OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Detroit City Council District 5 Community Meeting – October 14, 2025

City Council — Tuesday, October 14, 2025
BodyDetroit, Michigan
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, October 14, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:10:29

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

All right.

0:01

Uh oh.

0:02

Testing.

0:02

All right, good evening, everyone.

0:04

And thank you all for coming out to the evening city council meeting for District 5.

0:09

And we will now call to order our meeting.

0:12

Madam Clerk.

0:14

Councilmember Scott Benson?

0:16

I knew it.

0:18

Councilmember Scott Benson.

0:20

Councilmember Fred Durha the third.

0:23

Present.

0:23

Councilmember Letitia Johnson.

0:25

Councilmember Gabriela Santiago Romero.

0:28

Present.

0:28

Councilmember Mary Waters.

0:30

Present.

0:30

Councilmember Angela Whitfield Callaway.

0:32

Present.

0:33

Councilmember Coleman A.

0:34

Young the second.

0:38

Council President Mary Sheffield.

0:40

Present.

0:40

Madam President, you have a quorum present.

0:43

There being a quorum present, we are now in session, and we are here at the historic Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church, and we would like to now bring up Deacon Robert Clark, who would do an invocation and also a welcome uh remarks.

1:06

Good evening.

1:07

Good evening.

1:09

My name is Deacon Bob Clark from Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church.

1:13

We are our pastor, Dr.

1:15

Nathan Johnson is our senior pastor.

1:18

Here at Tabernacle, we says, Welcome.

1:22

Tabernacle is not just a place to visit, but a place to belong.

1:31

Now we are on service is a Sunday morning at 11 p.m.

1:37

Let me hear him.

1:38

I'm sorry.

1:39

11 a.m.

1:40

Sunday school is at 9 30.

1:43

All our welcome.

1:45

Now let us pray.

1:55

We are actually a blessing onto each one.

1:58

And we also ask for you for their protection, dear Lord.

2:01

Help us, oh Lord, as we go through this season of protection, dear Lord.

2:05

We just ask your continued protection for each one of us, dear Lord.

2:10

And we know dear Father, anyway, that everything that we do is in accordance to your will.

2:15

Now, as we go to this meeting this evening, dear father, just help us and guide us.

2:20

Grant us what we need, dear Father.

2:22

For each member, dear Lord, we just ask for your guidance and your strength, dear Lord.

2:27

Continue to be with us, dear Father, as we go to this meeting this evening, dear Lord.

2:32

And we know, dear Lord, that uh for each person that is um assembled here, dear Lord, we just ask that your protection as they leave Tabernacle, dear Lord on their way home.

2:42

We ask that they meet everything in order as they return to their home.

2:47

Now help us, O Lord, as we go to this day, dear Lord.

2:51

We ask our blessing in the name of Jesus Christ.

2:54

Amen.

2:55

Amen.

2:57

All right, thank you so much, Deacon Clark, for the invitation and the welcome.

3:01

We will now move to recognition of city departments and council staff.

3:06

If all of our city departments that are here today can please stand to be recognized, all of our city departments that are here, please stand to be recognized.

3:19

And we will start with my on my left, starting with Mr.

3:22

Downwill.

4:17

Yes, go right ahead.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Comment██████████████████████████████████34%
Community Engagement█████████████████████████25%
Procedural█████████9%
Community Development███████7%
Economic Development███████7%
Veterans Affairs████4%
Child Protection███3%
Affordable Housing██2%
Transportation██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Detroit City Council District 5 Community Meeting – October 14, 2025

The Detroit City Council held its evening community meeting for District 5 on October 14, 2025, at the historic Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church. Council President Mary Sheffield presided, with a quorum present. The meeting featured opening remarks, recognitions of community members, a video presentation of Council President Sheffield’s 12‑year service, public comments on a range of city issues, and an update on a new senior food program.

Recognitions & Awards

  • Darnaz Minifield (and his daughter): Transformed four vacant lots on Burlingame into "The Lot," a community gathering space with free haircuts, school supplies, holiday meals, and more, entirely self‑funded. Awarded the Spirit of Detroit Award for exceptional achievement and leadership.
  • Peter and Leslie Melcomson: Celebrated for over 50 years of marriage and decades of community service. Leslie is president of the Third Precinct Police Community Relations Council and volunteers with Accounting Aid Society. Both received recognition for their partnership in service.

Council President’s Remarks

Council President Sheffield presented a video highlighting key accomplishments over 12 years, including: creation of the Detroit Legacy Business Program, Neighborhood Unification Grant Program ($1.5M in 2025, $4M total), Emerald Alert System, People’s Meals legislation (20+ bills), property tax reform, housing trust fund, right‑to‑counsel ordinance, reparations task force, and numerous community events.

Public Comments & Testimony

(In order of appearance)

  • Mr. Cunningham: urged residents to attend a Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) input meeting on October 16; distributed bus tickets and encouraged community engagement.
  • Joanne Warwick (virtual): criticized the lack of resident participation in the Master Plan advisory group, which she said consists of 41 unelected individuals including developers; opposed use of eminent domain for solar farms and called for more transparency in zoning changes.
  • Vanessa Peake (District 3): described her district as a "dumping ground" for pollution, marijuana dispensaries, and slumlords; urged the council to prioritize clean, safe, working‑class communities and to stop policies that erode neighborhood quality of life.
  • Marquita King: asked the council to reform Child Protective Services and adoption systems, requesting more mental health services, pro‑bono legal support, and family‑friendly policies to break cycles of trauma.
  • Marcel Lasia (Detroit Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression): opposed the city council’s draft body‑camera ordinance, arguing it weakens community demands by allowing up to 60‑day delays, preserving police union influence, and narrowing the definition of harm. Criticized Council President Sheffield’s acceptance of donations from Dan Gilbert and endorsement by Mike Guggan.
  • Ronald Foster: questioned why the city allocates $5M each to Detroit 300 and the elections department while residents like Darnaz Minifield must self‑fund neighborhood improvements; urged reallocation of resources.
  • Jacob Graham (Sheridan Townsend Block Club): reported that a sidewalk repair project approved in 2023 was delayed due to DTE work and has not been completed; asked the council to hold DPW accountable.
  • Russ Ballant: announced a nationwide rally on October 18 at Roosevelt Park demanding an end to militarized policing, ICE incursions, genocide, and racial profiling; also criticized the city for diverting $1.3B from education and library millages to economic development.
  • Jacob Smith: similarly opposed the body‑camera ordinance; requested a public hearing date (responded: voting committee tentatively set for Monday, October 27).
  • Ruben Crawley: referenced the Kinesia Coleman death case, accusing Council President Sheffield and Councilmember Tate of lying and failing veterans.
  • Betty Varner (Soda Elsewhere Black Association): thanked Council President Sheffield for Neighborhood Unification Grant and senior home repair funding; shared a resource for in‑home care (313‑484‑3808).
  • Demika Williams: thanked Sheffield for her service but endorsed Willie Burton for the District 5 council seat, criticizing Sheffield and Renata Miller.
  • Kayla Tyler Harris: praised the Council President’s presentation; urged more support for veterans and condemned housing facilities that exploit grant money without proper care.

Key Outcomes

  • No formal resolutions or votes were taken during the community meeting.
  • The council was informed of a pilot Senior Mobile Food Program to launch in 2026, providing free fresh produce at senior buildings for 16 weeks each year, supported by the Office of Sustainability.
  • Councilmember Callaway stated that a voting committee on the body‑camera ordinance is tentatively scheduled for Monday, October 27, with notice via social media and the city website.
  • Council President Sheffield requested that DPW follow up with Jacob Graham regarding the sidewalk repair issue.

Meeting Transcript

All right. Uh oh. Testing. All right, good evening, everyone. And thank you all for coming out to the evening city council meeting for District 5. And we will now call to order our meeting. Madam Clerk. Councilmember Scott Benson? I knew it. Councilmember Scott Benson. Councilmember Fred Durha the third. Present. Councilmember Letitia Johnson. Councilmember Gabriela Santiago Romero. Present. Councilmember Mary Waters. Present. Councilmember Angela Whitfield Callaway. Present. Councilmember Coleman A. Young the second. Council President Mary Sheffield. Present. Madam President, you have a quorum present. There being a quorum present, we are now in session, and we are here at the historic Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church, and we would like to now bring up Deacon Robert Clark, who would do an invocation and also a welcome uh remarks. Good evening. Good evening. My name is Deacon Bob Clark from Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church. We are our pastor, Dr. Nathan Johnson is our senior pastor. Here at Tabernacle, we says, Welcome. Tabernacle is not just a place to visit, but a place to belong. Now we are on service is a Sunday morning at 11 p.m. Let me hear him. I'm sorry. 11 a.m. Sunday school is at 9 30. All our welcome. Now let us pray. We are actually a blessing onto each one. And we also ask for you for their protection, dear Lord. Help us, oh Lord, as we go through this season of protection, dear Lord. We just ask your continued protection for each one of us, dear Lord. And we know dear Father, anyway, that everything that we do is in accordance to your will. Now, as we go to this meeting this evening, dear father, just help us and guide us. Grant us what we need, dear Father. For each member, dear Lord, we just ask for your guidance and your strength, dear Lord. Continue to be with us, dear Father, as we go to this meeting this evening, dear Lord. And we know, dear Lord, that uh for each person that is um assembled here, dear Lord, we just ask that your protection as they leave Tabernacle, dear Lord on their way home. We ask that they meet everything in order as they return to their home.

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