If you can um thank you is Reverend Branch on okay we will um come back to that is there a uh motion for the approval of the minutes motion okay any objections okay the action will be taken there are no chair remarks we will now close public comment public comment is now closed do we have anyone here in the audience who'd like to make public comment if so you can take the seat right there and once you get there you can press the button and the microphone will turn green which we know you know the routine mr.

Foster good morning sir you'll have two minutes um good morning through the chair morning couple things I want to just come down um yesterday when you guys were having a rule rules meeting over at the police department they was having a simultaneous meeting as it pertains to ERPA the ERPO Act I believe that it may be a good act in paper but here in the city our officers have too many Brady issues they have not shown to be prudent people or compliance with the reasonable person doctrine and I think that is important that that be understood when we start empowering officers here over something very important as civil liberties and future harm if there's mistakes made now officers um have been convicted of stealing shoes from each other you have a judge here that has pending litigation for um bad acts against vulnerable people until the city gets control and has a clear balance here of what reasonable behavior is in our capacities I don't think that they should be empowered any further um to to potentially cause further harm free speech is covered under political beliefs there should not be any retaliation for free speech at all first amendment this body has the authority to put anybody under oath and the minister uh Miranda rights if you want to use anything that anyone is saying down here outside of a minister and the oath and um thank you mr foster then there's nothing that could be done thank you mr foster thank you so much um miss j is the timer working now thank you mr foster good morning madam chair yes the timer works okay our next caller is we have eight hands raised for public comment the first caller is betty a verner miss warner you have two minutes and good morning ma'am good morning uh to all within the uh sound of my voice uh can I be heard please can be heard please please yes thank you uh Betty A brown the president of DeSoda Ellsworth Block Association and the other day I watched a program uh miss Theo's feedback program there was a guest speaker on named uh Mr.

Jesse Miles and he I didn't get the full name of his organization but he abbreviated and he said they're the rescue group and his telephone number is 313808594 again 313 8008594 and what he does they his group they're a disaster uh helping group that if there's a major disaster in the city they assist people for example he used like the floods and uh what they do they assist people all the time with food um so if you're in need of food they assist and if the funding is available they will assist with paying your mortgage your rent and your utility bills and their email is r e s test group dot org again that's r-e-st e a m r e-st group dot org and they have a website and uh the website is www dot rest group dot org www dot restgroup dot or telephone number 313 800 eight five nine four and they're looking for volunteers and my organization we still need help with our think recorder and our part project thank you miss boner the next caller is the next caller is William M.

Telephone number 313 800 8594.

And they're looking for volunteers.

And my organization, we still need help with our think accorder and our part project.

Thank you, Ms.

Bonner.

The next caller is the next caller is William M.

Davis.

Mr.

Davis, you have two minutes and good morning, sir.

Mr.

Davis.

Good morning.

Can I be heard?

You can be heard.

Oh, okay.

I think a greater effort needs to be made to reduce the number of lawsuits and reduce the number of lawsuits that we are paying for.

I did 34 years in the water department.

And uh during the time I was in there, if we if we falsified official documentation, we would be terminated.

But seems like things have drifted quite a bit.

And especially as it relates to the police department.

You know, we need to make sure that we don't have people that's going to jail or prison because an officer falsified a report.

We need to make sure that we, the people of Detroit, and many of our officers don't live in Detroit, are not paying for what some officers should not be doing.

Also, we need to make sure that this city is a safe, productive city.

We need to have uh like I was uh a FEMA intimate commander, you know, dealing with how to do with emergency response to a number of things.

You know, the city is not doing as much as it used to do or could do.

Uh, because like at the wastewater treatment plant, you know, we had these tank cars of chlorine, and Detroit is an international border.

You know, so we had to make sure that we was responding to and have was up to date on treaties and what will what could possibly harm a lot of people.

I don't see that no more.

And I don't see the city being prepared or really even care about what could happen.

So hopefully y'all could help to encourage the city to be a little bit more responsive, more up to date, and reduce the number of losses.

That would help me as a city of Detroit retire.

We had my pension cut and cost of living, and I knew the clawback took, and that was 15.5%.

I don't think any of y'all could live on 15.5% reduction.

So y'all have a good day, and hopefully y'all could be productive today.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Um Davis.

Our next caller.

The next caller is Cunningham.

Mr.

Cuttingham, you have two minutes.

31349114, 31349114.

31349114.

That number was made so you can remember it.

You can contact me through that number.

You can text message me through that number.

You can listen to the message that's on that number.

You can put that in for cash app.

You can put that in for Patreon, you can put that in for Facebook.

You can put that in to see articles done by different uh media sources.

Again, 313 4449114.

Please continue to speak in the Holy Spirit chant, speak my name out in the atmosphere, Brother Cunningham, and my mother, Cheryl Marie Lyons, uh of the Rivers of Gross Point at this time.

Um, I'm praying for you.

You pray for me, honorable council person.

You don't have to treat me like that.

You don't have to gaslight me, gas light me for months and months and months.

When you say you're gonna do something, you should do so.

And when I go to your coffee hour, a different council person to be talked to like a child is sad, it's really sad.

I don't get paid for what I do, but I do God's work directly, and I deserve respect just like you.

I'm a PN, yes, but we all deserve respect.

And I'd like to shout out some respect to councilwoman Callaway for what she did for that young lady.

She's able to ride the bus for 31 days.

Smart and D dot.

Yeah, my Shanda Kayala Sandov Koyala Bashandarabasa, or about Shanda Kayara Bassiana Masa, who they amason that yellabasia namasha, who are my son that shunda here it is in the key or shondokoyala basa.

Here I'm Shanda Kayara Sandoko.

Thank you, Mr.

Cunningham.

And the next caller is the next caller is resident resident.

You have two minutes.

Resident, you have two minutes.

Good morning.

May I be heard?

You can be heard.

Good morning.

Okay, great.

Thank you.

Uh, I would like to know what the contract 11.6500 million dollars for Miller law firm is, and ask the president of the council or the chairs of the committees.

Please put more information on the agenda so that the public who you're allegedly elected to work for can see this also.

Um, I see there will be interviews for people to the city planning commission, human rights commission, and the board of zoning appeals.

Um just make sure that the the work is more than showing up the day of the meeting.

There's a lot of material to review.

I'm also a little concerned that Sabrina McCaskill appears to be a realtor to be put on the board of zoning appeals.

And it doesn't seem there are enough people who uh on the board that care about the people who live right there who would be most directly impacted.

So it looks like this person could be coming in with some bias on the side of uh developers, but hopefully she's hold sold homes for individuals, you know, who picked certain neighborhoods because they like the way it was and didn't like it just dramatically changed by other people who didn't care about the people who live right there.

Um city planning commission.

Uh uh, they're the ones that are supposed to be coming up with the master plan update.

And I brought up to them the non-inclusive nature of the master plan update that's going on to the current board, and I just didn't get seem to get the sense there's much concern about meaningful inclusion, and um so just please ask questions uh of the people and what they what they do to actually represent the people and will they make their board books available to residents.

Thank you, Miss Resident.

The next caller is the next caller is Janante Smith.

Mr.

Smith, good morning.

You have two minutes.

Good morning.

May I be heard?

You can be heard.

Good morning.

I just want to say I am steps away, uh beautiful downtown.

And our bus system is really terrible.

I want to say that there's a couple properties over in district three on uh Hazel Ridge Street.

I have the addresses um that need to be addressed.

Scott Benson seems to not have any advocacy for his own district, um, which is which is really abysmal.

But the land bank is dumping one of their contractors is dumping chopped up wood and things like that, wood, bricks, uh concrete slabs, and a stack of pilots 10 feet high on these properties.

14835 Hazel Ridge, 14845 Hazel Ridge, and 14829 Hazel Ridge are some of the addresses.

Also, there is a lawyer, the city of Detroit's name is David Whitaker, he's the head of LPD, legislative policy division.

He makes 117 dollars per hour.

He makes 234,000 per year.

He makes more money than our mayor, our fair mayor.

So just got a five percent raise along with city council.

You guys 6.9%.

But he still makes more than her.

Maybe she caught up.

But if she passed them, I think that's the grievance in the city.

We're starving for cash, we're making financial decisions.

We're paying one single lawyer, 234,000.

These salaries are too high that some of these people are making that are appointees.

We should split these salaries up.

We should have four people working for the same amount of money.

We support the David Witaker into retirement.

Who are doing the city no will?

They're not it was there are so many, just like the law department.

There are so many policies that uh are asked to be referred over to LPD that take forever to come back at 117 per hour.

He makes more money in some of the top lawyers at different law firms.

Well, not top lawyers, but if they had a salary, if they didn't, if they weren't commission based and things like that.

I think we need to cut the fat in the city of Detroit, and we need to really really hold people accountable, especially in the Ombudsman's office.

We need to investigate complaints the first time we get them, and I'll let things slide down to slip.

Thank you, Mr.

Smith.

And the next caller is the next caller is number ending in 039 caller ending in 039.

You have two minutes caller 039.

Caller 09.

And corruptedly missed private in Michigan.

And also among one of the hardest things I've ever done, and one of the most hardest things ever faced by myself.

I cannot articulate properly the amount of respect that the little lady has done her with me.

That's you, Angela.

And I'm Black Bag Ruth.

Real.

Real.

And six mile rule.

Real.

Every bestie.

Also real.

A whole city of Detroit district two legend.

And none of them is say.

Thank you, Mr.

Ruben Crowley Jr.

The next caller is the next caller is Owner Papa.

Owner Popper, you have two minutes.

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

Yes, ma'am.

You can be heard.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Um I I agree with Mr.

Foster.

The police don't need any more.

They don't need any any any more authority over the people they have shown to be not good not good stewards of that um that trust because when you shoot someone six times over a non-moving violation, it means that you are not right wrapped tight mentally.

And I think we need to have someone to check these police officers out mentally before they put them on the street.

You have a discussion this morning about uh an ordinance for uh changing the fire code.

Are you aware that gas stations handle flammable material?

We've had one individual killed in a gas station after being locked in the gas station.

Would you would you please tell me where it's uh legal for someone to lock someone in a place where they have flammable materials stored in those places?

Gas stations, gas is flammable, that you're able to lock people into a gas station and only have one way out.

I I think that um Mr.

Foster and Mr.

Davis and and all of the callers before me bring up very good points.

And you say you hear us, but you you don't seem to hear us.

Mr.

Whitaker is making a lot of money, and and they gave you a ruling about the PLA.

You did not accept that ruling.

You did what you wanted to do and not what was legally in your purview to do.

If we're gonna pay all these people all this money, why aren't we listening to what they're telling us is legal and not legal?

Um I'm not sure where we're going, but this is internal operations, and yes, you all make too much money for what we're getting as citizens in this city.

Thank you, Miss Hughes.

Our next caller is for public comment is iPhone.

IPhone, you have two minutes, and good morning.

Good morning, you have two minutes.

Okay.

IPhone, we're gonna have to um move on and we'll put you at the end of the day.

Here, okay.

Here I am.

Okay, can you hear me?

We can hear you, Cindy.

Yeah, okay.

Well, I I uh don't know what to say, except that I'm kind of disturbed about not being notified about the meeting about the Chinatown and they got I went to a thing which the Chinese mood here and uh they got one million dollars but they need another one point six million dollars and they say it won't probably get started for another year but in the meantime I'm struggling because um people are trying to actually drive me out of here it seems like uh I went to the back on the building a couple of days ago and somebody's cut off my downspout from the gutter about seven feet down uh so there's uh nothing from the gutter about seven feet down for a downspout so really I don't have a down spout now there I've got to prepare that I had somebody make some great rattle grapes with uh plastic and insert so that I keep the calls out but I can take the plastic out there go through the the crawl space and uh the I didn't get around uh getting the padlocks on them after the they people came out put them out but I wasn't there when they did well somebody broke the plastic and one and it's just uh you know people for years have come in take the molding off of the around the doors and the windows it's a real old building that's probably built before 1900 or right around there's pretty old uh and Susie's next door hers is real old really old and uh it's historical but neither one of us got thank you miss darr are there any any other callers include public comment okay thank you so much all right discussion mr um member benson just for full transparency and information of those any street with the name Hazel Ridge is not located in the third district hazel ridge turns into hickory at Grashet anything south of seven mile that is east of Grasshead is the fourth district any street hazel ridge any number is the fourth district at grass it turns into Hickory I know that you live on Hickory so anybody who claims that there is an address of Hazel Ridge on the third district is sadly mistaken.

I just want to make sure it's very clear and anyone who has issues with hazel ridge addresses please refer that to BC and or the councilwoman and or the district managers for the fourth district thank you.

Thank you member Benson okay um now we will proceed to our 1020 um a interview with Nympha or NIFA cancel to the human rights commission is she online or is she here in the um committee of the whole Ms JC is Miss Cancel on Zoom Miss Cancel if you're present please raise your hands cancel is Miss Sabrina Levine herevine if you could take the seat um Ms.

JC we will move um Miss Cancel to the end of the interview process we're going to proceed with Miss Sabrina Louvine who is here in person.

Thank you madam chair good morning miss hello can you hear me um we are going to move on we're we're gonna come back to you miss cancel because we were calling for you you didn't answer so we have another interview and we'll take not a problem thank you so much and we will take you right after this interview thank you miss cancel uh miss Louvine am I pronouncing your name correctly that is correct okay if you can introduce yourself for the record you are here to be uh interviewed for a um to be a member on the human rights commission you can just tell us a little bit about yourself we do have your resume in front of us and if we have any questions we will ask those questions after you um introduce yourself and good morning good morning council men and women um my name is Sabrina Levine I am a native Detroit graduated from Montfort High School woo woo mighty Mustang um I also um attended Oakley University um I was an educator over at Marcus Garvey Academy for 15 years paraprofessional I then went back to school received my bachelor's and masters in social work I am a social worker commit um community social worker I service pregnant moms and babies um since 2001 um I've been a community um advocate uh

Um, I also um attended Oakley University.

Um I was an educator over at Marcus Garvey Academy for 15 years, paraprofessional.

I then went back to school, received my bachelor's and masters in social work.

I am a social worker commit um community social worker.

I service pregnant moms and babies um since 2010.

Um, I've been a community um advocate.

I've served over 4,000 um moms and babies.

Um that vulnerable population needs um our assistance and our leadership.

Um I've also um became the block club leader in 2000, well, three years ago, and up under my leadership, um, we renovated a community space for the Robert Aviation area where I reside on the corner of Wyoming and Joy Road, created a community space and had several um resource um events for the community, and I also became a Detroit ambassador for um the Detroit um neighborhood um division and that's about it.

I love the community.

I really um enjoy what I do um for since 2010 being in the community.

Thank you so much.

And um, are there any questions from my colleagues for Miss Levine?

Discussion?

Um discussion, member Benson.

Good morning, Miss Levine, and thank you for your willingness to support and serve the residents of the city of Detroit and the work that you do um in your outside life from the city of Detroit.

Just tell me what are your thoughts about the human rights commission?

Do you know the role?

What do you plan to add to the human rights commission if you are to be appointed?

Um I plan to add a little more of um community outreach, um, being more noticeable and um being that voice for that marginalized um population, and also um being more visible in the community and networking more.

Okay, and then do you know what the human rights the mission of the human rights commission is, what their role is, what their purpose is?

Yes, I do.

Can you what are you what are your thoughts on that?

What let me know what you think the purpose is just once it's miss levine.

Once it's green, it's on.

You don't you don't have to press it anymore.

So make sure it's green and then it just stays on.

You're welcome.

All right, thank you.

So my thoughts for the human rights um as a human rights commissioner is to what I've already been um exercising since 2010, and that is to defend that marginalized um population and enforce um the the laws and the local ordinance um to uh within the community.

So thank you.

You're welcome.

Okay, I don't have any questions.

Is there anything you want to add, Miss Levine?

No, okay, all righty.

Um it's I think is there a um a resolution attached to um this appointment of Sabrina Levine uh and I'll ask LPD.

Good morning, Edward King LPD, madam chair.

The human rights commission appointments are from the mayor's office.

However, I do not see any resolutions attached to this agenda.

Okay, all righty.

So what we'll do is we will ask LPD to draft a resolution um accordingly or as appropriate for this particular appointment from the mayor's office?

Um through the chair, yes, um it is customary for the mayor to draft these resolutions.

Okay, then pending the receipt of a resolution from the mayor's office.

We will send this appointment.

Is there a motion for this appointment to be sent to formal?

A motion discussion.

Discussion.

Member Benson.

Before we make a motion, I like to see the actual resolution first.

Okay.

I'm more than happy to make the uh the motion, but I like for us to have received the paperwork that's required from the administration prior to us making that type of motion.

Okay, so the chair, Miss Um Sullivan.

Through the chair, a resolution was submitted for last week's iOS agenda.

We brought these interviews back so it may be attached to the item.

Okay, well, we don't have it in front of us today, Miss Sullivan.

So if you can make sure we get it before the end of the day, then we can go ahead and move this out of committee and move it to formal session.

Can you make sure we get the resolution today or before the end of our um our committee meeting?

Yes, ma'am.

Okay, all right.

Member Benson, is there a motion?

Um motion to bring this back to the end of uh session until we get our resolutions.

Okay, any objection?

Okay, that action shall be taken.

Line item seven will um come back at the end of our agenda.

All righty, thank you so much.

Um Miss Levine.

Thank you all.

Yes, I'm yes, ma'am.

Thank you so much.

Now we will go back to uh Miss Cancel.

Are you available, Miss Cancel on Zoom?

Miss JC is Ms.

Cancel.

Yes.

Okay, I'm sorry, do the chair might fake.

Yes, good morning.

I am so sorry, I'm having some issues with my computer.

Okay, Miss Cancel.

Do you want us to come back to you a little later on?

No, I think I've got it down.

So if I can, if we can proceed.

Okay, Miss Cancel.

My name is Ms.

Cancel, MIPA cancel.

Um resident.

Ms.

Cancel, we're gonna have to ask you to come on screen.

Uh or we can reschedule your interview.

Let's see.

We can't interview it.

Joseph camera is on.

Uh-huh.

Are we oh, there you are.

Okay, good morning, Miss Cancel.

I am so sorry for all the confusion.

Good morning.

Good morning.

If you could um introduce yourself and just tell us why you are interested in serving on the human rights commission and what you know about serving on the human rights commission.

Ms.

Cancel.

Um, yes, my name is Ms.

Cancel, Mifa Cancel, born and raised in the city of Detroit.

Um I have volunteer for various organizations within the city of Detroit.

I'm also a member and uh co-founder of Mana, which is a national Latina organization that we provide mentorship and scholarships for young Latina women.

I'm also part of the uh Spanish Police Officers Association, a member for their recruitment and fundraising, and also I was a uh former city employee, uh district six district manager uh and deputy manager.

Um the reason I would like to um be part of the human rights commission is I think that it would be a wonderful opportunity for me to be able to engage with the city departments and uh coordinate and community outreach with residents and to ensure that uh employment and programs and associations are inclusive of all groups.

Uh and it will be my first time and experience at this capacity, which I'm looking forward to.

Thank you, Miss Cancel.

Um, any questions from my colleagues?

Member Benson, discussion?

Uh Ms.

Council, number one, thank you for your willingness to serve the residents of the city of Detroit and your past work as a law enforcement officer and with your organization, Mana.

Uh, just and I believe you described it.

Can you just talk about the value add and what you really want to do as a um uh human rights commissioner?

Um the value I I think I add is um one being a resident, being engaged with the residents.

You kind of have your ear uh to the ground to listen to some of the um some of the I would say questions that residents and uh people have in regards to employment with the city of Detroit.

Some say it's a little difficult, some can some say it takes too long.

So I think it's important that we're able to sit on these commissions and assist residents and answer some of these questions uh and having first hand information and being able to assist the departments in any capacity and support that I can.

All right, just glad to know that we have somebody with your unique background law enforcement prepared to serve.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Any other questions from my colleagues?

None.

Okay.

Hearing no other questions, Miss Cancel, is there anything else you want to um leave with us?

Just that I appreciate the opportunity.

I apologize for the mishap, and I hope that you all have a great day and be safe.

Thank you so much.

Thank you so much, Miss Cancel.

All right, I'm gonna thank you, ma'am.

I'm gonna ask LPD the questions that I asked prior to for Miss Levine.

Is there a resolution, an appropriate resolution for this particular appointment, or is this another mayor's appointment?

Okay, so same same thing.

All right, um, we will need the resolution.

We don't have it.

So uh Miss Sullivan, are you with us?

Miss Sullivan.

Through the chair, yes.

We will send over both of those resolutions prior to the end of this meeting.

Okay, um, is there a motion to bring line item um let's see, line item six back to the end of the um agenda?

The discussion line item for Ms.

McCaskill.

Yep, Miss Can um for Miss Cancel, we just okay.

So Miss Cancel.

Yeah, need for cancel.

Got it.

Bring it back to the end for the resolution.

Yep.

Okay, any objection?

Okay, that action will be taken.

So we have two line items being brought back to the end of the agenda, um, line item six and line item seven, pending the receipt of the resolutions from um the administration.

Thank you so much, Member Benson.

All righty.

Um line item eight.

Do we have Mr.

Richie Harrison here with us for his interview to the city planning commission nominated by um just council member Letitia Johnson of District 4?

Good morning, Mr.

Harrison.

Good morning, good morning.

When you take your seat, there's a button at the base of that microphone.

If it's if you press it, it should turn green.

If it's not already green, if it is green, it's active.

If you um can go ahead and introduce yourself and express your interest or share your interest while you are interested in serving on the city planning commission, and good morning, sir.

Good morning, good morning again.

Uh good morning, madam chair, good morning, honorable body.

My name is Richie Harrison.

Uh I have had the pleasure of serving as the uh commissioner planning uh commission on the planning commission for district four since 2021.

Uh I'm a Detroiter, uh, went grew up here, uh, went to high school, graduate of King High School, uh, went to Eastern Michigan for urban planning, uh, regional development, uh, got my master's degree from University of Detroit Mercy and community development.

Uh and I've been in the space of community um community development um planning uh various capacities um for more than 20 years now uh working for various organizations.

I've had a chance to you know work on some incredible projects, had a chance to learn a lot, um, and I'm thrilled to be uh in a position uh to contribute to my city.

Um outside of this, I'm a I'm a uh avid runner, so I enjoy running.

Uh it's one of the ways that I get familiar with you know what's happening in communities.

Uh I'm out, you know, just uh taking that time to observe uh and uh bring those types of insights, those types of interests um into my work into my vision as a planner.

Well, you just said the magic word run, and I just saw Benson like Member Benson like, okay, we're gonna have a conversation this morning.

We're gonna talk a little bit about running, and I was about to so um any other thing, anything else you want to add, Mr.

Harrison?

Because I'm just waiting to hear from Member Benson.

Uh thank you.

That that is it, Madam Chair.

Thank you.

Member Benson you already try to steal my thunder, madam chair.

And so Mr.

Harrison is good to see you.

Thank you for your uh willingness to continue serving uh as a planning commissioner for the city of Detroit.

And I just too to LPD.

Do we still have the prohibition against serving on the planning commission?

If you can run a sub-seven minute mile.

That's still a prohibition, I was wondering.

Uh through the chair, not that I'm aware of.

Okay, Mr.

Harrison, you can most likely continue to serve then.

Okay, we must have gotten rid of that prohibition.

Thank you.

Mr.

Harrison, can you just talk about your experience uh with the planning commission?

What makes you uniquely qualified to continue in this role?

Sure, sure.

Um thank you.

Uh experience with the planning commission since 2021 uh it's been incredible.

Um having an opportunity to be up and close to a lot of projects affecting change um throughout the city, uh especially in neighborhoods.

Um seeing that type of work along some commercial thoroughfares has been exciting.

Um I look forward to continuing that.

Um, really having uh a deep passion, of course, for seeing community development, seeing neighborhoods develop, but also uh the importance of health, the importance of wellness, uh really getting people out.

Um, you know, from believer that you know, as we develop, as we transform as a city, um, seeing folks being able to enjoy their parks, green spaces, um, being connected to thoroughfares, being connected to communities.

It's one of the areas of passion for me.

So I'm I'm proud to have had the opportunity to contribute so far and and look forward to continuing to contribute going forward.

All right, thank you, Mr.

Harrison.

Can you run a sub seven minute mile?

I yeah, I can get I can probably get about one in.

All right, thank you.

Thank you.

That's very very impressive.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

I I have a quick question for you.

So we have a um uh uh two-family flat um in district two, and um the residents are in opposition to it being um converted to a four-family unit or flat.

I don't even I don't even know what you would call it.

Quadruplex.

A quadruplex in a historic um neighborhood.

Well, not um officially historic, but very old stately community with beautiful homes.

Um, what is your thought on a uh two-family flat being converted to a four-unit?

That would, in my opinion, be like an apartment building, because that's what you're doing.

What are your thoughts about that?

In a neighborhood where the neighbors absolutely oppose it, would you take the opinion or position favoring the developer?

Or would you be inclined to support what the residents prefer?

Thank you.

How do you lean?

Thank you.

Thank you for that.

Thank you for that question.

Um, typically my process of of leaning in is to try to arm myself with as much information as possible and not being familiar with the specifics of the zoning in that in that area and what criteria states uh I want to familiarize myself with that.

I want to also familiarize myself with what type of types of discussions have happened with the community, what types of concerns have been voiced, how much community engagement has been done, um, really taking in uh all the salient points and details about uh what's happening um and using that to inform decisions.

So rather than brush in and typically making any type of decision, I always arm myself with information, um making certain that the community has been asked, that details have been discussed and been uh conveyed to the community transparently, that we're thinking about the considerations now as well as the considerations in the future, how it will impact folks in the now, how it may infact folks in the future.

And so I want to take that information into kind into consideration uh and have a discussion um with with folks present about what that looks like.

And so I try to take that process into making a decision.

So I apologize for not being able to make a clear determinement on that, but but I will say that my values are always committed to listening to community, arming myself with information, the details, the facts, thinking about things in the context of now, as well as how will this change impact folks in the future, um, is typically how I I try to uh navigate such scenarios.

Yeah, and I deliberately not shared um too much information with you so you could, you know, uh if it ever comes before you that you would be um, you know, you would take the information as you get it instead of getting it from me.

Um I have another question for you.

So what is if you if that information were to come to you for um that particular or something similar, do you or your the your um the folks who serve on the commission ever go out to the location so you can look at the neighborhood, you can look at look at the community, you can look at the actual property instead of just reading in black and white, and you really I mean I think sometimes you guys might get pictures, but do you ever take the time, you Mr.

Harrison, because you've been on the um city planning commission since 2021.

So I don't know if you're like a senior member on the commission or not.

I don't know how long any of them have been serving, but do you ever personally go out and look at these properties and look at the neighborhood before you make the decision, or you guys just don't have time to do that since a lot of you still work full-time jobs outside of serving on this commission?

Absolutely.

Um and speaking on myself and and what I'm sure likely a lot of my colleagues on the commission also do is yes, absolutely.

Uh I go out to visit uh places, neighborhoods.

It's actually something that that's just a passion of mine, just overall, as I mentioned, uh being a runner is one of the ways that I get familiar with communities is I'll go out and run a place.

I'll go out and run different areas of the city just to see commercial areas, just to see the neighborhoods, just to see parks and green spaces.

And so I like to get out.

Um, it's one of the ways that I get familiar.

Um but typically I do like to drive different parts of the city, make discoveries, things that I haven't seen, learn about places that I haven't learned about.

And so this affords me the opportunity to do that to deepen that and to be purposeful in that.

And so, yes, I like to commit to to really making observations, being aware of the conditions, being aware of of uh what's present, um, and using that knowledge to inform my decisions as a commissioner.

That's wonderful.

Thank you so much, Mr.

Harrison.

Um, you have any questions?

Hi, Mr.

Harrison How are you this morning?

Good afternoon.

I am happy to see lifelong Detroiter before me today.

And with that is because typically when you're from Detroit, your mom and dad's probably from here, your grandparents, your aunts, uncles and cousins, so you have firsthand knowledge uh we detroiters want.

So you would have the empathy to understand when someone comes before you at the Planning Commission to understand their plight or what their desires are for their neighborhoods.

And since you've already been here, this is a reappointment.

I haven't heard anything about you, so I'm gonna say you must be doing an excellent job.

But I will actually, because I am community-driven, and most everything that I make a decision for is community-driven.

So if there is something I wanted you to say so bad when she answered this question, that was like a really trick question.

I wanted you to say, listen, if this neighborhood is a is a two-family flat and it's residents on each side, is no way we should bombard those residents who pay taxes with an additional two extra residents, which means additional parking, which means that they are subjected to things they wouldn't ordinarily have when they purchase their home in a two-family flat.

And I know that our society at this point is economically driven, and sometimes they don't they do not care how it affects the residents around them.

So to add two additional units to an already structured two-family flat, and I'm saying that because my mom and dad lived on a sit street by the city airport, which was our single family home.

We live in this house from 82 to 86, a single family home, really large.

My mom and dad moved next door to a house that was just for two bedrooms when I left for college.

And the people took a single family home, bust the brick out of the front house of the house, put in another door and divide it into a two-family flat in a residential neighborhood.

And I said, what is going on?

This is what's happening in Detroit right now.

They're actually leveling up to three stories, regular houses in circle districts to add an extra floor.

And it is disturbing to see some of those things come forward.

So if residents are before you, what percentage of your decision making is based on the community.

Yes, uh good uh I appreciate that that question.

I appreciate the context also.

Um I I strongly take into consideration how the community feels.

I think that that's one of the most important um uh factors that can weigh into decision.

Um, and also taking into the specific details of of zoning, the criteria.

And so what I typically try to do is is really rely one on I'm so uh appreciative that CPC has a great staff, they provide adequate information and really make certain that we have all the resources and details that we need in order to understand the specific zoning criteria, what's stated, um, you know, how decisions they help us understand precedence, and also they provide that guidance to us as commissioners so that we can make a decision so we can have typically what I would love to do is is during the during our meetings to be able to take in that information, but also to allow the public to hear that information to understand what types of decisions are being made.

And so what I often hope for is that the decision to be made is one that will be satisfactory to the community, and so I take that into high regard as to how the community feels and want to make decisions that definitely honor the integrity uh and desires of residents within communities.

Thank you for that answer.

I appreciate it.

Um also I just know a lot of times in these particular roles, sometimes people come from Chicago and New York, and they want to fit their ideology into Detroit.

Detroit is a different type of city.

It is a standalone, and oftentimes they want to cram a Chicago or New York into the city of Detroit.

And I believe each each neighborhood need to be treated individually.

They need to be has they have their own dynamic characteristics, different needs, and I just look for compassion and wherewithal to do due diligence to um go out into the other communities to see what's going on.

I'm sure you're the person who appointed you, I trust your judgment, and I appreciate the interview.

Thank you.

I I support thank you.

Thank you, Member Miller.

Anything else from my um from Member Benson?

Discussion.

Discussion.

Thank you, madam chair.

And so, Mr.

Harrison, as you've heard, there are a number of issues that are gonna be coming up, and as a planning commissioner, you will be making a recommendation to the full body of city council uh for text amendments that are going to be coming.

And I know we're gonna have the conversation again about how do we add another layer of density.

Uh, will we allow by right uh duplexes, triplexes, quadruplexes in our R1 neighborhoods, and so it's hoping that she will give a level of thought to that as well when it comes to protecting the uh quality of life and just the context of a neighborhood.

If I move into a neighborhood that is not at a level of density where it would be a multifamily, I bought into a single family neighborhood, I'm hoping that you'll keep that into account as well when you all make those recommendations, and then also the city of Detroit, we are opposing and has and as six of my nine colleagues have as well, the preemption laws that the state of Michigan is trying to implement.

So I'm hoping that those fail right now.

Right now, we do not believe that a one-size-fits-all zoning ordinance works for the state of Michigan.

Detroit, obviously, as my colleagues said, it's a very unique location, and we want to make sure that we, as in the city council members, our residents, and members of a planning commission have the opportunity to define our zoning standards.

So hopefully we'll get your support there as well.

I just want to make just want to say uh another fun fact that less than one percent of American men with Mr.

Harrison seasoning can win a seven-minute memory.

Less than one percent, which entails me maybe seven hours a week.

About every other day, every other day, I try to try to do something, get active some way.

You know, every other day get seven hours on the road a week.

What's that?

Uh uh Yeah, probably maybe a little less than that, but I would say every other day I'm out, I'm out is trying to run, trying to do something.

Okay.

Fun fact.

Just a fun fact.

We love fun facts around here.

Is that it, Member Miller?

All right.

Um anything else, Member Miller.

Um, if we could also, if we can combine line item 11.1, which is the um the memorandum slash resolution for the reappoint for the reappointment of Richie Harrison with line item eight.

Is there a motion?

Um, I'm sorry, Mr.

King.

Uh Madam Chair, uh, you are correct.

11.1 is associated with this interview.

However, it's just the memorandum.

Okay.

LPD will be happy to draft a resolution.

Is there a motion for LPD to draft the resolution uh in support of the reappointment of Richie Harrison to the city planning commission?

Motion.

There's a motion.

Any objection?

Madam Chair.

Yes, Member Benson.

Oh, did you close that vote up, madam chair?

Yes.

So motion to receive and file line 11.1, which is the uh memo from uh member Johnson.

All right, so there's a motion to um receive and file line item 11.1.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

And then I do believe there is a motion to move Richie Harrison line item eight to formal with a recommendation to approve.

Um Mr.

King, is that correct?

That is correct.

Okay, is there a motion for that?

Discussion on the motion.

When do we think we'll get the resolution for Mr.

Harrison?

Uh you should have that resolution by tomorrow.

Okay, fantastic motion.

Okay.

So there's a motion to move Richie Harrison um nomination to the city reappointment to the city planning commission to formal with a recommendation to approve.

Any objections?

Hearing none, that action shall be taken.

Thank you, Mr.

Harrison.

Thank you for your willingness to serve again and keep running.

Okay, thank you.

All righty.

All right, now we are um let's go back to line item.

I said at the end of the agenda, is there a motion to uh take the resolutions that we just received for the reappointment of Sabrina Louvine and the reappointment of motion NIFA cancel?

Okay, these resolutions have just been provided from the administration to myself and my colleagues.

So there's a motion to move line item six and line item seven to formal session with a recommendation to approve because we do have the uh appropriate resolutions.

Okay, there's a motion to move line item six, which is the reappointment of NIFA cancel to the human rights commission and line item seven, the reappointment of Sabrina Louvine to the human rights commission with the attached resolutions.

Any objections?

That action shall be taken.

Thank you so much to both my colleagues.

Now we are um at our last interview, line item nine, the appointment of Sabrina McCaskill to the Board of Zoning Appeals, and this is a nomination by council president pro temp culminating on the second.

If you can um have that seat there, and at the base of the microphone, there's a button.

If it's not green, it should be red.

We need you to press it, so it will turn green.

Okay, and good morning, Miss McCaskill.

Good morning, everyone.

And once you're settled, if you can introduce yourself and just tell us why you are interested in serving on the Board of Zoning Appeals.

My name is Sabrina McCaskill.

I'm a graduate of Osborne High School, and I also graduated from the University of Detroit Mercy.

I am real estate is my first love.

So I have been a real estate agent from 2008 to 2016.

Then I became a broker.

So I am a broker.

Um of McCaskill Realty from Michigan, and I also do a little work in Georgia.

And I think that the appointment to the zoning would uh appeals is what I'm being appointed to is a good thing.

If you go around the I'm just like so disappointed, even in the Osborne district, but I was a kid, that area was beautiful.

Now it's a hot mess.

It's like the people they the people that would they just do what they want to do.

They've too learned.

It's just a lot of blight, and I think that that's the area that we should be able to bring back because of all the vacant land that we have there.

And I just think that we need to work on the businesses because of um a lot of the businesses, they just do what they want to do.

Even when you all tell them no, they still go and just do whatever.

And I think that we should be tracking that more.

Anything else, Miss Picasso?

No, I just love real estate, and I think the zoning department is a good place for me to be the appeals.

It's a good place.

It's a good fit, it's something new.

Okay.

We'd love to know where those businesses are.

When we tell them no, they still do what they want to do, just based on what you just said.

So if you could write down my number, it's 224, 35.

Would love to know those businesses.

Okay.

That we say no to, and they just still do not supposed to be doing.

That's what you said.

Right.

I mean, it's obvious just by just if you drive through the city, some of the stuff you you like.

I know the city didn't really approve this.

And they just, you know, they kind of just get by or wait until someone comes out and then they say, Oh, we want to appeal because we we feel like we should be able to do when actually the city ordinances don't uh don't allow it.

Don't allow it.

Right.

Thank you so much.

Um, anything from my colleagues?

Discussion.

Discussion member Benson.

Uh Ms.

McCaskill, thank you for your willingness to serve the residents of Detroit.

If you could just talk to me about your understanding of the role of the Board of Zoning Appeals and how you will uh what and what's your philosophy is on what a BZA member should do.

So we are to hear um not so well, yeah, we are to hear the community, what community wants in their neighborhood and what they don't, and allow it uh say yes or no within fair reason to the community and to the business owner.

And what was the other question?

As a board of the field member, what's what's your philosophy?

Let me ask on variances.

I think that we should be fair.

So when someone comes, if they've been denied, if they come before us, we should be able to look at both sides of the story and make a fair decision.

That's and so as an urban planner, I'm gonna give you my philosophy, and I hope that you will take a bit of this into account if you are appointed as a BZA member.

We have a zoning ordinance for a purpose, and the zoning ordinance is not just the whims of the planning commission, but it it is a document that's living and takes into account the uh the thoughts of all of our residents.

I'm a firm believer that people should comply.

Unless there is an extraordinary reason, you should comply with the zoning orders.

It's well thought out.

We have Mr.

Harrison, who is a uh a planning commissioner, they're the ones who provide the text amendments and give us the recommendations, and we rely on our BCA members to uphold that, but to also give thought to yeah, you know what, a variance is needed here, but once you provide a variance, that becomes um it comes law.

Basically, if you give a variance for one thing now, now precedent has been set, you have to give it for everything else, or we can go to court and we'll lose.

So I'm hoping that you will be the one who will uphold the zoning ordinance and say, you know what, it sounds terrible.

I'm sorry that you've had this misfortune, but the law is the law.

Right.

We as a city at a time we really had to go begging and we'll give you anything you want for a business no longer.

No longer.

We can hold people to account and ensure they comply with the zoning orders.

I hope that you'll take that up as well.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Anything from um member Miller.

Good morning, how are you?

Good morning, how are you?

I know you said real estate is your first passion.

Yes.

Okay.

Well, coming into the BZA with the border zoning appeals, you know.

That is a city charter that gives every residence the right to appeal a decision that is denied by zoning.

So zoning denies someone for various reasons.

They have that right to come before you.

So when they come before you, it is so important that we know what the city ordinance is, which that is the law, like my my member Minson said, and each neighborhood, so like R1, I am an R1 fanatic because it protects homeowners that have home ownerships, property rights, and what governs around them and what affects them.

And we're at a time right now where we're on the map all over the world saying this is the best place to come get cheap land to rebuild to profit.

And our state wants us to bow down to them and take over our rights in the city of Detroit.

The people that actually are in the neighborhoods, people that are actually elected to represent our constituents.

They're gonna take our right away because they think they know better than us.

So it's a group of people who have obviously gotten together, went to the state to figure they're gonna fight the low so the local municipalities, the elected officials and the mayors.

So we already have our people in place in our city of Detroit.

We have city planning, we have planning development.

We have Dons, we have City Council.

So we lean on people like you to be in this position to fight for what's right for Detroit's.

So by real estate developers may contact you about what's good for them and what's profitable, which I am for businesses, but not at the expense of residents.

So I need you to keep in mind that this position is a protection for the city of Detroit.

And while we are constantly fighting to maintain what's right, there is negative naysayers that want to take our rights away.

And as a lifelong Detroit and myself, as you are, I'm sure, we have to be conscious and vigilant to continue that role in the BZA.

I am a fan of the BCA.

Um used correctly, because sometimes if we don't have the right people like in place, then it's a whole different story.

I know.

So just wanted to give you some food for thought regarding that position.

It's it's and it's funny, excuse me, that you spoke about the people want to bring their New York and California.

So as you ride through and you notice everything is up.

So what about the people who are seniors or have some kind of medical problem?

They can't afford they can't afford it, plus they physically they can't move in a place that's everything is going up.

You're gonna get old and you don't want to go up and down the steps.

Well, those variances are a mechanism to I would say to go around the law.

The people are gonna ask you, can we get a variance because they want to circumvent the law?

And I'm not saying it's all bad because some of those are really good to make some things happen, but we have to be conscious of all of them and just do our due diligence and to see how it really affects the city of Detroit and the residents.

Thank you, Member Miller.

Anything else you want to leave us with, Miss McCaskill?

No, I'm thankful for the position, and I hope that we will be able to make Detroit even better.

Thank you so much.

Um Mr.

King.

Um can we have a motion for them to draft a resolution in support of this appointment of Sabrina McCaskill to the Board of Zoning Appeals?

Motion.

Okay.

Any objections?

No.

Hearing none that action shall be taken.

Um, is there a motion to move line item nine to formal?

Uh motion.

Okay, there's a motion to move line item nine, the appointment of Sabrina McCaskill to the Board of Zoning Appeals to formal session with the recommendation to approve.

Any objections?

No.

Hearing none, that action shall be taken.

Thank you, Ms.

McCain.

Discussion.

Ms.

McCaskill, before you leave, I just wanted to respond to your comment regarding Osborne neighborhood as the third district city council person, the person who's lived in the Osborne neighborhood as well.

There's a lot of good work going on in Osborne, and a lot of people who have lived their entire lives there and have had and made their families there, we're doing tremendous things in the third district and have some really strong neighborhood organizations who are doing work and investing and increasing our property values there as well, as well as increasing and improving our quality of life.

And so when people say it's a mess and they're doing terrible things, I just need to counteract that and balance that with what's really going on in the third district as well as Osborne.

So if you look at ONA, the Osborne neighborhood alliance.

If we look at OBA, the Osborne Business Association, we look at what's going on along Grassett, what we're doing along Seven Mile, what we're doing along eight mile with those businesses and how we've been able to make a difference, a lot of good things.

I hope you take a different look and have a different thought about what's going on in the third district and in Osborne neighborhood.

Yeah, I don't know to the chair.

I don't want to insult you.

There are the all of those things going on, but it's my my take of that is just when you drive through the neighborhood.

I I remember how it used to be, and it's just I know nothing stays the same.

It's just that it just looks different.

And you are doing some stuff, a lot of stuff over there, and a lot of people are there.

There are some little organizations and gangs fighting, but I know you trying.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Anything else for my colleagues?

I just want to say, as a res as a resident of district three, my family for over 90 years.

I just wanted to say I can speak on this because I've lived it.

My family still lives in those areas.

I went to Osborne for one year as a freshman, and I transferred back to my the schools where I came from.

But we're talking about a transition from the 80s.

I mean, to the point my family and friends, my churches, the the boys and girls club that was there, Lippy, I'm speaking on that neighborhood particular that people are not being honest about.

They call it Little Vietnam.

They call it Saigon.

Because we know the 80s ramm through it through crack cocaine.

And people never want to look at it for what it really is.

Crack cocaine and the epidemic and the people that in the community that tore their own community up, had those houses as drug-infested places and the gangs running around.

They do not, nobody wants to accept responsibility for what they did in their own neighborhood and what they did not do when it comes to control to the control to the calling out of bad behavior.

People remain silent.

But we're gonna say now is dilapidated.

Well, it is so I'm just saying I I would hope that people would really speak on the truth of what it is now.

So while my colleague, and I'm saying this because my family lives in that area, works to try to bring development and job to that area.

Nobody ever comes in here on the mic and says that we understand the dilemma that you're facing because no one wants the responsibility for what it really was.

So imagine if you have a million dollar business and you want to set up your business in Detroit.

Do you think people really want to go to District 3?

Yes.

They do now.

They do not.

But most times they want to go where there's populated areas where there's growth, where there's neighborhoods.

So he has to work extra hard and diligently to try to get some some development there.

I told my daughter, count all the railroad tracks that go through that district alone.

And you will see that this is industrial.

Trains come through all of District 3.

You stopped at Grasher, you're stopped on Six Mile, you stopped on Van Dyke, you stopped on Nevada, because this is what that area actually was.

So it takes sometimes generations to transition to bring things back to a thriving residential neighborhood.

But I don't know how old you are, but I know at my age, I know exactly what happened, when it happened, and why we're where we are now.

So residents need to get involved.

Come on, let's come out to the meetings.

I bet you are active.

But I know so when we're on the mic, people uh in the city are listening, and then they gravitate to negativity.

So that's the reason why I wanted to jump in because my family lives in this area.

I actually mentored at Osborne High School for the last several years through the Lawn Academy because we saw a need that people needed after school care that and learn a skill and a job at the same time.

We brought in summer employment through GDYT and through the working with the youth connection, things like that, because we see the need in this neighborhood, and we wanted to revitalize and come back.

So we're looking to hear good positive things that's coming, and we're gonna continue to uplift our council person as he worked hard.

I mean, my hat go off to him because he takes a beating up in here every single day, and no one wants to admit why we're here.

Well, to the chair, like McCaskell, I'm sorry.

That's okay.

Oh, I I um did not was not raised, we were bust.

I actually live two doors from Ferguson.

We were bus to Osborne, but there are in the city of Detroit in 48205, they are some of the most beautiful homes, and they have maybe three or four thousand um for sale when you go on there.

But um sometimes when you go to show, like I had a client that wanted to buy a house on um the street where the lighty is at Seven Mile.

I can't think of the name of that street, right by Osborne.

Umber?

No, the going back towards Grasher, Reiner.

No, where the the the junior high school is used to be, I don't know if it's still there, but it's right.

Okay.

So the the realtor who listed the property, they were afraid to come to Detroit, so they never came down here.

And so the lot, you know, you get a lockbox.

And so when I go with the lockbox, the key is there, but the key doesn't fit the lock.

And then on the porch, you see all of these locks.

And so I called the lady back and I said, um somebody keeps changing the lock or whoever your property management person is.

So it turned out that, like you said, and I know that there is a horrible that there's a lot of gangs there.

So the gang people, I think there's somebody lived there, and they didn't want anybody by the house.

So another realtor, he went to show the house, and when he got there with his client, all of these people with the red t shirts got out and scared the man.

So my I suggested to them that if you have you all have beautiful properties.

If you don't want people to stay in these properties, then you all get together and do something constructive, buy the properties and do something with them.

So I know you got a lot of work.

Thank you, Miss McCaskill.

Thank you so much.

Anything else from my colleagues?

Okay, is there um do you want do you have anything else you want to add, Miss McCaskett?

Didn't I mean to offend Council Benson?

I did not mean to offend you.

Thank you, Miss McCaskill.

Thank you.

Um is there a motion to have a resolution drafted?

Um the appropriate resolution drafted for the appointment of Sabrina McCasco to the Board of Zoning Appeals as nominated by Council President Pro Tim Young.

Motion.

Okay, there's a motion to ask LPD to draft a resolution in support of this appointment of Sabrina McCaskill to the Board of Zoning Appeals.

Um objections?

No.

Hearing none, that action shall be taken.

Um additionally, is there a motion for the appointment of Sabrina McCaskill to the Board of Zoning Appeals to be moved to formal with the recommendation to approve?

Motion.

Okay, any objections?

No.

That action shall be taken.

Thank you, Miss McCaskill.

Well, I have a good thing.

Yes, ma'am.

You too.

All right, line item 10 discussion regarding the proposed ordinance to amend and renumber chapter 18 of the 2019 Detroit City Code.

Um, I'm going to defer to um Mr.

Anderson because I think there was some, I don't want to say confusion, but something um we did not follow one of our steps in order to have this discussion and then the public hearing.

So I'm going to defer to you, but I'm also going to ask my colleagues to um bring make a motion to bring this back in two weeks.

Mr.

Anderson.

Through the chair, Graham Anderson Law Department.

Yes, that's correct.

Councilmember Callaway.

Wires got crossed a little bit here, and uh the notice was not properly uh posted.

Uh but we want to make sure all Detroiters have uh opportunity to weigh in properly and have the proper notice uh when it comes to these ordinances.

So I think yeah, as you said, it it makes a lot of sense instead of trying to split this up into a discussion one day and then the public hearing the next to just have it all on one day.

Um so with that uh a two-week bring back, I think makes the most sense.

And I'll uh work with uh the clerk's office and one of our paralegals who does a lot of the posting.

She she's out on an extended leave, so I think that might have caused some of the confusion as well.

Um, but I'll make sure all uh the T's are crossed or eyes are dotted going forward.

Thank you, Mr.

Answer.

Mr.

Anderson, is there a motion to bring line item 10 back in two weeks?

Motion to bring line item 10 back to the 18th of hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

March the 18th.

Thank you, Member Benson.

We and thank you, Mr.

Anderson.

We are now on unfinished business line item 11.1, the status of council member Letitia Johnson um memorandum relative to the reappointment.

We've done that.

Okay, we've done that already.

We received and filed that.

Line item 11.2 request to lift the privilege on legislative policy division memo into separate legal counsel for the board of ethics and responding memorandums from executive director Crystal Phillips and the law department.

Um discussion and Mr.

Anderson motion to discuss.

Mr.

Anderson, I'll defer to you.

Oh, through the chair, I deferred to LPD uh law.

We're not gonna stand in the way here.

Okay, Mr.

Um Attorney Keller.

Yes, attorney Keller LPD to the chair.

Uh before the meeting, director would occur indicated that he would like to speak on this.

I believe he's on his way up.

Uh, if we could just bring this back uh later in the agenda.

Okay, is there a motion to bring line item 11.2 back at the end of the agenda?

Motion.

Okay, hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Thank you, Attorney Keller.

Line item 113, status of human resources department classification and compensation division.

Request to amend the 2025-2026 official compensation schedule on behalf of HR for the classification of director of police personnel, including the pay range of 112,000 to 171,000 for the classification.

Is there a motion?

Motion to approve.

So form recommendation.

Okay.

There's a motion to approve line item 11.3 going to formal session.

Um hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 11.4 status of council member Denzel McCampbell submitting a memorandum regarding re-establishing the disability task force.

I'm going to um defer to LPD.

Is this a motion for receiving discussion?

LPD?

Madam Chair.

This is related to item 12.3.

Uh this item can be received and filed.

And item 12.3 is the actual um resolution, which can be uh moved for approval.

Is there um is there a motion for both for both of those actions to be taken?

Motion to receive and file 11.1 and to move the formal recommendation to approve 12.3 11.3 receiving file and then move to formal recommendation to approve 12.3.

So member Benson, that would be a motion to receive and file 11.4.

Okay, 11.4.

Yep.

All right.

Hearing no objections, both of those actions shall be taken.

Thank you, Member Benson.

Now we are on line item 11.5, submitting a memorandum regarding questions relative to the 2026 executive organization plan.

I will defer to um LPD regarding the answers to um council member McCampbell's questions.

Madam Chair, these the questions were directed to the law department.

Okay.

Oh, thank you, Mr.

King.

Mr.

Anderson.

Through the chair, I would defer to the mayor's office.

Okay.

Miss Sullivan.

Through the chair, we would like to bring this item back one week.

Okay, is there a motion to bring line item 11.5 back in one week?

Motion.

Okay, hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Thank you, Miss Sullivan.

All right, line item 11.6, the status of contracting and procurement contract 60074.

I'm sorry, 7646, 100% city funded to provide legal services.

The contractor is the middle law firm.

And the total contract is $500,000.

I don't know if we have anyone on from law because I'm seeing that it's been a reduction from $500,000 to $375,000.

So there's an amendment to this contract.

And chair motion to discuss.

Motion to discuss.

Member Benson, or we can defer to the law department.

Through the chair, that is correct.

The contract has since been amended to $375.

How for I'm still uh waiting on a representative from the Miller law firm.

Um is there a motion to bring line item 11.6 back at the end of the agenda?

Motion.

Okay.

Any objections?

No.

That action shall be taken.

We will bring this back to the end of the agenda.

Line item 11.7, contract number 6000 184-A1 100% city funding.

This is amendment number one to increase the funds and extension of time for parking spaces for city employees.

Contractor is LAZ last parking.

And um, I have a request to bring this back in a week.

Is there a motion?

Motion.

Okay, there's a motion to bring back line item 11.7 in one week.

Any objections.

Hearing none, that action shall be taken.

Line item 11.8.

Status of council member Scott Benson submitting a memorandum requesting legal and procedural opinion regarding bond issuance.

I will defer to Member Benson, Member Benson.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Motion to discuss.

Motion to discuss.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

And so I we have received the opinion and receive a motion to receive and file.

We may come back at a later day.

I have a consultation with the law department to see if they'll have an issue with removing privilege, but for the time being, we'll just take this and digest it.

Okay.

There's a motion from Member Benson to receive and file line item 11.8.

Any objections?

Hearing on that action shall be taken.

Thank you, Member Benson.

Line item 11.

I'm sorry, 12 under new business.

Law department submitting a resolution in the settlement lawsuit of Crystal Scott versus the City of Detroit in the amount of $24,900.

This is a workers' compensation case involving a police officer with multiple injuries that ultimately left her unable to perform the duties.

Motion to approve send the formal.

Okay.

Any objections?

Hearing none, that action shall be taken.

Line item 12.1 settlement and lawsuit of Crystal Scott will be moved to formal session with a recommendation to approve.

Thank you, Member Benson.

Now we are at line item 12.2, submitting a proposed ordinance to amend chapter 17 of the 2019 Detroit City Code.

Finance, Article 5 purchases and supplies, Division 10, the department by amending Section 17-5-354, etc.

Is there anyone from LPD or law that want to discuss this ordinance amendment?

Motion to discuss.

Motion to discuss Mr.

Anderson from the law department.

Through the Chair Graham Anderson Law Department.

Just a quick overview of this for the public's benefit and for this council as well.

This ordinance was uh brought to the law department at request of the Office of the Inspector General.

It this really is it's a it's a it's very well crafted ordinance.

I think it makes a lot of sense.

I I think the the the golden word here is clarity, and that's something we don't like uncertainty in law.

We like to uh tighten things up as much as possible, and that's what this ordinance is doing.

For for example, I want to highlight one part on on page two here.

Uh section B said no debarred uh contractor is eligible to serve as a subcontractor or as a goods or service or materials supplier for any contract.

Makes sense, sounds really good.

We since then added on top of that, no company that that debarred person owns or is an officer of or has direct or indirect financial or benefit or interest in shall do business in the city of Detroit as a contractor or subcontractor as well.

So it's things like that that you think about and you're like, oh, yeah, we should definitely tighten that up, make sure there's additional clarity to additional protection.

Um another thing if you uh scroll down a little bit further in this uh, but we clarify that the standard of review is an abuse of discretion in this matter, and that's not new.

It was an abuse of discretion when we had earlier hearings last year, but just to have that clarity goes a long ways and to have the black letter law there uh tightens things up and really makes things much more secure and guides this body, uh the office of the inspector general, the law department, LPD, all when moving forward with these types of matters as well.

And uh, we'll go into additional detail when we have the full public hearing, but I just kind of wanted to give uh that quick overview for this body.

I'm available if there's any uh questions as well.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Any questions for my colleagues or did LPD want to chime in?

Mr.

Whitaker, Ms.

Attorney Keller, Mr.

Okay.

My colleagues have any questions about moving this forward?

All right, is there a motion to um move this to formal session for the introduction of an ordinance and setting of a public hearing?

Motion.

Okay, any objections?

Okay, that action shall be taken.

Thank you, Mr.

Anderson.

All right.

Now we are let line item 12.3 from the legislative policy division submitting a resolution authorizing the establishment of the Detroit City, the re-establishment of Detroit City Council Disability Task Force.

Uh any discussion on this from um LPD?

Discussion, Madam Chair.

We take we took this one up.

Okay, we took it on the okay.

So no more action, no additional action needs to be taken on line item 12.3.

No, ma'am.

All righty.

No objections to that.

That no action will be taken on line item 12.3 because it's taken earlier.

So is there a motion?

Should we be removing this then?

Since we've already took the action.

Would that be appropriate, Mr.

King, to remove this entirely since we've already taken the action on this line item earlier?

Mr.

Benson, Member Benson, and then Mr.

King.

Member Benson.

No, we took action, so that's that's been accounted for.

We did um receive and file the memorandum requesting the establishment.

So we've taken care of all that.

Okay, Mr.

King.

Madam Chair, Councilmember Benson is correct.

This is the actual resolution that should be moved forward, and it was approved earlier.

Okay, all righty.

Thank you.

So no further action needs to be taken in that regard.

We do have two line items that we said we would bring back.

Uh I think motion to discuss 11.2, madam chair.

Yes, 11.2.

Member Benson.

Uh, do yourself.

Um, this was just a motion to discuss to allow LPD to see we've been joining Mr.

Whitaker.

Thank you.

And this is regarding the lifting of the privilege on the LPD's memo into separate legal counsel for the board of ethics.

Um, Mr.

Whitaker from LPD, Madam Chair.

Um I spoke to um council um the uh corporation counsel for the city regarding lifting the privileges on these documents that the council had closed sessions on, and it was corporation council mallet's position that both can be lifted.

I have some reservations about lifting the privilege on the LPD memo because we go into great uh agreed uh quite a bit of detail on the underlying issues between the law department and the board of ethics.

I have some hesitancy um and I want to express that hesitancy, but I did speak with corporation counsel, and he is his opinion is the city's lawyer that uh the privilege can be lifted for for transparency's sake.

And I think sometimes uh given the amount of public discussion about this matter, I think you probably should uh move it forward for approval.

Okay, member Benson.

I I feel more comfortable understanding the more nuanced issues here that cause you pause.

I'm not saying I disagree with removing privilege on the LPD opinion, but I'd like to hear why prior to making a motion to move this out.

I don't think there's going to be any earth shattering or this the earth will move off its axis if we held this back for another week.

I I would like to just have a conversation with the LPD prior to doing that to understand their concerns.

So is there a motion, Member Benson?

Motion to bring back in one week.

Okay, there's a motion to bring line item back, line item 11.21.2 in a week.

Any objections?

Okay, that action shall be taken.

Line item 11.2 lifting the privilege on legislative policy division memo for the separate for the separate legal counsel for the board of ethics will be brought back in a week.

Hearing no objections, the action shall be taken.

Thank you so much, Mr.

Whitaker, and thank you, Member Benson.

Um, what about line item 11.6?

Did we say we would bring this back to the end of the agenda?

Mr.

Anderson through the chair and ask for a one-week bring back.

Okay.

Is there a motion to bring line item 11.6 back in a week?

Motion.

Okay.

Any objections?

That action shall be taken.

Thank you, Mr.

Anderson.

We are now members' reports.

Um I will defer to Member Benson for your members' report.

Um, just reminding everybody to please go out and sign up for our life and legacy planning or estate plan, four thousand dollar estate plan.

This is a power of attorney, a power of health, Lady Bird deed, as well as a will.

$4,000 on the open market.

We do this for free for our residents right here in the city of Detroit.

And this is just an example of how residency has its privileges in the city.

So please go out and get your estate plan.

We have over 5,000 homes in the city of Detroit that are airs property, meaning they do not have proper documentation.

The owners cannot prove they own that.

They don't have a deed, and that would that is a loss of over a quarter of a billion dollars of equity within the city of Detroit, the vast majority of that which belongs to our community.

So I'm hoping that people will take advantage to keep their homes from becoming heirs property and to ensure that their generational wealth passes on to the next generation.

And that requires estate plans, it requires wills and requires a proper paperwork.

So please go out and get your estate plan today.

Thank you.

Thank you, Member Benson.

Member Miller.

It is women's history month.

March is designated as Women's History Month, and Mary Waters is having her annual award ceremony, and I have joined her for the theme of unapologetic leadership.

Celebrating Detroit women who led and lead without permission.

Join us at KMAC in the auditorium on March the 20th between 12 and 3 p.m.

We will be celebrating women that lead in Detroit.

We look forward to seeing you out.

And the invitation is open for everyone.

Look forward to seeing you on March the 20th between 12 and 3 to celebrate women's history month.

And we will have a award ceremony and reception.

End of my report.

Alrighty, thank you, Member Miller.

And I have a couple of announcements.

DTE Energy will be hosting an in-person event to provide one-on-one support with payment assistant options, energy assistant referrals, and information about starting, stopping, or transferring your service at the Northwest Activity Center today.

It started at 10.

It ends at 3.

You still have time to get out there.

18100 Myers Road.

Again, that's DTE.

If you have any questions for them, go to the Northwest Activity Center.

Um, and they will be there until 3 p.m.

Then we have the um City of Detroit's Office of Eviction Defense Public Meeting on the right to counsel at the Northwest Activity Center tomorrow, March the 5th from 4 to 7 p.m.

Representatives from the United Community Housing Coalition, Lakeshore Legal Aid, Michigan Legal Services, and additional community partners will be in attendance.

And then join me on March the 9th, Monday for our monthly coffee and conversation at Rack It Up at 6530 West Outer Drive, right across the street, I think right around Renaissance and Flicks.

And we will also have representatives from DWSD, DPSCD, and the Detroit Land Bank in attendance.

It's a beautiful, beautiful venue, and I hope you all will be able to come.

It's just not for District 2, it's for the entire city.

And then the early application period is now open for the Senior Citizen Solid Waste Discount program, allowing any eligible senior citizen to secure the discount in time for it to be reflected on your summer property tax bill.

The collection fees, this 50% discount on these collection fees is effective now through April the 15th.

If you have questions, call 224 3560.

And then the City Health Department offers free lead testing to reduce toxic leg exposure in your home.

You can call to, I'm sorry, you can call 313-876-0133.

And then the 36th District Court is pleased to announce the launch of a courtwide amnesty program running from March the 9th, which is Monday through April the 2nd.

And during this period, all late fees, penalties, and warrant costs will be fully weighed upon payment of the original fines and costs owed.

Again, that amnesty program is going to start March the 9th.

It will go through April the 2nd.

So if you owe any fees except for dealing with your license, you can get them waived.

And that is at the 36th District Court.

And then lastly, um Spelman College, my alma mater, our Glee Club will be performing at the third New Hope Church on Friday, March the 13th at 7 p.m.

Admission is free, and they've been coming to the city probably 60 years.

It's an annual event at different churches throughout the city.

They usually are at Hartford Memorial, which is off of James Cousin, but they will be at Third New Hope Church.

And you can call my office at 224-4535.

That our Glee Club, Spelman College Glee Club, March the 13th at 7 p.m.

Free admission.

And that concludes my members' report.

If there's nothing else to come before this body, this committee meeting will stand adjourned.