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Record of Proceedings

Neighborhood Community Service Standing Committee Meeting - February 12, 2026

City Council — Thursday, February 12, 2026
BodyDetroit, Michigan
SessionCity Council
DateThursday, February 12, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 51:17

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it
0:00

Councilmember Scott Benson.

0:01

Scott Benson.

0:02

Councilmember Renata Miller.

0:07

Mr.

0:07

Chair, we have quorum.

0:09

Excellent.

0:09

Thank you very much.

0:11

And I'm sure Miss Miller is on her way.

0:16

So we will wait for her to come through.

0:22

Is there a motion to approve the minutes?

0:25

Motion made or any objections.

0:27

Hearing none.

0:28

Native chair remarks.

0:29

We will now move into public comment.

0:31

We have one person that's here for public comment.

0:33

I don't see anybody else that's here for public comment.

0:37

So we will do in person and then we will do virtual.

0:42

Public comment is now closed.

0:44

Public comment is now closed.

0:46

Public comments.

0:49

Is now closed.

0:51

All right.

0:51

We will move with Mr.

0:53

Ruben Crowley.

0:55

Two minutes, sir.

0:57

I'm appearing today as Mr.

0:59

Rue.

1:00

Mini gave me that name, and she wants what she wants.

1:03

Now Scott Benson just came in the council chambers and I said, y'all busted.

1:08

And he's turned around to ask me, was that a threat?

1:12

No, it's a promise you busted, Scott Benson.

1:16

We were doing a recall on you.

1:19

And that's when we found the very first confirmed confirmed case of absentee ballot fraud here in Michigan.

1:26

Don Fitzgerald Kennedy the third on you.

1:30

You're the reason why all these officials, elected officials in Detroit, got busted for real, for real.

1:40

I mean, for real, for real, for real, for real.

1:43

And now it's time to turn up.

1:45

So now I'm exposed everybody.

1:48

The whole city council been cheated in.

1:52

Oh, Miss Miller, you hear you.

1:54

I don't know nothing about 25, but 2020, Donald Trump number 47 was not lying.

2:01

2021, 2022, and 2024 can be proven and demonstrated beyond any shadow of any doubt.

2:10

Scott Benson, you're a liar.

2:14

Bald face liar over in District 3.

2:16

Now, we got a number of parcels of property over in District 3 in that criminal's concrete facility facility over in District 3.

2:24

You know what I'm talking about?

2:26

Uh Scott Benson.

2:29

Yeah, you busted, Joker.

2:31

Busted, busted, busted.

2:33

Now, the feds ran up in your office once.

2:36

This time, they're gonna go in everybody's offices.

2:39

I hope.

2:41

But I know they're gonna go in the Detroit Department of Elections.

2:44

I anticipate it coming up in the next month or so.

2:49

If not before then, if I had it my way, it would be today.

2:54

I miss the rule.

2:56

Nini won't want she won.

2:58

All right, thank you so much, sir.

3:00

We appreciate that.

3:01

All right, seeing that that is all we have for in-person public comment.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural███████████████████████████████31%
Public Engagement███████████████████19%
Public Comment██████████████████18%
Urban Agriculture██████6%
Senior Services██████6%
Environmental Protection█████5%
Public Transit████4%
Technology and Innovation████4%
Housing███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Neighborhood Community Service Standing Committee Meeting - February 12, 2026

The Neighborhood Community Service Standing Committee met on February 12, 2026, at 10:01 AM ET. The meeting was called to order by Pro Tempore Young, with Councilmembers Benson, Miller, and others present. The committee approved minutes and received public comments on various topics before considering new business items.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Ruben Crowley (in-person) strongly criticized Councilmember Scott Benson, alleging absentee ballot fraud and threatening to expose corruption. Claimed that Benson and other officials are "busted."
  • Brother Cunningham (virtual) urged improved DDOT bus service, citing broken-down new buses and long waits. Requested bus tickets and hand warmers.
  • Betty A. Verner (virtual), President of DeSoda Ellsworth Block Association, publicized a prescription drug discount program through World Medical Relief ($8.30 per medication, income-based).
  • Terr Amon (virtual) honored Irma Henderson as first Black woman on Detroit City Council, and encouraged residents to appeal property tax assessments, noting that 84% of lower-value homes are over-assessed.
  • Owner Papa (virtual) criticized the committee for short public comment periods and advocated against AI and "15-minute cities." Called for accountability on bus spending.
  • Unnamed caller (virtual) requested the committee exercise oversight of the Detroit Law Department regarding proposed BZA rules, citing due process violations.
  • Cicely McCullough (virtual) urged opposition to the proposed GLIWA water rate increase (6.83% water, 5.98% sewage, combined 6.34%), noting Detroit's water rates have increased 185% since 1980.

Discussion Items

  • Line 6.2 – Michigan Harvest Grant ($5,000): Authorization to apply for a state grant to expand a food scrap composting pilot program with Detroit People's Co-op. Councilmember Benson questioned why small grants require Council approval; the Law Department cited Code Section 17-4-2. Director of Sustainability Tefir Rush explained the program, noting 4 tons of food scraps processed, compost used at D-Town Farms. Benson requested a memo on grant approval thresholds.
  • Line 6.4 – Request to Speak (James Chandler): Petitioner seeks to discuss incorporating a proposal into city law/charter. Councilmember Benson opposed because Chandler hadn't used public comment. Councilmember Miller initially supported but later objected. After procedural debate, a vote was taken; Benson and Miller objected, and the motion to allow the request failed.

Key Outcomes

  • Line 6.1 (Charles H. Wright Museum – African World Festival): Approved and sent to Formal Session for final approval. Event: July 10–12, 2026 at Hart Plaza.
  • Line 6.2 (Michigan Harvest Grant): Approved and sent to Formal Session. Additionally, a memo was assigned to the Law Department to provide a list of grant approval thresholds.
  • Line 6.3 (Donated Assets Report Q4 2025): Received and filed.
  • Line 6.4 (James Chandler Request): Motion to allow the request failed due to objections from Councilmembers Benson and Miller. The petitioner was encouraged to use public comment opportunities.
  • Member Reports: Councilmember Benson announced a Senior Valentine's Day Dance & Luncheon (Feb 13) and Life & Legacy Planning workshops. Councilmember Miller announced District 5 community meetings and a fraud protection event.

Meeting Transcript

Councilmember Scott Benson. Scott Benson. Councilmember Renata Miller. Mr. Chair, we have quorum. Excellent. Thank you very much. And I'm sure Miss Miller is on her way. So we will wait for her to come through. Is there a motion to approve the minutes? Motion made or any objections. Hearing none. Native chair remarks. We will now move into public comment. We have one person that's here for public comment. I don't see anybody else that's here for public comment. So we will do in person and then we will do virtual. Public comment is now closed. Public comment is now closed. Public comments. Is now closed. All right. We will move with Mr. Ruben Crowley. Two minutes, sir. I'm appearing today as Mr. Rue. Mini gave me that name, and she wants what she wants. Now Scott Benson just came in the council chambers and I said, y'all busted. And he's turned around to ask me, was that a threat? No, it's a promise you busted, Scott Benson. We were doing a recall on you. And that's when we found the very first confirmed confirmed case of absentee ballot fraud here in Michigan. Don Fitzgerald Kennedy the third on you. You're the reason why all these officials, elected officials in Detroit, got busted for real, for real. I mean, for real, for real, for real, for real. And now it's time to turn up. So now I'm exposed everybody. The whole city council been cheated in. Oh, Miss Miller, you hear you. I don't know nothing about 25, but 2020, Donald Trump number 47 was not lying. 2021, 2022, and 2024 can be proven and demonstrated beyond any shadow of any doubt. Scott Benson, you're a liar. Bald face liar over in District 3. Now, we got a number of parcels of property over in District 3 in that criminal's concrete facility facility over in District 3. You know what I'm talking about? Uh Scott Benson. Yeah, you busted, Joker. Busted, busted, busted. Now, the feds ran up in your office once.

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