Roll.

Good morning.

Councilmember Gabriela Santiago Romero.

Present.

Councilmember Scott Benson.

Councilmember Mary Waters.

Present.

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

Given a quorum, we'll go right into this uh session for today.

We've received a minutes from our last session.

If there's a motion to approve, hearing no objections, the minutes from our last session will be approved.

Nothing too much for me for chair remarks.

We do have a 1030 a.m.

public hearing, but the rest of the agenda is pretty straightforward.

We'll go right into the general public comment for today.

Everyone will have two minutes for general public comment today.

And I'll be cutting off public comments in one minute.

If you are here in person, I see none.

I see nobody here in person for general public comments.

So if you are online and would like to make public comment, please raise your hands now.

We will put two minutes on the clock for you.

And Miss Duncan, whenever you're running, we can begin to call the first person on our list for general public comments.

General public comment is now cut off.

And if anyone is online and would like to make public comment for a 1030 a.m.

public hearing regarding the citizens patrol, you make you may make comments twice, either during general public comment and the 1030 a.m.

public hearing, or just for the 1030 a.m.

public hearing, whatever you choose.

Ms.

Duncan, who do we have first for general public comment?

And how many hands do we have raised?

Madam Chair, there are 16 hands raised.

The first caller being not that caring.

Hella?

Yes, we can hear you.

Great.

Good morning.

Um yeah, I was um thinking about some services we used to have, but we no longer have.

One was the Waymaster, and the other was the um, you know, the um uh civil well when the um prisoners or uh or people who've been convicted of minor crimes, instead of doing time, they could do community service.

And I'm thinking that's something we need to get back, you know, it'd probably help keep the city a lot cleaner.

Um, you know, they would come out.

I think instead of uh having to be incarcerated, they could do public service, whether it was cleaning the parks or cleaning the freeways or whatever.

That should be something we should look into again because it'll help the people who are being um convicted of committing these minor uh issues, and it would help keep the city clean and as well.

So that's just something.

Um and the other thing is the Waymaster.

The Waymaster would monitor the streets for oversized vehicles, and the oversized vehicles are what damages our roads, and and you know, so that's something I haven't seen in a long, long time.

I think the state police have taken have taken over a lot of those things, and then um certain council members have people come out and help clean up the which is good, it's commendable, but it'll be a lot better for the people being convicted of these crimes and things.

Maybe we could think about that again.

Um, the Detroit retirees, we you know we need our money back.

We I got a letter recently, and they're giving us a second opportunity to pay a lump sum, and that way we don't have to be penalized every month for the rest of our life to pay for something that we didn't do wrong.

So I think that we need to get that fast track going to eliminate that and just eliminate the clubback altogether.

Uh Detroit City retirees, we've done our service.

Um, we shouldn't be treated as criminals and being forced to pay, and now we're giving a deadline the last chance, one last chance to pay up for something we never did wrong.

Thank you.

The next caller is owner papa.

Good morning, and then through the chair, may I be heard?

Yes, good morning.

Good morning.

I did a uh Miss Winston.

Uh, we need to go back to having uh minor fract infractions.

We can have them clean the freeways, and we won't have this um illegal uh contract from the state to clean the freeways that uh nobody else has to pay for.

Um we we used to do a lot of things that put the city in a better light.

And as you can see, out of all of your actions, out of all of what you have been doing, um, which is also breaking the charter, not changing committees because it's raw for corruption.

And I know you've heard the news.

We've all heard what's going on with Gyaga and uh the council president, and I'm pretty sure every last one of you knew all about it.

Um Miss Johnson mentioned that there's plenty of dirty dirt around Detroit, and she knows where it is.

This is the safety health committee, and we are three times the poverty level under your tutelage under what you're doing.

So obviously, what you're doing is not helping the citizens.

It's it's it's putting us in a in a in a worse light.

So um, I'm I'm hoping that you you all will follow the charter and uh stop uh just changing the charter when it suits you when it's something that you don't want, you go and change and write amendments to it.

People sat down and wrote that charter to protect the people, and everything that you have done in your committee and in this whole body, this council has removed a lot of those protections that were put in in the charter.

One of the ones was that you had to change committees every two years, and that was to uh curtail corruption.

But we could see that um corruption is wrath in this council, and especially in this committee, and I think that we need to uh make make some huge changes, and I don't believe that any of you should do be deliberating on zoning or or um anything else right now.

I think we should leave it to the newcom.

The next caller is Rev Butry and Good morning, Rev.

We can hear you.

You have two minutes.

Okay, my name is Reverend Sharon Buttry with the Detroit Ham Tramic Coalition for Advancing Healthy Environments, and I'm uh commenting referring to the Tuesday, October 14th City Council meeting item miscellaneous 28.15, in which council member Scott Benson submitted a memorandum relative to request for legal opinion on the process to close the con Chronos concrete facility in District 3.

Under Detroit City Code Chapter 42, Article 1, the city may declare a business of public nuisance due to dust, traffic, or noise.

Last April, our coalition submitted over 800 names on a petition to the council to shut down Kronos.

Residents have continually over the months submitted complaints and videos of harmful dust coding cars, homes, and sending people with asthma to the ER.

Home values have tanked, and people who want to move cannot afford to move.

We urge you through the council and through the law department to seek an injunction immediately through the courts to protect our health and homes under Chapter 42.

Thank you.

Discussion.

Thank you.

Um, and thank you to uh Reverend Buttery for calling in.

There, we are waiting for the legal opinion.

It has been released.

It is um currently a privileged document, but it has been released.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Miss Duncan, who do we have next?

The next caller is caller number ending in one six nine.

Call number ending one six nine.

Um hello, can you guys hear me?

Yes, we can.

Okay, great.

I just want to say cutting down.

What in the heck are you doing?

I think I'll just say the numbers and personal numbers of powerful people disagree with.

I'm glad he could be down.

I'm not rich, I'm not super smart, but common sense is don't do it again.

Better to remain silent and to speak and remove all and up.

That quote is by Abraham Lincoln.

Thank you, my God.

Thank you.

The next call caller is Mr.

Rue, but he is also here in person, Madam Chair.

Um, Mr.

Rue, you can go ahead and take a seats in the front, just make sure your phones are off.

Make sure they are.

Not here.

So that we don't hear feedback, and if you wouldn't mind what Mr.

Rue, if you wouldn't mind, uh we've got people waiting on online, Mr.

Roo.

What is your problem?

What's your problem?

Just go ahead and have a seat.

Oh no, no, I'm tripping.

Look, I just race down here.

You're gonna start my time.

Hey, Gabriella Santiago Romero, you're a liar.

You are told that lie said you read their findings on the allegations of voted for by anonymous citizen report on the ninth.

Then you double back and said that you talked to your staff, and I didn't talk to none of them.

That's a lie.

No other councilman Scott Benson and Mary Water sitting right there.

They didn't have to report on the ninth.

Did either one of y'all?

Why don't y'all tell the public?

None of the other council members, not the law department, Mr.

Graham Anderson.

Y'all didn't have it on the ninth.

Nora the mayor's office.

And I called on the 20th and checked with everybody.

So you're a liar.

And then you tried to discredit me.

I got a 40-year, four decade plus reputation of being stand-up 100 lady.

Gabriela Santiago Ramira.

You are uh cheated in public official.

You were cheating in the office.

You've been voting on millions and hundreds of millions and billions of dollars worth of contracts.

Oh, y'all cheated in on the Detroit City Council.

By Janice M.

Wenfrey and Dina Avery Walker, the director of the Department of Elections and the City Clerk and the chairperson at election commission, and I'm stand up 100.

My name is Mr.

Rue and Nini want what she won't.

She wants that tag above her mama.

I stumbled across the election fraud.

And you a liar.

And that's my word.

Thank you, Mr.

Have a blessed day.

No, my time ain't up.

I still got 20 seconds to call you another liar.

To your face.

Now you got anything you want to say.

Hey, Scott.

Mary, did y'all had a report on the ninth?

Tell the truth.

No.

Call the mayor's office.

No.

X Law Department.

Ex-Comrade Mallet.

No.

So how are you the only one with the report?

Thank you.

That is your time.

May the 9th, 2024.

We're going to go ahead and go with the next person that we have online.

Thank you.

The next caller is Michael Cunningham Rather Cunningham.

You're up next to Mr.

9114.

313 4449114.

That number was made so you can remember it.

And on Facebook, not enemy.

During the mayor meeting last week, I mentioned that paratransit should be free on election day as well.

The mayor and Mr.

Kramer agreed and they made it come to fruition.

So fixed line routes and peer transit will be free on election day.

Um keep me in prayers.

I keep you in prayers.

I make mistakes.

Keep it moving.

Um, me and my mom, I seen her yesterday.

She prayed over every last council person, myself while we were there.

Of course, I got her KFC.

If y'all don't have her KFC, she don't want to talk.

She don't want to see me in the nervous.

But she loves the city.

I love the city as well.

Currently, I'm at Lil Caesars.

I'm buying pizza for someone gave me a donation, so I'm taking some of those funds and paying it forward.

I thank you for the hand warmers.

I need more hand warmers.

I need bus tickets.

I got some shoes.

Um for those that need it while I'm out and about.

I do not like when our Christian folks say the poor will always be among us, and basically saying there's no urgency, there's no urgency to help.

Do it when you can, or don't worry about it at all.

No, with urgency, we need to help each other.

If you don't like me, that's fine.

Get some bus tickets and give them out to the folks yourself.

Or vicariously do it through me.

My cash up is 313-4449114.

And on Facebook, not into me.

What's your name, man?

My name is Barbara Jane.

What can D dot do better?

D dock need to do better by people with sealed name angles, such as me.

They don't let out a thing for me to get over.

Oh, they won't let down the ramp.

The next caller is you repeat that name again, Miss Duncan.

Solar takings.

Uh good morning.

Can I be heard?

Yes, good morning.

You're not read your person's not reading the whole thing.

Solar takings are black bottoming the residents for everybody else in the city.

I'm talking to you.

Everybody else in the city.

When the the city's trying to push this false narrative that all these people in the neighborhoods wanted these solar farms, that's not true.

And they're using they're using the same excuse they used to clear out black bottom in 1951.

The black bottom taking.

So the you the solar takings are black bottoming Detroit residents right now, and every single council member has voted for this, including Mary Shaffield, Letitia Johnson, Scott Benson, Coleman Young, Mary Waters, Fred Durh, James Tate.

If I miss somebody, let me know.

The only two who did not vote for this was Angela Callaway and members of Romero.

So please, folks, and also there's something strange going on at the election department.

I signed up to be a writing candidate for the district five community advisory council.

But when I went there last week, that last date for that was uh October 24th.

When I went on October 30th with Cindy Dara, and they still didn't have her name on the list.

They gave and I asked they gave Cindy an old list that didn't have my name on it.

When I first went there to sign in, they gave me an older list than the list they gave the Cindy on October uh 30th.

So something's going on at that election department because there will be you for the community advisory councils.

For those of you who don't know, they get to consult with they bring residence concerns to the council members.

So I will bring it to the council members, then they would actually have to respond to me if they respect the charter.

But if you got the election department not giving out the proper list, that's a huge problem.

So please don't boycott on the residents of Detroit.

The next caller is Darren McCleskey.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Yes, we can hear you.

Okay.

I'd like to echo some of the uh the thoughts that Joanne had regarding the solar takings.

Um, you guys have probably heard of me or heard from me before, and probably remember some of the things that I've said.

Uh um last week, internal operations committee.

Uh, two members voted while Angela Whitfield Callaway apparently couldn't even stomach being present during that exact discussion.

Um, we had uh a vote recommending an additional 2.5 million for Zalzmer, which is a 50% increase in their contract, and again, they have not even had any, they have not had any appeals, they had anything in the appeals court, they have only had a few motions to challenge the necessity, and they were a less than one day hearing.

Um, they've had Conrad Mallet.

Remember in May?

Everything's going swimmingly, swimmingly, swimmingly.

That word rings in my head that everything's going swimmingly.

Yet this kind of an increase in funding, it where does it stop?

Conrad Mallet admitted that only 10% of the use restrictions of one phase so far have been taken.

10%.

So there's 90% of part two of the first phase that still has to be completed.

Then you have phase two, they haven't even noticed people for the use restrictions yet.

Where does this stop?

What is the final number going to be for legal?

It's 7.7 million now.

The original budget was 12 million from Mr.

Ski.

Where does it stop?

More than half of the money of the original budget is going just to a farmington Hills law firm.

Just that the clearing, not all of the the good benefits that residents around there are receiving.

And then when you see social media, it's a complete false narrative.

Detroit SolarScam.com.

Please check out the website.

Thank you.

Miko, you're up next.

If you are speaking, we cannot hear you.

Miko, we'll have to add you to the bottom of the queue.

If we can add Miko to the bottom and go to our next caller.

Yes, Madam Tree.

Next, we did have Jadante, but he's also here in person.

All right.

I that is fine, but I do know that a lot of members are not fans of this, and people do need to be here uh in person if you want to speak in person.

Dante, feel free to take a seat now.

Um, but we're gonna have to revisit this, I believe, because it's happening a lot, and I'm hearing other members want to make sure that we are either in person or online and sticking to it.

If the clerk can please note we've been joined by member Callaway.

And Mr.

Williams will go to you next.

Uh, we have the Dante here who is ready whenever you're ready.

Good morning.

I was gonna say hello, Scott.

Uh, hopefully you can unseat you tomorrow.

If not, we're gonna do a nice recall for you.

Um, also, I love the PR that you're doing around those solar fields.

Also, I love the fact that your team went to Seven Mile and Van Dyke and took down a crash down and Anderson sign and put up your sign.

That is very, very cutthroat marketing and and work.

So, also I'm reading your memo I got this morning that I asked for days ago.

I laugh.

I mean, it's funny now, but I'm not gonna stop my recall petition.

I'm different, and I have I'm an excellent organizer, so I'm organized people all around your district.

And the fact that you have a police car babysitting one seven one eight seven uh Cameron Street to tear a perfectly good home down for a solar field is a very, very testament to the fact that we care more about big business, DTE, uh, Dan Gilbert's uh enterprises, uh the Maroon family enterprises than we do about people, especially with a thousand thousand twenty-three property uh property maintenance agreement for for the room family.

Also, your your memo around crozing closing down Chronos is terrible.

I also want to say uh councilwoman waters, uh I appreciate the for your speaking that cutters yesterday.

You did excellent job.

Um, and hopefully you can help us, or maybe whoever else wins at large and getting Chronos shut down.

It is a hazard to the community, it is poisoning the neighborhood.

There are children that live around this facility, there are elderly people, it's spewing dust everywhere, and they're putting down water, and it's an ISO.

It looks terrible.

The Maroon family have a contract with the city of Detroit for 20 up until 2031.

Everything west of their facility at six mile acconnet that the city owned goes to them.

So they're gonna gobble up the entire neighborhood and move residents out.

The city is uh talking about 12,000 and uh so many people that are in population increase, but we're moving people off for these solar fields in district three, and I'm sure it's gonna expand.

These houses could be picked up and moved.

I've seen houses moved in the city of Detroit.

We're not moving these houses.

We want people to be homeless.

I I love how you shaking your head, Scott.

I love it.

Because when you lose, um you you about to lose your job.

That's what I'm gonna say.

And if you don't, we don't get it, we don't get a recall petition.

I'm I'm the right one.

I'm an excellent organizer.

I'll say that I'll brag a little bit because you about to lose your job because you're doing terrible by your residence.

District three has never improved.

All right, thank you.

We will now turn it over to Miko Williams.

I believe I heard you join us.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Uh hi, good morning.

And I'm not there in person.

Okay, we can't I can't make it there in person because of the um barking that you won't validate.

Anyway, um, I just want to say at the end of the month, uh, I will be retiring from council watching and public life.

I made that announcement is because as the days wind down, uh, I just am remiss that everything I tried to do in my power, which some was good.

Uh those that I've tried the best I know how, it's been over 15 years for me since I first walked in that chamber.

And a lot of things have changed in my life, and as I get older, as I get stronger, wiser, and more diligent.

I love my silly.

I love the city that I uh I I may not like my neighbors, but I have to respect my neighbors.

I may not like the evil doers and gatekeepers that come down there, but I also have to respect the fact of the grassroots and the activist community that uh balance the powers of Lever.

I also have to remember that, you know, in the game of love, there's also war, and we have been through many wars uh in my time being there, you know.

It's bitter, but it also cumulates that as I go to bed at night.

I can salute knowing that I did everything I tried to do to save this city from the clutch uh that still occupy.

But you know, I can also stand on business that I've done everything to fight for Detroiters, those that are voiceless, and those that never will come down here and will never engage in downtown Detroit or even with our fairs because you all have chased them away.

You all have made them feel that this is not the job, but you know, I'm just happy to still exist as a citizen taxpayer legacy detroiter.

I must step down, and I will give my podium to Renard Mostowski, the prize, and also Adam Berry for them to carry my legacy.

I will like to call to order our 10:30 a.m.

public hearing and recess to the call of the chair.

Who do we have next?

We have Tyson Gersh.

Hi, can you hear me?

Yes, we can.

Great.

Um, this probably isn't the right committee for this, but just to get it on record somewhere before I guess election season.

I'm still trying to make sense of this BZA court reporter contract.

Um, they're things with remote legal aka precision reporters, aka Regen C.

They're all the same company.

That company only charges by the hour.

There was a recent filing uh after the the invoices I received in the case of McCallion versus Mara, uh, with the attorney general of New York that shows invoices identical in template form to the ones uh BZA sent me that show remote legal charges 200 an hour.

You get the court reporter appearance, you get the transcripts.

Now our hearings were uh what allegedly 17 hours.

That would have been $3,400.

And it appears that OCP backdated a PO for $3,425.

Uh dated August 2nd, 2024, but didn't appear uh in the data set until much later.

Uh and then separately created it to me, it looks like they just created an artificial uh uh invoice.

They edited the template they received and then rebuild for the same thing, but then it tacked on like an additional $1,500, right?

Because the invoices I received were for a total of $4,749.

Um, so that's what like $1349 extra.

And then they cleared or closed those POs the council was saying, well, I'm out of time.

The next caller is William M.

Davis.

Good morning.

Can I be heard?

Yes, good morning.

Okay, I like to start out by saying that um I've I think the city, you know, I like to say first off that I agree with everything that not that Karen said.

I think the city should be doing more to help the city of Detroit retirees.

I think the city of Detroit should uh stop the annuity clawback.

That was our money that the city also profit off of, but we're still being uh hurt and continue to be hurt.

Also, I like to say that the the city uh Detroit, the mayor and what have you, should be looking at doing stuff like some other mayors, more progressive mayors in other places throughout this country since the federal government is shut down and people are going to be more food insecure.

They should be doing more to make sure that people's water is not stopped uh cut off.

Uh also separately, um, I like to let uh the world know that uh most recently I was asked to serve as the citizen culture of the Metro Detroit All Pac.

Hopefully, all of y'all know what the Alpac is.

That's advocates and leaders for police and community trust.

Um Detroit Metro is composed of community civil rights, uh, government and law enforcement.

Uh, we're still looking for, we still look talking to somebody from the law enforcement side because there's a citizen leader and as uh someone from law enforcement.

Sometimes it's somebody from the state police department or uh a local sheriff department or uh uh or it could be the FBI because we know we we deal with a number of entities, but you know, we need to be doing more.

And the city of Detroit police department used to have people that used to come regular.

Not recently, though.

I don't know what's going on with the city of Detroit in a number of areas, but I want you to know that I'm gonna make sure that the Detroit Metro OPAC become the strongest OPAC throughout the state because there's leaders in different regions of the state, and we do a number of things.

Have a good day.

Thank you.

You as well.

Samsung caller.

Caller, you up next.

To whoever's calling us in through a Samsung.

If you're speaking, we cannot hear you.

You have been made of panelists.

You just have to unmute yourself.

Caller calling us from a Samsung number.

We're going to add you to the bottom of the queue.

We cannot hear you.

Hopefully you're able to get back to us when we get to the bottom of the queue.

Who do we have next?

The next caller is Tahira Ahmed.

Ms.

Ahmed, you're up next.

Yes, good morning.

Thank you.

I just like to say uh for the record.

Can you hear me?

Oh, yes, we can.

Okay, thank you.

Uh we we have faced enslavement.

We came, we've been in this country since its inception.

We helped and fought, uh, helped America become America.

We weren't uh immigrants, we were here before everybody.

So uh Brother Miko, uh, we're not we don't give up.

We don't give in.

And I hope that you are not serious about giving up because we need you.

We need uh your advocacy.

Detroit faces multiple public health crises, including environmental concerns like poor air quality, lead in the water, the opioid epidemic, chronic health conditions exacerbated by poverty and lack of access to care.

City of uh um housing insecurity has a um history of public health challenges like those during the COVID-19 pandemic, which um exposed existing health disparities.

Um environmental health, we've we have not dealt with uh the air quality or water quality, poor air quality, particularly in the uh southwest region, is like uh to high rates of asthma and other respiratory issues, which are worsened by industrial pollution, ineffective waste uh management, uh lead in drinking water, also exposes the health hazards.

We like to hear from our health department.

We need a comprehensive uh report as to the state of the the health in the city of Detroit, especially for our children, southwest Detroit and in uh uh our inner cities, all of this asthma uh that is occurring, it's because of all this elite this demolition project by uh Mr.

Doug and and other people.

So we need that health report.

The next caller is caller number 337, call number ending in 337.

Caller ending in 337.

You're up next.

Yes.

Um, can you hear me?

Yes, okay.

Uh my name is Patricia Bosch.

I'm a resident of District 3.

I'm here um in support of um Reverend Sharon Butries' comments um saying no to Kronos.

Um and I want to specifically call out Councilman Benson.

Um he mentioned in his remarks that the law department has commented, but he did not share that report with uh this body.

Um so as a district three representative, I would I am asking him publicly to make sure he uh shares that law department report.

Um and we are um upset in district three because of the increased industrialization.

We have with the closing of six-mile uh diesel trucks on residential streets, and when we complain, we are told that East Outer Drive, where the residents are a county road, and um dyke is a state trunk line.

So uh, like it or not, uh these trucks are here.

Um, and I think that is an insult to every resident of district three.

Um, especially uh when you look at the um expansion of crown development, um purchasing the Holy Cross Hospital uh site and the Bel Air Shopping Center.

We um are asking for public meetings, uh planning and engagement times when the citizens can't have input as to protecting our quality of life, and so we join with other residents and say no to clonus.

Thank you.

Uh by the way, this agenda.

Thank you.

Through the chair, uh, Mr.

Anderson.

Graham Anderson Law Department.

I would just like to remind the public that one council member does not have the ability to waive privilege and confidentiality of a document.

It's something that the body as a whole must do.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Who do we have next?

We're gonna go back to Sam before we end with Stephen Boyle, who's here in person, Madam Chair.

Okay.

Caller calling us from a Samsung number.

Good morning, ma'am.

Yes, good morning.

Morning.

Um about uh I guess I said incidents with the Detroit police department where though when people call any residents call police.

Let's say they got a visitor over at the house, and then they call and say that they're being assaulted, and that the police takes the homeowners that live in the house to detention.

I mean, I've had several people that complain to me because I'm very active in my neighborhood.

I've been active since 1977.

Uh that needs to change.

They need to start taking the people that don't live there.

Take them away.

If they got a homeless shelter or shelter, whatever, that's where they need to take them to.

But move them away from the homeowner's property because that's not right because people rip people's houses off.

So that needs, I don't know what do I have to talk to the state of Michigan, because I will ask for a law to be put in place for that.

I've had a friend that I've been knowing for years, that he was a senior, he lived over there in Connor's area.

He told me, like him and his, I guess the wife was arguing or whatever.

They put him out, told him he had to get out of his own house that he paid the bills and stuff, and that's not right.

Stop taking the homeowners and the people that's paying the bills up out of there.

First of all, so people can rip their house off.

And then, like I said, that friend of mine came over my house one day.

I sat in his van with him all night long because he's a long time friend of mine, saying that she called, but yet still she was there for.

So the people that's paying their bills at their houses, they should not be made to leave.

Period.

So I don't know who like I said, I don't know if I gotta get with the police commissioner or the state of Michigan.

That needs to be a law.

Thank you for taking my call.

Thank you.

Um, our last caller is here in person, whenever you're ready.

Okay, thank you.

My name is Stephen Boyle.

Um, formerly a resident in District 3, so I'm quite familiar with some of the environmental hazards that is being experienced in the uh future city plan that basically would uh place a large amount of that district as derelict um through our master plan, if you want to call it that.

Um I'm also uh very aware that the law department uh can't release those documents, but I would ask that some council member actually champion bringing them onto the schedule tomorrow because this is a nuisance to public health that needs to be addressed immediately.

People are having a problem, and we have cement dust from Kronos that's making its way into the sewer systems, which means we have cement fines in the mid in the midst of our storm drains.

This is very hard for them to be able to remove.

We need to actually uh uh uh deal with the nuisance and make it gone.

Um, if they have to do multiple containment layers, then they need to do that.

I also want to uh say that I very much support uh 7.15 as a victim of uh pickpocket on one of the DDOT buses.

Uh our camera systems need to be available to provide evidence to police is in the pursuit of those that uh commit offenses on the buses.

Um uh two days ago, or well, I'm sorry, yes, Saturday.

I wound up with a bus driver uh as I saw another rider coming to the stop, um, closed their door behind me as I was at the at the bus stop.

And uh I said, could you open the door?

I'll let the person in it.

I got a tirade from the driver about the metrics that he's required to adhere to as far as when does he pull up and pull off, and if he closes the door, he's not allowing other people on.

I need to make sure that our daughter uh transit operators are doing the right thing.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right, everyone, thank you all for coming in today or for calling in for general public comments.

I will now move us along to the rest of the agenda for our 1030 a.m.

public hearing.

I would like to call to order our 1030 a.m.

public hearing.

This is to amend chapter 26 of the 2019 Detroit City Code, law enforcement by renaming Article 3 to Citizens' Patrols and dividing the article into two divisions, division one being citizens radio patrol assistance program containing sections 26-3-1, established sections 26-3-2, administration sections 26-3-3, form of assistance, sections 26-3-4, eligible expenditures, sections 26-3-5, allocation of assistance, new citizens radio patrols, sections 26-3-6, conditions of assistance, sections 26-3-7, violations of conditions of assistance and sections 26-3-8, no city supervision, and division two being citizens' neighborhood blade patrol containing sections 26-3-21 established purpose, sections 26-3-22 administration, sections 26-6-23, eligible expenditures and form of assistance, sections 26-3-24, allocation of assistance, new Blights Patrols, Sections 26-3-25, condition of assistance, sections 26-3-26, patrol membership qualifications, sections 26-3-27, patrol and reporting, sections 26-3-28 patrol conduct rules and sections 26-3-29.

No city supervision to provide for citizens' neighborhood blight patrol.

We have here the author of the ordinance as well as the law departments, not sure who else is.

Make sure your microphone is on.

Oh, all right.

So everyone is here.

Thank you, Madam Chair, and good morning, everyone and to my colleagues.

Ironically, I'm gonna read this um this article this morning.

Um, and it's from Click on Detroit, um, published on November the 1st.

Detroit and two other Michigan cities named among the worst for rats, RATS nationwide.

Very brief article, but apropos.

If you live in Detroit, you're probably aware that the city has a rat problem, and the 2025 Orkin report confirms it.

Detroit ranks seventh among the top U.S.

cities battling rodent infestations, alongside Flint, which is 42nd, and Grand Rapids at 25th place on the list of the nation's radius cities.

This won't surprise many Michiganders.

Detroit, Flint, and Grand Rapids were also named among the worst cities for rats in both the 2024 and 2023 orkin reports.

So why the rat problem?

Experts point to a combination of factors, including aging buildings, abundant food sources, and densely populated urban areas, despite their small size, rats can cause significant problems ranging from health hazards to property damage.

Detroit city officials are actively addressing the issue.

They've increased pest control efforts, launched public awareness campaigns, and organize neighborhood cleanups to help reduce the rat population.

Residents can play a role too, and this is going to be a part of the blight patrol ordinance by securing trash, sealing entry points in their homes, and reporting any rat sightings to local authorities.

By securing trash, sealing entry points in their homes, and reporting any rat sightings to local authorities.

While some progress has been made, the rat problem remains a significant challenge for Detroit and other Michigan cities.

And the author, if you're interested, the author of this report is Ariana Heyman with Channel 4 News.

That being said, it is my honor and I'm excited to sponsor the proposed blight patrol ordinance currently pending approval before Detroit City Council and its public health and safety standing committee.

And thank you, Madam Chair, for this opportunity to um to make this statement.

Residents are concerned about blight in their neighborhoods.

In District 2, the top resident complaint concern since I've been in office since 2022 is blight in the neighborhoods.

Illegal dumping.

And I have tons of pictures to prove it.

I might add before and after pictures, because most of the sites that we've been reporting since 2022 has been addressed and resolved.

But there was one site, I do believe it was at Schaefer, right around Kendall, one block or two blocks before school crack, borderline district two, entering district seven.

It was three blocks of illegal dumping.

And I was told by the residents that it had been there for over two decades.

And we have pictures.

A volunteer blight patrol based on the successful community radio patrol will assist the Detroit Police Department, neighborhood police officers identified blight.

The volunteers will be the eyes and the ears of DPD, as they are with the Citizens Radio Patrol, the eyes and the ears in the community.

This will help fight blight in our neighborhoods and ensure that every inch of every neighborhood is covered in this fight.

Residents have already contacted our office desiring to volunteer in this effort.

The city will provide mileage to the volunteers as they do with the Citizens Radio Patrol.

In April 2025, City Council approved $50,000 for this purpose.

The proposed ordinance is flexible.

The Blight Patrols can be organized by neighborhood, precinct wide, or citywide.

The DPD can adjust the program over time to better cover the entire city and better coordinate the efforts.

This is a flexible program under a wide umbrella in created by this proposed coordinates.

In conclusion, the cooperation between our volunteers and the Detroit Police Department will identify blight and bring city resources to the problem areas.

We look forward to cleaner and safer neighborhoods.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

And that does complete my um my statement.

And I know we do have um DPD officials here.

Thank you.

Member Callaway, before I turn it over to DPD, uh, to the law departments, would you mind um giving us an overview of what is before us?

Through the Chair Graham Anderson Law Department, yes, an overview of this ordinance.

The purpose of this is to establish a new program as uh Councilmember Calloway laid out to engage citizens in identifying reporting blight uh within designated neighborhoods to really strengthen the community accountability and just uh overall uh community health, as uh Councilmember Callaway pointed out.

This is uh it it mirrors the quarterly allocations based on project efforts and designated areas.

This is similar to the Division One police department reviews for applications for new patrols, uh processing reimbursements, um in addition.

The requirements will be um approved by DPD.

Um salaries, there will be a community ties to the areas.

You have uh identification things such as that, no criminal history.

In addition, there will be no police supervision on these, these are citizen-led um patrols.

And uh finally, the real just to wrap it up, the you know, the goal is to engage citizens in the public safety.

This is something that you know that the city's made uh major progress over the past 10, 15 years when it comes to blight, but we still, as anyone knows who lives in the the neighborhoods, that there is still a long ways to go, and we're hopeful that this is something that will be a tool for uh DPD and BC to help us take that next step further.

And I'm here to answer uh any additional questions that can't be answered by uh the table in front of me.

Thank you.

Thank you.

DPD, if you wouldn't mind introducing yourselves and your thoughts on the ordinance.

Good morning, Madam Chair, and this honorable body, Franklin Hayes, uh assistant police chief.

Good morning, Madam Chair, Deputy Chief Michael Parrish.

Good morning.

My name is Myra Gracie.

I'm the citywide radio patrol coordinator.

Good morning.

Thank you all for joining us.

If you wouldn't mind sharing how will this work, how will DPD support this ordinance?

Madam Chair, uh excellent question.

And if I may start off uh certainly on behalf of Chief Medicine, we are excited about this opportunity to empower the residents in our community uh to tackle this issue of blight, which is uh an ongoing battle and it's been here uh for quite some time, but uh again empowering them to help us be additional eyes and ears uh with their own investment.

A lot of times it's their own community, and they're tired as well.

So uh for them to be out uh and to be able to feed that information back to DPD so that we can get the necessary resources, certainly DPD on the enforcement side, but as well as GSD, uh other city entities so that we can continue our work to beautify uh our beautiful city and those that put these blemishes through blight on there.

Uh this gives us a tool to hold them accountable.

Uh Myra Gracie, who's here oversees our citizen radio patrol, and there is a template already, and certainly our uh radio patrol has been an invaluable tool when we look at criminal uh instances, whether it be vehicles that may be stripped or someone casing homes and have been that on the ground feedback for the violent crimes with this now, mirroring this exact template, uh we can address these blight and quality of life issues.

So I am going to turn it over uh to Myra so she can speak to uh the program as it exists under the radio patrol, and again, the vision is certainly with this blight patrol, it mirrors it uh almost exactly um uh to again combat blight.

So I'm gonna turn it over to Myra.

Thank you, Deputy Assistant Chief Hayes.

Thank you very much.

Um I am honored to be here.

Um I it has been a long time talking about the Black Patrol coming to um to becoming a reality.

And so we're grateful we're here today.

Um Peter Rhodes has given me uh some insight on how the patrol is sort of I I guess I can say will occur as we move forward.

And so with radio patrols, the citizens are within different communities all over the city of Detroit.

Uh there could be more, and blight may be the actual blend of of what we need to create more patrols as an incentive for people to get the reimbursement for being out there in their communities identifying things.

Uh, my only concern for this council today and for anyone listening is we went through a period where the reimbursements were not given out in a timely manner.

I want to stress today that was a very that was a weird time for me being a coordinator.

It's very hard to bring awareness and recruitment when we don't actually have something in place to make sure that the reimbursements are very swift.

Uh the city has done a great job with the Oracle system through the procurement to make that uh a reality.

So I just want to get that out there um because that does make it more difficult to recruit, even for radio patrol members.

So we're doing better on that.

Um precinct-wide, district wide, community-wide.

I guess we're not sure exactly how that recruitment could happen.

Um, but we will talk about that with the police department to see how that will occur.

Um, it's no secret that the more that we are aware of what's going on in the city with the blight issues.

So I thank you for introducing that initially, what gives us the opportunity to understand how important these type of endeavors are.

And so, if people are listening today, I don't know if people are still listening to this meeting.

I hope they are.

Uh, going forward, being a part of the blight patrol would be an incentive for those to just focus on something that's very important, as uh assistant chief said to continue to beautify the city of Detroit.

Um there are background checks that are included.

It is a partnership with the Detroit Police Department that is a lean check.

Um, however, our current chief, when he was Deputy Chief, put some things in place.

Uh, we've all had hiccups in life, and so we want to embrace those people that have those.

So if something comes up in that background check that we're able to discuss and sort of level it out, we will be able to do that.

So I want anyone to apply.

Don't let that deter you at all, because we're going to try to work with you regardless to because we need you.

We need you out there on the Blight Patrol as well as Citizens Radio Patrol.

The Citizens Radio Patrol already are out there regarding Blight issues.

They are.

Of course, we just need more of those eyes and ears in order to be more effective.

And this is one way to do that.

The other thing I want to just bring to this body and ask, there is a 70 cents reimbursement for Radio Patrol, and that's per the IRS for commuters, so we get that mileage.

Excuse me.

Yes, sir.

Through through the chair.

As we're here today to uh address the structure of this and empowering through ordinance the ability to do this, we will work out uh some of the concerns, being mindful that there will be no supplanting.

And if you are on one mission or one initiative through uh through the police department, one of these programs, if you're on uh radio patrol, you will remain on radio patrol.

Uh if you're on blight patrol, we will address that.

So uh again, it there is room as we are building this out.

This uh meeting here, and hopefully, with the approval of this body is the framework.

Uh we've worked with the old oh um, I'm sorry, the OCFO's office to uh address reimbursement, and we have some things in place that we believe that we will never revisit that day, and certainly with the feedback is this is near and dear to Councilmember Callaway.

Uh, we will I'm sure there will be I'm confident there will be conversations moving forward uh as we are all invested in the success uh of this program.

So um just wanted to just kind of on the DPD side, just talk through what that would look like, what the uh parent program in which we're modeling this after, which is the uh radio patrol is in place, and we will continue to build this out as with any um deviance or change or revision to the ordinance.

We will uh supply the feedback uh in the timeline as as given as far as the annual updates of programs and certainly the financials just to gauge this success.

And we look forward to reporting back to this body should it be permitted uh and this ordinance amendment be approved uh again with another successful uh another excuse me successful initiative uh with the Peloys Police Department and certainly city council in this body.

Okay, thank you.

Member Calloway, thank you.

Um, and to your to your question, it'll be the same 70 cents per mile.

Okay, um, it won't be any different.

Um, that is what is the standard rate for reimbursement for mileage, and that will be the uh reimbursement, and they can't work both as um the assistant chief indicated.

Okay.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you, madam chair.

And I just wanted to mention those were questions that came from Radio Patrol members and citizens of the city of Detroit.

So and through the chair to yourself, if you could provide those questions, had I known you were going to ask those questions, I could have had those questions answered.

But if you can provide those questions, I know you've been in touch with Peter.

Um, we'll make sure that we get it in writing for you.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

All right, thanks everyone.

I do have a number of questions.

So the oh DC, so sorry.

Oh no, uh AC Hayes uh spoke very eloquently.

I'll just uh you know reiterate the point that we are at our best and we are working up with our community.

This ordinance is all about working with the community toward a common mission, a common goal.

I look forward to being a part of it.

Thank you.

Thank you, DC.

Appreciate that.

Apologies.

Um the reimbursement has been addressed then.

The issue has been addressed with the LCFL's office, we should be okay with reimbursement moving forward.

That's correct.

Okay.

And so there is no oversight of police, it sounds like, but there what does training look like?

Um Member Callaway opened it up with the rat issue.

How are we addressing rats?

And how will we solve the rat problem through this program?

Uh blight attracts rats.

If you remove blight, uh, you will remediate the rat issue.

Um, this is just one step toward uh uh driving that issue down.

All right, and I I guess I'm just trying to figure out what the added benefit is because we have a lot of residents with eyes outs who report blights once it's reported, it gets addressed many times.

So, what's the difference?

Um, what will success look like for this program?

To whoever can answer that.

No, uh, to distinguish between other programs out there such as C Click Fix and things like that.

I think what this program brings is organization and a direct a direct tie uh to the Detroit police department mandated by the ordinance.

Uh that isn't something that uh you get from C Click Fix.

But this one has a direct link and addresses a direct partnership, which I think will be very helpful toward making sure that everybody remains attuned to what's going on.

And why DPD and not BCD or GSD?

This is regarding blights, which is often uh replied replied to or just by GSD or B seed.

Is it because of the structure that we already have currently with Citizens Patrol, just trying to figure out why we didn't do it in another way?

That and the fact that DPD already has blight trained uh officers uh that are already out there in the field fully trained and ready to do this job.

Okay, thank you.

Um do we know how many radio patrols we're looking to recruit for this program?

We don't really have a number in mind.

I believe when it opens up, um I guess one question that I have in order to create the ordinance and is there a plan, was there a plan or any research done on certain areas that are have more blight?

And if if I can, if I can if I can talk through that.

So certainly we will uh publicize, publicize, recruit, recruit, recruit, uh, quite frankly, to the dollars are gone.

Uh, and then we will see what that looks like, as with anything that we uh data dictates how we deploy uh in the police department.

So when we look at these problem areas where whether it be 911 calls or telephone crime reporting unit calls, whether it be C click fix and where the data is showing us that we are having um issues with blight because it is my theory, uh, but I would love to test it.

And in these areas, there are residents that are furious and fed up uh and tired of dealing with this.

So uh in these areas where we will recruit most heavily, and then certainly others that may want to come on board uh and do that uh and and assist in beautifying their community uh and their neighborhood, uh we will take that as well.

But data will dictate where our heaviest deployments are or recruitment efforts and campaigns uh here uh with this program.

Madam Chair.

Um Member Callaway, thank you, Madam Chair.

And to to your point, assistant chief.

I don't think we're gonna have a problem with recruiting.

This is a citizen-driven ordinance.

I did not create this ordinance, I did not sponsor this ordinance on my own.

Um, some of the residents come from District One.

We already have started a smart sheet with folks who are calling, inquiring.

Recruitment will not be the issue.

The issue is blight.

It's not gonna, we're not gonna have a problem at all.

Um, and we don't have to recruit.

We have already started um people calling our office.

They've been calling for over a year.

Um, and uh, we've been meeting.

So we will have uh I do believe um the resources there and the manpower there to get this blight ordinance up and running.

They've already been calling our offices, and we already have been tracking it, and they are probably listening right now.

So I'm excited about it.

Um, and um, if people don't know the citizens radio patrol was started in 1967, and we have the longest Citizens Radio Patrol still running today in my district, which is in Green Acres, and all of you are aware of that, 37 years, and I have one of the members on that radio patrol sitting to my right.

So we kind of know what we're doing, and we know that it's going to be successful because it's going to be in the mirror image of the Citizens Ray Radio Radio Patrol, which has been successful since 1967.

I expect no less um of a success story with rolling out this blight patrol ordinance, and I'm really excited about it.

Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member Callaway.

Um the citizens neighborhood uh radio patrol in District 6 is struggling.

Uh we actually have a very hard time recruiting.

We have a hard time staffing, and I'm trying to figure out how we can make this successful when I know that folks are interested in a uh citizens patrol, but the resources um may not meet the needs just by being reimbursed for their mileage.

Um and oftentimes it is it is seniors, it is uh it is folks that are um aging that are part of this, I can no longer be a part of it, and we're actually having a hard time recruiting people in my district, and we push this often in meetings.

We have the handouts, we're recruiting, um and it has not been successful in district six.

Um so I I do wonder how we can make this successful um and and how we're adding again value to C click fix every year.

Our office goes door to door across the district.

We report blights, we address the blight, it gets taken down, and if it doesn't, it's because we are missing the resources to do so.

Um so those are all my questions.

I I think I just have more curiosities to see if this will actually help um and and reduce the blight that we're seeing if it's going to be an effective part of this whole ecosystem that's trying to address the issues.

I'm not really sure.

But those are my questions.

Um, and I know that we um can open it up to the uh the public as well to ask their own.

If there's nobody else here that would like to add anything, uh vice chair.

All right, thank you.

Um, and thank you for this member Callaway and being one of the councilpersons who really took ownership of the radio patrols when we arrived back in 2014.

As Ms.

Gracie said, there was not a dedicated um staff member to that.

Uh Chief Bettison was a big proponent of ensuring that we actually have a staff member, and thank you for being there for I want to say probably at least eight years now.

Uh you've been doing that work.

Uh, we made a number of changes to the radio patrol ordinance, and at one point, City Council in direct conf direct contradiction and conflict with the charter was actually managing and running the reimbursement process to ensure that our radio patrols felt that they were loved and wanted and not just being bounced around.

We at one point, I think it was taking six months to get a reimbursement.

That has since changed.

Uh there's been a sea change in how that um has been administered, and Miss Gracie, you were you were part of that.

Um, just looking at the two different sections, and if I look at section 26 TAC 3, TAC 4 of the Radio Patrol, which are eligible expenditures.

Items 11 and 12 are missing from Section 26 TAC 3 Tech 23, which is eligible expenditures for blight patrols.

And this was specifically added at the direct request of my bosses.

Helmets, lights, reflectors for bicycles that are used for patrol operations, or any tune-ups, routine maintenance, and equipment replacement or upgrades that are reasonably necessary for bicycles used for patrol operations to mean to be maintained in good mechanical condition.

I would like to see those two line items added to Section 26 TAC 3, TAC 23 because now you're excluding bicycle radio patrols from participating as platforms for blight patrols.

And I'm hoping that may have just been an oversight and had a conversation with my colleague.

And I hope that is still not a problem to add that at a later date because I understand I would make that motion to add those now, but I understand that that would necessitate an additional public hearing if we were to do that, and I can be patient.

Through the chair, you are uh absolutely correct, Councilmember Benson.

That is something that would trigger a substantive change and an additional uh public hearing.

However, um, as as you laid out, this would not be a large lift into the new year to add this on to this ordinance so we can make sure that our bicyclists are able to participate in this program as well.

And then through the chair to DPD, you'll be the managing agency for this uh the blight patrols.

Is there an issue with adding those line items within your budget and when within your oversight?

Well, through the chair, we see no challenges with the addition.

Okay.

And so I'll work with my colleague.

Um Lord willing that I am still an elected official as of Wednesday morning that I would work with my colleague um next year to get to make that happen.

All right, thank you.

And and thank you, Member Callaway, for making this happen.

And so this was a heavy lift, and blight is the number one phone call that we get in the third district, and the ability to give the residents, the bosses, more say in that, then that means that my office will likely get less um complaints and issues and concerns with the grass being too long or their neighbors not taking the garbage cans in or that car that's been parked in front of the house for a year or two that's now on flat tires or the illegal dumping that somebody has done an illegal clean out of a uh of a derelict home and just left it in the uh the right-of-way.

And so if we can get more ownership from our residents, this is a good thing.

So thank you very much.

And I do not like rats either.

So I'm hoping that this will help resolve some of those challenges.

Thank you, Vice Chairmember Calloway.

Thank you, madam chair.

Um, and to your um your concerns about um, I don't know if it's a lack of participation in district six regarding um citizens radio patrol.

We've had um outstanding success in my district with the citizens' radio patrol again for close to 37 years.

So I would make sure that I give your staff or have Peter um reach out to um your staff and share Jim Ward's name.

He is the leader of the Citizens Radio Patrol, he wears that badge uh proudly.

And I know he's probably listening.

So Mr.

Ward, we need help in District 6.

We want you to work with our um our um our um council person, um Santiago Romero, and I know someone in District 2 is listening, and I'm sure they're gonna reach out to your office and share their success story and tell you and share with you how they were able to remain active after 37 years.

I know he's biting at the bit to share all that information and perhaps come over and train um the volunteers that you do have and help you to recruit.

He's good at it.

He's the expert in it.

And so thank you, madam chair.

Thank you, Member Callaway.

I believe that is all.

I just have one last question before we turn it over to questions from the public.

Miss Gracie, how active is our current radio patrol today?

Uh, do we have teams across the city in every district?

Are they fully staffed?

How's that going?

Yes, um, we do have right now to date 21 active radio patrols.

Um, unfortunately, during that COVID time, a lot of our radio patrols um sort of were suspended at that time.

Some didn't come back because of the close encounter of working inside a vehicle.

Um, but the recruitment for the existing ones is going very well.

Um I will add that the uh CVI opportunities have helped to grow the patrols as well.

Awesome.

Thank you.

I appreciate that.

Thank you.

And uh yes, I would love to have Jim work with my constituents because they are trying to recruit for our own.

We have a number of very active residents, but we're looking for more.

So with that, we can turn it over to the folks that we have online.

Ms.

Duncan, how many hands do we have raised?

I will be giving everyone one minute.

Uh we had a long general public comment, so we'll have one minute for our 1030 a.m.

public hearing.

We'd love to hear questions and thoughts from the public.

And we will now open public comments for our 1030 a.m.

public hearing, and I'll be cutting off public comments going once for our 1030 a.m.

public hearing going twice.

Public comment is now cut off for the 1030 a.m.

public hearing.

Ms.

Duncan, who do we have first?

Madam Chair, there are eight hands raised.

The first caller being solar takings.

Ms.

Warwick, and just to remind everyone, we are solely speaking regarding the citizens radio patrol for blight patrol.

Anything else I will have to cut you off and invite you to join for general public comments at another session.

Miss Warwick.

Uh gee, Chair, are you really saying you're gonna interfere with my uh right to my first amendment right?

That's shocking.

It truly is.

So here's the problem with this, folks.

First of all, you don't need it at all.

You have residents that come to you regularly and talk about blight issues.

I have sent member waters staff photos of the garbage that the people want to build North End Landing mow over constantly.

I've been coming to to this council constantly talking about.

I texted the photos to Mary Sheffield staff and Mary Waters' office.

We have an ombudsman person to deal with this.

This looks so shady, and you can't treat people unequally.

You all uphold the took an oath to uphold the constitution.

You can't say, oh, this is the way we're gonna deal with blight in some areas, but in the solar areas, just shove a solar farm in their face, and we haven't even had the time to review this.

Gentlemen, I complained about blight and and the the force didn't come help me out.

The next caller is William Davis good morning.

Can I be heard?

Yes, you can.

Good morning.

Uh you know, as you may know, I'm a former elected police commissioner for district seven.

And some people still think I'm still a police commissioner because I still get cause about blight all over the city.

Blight is and continue to be a problem, and I think that this is a good step forward.

I think more needs to be done, especially as it relates to fines and taking people's vehicles that do major dumping in our city.

But especially like so here in District 7 example, you know, the areas, especially around District 7 borders, Dearborn Dibrine Heights and reference.

So you have people, you know, you have from the suburbs dropping stuff off because they think they could get away with it.

If we had more patrols, especially a black patrol, that's that will help decrease the volume because people don't know who's watching them.

Thank you.

Thank you.

The next caller is Owner Papa.

And good afternoon or good morning.

And through the chair, may I be heard?

Yes.

Thank you.

I'm against combining this ordinance with the uh patrol ordinance that's been around and been successful for decades.

I don't think that uh we're we're I think we're mixing apples and oranges involving the police over blight.

Uh I want to know how will the blight patrol patrol participate uh and get in engaging the citizen and what types of authority will they will they have?

And uh will you uh uh now give tickets to uh Detroit land bank properties, uh, or are you going to discriminate against the uh very people who pay your salaries?

And I want to know ask Officer Parrish what kind of evidence do you have that this will address the rat issue.

You you mentioned that in what you said.

I don't know if you have any proof of that, uh, because you Coleman Young just spent uh millions of dollars for rat uh re eradication and out of his committee.

And and so I just want to know who who's going to be engaging the citizen and why would you engage the police with it.

The next caller is Darren Darren McCleskley.

Good morning, everybody again.

Um, I don't have much to say, just two points regarding um regarding this is that as we have seen with the solar takings, it basically, especially in the most distressed of neighborhoods, um, pitted people against each other.

So even though I would say that the community involvement was questionable, you literally, whoever drew the lines, you literally had the haves and the have nots.

You had people getting benefit essentially.

Patrols and reporting blight, that's very important.

That I would caution against kind of neighborly disputes reporting people for blight, um, and and getting people into trouble in certain parts of the neighborhood.

Um that's it's kind of alarming.

And then the last thing is that blight is legally defined in Michigan as any tax-reverted property, which is a vast majority, over one-third of properties in Detroit.

So that needs to be taken into consideration too.

Thank you.

Thank you.

The next caller is Melissa Love.

Miss Love.

I think I think the ordinance is a great idea, but I just don't understand why the police will be involved.

Why is it a background check needed?

Um, I feel like that will scare a lot of volunteers.

Um, and I do feel like blight will help the rats.

Um, as I have a neighbor um in the district seven that holds uh old uh motorcycle, and I see that um there's a rat home inside of it.

Um, so I think that would that is a great idea.

Um if you guys come block block block by block, um, please come to Finkel Shall Find Eton area.

Uh as it is the neighborhood uh house by house is blighted.

Um every time I go out, it's uh paper plates on my yard.

And I just want to know who do I complain is.

Thank you.

The next caller is not that Karen.

Hello.

Hello.

Yes, we can hear you.

Great.

Um, yeah, I think we should start with some things, or it should include some things, including community service.

It fits right in with what we're talking about.

But uh, do not litter literature posted more um openly around the city with and and trash cans.

Um, you know, some for the some blue cans and some regular cans, so we can recycle and we can start to make a dent in this blight issue.

Um, of course, some of the biggest blights uh are gonna be the um the homes that are sitting around vacant and vandalized.

So uh a patrol for that and then uh a running list, um, a spreadsheet, so that people would know that they're already been reported, they're already on the list.

We should incorporate these things too.

But we do need to do something.

Um course some of the biggest blights are are gonna be the the um the homes that are sitting around vacant and vandalized so uh a patrol for that and then uh a running list um a spreadsheet so that people would know that they're already been reported they were already on the list we should incorporate these things too but we do need to do something um the rats they're even the rat poison we need to just take a look at how we're incorporating that into this um ordinance thank you thank you the next caller is Tahira Ahmed Miss Ahmed you're up next Miss Tahira Ahmed you are up next we cannot hear you if you're speaking Miss Duncan do we have anyone else the last caller would be Miss Maddox who is here in person with us other than that no there were no other hands raised before you cut off public comment all right miss Ahmed while Miss Maddox joins us here in the front of the room we will make sure that we can give you your time if not we'll have to bring you back after Miss Maddox.

Hello can you hear me?

We can hear you now yes you have to sorry about that I think that was my uh I uh I I agree with this ordinance thank you again member Callaway for your excellent ordinances that's why you need four more years and thank you other council people for uh signing on to this.

I have a couple of questions.

One is uh do you take into consideration uh the the vehicles if you know they need maintenance that that are driving through the neighborhood, whoever uh volunteering uh the the 70 cents uh uh I'm concerned may not be quite be enough.

Maybe people might need new tires or something like that.

Also, uh what would uh what is uh taking into concern uh in uh the weather?

Uh like if it's icy and snowy out as a matter of fact, I want to sign up because I think this is excellent.

I always watch my neighborhood, and there's a house uh on my neighborhood that has a lot of grass there, it's abandoned, and I can see the rats running through the grass.

So, yes, this is great.

Thank you.

Madam Chair, is there an opportunity to respond or not?

We're gonna hear from Miss Maddox next.

Do you want to respond directly to her?

To Miss Ahmad.

Okay, go right ahead.

Um the 70 cents, Ms.

Ahmad is standard, it's set by the IRS, and it was just changed in January of 2025.

I think it was 63 cents, so it is a standard rate, and we are not um obligated to make sure people have good tires.

That is the personal um um responsibility of the vehicle owner, but what we are obligating um ourselves to um cover is 70 cents per mile.

Thank you.

Thank you, madam chair.

Thank you, member Callaway, Miss Maddox.

Yes, good morning.

You can go ahead and speak on the 1030 a.m.

public hearing.

I have to make sure everyone stays focused on the subject of blight patrol.

Okay, guys.

Um we are need to come to cut the mice because to get in the light is still uh ongoing but it is look it be into use because I grew up and sets with the tool and go back.

Thank you, Miss Madox.

I believe that is our last caller, correct, Miss Duncan?

Yes, madam chair, before you cut off public comment.

Thank you.

Mr.

Roo, uh, when I called for public comments, I did not see you raise your hand or say anything to join, so I will keep us going along now.

Thank you for being here though.

All right.

So moving us along, I did hear some questions from the public regarding training.

Um, so there were questions around what if there's bad weather?

Um, are they going to be ticketing?

What will the folks be doing while they're patrolling?

Thank you.

An excellent question, Madam Chair.

So uh when we talk about training, one of the things that we will talk about are the rules of engagement.

Uh as in, if you see someone or you observe this in progress, um, what do you do?

Whether you're calling 911, whether you're calling right into uh our monitor who who may be there, if we have MPOs that are with them, how do you communicate in progress crimes versus reporting when you see something or you observe uh uh rubbish or debris or blight uh that has been say dumped uh under the cover of darkness or at night?

So those are some of the things that we will talk through uh training, and one of the things that came up, and sorry if I'm jumping ahead of your questions, but was the background piece.

There are a few things that we will be checking, and it won't be uh what you did in the third grade, but if you are and we're patrolling if you're being reimbursed in this program uh uh by driving, we need to do a background check to make sure you have a valid driver's license.

Uh and those are the things that we will be looking for.

Obviously, if you have a criminal warrant or something outstanding with the court, we you're not in a place where you can partner with us.

And through our programs through CBI and others, there may be a pathway to help you address that and get your license or get those warrants taken care of.

So those are some of the things that we're looking uh for.

And then when we talk about patrol areas and training, what will be your area, and then again, just metrics as it relates to both uh I I don't want to use the term performance, but as it relates to roles and responsibilities.

Uh, again, when you uh take your post or are out and engaged in patrolling, how you catalog your mileage uh so and how you fill out the form for reimbursement, some may not know.

So those are some of the things that we will be training uh in this program uh before uh those are commissioned to go out uh and and patrol.

All right, thank you, attorney Anderson.

Well, through the chair, Graham Anderson Law Department.

One thing I want to highlight as well, too, is uh section 26328, which uh outlines the patrol conduct rules and specifically uh under C during vehicle patrols, members shall remain in their vehicles except when necessary to obtain photos or document violations.

Members shall not enter private property and shall remain in the public right of way.

We're not asking for you know a super detailed investigation from the citizens here, just you know, as you're driving along what you are able to notice and highlight.

We don't want people going into people's properties.

We leave that to the proper authorities to handle such measures.

Um in it in addition, we do not want uh going to D patrol members shall not initiate contact or interrogate person suspected of prohibited activity.

We don't want the people seeing, you know, the person dumping trash to actually go and engage with them.

That's not their role here.

Their role is to highlight for our professionals to go out and then deal with that enforcement.

So that's uh an important aspect that I thought was uh worth highlighting.

Thank you.

So the folks patrolling are simply reporting.

Are they ticketing, are they doing any other action?

No, no, no, I'm sure they are not.

They're patrolling, they're reporting.

Yes, ma'am.

Okay, thank you.

Um, I really would only see a huge benefit of this if we are working together.

Um, so as I mentioned, our office, we do our own patrolling, we we do our own reporting.

Um, I think it would be incredibly beneficial if this was something that was at a cadence of meeting with each council office going through reports together, uh, because we're not gonna be the only ones they will not be the only ones reporting to office what's going on.

I get uh our vice chair is correct.

Blight is the number one call that we get in our office, um, and we get reports regularly.

So that we are really zoning in, being smart, coordinating.

Well, I've reported it, I reported it.

What's going on?

I would rather us have this supports efforts that are ongoing now.

Make sure that we're more coordinated, make sure that we're responding in a faster way to be able to remove the blight.

And really, my only other question is if we have more reporting, um, more cases open to close.

Do we have the resources to address the blights?

That is quite frankly the biggest thing here is of is this is if this will be successful or not, or if this would just be something else that residents will point to we told you it's not happening.

Um, I don't want that to be the case the whole.

I have no other questions now.

Is there anything else that people would like to ask or add to this conversation?

Member Callaway.

Thank you, madam chair, and thank you to um the representatives from DPD.

Thank you, Assistant Chief.

Um, and uh I know this is going to be a successful ordinance if passed.

I'm hoping it will receive the unanimous support um of my colleagues.

It is a common sense um ordinance, it's been um a long time coming.

Um the number one issue in my district since 2022 is blight.

And um, this was inspired by Mr.

Charles Harvey, he's 92 years old, and he has a spreadsheet.

He sends it to the mayor, he sends it to whoever else will receive it, and he's been doing that for a number of years, and so he is truly the inspiration behind this blight ordinance.

And um, he sends pictures and he shares them widely, not just for folks in district two, but he shares them with everyone.

Um, so we know that there's an issue, and this is just another step in the right direction.

Um, and I'm hoping it will address um some of the blight problem, not probably perhaps not entirely, but it's a good step um in a good direction.

So thank you, um, madam chair for allowing me to speak, and thank you to my colleagues for those of you who will support it, and thank you again to the um the members of leadership of DPD.

And thank you, Miss Gracie.

Thank you, Member Callaway.

Is there a motion for our 1030 a.m.

public hearing?

Motion to send the formal recommended approval.

Uh hearing no objections.

This ordinance will be sent to formal with the recommendation to approve.

Thank you all for joining us this morning.

There will be no new business, sir.

We have no committee tomorrow.

We are gonna be running for something.

Thank you all so much for being here.

Hope you'll have a good rest of your of your of your day.

And with that, I will now close off our 10 30 a.m.

public hearing, moving us along to the rest of the agenda.

Thanks, Mark.

Under unfinished business, six points one and six point two, these are all various contracts.

6.1 is contract number 3087566.

This is regarding an emergency demolition for residential property, and 6.2 is contract number 3087968.

Another uh this is another construction demolition contract, but this is for an emergency alteration.

We have been asked to bring these both back in one week if there's a motion to do so.

Discussion discussion, vice chair.

Uh the reason for the bring back has some questions regarding these contracts.

Well, okay.

Motion to bring back one week.

No objections, six points one and six point two will be brought back in one week.

6.3.

This is a memo relative to resolution to pass the living wage for musicians acts.

This we've been asked to bring back in two weeks.

Hearing no objections, 6.3 will be brought back in two weeks.

6.4 is contract number 3087566.

This is utilizing 100% bond funding for emergency demo at 1288 Chapel Contractor CS Environmental.

They're in Detroit.

This is for 16,000 and is for construction and demolition.

Is there a motion to approve or discuss 6.4?

Motion to approve.

Hearing no objections, 6.4 will be approved.

Oh, vice chair before approval for 6.4.

Isn't this the same address?

Is this the same address as 6.1?

I believe you're right because I just contract 30875.

This can be removed then, and would make sense why I have no motion for this on my agenda.

All good.

We're gonna remove let me just double check real quick.

Three zero.

If we can all just double check real quick.

Yep, it is a duplicate.

All right, thanks everyone.

Um so hearing thank you.

Hearing no objections, we will remove 6.4.

This is a duplicate.

And moving us along, six points five is a memo relative to trash and waste collection through member Johnson's office.

And we'll jump down to 6.7.

Another memo through uh through Member Johnson's office.

This is regarding the code red emergency alert systems.

Both 6.5 and 6.7 can be received and filed.

Discussion.

Vice Chair.

Uh through yourself to the administration, just a brief conversation regarding the responses to uh 6.5.

We've had a number of issues and complaints in the third district as well.

And I've seen the responses.

But just looking in and what may happen is we may submit another memo, which is stronger um questions.

But just what is the what is the goal or the um the process that we're going to continue to see and receive complaints as well from our service provider.

Mr.

Washington.

Yes, good morning through the chair.

We do have Director Brundage online.

If we can move them over as a panelist.

Excuse me.

Thank you, Ms.

Duncan.

Good morning.

Good morning, Director.

If you wouldn't mind seating your name and title for the public.

Sure.

Ron Brundish, Director of DPW.

Thank you for joining us, Director.

Were you able to hear the question from our vice chair?

Uh I I did.

I I don't have the memo in front of me.

Um, but uh I'm assuming uh uh through the chair to Member Benson, uh that uh maybe you're looking for additional detail.

Uh the the the email that we were or the question that we received from member uh Johnson uh was specifically related to complaints that have been received uh regarding the trash collection services that priority waste was providing uh in district four uh on the east side.

Uh the response uh that DPW provided uh did detail uh albeit generally uh the the mechanisms that we have in place uh to ensure that not only priority waste but waste management on the west side uh that they're performing in accordance with the terms of our contract.

Uh and it starts with us on a on a daily basis, the day after collection, uh, with us sending uh we've got four uh inspectors in our solid waste division uh that on a daily basis uh do to do spot checks right alongs in areas uh where collections were supposed to occur the day before.

Uh so they're writing to determine whether or not uh just generally obviously they can't get to every block, but they're writing to determine uh whether it appears that the contract is uh provided uh appropriate services on a daily basis.

Uh we also uh meet with uh the contractors on a regular basis uh to go over any complaints.

We try to focus on uh kind of systematic complaints uh where we feel that you know maybe there's an issue uh with the level of services being provided as opposed to uh more random one-off complaints that require uh individual uh investigations to determine whether or not uh the contractor was responsible, or maybe a resident put a container out too late, or maybe they put bulk out uh that was above uh what they're allowed to uh put out, uh you know, part of the terms of uh term for the terms of our contract with our trash haulers.

Uh so uh I I do uh understand member Benson's concern that maybe uh more detail could have been provided, but I was just trying to kind of outplay uh at a higher level uh the type type of things that we put in place on a regular basis to ensure our contract is up performed.

Uh thank uh DPW you c you all have come out to neighborhood meetings when the community groups have complained about the level of service that we're receiving pro from priority.

I'd like to just be able to see the tracking method or this the metrics of what you all have seen about the complaints and how they've been resolved, and if they're trending in a certain direction, we see more complaints when it comes to this general pickup, or more complaints when it comes to the uh the large um weekly bulk pickup, or if it's an organic waste pickup challenge, or maybe it's just it's the one off, but it really is not a major issue.

But also, how are we publicly advertising how residents can resolve those challenges?

Are we giving them the numbers?

Do they have the solid waste phone number things or the um priority waste phone number to call if they do have a complaint?

To the chair, we we can certainly provide that uh detailed information.

Uh I I will just like to say that uh with regards uh to the complaints um uh that we received through member Johnson's office, as well as uh some of the complaints in district three that led to to me and a member of priority mace weeding meeting with some of the constituents in your district.

Uh we we did find that in most cases uh that the complaints centered around uh uh around yardways or tree debris that have been set out uh that hadn't been uh hadn't been picked up.

And and again, as I indicated earlier, in some cases uh we found that that the contractor didn't pick it up because the debris had been placed out in a manner that either exceeded or wasn't packaged uh in in a manner that was appropriate for the contractor to pick up.

But it but again, uh that's why it was it really required us to kind of look at these on a case-by-case basis uh to determine whether the contractor was at fault or whether or not we need to do more on the department level uh to educate our residents to ensure that debris is being put and put being put out appropriately.

Okay, and then so I will submit an additional memo to take a deeper dive, um, just because also looking at what are we doing to modify behavior from our residents if we're doing things incorrectly.

So if someone's routinely exceeding the uh limit for bulk pickup or for contaminating our recycling bins, just how are we educating people to know that they're not doing something correctly, which then causes them to think, well, their priority race isn't doing its job, or Republic isn't doing its job.

And so it's just good to be able to level set and have everybody understand what they should be doing, including our service providers, since we're paying for these services and it's not an inexpensive service that we pay for.

Thank you.

And through the chair to the member Vincent, uh we actually reach out to the residents uh in in multiple ways.

Of course, we send out uh informational flyers uh uh citywide to residents, but on case-by-case basis, when we see that residents are putting debris out, either inappropriately or in excess of what they're allowed to pick put out, uh we do start uh we do meet directly.

Uh, we will knock on doors and have conversations directly with those residents, letting them know why their trash or as well why their bulk of yard waste wasn't picked up uh to hopefully effectuate changes in behavior moving forward.

So just so I'm clear, DPW will come knock on my door if I put out my waste incorrectly to help me.

DPW, we work in conduct in conjunction with the building and safety engineering department's environmental enforcement inspectors.

Uh so if debris is put out as opposed to just issuing an uh a ticket, uh they'll receive a uh a violation warning notice giving them three days uh to remove debris if it's inappropriate, but it also serves uh as a uh as an indicator or notification that the the reason that your debris wasn't picked up is because it wasn't compliant, but we do follow up that and we we will follow up on that, and we do have multiple occasions where our DPW investigators actually knock on doors and talk with residents uh to let them know that this is the reason why your debris wasn't picked up, uh, because it wasn't uh in accordance with the requirements of what our contractors are are supposed to pick up.

All right, thank you.

Thank you, Madame Chair.

Thank you, Vice Chair.

Um, and thank you for pausing for this conversation because I uh have also reached out to our director regarding concerns when it comes to track uh trash or yard or bulk pickup and education is something that we need to do more of.

I I understand and I agree.

We just had a conversation about blight patrol um going around and reporting.

Would there be any space for blight patrol to go around and educate um if they see that there are residents that are not properly storing or taking out their yard waste, etc., etc., um, would that be an opportunity for them to fly hand out flyers and support people with educating them on how to properly uh take out their trash?

Chair, if that was a question for me, uh uh of course we we welcome uh any additional resources to help us get our info our educational information out.

Uh so I I would certainly like to be a part of the conversation uh you know, as the um, you know, as that particular effort moves forward, and I can certainly see some value uh to those groups uh being provided with DPW uh literature and flyers that you know provide correct information to our residents in terms of how debris is to be set out.

Okay.

Has a second has has the city ever ticketed?

Um not saying that I want to do this, but I'm just thinking of all tools that we have.

If we have was a successful, um, why have we not done it in the past other than um the very clear answer of us not wanting to put more burden onto our residents?

But I do believe other cities tickets um residents when they are not following ordinance um when it comes to trash and bulk.

Has has this ever been considered?

Uh yeah, Madam Chair.

We we currently take it that the ticket and enforcement is actually uh handled through the building of safety engineering division, they have an environmental enforcement unit uh that provides those services depending on the volume of debris that's illegally set out.

Uh, if it's if it's greater than 10 yards, it's just immediately uh determined it'll be a legal dumping and a ticket is issued uh at the time the inspector goes out.

Uh if it's less than 10 yards, the process is for the inspector to uh give them a warning notice, giving them 72 hours to remove it themselves.

If they don't, then inspector will come back out three days later and they should take it.

So those processes and procedures are currently in place.

Thank you for reminding me.

I have seen that and I have heard those complaints as well.

Uh so thank you.

I don't think we do it often, but we do do it.

Um, and I have seen tickets out while while knocking on doors when it does come to a huge amount of uh debris.

Um, my only other question or thought is um very much um the same line of thinking as our vice chair.

Um, I know that when I reach out to you, it does feel like a one off, but um having a number to report or having a way to collect the data so that we have a clearer picture and collect and and be able to see trends would be very helpful.

Um, when I'm out talking with residents, um, and they tell me that garbage is not picked up regularly um or the recycling is never picked up.

Um, they are usually in areas that are more vacant.

Um, where they and I mentioned this I believe to you in the past, um, where um they might be one of the FIFA homes um in the area.

Um so just having a way to report and collect data so that we know where any issue areas there might be, and so I don't feel crazy when I'm telling you these things and and when residents when they tell me these things, I have a way to see it.

Um, would be very helpful because we are paying big money for this new contract.

Um, Detroit is reserved to to be able to utilize these services that they're paying for.

Um, so that would be helpful for us to make sure that we are receiving the services that that we are paying for.

Of course, we can certainly provide that information.

All right, thank you, Director.

Um, hearing no other questions, I believe that is all that we have for you at the moment.

So thank you for joining us.

Okay, thank you.

Uh there was a motion to receive and file six points five and six point seven.

Hearing no objections, six point five and six point seven would be received and filed.

6.6 is a uh memo relative to questions regarding stormwater management, and 6.8 is a memo relative to a request for a report on flood mitigation solutions on West Grand Boulevard.

Uh, both 6.8 and 6.6.

We've been asked to bring them back in one week.

Hearing no objections, 6.6 and 6.8 will be brought back in one week.

6.9 and 6.10 are various memos.

69 is a memo relative to request for walking mileage data in district one, and 6.10 is a memo relative to questions regarding DPD training practices.

Both can be received and filed.

Hearing no objections without objection, 6.9 and 6.10 will be received and filed.

We will approve the receive and file for 69 and 610.

Moving us along under new business.

7.1 and 7.2 are construction and demolition contracts.

7.1 is contract number 6005 667.

This is amendment number 4, utilizing 100% ARPA funding to provide an extension of time only for renovation at Buttsel Family Recreation Services.

Contractors Gandalf, they're in Detroit.

This time will be extended through March 31st, 2026.

And there is no increase in funding.

7.2 is contract number 6005686, amendment number two.

This is utilizing 100% ARPA funding.

This is going to extend the time for major improvements throughout all firehouses.

Contractor is D Angelis Diamond Construction.

They are in Novae.

We will extend their time through June 30th, 2026.

Is there a motion to approve or discuss six excuse me, 7.1 and 7.2?

Motion to approve discussion.

Vice Chair.

Mr.

Washington, who do we have to discuss?

Through the chair, we have Nicholas Payne as well as Sonia Clifton.

If we can make them both panelists, they're both rejoining as panelists, madam chair.

Thank you.

Ms.

Duncan.

If you wouldn't mind stating your names and titles for the public.

Good morning, Sonia Clifton, ARPA project manager, Office of Contracting and Procurement.

Thank you both for joining us.

The question for 7.2.

Oh, thank you.

On 7.2, $5 million contract firehouses throughout the city of Detroit.

Where do we stand with that?

The contract expires on 30 July, giving us eight months to get through the balance of whatever is there.

How do we look?

Do is our burn rate sufficient where we're going to be able to get through this and not have to return any money?

Good morning through the chair.

We do believe we're on track.

We've currently completed window replacement, uh, generator trackers, plumbing uh repairs, uh locker room upgrades, concrete approach upgrades, and we're currently working on our structural drawings for the Bay Area of uh engine 57 and 58.

Being that work on the construction drawings, does that mean we're going to have construction as part of this contract or is that part of another contract?

I mean that we have eight months left.

Uh that would be through this contract.

Okay, and we're confident we'll be able to get through the uh project and spend the money.

Yes, sir.

All right, thank you.

Thank you.

Are there any other questions for 7.1 or 7.2?

Hearing none, there was a motion to approve.

Hearing no objection, 7.1 and 7.2 will be approved, sent to formal with the recommendation to approve.

7.3 and 7.4 are health department's contract.

7.3 is contract number 600 6713, amendment number one.

This is utilizing 100% opioid settlement funding.

This will provide an extension of time only for medical vending machines for various locations throughout the city of Detroit.

Contractor is Illinois Supply Company, they're located in Illinois.

This extension of time will go through October 30th, 2026.

And 7.4 is contract number 600 6497, amendment number two.

100% grant funding to provide an increase of funds for final invoices related to fiduciary services to assist with fiscal management and administrative supports.

The contractor is Southeastern Michigan Health Association.

They're in Detroit, and this will increase the funds by 600,000, bringing their total contract to 3,600,000.

Is there a motion to approve or discuss 7.3 and 7.4?

Motion to approve discussion.

Vice Chair.

Uh just do yourself to the health department.

Can we just briefly describe what is in the vending machines for those who aren't aware or have seen these and where are they located and why are they located there just to better educate our populace?

Mr.

Washington, who do we have to discuss?

We have Leah Smith and Chris Jones online.

If we can make them both panelists, Leah Smith is a panelist and Chris Jones is rejoining as one.

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

If you wouldn't mind stating your naming title for the public.

I'm the director of administrative operations for the health department.

Thank you for joining us while we wait for.

Oh, wonderful.

Hi.

Hi, Chris Jones, Office of Contracting and Procurement.

Hello, good afternoon.

Thank you both for joining us.

Um, Miss Smith, would you be able to let the public know what they can expect from the vending machines that are going to be throughout the city?

Through the chair, yes, absolutely.

We have two different types of vending machines.

One vending machine is for Narcan only.

That is a newspaper type vending machine, like the old newspaper machines that you would pull down and get a newspaper out of, except now you get you can find Narcan.

For the more traditional vending machines, those have Narcan as well as drug disposal bags, fentanyl test strips, and um HIV self-test kits.

We also have condoms and pregnancy tests for people who may need use of those as well.

And currently we are still working on placing of the machines, which is why we're requesting an extension of this contract for to provide those supplies.

Thank you.

And there was an additional 600,000 for seven points four.

Would you be able to speak on that?

Would anyone be able to speak on by the additional funds?

Yes, I can speak on that.

Thank you.

Um through the chair.

So our contract for a 6006497 is with the Southeastern Michigan Health Association.

The reason why we're requesting an extent um an increase of $600,000 is because we had vacancy savings on some of our grant funds.

This was a fiduciary services contract.

And in order to spend down those grant funds, we need to increase the contract authority with some high in order to spend down those grants and report that spending to the state.

All right.

Makes sense understood.

Um other questions.

There was a motion.

Oh, Vice Chair.

And just how do you to the chair?

How are you educating yourselves or making decisions on where the vending machines should be located?

Yes.

So currently we are actually using data by zip code.

So that is how we are currently placing the machines.

And through the chair, Councilmember Benson, we can send you a more detailed explanation about the how we place the machines via email.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you, Vice Chair.

Are there any other questions?

Hearing nine, seven points three and seven point four.

There was a motion to approve.

Hearing no objections, 7.3 and 7.4 will be approved, sent to formal with the recommendation to approve.

Thank you both for joining us.

7.5.

This is contract number 6007528.

Utilizing 100% city funding.

This is to provide R 134A free on.

It's a refrigerant for revenue vehicles for daily use.

Contractor is Hudson Technologies Company.

They are in Dallas, Texas.

This will go through October 15th, 2027.

And the total amount will be 76,740.

This will be for transportation.

Is there a motion to approve or discuss 7.5 motion?

Hearing no objections, 7.5 will be approved, sent to formal with the recommendation to approve.

7.6 is contract number 6005146.

Amendment number two utilizing 100% ARPA funding.

This is going to provide an extension of time only for tax closure for for tax for closure prevention canvassing.

Contractor is Detroit's people's community.

They're in Detroit.

This will go through June 30th, 2026.

And this will be for housing and revitalization.

Motion.

Thank you, Mr.

Washington.

Yes, um, through the chair, we are requesting this item to be removed.

Um, I believe Pro Tim intends to walk this on to PED because it landed in this um committee incorrectly.

Motion.

Hearing no objection, 7.6 will be removed from our agenda.

Should we refer it, Mr.

Washington or no?

We're all set.

Motion to refer back to the president's office.

Oh the chair.

One second.

Yes, Mr.

Washington.

Through the chair, no, we should remove it.

Um otherwise, uh preferring it back may delay is two weeks.

Understood.

Discussion.

Uh Vice Chair.

I'd just like to do bills and suspenders here.

I don't think that will be an issue if we walk it on.

If we send it back for the process, it's still in kind of a nebulous area.

But if it's walked on, then that should handle it.

If we refer to the president's office, Mr.

Washington, wouldn't she just be able to refer it to PED for this Thursday?

Or would it have to go through formal for it to be moved over?

Oh, sounds like the solution is to walk it on on Thursday.

My suggestion is belts and suspenders.

Let's just send this back to the president's office anyway.

And if it doesn't need to be referred, then it won't get referred if they handle it on Thursday.

But for some reason doesn't get handled there, then it'll still be a safety net to refer again.

So she just holds it for us, is what you're saying.

Yes.

Okay.

All right.

Mr.

Washington.

Yes, um, my guidance came from the clerk's office, so I would defer to them just to make sure that when we're on the same page with that.

Dr.

Powers seemed to be okay with uh the council president's office holding this and then it being walked on to PED.

So if that works, all right.

Okay, there's been a motion, I believe.

Is there a motion to send this to the president's office?

Motion.

Hearing no objections, six point sorry, seven point six will be referred to the president's office to be walked on to PED this Thursday.

Thanks, everyone.

Moving us along, 7.7.

This is contract number 3087963, utilizing the hundred percent city funding to provide X-ray equipment for the Detroit police bomb squad unit.

Contractor is logos imaging LLC.

They are in Richmond, Indiana.

Uh contracts will go through June 30th, 2026, and this total contract will be for 97,582 dollars, and this will be for police.

Is there a motion to approve or discuss?

Hearing no objections, 7.7 will be approved, sent to formal with the recommendation to approve.

7.8 is contract number 6006567, amendment number two, utilizing 100% ARPA funding.

This is to provide an extension of time only for alley infrastructure improvement to support various affordable housing projects.

Contractors, JB contractors in Detroit.

This will extend their time through March 31st, 2026.

And this will be for public works.

Is there a motion to discuss or approve 7.8?

Motion to approve.

Hearing no objections, 7.8 will be approved, sent to formal with the recommendation to approve.

7.9 through 7.11 are various construction and demolition contracts.

7.9 is contract number 600 6412, amendment number two, utilizing 100% city funding.

This is to add locations to contract.

This will add locations.

7.10 is contract number 6005965, amendment number one.

Utilizing 100% city funding.

This is to provide an increase of funds only for HVAC services or system services for City of Detroit facilities.

Contractor is Lembach Company.

They are in Detroit.11.

This is contract number 6006322, amendment number two, utilizing the hundred percent ARPA funding to provide an extension of time only for design build services to renovate Northwest Activity Center.

Contractors, DMC consultants, they're in Detroit.

This will go through March 31st, 2026.

And next again, all three of these contracts will be for construction and demolition.

Is there a motion to approve or discuss 7.9 through 7.11?

Motion to approve.

Hearing no objections, 7.9 through 7.11 will be approved, sent to formal with the recommendation to approve.

7.12 through 7.14.

These are all various health department contracts.

7.12.

This is contract number 6005088 amendment number one.

This is utilizing 100% grant funding to provide an increase of funds for a program administrator for coordinating and managing medical and supportive services for low-income, underinsured or uninsured persons living with HIV in the metro Detroit area.

Contractors Matrix Human Services.

And this will be for an extension of time only.

Is contract number 6005072 amendment number one.

100% grant funding to provide an increase of funds only for services for ending the HIV epidemic, a plan for Merrico Ryan White's HIV AIDS program.

Contractors health emergency lifeline programs.

They're located in Detroit.

And these funds will increase by 124,403 with 85 cents.

Is there a motion to approve or discuss 7.12 through 7.14?

Motion to approve.

Hearing no objections, 7.12 through 7.14 will be approved.

Sent to formal with the recommendation to approve.

And again, this is utilizing all grants and opioid funding.

7.15.

We have been asked to bring this back in two weeks.

This is regarding the video and camera systems for D DOTS buses.

Hearing no objections, 7.15 will be brought back in two weeks.

716 is contract number 6006780 amendment number one, utilizing 100% city funding to provide an extension of time only for paint supplies and equipment for transit buses.

Contractors, painter supply, and equipment, they're located in Lincoln Park.

This will extend their time through December 16th, 2026.

And this will be for transportation.

Is there a motion to approve or discuss 7.16?

Motion to approve.

Hearing no objections, 7.16 will be approved, sent to formal with the recommendation to approve.

Under the law department, 7.17 is a rather long proposed ordinance that I will not be reading today because I would like to bring this back in one week.

Thank you.

Both 7.17.

We brought back in one week, and this will be for introduction and setting of a public hearing.

I have not spoken with the proposed folks that are proposing this ordinance.

So if they wouldn't mind reaching out to us to figure out what they are thinking that would be very helpful, Vice Chair.

The due diligence has not happened.

This is very large, and we have very little time.

Yes, through the chair, um, we have reached out to all council offices to brief you on this matter.

Um member uh Durha will be the sponsor for this ordinance.

Um I will recirculate the language to each of the offices.

Thank you.

I appreciate that.

And I have been open.

We are very busy currently, and when it comes to these big major changes, we really do need time, and we need to give it the time that it deserves.

Um, so we will hopefully be able to meet um on this.

Um, but if we have to bring this back, we need to figure that out.

But thank you, Mr.

Washington.

We'll have those discussions offline.

Thank you both.

We will bring this back in when we can figure out what we can do and what we have to do.

Moving us along, 7.18 and 7.19.

7.18.

This is a placehold holder regarding the request for report concerning cannabis billboards.

Um, the opinion has been recirculated for this, and then for 7.19.

Oh, we will get to that in a second.

7.18 though can be received and filed.

Hearing no objections, 7.18 will be received and filed.

Under the departments of appeals and hearing, 7.19.

This is the dangerous buildings findings and orders for October 17th, 2025.

This can also be received and filed.

Motion.

Hearing no objection 7.19 will be received and filed.

Under the building, safety engineering and environmental department 7.20.

This is a recommendation for deferral for 17126 Rose Lawn.

Is there a motion to concur?

Motion.

Hearing no objections, we will concur with the recommendation for 7.20.

Under the Office of Chief Financial Officer, Office of Development and Grants.

7.21 is an authorization to submit a grant application to the Michigan Department of Transportation for the fiscal year 2026 Transportation Alternatives Program grants.

And 7.22 is to accept an increase in appropriation to the fiscal year 2026 family planning services grants.

And 7.23 is a request to accept an increase in appropriation for the fiscal year 2026 children's special health care services grants.

Is there a motion to approve all three line items?

Motion discussion.

Vice Chair.

Line item 7.22.

Question on what services are we providing with the family planning services grant and how are we advertising those services?

Mr.

Washington, do we have anyone to discuss 7.22?

Yes, sir.

The chair, we do have Leah Smith for this item.

We can make your panelists again.

Madam Chair, she's a panelist.

Oh, thank you.

Welcome back.

Um, if you wouldn't mind saying your name again for the record.

You're the chair, Leah Smith, Director of Administrative Operations for the Health Department.

Thank you, Director.

Were you able to hear our vice chair's question?

Um, if Councilmember Benson could please repeat the question, I would greatly appreciate it.

No worries, Vice Chair.

Thank you.

Uh, through the chair, your family planning grant, just what services are being provided by the health department, and then how are we advertising those services?

And then where are they delivered?

Yes.

Um, through the chair, thank you, Councilmember Benson, for that question.

So our family planning grant is utilized for reproductive health.

We have a specific focus on young adults from the ages of 14 to 22.

We currently provide all forms of birth control for our clinic, as well as birth control counseling, PAP smears, STI, STD testings, and pregnancy tests.

We also have a committee of youth throughout Detroit who also help advise the I decide program, which is funded through the reproductive health family planning grant on how to best engage with that age group.

As far as marketing, we have a variety of marketing campaigns on social media as well as billboards and radio spots.

We currently provide services at the 100 MAC location in our clinic downstairs.

And then we also have a day, I believe it's Thursdays.

I would need to verify that at our secondary um satellite location located at the Samaritan Center, where they can also go to have these services provided to them.

Okay.

And so do we do any pregnancy termination services?

No, we do not.

Okay, do we discuss that at all or educate those on how they want or need that service?

Um, through the chair, I would have to ask the program staff and return with an answer because I'm not sure if that is an option that we counsel on or not.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you, Vice Chair.

Uh hearing no other questions for 7.21 through 7.23.

There was a motion to approve.

Hearing no objections, 7.21 through 7.23 will be approved, sent to formal with the recommendation to approve.

Thank you, Director.

Thank you.

Moving us along under the Departments of Public Works, City Engineering Division.

7.24.

This is the petition of Sound Body, Sound Mind Sound Body Academy request to vacate with the reservation of utility easement.

7.25.

This is a petition of the Claremont Apartments for an encroachments for a proposed below grade roof ladder.

7.26 is a petition of shell oil products request for various encroachments for the installation of five monitoring wells, three soil gas wells, and four soil borings.27 is a petition of St.

Moses the Black Parish Detroit, a request to vacate with reservation of utility easements on a number of alleys.

Request for an encroachments for an existing subgrade concrete parking garage.

I'm so sorry if I mispronounce the last name, but this is to request to vacate a public alley bounded by the Joe Lewis Greenway, McDonald Ave, and Warren Avenue.

There have been no objections by utility companies on this request.

For 7.30, this is a petition of 16703 Warren BD LLC.

This is a request for several encroachments for the installation of four above door awnings on East Warren and Yorkshire Streets.

Hearing no objection, 7.24 through 7.30 will be approved, sent to formal with the recommendation to approve.

This brings us down to member reports.

Vice Chair.

Yes, sir.

Good luck, everyone.

Thanks everyone for a great session today.

Hearing nothing else to come before us, we are now adjourned.