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Record of Proceedings

Detroit City Council Budget Hearing for Port Authority – March 11, 2026

City Council — Wednesday, March 11, 2026
BodyDetroit, Michigan
SessionCity Council
DateWednesday, March 11, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:07:45

Original source
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0:01

Good morning, everyone.

0:02

We'd like to now begin the expanded budget finance and audit standing committee for the purposes of our budget hearings.

0:10

Today is our first set of budget hearings for today.

0:15

When is the day?

0:17

March 7th.

0:19

No, what is the day?

0:21

11th.

0:22

My brain.

0:22

March 11, 2026.

0:24

I've been having computer issues.

0:25

I'm doing his all hard copy version this morning.

0:28

Madam Clerk, will you please call the road?

0:30

Councilmember Scott Benson.

0:32

Councilmember Letitia Johnson President.

0:34

Councilmember Denzel McCampbell.

0:36

Present.

0:37

Councilmember Renata Miller.

0:39

Councilmember Gabriela Santiago Romero.

0:42

Present.

0:42

Councilmember Mary Waters.

0:44

President.

0:44

Councilmember Angela Whitfield Calloway.

0:47

Council President Pro Tempera Coleman A.

0:49

Young II.

0:50

Thank you for putting that pro tempere on there.

0:52

Here.

0:53

How's the President James Tate?

0:55

Mr.

0:55

President, you have a quorum president.

0:57

Thank you so much.

0:58

The way things are going to go, just want to let everyone know.

1:00

We're going to have our first two budget hearings.

1:02

We're going to have first our port authority budget hearing, then the historical museum public hearing.

1:09

And as in the past, we have a morning public comment section as well as an afternoon public comment section.

1:16

I will say that the public comment sections may be abbreviated because of the opportunity to have two of those, and we want to make sure that we expedite as best as possible these proceedings.

1:26

And we will begin now.

1:29

We begin now.

1:30

Will the individuals who are here for the Port Authority?

1:32

Please come forward.

1:41

Before we begin, uh Mr.

1:43

Corley, we respect you highly immensely.

1:46

Want to know if you have any words you want to say before we begin this uh process, sir.

1:50

Thank you, Mr.

1:51

Mr.

1:52

President.

1:53

Good morning, City Council.

1:54

I'm excited.

1:57

Excited.

1:58

This is going to be a good budget process.

2:01

So I really appreciate the participation from the public as well.

2:06

So thank you so much.

2:07

All right, thank you.

2:08

All right.

2:09

We've got our PowerPoint up.

2:12

Uh gentlemen, good morning.

2:13

Please introduce yourself for the record.

2:15

And the floor is yours.

2:17

Good morning, Chairman.

2:18

Um, this is Mark Shrupp from the Detroit Wayne County Port Authority, Executive Director.

2:23

I'm Travis Jackson, I'm the finance director at the Board of Dorothy.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Transportation███████████████████████████████31%
Economic Development█████████████████████████25%
Technology and Innovation███████7%
Public Safety██████6%
Air Quality██████6%
Procedural█████5%
Environmental Protection█████5%
Budget█████5%
Youth Programs█████5%
Summary of Proceedings

Detroit City Council Expanded Budget Finance and Audit Standing Committee Budget Hearing

On March 11, 2026, the Detroit City Council convened an expanded budget finance and audit standing committee hearing. The first budget hearing covered the Detroit Wayne County Port Authority (DWCPA). Council President James Tate presided. The Port Authority presented its FY2027 budget request, strategic initiatives, and capital needs.

Port Authority Presentation

  • The Port Authority requested $300,000 in city funding (unchanged from previous years).
  • Key accomplishments: receipt of two EPA clean ports grants (2024) for electrifying port equipment; ordering two electric boats for the Detroit Harbormaster and Wayne County Sheriff; installation of rooftop solar panels reducing electricity use by 18%; 69 cruise ship dockings with over 220,000 passengers in summer 2025; a career expo with 175 attendees and 34 employers; and a tall ships festival drawing 15,000 visitors.
  • Strategic initiatives for 2026-2027: second cruise dock; Detroit Wayne Mobility Innovation Terminal (DW-MIT); conversion of two vessels (including Detroit Princess) to hydrogen fuel cells; port redevelopment on 1,300 acres of former industrial waterfront; and continued decarbonization.
  • The Port Authority noted ongoing challenges with a 100-year agreement (Master Concession Agreement, MCA) with Ambassador Port Company, which has yielded zero net revenue and still carries a $2 million loan.

Discussion Items

  • Council members expressed support for the Port Authority’s work and asked about return on investment, job creation, youth career outreach, hydrogen fuel, ferry feasibility, cruise ship economic impact, and cargo impacts from tariffs.
  • Councilmember Angela Whitfield Calloway criticized Executive Director Mark Shrupp for not returning her calls and for not mentioning the ferry feasibility study approved in 2023. She noted the study surveyed 800 residents and requested that the study be shared with new council members.
  • Councilmember Denzel McCampbell asked about tariff impacts on cargo (down 25%) and water level variability.
  • Councilmember Gabriela Santiago Romero raised water safety concerns as recreational boating increases.
  • Councilmember Letitia Johnson encouraged connecting cruise passengers to more local businesses and using air quality alerts.

Motions and Key Outcomes

  • A motion to send to executive session a tracking mechanism for youth career expo outcomes was approved without objection.
  • A motion to send the $1.5 million city request for the Detroit Wayne Mobility Innovation Terminal to executive session was approved.
  • A motion to send further discussion on ferry feasibility to executive session was approved.
  • A motion to send the Master Concession Agreement (MCA) with Ambassador Port Company to executive session was approved.
  • Council members requested written responses to numerous questions, and the Port Authority agreed to provide additional documents.

Meeting Transcript

Good morning, everyone. We'd like to now begin the expanded budget finance and audit standing committee for the purposes of our budget hearings. Today is our first set of budget hearings for today. When is the day? March 7th. No, what is the day? 11th. My brain. March 11, 2026. I've been having computer issues. I'm doing his all hard copy version this morning. Madam Clerk, will you please call the road? Councilmember Scott Benson. Councilmember Letitia Johnson President. Councilmember Denzel McCampbell. Present. Councilmember Renata Miller. Councilmember Gabriela Santiago Romero. Present. Councilmember Mary Waters. President. Councilmember Angela Whitfield Calloway. Council President Pro Tempera Coleman A. Young II. Thank you for putting that pro tempere on there. Here. How's the President James Tate? Mr. President, you have a quorum president. Thank you so much. The way things are going to go, just want to let everyone know. We're going to have our first two budget hearings. We're going to have first our port authority budget hearing, then the historical museum public hearing. And as in the past, we have a morning public comment section as well as an afternoon public comment section. I will say that the public comment sections may be abbreviated because of the opportunity to have two of those, and we want to make sure that we expedite as best as possible these proceedings. And we will begin now. We begin now. Will the individuals who are here for the Port Authority? Please come forward. Before we begin, uh Mr. Corley, we respect you highly immensely. Want to know if you have any words you want to say before we begin this uh process, sir. Thank you, Mr. Mr. President. Good morning, City Council. I'm excited. Excited. This is going to be a good budget process. So I really appreciate the participation from the public as well.

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