Detroit City Council Evening Community Meeting - February 17, 2026

The Detroit City Council held its evening community meeting on February 17, 2026, at Kadesh Baptist Church in District 7. The meeting featured a presentation from newly elected District 7 Council Member Denzel McCampbell, public comments from residents and community organizers, and updates on city services. The meeting began at 5:00 PM with a roll call and introductions of staff and departmental representatives.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Michael Cunningham spoke about inadequate bus service, noting that new buses are breaking down and people wait at stops an hour or more. He requested the city contact the federal government to keep both old and new buses in service. He also reported receiving threatening phone calls after posting about the issues and offered love packages (portable chargers, hand warmers, bus tickets) to those in need.
• Joanne Warwick celebrated Black History Month and praised Council Member Denzel McCampbell's election. She criticized nuisance abatement programs and the solar initiative, which she called an illegal use of eminent domain for DTE, and referenced a class-action lawsuit regarding nuisance abatement. She urged council to stop taking people's property.
• Renard Mishanski (transit justice organizer, Detroit People's Platform) congratulated McCampbell and urged council to reconstitute the disability task force. He highlighted a $50,000 study on low-to-no-emission paratransit and asked for continued commitment to clean energy for paratransit riders, citing poor air quality. He also invited the public to a transit and mobility meeting the next day.
• Lindsay Pilak (Friends of Rouge Park) advocated for support for Rouge Park (over 1,100 acres, Detroit's largest park), emphasizing its role in flood management and recreation. She noted the city is developing a master plan for the park and invited community to a March 5 meeting.
• Kamal Clark (We the People Action Fund, District 4 resident) shared his family's experience caregiving for a brother with schizoaffective disorder and called for funding nonprofits that pilot mental health programs for Black men and boys. He noted Council President Tate's work on the co-response mental health program and invited collaboration.
• Jabari Cook (political organizer, Henry Ford ICU secretary) advocated for funding for behavioral health organizations to expand mental health programs for Black men, describing the healthcare system as "equivalent to constantly running from the police" and citing institutionalization risks.
• James Joswiak (Wayne State student, We the People Action Fund) requested budget allocation for public health student pipelines at Wayne State, creating paid community-based work for students to address mental health for Black men.
• Casel Flood (District 7 resident) reported potholes and sidewalk gaps on Ashton Street near the new fire station and Cody High School construction, causing pedestrians to walk in the street. He also cited speeding on the block.
• Minister Troy Mohammed (Nation of Islam, Muhammad Mosque) invited council and residents to Savior's Day 2026 on February 22 at Huntington Place, theme: "Making Our Community a Decent and Safe Place to Live." He noted the Nation of Islam's founding in Detroit.
• Timothy Bent (Ginger Root Black Male Leadership Team) shared his mental health struggles as a Black construction worker during the pandemic and urged funding for nonprofits to expand Black men's mental health programs, plus incentives for behavioral health providers.
• Donald Stuckey spoke about an upcoming Wayne County transit millage in August 2026 that would end opt-out communities. He asked council to use new transit dollars to expand services rather than replace existing city funds, and to make public transit a top priority.
• Stephen Wallace (District 4 resident raised in District 4) described his uncle's schizophrenia and the lack of available care, and requested council commit funding to nonprofits for Black mental health and restorative justice.
• William M. Davis (city retiree of 34 years) criticized the city's treatment of retirees, noting over 4,000 general fund retirees have died in 12 years. He alleged the 2013 bankruptcy was a "fake bankruptcy" and said retirees lost their promised pensions and generational wealth. He called for more aggressive advocacy for retirees.
• Denise Darnell (developer born and raised in Detroit) supported Council Member Mary Waters' memorandum to enhance community engagement in land bank agreements, urging the city to work with local developers.
• Dan Green (born and raised in District 7) expressed hope for a planned District 7 recreation center as a needed "third space" for all ages. He also advocated for funding Black mental health programs and restorative justice.
• Arthur Edge (president of Troy 300, a CDI team) invited the community to public meetings with DPD every Wednesday at 15920 Grand River to address violence in the city.
• Brown Foster (religious leader) quoted scripture and the Kerner Report, urging the city to address social issues and not resort to violence against civil disobedience.
• Joanna Little (Littlefield Block Club president, District 7) congratulated McCampbell on his election and thanked his team. She promised to attend future meetings.
• Betty A. Varner (president of Soda Elsewhere Black Association) requested council waive or fund the $1,500 land-use hearing fee for block clubs and 501(c)(3)s, so they can purchase vacant lots for community beautification. She also asked for continued focus on the Joy Road corridor.
• Janice D. Hazel (president of Aviation Subdivision Neighborhood Association) urged action on illegal street racing on Oakman Boulevard, a public safety crisis. She requested city support for a neighborhood solar project to reduce low-income homeowners' energy costs, funding for a Joy Road retail survey (Wyoming to Schaefer), and creation of a therapeutic aquatic recreation center with heated pools for seniors and disabled residents.
• Anonymous caller (ending in 169) briefly asked for bus tickets for Michael Cunningham.
• Miss Shay (online caller) requested council offer eyelash technician training as a new skilled trade. She also criticized snow removal at Lynnwood and West Grand near public high schools and uncollected garbage at bus stops, and called on President Tate to oversee council staff accountability.

Discussion Items

• Council Member Denzel McCampbell's Presentation (District 7): McCampbell introduced his team (Ray Duncan, Chief of Staff; Amanda Hill, Office Manager; Randall White, Special Project Manager; Stacey Bryant, Director of Constituent Services; Yolanda Lockett, Constituent Services Coordinator; Ladon Davis, Constituent Relations Manager; Jerry Springs, Constituent Services Coordinator; Charlena Stevenson, Policy Analyst; Sean Rossatano, Policy Analyst). He outlined his guiding principle of "co-governance" and highlighted priorities from community input: senior home repair, safe bus shelters, neighborhood beautification/blight, accurate property assessments, a District 7 recreation center, and business accountability. He also detailed the 2026 budget process: Mayor Sheffield's budget presentation on March 9, city council budget hearings (47 of them) beginning March 11, a public hearing on March 30, and council vote on April 7. He announced coffee hours starting February 21 and 22, and again on February 28 and March 5.
• Response to Public Comments: Council Member McCampbell acknowledged Casel Flood's concerns and said he would follow up with contractors at Cody High School and DPW on potholes and traffic. He invited Joanna Little to his coffee hour. Council Member Miller responded to online caller Miss Shay, stating her office had asked for name and contact information but had not received it, and that she would not continue the public back-and-forth. Council Member McCampbell reminded the public of the Skilled Trades Task Force meeting on February 18, 2026, 4-6 PM at the Carpenters and Millwrights Training Center.

Key Outcomes

• No formal votes were taken. The meeting was primarily a community engagement session for residents to voice concerns and council members to provide updates.
• Council members committed to following up on specific resident issues (e.g., potholes, sidewalk gaps, and speeding on Ashton Street; block club land-use hearing fees; solar projects; transit funding; and mental health program funding).
• Council Member McCampbell announced he will chair the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee and vice-chair the Public Health and Safety Committee. He also serves on the Skilled Trades Task Force, Retiree Task Force, and Equitable Development Task Force, and will propose a Disability Task Force.
• The meeting concluded with an invitation to Savior's Day on February 22, 2026 at Huntington Place.