Neighborhood community service standing committee will now come into session with a clerk.

Please call a roll.

Council President Pro Tim call me on the second.

Here.

Council Member Scott Benson.

I've been tonight.

Council Member Renata Miller.

Mr.

Chair, you have a camera present.

Excellent.

Thank you, madam clerk.

And I just want to let everybody know a quorum of the city council may be present, correct?

We're good on that.

Let's make sure.

All right.

Excellent.

Is there a motion to approve the minutes?

Motion.

Motion made or any objections.

Hearing none, the minutes will be approved.

We will now go to public comment because there is negative chair remarks.

Do we have anybody present that like to give public testimony?

Go on once, going twice, going three times, gone.

We will now go to virtual public comment.

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

Bo.

Good afternoon, Mr.

Chair?

We currently have eight individuals with their hand raised for public government.

All right, eight individuals for public comment.

Public wait wait, hold on.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Is that Dr.

Powers?

Yeah, I'm hiding.

Yes, sir.

I I'm sorry, perhaps I missed it, but I didn't hear approval of the minutes.

Yes, we approved the minutes, but I you want me to say it again?

No, no, no.

If you did it, that's fine.

It was my audio.

My apology.

No, no problem.

We'll do it again for you if you want.

All right.

That's okay, sir.

Don't want to be on the wrong side of Dr.

Powers.

All right.

Um, we said public comment is now closed.

Public comment is now closed.

Public comment is now closed.

All right.

Thank you.

I pretty somebody understood the assignment over there.

All right.

Now we will move on to virtual public comment.

Who do we have in the queue first, Mr.

Bo?

Mr.

Chair, the first caller is Betty A.

Varner.

All right, Ms.

Varner, the floor is yours.

Two minutes.

Good afternoon to all within the sound of my voice.

Can I be heard?

Yes, ma'am.

All right.

This is Betty Varner, president of uh De Soda Ellsworth Black Association.

First thing I want to say is that we still are waiting for that information.

Uh Honorable Pro Tim Uh Coleman Young from the Water Department.

The y'all would say that you're gonna do it uh at this moment.

Hold on, Ms.

Varner.

Hold on, just Ms.

Barn.

Uh Mr.

Bo, you start the clock.

There, go ahead, Ms.

Vernon.

Yes, at this morning's meeting, and umbody addressed it.

So I'm just thinking it is so important that people know that if they are no longer involved with that lifetime H2O program, they're still going to be a balance that they're responsible for if they start the uh program with an overdue balance on their bill.

That is so important.

The next thing I'm gonna uh ask that the um the council consider monies to assist um organizations, black clubs, 501c3s with their projects and their communities, and to help us with pay that land use hearing that $1,500 or administration at I'm asking humbly that you would waive that uh $1,500 fee for black clubs and uh associations.

Uh you asked us to purchase these vacant lots to improve them to beautify uh the uh slots and make them useful for our communities and for our uh association.

We want to have a playground.

We have to have a hearing to get permission, and we understand that, but we do not have the $1,500.

And that if we raise $1,500, that money could go towards our playground equipment that's very expensive.

So please, please help us with this situation, and we're still seeking monies for our Finkel corridor to revamp our Finkle Corridor.

Needing help for our lots that we have just purchased to beautify them, get them clean, and make them use for our neighborhood.

Thank you for this time.

All right, thank you.

I appreciate that, Ms.

Varner, and I have asked questions about that in terms of the water department.

We are looking into that uh vigorously.

So uh please stay tuned that we appreciate you and what you're doing.

Who's next in the queue, Mr.

Bo?

Mr.

Chair, the next caller is your Dante Smith.

All right, Mr.

Smith, floor is yours.

Two minutes, Mr.

Smith.

Good afternoon, ma'am.

You heard?

Yes, sir.

Good afternoon.

I have a specific question that I want a specific answer to if possible.

Could you guys ask the water department how they assess leak credits, specifically how they assess credits if there's a leak inside a person's property when there should not be water on in their property, how they assess those credits and how they credit those bills.

That's the only question I want when it comes to that.

Also, I like to say that I love to see the council work with citizens to create a better governance around the water insurance department because there seems to be some type of uh conundrum with the water and sewage department on how they handle certain matters.

And as you know, the city of Detroit, uh City Council governs how all the city Detroit departments run and you create ordinances.

So you can work with the citizens to create ordinances around having this uh water insurance department work better.

I would love to see that.

Also, I agree with Miss Warwick earlier.

She said that some people on her do not help us.

So I went to your office on several issues, Coleman Young, and I have not received help on any of the issues.

And we're neighbors.

I live in the same neighborhood of Island View that you do, and I have a water bill issue, and I've not received help.

And I think that it's egregious for you to say that Miss Warwick is not telling the truth and you love everybody and you don't help everybody.

I think that's really bad.

Also, the Bolshevik Family Center Development, uh, they're on the east side of this apartment building that's trying to be built 54 units.

I think that's a terrible idea.

This the community does not support that.

Also, over to the east side, um, when it comes to the Kronos concrete mixing facility owned by Crown Enterprises, aka the Maroon family.

Um, I believe that that that vacant land that they have that is operating next to that is not operating with that is situated next to 3405 Gaylord that's zoned, it's a residential neighborhood that's zoned M4, which it should not have been.

It was zoned M4, and people, it was only houses.

There were single family homes, hundreds of them, that were in these four streets in between McNichols and uh believe Gaylord.

They should not have been encoded and uh con it and McDougall.

They should not, well, it's not McDougall, whatever it should be.

It should not have been zoned that way.

We need to down zone it.

And the Marons are given most of the city council money and the mayor money should not stop them from acting in the best interest of the citizens.

Thank you.

Thank you.

If you have issues, call my number 313-224-4248.

I'm sorry you had that problem, sir.

This is literally the first I've heard of it.

So, and our team is very quick about that type of stuff.

So if you have issues, 313-224-4248, 313-224-4248, or you can email at Coleman.yo at Detroit Mi.gov.

That's Coleman.yo at Detroit MI dot gov.

Who do we have next in the queue, Mr.

Bo?

President caller is William M.

Davis.

All right, Mr.

Davis, floor is yours.

Two minutes.

Uh good afternoon.

Can I be heard?

Yes, sir.

Okay, I like to start off by saying hopefully I could do something more to help Betty A.

Verner, because you know, she calls in and she talks about what's needed and uh do very good public service announcements.

And also I must say that myself and most of the people I deal with have had a very good relationship when we call your office for stuff.

Uh also I think it would be very helpful if we can get a rec center in District 7.

We have more school age children than most other districts, but we don't even have a recreation center.

Which is tragic.

You know, so more needs to be done to help the citizens of District 7.

More needs to be done to help the citizens of the city of Detroit.

We need to coordinate.

Uh, when I was younger, we used to have a swimming, a bookmobile, and all sorts of stuff to run around the areas that was lacking in some things.

But we we don't get the same service that we used to get when your dad was mayor.

So that's all I have to say for today.

Y'all have a good day.

Thank you.

I appreciate that, sir.

Who do you have next in the queue?

Mr.

Bow.

Mr.

Chair, the next caller is Aaron Smith.

All right, Mr.

Smith.

Floor is yours, two minutes.

Good afternoon, Council President Pro Tim Young, Council Member Miller, and Councilmember Benson.

My name is Aaron Smith, and I'm owner of Detroit Grounds Crew, a Creole certified Detroit-based Detroit headquarters, Detroit resident, Detroit Small and Minority Business Enterprise.

I I'm I'm calling regarding the tree trim and pending contract tracks where Detroit Grounds crew was one of the bidders.

Following our debrief with OCP, we've learned that our company was identified as the second highest bidder among a pool of 11 bidders.

It was therefore deemed non-competitive based upon an aggregate bid, just over 8.1 million.

As required by the bid form, we priced every line item listed, including the category-specified tree diameters ranging from 90 inches to 150 inches.

In other words, we provide a pricing for trees measuring seven and a half to 12 and a half feet diameter.

Should trees of this size exist in Detroit, our company has the equipment, expertise, and operational capacity to safely and successfully remove them.

However, as proven and experienced price competitive city Detroit tree contractors, since 2018, we have serviced thousands of trees across residential and public properties and have rarely encountered a population of trees greater than seven and a half inches.

Excuse me, seven and a half feet in diameter.

While all of us as bidders were required to submit pricing for trees 90 inches and larger, is highly unlikely that a population of trees exists this size.

Because the bid form required pricing for those categories, we submitted that, believe which we believe to be responsible in realistic pricing.

Our concern is that if bidders had submitted significantly lower numbers for these categories simply to reduce their aggregate totals, that this is this evidence of unrealistic or irresponsible pricing for the work of that magnitude.

Our intention is in raising this concern, and it's not challenging the process at all, but rather to share insight and no, we appreciate that.

We we appreciate you.

I know there is a process that you can literally make a big challenge if you so choose to.

We I think Sandra Stahl is gonna be on the line with this, so I'll probably ask her more about how that process works.

I don't want to get ahead of my skis.

If anybody else wants to comment on that, they can, but I just want to say if you do feel that you would like to make a challenge, there's a process for that, and they'll be willing to help you go through that process.

Who's next in the queue, Mr.

Bo?

Mr.

Chair, the next caller is Cunningham.

All right, Cunningham, floor is yours.

Two minutes, Mr.

Cunningham.

Ms.

Cunningham.

313, 4449114, 313, 4449114.

313, 444, 9114.

That number was made so you can remember it.

The Bible says to pray for all those that are in authority that we might lead a quiet and peaceable life.

And it continues.

But to summarize, I'm praying for everyone on the uh city council.

I'm praying for all city council members.

I pray for um uh our new mayor.

Yeah, uh, I just pray for all those in authority, our police department and all those that are in authority.

We may not we may not in we may not agree totally, but you still should pray for those that are in authority.

Someone just came to my window, it's raining out.

I give out bus tickets, hand warmers, gloves, uh, at the bus stops.

Um, she's gonna have to wait a second, and I I'll get to her.

Um, thank you for your donation.

Um, honorable councilman Young office.

Um I appreciate that.

Um else wanting to make a donation of any kind, they can reach me at the 313-444-9114.

Remember, beat up bus is like luster on the weekdays and on the weekends, so on the weekdays after 6 p.m.

and on the weekends.

So I'm asking everyone to pray in the Holy Spirit or chant, drink a lot of fluids.

Um laugh at your cool.

Uh shake their head, scratch their head, don't understand.

That's the prayer I'm looking for.

And I'm gonna end out just praying.

Even praying for my haters.

Eat up my shun that my son that sondo go yada.

All right, thank you.

We appreciate that.

Who do you have next in the queue, Mr.

Bo?

The next caller is the iPhone.

All right, iPhone.

Floor is yours.

Two minutes, iPhone.

Yeah, uh, this is Candy.

Um, they didn't just trim the four trees on the corner of the second in Peterborough, they had cut them down, and they were in the planters that Coleman Young.

Uh they made that the Chinatown when he was in office that made class of their um thing around each tree, and there were four trees taller than my building that were uh removed.

They tried to kill them years ago.

Uh, they went and uh circular saw around one tree, and it made it look like a bonsai tree.

And then when that didn't work, I tried to take care of them.

And uh then they came and they girdled it with a chainsaw that all four of them, overlapping girdles so that food wouldn't go up and down the tree.

And uh I that was right before Thanksgiving years ago when I was still working, and I um so I uh put I saved those trees by taking care of them anyway.

So um, but that's the thing.

They they never they lied and said they were gonna replace them.

Tree men uh admitted to another arbor that they were viable trees, they shouldn't have been removed.

But the uh people who sent uh general service said they weren't viable and they came out that they said they told me and they did not that day that they tore them down that they were gonna replace them the next fall.

Well, they they covered up uh the uh LH on the other side of the street, covered it up, you know, covered in one of those whole planters up and took that part for their land.

So anyway, that's that's what uh we need trees, but we don't need the city tearing down good trees.

That's what they did.

Uh all right, who in SDQ, Mr.

Bo.

Sure, the next caller ends in one, two, four.

All right, one, two, four, floor is yours.

One, two, four, two minutes, one, two, four.

Good afternoon, may it be heard.

Yes.

Okay.

And I am on your do not help with Coleman.

I send you guys emails, I call your office, they rarely answer the phone.

I asked a question the other day, you ignored me, but you know, that's what I expect from you now.

Um yeah, what Cindy just brought up is there were four gorgeous old growth trees on Peterborough, and the city lied and said they were not healthy, and it was so obviously not true.

But at least I begged uh Todd Betterson.

I said, Don't arrest Cindy because you guys are gonna the city's gonna go out and cut those trees down.

And so they also lied and said they were gonna plant some more trees because I spoke with somebody from the city.

So it's very hard to trust the city.

Um, and then if this is a tree cutting contract because you're gonna go devastate the uh residential neighborhoods uh that that for DTE solar farms.

I wonder how many of you got DTE campaign contributions.

Everyone who voted for that probably did.

Um you know, trees do carbon capture, so it was a really lousy plan.

Uh you've got plenty of industrial sites, parking lots.

You could have put the solar on instead of made people miserable by pushing them out with eminent domain, you know.

So at least there were two people smart enough to not get the stain of eminent domain and the two new members.

I hope you're smart enough.

And then I hope somebody flips and does the right thing, because this is the wrong thing to do in the city.

So I hope these contracts are not to cut down those trees.

And when they do cut down trees, they gotta be careful so they don't uh dislodge the roots such that they fall on people's tr houses, which is what happened to two of my neighbors.

One was a disabled vet, and they didn't want to fix his house.

Well, I put them in contact with where with Will, and the city paid to fix his house because they negligently cut the Hello Uh thank you for that.

I just want to say for record, I do not have a do not call list.

That is not real, nor does that exist.

And matter of fact, you can call me at 313-224-4248.

That's 313-224-4248.

I hope I look forward to working with your issue.

And I'm old enough to remember, and um in PED committee, I was trying to address your issue in real time, evolving the lot, and I look forward to working with you in the future to do that.

So thank you very much for your call.

But remember, just for clarification, I do not, nor did I ever have a do not call list or a do not call back list.

All right.

We have next to the queue.

The next caller ends in 039.

All right, 039, floor is yours.

039.

Okay.

What's up, Colin?

Yes, sir.

Go ahead.

Hey, I gotta take a different approach, man.

Y'all didn't give Mimi what she wanted, and I promised her I would help her with her mother.

Y'all didn't want to do it, so now I'm getting ready to do what I gotta do.

And get rid of all y'all.

Get some new people in there.

Now you TV then, uh everybody up there TV man, Board of Police Commissioners, TV and the elected ones, uh plenty of ones was appointed by T Man, Mayor.

Uh the school board.

The school board, man.

And TV man and school board.

Janice Winfrey, Gene A.

Rewalker, and Daniel Baxter.

And um the mayor.

TV in numerous times.

The president of the city council has been TV in four times.

Janet's been cheating in elections.

Janet M.

Winfrey, the city clerk, chairperson of the Detroit Election Commission, been treatment in elections.

30 can be proven demonstrated 2020, but 15 years.

I'm gonna say it like it is.

Now y'all didn't put the cut to me 10 times.

Let's stick it in.

Now I'm getting ready to turn it all the way up to 2026.

And next week is 313 day.

And that's March the 13th.

Now, Coleman, where is your comment about the election fraud?

Voter fraud and the absentee ballot fraud.

Where is yours?

Or any member up there on this committee?

Where are your comments about the STP ballot fraud?

Mary Elaine Beckman did not vote in that election.

All right, thank you for that.

Who do you next to the queue, Mr.

Bo?

The last caller before you close public comment.

It's owner Papa.

All right.

Floor is yours.

Two minutes.

Good afternoon.

And through the chair, may I be heard?

Yes, ma'am.

Two minutes.

Hey, thank you, Carolyn Hughes.

I had a question for you, uh, Councilman Um Young.

I wanted to know the major street funding.

I would like to know what is the source of the major street funding.

I noticed a lot of two million dollar contracts, and I'm wondering if you're focusing on the neighborhoods.

And um, I'm in agreement.

We should not be treating Ms.

Varner the way we're treating her or organizations like hers.

Um, I think that if we can forgive $33,000 a year in taxes for one person, that we can forgive um waive a fee for her to continue her good work in her neighborhood.

Of course, she used to be in seven and now she's in another district.

This is called the black folk shuffle.

Uh, you can move only black people can be shuffled from one to another because I hear the council members saying bye to some and hello to others.

I thought it was to keep certain numbers, but I see that there's a different agenda that we're forming here out of all of the houses that I see are uh vacant over in um the aviation subdivision and and and and mr.

Brown over the water and sewage.

What whenever he talks about Detroit, it's always talking about the poor and how you know the other people in Sherwood Forest don't pay their bills and they can, but there's no way for him to make them pay their bills.

Well, I'd like to ask him why is he over in the aviation subdivision cutting down trees, changing the aesthetics of our neighborhood, putting in a reservoir that no one asks for, and knowing that trees do protect our neighborhoods and protect our um our our health, our environment.

He's cutting down trees.

I have no idea who gave him this authority to spend this money when he can't tell me, Carolyn Citizen, if I have lead pipes come into my house, a waste of money.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

Do we have any uh anybody else in the queue?

That was the last caller with their hand raised for public comment.

All right.

Um, I see that we have some people here, even though public comment in person was closed.

I think we have some people here who want to testify uh publicly, and so I I said so.

Dr.

Powers, do I need to make a motion to open that back up?

Um, it needs to be motion or without objection.

Okay, so without objection, I would like to have people be able to testify in public testimony.

It but you might you must realize that you're now opening it up on to online too.

You can't discriminate between the two.

Okay.

So I want to make a motion to open up in person.

Open up public comment again.

Open to reopen public comment without objection, reopen public comment.

Understanding that it includes anybody who's now wanting to speak online or in person.

Right.

Okay.

Motion to reopen public comment.

Is there a motion?

You already made the motion.

Okay.

Oh, wait.

Sorry, open, Mr.

Chair.

open up in person open up public comment again to reopen public comment without objection reopen public comment understanding that it includes anybody who's now wanting to speak online or in person right okay motion to reopen public comment there motion chair you already made the motion okay oh wait sorry open mr chair sorry open okay without objection right without judgment okay thank you thank you I appreciate that okay first person we have is miss daisy jackson good morning everyone thank you for hearing what I have to say two minutes my my name is Daisy Jackson and I've been an Island View community for 55 years I'm here to speak on the parking lot that they want to take away from Butzel we have been informed that a developer has plans to build an apartment building on the Butzel lot we have a petition going around to the resident to sign to say that they do not want this parking lot this parking lot we have apartment building already on Kirchhoff that we cannot put tenants in because the rent is so high I'm also vice president of Field Street Block Club in the meeting we would like to discuss the plan for this project so could we have Councilman Coleman or either Renetta Miller come to Island View and have a meeting giving us updates on these projects because a lot of seniors do not know how to go online to get the information that we need to have building up in our neighborhood we have developers coming in building up in our neighborhood and then the ones that live in the neighborhood have been in the neighborhood can't afford to buy the home or either rent the home I think it's terrible that they let developers come in and buy lots and put what they want to put on there and rent to us and what we want and you're not helping us at all with our residents that stayed there for 30 years when the city have cut us loose and didn't do anything for us we kept our neighborhoods up the best we could and we want to keep butts we want to have parking lot you put a million dollars in butts playground and now they want to test some of the playground up parking to in the back the seniors are not using it because we're not getting the information what's going on with Butzel we need a director in there that's gonna work with the community and tell the community what they have so please do not put anything but what we can afford because a lot of us can't afford we still on low income and fixed income I'm 70 years old I'm on my fourth generation out of this neighborhood and I would love for my children to go to Butzel and do the last your time is up we appreciate you we definitely look forward to meeting with you and I just want to say for record I know I done been to a couple of your events and I've been to your barbecues and all that good stuff so it's not like we met before but I definitely want to work with you and meet with you.

Does anybody have any questions or comments or responses they want to give it all okay uh so I look forward to meeting with you and we thank you for coming also I just want to say will the clerk please acknowledge that we have been joined by member Johnson.

Excellent and also public comment is now closed public comment is now closed public comment is now closed.

All right we have thank you Ms.

Jackson always good to see you okay we have Mr.

Germany from Coleman Young 2020 thank you so much you honorable bodies I like to pay homage to both you uh councilman Coleman also Scott Benson and Miss Miller I had the pleasure of meeting just last night thank you uh for your services uh as a council person for the city of Detroit yeah that we're so greatly in need of the services and oversight that uh we would like to bring before you uh we spoke briefly about the um butzel situation they spent approximately three to five million dollars on Butzel with the playground the parking lot and things of that nature just a few years ago these funds were diverted to those areas because of the problem with the condition that they were in at the time the funds became available parking lot in great condition the park looks fabulous and all of a sudden the developer has come in and is earmarking a portion of that parking lot for uh moderate to low income housing where just across the street from this in the same block is city property unoccupied and empty why the project got to be over the parking lot area that is funding that has been taken away from the programs of the Butzel Center and employment that the Bustle Center is dire need of and now given to low income housing or beg your pardon moderate income housing development for developer that can acquire property anywhere else in the city to include right there in the neighborhood where there's so much vacant property property I uh really have a real issue with the focus that requires them to come to properties and demolish something that we've spent uh so much tax dollars into that will no longer be availability to the usage of the Bustle Center and I like to have that addressed at our same thank you sir I'm sorry I I I I forgot to lose the time thank you sir we appreciate your testimony and I appreciate you having me we definitely want to make sure that we talk

I uh really have a real issue with the focus that requires them to come to properties and demolish something that we've spent uh so much tax dollars into that will no longer be availability to the usage of the Bustle Center.

And I like to have that addressed at our same thing.

Thank you, sir.

I'm sorry, I I I forgot to lose the time.

Thank you, sir.

We appreciate your testimony.

And I appreciate you having me.

We definitely want to make sure that we talk to the planning and development department as well about the issues that you know.

Miss Plowden?

Yes, go ahead.

And in your name, ma'am is okay.

So we'll get Miss Plowder and then we'll get you, Miss Davis.

Okay, that's Plowden.

Go ahead.

Hi, good afternoon.

Um my concern is with the trees.

I've been on the tree the list to have my tree removed for over two years.

And um I was at number six thousand, and now two years later, I'm at number three thousand.

So I want to know what's taking so long to have our the tree removed out of my yard.

And they said it's a dangerous tree, and it's it overhangs and it's gonna uh damage the houses houses eventually.

I talked to DETTE, and they said they can't do anything because the branches go under the wires and not over the wires.

And so I was wondering when is the list gonna be reactivated for the tree removal?

Is it you done?

You don't want to spend the rest of your time, you got that's not I'm only concerned about the tree.

Oh, okay.

Well, we will get your information.

We will definitely look into that.

And we'll definitely let you know what's going on and how that's going.

I don't want to tell all your business off from everybody publicly.

But we definitely will get your number if you give with my staff right here, and uh we would our staff reach out to you, we'll talk to you, we'll be able to get the information and let you know and see if we get you here in the anything.

And I also we're we're in the process of having a tree presentation.

So I'll also ask that question to uh everybody from uh general service as well.

A great leadership for general services.

Thank you, ma'am.

All right, we have uh Ms.

Davis?

Yes.

Yes, and then Miss Hopkins, right?

Okay, excellent.

Miss Davis, go ahead, Ms.

Davis.

I was in the auditorium wedding, that's why I'm just getting around here because I thought it was.

You okay?

Okay, thank you.

Um I'm a resident of the Island View Association neighborhood since about 1958.

And my concern is the Butzel parking lot.

I've been in that area for years, and I think we need to keep the parking lot and the playground because we are really waited so many years for this to come into fruition, and it's been a nice place so far.

And I don't think that we need to have another apartment building because we got a lot of new buildings coming up in the area, and I feel that the parking lot and the playground would be a better service to our neighborhood as to another apartment building.

So that's my issue.

Is that it?

Okay, you got some many more time you want.

Well, I I stated my case.

That's the reason I'm here trying to make sure that we can keep that parking lot and keep um the playground for Bustle, because like I said, we really waited many, many years for this to be at the point that it is right now.

It is very much appreciated.

All right, well, thank you very much.

We definitely look into that.

Thank you, ma'am.

Thank you.

Yeah.

Go ahead, ma'am.

And then we got Miss Mingo.

Yes.

Afterwards.

Excellent.

Hello.

How are how's everyone today?

Thanks for having me and taking my um my comment.

My name is Terelli I.

Hopkins.

I am a minority business owner in the city of uh Detroit, and I'm relatively new at this.

I purchased a um four unit on the east side of Detroit.

Um it was fire damage.

I had to deliver um removed off the demolition list, and I've been working on it because um the name of my my business is UCome First Housing, and what we do is we um provide housing safe, affordable, and supportive um share housing for dogs transition from homelessness treatment programs, hospitals, et cetera.

And our goal is to help residents build independence while maintaining structure and stability.

And so I had um put uh application, I had filled submitted the application that the city was offering for startup businesses, and I was not able to um upload my documentation, and I wanted to know how can I um um get with someone to get them documents that they are requesting.

Also, I'm a little nervous because I don't like speaking in front of a lot of people is please excuse me.

The other thing is I want to know what's going on with the land bank because there is a property um across the street where I would like for my daughter to um be able to live close to me because you know, when we were growing up, our neighborhoods, we had like three and four generations on the block.

We didn't have to worry about crime because everybody was family, and so I don't see that anymore, and I'm trying to do that, but it's it seemed like land bank is making it hard for me because this one house that went up for auction four times, and I don't understand why nobody is getting the bid.

My daughter bid it on it the every every four times, and I don't understand what's going on with it.

And I just like to know like how do we get around them giving it to these big investors because it used to be a time they will give you a note and say, you know, whoever is in the neighborhood or on the black that was interested in the property that we will have first choice.

Well, we don't have to be able to do that.

We appreciate you.

Oh, I'm sorry.

No, no, it's okay.

Your time is up.

We appreciate you.

Uh, if you get that information, my team in the back right here.

We have Miss Grace right here in the back that'd be able to help you for my team.

Please get her your information.

We'll look into that.

Okay.

Thank you.

Thank you.

We appreciate you.

Ms.

Mingo, good to see you.

Two minutes, ma'am.

Good to see you.

Um, I'm here because I asked for a hearing before council.

And I just since council is here, I want counsel to know that I would like to have a hearing this time.

I have uh requested a hearing.

I have requested uh proposed development for um my property, which is located in Brush Park at 275 Watson.

I have got zero from the city with respect to what they plan to do to my street, and I plan to do something with my lot, and I want to run and pass council.

I have a couple more questions.

Um first I want the hearing, and then the hearing is is just related to the property.

But I have some questions.

I know your law department is here.

Um I didn't get the notices.

You put parking meters on Brush Park.

The street I live on is is on all three three his registers of historic places, local, national, and state.

And I would have never voted for that.

I didn't even know the hearing was coming up or or anything, but those should not be in a historic district, particularly if uh the property is located and it is um on all three registers of historic places.

The other thing is that you are very aware, you uh councilmen are very aware that this uh guy next to me mowed down my fence, burn up my trees, and then put debris in the back of my uh lot and the front.

The city said they were gonna help me get it updated at one time, but they didn't get the the um the things that he dumped in the back of my yard, and I would like to have that stuff taken up.

I paid over a hundred, fifteen hundred dollars almost to get some of that stuff up in the burnt stuff that he left in my yard.

And then two more questions.

All right, well, you you you your time is up.

You can submit me the rest of your questions to my office.

Uh, I just want to say I think what you're referring to is not necessarily a hearing, you're referring to one to speak in front of the council about the proposal that you have for your property.

That's a request you can make in front of council.

If you're talking about the actual hearing or proposal economically, that's something that has to go through the administration and then we receive the counsel and then we vote on that.

So we don't control that part of the agenda.

So I'm assuming for what you want for the councils, you want to be able to speak your front if you have to file petitions for that.

My uh team over there will be able to help you with that aspect.

Um, I'm sure you probably told me about what's going on with the burning and the fire.

I don't necessarily remember.

I'm not all familiar with what's going on with what that neighbor is doing, but please um talk to my team so we could work on that.

Because if you're talking about people sending things on fire, that seems more like not just a disturbance issue, but a police issue and something that needs to need to be it's something that needs to be addressed.

So talk to my team and let me look into that and see exactly what it is and what we could do from that aspect.

Your other questions, if you just submit that right there to Mr.

Kimson, he's part of my team, just submit that to them and we'll work on that and we'll get back to you, okay?

Okay, I am asking for a public hearing.

Yeah, and and then also I would like another uh hearing before council like this, but I'm I'm asking I've already submitted my paper.

Okay.

Well, we'll we'll talk to now that part we can't get to.

You gotta go to the uh to the mayor's office for the uh for what you're requesting.

But if you're talking about people sitting here in terms of public hearing or trying to want the audience of council, that's something you have to file petitions for.

My team will help you with that.

So thank you.

Appreciate you.

All right.

Uh is there anybody else in the public that wants to give testimony?

No one once going twice, going three times, gone.

Do we have anybody uh virtually in the queue that wants to give public comment?

Mr.

Chair, we have two new individuals who didn't have an opportunity to speak during the first session of public comment.

All right.

First caller is Jumbernell Gold Star Families properties.

Okay, go ahead, floor is yours.

Two minutes.

Uh through the chair, I'll submit my uh comments and writing to you and to the uh clerk.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Who next to the queue, Mr.

Bo.

The next caller is Toya.

All right, Toya, floor is yours.

Two minutes.

Yes, good afternoon to everyone.

Um, I'm calling in about Buttsel Family Center, Fred Butzel Family Center, and I wanted to know Coleman.

Do you still reside in Island View?

Because I try to call your office, and I haven't had a reply from you as my neighbor, as my councilman, a city at large, and I know need to know about Butzel.

Bustle been built in 1975.

That is our community hub in the city of Detroit over here on the lower east side of Detroit.

And um, taking our parking lot away is a big, big issue for us to park on because of Kirchhoff for number one.

And that's the biggest issue we have.

If you're gonna take something away from us, that's our community hub.

With the displacement and everything else that's going on in Island View right now, and putting apartment building is unnecessary when we got so much vacant land on the east side of Detroit that can be built on.

We're not starting to stop development, but we don't want our parking lot to be taken away from us that we utilize.

And y'all want to say that we don't utilize the parking lot.

Yes, we do.

When y'all have programs there, we use that parking lot to park on, like we did the other night for the CAC meeting or any other meeting that we have.

So I do not appreciate you trying to take our parking lot because the city owned land, and that's something that y'all gave us back in 1975.

We did not have a center.

And Fred Butsel was built along with Northwest Activity Center.

So something that we need to utilize, we need that parking lot.

So I don't know if you talk to HRD or what we can do and how we can stop this development that goes on in our parking lot to be taken away from us that we do utilize though, Coleman.

So I would love to hear from you as my neighbor as my city at large council or pro tem or whatever you is now.

So give me a call.

Yeah.

So don't let me knock at that door.

Thank you, Carly.

Thank you.

Uh I I appreciate that.

Uh first of all, to answer your question, Ms.

Watts.

Yes, I still live in Island View.

And uh secondly, you have my personal number, so I appreciate you trying to put me on the spot from my colleagues like this.

You can call or text me, and we will definitely get that information.

But no, but but in all seriousness, I understand what you're saying.

I don't we have not taken um a vote up on uh butsel yet.

I don't know when we're going to or if we're going to, we're going through the process to be able to do that.

We might have to have a presentation on parking lots uh coming up next from that department.

But uh, I just but I just want to let you know there has been no uh movement on that as of yet.

But if we have that or something coming up, I'll do my best to let everybody know to address everybody.

We thank you for calling.

It's good to hear from you.

All right, um, that being said, we will now close public comment.

Um Dr.

Powers, this is supposed to start at 120, and it's 147.

So do I need to gavel in the 120 presentation, or can I just start?

Because I missed that time by a lot.

It's just a presentation, sir.

No one has objected to you missing the time, so you can start it when you're ready.

Okay.

Uh so uh we will now have a a much anticipated one twenty presentation and discussion of the tree canopy inventory capital plan for master tree trimming funding and length of time of capital plan for the tree canopy.

Crystal Perkins, Director of General Services, and Sandra Ustall, Chief Procurement Officer, Deputy CFO, along with Deput Director, uh Gerald Israel Harris, and uh Mr.

Alex Weather up as well.

So uh is there a motion?

Get the is there a motion to uh receive this presentation?

Motion made are any objections?

Hearing none.

Presentation now begin.

Director Perkins.

Good afternoon.

Good to see you.

Good afternoon.

Thank you to this honorable body.

Um again, I have with me Deputy Director Jarrell Harris and Assistant Director Um Alex Weatherup.

I do believe Director Saw is joining us online.

So I want to thank you for the opportunity for us to provide an update on the work we do in the General Services Department Forestry Division.

Um trees are one of the most valuable public assets that a city has.

And they're not just landscaping, their infrastructure, and the infrastructure improves the public health, the neighborhood stability, and the environmental resilience.

Our team is responsible for maintaining and expanding Detroit's tree canopy while ensuring the trees are safe and properly maintained across the city.

Next slide.

So I just want to um level set and say what our role is.

The role of our forestry division, um, we manage over 350 trees that's on the public property, so that's public right-aways, um, and that's throughout the city of Detroit.

Our responsibility includes trees along berms, medians, boulevards, parks, rec centers, and other city-owned properties.

We also respond to emergency situations, and that's storm damage, fallen trees, hazardous limbs, and that's anywhere in the city.

So, in many ways, our forestry operations are similar to maintaining your roads in your water system.

If we don't invest in regular maintenance, the black the backlog will grow and the cost will increase over time.

In our forestry division, we currently have 33 budgeted positions.

Of those, 13 are currently vacant.

And yes, this does affect the speed at which we can respond to service requests.

Our in-hour house crews primarily focus on storm response, emergencies, and schedule maintenance.

Our in-house team can perform an average of 45 tree jobs per week.

The tree work that we do is labor intensive, it requires specialized training, so recruiting and retaining skilled workers remains one of our biggest challenges.

Next slide.

So to help address this, um, this is what our forestry budget looks like right now.

We do have a little over five million dollars out of street funds, and that covers personnel that covers our 33 position, but it also covers our non-personnel part, which is our contracts.

And so we have 1.2 um approximately 1.2 that we spend for tree plantings and 2.5 million for tree removals.

So our current operations um consist of our two to three crews in-house, and again, they handle primarily the storm cause, so we're being um more so reactive with our in-house crews, and right now we have four contractors who help clear the backlog of the complaints that we receive from the Detroit residents.

So, as it stands right now, we have about 2,900 in our backlog from improved Detroit.

We have about 200 from the embudsman's office, and so they do also assist with proactive trimmings and also assist with removal and stump grindings.

Each vendor has a responsibility to complete 15 trees a week.

So, some of the challenges that we're seeing in-house is um are hard to fill, our vacancies are hard to fill because of the labor-intense um nature of this work, but also because of the competitive job market that's out right now, and so this um puts a damper on how we could service our backlog requests, and that those are the requests that we're receiving from see Click Fix, Improved Detroit app, the embudsment's office, but also affects um those backlogs because when there's a storm, we do respond to emergencies first.

And so in the past, we've partnered with the greening of Detroit and DTE, and that helped us create a talent pipeline.

We've also in the past requested a salary survey study from Class Comp and Human Resources Department, and we've offered skill building and professional development opportunities for our current staff.

So to help us address the demand, we are looking to help supplement our in-house crews with the contractors that's been before your table these last few weeks.

And again, those contractors will focus on clearing the backlogs, handling the removals, and working through the thousands of service requests that we have.

Using contractors strategically allows us to increase capacity while our internal workforce continues to grow.

Future state, our strategy is to move forward and focus on three major priorities, and that's building a stronger workforce by filling vacancies and creating a talent pipeline with partners like the greening of Detroit and DTE.

It's moving from a reactive to a more proactive maintenance schedule.

So instead of waiting for the trees to fall or become hazardous, we shift towards scheduling and trimming cycles, and also using better data and technology, and that's completing our citywide tree inventory to guide smarter decisions.

In 2025, we completed a tree inventory of districts one, two, and three, identifying more than 84,000 trees block by block.

And that's encouraging news because that's because what we found out is that 80%, 86% of those trees were rated as healthy.

So the next steps will be for us to continue the Detroit tree census, which will give us a comprehensive citywide data set to identify canopy gaps and planting opportunities.

So I want to just show you an operational comparison.

We got some questions on what it looks like our current state, what it looks like if we would try to scale up to the point to where we are doing all of the work in-house.

We have what we would consider our hybrid operation where we'll do in-house and continue external help, but at this point increasing our in-house capacity until we can fully take over the full operations, and that's the last column to show you what that would look like if we were doing everything that I mentioned in-house.

Right now we have about a 22% citywide tree canopy coverage.

This map shows you the darker areas show the stronger tree canopies, the lighter area shows where there's weaker canopies or none existing at all.

So Detroit, we use advanced technology such as street level imagery LIDAR scanning to monitor tree conditions across the city.

We're doing this in partnership with Do It.

They have a vehicle that goes out and it can cover about 99% of the streets in the city.

These tools will help us track the health of the tree, identify hazards faster, and make more data-driven decisions to drive our maintenance crews.

This is a picture of what that imagery looks like.

The truck that's drive the vehicle that's driving down the streets.

This is a picture of the Dexter Avenue streetscape that was just recently done by DPW, and our the camera can pick up the image from an aerial view and also a street level view.

The tree census will also produce a tree a tree viewer application, and this will allow staff and residents to view individual tree data in real time.

This level of transparency allows residents to seek the work, happen, see the work happening in their neighborhoods and report issues more efficiently.

This is an example of what the tree viewer data will look like.

The individual can click on a tree and it will give them the neighborhood it's in, the tree species, the diameter, it will give them all information about that tree that they click on.

Our tree planting progress.

So in since 2022, we have planted over 52,000 trees across the city.

Our goal is to reach 75,000 trees by 2027.

This effort is focused on restoring Detroit's tree canopy and getting us to that 40% goal, bringing shade, environmental benefits, and neighborhood beautification back to our communities.

We have a slide to show how residents can request a tree.

Plantings only happen twice a year to maintain the health of the tree, and that's in the spring and in the fall.

As you can see, there's great benefits for trees in a city.

Trees help us reduce urban heat islands, lower neighborhood temperatures, they absorb carbon and improve air quality.

They help maintain stormwater and reduce flooding.

But there's also economic benefits of having trees.

Homes on tree-lined streets typically have higher property values.

Businesses located on green corridors see more foot traffic, and trees reduce energy costs by providing shade.

Trees reduce stress and improve mental health.

They encourage outdoor activities, healthy neighborhoods, and they create a safer, more inviting public space.

Tree-lined streets used to represent a symbol of pride and stability in the city.

They help beautify our parks and our corridors, and they reinforce our identity as a city of trees.

Residents can request trees through the improved Detroit app or by contacting our forestry division.

And tree planting occurs again in spring and fall.

So trees are one of the most impactful investment we can make in Detroit's future.

They improve our environment, they strengthen our neighborhoods, and they support healthier communities.

Thank you.

Thank you for that presentation.

I'm sure we got questions.

You had questions and thank you, Chairman Young.

This is a fantastic discussion and glad that we're able to have this to educate our residents.

I know that um Director Sandra U Stahl is on the line as well.

Did she have anything that she wanted to uh present, Mr.

Chair, before we went into questions?

So I'm sorry.

Sandra Ustall is also here from procurement.

Yes, you are you all be uh Mr.

Washington.

Can we get uh Miss uh excuse me, director?

I'm sorry.

Director, you stall on the good afternoon.

Um through the chair.

Uh I think I would just um probably recap the procurement process, a high-level overview.

Uh this tree bid went out as a pri uh quote for uh request for quotes.

That means that as long as vendors meet the requirements, it is purely based on price.

Uh if you recall when um there were first efforts to add funds to address the backlog of um trimming and removal needs, we really struggled to get enough tree vendors, and so OCP and GSD worked very hard to do a tremendous amount of outreach.

And we received 14 responses to this bid.

Uh two were non-responsive, and then um contracts were submitted for award.

Uh one is still uh working on their clearance and will be forthcoming.

We have uh out of the 10, two are brand new suppliers.

Um eight have had uh various levels of experience with the city over the past uh years.

And um, we received a set of questions late yesterday from council that we are working on finalizing for um submission.

But I want to note that uh I just want to remind that the number of contracts that we're awarding is for the capacity uh for GSD to be able to respond to the great need and demand for these services that we also have the responsibility to use our budget dollars in the most responsible way to support the taxpayers, and I understand the desire to um uh award to Detroit businesses.

Uh, we share that desire.

Um the vast majority of these vendors do currently employ Detroit residents.

Every vendor that we have awarded has uh ultimately employed Detroit residents, and we have um uh communications out to the two vendors who have not yet employed Detroit residents to put that commitment in writing.

And um the lowest bidders were awarded, the two that were not awarded were uh roughly triple the lowest bid.

And so you know, the city makes thoughtful decisions about ensuring that we have a balance of capacity and ability to deliver services within the budget.

And then thank you for the uh ability to share.

Marimanza.

All right, thank you.

And uh thank you all for being here today with this information.

This is a uh it's a huge conversation, huge topic, at least it is in the third district.

This was a major source of concern from residents on the Northeast side, and she really wanna thank GSD and the forestry department for coming out and working with the the residents.

We did an actual walkthrough with the forestry department to identify trees that were identified as areas of concern from our residents, and you all came out, you sent your foresters, they were able to talk to the residents one-on-one and really work to allay any concerns.

Uh, but just really wanted to focus on this as an area of concern for myself, just knowing what it takes to actually run a fully staffed and top-tier forestry department and program versus what we're able to do as a city now.

And I'm just wondering to see if we have the level of resources that we need, and just based on what I'm seeing today, that would suggest that we can have areas where we can put place more investment.

Then I'm looking at slide number four when it comes to forestry division.

Um, this talks about the uh 5.8 million dollars in the total budget, uh, which comes from the street fund.

And so then one of the questions was do we see any monies for forestry coming out of the general fund?

And I'm gonna say no.

Is that accurate?

If I'm not mistaken, 100% according to this slide comes from the street fund, correct?

Through the chair, uh to member Benson, yes, that's correct.

Okay.

Then to your knowledge, have we ever as a city invested in the forestry department from our general fund to support our street canopy, or have we left that to the street fund only?

Through the chair, um, to my knowledge, we've always um funded forestry through the street fund.

Okay, all right.

And then here's another question is there room for more investment from the street fund?

I know the street fund is heavily used as well, and this is only one component.

Uh, just looking at slide number, I believe it's number nine, where we talk about the cost to run a moderate level hybrid operation, which would be 21.5 million dollars.

What we're seeing at the current operations at 5.8 million dollars would be 100% street fund.

If we were looking to actually get to a higher level, which would be a quadrupling of the annual cost, and it may but maybe I'm reading that incorrectly, it would take a much larger or take a basically an investment from the general fund, unless we can get more money from the street fund.

But I'm looking at if we had total 77 FTEs, that would be a 150 percent increase over what we have, but then looking at estimated equipment and supply cost at 7.2 million dollars.

Would that be a one-time cost or annual?

Through the chair, that would be a one-time cost.

It would be more like your capital because you're we have to have more equipment if we're gonna have more people.

Um, and so that's the um log loaders, the bucket trucks, the um heavy-duty equipment that's needed for um safety and removal and trimming of the trees.

Okay, and then which then would say if we got rid of that as a one-time cost, it wouldn't be a reoccurring cost.

We could look at that as a capital expense, but it would still be a 300% to get to a moderate level hybrid operation if you looked at reoccurring cost, and obviously you have to look at some maintenance for the equipment, but is has there been a conversation about looking to the general fund to help improve increase our capacity when it comes to forestry and forestry street trees, trees in front of your home aren't often seen as the greatest asset, but just based on the health return on the return on investment for your neighborhood value.

I'm just wondering something that we're overlooking, maybe something that we should really be looking at the general fund to help support the way we do other city services, and this is clearly a core city service.

Has there been any thought given to going to the general fund to ask to supplement our street fund for an investment in the forestry department?

So through the chair um to member Benson, so we look at all ways to make sure that we're providing robust city services to our residents.

Um and as you can remember, I think the um a couple years ago, we even looked at helping private removal of private trees.

So we do take all aspects of funding into consideration when we're looking to provide services to the city to the city residents.

Okay.

So that would say we have looked at that, and we did do that with the ARPA funds, I'm not mistaken.

Then I'm gonna make a motion to submit a request to the administration of the budget department to increase funding to the forestry division by four million dollars on a reoccurring basis to improve our forestry and our tree maintenance program.

I'll have my staff submit that memo as well.

And so then also when I look at the correlation between that's sorry, I remember that that's that's a that's an amendment to the budget.

Yes, not not okay.

Not not you weren't you weren't making that motion now.

That's when budget time comes.

Correct or well, no, I'm making a motion to uh submit that staff and submit that to the uh administration for increase.

So okay do uh do as it do I need to do we do to approve that here get it.

Yeah, that's what I figured.

Okay, so motion is say say say the motion, yeah, just so I can hear it.

Motion to increase the budget of forestry department by four million dollars according to the slides here today.

Okay, motion's been made.

Discussion are you discussing made a discussion?

Uh member Miller all on the motion.

You want to increase your button, hit your button.

You want to increase the um amount without hearing all the uh questions being answered?

Uh yes.

Okay.

So looking at the report and then having my questions answered, I'm prepared to make that motion.

Now it'll be up to this body.

Um, if that is something that and the administration that's actually something that happens at during the budget session, but I'm putting that memo in to the budget department making that request, and um requesting that right now for my colleagues.

Okay.

Any more discussion on this?

Okay, motion's been made.

Are there any objections?

Objection.

Objection.

Miller, or the other?

I don't know.

You have objections?

Hearing none, motion will pass.

All right, thank you.

And then looking at slide number 11 and the 40% goal on the canopy goal, and looking at the deep green areas, and this looking at the neighborhoods where you see the deep green, typically are our high value areas.

Is that a chicken or the egg?

I mean, we're looking at Indian Village here.

I'm seeing uh Palmer Woods, I'm seeing Sherwood Forest, I'm seeing Grandma Rosedale as areas with deep green, but then it's wondering is that a direct result of the deep green, or is that just the fact that they planted trees there and then people came?

Or just over time your neighborhood values have increased.

It seems like a good reason to have a heavy tree canopy to me.

So through the chair, um, I think what we need to take into consideration is that the trees in our um city are mature trees.

Um, and so they've been here.

So I am not at liberty to say if the tree was planted before the house was built or the house was built before the tree was planted.

But I would have to think that um the tree probably was planted around the time the house was built.

Okay, and then just the level of density there, is that because we put more money in those neighborhoods when it comes to the tree canopy, or the residents have just done a better job of maintaining their tree canopies in those neighborhoods.

I mean, those are stark, the deep green areas, they're either parks or their neighborhoods which have a traditional higher value and higher incomes.

So uh through the chair, uh statistics do show that uh tree-line streets do have uh properties with higher value, and so because you're attracting more people to that neighborhood again, it reduces um temperatures in that neighborhood, and so um I think the map speaks to what the statistics show.

Okay, and then uh Mr.

Chair, I I've had a number of my questions answered, and I appreciate the uh thoroughness and the thoughtfulness and the responses to my questions.

Um 350,000 trees in our portfolio.

That's a city asset.

What's the value of our tree portfolio through the chair?

Can I get that number back to you?

You can.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

Mr.

Chair may have some different um additional questions, but I'll yield now.

No, that's it.

Maybe have some later.

All right, excellent.

Chair recognized member Miller.

I appreciate the reports.

There's plenty here.

Unfortunately, most did not address my concern.

I uh from the questions that I submitted, it was basically saying refer to the charts.

So I guess I should be able to add their saying basically.

So the number is 30 million.

I have a problem.

I I asked about jobs.

We are constantly talking about finding jobs for our Detroiters.

This is a skill that does not require an advanced degree.

It's not an engineering job, it's a job that would give a fair give a fair wage from the city of Detroit.

So I asked the question previously about the 20 people that works in the forestry department, how we could expand it, and that wasn't addressed.

When I first saw the contracts, they were for two years.

I said, okay, because I was it was said to me that they're working to see how we can bring jobs in.

But then the contracts changed to three years.

So we went from two years to three years, all contracts is 10 of them.

So I didn't see the sense of urgency to transition towards jobs.

So when I look at cities like Westland, Garden City, Dexter, Michigan, Ithaca, Troy, and I think it was only two out of the ten that were in Detroit.

If I'm all the way in Ithaca, and I'm hired to do a three million dollar tree job, it's easy to say on paper that they came all the way to Detroit and hired our workers to do this work.

So if they can find them, why can't we?

So I find it hard to understand to give 30 million dollars when we have people here that can dig holes and planetary.

If we're really serious about providing jobs for Detroiters, and our city is in the business of outsourcing every single thing.

I mean, we don't own anything, we don't have anything in the city of Detroit.

I even asked a colleague of mine.

When we gave up the rights to Bell Out, couldn't we have put a guard shack there and charged seven dollars ourselves and just clicked the money?

Where it was no different discussions.

Everything was taken.

Hold on.

And what wasn't taken, we have continued to give away.

We'll that's what I'm saying.

So we have jobs.

So I I was just hoping to see something a little more tangible because it did say two years.

I figured, okay, maybe in a two years we could figure something out, but then it went to three years.

So really they're not trying to figure anything out with three years.

And because I work with um the tree department, I work with the NAT Department of Natural Resources, I worked through them.

I've been to our state parks, I've taken children to Millicamp Park and all the places that they bring forestry jobs in.

I just found that it was just for me a source that we could have immediately trained some youth, some children out of high school, people from the ages of 18 to 25 to just plant these holes for trees, and that is why I have been a little pushed back on it.

I mean, even DTE has a tree training.

I know I read this that they've utilized some of their services to bring people in.

I just feel some kind of way about it, and um, this is what the city does.

So I'm new, and it's gonna be difficult for his heart to just say, hey, we're not gonna provide jobs, we're gonna outsource because when we calculate these funds, this company in Ithaca, they're taking their money back to Ithaca.

They're gonna circulate that dollar in Ithaca.

So I think it should be a deduction on the amount that's sent out because they're not gonna spend that money here in Detroit.

They're not gonna go to any of our shops, any of our restaurants because of their employees, whatever the number is, they're gonna take that money back to Dexter and Garden City and spend that dollar that we provide for all of our outsourced services in Detroit in their community.

It's kind of like you have restaurants along Woodward, and you see who patronized them.

When we have the ones over here off Lafayette, who patronized the city's restaurants?

So that's just uh uh I guess it's a circling effect.

So I really don't have much to say because everything's here is numbers based.

Just that no one ever says the money's not staying in Detroit, and they have a minimum amount or Detroiters they put down.

It's just like we say we hire people union trades to work on the roads, but when we're on the roads, we never see anybody that live in Detroit.

We don't see that not for 77% African American city, and I'm not being biased against black people, but uh black folk need jobs right now, and on the roads, who's out here saying, uh, do you live in Detroit?

I bet you a dime to a dollar if I went out here to have these places, they really don't live in Detroit coming down here to Ithaca and Westland and Garden City and Dexter, and that's just a name a few because we only had two out of the 10 from Detroit.

And the young man called in and that he has a viable business, and because he's he doesn't make the number, we have to find a way to meet our people where they are.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh Sandra, you still uh the director used to always be waiting very patiently unless you're gonna explode over there.

Did you want to answer some of the questions?

Go ahead, Director.

Uh through the chair, uh thank you, Councilman Miller.

These are uh values that we share.

I do want to clarify that out of the 10 contracts submitted for award, five of them are Detroit vendors, and eight of them do employ Detroiters.

We have a total of 60, 59, 60 um employees that are Detroit residents that have been um uh according to the information submitted by the vendors.

We do have requests out to the two vendors who don't currently employ Detroit vendor uh residents to commit in writing.

Um we have been in discussion generally uh at a higher level with um Detroit at work about how we can um uh work together and collaborate to ensure that uh contracts whether uh that are labor-heavy can get connected to Detroit at work for a pipeline of Detroit residents, and I think this is a really great um project to focus in on.

Um we do hear you, and I just wanted to provide this uh information.

It was uh GSC provided the information that they were asked of.

This is the information that was asked of OCP, and we will provide uh this information and follow-up in writing.

Miller?

Anything else?

Nothing else.

Okay, uh, before I uh recognize Member Johns, I also just want to say I think that part of what Member Miller was saying is also economics question in terms of the cycle, the dollar, the velocity of the dollar in terms of how it bounces throughout the community.

I don't I don't think that I don't know if that's something that you produce.

I mean, you had to part it with DEGC, but I think that'd be good too from a contractual perspective and a government investor perspective, how that dollar cycles throughout the community.

I know you have some issues evolving uh some restrictions in terms of um doing things based on race.

I think that was the Richmond v.

Crocen decision 89.

So I know you can't publish that directly, but uh I but I do think it's a major issue, and I think some of it is also due to the fact that it's so difficult to start a business here in the city of Detroit.

I think it's about 183 steps.

So some of this is stuff that we have to do internally as well.

But I think that when Member Miller is saying is good, and if you can answer that to the best of your ability, I would appreciate that because I like to know those questions, those answers.

I like to answer those questions as well myself.

Uh with that being said, Member Johnson.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Oh, did you have something you wanted to say?

Uh uh, Member Johnson.

I'm sorry.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Go ahead.

Uh Director, also I'm so sorry, Director Perkins.

Go ahead.

I didn't see you all.

I'm sorry, Member Johnson through the chair to Member Miller.

Um, I do want to address some of the concerns that was said, and I didn't hear Sandra uh director uh staw say this, but I do believe that when the contracts came before you, it was just one contract that was misstated as a two-year, and they had to pull that one back and correct it that the other said three years.

But we have worked with our young people in the city, we have hired them.

Again, this is a labor-intensive job.

And the starting pay, everyone who comes in has to start off as a tree artisan helper.

And that starting pay right now is 1538.

The maximum that someone can get in that position is 1658.

And within six months of getting the job, you do have to obtain your CDL because the equipment that we work with, the state requires the federal government requires a CDO licensed person.

And so those have been some of our challenges that we have.

When we have staff to come on who have challenges, we do help them get their CDL, we do pay for it.

We have also helped provide support for those who may need some more support with the classes that they have to take, the reading and the um the hands-on things that they need at these CDL providers.

We've provided that type of help.

Um, you may not know, but before um you became a council member, we had a program called Skills for Life.

And in that Skills for Life program, we specifically trained individuals, but we took it all the way back to um helping them have a strong foundation in in literacy and education so they they can be successful with obtaining their CDLs.

Many of them did come work for us, but in the current economy, if you a CDO holder, you can make more than 1538.

And so people do want to make sure they're um getting the max for their um their hard work and their effort that they put in.

Member Johnson.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um, thank you all for the presentation.

This is really good information, but I want to start um my line of questions with um you director uh Perkins talked about the treat view the tree viewer um and the I'm assuming it's an app or something that residents can utilize.

Does it will it also provide um information for residents to know when a tree is going to be serviced if they put a request in where the tree needs to be trimmed and needs to be removed or what have you?

Will that service be included within the app?

So through the chair to member Johnson at this time, no, but that's something we can work with do it to see if we can have that added.

Okay, all right, because I think it's it's great for them to be able to see all of the trees that are in their community in the neighborhood.

I love trees.

Um point to page nine, I think that member Benson called it, where you have current operation, moderate level operations and the cost associated with it.

Help me to understand how these the the vendor contracts that are before us are included or impact these numbers because this to me looks like it's all city staffing that would be employed and it would cost the city these dollars.

Um, but in essence, we have current operations and I'm not sure the total amount of vendor contracts that are before us that make our current operations not truly five million dollars, it's five million plus whatever we're contracting out, understanding that it's street funding.

So through the chair to member Johnson, the five million does include the the contracts that we will pay for this year.

It's 2.5 million in vendor contracts that we would pay, and that's inclusive of the five million.

So you can go back to slide number.

Well, even looking at this slide that you have up under current operations, you see the two two a little bit over two million for the personnel cost, there's 1.2 million for tree planting, 2.5 million for the vendors, and then that total is 5.7, a little over 5.7 million.

Okay.

Can you pause there for a second?

Yes.

Director Stahl, the vendor contracts that we have in front of us that are for three years, what's the total amount that's before us?

And based on this number, I would think it's 7.5 million dollars, but I know that's not true.

So can I say something before she give that number?

That's authority.

So authority doesn't equate to what we would spend in a year.

Okay.

So that number is higher.

I I think it's like 13 million, maybe 24 million.

Which is eight million dollars a year across all 10 vendors.

And um that authority would provide some margin.

So considering the numbers that we receive that indicated how many by district um trees have been, I guess, reported by residents that still need to be addressed.

Um, do we anticipate using more of the 2.5 million or more just based on the numbers that are currently in the system of trees that need to be addressed?

So through the chair, the 2.5 million is just what's allocated, allotted for the fiscal year.

Oh, that's just through June.

Correct.

Okay.

All right, so so I'm I'm just trying to make sure these numbers um make sense.

Make sense.

And I'm here to help you.

And and so for current operation, so we're saying current fiscal year through June.

So if we were to look at the full year, what would be the vendor contract spend?

It it would be it can't go over the 2.5 unless we come back to this body or we adjust the budget, a budget type amendment for funds.

It so the um the the budgeted amount is for the fiscal year, right?

And so if we have the 2.5 million budgeted for contractors use for the fiscal year.

So if for some unforeseen reason we need we run out of uh we pay all the vendors 2.5 million before the end of June, then that means we have to reallocate funding if we wanted to continue within this fiscal year.

And where does that additional fund the the additional funding come from?

We will have to work it within our 5.7 million.

So that means we compromise staff.

We wouldn't compromise staff, but remember we have 13 vacancies, so that funding that's allotted for the staff of the 33 position, and we don't get them filled, we'll have some um vacancy surplus there.

Okay.

Um Director Saul, can you help me and help me understand why we are contracting 24 million when we can only spend two and a half?

Well let's say we spent three and a half million per year, because we have eight contracts over three years.

If our max spend is roughly three and a half million dollars, we're talking 11, 11 and a half million, but we are contracting up to 24 million.

That's just me estimating.

Yeah, no, that's over three years, too.

Yes, right.

That's but three and a half million per year.

Right?

I'm I'm just taking your two and a half million.

If there are any vacancies, let's say is roughly an additional one million dollars.

Somebody help me.

Yeah.

If I may, uh, through the chair, again, Gerrell Harris, deputy director of general services department, um, through the chair to council member Johnson.

So I manage the forestry division hands-on.

Um so what we're looking to do, uh, what we learned from the last set of contracts that we did, we made the contract authority the exact amount that we had in the budget for each fiscal year.

And what we realized was I'm sorry, Zach.

Uh what we realized was um the vendor capacity varied greatly between all of the vendors.

Some were not able to meet their 15 trees a week, and some far exceeded their allocation.

But because the contract authority was set, we didn't have the ability to add more money to the other contracts because we are very adamant about not bringing you all amendments.

We try our best not to come back to do contract amendments.

Um so this time around, we said, let's create a higher contract authority because we're doing in the background, we're also seeking grant dollars and other philanthropic dollars.

We're looking for other ways to supplement our budget because we anticipate that we we're we guesstimate that this body's gonna allocate about the same amount each year, right?

And so we looked at what you've allocated historically, what we anticipate you allocating moving forward.

We were successful in getting tree planting grant dollars through the induction the inflation reduction act through Michigan DNR.

Um, so we're we got applications out now for additional dollars to help us manage the tree canopy.

If that money comes in, because we have a higher contract authority, we can then add those dollars to the contract without having to do a contract amendment or change up anything because we set the authority higher than what we know we have in the budget, and so we can only spend what what's in the budget, which you all allocate to us.

And so if you allocate 2.5, we're only gonna spend 2.5.

And we look at every contract, we see what the cost is for each tree service, so we can maximize every dollar because each vendor has a slightly different price, and so we're very conscious about what is it costing us to manage the tree so we can get as many tree services as possible.

Um but the contract authority is higher, so that should we get additional dollars and we are constantly shaking the trees, not to lose a pun, but we're constantly looking for um other dollars that we can bring in to supplement the work that we're doing.

Um, we also learned that uh we have a number of new vendors.

We trust that they're doing going to do a great job, but should they not, we have the the authority on the other contracts to shift work around without hindering our ability to keep moving and keep servicing the residents as it need to be service, and so that's why the numbers are much higher.

We won't spend a dollar more than what we have in the budget.

We assure you that we will not go over the budget.

If you give us more money, we will spend it.

If if this body gives us more money, we will absolutely spend it and spend it well, but we will stay within our budget, and we will constantly continue to look for other dollars outside of what's in the budget from other sources to supplement the work that we're doing.

Understood and appreciate that um response.

Um, I will say two things relative to it.

Um, so if the department received some grant funding, that would still have to come before this body for approval, you will just add those dollars to the authority for these contracts.

But that was still wait a minute, because right now we're seeing a specific source of funds that are being utilized.

Help me to understand how any grant funds that you receive would be applied to these particular vendors.

Uh, through the chair to council member Johnson, you're absolutely right.

Any grant that we apply for and get awarded has to come to this body to authorize us to apply for and to accept it and then uh allocate where it goes.

Um, we won't add to the authority unless we add our authority cap.

So for example, the contract one a three million dollar authority over three years.

We know we won't spend that with the dollars we currently have.

And so you all would just add that um to one of our accounts, and we would then create a PO to spend that money on the account within the authority we already have.

So we're not looking to increase the authority of money comes in.

We just have now have the actual dollars of spend on that contract.

And in amendment of funding source, funding street.

I'm sorry, through the chair.

Yes, ma'am.

So we just add that account stream.

Right now we don't have any grant dollars, which is why it says 100% street funds.

But should we get them, we come to this body, we'd say, hey, we want to add, we got awarded a million dollars from some source that we want to add, you all would control that.

Thank you for that.

The other part to your response raises a concern about comparing apples to apples, and this is for director stall.

So when we indicate that you know there are some contractors who cannot meet that 15 tree per week quota, um, and some who exceed it, we have and and of course I know who called the enduring public comment because it is a district four um vendor who applied whose um bid amount exceeded the vendors that are being awarded.

I just want to be sure that when we review contracts, as director stall stated, it's purely based on the bottom line.

It is the total amount of the contract that they responded to.

So if they said that we can remove 200 trees that are 15 feet in diameter because they have the equipment and the capacity, but someone else said we can remove a hundred trees that are two feet in diameter, but this is the same bid that they're responding to.

I want to be sure that we're not looking at the bottom line number, but looking at an understanding what each vendor has the capacity to do and what they are going to be tasked with doing, that then says these are the most responsible contractors, not just okay, one said we're charging you a hundred million, the other said we're charging you 10 million.

Naturally, I would expect we're going to go with the 10 million dollar contract because it looks like a savings of 90 million dollars.

But if the two were equipped with doing completely different things, although the scope of the the bid identifies what type of work we're expecting for them to do, who's looking at the details to ensure is not just going with the 10 million dollar contract versus the 100 million dollar contract.

So uh through the chair.

The way the bid sheets work, the department thinks through very carefully based on their experience and historical data.

Uh reasonable estimates of the quantities of each type of service, and there are many tree trimming of various sizes, tree removals of various sizes, stump removal, special services, emergency services, and so on.

Every item is priced.

And that collective price is what we look at because everybody has their own business model.

They might be more efficient on some types of services, less efficient on other types of services, and that's why we have to look at the aggregate to see what would be the net cost to the city.

Um the department uses their expertise running this department for many years to determine appropriate estimates of each type of service in order to be able to uh have that um fair comparison of bid prices.

Thank you, and I appreciate their expertise.

I truly do.

However, if we have new contractors that we've not worked with, we are just basing their response on the number that they provide to us.

We have no idea what level of service they provide.

We have no idea the type of experience that they have in addressing any type of tree.

Right.

We we um in our bids at a standard.

Uh a standard uh piece of information that must be provided in all bid responses is a portfolio of similar experience.

That's one of the basic minimum requirements.

Have you provided uh so many years of um uh experience?

Similar to the scope and scale.

So we review that.

They have to provide references that we can reach out to.

They have to uh explain the type of work that they have done for whom.

Um so that is part of our review of minimum qualifications that determine whether a vendor is uh qualified, responsive and responsible, in addition to being lowest bid.

So it doesn't mean that we are scoring levels of quality, but it means that they meet that minimum requirement by the references and portfolio of experience that they provide.

And we review those prior to identifying which contractors, of course.

Okay.

Um I'm really I I'm I'm interested in seeing a little bit more detail because I find it very difficult for me to believe, quite honestly, um, that this particular contractor that we've worked with over a number of years in the city, I know they've had some hiccups, um, and I know they've addressed those, but to see the price differences between the bids is really alarming to me.

Um, I will also say that what my colleagues was referring to is the local multiplier effect.

And and I know we've talked about this previously about how many times dollars turnover in the city of Detroit before they exit our community, and how much of an impact that has on the city.

I think that's extremely important.

I do know their business very well because I know they hire residents from the city of Detroit, and particularly in District 4.

They do a tremendous amount of work, volunteer work in the community that you will never get from a vendor that's in another city.

Um I know that's not something that you all take into consideration, but I think it needs to be noted.

Um, and so I'm really interested in and better understanding how these um responses came in to say, okay, if you're giving an estimate on what it would cost to address 10 trees of this size, 10 of this size, and 10 of that size.

I'm really interested in in seeing the numbers and where they came in.

Um I I know I sent over some questions to you all, and so I certainly do look forward to the responses.

The one thing I'd like to ask GSD is about your inspection process, because last Thursday I was at a community meeting and someone's tree had just been um cut down, and apparently there was sawdust everywhere, not only on their property, but their next door neighbor's property as well, and they don't have the greatest relationship with their next door neighbor.

And so I just want to ensure that we are inspecting and that we are also ensuring that the vendors are, if it is required, um grinding down the stump and not leaving a stump there and making sure that we are laying eyes and ensuring they're doing that and not leaving our residents with just another project and another expense for them to take on.

Yes, through the chair um to member Johnson.

We do inspections, we do inspections before we even pay invoices.

We do go out and inspect every site.

What we can do is at the beginning of our contracts, once they are approved, we have a kickoff meeting with the vendors with OCP, and what we can do is address with our contractors at that time to make sure that they're doing um proper maintenance and uh cleaning up of the site while they're working and after, but we do inspect before um we do pay invoices.

And it was one more thing you missed.

The stumps, yes.

We do um that's part of the removal is grinding and removing of the stumps.

Sometimes though the tree may be removed and the stump is still there because that's a separate crew that comes through at a different day to come through and grind and and remove the stump itself.

Understood.

How would the resident know that another crew is coming?

That communication should be made.

So again, when we have our um kickoff meetings, we'll make sure we relay all of this information to our vendors so they'll know how we expect them to perform the service for us.

All right, thank you.

I look forward to the responses to the questions.

Thank you all.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you.

All right, one more.

Excellent.

Uh, we go we will have Member Benson and then we're gonna have Member Miller.

All right, thank you.

Um, and just looking at slide nine again, and we go to the moderate level hybrid operation, looking at a total of 77 FTEs.

My proposed four million dollar general fund support, which would be a reoccurring number, would go towards that's could go towards a 77.

It could also go towards your response to my question regarding a training pipeline, how to actually get the human capital we need into those to fill those positions, would be a 400,000 annual uh tree train uh academy, something like that as well.

In addition, that would leave enough to go towards um new equipment for those uh new staff members, it will go towards feel towards a pay increase to make us competitive as well.

And so that's why that four million dollars, I believe, it would be really helpful when it comes to increasing the just the level that we're able of services to be delivered.

And so when we talk about a four million dollar annual number, we're looking at a double what could be a doubling of that department, just depending on what those cost increases would be for salary to make this competitive.

But if you're saying we're coming in at around, did you say $14 an hour?

$15.

$1538 is the minimum.

Okay, and just understanding that White Castle on eight mile and grass it advertises at $15 an hour with medical and other benefits, and don't have to work as hard in the hot sun.

So what would it take to get more people in the door from a 15 to a uh competitive rate where we're looking to at least be competitive against the private sector, knowing that if you stay with us, you have the opportunity for a pension and benefits at Medical the Chair.

I'm sorry, is your question asking what dollar a rate should we pay?

Yeah, what's the problem?

Um, I don't have that information with me.

That's something I have to look at our class comp studies to see.

Um but based off the class comp studies, we are competitive with like cities.

Um, I don't know really what the the private industry has going on right now.

But if we're not able to bring that human capital in, that would suggest we're not competitive.

So to be competitive, I mean what would we have to pay?

Just top of your head, what would you suggest without seeing a comp study?

What would the streets be saying to us?

That's dangerous territory right there.

You you go on.

I just thought you just to advise you, not to tell you what to do, don't just say.

And the comeback would be that's probably why we're having trouble hiring people and coming to the city.

Maybe we should do a little bit more, but that class comp study, I'm sure will give you what the streets are saying about what a competitive salary would be.

And so, but just to go back, that's what that four million dollars would allow us to do.

Would to be able to get there to be competitive to hire in-house where that dollar multiplier becomes four or five times versus going out to Dexter, as was a concern of my colleague.

So that to me is why something like that is very, very important.

And then lastly, uh, one of the the questions is neighborhood return on investment.

What does a strong thriving tree canopy do for our neighborhoods?

And as you indicate, the Arbor Foundation street trees add five to ten percent to a home's value.

I'd like to have more value in my home just by adding a few trees within the street right away.

Every one dollar spent on tree planting generates between two and five dollars and fifty-five cents in community benefits, and as was discussed by my colleague member Johnson, trees improve air quality by pulling up to 50% of pollutants out of the air.

And this is something that we have a huge issue with in the third district and just citywide, is our air quality and a tree canopy can lower the temperature in the neighborhood by up to 10%.

And so what we see in many parts of the third district are we have heat islands where we don't have any tree canopy, and you can see from your slide where those areas are, but to lower the heat by 10%, and so if it's 80 degrees outside, I'm down to 72.

That's a huge change in what I have to do with either fans blowing in the house, opening windows, or turning on my AC unit.

And so when it gets up to three digits that we saw at 100 degrees last summer, or does it say even 90 degrees?

That's nine percent.

That's from 90 degrees down to 80 to 90 to 81 degrees.

That's a huge difference in what our neighborhoods see in the quality of life.

And so, once again, this is just another reason why I believe four million dollar annual investment into our four feet apartment and to a rope well, a moderate level of tree maintenance would really do a huge difference and a service to the residents of our of our neighborhoods and our city.

And it would have a fantastic multiplier when it comes to people spending if we're able to hire Detroiters.

Now, I'm not sure if we could legally mandate that these general fund dollars go to hire Detroiters, but we can strongly encourage and advertise as such to make sure that we do the best that we can to get Detroiters into those positions.

So I really want to say thank you all for coming out today.

This is something that we've been talking about for a couple of months now.

I'm really glad that the chair scheduled this to talk about how important our tree portfolio is, what it actually takes to have a high level.

That's 30 million dollars.

20 to us that's about eight million dollars a year if we to bring all of this in-house.

And so that that's a huge number versus the five that we get right now and the two million dollars that we spend on our own staff.

So just gives you an idea of what it would take to have a high level, and I just want a moderate level.

I think that four million dollars go a long way to getting us there and to lowering the neighborhood temperature by 10%, increasing property values and having a fantastic multiplier when it comes to people spending money in the city of Detroit.

And hiring Detroiters.

Absolutely.

Thank you.

Last week you were on daddy duty.

So you missed the entire conversation, and that's one of the things that I found missing out the report because I did ask about the amount.

They did say it uh it was $15, and I said it was comparable to McDonald's last week.

And I said, how can you be competitive or everything that you would be paying $15 as the McDonald's salary?

And that's one of the reasons why I was a bit so you missed it.

I I did come in, that's been I'm so I um that was one of the issues here.

We'll never be competitive paying a McDonald's salary for um, I mentioned climbing uh trees and cutting around electrical um wires, and that was the basis.

I wish you had mentioned your four million would be for if we could for tree train tree training academy and for additional staff.

I would greatly supported it if you said that first, that's why I was asking that you wait.

Um Minister um Member Johnson, I am interested to hear about the formula as well, because I think that when we hire locally, these are residents that live in Detroit, and like we're in the communities.

We may have a senior, seniors that are unable to do anything, and we can go to a local vendor and say, Hey, can you come cut over at a senior's house for free?

They're more apt to volunteer and we can tap into an additional resource for our seniors, our disabled, or households that need an additional, even backyard.

When those tree princes fall in the backyard, which is normally where they are by those wires, we could tap into re uh uh residents that live in the city who are blessed by a contract from us who would really want to give back.

And then sometimes in the contract, it should say you should you should have to give back.

That should be a requirement.

You should give so much volunteer time and give us some free services, especially if you're in Ithaca or Westland or any of those places.

Because I bet they take care of their communities where they are, they probably can call you up for a local church.

The church may need some additional services that's not on the radar on our list.

Well, they could do it for free.

It's a thought.

Thank you.

Any other questions?

Member Johnson, you got a question?

Just go ahead and thank you.

Um I am to the General Services Department.

Can you all help us understand which tree, how do you prioritize which trees get addressed?

Um, I quite honestly, when I look at our constituent caseload, we see trees.

And trees sit there for long period of time, longer than I anticipated they would.

When I look at the numbers that were provided by district, the trees that need to be addressed.

I see districts two in five, I believe, had the lowest numbers.

So I'm not sure if they are just having their own trees trimmed that are on city property, or um what's happening.

I and I hope it's not that they're getting a little bit more attention than the rest of the district.

So help us understand how you prioritize what gets done, when it gets done.

So through the chair, um to member Johnson, we prioritize emergencies first, um, of course.

Um right now we're acting in more of a reaction.

Define emergency for us.

Just define a mercy.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

A tree that's that's in danger of harming or or could be falling, uh, could be lamps that's down.

It it's it's a it's a danger to the public.

That's an emergency.

So we do prioritize emergencies.

And those are typically um, I don't know if you remember last fall we had a series of storms, the high winds come through.

We had a lot, a ton of emergency costs.

And it would take us but before we can finish cleaning up from one storm situation, here comes another storm, and so we're still um again working re um reactively, not proactively, right?

And so we do prioritize emergencies first and foremost.

Um, after that, we look for when we're looking at trimming or maintenance.

Um after that, we look for when we're looking at trimming or maintenance, we're looking at our backlog, and um after we're reviewing for the emergencies, we're also looking at what's been on on the longest two, and that's for the maybe not dangerous trees, but we know trees that needs to be that need to be addressed at that time.

So, within that, do residents actually indicate um that the tree is a danger, that uh a tree limb has fallen or what have you when they submit it in C click fix?

Sometimes sometimes and how long on average would you say it takes for you all to respond to an actual emergency?

Oh, we we're responding to emergencies right away.

Now we do have an inspector go out, so when we get the emergencies, unless it's blocking somebody's driveway or trapping them in, we've had that before too.

We're sending a crew right away because we don't want anybody to be blocked or trapped because of a tree or down across the street, you know, laying across the street, blocking the traffic.

Um, but the other um emergencies that we get, all the tree requests that we get, we do send an inspector, and that inspector will assess the tree and prioritize the tree based on the condition of the tree when they're out there.

And lastly, what's the best way for residents to report a tree to the department?

Because I know I have a tendency to text you.

And I I only do it when I feel like it's an emergency.

Um, but I also want to be sure that I'm not overloading you and that the response to what I deem an emergency is pretty um happening expeditiously.

Yes, so the best way is to use the improved Detroit app.

But for those who may not um use apps or or their cell phones that often, we um do have our tree line um which is 313 871 5461.

And we also have um people can email us trees at detroit mi.gov.

When they're reporting trees, it's best to make sure if it's not their specific address, that they're giving us the nearest cross streets, the nearest cross streets.

Okay.

All right, thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

That it's a quick question.

Uh okay.

Um for a minute.

Member Benson, did you have any more questions?

Are you going to um motion to reconsider the vote on my budget amendment to allow my colleague to vote yes?

Motion to reconsider.

Been made.

Are there any objections?

None.

Okay.

Motion reconsider has been made now.

Motion for a four million dollar budget amendment to go towards the forestry department to allow for us to hire more Detroiters.

Motion's been made.

Are there objections?

No.

Hearing none, motion passes.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Here the other.

All right.

I just have a question.

Chair recognized Mr.

Miller.

Well, any of I didn't see anything about uh treating the trees.

There's where I live, trees are 80 to 120 years old.

That's how we maintain our beautiful canopy because we know trees give oxygen.

And they used to come out and spray the trees in the church.

They would come out and actually spray for disease.

So if we have trees that are 80 to 100 years old, is we should try to maintain those.

Have anyone considered is that like a thing in a past to come out and treat the trees or spray them?

A truck used to pull up and they would just literally spray for disease or prevention.

Through the chair too, Member Miller.

Um the spraying of the trees has not happened in decades.

What we do to maintain the trees now is um we're trying to get our maintenance schedule up to date after we clear the black log.

We're looking at a maintenance schedule throughout the city based on the species of the tree.

Okay.

Thank you, because I know it's hard to replace a tree that is bigger than the house, but the but the shade is amazing, and it is devastating to lose because a lot of times we're on certain neighborhoods, they're usually struck by lightning.

And some neighbors are have I cannot be gonna tell you some of the stories how it's like it's like having a pet or something, they really just the tree provides life to them.

So I was just wondering, it has been decades.

It has now you're not all.

Okay, thank you.

Discussion one last item, Mr.

Chair.

Chair recognized member Benson.

And I just want to also say it it is a look that is picture book.

When you go down some of our neighborhoods and have a thriving tree canopy, we're actually meet over the street, and you have flowering trees, and so typically early spring where you've got your cherry blossom looking trees, your dogwoods, or whatever tree it is, and they're in bloom, and it's over the street, and it's c it's it is a picturesque type vision of our neighborhoods, and something that I'm hoping that at least 40% of our neighborhoods get a chance to experience in the future, if not more.

And that's one of the true value adds to having a strong thriving tree canopy.

And a few of our neighborhoods have that, not just our affluent neighborhoods, but if you do have that level of the tree canopy, we need to maintain it, and we need to grow it.

Thank you.

Anyone else got any questions?

Comments and concerns?

Excellent.

I have a few questions.

First of all, let me just say thank you for all the work that you've done, it's been uh outstanding, and I appreciate you.

Thank you for spending so much of your time here today.

Uh I'll promise to make it really quick.

I just wanted to ask you um really quickly.

One, I just wanted to ask you um about the category.

So you said that the first trees that you prioritize are emergencies.

Do you have any other categories after that?

Do you prioritize based on people who are seniors?

Do you guys based on other categories?

Can you just kind of break that down?

How that hierarchy works if there is one at all.

So um or the demographics of that?

Yes.

So what we do again, we we um prioritize uh emergencies, and then again, our inspectors are going out, they're assessing the tree.

If it's not an emergency, we are um prioritizing what could possibly turn into an emergency, right?

Because they could um basically from their expertise um be able to tell how long a tree will will it take for maybe you know, if a um a resident thinks that the tree is weak, that how long it's gonna last, or you know, when should we expect to see some maintenance done to this tree, but also prioritizing our our um most vulnerable population as well.

Okay, excellent.

And then thank you.

Excellent question.

I appreciate that great answer.

I also wanted to ask you this is money that is coming out of the roads fund, correct?

Street funding, street fund, excuse me, street funding, correct?

Is this going to have a negative impact on all at all on the roads themselves if we were to increase your money by a certain amount?

Have you had I'm not asking you to talk about road conditions, but has there have you been concentrated by deep uh DPW at all in terms of the increase of your budget doesn't mean gonna be less money going towards the roads, or have you counted the fact that the state of Michigan has a neighborhood roads fund that they created, so more money will probably be going to us from that.

Um so thank you for your question.

Um, this is the first axe for us to increase the budget was here at this table.

Okay, um, and so I have not had any conversations on what that would look like at this time.

Okay, do you are so you're not aware of what the impact would be, or you don't have impact studies in terms of if if other places would be affected from this increase at all?

Not at this point from the road condition.

That's fine.

I just want to make sure it's just to ask, and then I also want to ask, um you have a but rounded up of about six million dollars and 30, and you're spending about uh $30,000 in terms of $30,000.

I think that's um yeah, $30,000 total on trees, and um if you if the six million go into $30,000 per trees that's like $200 per tree.

I think if I'm if if I'm not mistaken, am I getting that math right?

You're asking, um, I'm sorry, are you asking what's the average cost to service a tree?

No, no, no, I'm sorry.

Let lay back, I messed up.

So you have a six billion dollar budget, right?

Out of that six million dollar budget, you're knocking down on average.

According to what I'm reading here, you're gonna knock down liberally this is the liberal estimate.

You're gonna knock down 30,000 trees, right?

From that six million dollar budget.

I did the math, if I'm wrong, correct me.

That's 200 per tree.

Is that comparable to other big cities around the nation in terms of that cost?

Or is it higher or lower?

So um I'm not for sure about that.

I can try to gather some some information on what other cities are spending and um how many trees they are servicing to get those numbers for you.

And then I also wanted to ask you do you have uh a long-term goal in terms of when you would think you would be able to service all the trees in the city of Detroit, and do you know how long that would be and how much that would cost overall?

And let me say this too.

I I I uh unlike my colleagues, I don't mind amendments to contracts as long as I can see the productivity.

If you have to come back and do amendments, that's that's that's the job.

That's what we're here for.

You understand what I'm saying?

I don't mind have make making those decisions if I can see the long-term productivity and I can see the long-term goal.

And for what I'm seeing here, for what you present me, I can see a long-term goal.

I can see what you're doing.

I just want to know when I go to my constituents, how long is that gonna take, and how much is that gonna cost?

Because I had considered just like the uh the gentlewoman that just came earlier saying that she's you know, number 30,000 in the list of so many people.

I just want to know eventually that person will be addressed, and we have the money to be able to address that.

So thank you.

What I want to do uh though is make sure we understand we're talking about two different things.

Okay.

The young lady that spoke earlier, she's talking about our private tree on her private property.

Okay, not talking about the tree that's on the berm.

Okay, that's not the same thing.

That's not the same thing.

So um, as it relates to the um private trees that the forestry division handles because the funding that we get is restricted to how we can use it, and so with that in mind, we are um looking at having a maintenance schedule of every five to seven years, and that obviously would depend upon the species because each species has a different maintenance schedule.

Um, and so with that be in in mind, our goal is to service um five to ten percent of the tree canopy, which will roughly means we're servicing about 18 to 30,000 trees a year.

Okay, and that's based on our current capacity.

And that makes up that 350,000, right?

And the um contracts that we have before you, right?

I just want to make sure I got that correct because that because that part that that that you know five to ten percent a year, you're going through that until you service all those 350,000 trees, correct?

Correct.

And there's also um exceptions to the rule, correct me if I'm wrong, because some trees, even though they are not on the berm, they have I see trees that have grown from the berm to underneath the sidewalk.

Correct.

And there's been issues, and I know that because I went to a constituent's house personally, correct?

And I want to thank you for that because I was talking because this is a pretty big constituent.

I was talking to this person about this issue, and you responded quickly because of that, and they were getting a lot of back forth because of that.

And so I want lay back up.

All constituents are reported, but I just wasn't I I knew this guy, he had been talking about this for a while.

And so for me to be able to deal with that in my mind, it was a big deal because he's been dealing with this for so long, and you were able to be able to deal with that.

So you took a lot off my shoulders.

So thank you.

I appreciate that.

But I just want to make sure what that meant.

And then finally, I just want to say um I appreciate you know, you using technology and light art that really just warned my heart over in terms of how you're doing this and duplicate.

I just wanted to ask you, just in general, does that include at all um autonomous with tree trimming robots at all?

Were there pruning robots or drone-mounted pruning systems or autonomous forestry harvesters?

Have you looked into that at all?

And does your budget cover that, or will we have to appropriate some money to cover that in your budget?

So at this time we have not looked into um autonomous work for the trees.

Okay, all right.

Short and sweet, I appreciate it.

All right, but does there any other questions, comments, or concerns?

Thank you so much for coming down here and a wonderful presentation.

Always look forward to work with you guys.

Appreciate you.

Learn so much.

Thank you so much.

Appreciate you, and thank you.

Oh, yeah, director uh you stall, thank you.

And I just want to say something really quickly on to you, Director Ustall.

You correct me if I'm wrong.

And I'm not saying anybody else here said this, but I just want to say this.

You have a very special responsibility to make sure that you are on the up and up in terms of dealing with contract procurement in the process, because you're held liable for that if not.

Am I correct on that?

Right.

We have a duty to make sure that we are in compliance with not only local but state and federal requirements, as well as maintaining uh procurement integrity, ensuring that uh all vendors who may bid on any of our contracts feel that the process is fair and transparent.

Excellent.

Thank you so much, director.

I appreciate you and thank you again, everybody for showing up.

Excellent, wonderful presentation.

All right, and thank you, Member Johnson, for joining us as well.

All right, we will now move on to unfinished business.

Line on 6.1.

Uh contract number, hold on.

I'm sorry.

Please be advised that the contract was listed as submitted on February 11th, 2026 for the city council agenda for February 17th, and has been amended as follows.

It was submitted as contract number 676 15, 100% major street funding to provide tree trimming and removal service contract or green street tree care location 1885 Baker Road, Dexter, Michigan, 48130 contract period upon city council approval for a two-year period, total contract about two million dollars.

The contract should read as 676 15, 100% major street funding to provide tree trimming and removal service, contractor Green Street tree care 1855 Baker Road, Dexter, Michigan, 48130 contract period upon city council for a three-year service period.

So it says two years, we're changing it to three years.

Again, said previously said two year.

We're changing it to three year.

A three-year service period total two million dollars.

Is there a motion to send line item 6.1 to formal session with recognition for approval?

We put on to new business.

Is there a motion?

Is there a motion?

Motion's been made.

Are there any objections?

Hearing none.

Line 6.1 be moved to formal session with recognition for approval.

You put onto new business.

We will now move on to Mayor's Office.

Line item 7.1.

Petition of Angel Share request to hold Detroit Homeowner Festival.

April 3rd, 2026 at 9 a.m.

till 9 p.m.

the same day at 440 Madison Avenue.

Setup will begin on April 1st 2026 at 2 p.m.

We completed by April 3rd, 2026 at 8 a.m.

Teardown will begin on April 4th, 2026 at 8 a.m.

completely by 2 p.m.

the same day.

Is there a motion to move line on 6.1 to formal session with recognition for approval?

Motion.

Motion made are any objections?

Hearing the line on 7.1, we move to formal session with recommendations for approval.

We put on new business.

Line on 7.2.

Petition of strategy 1 LLC.

Request to hold opening days 2026 from April 3rd, 2026 at 9 a.m.

till April 3rd, 2026 at 6 p.m.

at 350, Madison.

Music Hall Parking Lot.

Setup will begin on March 31st, 2026 at 9 a.m.

and be completed by April the 2nd, 2026 at 7 p.m.

tear down begin on April 3rd, 2026 at 9 p.m.

be completed by April 4th, 2026 at 3 p.m.

Is there a motion to move line item 7.2 the formal session with recommendations for approval be put onto new business?

Motion has been made.

Are there any objections?

Hearing none.

Line I said point two be moved to formal session with recognition for approval.

We put on the new business.

For April 3rd, 2026 at 9 a.m.

until April 4th, 2026 at 2 a.m.

at 641 Bobian Street.

Setup will begin on April 2nd, 2026 at 10 a.m.

and be completed by 5 p.m.

the same day.

Tear down will begin on April 6th, 2026 at 10 a.m.

and be completed by 5 p.m.

the same day.

Is there a motion to move line item 7.3 to formal session with recognition for approval we put onto new business?

Motion made or any objections.

Hearing the line of 7.3, we move the formal session with recommendations for approval, we put on to new business.

Line on 7.4 contract 67675, 100% city funding to furnish small engine equipment repairs.

Contractor Weingartz Supply Company Incorporated Location 32098.

Plymouth Road Lavonia, Michigan, 48150.

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

Total contract about 75,000.

Motion to send line of 7.4 to formal session with record dates for approval.

We put on to new business.

Motion.

Motion's been made.

Hearing none.

Line of 7.4.

We move to formal session with record dates for approval.

We put on to new business.

Lionel 7.5.

Council President Jay's Tate submitting memorandum regarding dead dangerous and disease tree program.

Backlog and performance review.

Okay.

Requests historical information regarding the General Services Department Administration of Dead Disease and Dangerous Tree Removal Program during its most recent period of active funding include programs, outcomes, collectors select, contractor selection, a performance oversight, and staffing capacity.

Is there a motion to receive and file lion 7.5?

Motion's been made.

Are any objections?

Here done.

Lion 7.5, we received file.

Lionel 7.6.

Uh Council President James Tate submitting a memorandum regarding tree training program, operational and contract review.

Requests a report regarding the administration of the city's tree treatment contracts, including program outcomes, contract selection, performance oversight, and staffing capacity.

Is there a motion to receive a file line on 7.6?

Motion.

Motion made are any objections?

Hearing the receive file line on 7.6.

We are now on member reports.

Chair recognizes Vice Chairman Vincent.

All right, thank you.

Just letting people know, please sign up for a free workshop for a life and legacy planning.

Get your estate plan.

It is free.

Call 866-313-2520.

866-313-2520 or do a Google search on our life and legacy planning free workshops.

In addition, please note the Detroit Home Repair Programs.

The new Critical Home Repair Program will open on Monday, March 9th at 9 a.m.

Get in line.

These will be new grant dollars.

And go online and look up our Detroit Home Repair programs, and the flyer will be there.

We've put this out on social media as well as our tech service.

Please be prepared.

It opens up Monday, March 9th at 8 a.m.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

I appreciate that.

Uh chair recognized Member Miller.

All right, negative report from the chair without objection.

Neighborhood community serves standing committee will now stand adjourned.