Detroit City Council Committee of the Whole Meeting - February 16, 2026
Detroit City Council Committee of the Whole Meeting - February 16, 2026
The committee met to receive a quarterly performance update from DDOT Director Robert Kramer, consider several contracts and memos, and hear public comments. The meeting included discussion of bus reliability, shelter inspections, DDOT interactions with ICE, and routine approvals.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Mr. Foster (in-person): Expressed concerns about police oversight, stating that until the community has more involvement in discipline of rogue officers, issues will continue. Also noted that Michigan is not a "stop and identify" state and that ICE operations should require reasonable suspicion of a crime.
- Dr. Denise Darnell (online): Thanked the committee and Councilmember McCampbell for addressing a dangerous ICE blockage on East Nevada and a leaning tree on Mount Elliott. Expressed support for Councilmember Waters' memorandum to modify the Detroit Land Bank Authority MOU regarding eviction processes and first right of refusal.
- William M. Davis (online): Called for more shelter inspections, noting that some shelters have inhumane conditions and buildings lack heat. Urged a return to regular inspections and code enforcement.
- Caller ending in 169 (online): Thanked those praying for and taking action to help "Brother Cunningham." Quoted Tupac: "If you can't find something to live for, you best find something to die for."
- Owner Papa (online): Asked about the lack of bus shelters on Joy Road and urgency of a homeless shelter report. Questioned whether dirt mixed with melting snow is entering the water system. Also criticized DPD and the FBI's history with Black communities and called for firing of officers involved in a shooting with six shots and alleged lying.
- Cassania Gibson (online, Michigan Immigrant Rights Center): Highlighted the need for language access on city social media, noting that winter weather advisories and safety tips are only posted in English, violating the Detroit Language Access Ordinance. Urged translation into Spanish, Arabic, and Bengali.
- Betty A. Verner (online, President of Soda Ellsworth Black Association): Announced a free Home Modification Program for older adults (ages 62+, Wayne County residents, low income) that provides interior/exterior lighting, grab bars, and hazardous gutter fixes.
- Cecily McLellan (online, We the People of Detroit): Announced a Great Lakes Water Authority public hearing on February 25th about proposed water rate increases of 6.83% for water and 5.9% for sewage. Argued these increases are unsustainable and unfair, especially as last year's 5.2% average increase was already above inflation.
- Caller ending in 124 (online): Agreed with the last caller about charges being separated on bills. Thanked Councilmember Santiago-Romero's staff for attentive phone service. Raised issues with the Board of Zoning Appeals' proposed rules, claiming they violate the Open Meetings Act and due process.
- Stephen Boyle (online, District 2 resident): Described broken glass at bus shelters on Rosa Parks, Linkwood, and West Grand Boulevard. Also mentioned the need for mental health support for people at bus stops.
- Brother Cunningham (online, last caller): Reported that new DDOT buses are breaking down and half are not on the road. Claimed drivers are waiting at the terminal, getting paid, while buses are short. Suggested writing a letter to the federal government to request keeping old buses in the system. Mentioned a promise from Director Kramer.
Discussion Items
- DDOT Quarter 4 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) Presentation: Director Robert Kramer reported: bus availability is down 30 buses per day since Thanksgiving (to ~190, vs. required 200). The 45 new 2025 New Flyer hybrid buses account for about 20 buses per day unavailable due to warranty issues. A daily task force with New Flyer has been established and they have flown in additional technicians; resolution expected in weeks. Driver numbers have improved: 522 active TEOs in December, now in the 530s, with a December class of 74 and January class of 30. Separations are low (around 8). Missed trips were 8% (goal 4%). On-time performance was 72% (goal 85%). Preventable crash rate was about 3.5 per 100,000 boardings; complaints were higher than goal of 15 per 100,000. Paratransit on-time performance met the 95% threshold with low complaints. The Coolidge terminal is 90% complete, with operations to begin April 27. 44 of 60 ad shelters are installed; 100 more shelters are planned, half replacing old or missing shelters and half new locations. 25 new benches have been installed with $2M council funding. A certificate program with Henry Ford College for mechanics will start with three students, paid, with a tool allowance and a job offer after graduation.
- Contract 6007588 – General Contracting Services at City Facilities: Raquel Harrington (Construction and Demolition Department) explained this $750,000 contract (100% city funds, through Jan. 2029) covers infrastructure work (roofing, concrete) to supplement the 40-person in-house maintenance team, which lacks capacity. Councilmembers expressed interest in eventually filling these roles in-house.
- Memos on Shelter Inspections (6.2) and DPD/ICE (6.3): 6.2 was received and filed. 6.3 was requested to be brought back in one week, and council discussed removing attorney-client privilege to make the memo public, with a vote expected at formal session.
- Memo on Nories and Services for Low-Income Residents (6.4): Held back one week at Member Waters' request, as the response had not been reviewed.
- Contract 6007681 – Community Health Services (SEMHA): $327,888, 100% grant-funded, to support vulnerable populations, approved.
- Contract 6004888 – Tire Services Extension: Six-month extension, no change in value, approved.
- Grants 7.6 and 7.7: Sister Friends Detroit grant and HAP Care Source Foundation grant for Project Clean Slate approved.
- Resolution to Support Michigan Bills 508-510: Approved.
- DDOT KPIs Report (7.10): Received and filed.
- Rescission for 12731 Linwood (7.5): Postponed one week at Member Waters' request.
- Memo on Pre-Sale Inspections (7.11) and Eviction Moratorium Memo (7.12): Both brought back in three weeks.
Key Outcomes
- Approved: Contract 6007588 (general contracting services), contracts 7.2, 7.3, 7.6, and 7.7, and resolution 7.9.
- Received and Filed: Shelter inspection memo (6.2) and DDOT KPIs report (7.10).
- Held Over (1 week): DPD/ICE memo (6.3), nories memo (6.4), rescission 7.5, and 7.4 (related to 6.3).
- Held Over (3 weeks): Memos on pre-sale inspections (7.11) and eviction moratorium (7.12).
- Privilege Waiver: Council will work to lift attorney-client privilege on the DPD/ICE memo at formal session the next day.
- Next Steps: Director Kramer committed to providing information on how to apply for the Henry Ford College mechanic certificate program; DDOT will continue working on bus reliability and shelter installation; the full council will vote on the sister friends grant and HAP grant at formal session.
Meeting Transcript
Councilmember Denzel McCampbell. Good morning, President. Councilmember Mary Waters. Present. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Given a quorum we'll go into the agenda for today. We did receive our minutes from last session. If there's a motion to approve. Motion to approve. Hearing no objections, our minutes from our last session will be approved. I have no chair remarks for today. We can go right into public comments. Just want to remind everyone that we do have a I guess I do have chair remarks. I want to remind folks that we do have a 1015 a.m. presentation regarding D dots. This will be for quarter four. We do hold these quarterly updates in this committee. So expect that conversation to happen in a few. Before then, we can go into general public comment for today. Everyone will have a minute and a half for general public comments. And again, we have a presentation. If you have any questions or concerns you want to share for D Dot and myself and my colleagues, please do. And this is also a time to share whether whatever comments concerns the general public has. We'll go with folks that we have here in person. If there's anybody here in person for general public comments, Mr. Foster seems to be the only one. If you wouldn't mind coming and joining us here at the front of the room, when the microphone is on and when you are ready, you can go ahead and begin. And I will cut off general public comments in two minutes. So at 10 07, please raise your hands by then if you would like to make public comments. We'll begin with the folks here in person. Mr. Foster, whenever you are ready, you can begin. But with the knowledge I know the police chief is limited to what he could do. We still have issues with the union, who is ultimately going to make the decision as to what goes on with any uh rogue officers, the one or two percent. And until this community have more oversight and involvement in those um punishments or reliefs, then we're going to continue to have issues in this city. Secondly, when it relates to ice, I think it's important to understand that in America, a reasonable articulate suspicion that a crime has occurred is needed to establish probable cause, which means that that's needed to engage anybody. And so um, and then secondly, in the state of Michigan, the state of Michigan, it's not a ask an ID state, which means that nobody's required to give their ID to anybody. Um, unless there is a reasonable suspicion that a crime has occurred, is suspected of a crime. And so I think those things are important. They need to be enforced. I see ICE out here doing what they want to do. They bought uh a facility nearby, and so I hope that the city really takes stronger stance on what we thank you, Mr. Foster. General public comment is now going to be cut off. We are going to turn it over to the folks that we have online. Ms. Evangelista, how many hands do we have raised and who do we have first? Good morning, madam chair and council members. We have 10 hands raised online.
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