind of felt like we needed to slow down or we needed to wait until the next term.

The new mayor and the new council were to be able to pick the ombudsman.

Because the names that were submitted are all conflicts of interest.

The names that were submitted are all friends and family and uh promises that were never kept.

I I and let me just explain this further.

You know, we had no idea of who these people were.

You all did the process and you did it all fair and and you did it right, uh uh chairwoman.

Thank you for doing that.

But it also exposed the you know that this is not open to an entire majority that this is all by picks of favoritism.

It it kind of really gives a bad stench to this process.

Now, congratulations to Miss Uh Sherry Gay Bad Nago, and hopefully uh she will do the best job that she can.

Well, also, what about our our ethics board?

What about um when I think about people like Mrs.

Goodspeed and others that are investigating and they're being shut down by investigations um by this mayor and this administration uncovering some of the most horrific information known to date, we still have a problem with justice in this city and being delivered properly and in due time, so it shouldn't have to wait till the end of the election uh and finally get truth out there, they're uh uh withholding the truth, and we're all being bamboozled.

Thank you for taking my comment.

Thank you.

And just to share that um the current ombudman's term ends on October 4th.

Uh, and so that was the reason that we needed to have the interviews and go through the process prior to the current ombudsman uh leaving.

Member Warden, thank you, madam chair.

I just might further add that the charter says tells us when the ombudsman should be replaced.

So we would have to uh amend the charter, uh send it back to the people, do an amendment, say that the ombudsman can be hired in the next term by the next council.

Um but you know, we we didn't have a choice, and so in that sense we were rushed because October 4th is right up on us.

So which maybe we could have started the process sooner.

I don't know, but but for sure we had to do it according to the charter.

All right, then thank you.

Thank you.

And before we proceed to the next virtual caller, I'd like to call to order the 1015 interview and recess it to the call of the chair.

We are now back with public comment.

And who do we have next?

The next caller is Tyson Gersh.

Tyson Gersh, you have two minutes for general public comment.

Hi, can you hear me?

Yes.

Hi.

Um I guess a couple things.

One, um, we really gotta talk about how we're managing records as a city.

Um, I nothing but respect for the Detroit City Clerk.

I I think very highly of every person I've interacted with there.

Um, but we are really far behind compared to other cities, especially with things like public access to zoning board records.

Um I I can right now I am looking at the transcripts of every single zoning board of appeals hearing that has occurred in the city of Lavonia for the past 10 years.

I can just do that from my computer.

I'm looking at their entire record of proceedings, it's just online.

Um, it's so easy, it's so accessible, and for some reason, we have an archaic process where we are hiding all of our documents, making that you have to like set up an appointment.

You're supposed to like view it on a computer inside of a lobby that's behind like a you know, one of those like sanitation walls, and you can only stick your hand under like a two-inch piece of plexiglass to touch the keyboard.

Um, I just had an appointment to review a BZA record, and they removed the computer and did not show me the full applic or show me the full record.

They just showed me the original application.

Um this document management and access, I guess relationship the city has is really bad.

Um, and there's no reason for it, and it creates so much work and so much headache.

Uh for no reason.

Um, all of this stuff should just be posted online.

Spare everybody the hassle.

Uh like literally, City of Lavonia.

They're doing it really, really well.

And every city but us just posts their BZA hearings online.

We're the only people who don't.

Thank you.

And thank you for reaching out to the office.

I know it's something that we are looking into.

Madam Chair, Member Callaway.

Um, can we have, I don't know if we can line item this for um upcoming meeting, but can we have I I I get the this complaint all the time.

Can we have Mr.

Reabron come on now since this is a fresh question, or do should we wait?

Um, because I'd like to hear the answer to it.

I it keeps coming up.

Miss War Miss Warwick has brought it up for over a year now.

Um, and the cost of the transcripts is just been an issue, and it I haven't heard it addressed yet.

Member Callaway, we can line item the discussion and put it on the agenda and uh make arrangements with Director Ribron to come and speak to it.

Okay, that's that's great.

So my motion would be to line item this discussion, madam chair.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And before we proceed to the next caller, I'd like to call to order the 1025 interview and recess it to the call of the chair.

And who's our next caller?

The next caller is caller ending in 039.

Caller ending in 039.

You have two minutes for general public comment.

Caller ending in 039.

Are you there?

Yeah, I'm here.

It's not 039, meaning federal case number.

I got one of them too.

Telephone number.

But Tissy Johnson, look over there to your right.

But Angela Callaway.

I was doing an investigation to cover up for the cover up for the cover up or the cover-up of attempted cover up.

I need to call me his murder when I stumbled across the actual battle fraud that was happening and occurring in Detroit lecture.

As you whistled calibate.

So didn't believe it.

Went out there, talked to her granddaughter.

Band Smith is deceased.

She's gone on to be with the accessors.

But somebody put in an absolute ballot in her name.

Her granddaughter told me her grandmother was 97, 98.

She didn't know who, you know, mayor, president, no politician.

She didn't know none of that.

Somebody contacted the granddaughter.

Um what I'm bringing up.

Exactly with Bill Calloway cheated in.

So are you the tissue Johnson?

And Janice Wolfrey did it.

And Gene A.

Rewalker.

Now my word is my got a 40-year reputation of being standard 100.

Amy wants what she wants.

Y'all didn't want to give it to us, so I took it.

And now I'm getting ready to all right, madam chair.

Thank you, Member Callaway.

Um, Mr.

Um Reuben Crowley Jr., um, tell that to the over 10,000 people who voted for me in 2021, having never run for uh office in my life, came in fourth place on this council in 2021.

Coleman A.

Young one, Mary Waters two, James Tate three, and council member Callaway four.

Fourth place, having never run for an office, like most people on this council.

So you tell that to the folks who vote for me in district two and see what kind of reply you get.

Thank you, madam chair.

Thank you.

The next caller.

The next caller is you matter.

You matter, you have two minutes for general public comment.

Good morning.

May I be heard?

Good morning, yes.

Okay, good morning.

Well, you know, thank you, Member Callaway, for mentioning that I bring stuff up and I don't get responded to.

One of the things I'd like you to do, please, since you oversee the Department of Elections, is why is it an 8.1?

One of the things I'd like you to do, please, since you oversee the Department of Elections, is why is it in 8.1, there's a 265,512 contract for staffing solutions when trilingual me, you have a spanology, they won't hire me.

And why please investigate how they lied about me in the training, and then they lied to me and said they were full for the last election, and then they hired a friend of mine after they told me they were full.

So if you're serious, this these are the kinds of things why people don't trust our elections.

Now I do believe you, member Callaway beat Roy McCallister, and thank God you did.

But that doesn't mean there aren't other problems there.

Also, serious concerns about the members of the BZA who sit there and witness blatant due process violations, and I don't know, their counsels aren't like sitting there not ignoring it.

That's serious problems.

Um 8.38.4 legal defense for indigenous people.

That's cool, but where was the legal defense for the solar taking victims?

And like really the people, the Zhausmer attorneys, I'm getting ready to file a bar complaint against some of the shenanigans they've been up to.

Um police chief Wade, he makes 350,000 at the head of Duane.

So, like he probably could pay for his own legal defense.

8.36 Gayanga.

Hey, everybody, there was a guy from Gayanga who was the D5 representative on uh the city planning commission.

And after he voted for what I consider the ripoff sale of the historic state fairgrounds, I asked him, hey, who in D5 did you consult about that?

And then he got all offended and said I was rude and wouldn't talk to me.

So there needs to be a lot of training about the first and 14th amendment around here.

Especially at Sheffield's office, too.

Thank you.

The next caller.

Madam Chair, that was our last caller, noting there were two hands raised after you cut off public comment.

Thank you.

So that now concludes our general public comment, and we are going to return back to the agenda.

And I'd like to call the 1015 interview to order.

The 1015 interview is of Jerry Flynn Dale for uh consideration and appointment to the entertainment commission representing District 2.

Good morning, sir.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Please introduce yourself for the record.

Uh Jerry Flynn Dale.

All right.

Please uh share with us your background.

I mean, I I know we all know who you are, and we've seen you here at the table multiple times, but please share with us your background and how it lends itself to the entertainment commission.

Well, I have a background in in music.

And first of all, I'd like to thank um councilwoman Angela Whip Calloway for uh giving me this appointment, this interview for this appointment, and also Mary Waters and I mean councilwoman Mary Waters and you, Councilwoman uh Johnson.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Would you like to share more about your background?

Yes.

I'm by by trade, I'm a recording engineer.

So I have recorded uh some of the earliest Detroit music.

Some of the artists have gone on to uh go uh golden platinum.

Uh also was the engineer for Vicky Wines and Fred Hammond, where I was the first person in the history of the music business to add hip hop and gospel together are infused in together, and as you well know, that spurred Kurt Franklin and Mary Mary and all the other artists.

Also was in a um I was a uh um gopher.

I start off as a gopher and sound suite recording studio on Puritan, where the owners John Lewis and Mike Grace were they were Motown engineers and they recorded artists such as the Jacksons and you know, a lot of Motown artists, temptations and people of that nature.

All right, excellent.

Thank you for sharing that.

Um, it is certainly speaks to the testament of moving up in an industry, right?

Thank you, yes, ma'am.

Excellent.

Uh all right, thank you.

Uh member Callaway.

Thank you, madam chair.

Um, and good morning, everyone, and good morning, Mr.

Um Jerry Dale.

Um it's been a pleasure to get to know you over the last couple years.

Um, you are um well respected in the music community, not in Detroit, but worldwide.

And you didn't charge people to come over there and record.

And you inspire so many artists around the world.

Everybody knows about you.

And that house is now historic with the designation.

The placard coming, hopefully, real soon.

But this is just a testament to your work.

And I hope and pray that you will be selected to serve on the entertainment commission, not just represent representing District 2, but representing the entire city and the world.

And I believe you're going to bring a fresh perspective to that entertainment commission and lend your wisdom and your experience and your love of music and entertainment.

And so I'm looking forward to you serving, and I'm thanking God that you're willing to serve because we all know how very busy you are, at least I know how very busy you are.

And you have excellent relationships in the community and in the streets.

In the community, it's two different things in the streets and in the community overall.

So I've seen you operate.

So thank you so much for your willing willingness to serve, and you have my absolute support, sir.

Thank you.

Any additional questions, comments?

Member Waters.

Good morning.

Good morning.

I don't really have any questions.

I was just thinking about what Member Callaway says from the streets to the suites.

So and so, of course, I've seen you out and about in the community a great deal myself, and so I'm honored that you're gonna be doing this.

So thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you.

Um and I I just want to say I'm glad Member Callaway brought up the historic designation for uh the house.

Um and I remember when you came before PED and you talked about how gracious your mother was in allowing not only you but um your friends to come in and and make noise and and and not be upset about it.

Um and so that is was very gracious of her, and we appreciate you continuing to share your craft with others.

Um I do again appreciate those who helped to guide you in this work, um, and certainly do appreciate how you've put Detroit on the world map as it relates to music, techno music, all of it.

Um I think a lot of times we do have homegrown talent that we don't recognize.

And many times we don't realize just how impactful you've been.

Um I appreciate not only Member Callaway, but Member Benson as well for making sure that we know who you are here locally and certainly do appreciate your willingness to serve on the entertainment commission and hope that we can just continue to bring more music uh to the city of Detroit, different types of events that are music related to the city of Detroit because we know Detroit's history as relates to music, and now we know your history and your tie and connection to Detroit's music history in the city of Detroit.

So again, thank you for your willingness to serve.

I'm sure you will have the support of probably all of my colleagues because we know you well and we appreciate the work that you do uh in your industry and what you do for the city of Detroit.

If there is anything else you'd like to share with us, uh member waters has an additional time.

I I just wanted to um to encourage you as a member of the commission to provide feedback, feedback to this council, make some recommendations.

I I'd like to see the entertainment commission do more.

Um I'd like to see it highlighted a lot more in the city and the region.

I just I don't know anything about the business myself, so but I'm waiting for somebody to tell us, give us some direction and say, hey, here's here's what we should be doing.

And you never know.

We just might be able to do some of the things that that you recommend.

All right.

Thank you.

Thank you, madam chair.

Thank you.

Anything else you'd like to share.

Well, as um councilwoman Callaway know, I'm always ready.

I'm all I'm I'm ready.

I'm one of the persons that's a professional volunteer that's ready to serve at any given moment.

I was raised to serve.

Um my mother taught me that from uh taking me to church, and she was a usher, and she always encouraged me to help as many people as I possibly can because you know I was a foster child, and she adopted me, her and my father to make sure that I would uh become a productive member of society.

Awesome.

Well, we appreciate her, both your parents and you as well, and um someone identified your brother to me yesterday who uh stopped in to see us.

So it's it's great to have you here in the city of Detroit.

And again, thank you for being an outstanding citizen of Detroit and representing Detroit as well as you do.

We appreciate it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right, colleagues.

Is there a motion on line item five?

There's a motion to send line item five to formal with a recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken and to LPD.

We anticipate the resolution will be before us on Tuesday for a vote.

Thank you.

That now closes out the 1015 interview.

I'd now like to call to order the 1025 interview.

The 1025 interview is for Mr.

Robert Roberts for reappointment to the Board of Zoning Appeals representing District 6.

And I believe Mr.

Roberts is joining us virtually.

Yes, madam chair, he has been promoted to panelists.

Thank you.

I'm on now, madam chair.

Good morning.

Please introduce yourself for the record.

Yeah, good morning.

Uh Bob Roberts.

I uh reside at 1460 or 1640 Church Street.

All right, please share with us your experience thus far on the Board of Zoning Appeals.

Oh, thank you.

Uh well, first I'd like to say that I I truly enjoy uh uh being on the board.

Uh it gives me an opportunity to go out to uh every crack and crevice uh of the city, uh so I get to see uh areas and neighborhoods that I uh you know normally would not.

Uh I also feel that it's uh you know it's an impactful uh uh position, impactful board.

Um you know, where you have to make a uh you know uh informed and impartial uh decisions, and you know, sometimes they're they're difficult decisions because uh you're you're weighing at times uh you know individuals' desire uh um you know, along with uh you know what the neighborhood's uh desires and or uh needs are and uh you know, so I think the the it's imperative, you know, with impartiality uh you know, to make those decisions.

So I I really truly enjoy uh serving uh on the board.

Great, thank you for that.

And um, I know that you all have district specific um projects that come before you.

How do you work to engage the community when there's a project in District 6?

Yeah, so it's really important for uh BZA board members to be involved in the uh uh community discussions, you know, really before uh the projects are uh uh you know, before the project uh come before the board and and before they're uh noticed to the public because uh once they're publicly noticed, uh then we're uh you know we're forbidden from uh having contact with the uh you know with the petitioner directly.

Uh that doesn't mean that we can't obviously speak with the community, but uh so I stay uh involved.

Uh I have a very good uh relationship with uh uh council member and uh her uh staff uh in particular TJ.

Uh I'm uh involved in specific in Corktown as the president for the Corktown Business Association.

Uh we've had three well for uh community benefits uh uh uh forums I've uh was was on the one for Michigan and church, but I you know I attended most of the meetings and am currently attending uh meetings for uh the DCFC stadium.

So you really just have to you have to be involved.

I'm involved with the the uh uh Central Block Club and the uh you know member of the Corktown uh neighborhood association.

So you really just have to have a good relationship with uh you know the folks over at the Southwest Detroit Business Association and uh you know, Ray over at the Mexic Mexican Mercado.

Uh so you just have to you have to stay involved and and you know kind of you know boots on the ground to know what's uh what's taking place in your district and uh and then I also make myself uh you know extremely available.

I've you know even my business card from the city has my uh personal cell phone number uh on it, so I make myself uh personally available, you know, via uh phone and uh email.

All right, thank you.

And um the last thing that I want to um maybe encourage you all to do.

One of the things I've noticed is when we have residents from the community who come and speak um at the Board of Zoning Appeals, they don't necessarily know what the appeals process is.

Um I think it would be incumbent upon the BZA, whether the director or the the board members just to ensure that residents are aware of how to go through the appeals process or what their next step could be.

Um and so if you can just ensure that residents are aware of that, they of course make their decision as to whether or not they'd like to go through that process, but I think they should be made aware.

I've had residents reach out to me thinking that I was the individual or part of um a decision making process for them to um appeal something, or even going through the Board of Zoning Appeals where they believe that I was the person who was making the decision, and of course I am not.

Um so if we can just make sure that we're sharing that information with the community, perhaps in community meetings um or as they come before the Board of Zoning Appeals, that would be appreciated because I believe are you still the vice chair?

Yes, I am.

Okay.

All right.

If you can just um share that, assuming that you will be moving forward, if you can share that with constituents and perhaps with um your colleagues as well, just to make sure that we are all providing information to our residents that um they can utilize and have the information to be able to utilize it when they need to, because there have also been times when they reach out after the um time frame for them to file an appeal has expired.

So uh if we can just make sure our residents are knowledgeable of the process, that would be great.

I will uh I will make sure to uh uh have that on the agenda for our next meeting.

All right, thank you.

Member Waters, any questions, comments?

No.

All right.

Seeing none, uh Mr.

Roberts, is there any additional information you'd like to share with us about your experien your experience or your desire to continue to serve on the Board of Zoning Appeals?

Well, I you know, first I'd like to, you know, thank this uh you know this body for uh putting me on the board uh you know during my uh my first term.

Uh hopefully uh you see fit to vote me on again.

I would say that uh, you know, I guess a goal uh that I I would have uh would be actually centered around parking.

Um you know, I think that we and in particular in district six uh uh have a you know a parking deficiency.

Uh we see an awful awful lot of requests uh for variances come through and uh really not a good solution, I guess uh you know, look looking forward, there's not a a real good solution coming out of the uh administration uh when it comes to uh uh you know addressing the uh lack of parking in district six.

So uh that would be a goal for me for uh this next term would be also to work with uh with the administration on on trying to to ease the uh you know ease and reduce the number of uh requests for variances that we're getting for parking.

All right, thank you for that.

Member Waters has a question, and if she doesn't ask the question that I was thinking about, I'll have one as well.

Member Waters.

All right, thank you.

goal for me for uh this next term would be also to work with uh with the administration on on trying to to ease the uh you know ease and reduce the number of uh requests for variances that we're getting for parking all right thank you for that member waters has a question and if she doesn't ask the question that i was thinking about i'll have one as well member waters all right thank you i mean it you sort of uh made me think of something that new development uh that's happening right now over in uh district six court time more specifically um there are some parking issues centered around that is that correct and and if so i mean what are your thoughts i'd just kind of like to hear what your thoughts are is that something that we're gonna be able to resolve so you're talking about uh uh member waters you're talking about the uh dcfc stadium yes this yeah so there's gonna be a uh an apartment building or something as well yes correct yeah they they they have a um yeah they have a um an apartment uh building that's basically going to be wrapped on three sides with a uh parking structure that will be immediately south of of Michigan Avenue and then the the the stadium will be uh a little bit further south from that um to be honest we have not uh as of yet uh heard a very uh what I would consider to be a very uh you know acceptable uh uh plan uh from the developer when it comes to parking um they they they are putting up a structure but you know I you know I think that uh the structure is less than 400 spaces if I remember right and you're talking about a 1500 uh uh you know person uh uh stadium that's going up plus obviously a lot of the parking will also be for the you know for the apartments and then they want to put a kind of an entertainment strip uh you know uh on the street across from it uh in a future development as well and they have you know they do have several uh agreements with uh folks for surface parking um you know but it's a you know it's a a pretty good walk uh you know to where where those surface lots are at and definitely not with uh you know within the acceptable uh boundaries that the the city has set because uh accessory uh parking lots need to be a hundred feet um technically in order to be to be approved so uh as of right now they you know I think that that's probably their largest challenge uh I certainly know that the the neighborhood advisory council uh is addressing it at each one of their meetings um I I my personal feeling is is that I think they need to look at either a a much larger or a second structure uh but I guess we'll see uh we'll see how what you know what the NAC has to say okay all right thank you for sharing thank you madam chair thank you thank you and so my question as it relates to parking um when you were uh speaking about it just generally I was curious to know if you were suggesting suggesting an amendment to the um ordinance that requires fewer parking spaces or if you are suggesting that we need to have greater conversations around um solutions to parkings parking structures uh things of that nature and it's not certainly not just district six but I think this is going to need to be addressed from a citywide perspective yeah I and uh madam chair I would I would a hundred percent agree and no I do not think that the uh the number of parking spaces uh required off street spaces should be uh you know reduced there's you know there's already administrative adjustments that are allowed uh to reduce the number of spaces uh and um uh you can also reduce the number of required spaces based on uh you know available public transit uh you know within a distance of your uh project so there's already a couple uh you know caveats that allow you know for the reduction of the required number of spaces um I think that the there that there needs to be a uh you know obviously we need in always need improved uh you know public transit but uh you know and what we also need uh I I think anyway a you know a citywide um you know parking solution and and it's you know like like most things that's gonna require uh public private uh partnerships to get it accomplished all right thank you colleagues any additional questions comments concerns all right seeing none is there a motion on line item six noting that we do need um a resolution from LPD to move it forward motion there's a motion to send line item six to formal with the recommendation to approve noting that uh LPD will draft a resolution uh for such appointment hearing no objections that action shall be taken all right thank you so much for your service on the board of zone independent I'm I'm glad you're enjoying it it was something that I enjoyed as well uh many years ago but thank you so much for your continued desire to serve on the board as well thank you all right have a great day that now

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

All right, thank you so much for your service on the board of zoning appeals.

I'm glad you're enjoying it.

It was something that I enjoyed as well uh many years ago, but thank you so much for your continued desire to serve on the board as well.

Thank you.

All right, have a great day.

That now thank you.

That closes out our 1025 interview, and we are going to move back to the agenda beginning with line item 7.1 under unfinished business.

Line item 7.1 is the status of the Office of Contracting and Procurement, the July and August monthly report of contracts approved administratively.

We did have a question about line item 7.1.

We have not yet received a response to line item 7.1 as well as member Callaway.

If without objection, I'd like to combine line item 7.1 and line item 8.39, which is the memo from my office inquiring about the administrative approval process and revocation of any item within the list of contracts that are approved administratively.

Is there a motion to bring line items 7.1 and 8.39 back in two weeks?

Motion.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken for both line items 7.1 and 8.39.

Moving on to line item 7.2, status of council member Angela Whitfield Callaway.

Submitting member memorandum relative to request for a report and a resolution establishing a domestic violence task force.

Is there a motion to discuss?

Motion to discuss, madam chair.

Discussion LPD, is there an update?

Uh yes, good morning, attorney Phil Keller, LPD.

Um we're asking for one more week on this assignment.

All right, thank you.

Member Callaway, there's a request for a one-week bring back.

Is there a motion?

Motion there's a motion to bring line item 7.2 back in one week.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Moving on to new business in line item 8.1.

Line item 8.1 is contract number 6007408.

100% city funding to provide temporary staffing services for the Department of Elections.

Contractor in tech staffing solutions, contract period upon City Council approval for a period of two years.

Total contract amount 265,512.

Is there a motion to approve or discuss?

Um disapprove.

I I have a discussion.

There is a motion to approve with discussion.

Member Waters.

Um, I just want to know, Madam Chair, from I think I'm looking at the right.

We're on 8.2.

8.1.

Okay, I'm sorry.

Never mind.

All right.

There is a motion to send line item 8.1 to formal with a recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 8.2 is contract number 600 6876.

100% city funding to provide HR with talent analytics software as a service.

Contractor zeroed in technologies LLC.

Contract period upon City Council approval for a period of three years.

Total contract amount 51,000 dollars.

Is there a motion to discuss?

Discussion.

Discussion Member Waters, I do see we have someone here from HR, Mr.

Marcus Holmes.

Good morning.

Please touch the base of the microphone.

The light will turn green.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Member Waters.

Okay, so thank you.

I just want to understand what services this contract, number one, would replace.

Number two, who's currently doing this job?

And then number three, what would be the projected savings?

Mr.

Chairperson, through you to member waters, and good morning.

I think your first question was who is this replacing?

Is that correct?

Yeah, what services of their current services that this contract would replace?

There aren't current services that it would replace, but let me just tell you a little bit if I may about the service.

When I started 23 years ago, I was given a stack of union contracts and given one report.

It was called a PPS report.

That report was supposed to track internal movement.

Can you imagine me trying to figure out who might leave, who would want to be promoted, what other opportunities would be available?

So this system takes all of the data from all of our various systems so that as an HR consultant, I can provide that support to departments.

Today that's not being provided in a system, right?

We're looking at multiple reports, slicing the data to determine who might be prepared to be promoted, who might leave.

What the system does is builds an algorithm that we will be able to predict that flight risk, and so that we can take intervention strategies before someone leaves.

Okay.

So what's the potential savings?

So the potential savings, let's look at it this way.

Um this fiscal year that just left, just passed.

We had 1,992 employees to leave the city.

If we were to replace all of those employ uh employees externally at 25,000 per employee, which is typically the job fares, the advertising, the time of hiring managers, the time of recruiters, that 25,000 would take us to about 44 million dollars.

If we are more strategic to do promotions internally to determine, okay, what do employees really want for a career pathway?

That would save us 30 million dollars of that time.

Okay, all right, thank you.

Member Callaway, what's your full name again, sir?

Marcus Holmes.

And you said you have been in HR five years.

I've been with the city for 23 years.

And how long in HR?

27 and a half.

Wow.

I started very young.

Okay.

You've been in HR for 27 and a half years.

Yes, ma'am.

With the city, or just in HR in the HR industry.

Correct.

And 23 with the city.

Thank you so much for your service.

Thank you so much.

I don't have any questions.

I just wanted to thank you.

Thank you.

Um, and so Mr.

Holmes, can you so you talk talked about the number of individuals who left the city?

Uh, what what was the time frame again?

Just from last fiscal year, so July 1st through June 30th of this fiscal.

Is I'm sorry, go ahead.

And approximately 55 percent of those were first year employees.

So we have people we're literally becoming a training ground for other employers, right?

If people come in and stay for a small period of time, the amount that we're investing in them is being taken to other employers.

And there has been some conversation about that.

So I know we've talked a lot about it as it relates to the police department.

There's been some conversation relative to the transportation department as well.

Um, and so you're saying that this software gives the ability to not necessarily prevent that from happening, but providing opportunities for growth within the city.

Absolutely.

And for instance, so we have drivers that bus drivers, we need bus drivers.

When people apply for other positions, this will help us to enable our learning and development to match them with bus driver opportunities.

So if we have seasonal laborers, we can help them get their CDLs to become bus drivers, and we can identify early on who are the persons that might be a best fit for that.

So this is really taking our data, harnessing it so that we can use it to make better decisions.

And is that number excessive?

It's it's very excessive for the organization to have almost half of its people leaving.

I mean, from a annual perspective, so fiscal year to fiscal year, that is really high.

I'm just wondering if it was an anomaly or if that happens regularly.

Yeah, I think there are many factors that come to play in that, especially coming out of the pandemic where people were staying put in some regards.

So you do see more movement, but I think it's still excessively high year over year for 40%, 30% of the employees that you've spent that time investing to onboard, and then they're gone within the year.

That would be excessively high.

And will the software give you some sense as to why that's happening?

It will give us some sense as to why, but what's most important, um, council chair is that it will give us the factors that are um in common.

So these are the attributes or variables.

Is it uh certain department?

And do we need to drill into that?

Is it certain subcultures within departments, right?

Um, is it a certain type of position that um so we drill down first into those factors and then more personalized strategies for the individual?

Okay.

All right, thank you.

Colleagues, any additional member Callaway.

Thank you, madam chair, and Mr.

Holmes.

Um, this is intriguing to me.

I have an HR background with the um with DPSCD, and um 55% left in a year after their first year.

That's to me that's like startling.

And um, so I'll put we're gonna put some questions together because I want to know what our retention plan is.

We recruit, but how are we retaining them?

What effort are we putting forth?

Because we don't really have a um a lot of folks like to use this word, and I very rarely use them, but I'm gonna use it today, robust um plan that I've seen in terms of employee engagement.

Um, I don't see that page on HR.

It could be there, um, celebrating people's achievements.

People like to be recognized, and they don't quit their jobs, they're quitting their bosses.

Um, that's what I have found.

Um, they're not really quitting the job, they're quitting who they're working for.

So um, we need to do a better job, and um I like to um share some of my ideas.

I've been saying that since 2022, and I haven't done it, but maybe we can build out um an employee engagement program where we're recognizing people for being with us 25 years.

I don't I haven't seen it.

I mean, I'm sure we do it.

Um, but um I remember where I worked, we would just give them something to put on their lanyard.

It just was a button, like a little button, and it just says 25 years or 10 years, and they got them and five years, and people wanted them.

One lady, you know, um had them all down her lanyard where she had been there for like 30 something years, and um she wore that lanyard with such pride.

So we have to do a better job of recognizing, acknowledging and celebrating our staff, our team, um, and that's called employee engagement.

But I certainly would like to talk to you now.

I am going to send you some questions.

I don't know if they should go to you or director starr, but I'm gonna start.

Maybe I'll just CC her and send them to you because it sounds like you've been in um in that office for um uh uh a number of years, and you have a lot of institutional knowledge and experience.

So I'm going to um send the questions to you, and thank you so much again for your service, sir.

Absolutely.

Thank you, madam chair.

Madam Chair, if I could just respond to that.

We do have an engagement strategy.

We have nine um employee resource groups throughout the city, the very pins that you're describing.

We um provide those pans of service as well.

So I'm interested in I'm fascinated in this area like you, and I'm interested in hearing you know more of your suggestions.

We always you know can take great suggestions.

Yes.

All right, thank you.

Colleagues, is there a motion on line item 8.2?

There's a motion to send line item 8.2 to formal with a recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Thank you for joining us.

Line item 8.3 is contract number 6005962-82, 100% grant funding, amendment number two to provide an extension of time and an increase of funds for pre-arraignment legal defense services for indigent people, contractor, misdemeanor and felony defenders PC, contract period would be through September 30th, 2026.

Contract increase amount 975,000 dollars.

And without objection, I'd like to combine line items 8.3 and 8.4.

Line item 8.4 is contract number 6005963-82.

A very similar contract to provide an extension of time and an increase of funds for post-arraiment legal defense services for indigent people.

Same contractor.

Is there a motion to approve or discuss?

Motion to approve.

There's a motion to approve to send line items 8.3 and 8.4 to formal with a recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections that those actions shall be taken.

Line item 8.5.

Line item 8.5 is a request for legal representation and indemnification.

And without objection, I'd like to combine line items 8.5 and 8.10.

Line item 8.5 is a request for R and I for Terminal Transit Supervisor Melissa Sam's.

And line item 8.10 is a request for legal representation and indemnification for Superintendent of Operations, Howard Bragg III in the same case.

Hearing no objections, those actions shall be taken.

Line item 8.6 is a request for legal rep legal representation and indemnification for former police chief James White in lawsuit of Dejanique Bay et al.

versus City of Detroit et al.

Case number 25-CV-10055.

This is for the police department.

Is there a motion to approve or discuss?

There's a motion to send line item 8.6 to formal with recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 8.7 is a request for legal representation and indemnification for firefighter Brandon Delhi and lawsuit of Tammy Wheeler versus Brandon Delhi and City of Detroit et al.

Case number 25-001394-NI.

This is for the fire department.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 8.8 is a request for legal representation and indemnification for fire engine operator Johnny Sims Jr.

in lawsuit of Shannon Page versus Johnny Sims Jr.

et al.

Case number 23-01391-NI for the fire department.

Is there a motion?

There is a motion to send line item 8.8 to formal with recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 8.9 is a request for a legal representation and indemnification for police officer.

Is there a motion?

There's a motion to send line item 8.9 to formal with the recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 8.11 is a request for legal representation and indemnification for housing inspector Mohammed Salah.

In lawsuit of Christopher Gray versus the Detroit Land Bank Authority et al.

Case number 25-005813-CZ.

We do have some questions that we've sent to the Department as well as to the Detroit Land Bank Authority.

Colleagues, any discussion.

If no discussion, is there a motion to bring line item 8.11 back in one week?

There's a motion to bring line item 8.11 back in one week.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 8.12 is a request for legal representation and indemnification for retired fire investigator.

Captain Patrick McNulty in lawsuit of Dwayne Smith versus Wayne County et al.

Case number 25-C V-1231.

This is for the police department.

Colleagues, line item 8.12.

Um there is a need for a closed session.

Is there a motion to bring line item 8.2?

Well, thank you.

I'm tired of talking too.

There's a motion to bring line item 8.12 back for a date to be determined.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 8.13 is a request for legal representation and indemnification for TEO Victor Young in lawsuit of Tyree Harris versus City of Detroit et al.

Case number 25-009283-NI.

Colleagues, is there a motion?

This is for the Department of Transportation.

There's a motion to send line item 8.13 to formal with a recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

And without objection, I'd like to combine line items 8.14, 8.15, 8.17, and 8.21.

These are all for the same situation, the same case.

Line item 8.14 is a request for legal representation and indemnification for Corporal Felicia Washington and lawsuit of Derrick Webb versus City of Detroit et al.

Case number 24-CV-12895.

Line item 8.15 is a request for R and I for police officer Lotara Shamley.

Is a request for R and I for Sergeant Romeo Randolph.

And line item 8.21 is a request for R and I for Corporal Angelica Robinson.

Robinson.21.

Motion to approve.

With a recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, those actions shall be taken.

Moving on to line item 8.16.

Line item 8.16 is a request for legal representation and indemnification for former police officer Carrie Roberts.

In lawsuit of Cyril Daniels versus City of Detroit et al.

Case number 24-CV-11956.

This is for the police department.

And colleagues, line item 8.16 is associated with a case that we're in the process of hosting a closed session for.18 is a request for legal representation and indemnification for John Grover data analysis for the fire department in lawsuit of Abraham Shade versus City of Detroit et al.

Line item 8.18 is a request for legal representation and indemnification for John Grover data analysis for the fire department in lawsuit of Abraham Shaday versus City of Detroit at all.

Case number 24-2085-NI.

Colleagues, there is a request for a one-week bring bag to respond to questions.

Is there a motion?

There's a motion to bring line item 8.18 back in one week.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 8.19 is a request for legal representation and indemnification for retired Sergeant Fred Watkins in lawsuit of Lavon Heel versus City of Detroit at all.

Case number 25-CV-10280.

This is for the police department.

Colleagues, line item 8.19 is also a case that is awaiting a closed session.

There was no indication that this particular officer was on the scene and is named in this lawsuit.

Is there a motion to bring this back for a date to be determined or to move this forward?

Yeah.

TBD motion.

There's a motion to bring line item 8.19 back for a date to be determined to follow the closed session.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Did I miss line item 8.20?

All right.

Line item 8.20 is a request for legal representation and indemnification for former police officer Carrie Roberts in lawsuit of Stephanie Williams Imamu versus City of Detroit at all.

Is there a motion to bring line item 8.20 back for a date to be determined?

Motion.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

That brings us to line item 8.22.

Line item 8.22 is a request for legal representation and indemnification for firefighter EMT LaSalle Dent and lawsuit of Viola Dale versus LaSalle Dent and City of Detroit.

Case number 24-004 223-NI.

This is for the fire department.

Is there a motion?

Motion to approve.

There's a motion to send line item 8.22 to formal with a recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 8.23 is a settlement request in lawsuit of Patricia Washington Hurt and Quick Trans LLC versus City of Detroit.

Case number 24-008 549-NI in the amount of 23,500.

This is for the Department of Transportation.

Motion to approve.23 to formal with a recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.24 is a settlement request in lawsuit of acupuncture health versus city of Detroit case number 24-010983-NF.

This is for the Department of Transportation in the amount of 12,500.

Is there a motion?

Motion to approve.24 to formal with the recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 8.25 is a settlement request in lawsuit of LeAndre White versus City of Detroit.

Case number 24-007908-NF.

This is for the Department of Transportation in the amount of $18,000.

Is there a motion?

Motion to approve.25 to formal with the recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 8.26 is a settlement request in lawsuit of Shannon Page versus City of Detroit at all case number 23-01391.

This is for the fire department in the amount of 140,000.

Is there a motion?

Discussion.

Discussion.

Member Callaway.

Um thank you, Madam Chair.

Is there anyone on uh from the fire department or the law department regarding this um this case?

I have a couple questions.

Mr.

Washington Attorney Anderson.

Good morning, madam chair and committee.

Good morning.

Good morning.

My apologies.

Was it the request for the law department?

Both through the chair, the law department and the fire department.

Okay, for fire, we do have um second commissioner Reginald Jenkins online.

And I do see Attorney Anderson.

Good morning.

Through the chair to Councilmember Calloway ready for any questions.

Do you see the representative from the fire department?

Oh, here he is.

Good morning, sir.

Please introduce yourself for the record.

Okay, we cannot hear you.

Okay, I'm sorry.

Second uh good morning.

Second Deputy Commissioner, Reginald Jenkins.

Good morning, thank you.

Member Callaway.

Yes, thank you.

Um I don't even know how to ask the question.

Um, I I don't understand how um we're backing into parked cars.

And now we have to settle over 100,000.

I just don't understand how that happens.

Um we get behind the wheel of a vehicle, um, something as important as um a fire department vehicle that we're gonna say it careless, and we don't take precaution.

Did the driver not look behind him or her to see if there was a park car there?

How how how do you explain this?

Mr.

Jenkins.

Yeah, yes.

Um, I I'm not sure.

Um I'm I'm sure he did look.

Um I'm not sure of the specific details as far as as why he didn't see it.

Um, however, um, since this prior since this occasion, um, because of some accidents we've had, we have put um new training parameters in place that all of our drivers are actually going through.

Um, they go out for additional training um on driving uh specifically because of accidents, recent accidents.

I know about them put in place.

Okay, I know about a year ago we had a couple of um rigs um damaged because of drinking and driving.

So that was in the news about a year or so ago, and um I would ask um my colleagues maybe one day if you haven't done it recently, go to the garage, Russell or Davison, and you'll see so many crashed damaged vehicles.

It is it's unbelievable.

So um I I don't know what we can do to avoid these, but um if some of these claims will come out of the departments directly, maybe there might be a uh uh different um driving behavior.

I'm not sure how to get at it.

I've been talking about it since 2022, and every time I go over to one of those um properties, Russell and Davison, it's just chalk full with damaged vehicles.

Just just horrible.

And uh I don't know how to get at it.

Uh I am going to be asking for an audit of um all the vehicles that are out there being driven.

I saw one parked in a Farmington Hills uh fire department vehicle parked in the Farmington Hills driveway, and we know about a lady who works, I don't know if she still works for the police department.

She um totaled um, I think it was an explorer going to her home in Birmingham.

So I will be putting forth an official request to um the CFO, and um now that I understand uh Tammy Daniels is now over fleet, that same request will be coming forth in writing because some folks should not be driving, and even the one that we delayed another week, he's a data analyst driving a vehicle and and damaged that vehicle.

Why is he driving one?

So I guess we'll talk about that next week, but I'm always concerned and alarmed at the same time about the number of vehicles that are destroyed by city employees, and they just walk away.

Thank God nobody's you know they're not getting hurt, but the people that they're backing into are getting hurt, and we're having to pay for I'm gonna say it, their carelessness and negligence.

That's that's that's my opinion.

Um, Mr.

Jenkins and Mr.

Um Anderson.

I don't have any questions for the law department.

I just want you to be on just in case you were saying I was you know asking questions that maybe I shouldn't be answering, but you didn't give me a signal, so I guess I'm in the clear.

Thank you, madam chair.

Thank you to both gentlemen.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And Mr.

Jenkins or second deputy commissioner Jenkins, can you talk about the um fleet as it relates to it said that the camera was not working?

Can we talk about improvements, maintenance of just fleet in general?

What does that look like?

Um member Callaway just mentioned, and I know when I've taken my vehicle to um the Davison Yard, I see vehicles there as well.

So can you talk about that process?

I'm not sure if we have enough people that are able to work on the fleet that we have.

Are there challenges there?

Well, the the fleet uh is um being maintained by general services department, so I can't speak to the actual maintenance plan.

Um however, I can say that we do have um as far as the camera, I can't speak to that, but I know some of the older vehicles have you know older equipment, and we're in the process of replacing um to get new equipment, um, new vehicles with uh more better better technology.

Okay, thank you.

And I know we had a question or um we had something for GSD as it relates to fleet maintenance, but it was for DOT buses.

So we will ask directly to GSD to make sure that we have um employees to be able to address these types of things, so this does not occur.

Um member Callaway.

Yes, um, madam chair.

I want to correct myself.

I said Tammy Daniels is in charge of fleet now.

That's incorrect.

It's Lawan Counts.

Luan Counts is now in charge of fleet.

Um I I don't know if it's been entirely removed from GSD's purview.

Um, but um I understand Lawan Counts is in charge of fleet.

So I'll uh and then I'm also going to be having a discussion, a further discussion with Tanya Staudemeyer regarding the audit.

Um, because some folks um should not be driving these vehicles home.

Um you know it's a perk and it's being abused by um and we're and and and and we're kind of complicit because it's you know we're the council and we're approving all of this, but we'll get to the bottom of it um from the audit.

But thank you so much.

But it is um Lawan Counts who is now in charge of fleet.

All right, thank you.

Colleagues, is there a motion on line item 8.26?

Chair, member Callaway?

Before we take that motion, um, if you don't mind, was this employee disciplined?

Was he reprimanded?

Is he still driving?

That was one of my questions.

Yeah.

Um he he's still a fire engine operator.

Um that's his classification.

He's uh he's a fire engine operator who drives the fire engines and operates the pumps.

Um as far as reprimand, I I do know that there was additional training um for him.

Uh there was no reprimand that I have um before me for this incident.

Madam Chair, was the police called?

Because it was an act, I mean, some like an accident here.

Does he have points?

Did Detroit Police Department issue any tickets to the driver?

Because that should be on his record.

Because if I back my car into a car, the police would be there, and I would get a ticket.

So did he get a ticket?

And if not, why not?

Was it police called or you don't know?

There's a police report.

I'm not sure if they can't.

I'm sorry.

Um, there was a there's a police report uh attached.

Um hazardous conditions with improper backing.

I do not see from that if there was an actual ticket issue.

Um so if that's a question for DPD, he should have gotten a ticket.

I would have gotten a ticket.

Thank you, madam chair.

Thank you, uh, Mr.

Anderson and Mr.

Jenkins.

Thank you.

Is there a motion on line item 8.26?

Motion.

There's a motion to send line item 8.26 to formal with the recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Madam Chair.

Thank you.

Member Callaway.

Um, I guess um, thank you, madam chair.

I guess we can I can um send uh uh memo to DPD.

I'd like to know how these types of accidents are handled.

Are these drivers because this should go on his his record, so we will know that if he gets so many points, he should not be allowed to drive a city issue city owned car, city leased car.

So when these types of accidents occur, they're drivers, they work for the city, they're driving city vehicle, they should get a ticket for this type.

So I I would um maybe um Peter, we can send a letter or memo to DPD to find out if um they're getting tickets, they're getting points on their record, and then if they get so many points, then we know they should not be driving, getting you know, behind the wheel of a vehicle.

Thank you, madam chair.

So I'll I'll put a memo together for um DPD.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And two second deputy commissioner Jenkins, is that something you all keep track of as well?

So that you have, I'm sure you have the incident in the um individual's record, but is there are there requirements for them to no longer have driving privileges after so many incidents?

Yes, we we follow the city of Detroit uh driving policy, the um the directive from um HR.

Um and um we do run uh monthly we run driver's license reports for everyone to operate the city vehicle um to make sure that their driver's license is valid and no suspensions.

Thank you for that.

So yeah, and and I'm sorry, and in the Detroit in the in the driving regulation, if you get a certain number of points, you can no longer drive um city vehicle.

Okay, so we do know that DPD investigated this particular incident.

Um so I guess the question remains and member Callaway will send over a memo to DPD and to you all because you should know if the driver had any points that were issued to them as a result of the incident.

Yes, okay, all right, okay, thank you.

Thank you.

All right, colleagues, moving on to line item 8.27.

Line item 8.27 is a settlement request and lawsuit of Delbert Relliford versus City of Detroit at all case number 23-01412-NI.

This is for the fire department in the amount of $15,000.

Is there a motion?

Motion to approve.

There's a motion to send line item 8.27 to formal with recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 8.28 is a settlement request in lawsuit of land in versus city of in land.

That's what it is, versus city of Detroit.

Ryan Rulof, Matthew Webb.

This is case number 22-12672.

This is for the police department.

And the amount of 150,000.

Is there a motion?

Motion to approve with discussion.

It's 8.28, right?

8.28.

Okay.

Uh discussion.

Member.

I just, in case someone from the police department is still on, I just want to um re-emphasize issues with with um the cameras.

Um want to know if um they are fully charged and they can maintain recording capabilities.

I I don't know what the issues are uh with those cameras.

So Mr.

You all kind of addressed it a little bit earlier anyway.

Um the cameras in the vehicles, so you're asking about the fleet.

Um yeah, the um the cameras, yeah, that they take.

Well, I mean, I just wanted to know what steps you're taking, but I can also submit that in writing, and maybe they can outline the stuff that they're taking to make sure that the officer uh cameras are fully charged.

Body worn cameras, yeah.

Oh, okay.

Well, we were speaking with the fire department, so Mr.

Washington may have someone from the police department.

Yes, through the chair, we do have Patrick Emory online from DPD.

Thank you.

Good morning, madam chair and counsel.

Uh Patrick Emory, executive manager risk management for Detroit Police Department.

So regarding our cameras, um camera inspections are done at the beginning of every shift.

So for so all videos are verified as all video devices are verified as working before our officers leave the precinct.

Uh they do a video introduction on their body worn cameras as well as verify that the uh that the vehicle cameras are functioning.

Um sometimes items do happen, for instance, uh, if there's an issue with syncing, we may get a body worn camera that doesn't activate automatically and has to be manually activated, or um some type of damage may occur throughout the shift.

Um, but regarding charging specifically at the end of the shift, they are they are hooked up to the base that allows for both the video to be downloaded to um to our servers for storing and review if necessary, as well as to charge them up for use the following shift.

Okay, thank you, madam chair, madam chair.

Thank you.

Member Callaway.

Um, this is scary.

You know, you you you you think you see a gun because a person may have a large wallet or something in their pocket, um, and you're and in in your frisking them because you think they have a gun, because there's a bulge.

I I this types of stuff, these types of cases, they they're frightening for me.

Um they're frightening, and now we got to settle for 150,000 dollars for illegal search and seizure.

I don't understand it.

You know, if you don't see it, I mean I I just don't understand how we're making these um decisions.

I'm not a cop, never will be, and I I trust you know, their um decision making, acting in good faith in the performance of their duties, but this one is just troubling for me, and I know we got to settle, but it's just very troubling.

Um that this is happening in 2025 in this city, and uh I'm looking forward to our um dash cam ordinance getting passed, and um my question um what's the penalty if uh officer does not activate their equipment?

Or does it so if uh if an event is found not to be captured, um they actually are subject to progressive discipline, so it does begin with, for instance, a um informal counseling, then it moves up to verbal to a verbal reinstruct or to a uh administrative counseling register and progresses from there.

Uh, it can eventually lead to termination depending on the severity as well as the consistency in the behavior.

They'll just go to an through the chair, they'll just go to another police department because it doesn't follow them, not less they get public outcry.

It doesn't follow them.

I don't know if the personnel follow personnel files um follow these public servants, they should.

Um, but I don't think they do for the police officers.

Thank you, madam chair.

Thank you.

Attorney Anderson through the chair.

the severity as well as the consistency in the behavior they'll just go to an through the chair they'll just go to another police department because it doesn't follow them not less they get public outcry it doesn't follow them I don't know if the personnel follow personnel files um follow these public servants they should um but I don't think they do for the police officers thank you madam chair thank you attorney anderson through the chair can can you provide any insight to line item 8.28 through the chair the these you know these these are very difficult cases um as uh mentioned by council member calloway the the sensitivity of these matters and and as um you know through the report there was uh conflicting uh testimony between the officer's description of the facts and gas station video it it it puts um our litigators in in a tough situation knowing how a potential jury could view um alleged uh rights of an individual being violated it it's it's a tough set of facts it i i believe this is a a reasonable settlement uh when you look at that combination of facts okay thank you all right colleagues is there a motion on line item eight point twenty eight motion to approve there's a motion to send line item eight point twenty eight to formal with a recommendation to approve hearing no objections that action shall be taken and um I'm not sure if anyone indicated they were sending a memo relative to this line item but I'm interested in the particular officer that's named here in their history with the department so we will be sure to get that information over to the department madam chair member calloway thank you um I saw some officers over the weekend and um you know I don't know what the difference is in the navy blue uniforms for the army green the difference who's wearing what so maybe one we I don't know I maybe we'll send some uh a a memo over to um the chief but what's the difference in all these uniforms now um one officer real you know muscular tattoos everywhere his prerogative he had his sleeves rolled up you know there should be some type of um restriction or requirement that they still you know look professional he had his sleeves rolled all the way up you know so you he could show what you know his his muscles and his tattoos I just thought it was so unprofessional and they don't even look like police now you know they're police officers because they're they're armed but what happened to the traditional navy blue who which officers are wearing the the the the army green and and the the dicky pants the carhart pants um so I don't I don't know if there's someone on from DPD who can answer that but who's wearing what now we got a lot of different vehicles out there now we got pickup trucks and we have it's just a lot going on and I just kind of want to know who is wearing what is it different ranks wearing different uniforms are they supposed to look professional or are they look like through the chair Patrick Emery uh they are supposed to look professional we do have a policy that defines our appearance which also defines the uh which also defines the uniforms that they can wear um we do we do have our special operations teams that are allowed to wear those um those green pants that you see um we can definitely provide that policy in full to to the council without issue um so you can review it uh regarding having their sleeves rolled up that's definitely not something that would be within our uh within our appearance policy so I would definitely be interested to get the details of of when and where um you saw that so we can so we can take a look at that for you thank you and if you can through the chair if you could send that policy over to um the entire body that would be great so we'll all be on the same page thank you so much sir thank you madam chair thank you all right colleagues we are I believe at 8.29 all right line item 8.29 is a settlement request in lawsuit of BWB reasonable and reliable transportation versus city of detroit case number two three zero one one six three one dash in I this is for the department of transportation in the amount of ten thousand dollars is there a motion there's a motion to send line item 8.29 to formal with a recommendation to approve hearing no objections that action shall be taken line

All right, line item 8.29 is a settlement request in lawsuit of BWB, reasonable and reliable transportation versus City of Detroit case number 23-011, 631-I.

This is for the Department of Transportation in the amount of 10,000 dollars.

Is there a motion?

Motion.

There's a motion to send line item 8.29 to formal with a recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 8.30 is a settlement request in lawsuit of Antoine Johnson versus City of Detroit.

Case number 24-CV-12125.

This is for the police department in the amount of four thousand five hundred dollars.

Colleagues, there is a request for a one-week bringback to respond to questions that have been submitted to the office.

Is there a motion?

There's a motion to bring line item 8.30 back in one week.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 8.31 is a settlement request in lawsuit of Anton Burke versus City of Detroit.

Case number 23-015-267-NI.

This is for the fire department in the amount of 175,000 dollars.

Motion to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 8.32 is a settlement request in lawsuit of Yehuda Miller versus City of Detroit.

Case number 23-013-808-CZ.

This is for the elections department in the amount of $15,000.

Is there a motion?

Okay.

Motion to approve.

There's a motion to send line item 8.32 to formal with a recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

And without objection, I'd like to combine line at line items 8.33 and 8.34.

These are requests for a charitable gaming license for nonprofit organizations.

Line item 8.33 is for the East Side Youth Sports Foundation.

And line item 8.34 is for Detroit Phoenix Center.

Is there a motion?

Motion to approve.

There's a motion to send line items 8.33 and 8.34 to formal with a recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, those action shall be taken.

Line item 8.35 is submitting resolution authorization for the implementation of the 2024 through 2027 labor agreement between the city of Detroit and employees represented by International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

Local 214.

Is there a motion to approve or discuss?

Motion to approve it.

There's a motion to send line item 8.35 to formal with a recommendation to approve.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 8.36 is submitting report relative to City of Detroit Office of Inspectoral Inspector General Notice of Interim Suspension of Guyanga Company, LLC and Brian McKinney and any companies in which they have ownership or financial interest.

Is there a motion to receive and file or discuss?

Motion to receive and file.

There's a motion to receive and file line item 8.36.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Without objection, I'd like to combine line items 8.37 and 8.40.

Line item 8.37 is submitting report relative to memo regarding potential conflicts of interest for ombudsperson candidates.

And line item 8.40 was the memo from Council President Pro Tim James Tate requesting the report.

Is there a motion to receive and file?

Motion.

There's a motion to receive and file line items 8.37 and 8.40.

Hearing no objections that those actions shall be taken.

Line item 8.38.

Councilmember Scott Benson submitted memorandum regarding the reappointment of Elois Moore to the Board of Zoning Appeals.

Is there a motion to receive and file line item 8.38?

An interview shall be scheduled soon.

Motion.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

And line item 8.39.

Councilmember Letitia Johnson submitted memorandum relative to questions.

Through the chair, you combine that with line item 7.1.

We're bringing back in two weeks.

Oh, perfect.

Thank you.

All right.

So that brings us to the end of our agenda and now to member reports.

Member Vice Chair Waters.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

I first want to today is October 1st.

I want to give a shout out to all of my fellow breast cancer survivors.

On the 17th, here in this building on the 13th floor, along with human resources, we are doing a breast cancer awareness luncheon.

It's targeted for the employees that are here.

So we hope that they will certainly participate.

Very own Rhonda Walker will be the MC for the event.

And the high the idea is it's an educational piece.

Some people will also be sharing their experiences.

And we have to continue, Madam Chair, to highlight breast cancer awareness.

Black women die 40 something percent more often than white women of breast cancer.

And even though their diagnosis might be similar, it is it is because they don't have access to health care, you know, so they die more often.

And it's because of access.

So at any rate, I wanted to point that out, and I do hope that employees will join us on the 17th at noon in the 13th floor auditorium.

And October 15th, we are doing our skill trade event, which is going to be at Crowwell on Lasser, and that's from 4 to 6 p.m.

October uh 24th.

We're doing our faith-based and nonprofits housing and homeless um uh event uh so that we can encourage we can identify more ways to help people with with housing.

We want our faith based and nonprofits to be a lot more engaged in helping us to to resolve this issue.

So at any rate, so that is it for me right now.

So thank you so much, madam chair.

Thank you.

Member Callaway.

Thank you so much, madam chair.

Please join myself and my team this evening.

Walk a mile with DPD Chief Top Medicine this evening at 5 30 at University Yes Academy, located at 14669 Curtis Street.

Again, that's this evening.

Walk a mile with the chief at 5:30 p.m.

14669 Curtis Street.

This even uh this Friday, October the 3rd at 10 a.m.

My team and I will be at the new Detroit Wash Club on West Seven Mile Road in Myers to welcome this new business to District 2.

Brand new car wash, very nice car wash.

Um has a suburban feel to it and look to it.

It's very, very nice.

The landscaping is beautiful.

Um, everything is brand new, and we're asking everyone to meet us there at 10 a.m.

And the first 50 folks to um get in the line when I arrive.

You'll get your car wash free on Wednesday, October the 8th at 3 p.m.

We'll be hosting a virtual town hall discussion regarding Airbnbs.

Um their regulatory frameworks and their public safety initiatives.

We've had a lot of um questions about Airbnbs.

And we need to understand what's happening and understand how we can support both sides of the issue.

More information about that, you can log on to Detroit Mi.gov webpage under Detroit District 2 City Council.

And then you can also call my office at 224 4535 for more information if you're unable to log on to the website.

Then join us on Monday, October 13th at a.

And again, you can visit our website or you can call 224 4535.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you.

And Member Waters, I tried to put on some kind of pink today for uh breast cancer awareness month.

Um so thank you for that.

And looking forward to the luncheon on the 17th.

Uh I just want to remind District 4 residents that the mayor's district four charter mandated meeting is this evening.

It is tonight at 7 p.m.

at the Burns Seventh day at Venice Church on the corner of East Warren and Cadillac.

Uh I'm expecting a large turnout.

Um I do also have the Fifth Precinct Police Community Relations Council meeting that starts at 6:30 this evening.

So I will be running to both.

Um looking forward to seeing residents at both of those meetings again.

The mayor's charter mandated district four meeting tonight at 7 p.m.

at Burns 7th Day at Ventus.

Uh and so look forward to seeing everyone there.

If there is nothing further to come before us, we shall stand adjourned.