On January 5, 2026, the Detroit City Council convened to address public concerns regarding municipal support and resident services before proceeding to the election of the Council President and President Pro Tempore. The meeting included testimony on police lawsuits, housing assistance delays, rental rights, and the emergency situation at the Leland House. The council then facilitated a ballot election process to fill its two leadership positions for the upcoming two-year term.
Johnson present Councilmanada Miller present councilman Gabby Alyssa Vamiro present councilmember James State Councilmember Mary Walters present councilmember Ansley Woodfield Collarway Councilman McCoba Young the second we have a corn present manager thank you we will proceed with public comment via Zoom Mr. Gilbert Hello Can I be heard yes we can hear you okay as I was saying that more needs to be done to help the people to live in the city of Detroit. I think a good start would be if most of the appointees lived in the city of Detroit. I think a good start would be if we did more, you know, I was an elected police commissioner four years ago, but even since this time, you know, we still have a lot of police lawsuits. You know, we're still demifying and representing people to do wrong to violate city rules and policies. We need to be doing more to cut down costs and improve the life of the people to live in the city of Detroit. Because the city has not done a great job. You know, most of that could put on the previous mayor, but now it's a new it's a new sheet, a new day, a new administration. So hopefully we can get some improvements to help more of the people that live here because more people need help. You know, everybody's not rich and well to do. Thank you. Thank you. Next, Andre. Next we have Ruby Riley. Ruby, can you hear us? Hear me. Yes. Okay. Good morning. Happy New Year's to everybody. Hoping and praying that this be a better year for the residents of the city of Detroit. I also agree with everything that Bill Davis said. Uh back last year when we would actually it was a couple years ago. We were approved for some work to be done on our house. It was uh I have the original paper with me. I showed it to councilman at large, uh, coma young, but I have the real paper, and they said they ran out of money. Well, I would like I and I'm sure everybody else that applied for that for that for that help. We should be able to get it. I've been going to the laundry mat every week or every two weeks or whatever to wash my clothes due to the fact that the water department, Gary Brown. I would I was going to all the meetings, and that was never well. The conversation that they offer me, that was I'm not a crackhead and I don't do drugs. I'm gonna say that forever. So I would like my washing my dryer. I would like to get the same uh conversation that Southwest Detroit got, and then like I say, with the part that they uh sign us up for. I have that original paper. I need that. Uh I suppose got a washer, dryer, stove, other items for the house, car insurance and all that. So all of us that signed up for that. I would like to see us to get that because it was approved, and then they said they ran out of money. So I don't know if I'm gonna have to have it looked up through um uh freedom of information act to find out where the money went to, but I'm sure we would like to have what we was what we were supposed to get. So with that being said, also we'd like for you all to look into this our auto insurance. The insurance is too high for the city of Detroit, especially for the residents that live in Detroit. You have people that don't live in Detroit, but you know, okay, and they said they got to do what they got to do to save money. So I'm just hoping this year be a better year. Thank you. The next person we have for public comment is DTU. Yes. Can I be heard? Yes. Good morning, council.