And to my left, um, we have um one of our newest um council members Renata Miller and it's going to be a pleasure to serve with you.

I'm doing this before I start the meeting.

It's gonna be a pleasure serving with you, ma'am.

Thank you.

Absolutely, and welcome aboard.

And then to my right, who I've been serving with for the last four years, who's giving me a lot of guidance and inspiration and motivation and correction at times.

Um is um member Scott Benson, and it has been my pleasure to serve with you over the last four years.

Um on the committees that I've served with you on.

You've been a guiding light, and um, I have nothing but the utmost respect for you, sir.

And I'm gonna gavel in our meeting, and thank you so much.

Thank you.

Absolutely honorable privilege to serve with you.

Let's go.

If the clerk can call the roll councilmember Angela Whitfield Callaway, present councilmember Scott Benson.

I Benson I council member Renata Miller, Madam Chair DeCorner.

Thank you, Mr.

Clerk.

Um, can we have a motion for approval of the minutes?

Motion are there any um objections hearing none, the approval of the minutes um will stand.

My chair remarks are um I'm looking forward to this opportunity, and um working with these wonderful people to my right and to my left, and I know we will all endeavor to do our best to serve the residents of the city of Detroit, and um moving forward, I know that's what we'll do.

So thank you so much.

Public comments should be turned off um now.

We said it's um 1005, it'll always be turned off at 10 oh five, and I'm being told to pull the microphone closer.

So public comment um is now closed, and every Wednesday it'll be closed at 10 oh five.

I do see you, Mr.

Cunningham, Mr.

Cuttingham.

If you are here to make public comment, if you can make your way to the microphone closest to you, and um is there any well one else in the audience who would like to make public comment here in person?

Just the one person.

We'll start with you, Mr.

Um Cunningham, and then we do we have anyone on um Zoom or on the who's called in?

Okay, madam, there are five hands raised for public comment on Zoom.

Okay, thank you.

We'll take them after we take Mr.

Cuttingham.

Mr.

Cuttingham, good morning, and happy new year, sir.

Good morning, happy new year.

I got cut off.

Uh I said thank you for everybody for the hand warms and the bus tickets, but you did 200 worth of bus to get out of your pocket, and it went to the people.

And I remember doing the bus ride along with uh you uh Miller and um Benson, we did the same, but that 200.

I ain't never seen nobody do that.

Do it again.

Yes, Mr.

Cuttingham, we will do it again.

313 444-9114-313-444-9114, 313-444-9114.

That number was made so you can remember it.

And on Facebook, put in two words, uh, three words, not enemy Detroit, and click people, and you will see me and my fam or just myself, you'll know it's my page.

Um, so pure transit, you make big moves with Pierre Transit on your vote.

And um, so I'm always around the city, and I see people with walkers canes, and I give out the application for MetroLib or Detroit Peer Transit.

And some people have it already, but their income is so low at the end of the month, $800 a month, they can't afford $2.50 one way.

That's what Pierre Transit costs.

Um, and so what I'm suggesting is just like on the fixed line routes that if you have a Medicare car, you get to pay 50 cents.

It's reduced, but there's no reduction for peer transit.

And I think it should be someone who's low income or with Medicare card, it should be reduced to maybe a dollar 50 cents.

I'm just so tired of seeing people out there that I'm talking to.

I can't afford it, I can't afford the 250 one way.

So they get on the regular buses 50 cents for four hours.

If it's good for the goose, it's good for the gander, I think.

So if they can uh decrease the price on fixed line routes, we could do the Medicare.

Uh I think they should do the same thing for peer transit, and I wish bus fare could be free.

It only generates eight million dollars to the general fund.

8 million dollars is drop in the budget.

We can find sponsors.

Thank you so much.

I digress.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Cuttingham, for your comments.

Okay, our first um caller.

You have madam chair.

Yes.

The next caller we have is ending in 482.

Okay, caller ended in 482.

You have two minutes for public comment.

Caller ending in 482.

You have two minutes.

I got two minutes.

You do.

Angela was still calloway.

That's me.

This is two representative.

Did y'all hear that clearly?

TV D and Janice been team in elections for years and years and years and years, many years over decades.

Y'all cheat it in.

The city council, the mayor.

Mayor TV has been TV in decade over decades.

I'm not lying.

I'm telling you the truth.

Now y'all get to find out who Miss Rue really is, Angela.

Over in District 2, you know, it's my stuffing ground.

All through that district.

And District One too.

I'm Motor City Road.

You don't know me, but you might get introduced to who Mr.

Rue is.

Lini want what she wants.

Y'all didn't want to give it to her, so that's where I took it.

Now I'm getting ready to scrub it all in your face, get rid of all y'all at the same time.

And I am who I am.

That's the record.

It's real.

Definitely.

And I'm him.

And him where I gotta be.

And y'all get to see him, him, him.

Mr.

Angela Whitfield Callaway, a K A.

I'm cold with real.

For real.

Not just a joke.

Well, I can see.

Is that it, Mr.

Crawley?

Okay, our next caller.

The next caller is Betty A.

Verner.

You have two minutes, Miss Varner.

Happy New Year.

Good morning and happy new year to you and all within the sound of my voice.

And I want to say, starting in January 1st, uh my association, the Soda Elsewhere Block Association is part of District 2, and we're eager and excited about being part of the District 2 and being able to complete the work that we are doing to improve our community and neighborhood.

Today I want to talk about a program that uh is called Community Solutions.

The director is at Deborah A.

Royal, Mrs.

Deborah A.

Royal.

She is a warm, loving uh person that she says she's here to provide resources and to help people who are in need of help.

Her telephone number is 313 4848.

Again, 313 484808.

I am receiving uh services from her program.

She has a unique program.

Now there are different um types of services she provide.

One of the services is catered to uh caregivers, where the caregiver receives services, and also the person who are in the need of the services.

So she's providing services to both.

She give comes goes into the home and gives relief to the caregiver, also provides at free activities for the caregiver.

They can get massages once a month, uh nails done, uh, go on events, etc.

Uh, the person who's receiving the services must be on Medicaid.

Also, there are programs that uh she has where you don't have to be on Medicaid.

Please call.

Thank you, Ms.

Verner, for that information, and we welcomed you and your entire community to District 2.

It's going to be my honor and privilege to serve you.

And I had a great time at your end of the year celebration in December.

So welcome to District 2.

And thank you for your call, Miss Varner.

The next caller is the next caller is William Davis.

Mr.

Davis, you have two minutes and good morning.

Good morning.

Can I be heard?

You can.

Okay.

I like to start off by saying hopefully this year, y'all could be a little bit more aggressive about getting something done about the vast number of city vehicles from city workers that leave the city every day.

And sometimes they drive quite a bit away, but it especially bothers me to see police vehicles leave the city, you know, for communities outside the city.

Those, you know, there's a cost associated with these vehicles leaving the city.

You know, for residents outside the city of Detroit.

That should be a savings there.

Uh also I hope that y'all this year do a little bit more, be a little bit more aggressive about reducing the number of lawsuits and the demifications.

You know, when you have, you know, employees that blatantly violate rules, policies, and procedures.

You why should we be uh representing them?

And don't get me wrong, I have a very strong union background.

I was uh acne steward in the 80s.

I was I organized UAW group and the water department, UEW supervisor group in the early 90s, and I'm currently president of uh City Detroit retiree group.

But you know, we need to make sure there's ways that we could cut some costs to make it easier for y'all to restore some of the money that was stolen from us, you know, during this fate bankruptcy.

You know, we need to be doing more things to help save the city of Detroit money, doing more things to generate wealth that you know, because retirees lost a lot of money and continue to lose money every month, you know, not just uh the pension cut or the loss of cost of living, but also this annuity clawback.

So hopefully this year this committee and the city council as whole could be a little bit more aggressive about saving money that we shouldn't be spending.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Um Mr.

Davis.

Our next caller is the next caller is calling user one.

Caller and user one.

You have two minutes.

Good morning.

Can I be heard?

I can be happy new year since you haven't said happy new year to me, member Callaway.

Um greetings, um Council Member.

Wait a minute, we're gonna start your clock, rewind it to two.

Let me take this opportunity to personally say happy new year to you.

Thank you so much.

Happy okay, you have two minutes.

Is that your phone ringing in the background?

I thought it was yours.

No, I don't have any other phone.

Okay, you have happy new year.

Umber for the 5th district.

I sent each of you all pictures showing you how the glass shelter that sits on Lynwood and West Grand Boulevard has been broken.

I asked Mr.

Kramer to take these down and either put up the medal or just don't have any because I'm tired of seeing the glass broken, garbage not being picked up, and no one gets back with me.

I hope that with the new council members, um, it can be better improvement.

Member Callaway, um, I hope with you being the only esquire um within the council that new laws will be implemented to stop slum landlords that when we bring complaints to council members showing pillars, pictures, videos, and audio of how we're living, we don't have to be retaliated against, regardless of your district and receiving lease violations or eviction notices as a form of retaliation.

Your building and safety is putting many of our lives in danger because instead of writing tickets, they're too busy telling how often one calls during public comment to complain and show evidence and just needs to stop.

Finally, I'd like to see some new skills being added, and I'd like to know which committee will be um over vocational.

I'd like to see eyelash technician training being added.

Is that something possible that can be added?

Member Callaway, can you please answer that?

Thank you so much, Ms.

Shea.

Member um Miller.

Good evening, ma'am.

This is Councilwoman Renata Miller.

Would you please state your number for me?

Our phones are not connected and we are not up and running as of yet, but I would love to speak with you and have one of my colleagues speak with you to address your concerns.

Thank you, Member.

The next caller is the next caller is to Hira Amad.

Good morning.

Uh happy new year.

Thank you for taking my comment.

Am I being heard?

You can be heard.

And happy new year, Ms.

Amott.

I am so proud of you all.

I'm great.

I'm glad to see you uh taking off as I'm uh happy and excited about what you are going to do.

Member Calloway, you have done so very well during your last term.

Uh I'm really ecstatic about what I can see you do.

I see you already, but I know you're gonna do even more greater things.

Um I represent uh the coalition for property tax justice and this comment that I'm making.

And we sent a memorandum to all council members.

Um during their first 100 days in office, the coalition of property tax justice uh is asking city council candidates and um well newly appointed city council members to implement the uh following action take action to fully implement the property tax reform ordinance by improving the Detroit assessment Detroit Notice of Assessment, timely producing an independent audit of the city's assessment data and disclosing assessment data.

Uh mandate the assessment division, not use only warranty deeds in their economic uh condition factor, the ECF analysis, and correctly uh depreciate homes.

Umsure that the chief assessor has passed the required Michigan master assessing officer uh examination, which Alvin Horn has not, and hence is fully qualified to serve in the important position.

So he's not really qualified because he hasn't passed it.

Uh create a plan to provide property tax credits.

Thank you, Ms.

Amott.

Our next caller discussion discussion, member um Benson.

Uh Madam Chair, we do have Mr.

Horn in the audience.

I'll give him to address that once he comes up for line item 6.1.

Thank you.

Absolutely.

Thank you, Member Venson.

Our next caller.

Madam Chair, that concludes public comment.

Thank you so much.

Um that concludes public comment and um line item five.

Um, it's unfinished business.

There is no unfinished business before us.

New business is line item six.

Um, Board of Ethics submitting report relative to a resolution by the city of Detroit Board of Ethics admonishing Alvin Horn, Deputy CFO and Assessor, Office of the Assessor.

Um, and I'm going to is there a motion to receive and file this report?

Motion to receive and file discussion.

Discussion, Member Benson.

Thank you.

I'd like to have Mr.

Horn come and address this as well, please.

Mr.

Horn.

I see the board of ethics is here as well.

If they'd like to come okay, so we can have Miss Crystal Phillips, who is the director of the Board of Ethics, and Miss Al Mr.

Alvin Horn to join us at the table.

Thank you.

And this is relative to line item 6.1.

Member Benson.

All right, thank you.

I see we both are here, and thank you all for coming up this morning.

Um the board of ethics, did you want to talk about this?

I've got a few questions for Mr.

Horn as well.

Oh, you want to talk about this?

I've got a few questions for Mr.

Horn as well.

Yes, good morning.

Good morning.

Um, this is just informative.

Um, the board has already made its decision, so I am here to present the public admonishment of Mr.

Horn.

If Mr.

Horn would like to speak, the council may allow him to do so.

Um, but the matter has been closed, and the the board has already um published the admonishment on our website.

All right, thank you.

I'm not questioning the board's actions, and so thank you.

Thank you all for doing the work and we receive this.

I'm going to go to one particular section of the admonishment.

And whereas during said hearing, the board of ethics acknowledged that Mr.

Horn, despite being in violation of the ethics ordinance and choosing not to follow the letter of the law, that his actions were intended to assist residents.

And then what your actions, what you intended to do was during the hearing, the Board of Ethics found that Mr.

Horn admitted to approving a waiver of penalties associated with late filings of property transfer affidavits for approximately 13,500 sales of Detroit Land Bank Authority properties from the year 2014 through the year 2020, as required by the Michigan General Property Tax Act in violation of Section 2, TAC 5, TAX 61 of the Ethics Ordinance.

And so Mr.

Horn, I just want you to address that.

And then what did you think that your actions were going to do to assist residents?

Through the chair.

Thank you for the question, Member.

Member Mr.

Horn.

Yes, ma'am.

Through the chair.

Thank you for the question, Member Benson.

And let me start off by saying that is totally and completely incorrect.

We did not add a single late filing fee to the 14,499 parcels involved.

And we provided the investigators of the Board of Ethics with the tax rolls for each year, showing that no late filing penalty had ever been added to those parcels.

So since there was no late filing fee added, there was no need, no need to go to city council to ask them to remove the fee.

What we did, we discovered, and the land bank told us this through their own internal audits, that they did not file the property transfer affidavits for 14,499 parcels, as they told the buyers they would.

Michigan law is clear.

It's the responsibility of the buyer to file the property to file the property transfer affidavit.

It didn't matter that the land bank said we would do it.

The law says it's the buyer's responsibility.

The law is also clear.

The buyer, the assessor shall uncap the property at the date of transfer and assess the tax, the interest, and the penalty against the buyer.

It's true, council can waive the fee.

Council can't waive a tax.

Council can't waive interest.

Council can't waive a penalty.

So that was my dilemma.

I could send out 14,000 tax bid tax bills to property owners who, in good faith, accepted a city agency.

And even though the land bank is separate from the city of Detroit, that's not how people see it.

They see the land bank as a part of the city of Detroit.

They will have been in the mayor's office, they will have been before this honorable body, screaming, what is that assessor thinking?

So the simplest, quickest thing I could do was to put those properties on the city's assessment roll at the time the assessor's office was notified of the sale.

So I admit Michigan law says I should have put them on the row at the time of transfer, which will resulted in taxes, interest, and penalty.

Also, because these were all prior year sales, they will have transferred to Wayne County Treasurer for collection.

Additional interest, additional penalty.

That made no sense at all to me.

People paid 100 for these vacant lots.

The tax was $18.

They suddenly will have gotten a tax bill for two, three hundred dollars because someone didn't keep a promise.

The simplest way to resolve this is what I did.

We will simply put these things on the tax row at the point we were told about it.

The taxpayer was held harmless, which was the single most important thing.

The land bank will get every single diamond capture they're entitled to.

So 1.3 million dollars.

That's not counting the interest and penalty.

So that's what we could have collected if these things were done at the time if these transfers had been recorded when they should have been.

So yes, I made a decision that the point the point of government is to serve as citizens.

No one can convince me that we'll serve the citizens of this city by handing them a tax bill that never should have been generated.

If someone wants to say that's an ethical violation, I didn't benefit from this.

No one, the assessor's office didn't benefit from this.

This is crap for the Board of Ethics to simply say that Mr.

Horn.

My apologies.

Thank you, Mr.

Horn.

Um Member Benson.

All right, thank you.

And Mr.

Horn, I appreciate that.

What I don't want this to become is a contentious conversation.

So I believe the Board of Ethics did its job.

I believe you have been admonished publicly for the letter of the law, but I believe the intent of the law is what you met.

And so I believe that you did support the residents of the city of Detroit.

I also believe there was a dropping of the ball at the land bank in this situation as well.

If you're going to tell somebody that you're going to file, do the project for them, and you don't do it, and now we find ourselves in a situation where you got 14,599 properties that were not properly filed and registered with the assessor's office.

That's been handled.

Now my question to you is has there been a conversation with the land bank to ensure that this does not happen again.

Through the chair, yes, sir.

Uh we meet staff in the assessor's office and with the land bank, we meet on a monthly basis.

We mock we we make sure we reconcile the land bank's inventory first the prop versus the inventory that's maintained by the assessor's office, so that we can make sure that every sale is captured within a uh six to ten week period so that we don't have an issue like this again.

So some good has come from this.

Uh we're working a lot closer with the land bank.

We've reconciled the numbers.

Uh we're within 200 parcels of what the land bank says they own and what we own.

And the difference is simply the the sales, what they bought, what they sell.

There's always going to be a is always gonna be a running number.

So, yes, to answer your question, we have taken steps, both the land bank and the assessor's office to make sure that nothing like this happens again.

All right, so it sounds to me as it's a process that was not properly followed, now has been repaired.

Um you all have a great level of communication.

We know that our ethics department is watching and will do its job as well, which I also appreciate.

And it sounds as if a common sense solution, you made an executive field decision, not to the letter of the law, but to the intent, and you saved our residents 14,599.

Um, an unwanted headache of between, let's say 250 dollars to 500 in fines, penalties, interest, and taxes.

And I think that we should all I am gonna walk away with this saying that what you typically don't hear about municipal government is that we make common sense decisions to find solution.

I believe that's what you did, and it may not have been in compliance with the law, but in the situation, you erred on the side of the residents of Detroit, and I believe that 14,599 property owners will appreciate that.

But I do also want to make sure that we don't have this type of profuffle again, and so that we can do have a process that works that when the land bank sells a property, they either do the filing for them or they let the recipient of that the purchaser know that you need to do this yourself, then we don't have this type of problem again because right now we've got the Board of Ethics here having done a report, and you here um having made the decision, also taking away from your time to do other necessary work.

And so I do want to commend the office for being willing to go on the limb and do something.

Um, but also we do need to follow the letter of the law.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Um, thank you, Mr.

Um Member Benson.

Um, member Miller.

I just want to say Mr.

Horn, I know this is a public admonishment, but um I must say that when people do not do the property transfer, the bill grows.

And it sounds like it would have probably been more than the actual lot itself.

Yeah, chair, yes, ma'am, it would have been.

So can you imagine purchasing a lot for 200 or 500 dollars and then you get a bill on top of it?

Our residents would have been furious, we would have been bombarded here.

I cannot be gonna tell you to what extent of 13,000 residents.

Chair, I that was a consideration.

I knew exactly I I've been to committee meetings, I've seen the anger from our citizens over action at the land bank.

If we had sent them these tax bills, the kindness that member Benson is showing me now would have been reversed if he if I had been called to this committee, this honorable body and asked to explain why it sent 14,000 tax bills to these property owners.

With that, I do agree.

And even for the uh call-ins and the people coming down here, I just wanted to say it just shows you have a heart for our people in the city of Detroit, although we know what the law says, and I'm glad you've come to an arrangement with the land bank to handle it in the future, so we don't have this problem, but to take this on yourself and um have the responsibility of it.

I just wanted to say um I appreciate it.

And our residents, I'm sure they do too.

Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

Thank you, Member Miller.

Um, Mr.

Horn.

Uh I just want to point out one last thing.

The the leadership at the land bank, this is different leadership than when this problem arose.

Um, they came to us and admitted this problem existed, and the land bank was perfectly willing to waive to give up the capture money to make this right for the taxpayers.

So they weren't screaming, hey, we've got to get our money, I don't care how you do it.

They were saying they agree, do not harm the property owners in this.

And if that means we don't get our capture money, that's fine, but do not harm the property owners.

That was everyone's intent.

That was our first intent across the board.

Do not harm the property owners in this process, no matter what you do.

I I do also quit.

Member Miller.

I'm sorry.

Uh member Miller, thank you.

I do question the timing.

This is 2026.

There was a hearing in what October.

Uh yes, ma'am.

I actually just got the documents.

I'm sorry, I I have not been able to go, but it's 2026.

Why is it coming on the floor now with the council?

I thought it should have been I would have thought it would have been handled uh prior to the election or even coming into the new year.

Mr.

Horn.

Um I can't answer that.

I question the timing of it as well.

I question a lot of things about this process, but I will, as the chair has pointed out, keep it low-key.

Okay, so I will leave that alone.

I I didn't tell you to keep the I tell you to keep it low-key.

I mean, if there's anything that you like that you like to share, um please share it, Mr.

Horn.

As long as you don't name call and be disrespectful.

Um, we want to hear your response to the question.

So I think that I have responded to the question, ma'am.

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you, ma'am chair.

Um, I presented the I present my rationale for what I've done, and despite everything that's happened, I would do the same thing again.

At the end of the day, it the purpose of of city governments to service citizens.

No one would have been served by doing anything other than what we've done.

So thank you, madam chair.

That's all I have to say on this.

Thank you, Mr.

Horn.

Um, I have a question for um the director of um the board of ethics.

And good morning, Ms.

Phillips.

Um, the third whereas um it says the Board of Ethics opened an investigation regarding Alvin Horn, a city appointee for the possible violation of willful neglect of duty prohibited and improper use of official position prohibited.

Can you tell me or tell us how Mr.

Horn has violated Section 2-5-61?

Yes, to uh member Callaway.

Um the deputy CFO, and this was in our legal analysis to the uh to the board.

The the deputy CFO is familiar with the legal requirements of Michigan state law.

He knew that what he was doing.

Um we all know that the government is mired in red tape.

That is not an excuse to violate the ethics ordinance.

It is not an excuse to violate state law, and that is what happened.

Yeah, thank you, Ms.

Phillips.

Member Benson.

Um I I thank Mr.

Horne for his field decision, and I want to make it known that we have an ethics department that is going to also follow the letter of the law.

And there's an old saying: do not accept in a win what you wouldn't accept in a loss.

Thank you for holding everybody accountable.

But you know what?

Sometimes uh an admonishment can be a badge of honor as well.

And I'm done, madam chair.

Motion to receive and file.

Yeah.

Um, there's been a motion to receive and file this document from the Board of Ethics resolution admonishing Alvin Horn, deputy um CFO assessor.

Um, are there any objections or further discussion?

Hearing no further discussion request or um any objections, we will um accept this.

Uh we will receive and file this um resolution.

Thank you both.

Thank you.

Thank you.

That's it.

Thank you.

I believe Member Benson had different member uh Mr.

Mr.

Horn, you have something else because we just did we just move to accept this, receive and file it.

So different I mean Madam Chair.

Uh Member Benson?

Yourself to Mr.

Horn.

There's also the question that came in through public comment regarding your not having finished a required education block and not being qualified to be the assessor.

Can you address that, please?

Thank you.

That is separate from the first line item.

Thank you.

Thank you for the opportunity to address that issue.

The City of Detroit has a certifying assessor.

We have people on staff who are required who are certified as Michigan Master Assessing Officers.

I'm not one of them.

I hold a Michigan advanced assessing officer designation.

I do not sign the role for the city of Detroit.

Charles Eddison does.

Those duties are split, and that is common among large jurisdictions.

It was one of the recommendations that came out of the bankruptcy.

It was one of the recommendations that came from Plant Morant audit and from the Auditor General doing the uh doing the review of the assessor's office when it was clear that the office was failing in his duties.

The decision was made because there are 400,000 parcels in the city.

You can't have the person responsible for maintaining the role run the office.

So the responsibilities were split.

Mr.

Erickson and Mr.

Brown report directly to me.

But they are the ones responsible for signing the assessment role.

They are the ones responsible for preparing that role.

I'm meeting with them in a few minutes after this meeting to understand where we are, so we can present the assessment notices and the to the city council and to the mayor's office and start the appeals process.

The way our structure is, it is common among large jurisdictions.

Cook County in Illinois, Maricoba County in Arizona, Miami Dade.

This is a common process.

There is no there's a term that they used when this first came up that implied that there was no city employee who was certifying the assessment role.

That's just untrue.

There are C employees who have the level necessary to certify this assessment role.

It's been like this for the last 12 years.

This is not new.

It is common.

There are other cities in the state of Michigan that do the same thing.

The MMAO is considered a professional title.

Is someone this is what I do?

I'm an appraiser.

I don't run an office.

I don't make decisions on budget and everything else.

I value property.

So our our level of four assessors value property.

That's their role.

They report up through the structure to me.

I'm responsible to the mayor and to the CFO on the performance of the assessor's office.

That includes the valuation of property.

That's how it's been since I've been here.

That's how it's been since the restructure and the bankruptcy.

There is nothing new.

Thank you.

I have a question.

You know, because we've been doing something for 12 years, um, some things we don't need to continue to do for the next 12 years.

Understood now.

So and I don't even like them when we say we we've been doing it this way for all these years, it doesn't make it right because you've been doing something.

That just simply tells me that you're just used to doing something, and sometimes we're used to doing something that we're doing wrong, it becomes right to us because we've been doing it for 12 years.

It still doesn't make it right.

So that's I mean, that's where I am with that.

If there's certain requirements you're supposed to have as being the director, the assessor director, then I would hope that you would um get those credentials or certifications.

That's what I would hope.

Yes, um, but if it's not a requirement by the state, um then you don't need the requirements.

But if there is a requirement that there's certain certifications and credentials that you are supposed to have or licenses, that's that's my expectations.

Um if there's not, then there's not.

Um, this is the first time that I'm hearing about this and reading about it, but because we've been doing something for 12 years does not mean that we have to continue to do the same thing for the next 12 years.

And I and I'll say it again, you can start off doing something wrong, but then it becomes right because you've been doing this so long, but it still does not make it right.

So um, Mr.

Mr.

Horn?

Understood, ma'am chair.

Um, I can assure you that we are fully compliant with Michigan law.

Okay.

The county is aware of our situation, the state is aware of our situation.

Um, as I said, there are this is common among larger jurisdictions that you split the responsibilities.

Detroit is the most complex jurisdiction in the state.

In fact, when prior to the bankruptcy, the role was one person, and it was clear it was too much for that one person.

The office fell apart.

That's where the assessment issue started, not because they weren't trying their best, they were overwhelmed.

So that was one of the key recommendations.

You create a structure and a hierarchy, so unresponsible to the elected officials for the conduct of that oper operation, and then staff who reports up to that person.

I am fully capable and fully qualified to perform the duties of a deputy CFO.

Mr.

Erickson, uh Cynthia Burton, who's the other member of the assessment of the Board of Assessors, they're fully qualified to do their jobs.

Every manager, every supervisor in office is certified.

In fact, this is the first time in anyone's memory that every appraiser, every supervisor, every manager in the office of the assessor is certified by the State of Michigan.

When I first started, we had maybe three people certified.

That was part of the problem.

So you're right.

Just because we've done something in the past doesn't make it right, but we've taken those mistakes of the past and create an organization that's that's better than it used to be.

Should the next person who comes after me be a level four?

Maybe, maybe not.

This is still a hard job.

And to ask them to do everything, you might not find someone who wants to do everything.

That's part that's all I have to say on the on the mayor, ma'am.

We are we are fully compliant with Michigan law.

What we're doing is not uncommon in the assessing world, particularly among larger jurisdictions.

Um thank you, Mr.

Horn.

Member Miller.

Member Benson, do you have any other?

Okay.

Um thank you, Mr.

Horn.

Thank you.

And I will keep your kind words in mind now.

Yes, Mr.

Horn.

Um so there's been a motion, it's been um moved that we will um receive and file this document, um, the resolution from the Detroit Board of Ethics, line item 6.1.

Now we're on line item 6.2.

Um second request for campaign contributions and expenditures, disclosure.

Um we still have the director of the board of ethics here.

If you can join us at the table.

My colleagues have any questions for um the director of the board of ethics.

Ms.

Discussion.

Yes, ma'am.

Uh thank you, madam chair.

Through yourself, uh, thank you for uh sticking around.

Saw the E I saw the line item as well as the email that we are required to submit a public servant disclosure of campaign contributions and expenditures.

Now you'll have to excuse me.

I was un I'm not familiar with Section 2 TAC 5 TAC 33, the night of the night 2019 Detroit City Code.

I am familiar with campaign finance laws which require us several times a year to submit a campaign finance report, which would be the same thing.

The question then bears are we double dipping or are we doing the same thing with this ordinance when if you really want to see our cam our expenditures and disclosures, simply go online, and that is a state mandate that's state law, and if we're doing something incorrectly or in violation of state law, I mean we are at jeopardy criminally there.

Here we're required to have a to submit uh in addition to get a a notary to submit versus just sending you the a copy of our report.

So then my question becomes and submit the document.

Why do it again?

Are we now jeopardizing ourselves?

Is this a gotcha type moment?

What is the requirement here when we are required as elected officials to submit our campaign finance report multiple times per year?

Through the chair to member Benson, I understand the confusion.

I've had uh council members email me with the same question.

Um I did not write the ordinance, but the ordinance is the law, and it states that there is a disclosure that must be filed on a form created by the law department, which we have.

Um so I just want to make sure that everyone is above board, that we're being transparent, and that these documents are filed with my office at the city of Detroit.

Um, and uh we understand that um the media foyas, these documents, they ask questions about these disclosures, um, and rather than um uh direct them to a uh to Google them uh themselves, um, we want to have those on file.

Okay, so it sounds as if this is a legislative um situation, and I'm gonna take a look at this ordinance just to make sure maybe there is some overlap and some duplication of efforts, then we can become more efficient.

All of our documents by law are public.

It's a simple uh look, and the media knows that as well.

And so this is to me becomes more of a gotcha.

Maybe there's another reason that we do it this way.

Um, but I tend to do something that we should look at.

And I did respond to my email.

I don't want my name to be on this list of of Scafflaw elected officials who have not submitted their report, and so I plan to comply, but we're also going to look at this.

This seems to be a duplication of efforts in double jeopardy on us for criminals and as well as civil um penalties if we don't properly file, and so want to make sure we're looking at that.

But thank you for being an accountability partner, which you obviously will no matter what the situation is.

So I want to make sure I don't need to be held accountable when I can submit simply submit the proper documentation.

Thank you, Member Benson.

Member Miller, if you have any questions.

No, okay, thank you.

Thank you.

Is there a motion to receive and file?

Motion.

Okay.

There's a motion to receive and file line item 6.2, the second request for campaign contributions and expenditure disclosures.

Any objection?

Okay, that motion will be approved.

Line item 6.3.

A letter regarding extension of interim suspension of Gayanga Company LLC and Brian McKinney.

Is there a motion to receive and file or discussion?

Motion to discuss.

Motion to discuss.

Member Benson.

Uh through yourself, can the law department speak to this, or do we need to have the inspector general here speak to this?

Through the Chair Graham Anderson Law Department, I can state that uh the reason for this extension is the investigation is still ongoing.

And uh per 17530, uh 175360 B, the initial suspension can be extended for three additional 30-day periods.

So this is the first of those 30-day periods.

Beyond that, I cannot discuss further.

Okay.

And then through and it may not be to the law department at this point, uh, maybe it's to LPD.

Um we have this is the first extension, it expires in three days, which means that they are gonna let it lapse or they're going to continue with another letter uh extending for another 30 days.

Do they convey that information to anybody, either LPD or to the law department to let us know the clerk's office?

Through the chair, I have not been a part of those discussions.

Okay.

Is the LPD part of that at all?

Mr.

King or Mr.

Attorney Phil Kelly, LPD.

We also have not uh had discussions with the inspector general's office.

Okay, all right.

Um I I had a conversation with them earlier today.

I do believe they're going to do that, but I'd much rather have them put that on the record themselves versus coming through me, which I believe would be hearsay at that point.

So um hoping to next time that we can get them to come and speak to this as well, as this is a significant um investigation and suspension, and as they say there are other investigations going on about this.

So I'd like to have them next time be present to speak to this.

Member Benson, is that a motion to have them receive an invitation to come before this body?

I was just request that they come.

Um I don't think we need a motion for that.

We'll make the request.

So we'll make a request to have um the inspector general come before next Wednesday.

No, no, no, next month.

Next month, prior to the expiration of the first extension.

Okay.

Of the second extension, because this one ext uh expires.

So we'll be in the second extension, the first week of the second extension.

Yes.

Because it's three extensions, three 30-day extensions, so actually a 90-day extension, but it has to be requested at the end of the um attorney graham.

Through the chair, that is correct.

Okay, thank you.

Anything else, Member Benson?

Member Miller?

Okay.

There's a motion to receive and file.

Any objections?

That motion will be approved.

Thank you, Member Benson.

Under miscellaneous, um, line item 6.4, Councilmember Scott Benson.

Um task force.

Um, Member Benson.

Oh, thank you.

Um, this is the resolution to re-establish the Detroit Wolf Generation Task Force for another four years.

I'm advocating for my colleagues to uh support this so we can continue our work and helping to move our residents out of poverty into the middle class, uh retain our existing middle class, and then create a situation in an environment in the city of Detroit where wealthy as well as middle class families want to move back to the city of Detroit, and so this is our anti-poverty program.

Motion to uh approve and send a formal.

Okay, there's been a motion to approve and send to formal the um recommendation to continue the generation task force.

That's line item 6.4.

Any objections?

That motion will be approved.

Um line item 6.5, member Benson submitting a resolution authorizing the continuation of the Detroit City Council Green Task Force.

Member Benson.

All right, thank you.

This will be a on discussion.

This will be a request to re-establish the green task force, which is something that's been around for I believe over 20 years now.

And I was the um the beneficiary to honored to extend this through uh councilman cockerel uh when I started my job, and so we've just been able to take it, continue to grow it, and just make it an integral part now of the uh ecosystem and philosophies of the city of Detroit.

And so just want to continue that.

Uh so motion to approve and send to formal.

Okay, there's been a motion to approve and send to formal um the uh resolution authorizing the content continuation of the Detroit City Council Green Task Force.

Any objections?

Okay, that motion will be approved.

Thank you, Member Benson.

Madam Chair, yes, member Benson.

As per section, where is my charter?

As per section something something of the charter, it states that there, section four tack 11 confirmation authority, except as otherwise provided in this charter as or as may be required by law, mayoral appointment of the chief of police, fire commissioner, director of planning and development, director of human resources, and corporation council is subject to approval by city council.

However, if city council does not disapprove the appointment within 30 days after submission by the mayor, the appointment is confirmed.

And so part of our charter mandated job is to or duties is to is for confirmation authority.

If we don't do it, it automatically happens.

I'm strongly urging that this body that we do hold confirmation hearings for the five positions.

In addition that we request that the director of HRD also be added to that since HRD um moved out of the planning department responsibilities.

We have 30 days once the appointments have been submitted to the clerk's office, and that clock is ticking.

I want to make sure that we comply with the charter as well that we do our charter mandated jobs, and that is a motion to refer this.

Now follow this up with the memo to LPD to write a resolution requesting or is it a request?

This is our job.

It's not a request.

This is it a request.

LPD.

Mr.

King.

Specifically, um, sir, what are you asking?

Are we requesting this or are we demanding this?

Specifically, specifically repeat what you're asking.

I'm sorry.

So do we ask is this requesting?

We'll request something that's not if it's a requirement, that's not a request.

If it's not a requirement, then we'll request something.

Correct.

I don't want to say we're demanding, but you all will figure out the language.

We'll figure it out.

Okay, all right.

Thank you.

Okay.

Uh motion for the uh the drafting of a resolution for the confirmation hearings to uh to be approved by city council on next formal session, which will be then sent to um the the uh administration.

And you've added HRD.

And added and requesting HRD be added to that list of official departments for confirmation hearings.

That clear LPD.

Okay.

Okay.

And I'll follow up with the memo.

Okay, thank you so much.

And um, mr.

Um Member Benson will follow up with a memo, a written memo.

Um any further discussion or objections?

Okay.

A motion has um been made.

We will move it to formal session with a motion with the um request to approve Mr.

King, you have any questions?

No questions.

Discussion?

Yeah, discussion, Ms.

Member Benson.

So and this is to the law department, and maybe LPD can help here as well.

The chief of police was reappointed or was appointed last year.

Does that position need to be confirmed or reappointed upon a new administration, or can that appointment simply carry over?

The question then will become do we have a bite at the apple for a confirmation hearing there.

Um Mr.

Graham from the law department.

Through the chair to council member Benson.

I believe because we are now in a new administration, there is another bite at the apple, as he said.

All right, so that that would mean the mayor would need to reappoint the chief of police again as the new mayor versus the previous mayor having appointed the chief of police.

Okay, all right.

Thank you.

Okay.

Thank you so much.

Any further discussion?

Okay, hearing none.

Thank you so much.

Um, Member Benson.

That now we are at members' reports, is that correct?

We are.

Okay.

All righty.

Members' reports, and um, you are the vice chair, so vice chair, any members' report, membership.

Oh, I just want to say um happy new to everybody.

It's uh great, glad to have our newest member, Miss Councilwoman Renata Miller Miller from the Fifth District.

Um, glad to be under your leadership under internal operations.

This is my first time being on this committee, so really excited about what's going on, and we already have action in our first meeting of the year.

And so looking forward to having those confirmation hearings coming up and then looking to more um advocacy for our residents and discussions on the policies and procedures that come out of this committee as well.

So happy new year looking forward to the work ahead.

And I do have a question.

Um I think we've that's been answered, and we will set we will we will send separate memos to the law department and LPD regarding that information.

Thank you.

Okay, thank you, Member Benson.

Member Miller.

I just want to say I look forward to serving this committee.

I was disappointed to this less than 48 hours ago.

I have not been totally brought up to speed, just got some of the documentation as I was sitting here.

So I look forward to serving with both of you and uh under your leadership.

Thank you so much.

It's got a pleasure to serve with you, Member Miller.

Um, I um I'm looking forward to the next four years in this committee.

This is a very um important committee.

Um, I do have um, I don't know if this goes to the law department or to LPD.

I looked at the rules this morning and I looked at the charter.

I was looking for a description of each um of the standing committee's responsibilities, and I couldn't find it.

So, Mr.

King, um, can you tell me where I can find the description of the responsibilities of each standing committee and what it covers?

Because I wanted to make sure the public understood what my response responsibilities are as the chair of this committee.

I just could not locate that information.

Mr.

King.

Madam Chair, I'm not aware of the specific um duties of each committee.

Um they have the criteria for each committee, but not the specific duties because information is referred from the formal section through each committee.

Um and the different issues are categorized by the different names of the committees uh via uh internal operations neighborhoods.

As far as something more specific, I'm not aware of that uh being um in existence right now, but uh if you uh put something in writing, we could look into that discussion.

Discussion member Benson?

Madam Chair, I believe your answer will be found in the rules, which the parliamentarian is holding up right now.

Okay, so the oversight of committee responsibilities when it comes to our span of control.

Okay, thank you, thank you, Member Benson.

I did look at the rules.

I see the parliamentary if parliamentarian holding it up.

Show if you can tell me the section, because I did look through it this morning, I couldn't find it.

So I'll wait till you find the section because you held it up.

So obviously you know where it is.

If you can give me that section, I can read it.

The index is not included.

So is the index is not included, but under each heading for the department, for example, on page in my book 22, where it starts talking about the standing committees, and if you continue on to the next pages, then it'll break it down about the composition, the responsibilities, okay, and and the areas that you're responsible for.

Okay, and what um and this is the latest version.

And what is your date on your on yours?

Because mine is 2012.

2012, mine is 2012.

This one.

This one does not have any date, but it is the latest.

Okay, so I'll get a copy of that because I have um I want to know.

Um, I know what departments, I know what departments come to internal operations, city clerk, um, law department, and various other departments, but I wanted to know exactly because people will call and they have been calling.

We know that we we the lawsuits come through this committee.

We know contracts come through this committee, um, settlements come through this committee, but I wanted to know where could we find it in writing.

And if it's in there, I'd like to see it, and thank you so much, Miss Parliamentarian.

Okay, um that's it.

Um, I thank you all.

I um that is my member's report.

I'm looking forward to serving with both of you, and um, we had a light schedule today, and member Benson, I have served on this committee um as a member for the last four years, and this is not a lightweight committee.

Um so I can tell you enjoy this.

This um these six um items that we had today it very lightweight uh this this committee is um the lawsuits come here, um the contracts come here, the settlements come here, the emphasis, um, the request for um meetings, um it's a lot, it's a lot of work and um good work on behalf of the people.

Um so get ready to enjoy the ride.