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.

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

I hope.

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

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

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

I miss the rule.

Nini won't want she won.

All right, thank you so much, sir.

We appreciate that.

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

How many people how many people do we have in the queue virtually, Mr.

Bo?

Mr.

Chair, there are six hands with the rands raised for public comment.

All right, who do we have first in the queue, Mr.

Bo?

The first caller is Brother Cunningham.

All right, brother Cunningham, the floor is yours.

Two minutes.

313-444-9114.

313-444-9114.

313-449114.

That number was made so you can remember it.

That is my Cash App.

That is my hotline number.

That is the voicemail line.

And if you're looking for me on Facebook, 313-444-9114.

I appreciate you at home listening.

I need bus tickets.

I need hand warmers, hand warmers, hand warmers.

I've gone through like 12 or 13 cases in a week and a half.

So also, Councilman Benson.

Councilman Pro Tim.

I sent you a text and I I uh did a comic book.

F I I did not swear, but D D dot's having problems with the new buses, and it's just a lot going on.

Just please review that text message and talk to the the bosses of D Dot.

It's just ridiculous.

Um there's so many TEOs drivers just sitting waiting for a bus that'll never come.

Uh and it's just I've been doing this a long time.

I'm not a six-figure bleep.

I'm not a six-figure bleep.

But uh, I've been doing it a long time.

I've been observing and taking action.

Uh so please.

Uh these folks get paid good money for what they do, and somebody needs to be accountable for these buses, new buses breaking down, uh, and others uh a sense of urgency.

Folks got to get to work, first got to get to school, the buses, y'all.

The buses, everybody don't drive, everybody's not cozy in a vehicle getting to where they need to go.

Buses, y'all.

It's important.

Come on, please.

Thank you, sir.

We appreciate that.

We appreciate the hard work that you're doing out there as well, Ms.

Cunningham.

Who do we have next to the queue?

The next caller is Betty A.

Verner.

All right, Ms.

Verner.

Floor is yours two minutes, Ms.

Warner.

Uh, good afternoon to all within the sound of my voice.

I'm Betty A.

Barner, president of DeSoda Ellsworth Block Association.

Giving out information.

There's a program at World Medical Relief.

It's a prescription program that all their prescriptions, any medication that they can get is only eight dollars and thirty cents.

You can use this program if you have insurance or you don't.

Sometimes, even if you uh have insurance, your copay, your prescriptions can be expensive.

Uh so this would be the program for you.

It is based on income.

If you're single, you can earn up to 44,800 a year.

If you're married, you can earn up to 51 uh thousand two hundred dollars a year.

You must be 18 years old.

You must have proof of income and pitcher ID, state ID or driver's license.

The telephone number is 313 866.

313 8663.

Call that number and the application will be sent to you.

You can also go online to their website, WWW dot worldmedical relief.org.org.

They also uh have other programs.

They sell refurbished uh medical equipment, uh, wheelchairs, transport chairs.

I uh purchase a transport chair was very reasonable because my insurance would not cover me getting a wheelchair, and it looked like it was new.

Share this information.

Thank you for that information, Ms.

Warner.

We appreciate you.

Who we had next to the queue?

Mr.

Bo.

The next caller is Terr Amon.

All right, Mr.

Maud, the floor is yours, two minutes.

Good afternoon, pro temporan young.

Thank you for all your work, sir.

Appreciate you.

Uh I put Black History Month I like to uplift Irma Henderson.

She used uh the first African American uh Detroit City Council woman, and she served um on city council um from um the early in the early 19th, I mean um 20th century, the late 20th century in 1972.

She became the first black woman uh to serve on Detroit City Council.

I want to uplift her uh for part of our um information for our um Detroit citizens, Detroit property tax counselors are ready.

They help you call them at 86613 2520.

866 313 2520 Detroit Housing Network.

Also, they have other programs uh in the Detroit Housing Network, and you want to make sure you look them up.

They have uh U Snap Back, Matrix, uh Jefferson East Inc.

and um Wayne Metro.

So we need you to consider uh if you need help with your housing, you need to call them.

Also, you should have gotten or should be getting your assessment taxable valuation on your property.

The um you want to appeal that everyone, you want to appeal it, especially if you're uh the lower valued homes, because the University of Chicago filed that um 84% of lower valued homes in Detroit are overassessed.

So appeal.

Thank you.

I appreciate that.

Thank you.

Say my whole title.

It means a lot.

Uh, who do we have next in the queue, Mr.

Bell?

The next caller is owner Papa.

All right, floor is yours, two minutes.

Good afternoon, and through the chair, may I be heard?

Yes, ma'am, two minutes.

Uh, good afternoon, Detroit.

Uh, yes, we miss Irma Henderson and those representatives that actually cared about the people in the city of Detroit.

It's very disturbing that you're the neighborhood's committee and you don't have anything about the people.

The people live in the neighborhoods.

We have a bunch of parades that don't even happen in the neighborhoods.

They're downtown.

I don't know why you're holding all of this in your committee.

Uh fleets and uh uh heavy trucks.

Oh my goodness.

Um, councilman young you're nothing like your father.

I can tell you that.

Um the way that you run this committee.

First of all, you started a committee at uh you opened up at 101 and you closed comments like two minutes later.

It's customary to leave the line open for like 10 minutes at least, so that people can phone in.

It's not at your whim.

You speak often of all of these 20, 25 and 2030 right wing um uh 15 minute cities, and you know, this is all a setup with the flex cameras and the 15 minute cities that you keep advocating for and AI.

Do you know that AI is taking jobs from the lowest jobs from people?

You live in a community that needs those jobs.

So while you're advocating for AI, I'm advocating for AI to take your place.

I think we need people uh or AI that can think because you guys get a lot of data.

You get a lot of information that you don't use.

You actually do the opposite of what the data shows.

You got an audit report for the payroll, and we spend a lot of money just as but we don't have any buses, but we spend a lot of money for buses.

This is what you call insanity.

Okay, you guys are insane.

All right, thank you for that uplifting talk.

Who do you have next in the queue?

Mr.

Bow.

Mr.

Chair, the next caller is please exercise oversight of the Detroit Law Department.

All right, floor is yours, two minutes.

Uh thank you for two minutes.

May I be heard?

Yes, ma'am.

Okay.

Well, the last meeting on the planning committee, uh, member Young, I asked for the planning committee, which has jurisdiction over the Board of Zoning Appeals to exercise oversight of the Board of Zoning Appeals because they have some proposed rules that are problematic that they want to vote on on Monday.

Duly noted, you wanted to respond to one public commenter, but not me and my request.

So the reason I wrote what I did for this time is because my new council member Renata Miller is on the Internal Operations Committee.

And I guess I forgot to mention this yesterday.

Uh, it's the law department, from what I can tell, that's pushing these inappropriate rules.

Now, um I did call member Santiago Romero's office, and unlike your officer, uh, her office answered the phone.

They generally answer the phone and listened intently, and I explained the problem and suggested that you get some information from Director Ribra on the public comments that were submitted about the problems with the uh rules that they're trying to propose, because I think you all have a duty to uh limit and avoid litigation.

There's already judges that have ruled against the BZA and what they're doing, that they violated due process, the issue that new council members not included, that the previous council, we raised this issue about them charging outrageous fees for BZA transcripts that their BCA is already required to have per Detroit City Code 50-2-66, and nothing was done about it.

And yet you're a council member at large, sir.

So I will uh contact people from Renata Miller's office.

What I suggest you do is ask them to hold off on voting on those rules and you take a look at, in fact, line item it in that other.

All right, thank you for that.

Who you're next in the queue, Mr.

Bow.

The last caller before you close public comment is Cicely McCullough.

All right, Miss McCullum.

Floor is yours.

Two minutes.

Thank you very much for this opportunity to speak, Cecily McClellan, but we the people of Detroit.

I would just like to encourage uh everyone that within my voice and and anyone within your own uh sphere of influence to attend the public hearing on the water rate increase being proposed by Gleewa.

This hearing will be held on uh my on uh February the 25th from one to four.

It'll be at the water board headquarters, which is at 735 Randolph, but it's also virtual.

So I strongly encourage that you go online and get the virtual connection and let your voice be heard.

The city of Detroit, water rates over the past since 1980 has increased over 185%.

The only other municipality exceeding Detroit is Flint, near over 200%.

Uh the water rate increase being uh proposed uh right now by GLIWA is 6.83 for water and 5.98 for sewage.

It's a combined combined increase of 6.34.

Gliwa had an increase last year.

We unfortunately, because of this uh lease, which is uh this unfair lease with GLIWA.

We receive our water wholesale from GLIWA.

It is important that we chime in and let it be known that we do not appreciate these continuous water increases.

When these increases were done when Detroit had total control of their own system, it was uh major complaints that came from the suburbs.

When in fact it was not Detroit increasing the rates unreasonably, it was the municipalities in the suburbs that were increasing it to their various cities and townships.

It's important now.

We don't have a uh a sustainable water affordability program.

The uh Detroit Lifeline H2O is uh sporadic at best, and so we're asking everybody to oppose this water rate increase.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

We appreciate that.

Who here next in the queue, Mr.

Bell?

Mr.

Sherwin's the last caller for public comment.

All right, thank you, sir.

We will now move on to new business, mayor's office, line on 6.1 petition of Charles H.

Wright Museum of African American History request to hold the African World Festival at Hart Plaza on June on July 10th, 2026, 11 a.m.

to July 12th, 2026 at 1130 p.m.

set up to begin on July 6, 2026 at a.m.

and completed on July 10th, 2026 at 10 a.m.

tear down to begin on July 12th, 2026 at 12 a.m.

and completed by 12 p.m.

on July 13th, 2026.

Is there a motion to send line or 6.1 the formal session with recognition for approval we want to do business?

Motion.

Motion's been made.

Are there any objections?

Here in the Alliance 6.1, we move to formal session.

Office of Chief Financial Officer / Office of Development and Grants.

Line of 6.2 authorization to submit a grant application to the Michigan Department of Environmental Great Lakes and Energy for the fiscal year 2026 next cycle, Michigan Harvest Grant.

The General Services Department Office of Sustainability is hereby requesting authorization from Detroit City Council to submit a grant application to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy for fiscal year 2026 next cycle, Michigan Harvest Grant.

The amount being sought is $5,000.

There are no city match requirement.

The total project cost is $5,000.

Is there a motion to send line on 6.2 the formal session with record dates for approval to promote the new business?

Discussion.

Motion has been made with discussion.

Chair recognized Mr.

Benson.

Can we have somebody from the Office of Sustainability is interested in what we're doing with this composting uh program?

And then a question to the law department to LPD.

$5,000 grant that has to come to City Council for approval.

Is that by charter or by ordinance?

It seems like a very low amount to have to come to this body for approval, especially since we've increased the minimum amount for contracts to have to come to city council for approval.

Chairman, Mr.

Killer.

Yes.

Through the chair.

Attorney Calvin.

I'm not familiar actually with the how the limits pertain to grants.

I would have to review our code to see if there is such a limit.

Right.

Motion, I'm gonna put in a memo behind this motion for an assignment to LPD to provide a list of the levels of city council required approval for grants.

Motion's been made uh with discussion.

I I just I just wanted to just say really quickly from my understanding, and correct me if I'm wrong.

Maybe I'm wrong here when I'm saying this, but I'm just thinking that part of the reason why we're voting on this is because of where it's coming from.

Is it because it's coming from the state of Michigan?

Does that have something to do with the fact?

Otherwise, that is a good question why we're voting on something that's such a low amount in the city, or at least why it's becoming before this body.

I'm I'm assuming because it's coming from Eagle.

That that makes it a little bit more you know outstanding than uh then a grant from another source.

The chair, potentially that it could be a condition of the grant that it is approved by the legislative body.

That's another thing we could um find out.

That's what I'm thinking.

Okay.

Any other discussion?

Seeing none, motion has been made to assign say that again to assign the memo for the to LPD for the levels of re city council required approval of grants.

Okay.

Motion, I'm not gonna say that.

So motion has been made for that.

Are there any objections?

LBD, okay.

That motion will be made.

Now, is there any now, Mr.

Weatherup?

Sir?

Sir afternoon, Alex Weatherup, Assistant Director General Services.

Good to see you, assistant director uh general service of Mr.

Weather up.

Uh can you answer uh the question that uh member Benson had uh through the chair, yes.

Uh to member Benson, this program is um a pilot program that this Office of Sustainability launched with the Detroit People's Co-op last fall, uh, where residents can bring in food scraps and it's turned into compost.

Um, and then this grant would go to to continue that program and grow it.

Um we've had success with it so far in a few months of operation.

So this would cover supplies and marketing of the program.

So, what are we doing with the uh end product, the compost?

Or is are we doing it or are we is it just being managed by the people's food co-op through the chair?

I asked that question myself.

I I don't have an answer for you yet, but I I can get it for you.

I was curious as well.

Okay, which is why I thought I was going to see somebody from the Office of Sustainability, but I'm glad to see you, Mr.

Weatherup.

Um, in addition, when we find out what we're actually doing with the the end product, is the city using it?

I mean, I I'm I'm sure that we have use for compost, and we have a huge portfolio of plants and flowers that we maintain and manage.

So I'm interested.

Are we uh and there is the Office of Sustainability Hello Council Member?

Um through the chair.

I um appreciate the question.

Right now we've contracted with uh local hauler who is um using the um output from a we have a small composter on site that's an electric electric composter that reduces the waste on site uh by about 80 percent.

The output is then taken to urban farms to process.

Um most of it is taken to D Town Farms, which is as you as you know, on um parkland um out in Rouge Park, and um, and so that is how we're using it.

Right now we've already processed about four tons of food scraps, uh, which is amazing, and we are hoping to grow the pilot.

We would love to contract with uh we would love to bring some of that compost to um city landscaping services and things like that.

So right now we're kind of in the pilot stays uh stage of processing the uh uh output.

Thank you.

I know there's been conversations at the Green Task Force about trying to scale this up citywide the way we've done for organic as well as recycling.

Is there is that in the conversation still?

Yes, a part of this uh this small grant here is to um upscale.

We'd like to do a drop-off in each district, so we're just kind of ramping up and taking it slow and making sure that we um we you know we're doing everything by by code.

Okay, how much longer do we think it'll be before we're at a point where we can actually have a conversation about scaling citywide or at least district wide, or however you guys will proceed to do it?

Sure.

Thanks for the question.

Um the pilot runs through April, um, and we're experimenting with a different a few different types of bins and collection systems, um, and also public education.

So some of this funding is to go to increase um awareness of the program.

Just mean I can scraps down to the people's food co-op if I want to.

Yes, I'll get you all.

Yes, sir.

I'll get you all situated.

Okay.

All right, thank you.

All right, um, can you just identify yourself for the record so everybody knows who you are and what you represent?

Yes, I'm sorry, through the chair.

Through the chair, this is Tefir Rush, uh Director of Sustainability.

Excellent, Miss Rushton.

Uh, Director Rushton.

Uh Director Rush, I just wanted to ask you, do we understand what this impact will have on food insecurity in the city of Detroit?

Can you tell us what that number is currently?

I thought it was 69%.

Is that is that right or is that wrong?

And then do we know how much this policy would actually lower that number percentage-wise and as an actual straight number?

Uh yes, sir.

I'll I will I can get you the exact number, council member.

I want to um make sure I'm telling you the exact the right number, but we do have a uh a big food insecurity issue, and that's some of the um work we've been doing with urban farms to make sure that um we have a local source of of food and right here in the city that um is both healthy and safe to grow and also um is uh properly permitted through our um through our BC department.

And then secondly, I just wanted to ask you um, is this something that we're going to urban farming?

Is this something that's gonna be, I don't know if it's gonna be part of the master plan or part of planning and zoning, but is this something that we're gonna replicate throughout certain parts of the city depending on based basically on need, so people can have access to food so when we can reduce food insecurity, but also so people can access to this so they can feed themselves, especially during these hard times, these deflationary times.

And uh, secondly, I just wanted to say, are we using you know proper technology and make sure that we're finding the best soil that's available?

I mean, you know, we have drones that can be able to analyze the ground to see if the fertile soil is fertile or not.

You have artificial intelligence to be able to analyze that as well.

You can make digital twin technology so people can actually see through that.

There's virtual reality or um extended reality to be able to actually walk into these types of land without physically being there, so people could go through the planning process and through um the viability of farming process.

Are we going through that at all?

Great questions.

Um, I love I love the line of questioning.

I'm happy to set aside some time again.

It's time for us to probably catch up, council member on the project.

Um, and I know that um that you have a big interest in food security for the people, and so I appreciate the questions.

Um, the uh, you know, our best practice is to encourage um soil testing on our property before folks start growing.

Um, and so we have nonprofit partners that support with that work.

Um, and then um, so that's you know, that's our best best practice.

Um, and and and you're right, there is some technology could that can be deployed um to do that.

Um, but this is something that we definitely want to continue in the city um as a means to support food food insecurity.

Um, and uh we appreciate you lifting up the issue.

Absolutely, and I appreciate that.

And uh look, look, look a little fun uh black history fact.

My father also was a big supporter of farm a lot as well, so it's very nice to be able to do that.

And that goes back to days of Hazen Pengue, hazing potato patch gravery, hazing potato patch pingry, another little historical fact for you, just a little FYI.

Yes, I you know, council member through the chair.

I I actually been wanting to sit down with you because we we want to name our program the Farm A lot program uh after your father.

So I want to sit down and talk to you about that soon.

Thank you.

I understand that you definitely understand the assignment.

I appreciate you.

Thank you so much.

Uh, does anybody else have any questions?

Comments or concerns?

Oh, just one last one.

Chair recognized member Benson.

And then maybe you know the reason.

Why is it that this grant has to come for city council for approval?

Mr.

Chair.

I did ask have the same question.

All right, Mr.

Chair.

Uh oh, sorry.

Yeah, uh, through the chair, just to answer member Benson's question.

Um, section 17-4-2 of the city code requires city council approval for any application for any federal state or other grant.

So there's no limit, there's no military limit.

And which part of the which code is that in 17-4-2.

Which section, which area or division section is article four approval of grant applications.

Fellow finance.

That would be okay.

That's very helpful.

Yep.

Thank you.

It's in uh funds.

Okay.

All right, thank you for that.

Any other questions, comments, and concerns?

All right.

Motion has been made.

Are there any objections?

Hearing none, line on 6.2.

We move the formal session with recognition for approval, be put on to new business.

Lionel 6.3.

A report submitted for all donated assets accepted to improving city, approving existing city of Detroit parks and facilities for calendar year 2025, quarter number four.

Attached here in this report of all non-cash donated assets that were accepted to improve existing city of Detroit parks for the calendar year of 2025, quarter number four.

This includes the period between October the first, 2025 through December 31st, 2025.

Is there a motion to put line of 6.3 formal session with recognition?

No, I'm sorry.

Is there a motion to receive and file line on 6.3?

Motion.

Motion or any objections.

Hearing that we will receive and file line item 6.3.

Line of 6.4 request to speak before city council.

This is the status of petitioner James Chandler.

Petition James Chandler request to speak before Detroit City Council regarding a petition to discuss incorporating proposal into Detroit City Law and its potential incorporation into Detroit City Council.

Do I have a motion to discuss line on 6.4?

Motion.

Motion is yes.

Okay.

So from my understanding, this gentleman is somebody who wants to come before city council because he has a proposal that he would like to discuss.

Incorporating into Detroit City Law is the and he wants to incorporate this proposal in Detroit City Law and its potential corporation to Detroit City Charter.

And so the question for us is do we want to allow him to be able to speak in front of City Council?

Now, this is something that I personally don't mind listening to because it's just him wanting to speak this and wanting to explain this, what it is and how this works.

I would say we should I would suggest that we move this forward with recommendation.

Discussion.

Discussion, Chair recognized Vice Chair Ben Vincent, and then we recognize Member Miller.

All right, thank you.

So for me, I've not heard from this gentleman.

I've not seen him in public comment.

There are many avenues which are his right to come and speak before this body, which I don't believe that he's taken.

So I I am going to be a no on this.

If you really want to come talk before city council, at least exercise the right that you have.

That's an entitlement.

So he's asking for us to take additional time.

And I haven't heard from him yet.

So for me, I need to see something else from somebody, especially the ability to come exercise the entitlement that you have to come speak before us.

So I'm gonna know for a special opportunity to come speak before city council.

Sir Chair recognize Mr.

Miller.

Okay, I was gonna say given the petitioner's focus on employment retention and legal reforms.

Could the chair clarify whether this falls under neighborhoods and community services, or might it be appropriate to be in internal ops?

Oh no.

Um let's hear now.

Oh no, I I definitely think this would be uh more appropriate uh somewhere else.

But the reason why it's in this committee is because when we were discussing this, no one else wanted to take it on.

And uh and the uh the uh and the chair and the chairwoman from another committee called me out about it.

So I took this on.

But oh no, this would definitely be more appropriate in any other committee than this one.

But seeing since I'm a leader and I am president pro tempore, I want to take it on myself to be able to lead and take and carry this for.

I see we have two people who are online that I was not expecting.

So uh I'm gonna let um member yeah, I'm gonna I'm gonna let you finish and then I'm going to recognize uh Dr.

Powers and then I'm going to recognize uh Mr.

Anderson.

Go ahead.

I am aware of the back and forth of which committee should have followed up under, but I would request that LPD review his requests and include like the potential for this fiscal impact that we have on the general fund or be advised when he could be present because this is going back and forth for a long time.

You want to make a motion?

Yes.

I'd like to make a mission that LPD uh review the petition requests and include the potential fiscal impact on the general fund and advise when he could be present.

If he should motion to be made, are any objections?

Hearing none, that will be assigned to LPD.

Uh Chair recognizes uh Chair recognizes Dr.

Powers.

Um, yes, sir.

Um, I just wanted to remind you that this issue, the uh request to speak before council was approved by the body, and then through motion was sent to your committee.

It wouldn't be appropriate to send it back to formal session because you've accepted it to uh to hear him before your committee.

Okay.

Now, when you do it, if you do it, is totally up to you.

How long he gets would be totally up to you, but it's now um in your committee for either to be heard whenever you want to be heard or upon further um consideration not to hear him.

It's totally up to you, but it shouldn't go back to formal session.

Okay, actually, so so I just want to say Dr.

Powers, if I want to take a vote right now for on whether or not we should hear what he has to say before this committee.

We and I vote that yes, up or down, yes or no.

That would be the end of it, right?

If you want to take a vote, do you want to hear this petitioner in this committee, and the vote is no, then it it would he wouldn't be heard.

Okay.

No, that no, no, no, no, that's that's that's that's fair.

I mean, because I because I want to do that, I want to do that today.

And he's not here, so I want so I did I want to take that vote.

I plan on taking that vote up now.

Um he doesn't have to necessarily be there for you to vote on that.

Oh, okay.

And um, and there are there were some changes that were made in that section um in this current rules, so that's that's why it's now with you, and it shouldn't go back to formal.

And um, if if it gets voted down, um, I'm not sure if the um assignment to LPD would still stand or not, because I'm sure that Mr.

Anderson has something to say um relative to this issue also um that I'll I'll defer to him on.

Okay, excellent.

Um go ahead.

I'm gonna let Member Mirrell go and then we're gonna recognize Mr.

Anderson.

In response to Councilman Member Benson, we do allow our residents to exercise the right to speak before us in person or online, and he has not done the first step.

I don't know if um is he thinks he needs 30 minutes or something, but in my opinion, when you open a door like this, you might open it up for everyone to want to we'll be here all day and night.

So because he did not exercise the right to utilize what we have in place, then I I side with councilman Benson.

I understand that's fair.

Uh Mr.

Anderson, haven't seen you in a while, sir.

Go ahead.

Through the chair Graham Anderson Law Department.

I just wanted to echo exactly what Dr.

Powers said to remind you that yes, this wasn't formal, it was directed to committee.

It wouldn't really make sense to send it back to formal, but she she highlighted all those points, and I would just echo them.

Thank you.

That's why she's the best.

Thank you.

Appreciate you guys.

Absolutely.

Um, so we kind of got every I think all my questions, I think, have been pretty.

Did you guys know what you want to say?

Did you have anything else?

Member Mitsu wants to say I think my question's been pretty much answered.

You know, I think like I said earlier, I'm just intrigued by what this is, and I like people be able to come before the body and speak their piece, especially if they want to amend the law and the charter.

You know, I like to allow people to do that and give people the opportunity.

You know, my issue is when we're doing the same issue over and over and over again that we've already been litigated.

That's when it becomes a problem.

But this is novel, something I haven't heard before.

I think it's something that's different.

I like that.

My colleagues disagree because he didn't go through the process, and that's valid.

I'm not taking away from that.

I'm not saying that he did what he was supposed to do.

Obviously, he did not, but I'm just intrigued by the proposal and want to hear more from it.

But we'll take a vote and how this body votes is how this issue will end.

So with that being said, is there a motion to uh to is there a motion to honor the request to speak before this Detroit City Council regarding petition, discuss, incorporate a proposal in the Troy City Law and its potential incorporation into the Detroit City Charter Um by James Chandler?

Is there a motion?

All right.

Hearing no hearing no motion.

Well, excuse me, sir.

Yeah.

Um sorry, Dr.

Powell, excuse me.

Yes, um, just making the motion doesn't mean that that you agree to hear him.

The motion would be made in the affirmative.

So the motion would be um approve the request, and then you simply vote it down if you don't want the individual to speak before.

But if I may add something on your your point, sir, um the individual is always free to talk with you as you are to talk with him to get your questions answered offline.

No, no, I totally understand it.

No, no, you're right, Dr.

President.

I let me make sure I get this correct.

So how do I how do I word this properly so we can vote this up or down?

If no, if neither of your colleagues wishes to make the motion, right?

You can say without objection, we will allow him to speak.

And then they need to say no.

Okay, and it would fail.

Or um uh, in my opinion, a better way would be for an individual uh member to make the motion to um to approve the request and then actually vote it down, as was said during the discussion.

Okay.

No, I like the first way you said it better.

I don't want to do it like that.

Thank you.

I appreciate it, Dr.

Powers.

You are the best.

So without objection, uh, we will honor uh line item 6.4.

Point of order.

What's the motion, Mr.

Chair?

Oh sorry, without objection, without objection, we will allow James Chandler to speak before Detroit City Council.

Objection, Councilmember Scott Benson, District Three.

So you know you agree with me or you agree with Benson.

Uh okay.

Since there's already been an objection, you can no longer um proceed with uh unanimous consent.

Okay.

Now you actually need the motion, perhaps from Mr.

Benson, um, to approve, and then he can vote vote it down and say no, I object to the motion.

Okay, that's clear.

Point of order, chairman of information through yourself to Dr.

Powers.

Wasn't the same accomplished by no one making the motion, Dr.

Powers?

No.

No, no, the a motion, and an action needs to be taken, and silence isn't an action.

So not making a motion is not an action.

Well I'll dig more deeply into that, but in my opinion, in my opinion, the proper process would be for a motion to approve and then vote no if you disagree with with uh with the motion motion to approve line item 6.4.

Thank you.

Motion's been made.

Are there any objections?

Objection, Councilmember Scott Benson.

Any other objections?

Hearing no other objections.

Does this motion well it I thought member Miller was was an objection to all did?

Well, I I did, but at the same time the way it ended here, I was never satisfied with.

And because of you're in the middle of a vote.

Right.

I'm sorry, okay.

So is that objection?

If I may, if I may, you need uh member miller is asking for clarification.

And in this case, um a clarification is permitted since um it will influence how she votes.

Right.

All right, so um the fact that it that it ended here is irrelevant.

It it's whether or not you want the person to speak before your committee or not, and that would be a yes or a no discussion.

The person, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, the person is always free to resubmit the request.

Okay, uh Chair recognizes the chair recognize the member miller.

This is a point of information for me.

So the clarification is that a point of information motion or order, or is it a clarification?

I mean, how would you say that?

I I in my opinion, Member Miller was not uh was was really wondering what was going on and why the the well the petition was was there.

Um but that's why I allowed the um the interruption in the vote.

Otherwise, I would not have allowed the interruption in the vote and and proceeded.

But um, from what member miller said earlier, she was voting no, and when I heard nothing, I it I wondered if there was a problem there is a problem for me.

Member Benson, were you done?

I'm done.

Chair recommend member miller.

The problem is that pro Tim made a statement at the very beginning that this was bounced around and nobody wanted to take it and he took it.

And so therefore I felt since the body as a whole could make a decision, they all should sit in on this guy's questionnaire and whatever.

Um because I'm not intending games.

We're here, so no, they could not make a body of decision.

So then next thing you know, because we've been here before where everybody wants to vote on certain things, so let's vote on all things.

So let them make a decision, and if I have to sit in on here, then all of them should sit in and hear what the guy say.

Go ahead, Dr.

Proud.

I just wanted to remind the body that um on Tuesday, the body did make a decision.

They voted to allow the petitioner, but they voted to send it to um uh to neighborhoods.

Uh the rules state that the body as a whole has to approve it, but it was not approved for um and to be presented in front of the whole body, only to be sent to neighborhoods, and then neighborhoods has to decide what it wants to do with it.

So you so the I object okay.

You okay, so okay.

So hold on, let me just let me just restate it so we so we all know.

Okay, uh motion has been made to take up line item 6.4.

Are there any objections?

Objection.

Objection.

We have two objections, line items, the uh motion to take up line of 6.4 fails.

Discussion.

Now, discussion chair recognizes uh now vice chair Benson and then recognize member to the procedural conversation we just had.

So in the middle of a vote, typically we're not allowed to have any type of discussion.

But in this situation, you interjected, indicating that a clarification can be allowed to assist somebody with their vote.

So would that be a motion, a point of information?

Would that be the correct motion in that situation?

I I in I would expect that if the individual who wasn't sure would ask for um something that would uh be akin to um uh please clarify this point or what are we voting on or something along those lines?

I don't it's not necessarily a specific motion that would have to be made.

It could be simply I don't understand uh voting yes versus voting no, and that would have to be explained because sometimes in the past resolutions have our I'm sorry, motions have been stated in the negative or the resolution has been written so that a yes means a no or a no means a yes, and I'm sure you remember that um and that's when um clarification had to be made.

What would point a point of information order be appropriate in that situation?

If you want to use point of information, um you can use point of information.

Point of information, what does voting no mean, for example?

Yes.

So that would be appropriate then.

Oh, you can do that.

Okay, just want to make it easy.

Thank you.

Did you want to say something?

And then no further comments, sir.

Okay.

No, I just want to thank you for allowing me to get the clarification on what we were voting for because of the process.

And I just want to say I I invite the gentleman to come speak before public comment.

No, uh Dr.

Powers, can I can I speak to the top just can I just respond to what she just can it's okay if I respond to what she's doing?

You're in a you're in a discussion, so you closed out the vote, you're fine.

Okay, I just want to make sure I was on the right.

I'm doing it right.

I want you to come after me.

All right, so um no, I I think that the the issues that uh both my colleagues brought up were extremely valid.

I'm I'm not I'm I I don't I don't I don't feel one way or the other.

I've I feel that I I understand exactly where you're coming from, and I and I respect the decision that you made.

I mean again, I I just someone who likes to give people who opportunities, especially if it's something that's gonna be changing, something that's novel, something that's different that they're trying to add to, and it's something that's solution oriented or value added.

I always like to give that person an opportunity.

But I understand, you know, there is a process, there's a way that we do things.

We already have public comment.

You're free to come down and do public comment.

So I understand exactly voting the opposite, and I respect it.

All right, we are moving on to member reports.

Chair recognizes Vice Chairman Benson.

All right, thank you.

Just wanted to alert everybody, the annual senior Valentine's Day Dance and Luncheon will be this Friday, February 13th, at the American Serbian Memorial Hall at 1994 Van Dyke Avenue.

This is hosted by the 11th precinct, Detroit Police Department, as well as the Business United Officers Youth, Bowie number 11 and the Ninth Precinct Police Community Relations Council.

Looking forward to seeing all of our seniors at our Valentine's Day dance this Friday, 10 a.m.

to 2 p.m.

at the American Serbian Memorial Hall on Van Dyke.

In addition, we have three more free life and legacy planning workshops coming online February 12th this Thursday.

We have an in-person at the Central Detroit Christian location at five at 1550 Taylor Street in Detroit.

And that's at 4 p.m.

On March 19th at 5 30 p.m.

We have a virtual, which is gonna be hosted by Matrix Human Services on April 12th.

We have a 10 a.m.

virtual hosted by Wayne Metro.

And these are the plan for Detroit Life and Legacy Planning Workshops.

Please do a quick Google search or go to our city web page and you will find the information there.

These are critical.

Please get your family's affairs in order and get an estate plan.

Get a will, get a power of attorney, get a power of health.

They are so critical and important.

And no matter what the age, if you have a family, please ensure that your orders, your affairs are in order to make sure that your generational wealth follows your family.

Thank you.

Excellent.

That's a Valentine Senior party sounds like fun.

Hey, hey, tonight.

Um like the place to be.

Uh member Miller.

Yes, I would like to invite everyone to district five's second community meeting.

It's gonna be on the 24th of this month on uh at the Butzel Family Center at 6 p.m.

That is our second kickoff for the east side of District 5.

Everyone is invited to attend, and it is again on the 24th at 6 p.m.

We're also having hosting with uh member at large waters.

The deep fraud protection was going to be February 28th at 10 a.m.

And it's going to be located at Considine Rec Center, which is 8904 Woodward.

That is Considine Rec Center for our District 5 residents for deep fraud and protection.

Also, I am on the committee for the task force for skilled trades along with Councilwoman at Large Waters and Councilman Denzel McCampbell.

That will be hosted on February, February the 18th from 4 to 6 p.m.

at the Carpenters and Mill Rights Training Center.

We will also be tonight is the kickoff for the Valentine's for 7th Precinct, which will be at Sacred Heart.

We encourage you to join us tonight at Sacred Heart for their Valentine's kickoff.

And that is going to be at Sacred Heart over on Elliott in Detroit near Eastern Market.

That's continues my reports.

That sounds like fun too over there in Sacred Heart.

So everybody, happy Valentine's Day.

And without objection, neighborhood community service standing committee will now stand adjourned.