Neighborhood community service standing committee will now come into order.

Will the clerk please call the role?

Council President Pro Temper Coleman A.

Young the second.

Here.

Councilmember Scott Benson.

Councilmember Renata Miller.

Mr.

Chair, you have a corn presence.

Thank you.

Thank you for that for time for you.

I appreciate that.

Is there a motion to approve the minutes?

Motion.

Motion made or any objections?

Here now we will approve the minutes.

Okay, now for chairmarks.

I think we all are very heartbroken and sad about Jesse Jackson passing away and what he's done and what he represents, not this city but to the country.

So in honor of him, uh I want to read this.

Uh this was the speech that he gave in Chicago, Illinois.

I am somebody.

I am somebody.

I am somebody.

I may be poor, but I am somebody.

I may be young, but I am somebody.

I may be small, but I am somebody.

I may have made mistakes, but I am somebody.

My clothes are different.

My face is different.

My hair is different, but I am somebody.

I am black, brown, or white.

I speak a different language, but I must be respected, protected, never rejected.

I am God's child.

I am somebody.

Thank you.

We will now move on to public comment.

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

Bo.

Mr.

Chair, we have five individuals with a hand raised for public comment.

All right.

Public comments now closed.

Public comment is now closed.

Public comment is now closed.

Who do we have first in the queue, Mr.

Bo.

Mr.

Chair, the first caller is William M.

Davis.

Mr.

Davis, the floor is yours.

Two minutes.

Hello, can I be heard?

Hold on for a minute, Ms.

Davis.

Okay, there we go.

Go ahead, Ms.

Davis.

Oh, well, I like to say that uh Jesse Jackson also gave that speech here in Detroit a couple of times in the 1980s.

I know you may not be able to remember the 1980s, but I do.

And um, because I Jesse Jackson was a friend of mine.

So I I visited him in Chicago, and he's visited here in Detroit a number of times.

We need to be doing more to help the communities, to help the neighborhoods, to help the quality of life for all Detroiters.

Far too often it seems like this city of Detroit wants to spend all this money helping people who don't live here, people who don't care about the city.

And we need to make sure more of our dollars are turning over in our communities.

You know, far too often, you know, we go to gas stations, party stores, and what have you, and all those dollars, many of them are leaving here.

When I first came, I wasn't here, I wasn't born here, but when I first came here in the 1960s, there were lots of black owned and operated businesses.

Now there are very few.

So we need to be gearing our stuff so that more Detroit is actually own and operate businesses in the city.

More of our Detroit dollars are turning over, and that we stop giving so much money to outsiders.

And um, hopefully, one day we can start charging Louis Caesar Arena for you know for the what they take from us.

They get a lot, but they don't give us very much.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I appreciate that.

And I I remember uh a lot of things that he's done with Rainbow Push Coalition.

I know the the relationship that him and my father have as well, so I appreciate that.

Uh Mr.

Davis, we appreciate you, sir.

Who you have next in the queue?

Mr.

Bo.

Mr.

Chair, the next caller is Betty A.

Verner.

All right, Ms.

Varner.

Floor is yours, two minutes.

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

This is Betty A.

Bronner, president of the Soda Elsworth Black Association.

First, I want to say thank you to the council member or members who reached out and had someone call me from the uh uh water department in regards to my issue with the lifeline H2O program.

Also uh I'm looking forward uh for the council and I thank you for planning to have someone from the water department come and um talk about the H2O uh program so that the people who have been approved and and are in the program will know exactly how this program works.

Uh the next thing I want to state is I'm asking humbly that the uh council will consider in their budget to allocate monies to help uh black clubs and associations, 501c3 do uh the projects in their area in their neighborhoods, help us uh and assist us paying that uh $1,500 for that land use hearing.

Um it would be nice if the administration would be part of that uh and waive that fee for that land use hearing.

Uh we're buying these properties, these vacant properties that's in our neighborhood, these lots, and we are beautifying them and making them useful, and to have to go and pay $1,500 for a land use hearing.

Uh, when we're doing the work that you're asking us to do, my opinion, it's ridiculous.

It's you're setting us up for fair use.

So please consider administration I'm speaking to at this point.

Wave that fee for organizations.

Thank you for this time.

God bless you all.

Thank you.

I appreciate you, Miss Barner.

We definitely look into that.

Who do you have next in the queue?

Mr.

Bo.

Mr.

Chair, the next caller is Cunningham.

Cunningham, floor is yours.

Two minutes, Cunningham.

Absolutely.

Okay.

4449114, 313, 444, 9114, 313, 44, 9114.

That number was made so you can remember it.

That is my Cash App.

That is my Facebook.

You can Google that number, and you will see articles.

Also, that number, if you want to reach me or listen to the message.

Um 313-444-9114.

Uh Council President, District 1, um, Council District 2, Callaway, District 3, Bidson, District 4, Johnson, District 5, Miller, District 7, McCampbell, District 6, Santiago Romero, Pro Tim, District at Large, Waters in the Mayor's Office.

There is a D dot meeting this evening.

I've been in meetings of the meetings of the meetings.

I have to skip the RTA because I have a customer, and I wanted to join this meeting until everyone under the sound of my voice to go to Detroit Department of Transportation on your social media platform.

And the Zoom link is there.

I want you to continue to pray in the Holy Spirit or chant, call my name out into the atmosphere, drink a lot of water.

Um, if they're laughing, that's what I want.

If they laugh at me for praying, that's what I want.

No weapon formed against me shall prosper.

Any kind of rise up in judgment, thou shall condemn.

And also, uh, those candies are left uh for members, uh staff.

It's just a thank you.

I'm not trying to hit on you.

I just wanted to give you those chocolates and uh for a late Valentine's Day and say thank you for all that you do.

Thank you for being kind to me.

Folks are not normally kind to me uh over the years.

And so I do this work.

Um we love you.

We appreciate you, Mr.

Cunningham.

Who's next?

Mr.

Chair, the last caller is owner Papa.

All right, two minutes, floor is yours.

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

Yes.

Um Mr.

Davis was absolutely right.

Nothing, I I'm looking at your your tree trimming, and millions of dollars are going to Troy and Attica, Michigan.

Uh why would our city hard-earned city dollars you so freely give it to other um communities on your on your agenda is rarely anything really pertaining to you know the the health and safety of the neighborhoods.

I'm not I'm not I'm not feeling what you're putting down here.

It's it's it's a whole lot of BS is what I see.

I see people sick on the streets.

I see people um homeless and in the neighborhoods.

I see I see you I don't hear anybody advocating for the neighborhoods, it's always about the businesses.

That's all we talk about.

How the businesses are bringing jobs.

And you, Mr.

Young, who's so big on numbers.

Why don't you look and see what the unemployment rate is for our people in the neighborhoods?

Do you even care?

Um, your job is to make sure that the people are taken care of.

And your focus seems to be everywhere.

But are you aware that AI is taking the jobs of millions?

And we already have an unemployment problem in the city of Detroit, especially with skill levels, and now you want to bring AI into the mix.

You also uh spew a 2025 agenda for walking neighborhoods or 15 minute cities.

We understand what that means.

Contain the people and and do it not long ago, created a uh offense, a geo fence.

You you guys are doing exactly what Trump wants you to do, and you know it.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I just want to say one, uh, there are actually laws opposed that are prevents the city of Detroit to be able to create geo fences or to be able to sell data.

Uh I just wanted to say that one secondly.

Um I just wanted to say, I think it's you're right about in terms of AI, and that's why what we want to do is we want to have a partnership with DPS CD.

We also want to have a partnership with Michigan Central that has something called uh Black Tech Saturdays.

Also, there is a program that Alphabet, which is the parent company for Google has, that actually provides training, no age limit for people to be able to go there, get a coding certificate through a three to six month project, three to six month process.

And so we want to be able to make sure that we work with our DPS CD, with the city, uh, with our employment solutions corporations in order to be able to make sure that we take advantage of that from an artificial intelligence standpoint.

And I also just want to say just because of Black History Month, that the creator of uh artificial intelligence was well, the godfather of it, what they actually create, but he created the programs of the math that led to the invention of artificial intelligence was a black person by the name of David Blackwell.

And also um, through parallel computing, Philly Man Wally was the godfather of the internet, which allowed it to be able to grow the scale as it has because of his invention as well, who's also a black person.

So just want to give that little FYI for a black history month, everybody.

All right.

I think we are is that all that we have in the queue, Mr.

Burr.

Mr.

Sure, that was the last caller with the hammer's for public comments.

All right, excellent.

We will now move on to new business, mayor's office, line item 6.1 petition of backwoods and bonfires request to hold backwoods and bonfires from July 11th, 2026 at 2 p.m.

until 10 p.m.

the same day at the Eastern Market, Eastern at Eastern Detroit, it's the Eastern Market Detroit.

I think no the Easter Detroit, I'm sorry.

Setup will begin on July 9th, 2026 at 1 p.m.

and will be completed by 5 p.m.

on July 10th, 2026.

Teardow will begin on July 11th, 2026 at 10 p.m.

And we'll be completed by 5 p.m.

on July 12th 2026.

Is there a motion discussed line on 6.1?

Motion for discussion, any objections?

We'll discuss line on 6.1.

I think we have Miss Yakima Fife that's here.

Would you like to say something to this event?

No?

Oh, okay, good.

Does anybody else have anything they want to say?

You stay right here if you want.

If you want to say something, if you don't, it's fine.

I just want to give everybody an opportunity to speak to it.

All right.

Excellent.

So in that case, is there a motion to send line of 6.1 to formal session with recognition for approval be put on to do business?

Motion's been made.

Are there any objections?

Here in the Lion 6.1, we move the formal session with recognition for approval, be put on to new business.

And uh just a little personal note.

Um, I know we've been doing this for quite a while.

This got better every time we've done it, so I'm really happy.

Really excited to see what you guys have in store this year.

It's always lit with the young kids saying, you know, whatever, you know.

I'm kind of old, so I don't know what they say anymore.

But uh, I just want to say I hope they have even better and bigger.

I'm looking forward to having you.

Always a pleasure to have you guys with us.

All right.

So that we'll begin on March 26th, 2026 at 8 a.m.

and be completed by March 28th, 2026 at 1 p.m.

10 now be in in March 28th, 2026 at 5 p.m.

and be completed by 10 p.m.

the same day.

Is there a motion to move line on 6.2 to formal session with recognition for approval we put on to new business?

Motion made are any objections here in the line on 6.42.

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

Uh man, a clerk, I was just want to take care of a little bit as an apologize.

Um I forgot to say that council member Scott Benson is unable to attend committee meetings scheduled for the week of February 16th due to travel plans.

So I just want to let him know that I would I would assume that would allow his uh absence to be excused.

Yes.

Excellent.

I just want to make a sure guy.

Clerk I can't even thank you, ma'am.

Clerk, I appreciate you.

All right.

Now, line of 643, Office of Contracting and Procurement.

Contract 63607, 100% major street funding to provide tree trimming and removal.

Contractor, Grays Outdoor Services Location 3850 Brown Street, Garden City, Michigan, 48135 contract period upon city council approval for a two-year service period.

Total contract amount three million dollars.

Is there a motion to sit in line item 6.3 to formal session with recognition for approval be put onto new business?

Discussion.

That that and that just means that just discussion, not approval, just discussion, right?

Okay.

Discussion.

Chair recognizing Member Miller.

Is there someone from this app?

Yes.

No, I think we have Alex Weather.

Is Mr.

Weather up from the administration here?

Speak to this or good afternoon, Chair.

Mr.

Washington, always good to see you, sir.

Good to see you as well.

Um, I believe we have Deputy Director Jarrell Harris joining.

Okay.

I just I just must like picking on Mr.

Weather up.

All right.

Uh Mr.

Harris.

Deputy, excuse me, Deputy Director Harris.

Forgive me.

Should I get the title right?

Deputy Director.

Good afternoon.

Okay, uh, Member Miller, you want to ask a question?

Good afternoon, Deputy Director Harris.

I have a question.

We're spending three million dollars on tree trimming, which is going to be overseen by the city's forestry division.

I am concerned that why don't we extend our forestry department?

Because we know we have uh old city, we have uh older city.

Our trees need to be trimmed.

Why do we not why do we outsource three million dollars for someone else to do our trees that's when we can have it in-house through the chair, um, or if I say through uh council president pro tem uh uh and two council member Miller, it's great to meet you.

Uh, Gerrell Harris, Deputy Director, General Services Department.

Um, that is a fantastic question.

Um, so our in-house forestry crew, um, currently we have about 20 staff that work um in forestry.

Um they primarily manage all the trees at our parks, of which you know we have 314 parks, and they do the tree maintenance at all of our recreation centers.

Um, and so that keeps them uh extremely busy.

Uh, we have tried over the years to increase our staffing count um for a number of reasons.

Um, competitive pay, wage.

Uh we've not been able to um retain a large enough number of people to manage all of the trees that we are charged with managing across the city.

Um, I know that we'll be doing a presentation to this body, I believe in March about how we look to manage our tree canopy.

Um, we have about 350,000 trees in the in the public realm.

So those are trees on the berm, trees in the medians, trees at the parks, trees at the rank centers.

Um so really because of the volume of trees that we are charged with maintaining.

Um, it is necessary for us to go out and um bring in a third-party private company to help us do that.

Um, and so we have there are a number of tree uh contracts on your agenda for today that you'll be reviewing.

Um, what we're looking to do kind of globally um is be able to assign at least one vendor per council district.

Um so we are recommending a total of uh 10 different vendors.

Um, five of those vendors are Detroit based.

Um, a number of them are uh there's at least one black woman-owned tree company on that list.

So you all have awarded a contract to, and they're doing amazing work for us.

Uh so we're really looking to do is um increase the volume of trees that we can that we can address um that are in the public right away or that are um on the berm or in the medians um and continue to work with our forestry crews to maintain the trees that they uh can maintain within their capacity.

Okay, I have a question.

This this contract, I'm sorry, it's for two years.

It's a two-year contract.

So when are you gonna roll it out?

If you have all the plans to roll it out, it it doesn't take two years to get it going.

So why not have a one-year contract until we get it on?

Because this is an opportunity to create more jobs.

We are at an eight to nine percent unemployment rate in Detroit.

One of our callers drew it to our attention, which I already knew it was eight to nine percent.

But um, is it the the cost?

Is it um you know what what what is driving this to just happen now?

Because this is three million dollars.

I mean, has this always been done this way?

I'm asking because I am new, or did the first three department just over time just dissolve this portion of the forestry?

Because it the trees didn't just get here.

The trees in my neighborhood over 100 years old.

Through through the chair, uh that is a great question.

So um historically, yes, the forestry department has gotten smaller over time.

Uh pre-bankruptcy, uh, it was significantly larger than what it is now.

Um, but you know, we've had uh we have increased the number of staff that are at the forestry division.

And so um the reality, and again, this is this body's discretion and decision to decide if you are going to put additional dollars into forestry staffing.

Um, but today we know what the need is for tree service across the city.

Uh these are all, I believe they're three-year contracts, uh, because we know there are thousands of trees that need service.

Um, we have residents calling in daily, um, asking for service when there is a storm, when there's a strong wind and winter, ice is weighing down the trees.

Uh to your point, a number of trees are extremely old in the city, um, a hundred year plus, uh, but they've not been maintained or or trimmed the way that they should be uh because of a lack of capacity.

And so what we're trying to do is get caught up, bring in additional vendors to make sure we can address the thousands of tree service requests that we have to make sure that residents are safe, um, and that the city is doing its part to maintain the trees that are in uh the right-of-way, the berms or the parks or around the rec centers.

Okay, you just stated it was a three-year contract, but this is two on our documents here.

Is it two or is it three?

Uh they should all be three-year contracts.

If it says two, that that is an error that I will defer to OCP, but all of the tree trimming contracts should be three-year contracts.

I would I would have much rather you said it was two.

Now it's three, three-year contract for this.

So it's gonna take us three years to get our bearings together to open up jobs for Detroiters to take these jobs.

Three years.

Um through the chair, there are jobs open now in forestry, and that they're posted on the city's website for tree artisans, tree trimmers, associate foresters, tree artists and helpers.

So we're consistently hiring four staff in the forestry division.

What do we do the next one?

Because it says three years.

I just hate to see we do a two-year, and then they come back and ask for extension for another year, and then we do keep on these extensions, which is really like well, two years on here.

Okay, it does say two years.

Yeah, yeah, six for approval for two years, so you you you were saying.

He just said it should be three years.

Hold on.

So, yeah, deputy director, you're saying it's three years.

It says two on our sheet.

What's a discrepancy?

Uh, through the chair, that that may be uh an error, and uh, I believe OCP is on to correct that, but they should all be three-year contract.

Okay, we can't let that be a habit.

We gotta make sure that we all got the same information.

You know about how I feel about surprises right now two years.

So it's well, no, no, no.

He's saying that it was actually it was three years that that did that.

What we have here is a mistake, it's actually a three-year contract.

Did you have any other questions, the Miller?

Okay.

Um I just want to let everybody know that I also sent um this memo involving a presentation.

I know we're gonna be receiving uh involving uh tree trimming and tree removal.

So I know particularly asked about the tree can it be capital plan and discussion with general services department.

So uh I know we're gonna get more into this and more details.

I see we had somebody else to join us.

Is there any uh thing you want to add to this, ma'am?

Please identify yourself for everybody so you know who you are.

Tamika Williams, Office of Contracting and Procurement.

Um the chair, I was just confirming that all the tree contracts are for three years, that is type of okay.

Excellent.

So let's make sure we get on top of that, guys.

All right, can't hear that happen again.

All right, Mr.

Weatherup, you know, since I like picking on you already.

Is there anything else you want to say in this conversation, sir?

Through the chair, no, thank you, but I appreciate it.

All right.

All right, that being said, okay.

Oh, yeah, I forgot to say about the uh the canopy um discussion that we're gonna be having presentation that member Benson, Vice Chairman Benson, requested that discussion.

So we're working on that, look forward to that.

No, we'll get into greater detail, more granular about you know, contracts and jobs and in-house and costs and things of that nature.

So with that being said, is there a motion to move line item 6.3 to formal session with record dates for approval?

We put onto new business.

Motion been made.

Excellent.

Are there any objections?

Hearing none.

Line of 6.3 be moved to formal session with record dates for approval be put on to new business.

Line item 6.4 as amended.

Excuse me.

Let me let me say it again.

So line on 6.3 be moved to formal session.

The recommendation for approval be put onto new business as amended.

Thank you for that, member Miller.

Here now go on to contract 67676, 100% city funding to furnish small engine repair.

Contractor Kirk's Automotive, location 9330, Rose Lawn, Detroit, Michigan, 48207.

Contract period upon City Council approval for a period of three years.

Total contract amount 135,000 dollars.

Is there a motion to move line of 6.4 to formal session with recognition for approval be put onto new business?

Motion made are any objections.

Contractor Robles Tree Services location 3437 Gilbert Street, Detroit Michigan, 48210 contract period upon City Council approval through a period of three years.

Total contract amount $3 million.

There are motion to move line on 6.5 to formal session with recognition for approval, we put onto new business.

Motion's been made.

Are there any objections?

Hearing none.

Line of 6.5, we move to formal session with recognition for approval, we put onto new business.

Line 6.6 100% major street funding to provide tree trimming and removal services.

Contractor PPM Tree Service and Arbor Care LLC.

Location 36222.

Glenwood Road, Westland, Michigan, 48186.

Contract period upon City Council approval through a period of three years.

Total contract 2 million dollars.

Is there a motion to move line item 6.6 to formal session with recognition for approval?

We put on the new business.

Motion.

Are there objections?

Here none.

Line 6.6, we move to formal session with recognition for approval.

You put onto new business.

Line 6.7.

Contract 6761100% major street funding to provide tree trimming and removal services.

Contractor Owen Tree Service Inc.

Location 225 North Lake George Road Attica Michigan.

48412.

Contract period part city council approval for a period of three years.

Total contract amount two million dollars.

There motion to move line item 6.7 to formal session with recognition for approval you put on to do business.

Motion's been made.

Are there any objections?

Here none.

Line on 6.7 move to formal session with recognition for approval, we put on new business.

Lion 6.8 contract number 67612.

100% major street funding.

To provide tree trimming and removal, contract rainbow lawn and tree service LLC 8118 Bliss Street, Detroit Michigan 48234.

Contract period point city council approval through March 3rd, 2029.

Total contract amount 3 million dollars.

Is there a motion to send line on 6.8 to formal session with recognition for approval be put on to new business?

Motion's been made.

Are there any objections?

Hearing uh line 6.8, we move the formal session with recommendations for approval, you put onto new business.

Line 6.9 contract 676 14.

100% major street funding.

Provide tree trimming and removal services.

Contractor tree service to Troy LLC location 755 West Beaver Road Suite 2020.

Uh Troy Michigan 48084.

Contract period for city council through approval for the period of three years.

Total contract amount 3 million dollars.

Line of 6.9 excuse me.

Is there a motion to send line 6.9 to formal session with recommendations for approval to be put onto new business?

Motion made are any objections here in line on 6.9 be moved to formal session with record dates for approval to be put on to new business.

1833 East Jefferson Avenue Detroit, Meski 48207 contract period city council approved for a period of three years.

Total contract amount 750,000.

Is there a motion to move line of 6.10 the formal session with recognition for approval?

We put on to new business.

Motion's been made.

Are there any objections?

Here in the line of 6.10, we move the formal session with regulations for approval.

We put onto new business.11.

Contract 600, 76, 48.

100% city funding.

To provide furnish light duty, general repair and body work.

Sellers for located 2600 West Maple Road, Troy, Michigan 48084.

Contract paid on City Council for three years.

Total contract now, 750,000.

Is there a motion to move line item 6.11 to formal session with regulations for approval we put on to do business?

Motion.

Are there objections?

Here in the line of 6.11, we move the formal session with regulation for approval, we put onto new business.

Line 6.12.

Residential parking concerns.

Councilmember Gabriela Santiago Romero requested a response from legislative policy division.

They explores viable alternatives to residential parking concerns and pay service requirements.

There's been my understanding that report has been received.

So is there a motion to receive and file line item 6.12?

Motion's been made.

Are there any objections?

Hearing the line of 6.12 will be received and filed.

We will now go on the member reports.

Oh discussion, chair recognizes Member Vince.

Who?

The guy who just was there.

Oh make a statement.

I won't call them.

No, I can call them back.

You want no?

I just wanted to go in the record.

We just spent a hundred, we just spent 130 million dollars.

Did you want to say that report?

No, no, I don't.

No, I'm gonna say it right here while we're doing these contracts.

Go ahead.

We gave out three million dollars three times and two million two times to cut trees in the city of Detroit.

How can we ever offer competitive pay if we continue to don out this money?

Do you know how many jobs that would consist of in a three-year period?

And it's just it's just asinite to me that we're spending out this much money, and we cannot figure out how we can retain residential jobs for our own residents in Detroit.

When we could offer a higher pay to be competitive, opposed to sending $13 million out.

You know, you know how many salaries that could be for middle class, and I'm just disgusted about it.

And I just sit here and he he warned me that it was coming, but we got to do better.

We we we have to do better.

We're saying we want jobs, but do we really want jobs or we just want to just give all our money away?

I mean, we got to be competitive in some kind of way.

We got to do something for our residents who every day are looking for a fair wage, and we cannot continue to giving $13 million worth of tree trimming out of the city of Detroit.

Or just to contract this period.

We need people that need jobs.

Our families need food on their table.

They need to pay for their children's activities, they need to do their home repairs.

We need jobs in our city, and we just gave out three million three times and two million twice for tree trimming.

Thank you very much, Chair.

You sure you don't want me to get somebody respond to answer your questions?

Those are pertinent questions.

Sure, what you okay?

Um Mr.

Washington.

Who do we have that's available to respond to Member Miller's questions?

To the chair, I would defer to Deputy Director Harris.

Deputy Director Harris, good to see you again, sir.

You you you need uh member miller to repeat the question.

You want to be ready to respond?

Uh no, sir.

I heard the question.

Go ahead.

Um, through the chair to council member miller.

Um, you make a fantastic point, right?

And so uh we are consistently working to hire Detroiters um to work in the forestry division.

Um, of the tree vendors, five of them are Detroit based, and so they hire local Detroiters to work with them on their cruise.

So a lot of these dollars are staying in the city with um city residents who be doing this tree removal work.

Um we are are consistently looking to at ways that we can pay a more competitive wage because we are competing with private companies, we're competing with the utility companies that hire folks to do trees.

Um, and so oftentimes they do they're able to pay more than we can pay, uh, which is one of our major issues with retention.

Um, but we are always open to figuring out ways that we can keep more people in-house and keep more of this money in-house.

And so, you know, we can continue to push to hire more people to push to get higher wages.

But we we do agree that you know the more of this money that can stay in the house, the better.

Um again, which is why in the largest contract uh that we awarded is to a local uh black woman owned tree company here in the city who hires local Detroiters to do the tree service work.

Uh so we'll continue to push to get more of these vendors, local vendors to respond and uh and apply to the RPs that we put out with hopes of getting more local detroiters on these jobs.

Uh but yes, we we we share your concern, your your your um desire to keep as much of this money in the city as possible.

I have a question.

How much is the pay per hour?

Uh we start our tree artists and helpers, which is like the entry-level job in the forestry.

They start about 1589.

The tree artisans who have a bit more experience start in the mid 16 dollar range, and our senior tree artisans start at about $18 an hour.

$15 an hour.

This is why we don't have anybody to do the tree trimming.

That is unbelievable.

That's this that's what you work at for at McDonald's.

Isn't the McPay at McDonald's $15?

Or close to it, $12 to $15.

But you once want to climb the trees, risk their lives, dealing with electrical wires and things like that, and give them $15.

This is why we don't have anyone.

So we outsource it to companies, which is good for business owners, but they don't provide health care most times or a pension or anything that's conducive for a family.

They do not.

So it's like we're taking a different road for a shorter approach, but at the same time, it's not benefiting people that want to have a secure job.

That provides health care, it provides um sick leave, that provide things that every American should be proud to say they have.

It's things like that.

So we and at the tune of $13 million.

Do you know?

I mean, even if you took you said you have 20 staffers, 20 staffers.

I can't even I mean, even if you hire five staffers, five or ten more, and raise it to 21 dollars an hour, which is comparable.

I mean, I think we need to look at how we do business in Detroit and stop trying to.

I mean, is is it's just not right.

$13 million, and just to say we're in the name of small business, and then we give a number of how many is in Detroit.

No, we have working people that would love to go to work every day, love to put on a uniform and proudly say, I work for the city of Detroit.

Thank you very much, sir.

No, thank you.

I think that's why these are great questions, and why we're gonna have the uh tree uh canopy presentation.

And I'm sure that um and we look forward to hearing this from the Department of General Services and uh well, I'm sure we'll see.

Deputy Director Harris uh more often than as well.

So I appreciate that, and thank you.

I mean, usually this is not the way which we do this process, but I understand there's something you wanted to ask.

So and I think they're legitimate questions.

So we'll definitely answer this through the tree trimming uh cave process.

So I just didn't want to.

Yeah.

Well, I mean, that's what the contractual process for.

I'll tell you more about it later for our plan.

All right, thank you.

Appreciate that.

All right.

Now we will go on to member reports to recognize member Miller.

Well, tomorrow I district five is having a coffee hour from 8 to 11 at the Commons on Mac and Band Like in Detroit.

That is our first coffee hour.

I look forward to seeing all district five residents out that would like to have coffee with the councilwoman.

I will give one-on-one conversations.

I'm actually limiting them to two to three minutes.

Everyone get the opportunity to speak, especially those coming before work on Saturday, 8 to 10.

We're having our first foreclosure prevention um workshop.

And because I started my my first uh task force is called home preservation and foreclosure prevention task force.

We are rolling out the theme fight against foreclosure.

And I look forward to seeing anyone out.

We hopefully you may see a notice on your door.

If you see a notice on your door, that means someone from District 5 staff put that notice there because we're concerned that we want to meet you where you are at your house.

So please don't be upset.

We're just saying that, hey, we acknowledge it, we put it on your door because someone will come down and say, I did not know.

If we knocked on your door and left a notice, that's because we care and we want to help you fight against foreclosure.

And we're going to be holding that at Butso from eight to 10 on Saturday.

And lastly, our second um district five meeting is going to be Wednesday.

I'm sorry, Tuesday, Tuesday the 24th, 6 to 8 at Muttso Family Center Center.

Look forward to seeing you all out and look forward to um talking to you soon.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

Um yesterday I attended the ribbon cutting ceremony for Jaquisha Blackwell, recipient of the DEGC Green Grocer Grant Program.

A program I proudly championed and funded.

Ms.

Blackwell is the owner of Candy's LLC, located within the Durfee Innovation Society building in District 5.

The event was also attended by Mayor Sheffield and Councilwoman Renata Miller.

Let me give you a reminder about the whole program.

Upcoming deadline is February 22nd.

Again, the whole program upcoming deadline is February 22nd.

Homeowners property exemption.

That's the homeowner's property exemption.

That's the homeowner's property exemption.

Hope provides homeowners the opportunities to receive a reduction or elimination of their current year's property taxes based on income eligibility.

The deadline to file assessment appeals for assessor review is February 22nd.

Again, the deadline to file assessment appeals for assessor review is February 22nd.

Again, the deadline to file assessment appeals for assessor review is February 22nd.

Upcoming deadline, February 22nd.

And without objection, neighbor uh oh my thing, please.

Recognize neighbor Miller.

I just want to say based on what Councilman Pro Times just said that the deadline is the 22nd.

And now is not uh it's no longer a law that you should go to the assessor first, but I'm telling you, do the assessor first.

Do not wait and just say, listen, I was told I could do it at the march review.

That is true, you can do it at the March Review, but do not miss the opportunity of getting a reduction from the assessor first.

And then if you're not happy, go get try to get the second reduction.

But you I'm encouraging everyone to do the assessor first, which ends on when is that Sunday?

Yes, and then you can have possibly a double reduction.

And along with Coleman Young, I just wanted to say he did a fabulous job with his beautiful award yesterday.

I think he was trying to show me up, but that's okay.

I'm learning.

He came with his award, but I did attend.

I did attend yesterday.

The uh skilled trades task force with Mary Waters and Denzel McCampbell.

There was nearly 200 residents there to take advantage of the skilled trade task force.

I was on on the diets with some amazing skilled tradesmen.

I myself retired from UAW Luck 140 as the first black woman repairment.

I fixed Dodge Ram trucks, along with some of the other things that I do.

And I do look forward to probably helping the forestry department because I partnered with the Department of Natural Resources for summer employment.

And we are all and they're always looking for jobs, and they have a good resource program to find employment for people that need jobs.

Thank you.

All right.

And well, and with that, without objection, neighborhood community service standing committee will now stand adjourned.