Detroit City Council Meeting Summary - January 7, 2026

The Detroit City Council convened on January 7, 2026, under the presiding leadership of Chair Angela Whitfield Callaway, who welcomed new Councilmember Renata Miller. The meeting focused on routine administrative approvals, public comments regarding transit accessibility and property ownership issues, and significant deliberation regarding an ethics admonishment of Deputy CFO/Assessor Alvin Horn and subsequent administrative compliance matters.

Consent Calendar

• The minutes of the previous meeting were approved without objection.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Mr. Cuttingham (Representing Pure Transit): Expressed full support for increasing transit subsidies for low-income residents and those with Medicare cards. He noted that while fixed-line routes offer a $0.50 fare for this demographic, Pure Transit costs $2.50 one-way. He stated that a reduction to $1.50 would be appropriate. He further suggested that bus fare could be made free entirely, arguing that the $8 million generated is a "drop in the budget" and could be offset by sponsors. He also praised recent city distributions of hand warmers and bus tickets.$

• Caller (Representing Team in Elections): Expressed hostility and opposition toward the current council and Mayor, referencing past election dynamics. The speaker stated an intent to expose personal details regarding "Miss Rue" and remove current officials from office.

• Ms. Betty A. Verner (Soda Esclade Block Association, District 2): Expressed strong support for the "Community Solutions" program. She described Director Deborah A. Royal's initiative as a vital resource for caregivers and caregivers-in-need, noting that program participants receive relief services, monthly massages, and nail care. She confirmed that while one service tier requires Medicaid enrollment, other services are available without it.

• Mr. William Davis (President, City Detroit Retiree Group): Expressed the need for the council to be "aggressive" in reducing costs associated with city vehicles (specifically police vehicles) driving outside the city and in reducing lawsuits related to employee rule violations. He emphasized the need to save money to restore funds lost during the bankruptcy era, including pension cuts, cost-of-living adjustments, and annuity clawbacks.

• Caller (Residents of District 5): Expressed serious dissatisfaction with city maintenance, specifically citing broken glass shelters on Lynwood and West Grand Boulevard and uncollected garbage. The speaker opposed retaliatory actions by slum landlords against residents who file complaints and called for the implementation of new laws to protect tenants. They also requested the city add vocational skills training, specifically for eyelash technicians.

• Ms. Hira Amott (Coalition for Property Tax Justice): Expressed full support for the coalition's four-point demand for property tax reform. Requests included: (1) improving the Detroit Notice of Assessment, (2) producing an independent audit of assessment data, (3) mandating the assessment division to stop using only warranty deeds for economic condition factor analysis, (4) ensuring the Chief Assessor passes the Michigan Master Assessing Officer examination (noting current holder Alvin Horn has not), and (5) creating a plan for property tax credits.

Discussion Items

• Board of Ethics Admonishment of Alvin Horn (Line Item 6.1):

  • The Board of Ethics presented a formal admonishment against Alvin Horn for violating the Ethics Ordinance by approving waivers of penalties for approximately 13,500 property transfer affidavits (actually discussed as 14,499 or 14,599 parcels) between 2014 and 2020. The Board found that while the violation was unintentional and aimed to assist residents, the actions were not in compliance with the letter of the law.
  • Mr. Horn defended his decision, stating he intended to prevent property owners from receiving surprise tax bills, interest, and penalties totaling between $250 and $500. He explained that the Detroit Land Bank had failed to file transfer affidavits as promised to buyers, and he chose to place the properties on the tax roll only upon notification to spare taxpayers the financial burden. He admitted he should have followed the law strictly but argued the "intent of the law" was to serve citizens, which he believed he did.
  • Councilmember Scott Benson expressed that while the Board of Ethics correctly applied the "letter of the law," Horn's "executive field decision" honored the "intent" of the law by protecting residents from an unwanted financial headache. He questioned the timing of the admonishment in 2026 for past actions but commended the office for correcting the process.
  • Councilmember Renata Miller expressed appreciation for Horn's compassion but questioned why the matter was only reaching the floor in 2026, suggesting it should have been handled earlier.
  • Ms. Crystal Phillips (Director, Board of Ethics) maintained that Horn knew the legal requirements and that bureaucratic red tape was not an excuse to violate the ordinance or state law.

• Qualification of Deputy CFO/Assessor (Related to Line Item 6.1):

  • Councilmember Callaway raised concerns regarding Mr. Horn's qualification to serve as Assessor, citing his failure to pass the Michigan Master Assessing Officer (MMAO) examination, as noted in public comments.
  • Mr. Horn explained that the City of Detroit utilizes a split-responsibility model common in large jurisdictions (e.g., Cook County, Maricopa County). While he holds a Michigan Advanced Assessing Officer designation, certified staff (including Charles Erickson) who hold the MMAO designation sign the assessment roll. He asserted the structure was implemented post-bankruptcy to handle the complexity of 400,000 parcels and that all staff are fully compliant with Michigan law.
  • Councilmember Callaway and Councilmember Benson challenged the necessity of continuing a practice that has existed for 12 years, urging the office to obtain necessary certifications where required by law.

• Campaign Contribution Disclosures (Line Item 6.2):

  • Councilmember Benson questioned the necessity of submitting a second, separate disclosure form for campaign contributions in addition to the state-mandated reports, expressing concern about potential "double dipping" or criminal jeopardy for failing to comply with a conflicting local ordinance.
  • Ms. Phillips clarified that the ordinance creates a specific form and filing requirement for the ethics department, intended to centralize transparency. While acknowledging potential duplication, she stated the city requires compliance.
  • Councilmember Benson agreed to comply but requested the Law Department review the ordinance for efficiency and potential redundancy.

• Suspension Extension for Gayanga Company LLC (Line Item 6.3):

  • Law Department confirmed the suspension of Gayanga Company LLC and Brian McKinney was being extended for the first of three 30-day periods due to an ongoing investigation.
  • Councilmember Benson requested that the Inspector General appear at the next meeting to speak directly to the investigation's status prior to the expiration of the extensions.

• Task Force Re-estabilishments (Line Items 6.4 & 6.5):

  • Councilmember Benson moved to re-establish the "Detroit Wolf Generation Task Force" (interpreted as Wealth Generation Task Force) for four years to combat poverty and encourage middle-class retention.
  • Councilmember Benson moved to re-establish the "Detroit City Council Green Task Force" for continued environmental work.

• Confirmation Authority (Members' Reports):

  • Councilmember Benson highlighted Chartered requirements for the confirmation of five specific mayoral appointments (Chief of Police, Fire Commissioner, Director of Planning and Development, Director of HRD, and Corporation Council). He proposed adding the Director of Human Resources to the list and requested the Law Department draft a resolution to schedule confirmation hearings, specifically noting the Chief of Police may require re-appointment confirmation under the new administration.

Key Outcomes

• Approved: The motion to receive and file the Board of Ethics resolution admonishing Alvin Horn was approved unanimously.
• Approved: The motion to receive and file the second request for campaign contribution and expenditure disclosures was approved unanimously (with a reservation to review for duplication).
• Approved: The motion to receive and file the letter extending the interim suspension of Gayanga Company LLC was approved unanimously.
• Approved: The resolution to re-establish the Detroit Wolf Generation Task Force for four years was approved unanimously.
• Approved: The resolution to re-establish the Detroit City Council Green Task Force was approved unanimously.
• Directive: The Council directed the Law Department to draft a resolution for confirmation hearings regarding the five mayoral appointments and the addition of the HRD Director to the list.
• Directive: The Inspector General was requested to appear before the Committee on Internal Operations in the coming month before the suspension of Gayanga Company LLC expires.
• Pending: The Law Department to review the campaign contribution disclosure ordinance for potential redundancy.