Thank you again for being here this morning.

Our second budget hearing of this budget season.

And I will tell you Do you have a PowerPoint that you're we don't?

No, I'm sorry.

We brought everything printed.

So and you've had that emailed.

So just keep it in mind, you know, this is a public hearing.

We always like the public to also see and know.

So as we move forward.

Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

It's a nice quality picture.

Oh no.

Folder.

It always is nice.

The new folder.

You guys are the first ones to get it.

Oh, we are you ready to go, Council President?

Let me make sure Jackie, we're also to go.

Floor's yours.

Great, great.

Well, good morning.

It is so wonderful to see everybody.

As most of you know, I'm Ilana Rue.

I'm very proud to be the president and CEO of the Detroit Historical Society.

We are the nonprofit that operates the Detroit Historical Museum and the Dawson Great Lakes Museum and cares for the city's collection of almost 300,000 artifacts at historic Fort Wayne.

And I know Member McCammel, you and your team are coming out next month for a tour, so really looking forward to that.

Looking forward to member Miller joining our board.

Our first, the first meeting she'll be at is next month.

And also I wanted to take a moment to thank Councilmember Waters for your great service in the years that you've spent on the Historical Society Board.

You in Santana helped us so much, and we're going to miss you, but thank you for everything.

Really appreciate it.

And Steve Zerio, who you're meeting for the first time.

He's our new chief financial officer.

Steve's just been here a couple of months, and so he's new to our team, but we're really thrilled to have his years of experience as we keep strengthening our financial footing.

Before I get into our request, I just want to say thank you.

Last year we asked for an increased allocation to $2 million, and you supported us in that.

We felt that vote, we felt your confidence behind it, and we've worked really hard to earn it every day since.

So over the past year, we've uh continued to do exactly what we told you a year ago that we would do.

Um we've strengthened our earned revenue streams.

Um we've been very disciplined about expenses.

We've grown our membership, and we've continued to deliver world-class storytelling, um storytelling in the building and online.

So people from Detroit, visitors and people around the world actually will know what it's like to live in Detroit and hear our stories.

Um in the last 12 months alone, we've brought forward more than 20 new or refreshed exhibits at our museums, and that's pretty rare.

Um, you know, I know a lot of you go to museums everywhere.

Um when you're traveling, and most museums have two or three new exhibits a year.

We have 20.

Um that's at the um Detroit Historical Museum and the Dawson Great Lakes Museum, so that means that we're telling more Detroit stories, we're elevating more voices, and we're giving more reasons for residents and visitors to come through our doors.

You know, some highlights this year.

Um we are really focusing on Detroit being a city of champions.

We know Detroit loves their sports.

Um we had our gridiron heroes, the Detroit Lions exhibit right now.

We have the Red Wings at 100.

Um we have an awesome exhibit on the really deep history Detroit has with comic books, which you probably didn't know about.

That's going to be up till the end of the year, so please come visit that.

Um it's really been a fan favorite, lots of kids coming in to see that.

Um we also were selected by the Kresge Foundation to be the institution that helped tell their set centennial story, had a great partnership with them.

And currently in our community gallery, um, we have a partnership with Black Bottom Archives, um, which is just a really spectacular exhibit.

Um with Rodney Leading Education and Outreach, we have deepened our connection with Detroiters of every age across every district, and we're really trying to do it in new ways.

Um, more programs, more partnerships, more meaningful touch points that meet people where they are.

And Rodney will take a few minutes in a bit to tell you about that.

We're also telling Detroit stories beyond our walls.

So, as I've said to you before, you know, we have almost 300,000 artifacts, only about 5% are on display at any given time.

And so we're working really hard to get more of those out into the community.

So, a few examples this year, more notably, we created um new exhibits inside the new Hudson's building, um, also at the book Cadillac and um at the Guardian Building, where we've partnered with um County Executive Warren Evans to launch a project that's telling the stories of all 43 municipalities in Wayne County.

Um, Detroit will be one of those.

We're gonna have a big splash event for that, so you'll all be invited to that later this year.

Um we also protected and grew Detroit's collection.

Actually, this year we brought in 1,660 new artifacts into the collection.

Um we loaned um 280 artifacts nationwide, and um brought in about 100,000 earned through collection loans and exhibition services that we provided.

Um we hit an all-time high this year, more than 5,000 um paid active members and with 32% growth, um, and that's our best membership revenue in 11 years.

Uh we also strengthen our operations.

We were able to, with um residual capital dollars that we still had waiting for us there, some building improvements.

We also completed a storage assessment with Borough Haphold on the collections resource center.

So we talked about that a year ago of that building.

It was built in 1941, you know, as a World War II armament building.

It is not a great place long term to keep a collection of this size and value.

And member Callaway came out and got to see it with her team.

Um, and uh, you know, that's a conversation we're gonna need to have over the years is is this, you know, is this a building that we all want to continue to invest in, or should we look for another place that might be more appropriate to store these, you know, invaluable artifacts.

Um, you know, we're still the only Detroit area organization of any kind to be a certified autism center.

So that means 100% of our staff are trained to serve our neurodiverse visitors and employees, frankly.

Um, this year, we hope that with your help, we'll be able to build a sensory quiet room at the Detroit Historical Museum.

We have a spot already ready right next to the gift shop there.

Um we just need the funding for it.

Um, and of course, the hustle, um, which so many of you participated in our celebrations for that.

Um, that is our celebration of Detroit's black entrepreneurs a couple of years ago.

We um told the stories of 34 Detroiters.

Um, their stories will be part of the archive of Detroit for all time.

Um, so we launched just two weeks ago the Hustle 2.

And so you'll see in your packets um nomination form.

I really hope that each of you will help us share this.

We'll be doing specific outreach to your offices.

Um, you know, but we would love to see representation from every single district.

And also we have expanded it this year to be um all entrepreneurs of color.

Um, so in particular, Councilmember Santiago Romero, we'd love to make sure that your district is really well represented there, and that we have a lot of nominees from Southwest Detroit.

So we have so many entrepreneurs here, but this um that project for us won us every major museum award locally and statewide, and then also we won the top award in the country called the Peninsula's Prize for the Hustle one project.

So we're we're very proud of that and really excited to kick off the next one.

It's a year that you helped make possible.

Um we have a lot of plans this year.

You'll notice in the front of your um folders there's a logo there.

Um we not only are celebrating America's 250th birthday, it's also going to be the 325th birthday of Detroit, and we have a couple of anniversaries of our own.

The Detroit Historical Museum turns 75 this year, um, and also the Dawson Great Lakes Museum will turn 65.

So we're going to be um you know having a series of lectures and celebrations that we will invite all of you to, and I hope you can join us.

Um we have a we do have a special project um for America 250 um that will be a partnership with the anti-slavery coalition.

So stay tuned for that.

Um now I'd like to ask Rodney to share a brief update on education and outreach.

Um, because really, I mean, the work happening in the classrooms and neighborhoods and community spaces.

I feel like it's one of the um clearest returns on investment that we can show you.

And engaging the schools keeps keep me at the Detroit Historical Museum.

Okay, good morning, esteemed council members.

I'm just gonna read through my notes if you don't mind, and then I'll take your questions later.

Um, I want to say I appreciate this opportunity to highlight the Detroit Historical Society's education and outreach initiatives over the past year.

The education and outreach team, can I him or so?

Team focus has been strengthening the connections between Detroit's history within our schools and the broader community.

With that being shared, the Detroit His the Detroit Public Schools Community District has renewed our partnership agreement for the 2025-2026 school year, and we are expecting the same for the 2026-2027 school year.

Over the past year, the museum has expanded its role culturally and civically as a learning space for students and teachers across the city.

A cultural highlight is the museum, excuse me.

We partnered with the Wayne County Regional Educational Service Agency in their teaching diverse history summit this past summer.

A civic highlight on Constitution Day, we intentionally invited one high school from each council member's district to learn more about the U.S.

Constitution from Wayne County's probate probate chief judge David Braxton Sr.

and his son attorney David Braxton Jr.

For example, District 1 had Henry Ford represented, District 2, Renaissance, District 3, Osborne, District 4, Davis Aerospace, and Southeastern, District 5, Northwestern, District 6, Western International, District 7, Cody.

Close to 15,000 students from the Detroit Public School Community District and Surrounding District visited our museums to participate in learning experiences aligned with state social studies standards.

These visits provided students with opportunities to engage directly with Detroit's history while developing critical thinking skills and civic awareness.

We also strengthen our partnerships with teachers through our professional development workshops designed to support teachers with integrating local history into their classrooms.

We actually hosted two professional development sessions in August, in addition to the Wayne County Summit Partnership.

These sessions provided practical tools for teachers while positioning the museum as an extension of the classroom and a place where history becomes tangible and relevant.

Last summer we started our most important initiative, the Student Advisory Council, an initiative that elevates students' voice and leadership at the museum.

Programs such as student essay contests, interpretive performances, youth presentations, allow Detroit students to explore history through research, storytelling, and creative expression.

Our on the shoulders of giants program invited high school students to portray influential African American Detroiters bringing local history to life at the museum.

Community engagement remains a cornerstone of our outreach initiative.

The museum hosted public programs celebrating not only MLK Day and African American History Month.

We expanded our programming to include National Autism Day, Earth Day, Veterans Day, Arab American Heritage Month, as well as Hispanic Heritage Month as well.

And Santiago Romero, thank you for that great attempt that we made this past September, October for that initiative.

Okay.

Okay.

Looking ahead, our education and outreach efforts will continue to prioritize equitable access to Detroit's history.

The Detroit Historical Museum and the Dawson Great Lakes Museum are more than a place where history is preserved.

It is a place where Detroit's next generation learns to understand their role in shaping the future.

Continued investment from the city of Detroit ensures that these educational opportunities remain accessible to our students, families throughout our community.

My voice is parsed, please forgive me.

Thank you for your continued support of the Detroit Historical Society and its mission to educate, inspire, and engage Detroiters through history telling.

Thank you, Red.

Thanks.

So I guess no no visit uh in front of you would be complete without an update on the millage.

Um so as you know, it's been six years now that we've been working to pursue this millage, um, which is the we still believe the long-term um the best long-term public funding solution.

Um we're doing that in a partnership with the right still.

Our partnership is strong.

Um we and I personally remain optimistic about that path, but it's been incredibly frustrating.

Um you may recall that our bills passed the House and Senate, and we're primed to be delivered to the governor, and then they weren't.

Um so we did everything we needed to, and you know, kind of what happened next was out of our control.

So they have been trapped in that lawsuit between the House and Senate for over a year.

And now it's 26, and this is when we wanted to be on the ballot.

Um, and um, you know, we really at this point don't have any certainty that they will ever be brought to the governor.

So um, you know, our boards are committed.

Um, we have a joint committee with the right, um, and we are working on an alternate path to a millage, um, and we're not giving up, but um and and to the the fact is that there's still a chance that we might be able to be on the ballot in November.

Um so we're working in earnest.

I mean, literally every day I spend you know a lot of my time on this, you know, to um inform, especially the new council members.

Um we have had very successful polling that tells us that um once we're on the ballot that it will pass um over 60 percent support in both Wayne and Oakland County, and we're um launching another poll soon.

So um hopefully that will validate that those numbers.

Um achieving a millage is worth every moment because once we are able to achieve it, it'll change the trajectory of our institution in the Charles Wright for all time.

And we will be able to say that we did that, and we ensured that we will be um you know, solve it and um in good financial shape um really for generations.

So it's hard work, but it's really important work.

And um, you know, but the truth is the politics are just outside of our control.

Um so while that process continues and while the goalposts continue to move, we still have to keep the lights on and keep the doors open, and we are committed to still providing um and creating really life-changing exhibits um so that everyone who lives in Detroit will walk through our museums and see their their own stories reflected.

Um we've been working really hard to stabilize our operations.

Um we did receive funding from the state of Michigan, as you may recall, um, two years in a row in 2023 and 2024, and have been completely unsuccessful since then.

So if you look at our historic budget, you see these two years that you know we um had a big bump in revenue.

Um so that's where that came from.

Um we use those funds to help us retain talented staff and really write size responsibly.

When I took over the institution in 2018, um it was a skeleton crew, nowhere near the number of professionals that it takes to run two world-class museums and take care of a collection of 300,000 artifacts.

So now we're right where we need to be.

We have the most talented staff I've ever worked with in my career, and we want to make sure that we keep them.

Um we also you know did a compensation study so that we weren't training great people only to send them off to use their talents somewhere else, um, which was happening.

Um so you know, this is the team.

Um we are though, um, you know, being prudent and um working on contingency planning in a no-millage situation.

So I know some of you who sent your questions in advance asked about that.

I mean, that is not a place that I want to be at.

We would um have to go through a um significant workforce reduction.

I mean, and that's when you look at our budget, the um the lion share, the you know, like any company um is our talent.

And now that we have a great team, I want to keep them.

So um, we are running a board-approved deficit budget right now.

Um, our reserves are strong, they're still not exactly where we'd like them to be, but those are the things that we did with that state money.

Um we've asked again this year.

Who knows?

You guys know we all watch the same news, right?

And we don't we have no idea what's gonna happen with um this current budget cycle.

So um, you know, there's another issue too that's equally urgent, um, you know, and really something we um wanted to talk to you about today, and that's capital.

So, as you know, we're the stewards of three city-owned facilities, the Detroit Historical Museum, the Dawson Great Lakes Museum, and the Collections Resource Center.

It's more than a quarter million square feet.

Um the buildings are you know, they represent collectively over two centuries of infrastructure.

Um they're city-owned buildings, they're aging, and they do require upkeep.

Um last year we didn't receive any new capital dollars.

We did have some that we can uh we were able to continue to spend down, and we did do that.

Um, you know, but at that point, the needs of the buildings and the exhibits didn't stop.

We um, you know, they actually grew.

So the requests before you this year aren't enhancements, or they're not really wish list items.

Um we're at a point now that these are the most urgent capital investments that um we feel we need to protect the public assets, preserve the collections, maintain the visitor experience, and and frankly, provide safe, functional working conditions for our team.

Um we'll be able to protect the city's assets and continue serving Detroit with quality, safety, and credibility, which we know you expect of us.

Um so now I'm gonna turn it over to Steve, our new CFO to walk you through the detail and the financial slides that um you have in your packet.

Thank you, Alana.

Uh good morning.

Morning.

Okay, now I now you can hear me.

Um I am really thrilled to join Alana Rodney and our entire Detroit Historical Society team as a chief financial officer about three months in now.

Uh interestingly, I have been a proud member of the Detroit Historical Society for over 20 years.

Been a member, so decided to join the team and was visiting the museums uh back in my days as a freshman at Wayne State University.

So it's uh been around a long time and it and as a member uh thrilled to see the progress.

But now I I joined the society at a time of uh both optimism with our team and challenge.

Uh the exciting part is we continue to make great progress for self-sustainability.

We're working at it, but the reality is operating two high-quality national quality museums with large uh archive facility is very formidable for an organization our size.

Um we did provide a written copy of our presentation here, but as we look at our our budget presentation, I included a few slides highlighting our team's good work towards growing our earned revenue, trying to take into greater control what we can impact.

Uh one of the big things we do is we host three keystone events each year to engage our members, supporters, and community, uh netting uh a net profit of 200,000 a year between those three events.

We look forward to seeing many of you at our annual gala next month at the Guardian Building.

In addition to the other parts of the earned revenue we're doing is it's I we have nice pictures in there.

We we really do have great exhibits.

Uh activities, amazing activities, and the facilities uh that have utilized we utilize to grow our earned revenue at a 26%.

That's why I'm the finance guy here.

26% annual growth rate over the last three years.

So this was a conscious decision years ago.

We've doubled it, doubled in size, and we continue to grow that.

Uh it's it's partly from the financial perspective, but it's a significant effect.

But also we have a significant effect supporting other local organizations by providing attractive venues.

Uh we heard a little bit like with cruise tourism, we do receive visitors off the cruise ships.

But uh other events that go groups know they can come to us and have host an event at either our Dawson Museum or at the Historical Museum, and it maintains uh you know visitors that way.

And I do have an interesting slide for you to look at the the impact we have on tourism is is great as well.

Last year and 2025, we attracted visitors from all 50 states of the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam, Washington, DC, and I believe we have visitors from 31 uh countries as well.

So it's nice that when people come to visit Detroit, our museums are on the list with trip advisor to come see.

Our staffing is really the key for ourselves.

It remains steady and productive, blending new hires like me with the Detroit Historical Society veterans to carry forward our mission.

We today have 47 full-time staff across all three locations, plus 31 part-timers.

And uh 24 of our team members are City of Detroit residents, which is great.

And today, and with numerous current and past Wayne State University grads and college for creative study students.

So it's especially uh it's great to see some of the younger staff we have that are so gifted.

So it's you know we've made great progress, but really I in my short time here look at our greatest challenge may be the physical maintenance of our buildings.

Alana alluded to it a bit there.

You know, our the age of our buildings, 75 years for the historical museum, 65 for Dawson, 85 for the uh resource uh CRC.

And we'll talk a little bit about this next is the carriage house.

You may or maybe may or may not be familiar with it, which is not visible to our guests.

It's a building behind the Detroit Historical Museum where we do all of our work to build design uh to build our exhibits, maintain them, and update them.

We have several employees that work there full time.

The carriage house behind the museum is 175 years old.

It was built in the 1850s.

So really, as we as we look at it, it will that's really number one on our capital uh priority list.

But on the positive note, we are really thrilled uh that we have new windows being installed as we speak throughout the museum.

Uh we did the two curtain walls over the main entrances off of Kirby and Woodward, those are in place now.

These windows were 75 years old now.

We have efficient uh windows, you know, for our guests and our employees.

And we'll be doing the windows on the third floor for the offices uh starting in April.

So we do appreciate the help of uh of the council as well with the ARPA grant funds that uh you helped orchestrate.

But as Lana noted a bit and I noted uh, you know, significant capital investment is required really to maintain these buildings.

We look at over our overall spending with the last two years we've been able to defer as much as we could.

But right now we're looking at uh renewing investment to maintain our guest experience, uh support employee productivity, and actually provide um a good work environment for employees, and also to make sure at the CRC and even in our museums that we're safe keeping the archives that we've been entrusted with.

So, number one on our list uh really, and there is a schedule in the in the packet, is to update the design studio that is in the carriage house behind the museum.

Uh that is a very expensive process that we have there, but it's really has not been updated or touched in 40 years.

We have issues uh, you know, at that location uh exhibits for all both museums are created and maintained in the design studio.

Currently, it needs asbestos abatement in that area.

We and uh it lacks sufficient HVAC systems, lighting, windows, and just overall acceptable work conditions for our employees.

So a project plans have been approved by the City of Detroit permits department, so that we had the engineering done up front, and we're working towards funding so we can move ahead with that renovation.

Second item on our uh capital list for 2027, fiscal 27, is to update the Detroit 67 exhibit.

It's the one item that we have that's less directed towards the museum, the building maintenance, but realized Lana noted to a little bit, it's a cornerstone exhibit of both museums of the Detroit Historical Museum.

It's award-winning, it's the number one attraction for visitors when they come visit uh the Detroit Historical Museum.

When it was originally built, the life span for the electronics, which is a key element of that exhibit, was estimated at three years, and that was over ten years ago.

So we have a lot of failures, a lot of challenges with the electronics for that exhibit, and we would like to update those to be able to have that continue as one of our keystone exhibits at the museum.

Uh third on our list, and this may not be in the same order as I put in the spreadsheet, but is to uh renovate an area that's existing to build a uh quiet room at the Detroit Historical Museum.

Again, it we bring a lot of children through, and I'm thrilled with Rodney's work.

I mean, it's it's it is a thrill being having been a member, but now watching buses of students come through from all locations, but uh quite a variety of students, and you know, so it's we host I said thousands of school children rather than I think they've a lot more than that.

And to be able to provide a private space to calm neurodiverse guests would be a great benefit, really, for as many visitors as we bring through.

Children, but also some adults as well.

And I know uh my grandson would benefit from that too.

So again, we have an ideal space planned, and then that and the permits for that have been approved by the city of Detroit permits department as well.

Uh fourth, uh, we have uh we've been looking at this for over uh almost two years now.

The histor uh the employee bathrooms at the historical museum on the third floor.

They're significantly outdated and they're not ADA compliant.

They're they're they're the original bathrooms, and that's uh challenging.

You know, so we would like to update the bathrooms and you know, also we have team members that would benefit from uh private facilities too.

We have a large variety of uh team members, so some privacy is would be a premium as well.

And the last big one for 2027, and this really does tie into everything we've talked about, is the building repair and maintenance.

When I joined Alana didn't let me know, hey Steve, you're gonna help us with the building maintenance.

So I learned pretty quickly uh what what's where and and what we have in the basement and and such.

Uh we do need to upgrade um our HVAC in spots, lighting, electrical panels, and um at all three locations and security systems.

We haven't really been able to update our security systems in over five years, really.

So we have a lot of outdated cameras and and functions like that.

We do have fairly good security in place, but we want to improve uh our security system that allows not just for security in off hours but also helps us monitor visitors throughout both our museums and at the CRC.

And also I looked at it's been on our issue is we have the uh two elevators at the Detroit History, actually, three elevators at the Detroit Historical Museum that need updating.

So we'd like to at least invest in that to do a more robust maintenance on those this year.

And then uh lastly, uh in future years for fiscal 28 and beyond, uh Alana brought up briefly um with the uh investigation that's been done.

But the electrical supply is not stable at the Dawson or the CRC.

And that really is uh is a factor for us.

Uh we have inconsistent supply at the Dawson, which puts our ability to be open at risk at times.

The the power line into the museum is not sufficient, needs to be updated.

And so right now we're looking for a backup generator, which has been looked at as probably the best solution for the short term, or actually midterm.

It'll work to maintain the museum and then allow us to maintain the exhibits.

But at the resource center, we just got a uh updated proposal, and we're looking at 900,000, maybe up to a million dollars because right now the power supply coming into the CRC is in a building that the roof has disintegrated.

So right now the power supply into the museum into the CRC is not covered.

And it needs updating, but it also needs uh a full investment in that.

That's for all the I archives we have there.

It's a key part to maintaining the archives that we have, secure, safe, and providing a fair working environment for our team members as well.

So thank you again.

Uh really appreciate being part of the team and appreciate the council and the city of Detroit's support for our museums.

Thanks.

Well, I'll wrap up real quick.

Um, you know, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that museums in general are navigating kind of a hard national uh environment right now.

Um the the public expects us to be places of trust, um, but the field is uh facing increasing pressure about what we can say and how we can still tell stories.

It hasn't affected us directly yet, but um our team's pretty panicked about it.

And we kind of have like a support group about it now.

I mean, this is you know, you I know you understand.

Um and honestly, what that's done is caused us to make a commitment to just double down on the truth that we tell.

Um at the same time, federal support um that many museums rely on has become less predictable.

So the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences, the IMLS, and the NEH are two of the um national organizations that um are unstable right now.

Um we directly lost 350,000 from those federal sources in the last year.

Um we are trying to make some of that up.

Um a large portion of that funded our oral history project, and we were really fortunate.

I worked with um Senator Slacken and we did get some congressionally directed money um to make up about half of that um from her team.

Um but um you know I think that's why our partnership with the city and what we do for you matters even more because of the instability.

So, you know, to sum it up, what we're asking for today is um a continuation of the two million dollars a year um and operating support to sustain the progress that you helped make possible.

Um, and one and a half million in new capital dollars to protect the city-owned buildings and safeguard um Detroit's priceless collection.

Um so you know, these are your museums, it's your collection.

Um, I invite uh all of you to please come and spend time at the museums.

Um, Councilmember Miller, I'm really excited that you're joining the board.

Your first meeting will be in May, so we'll be reaching out.

Okay, fabulous.

So I can't wait to work with you.

Um we remain so proud to be the stewards of your history.

I tell people all the time I think I have the best job in Detroit.

Um, although that port authority stuff was really cool too.

Um but um so we hope to see you here.

Um, you know, please um let us know if you want to have meetings, um tours, anything like that for you and your staff.

Um we are always here for you.

Um, and we're happy to answer any questions that you have.

All right, thank you so much uh for the thorough presentation.

We're gonna start off our questions with your newest board member.

Excellent.

Member Miller.

I must say you get an amazing presentation.

It got better and better as it went on, and I am excited to be on your board, and I will see you on May 4th.

Right.

I am honored to be on that board.

I have been there many times.

The Pave Road, streets at the bottom is always the favorite for Detroiters.

It just brings back the history.

My kids and I were members at a very young age, and I look forward to representing the historical district, the historical society and advancing the membership more than anything.

The awareness is what is needed in Detroit.

A lot of schools come there, but a lot of adults need to be reminded of what our history is in Detroit.

I am sorry about the millage.

I want to be the first to apologize because it is ongoing.

Unfortunately, it's sad that one typo would drive politics to come into play the whole that millage up.

And if there's anything that I can do, my staff can do to help change the minds of the people in Lancey regarding this typo, which is why we're here today.

Because we really need that on the ballot.

And I am so serious.

But please let us know.

I mean, if you want to rally there, if you want us to dock on doors, we're available to try to get it done.

That would help with a lot of the budget issue that we have here.

But I am truly committed to um assisting, and um I look forward to seeing you on the fourth advance.

I will say this was then more enjoyable than the Port of Authority, the Port Authority one, because their growth is really slow, and I am still disappointed that we do not have the Detroit interest and access for our residents to bring money in here.

Although they do stop for seven hours, but I believe that this is much more um interesting to me.

Thank you very much.

We're excited to have the Detroit or the Dawson Great Lakes Museum on the ferry stop.

Yes.

So I'm in.

I'm glad I heard that.

No, wouldn't that be cool?

We're so excited about that.

I know.

Okay.

Thank you, Member Mill.

Uh we will now go to Member Santiago Romero.

Thank you, Mr.

President through the chair.

Good afternoon.

Good to see you all.

Um brief questions for me.

I'm wondering if you collaborate at all with our historic designation advisory board.

Um they do a ton of studies.

They recently just finished one in Southwest Detroit.

Uh, we now have a new historic district in Mexican town.

Um, and they're doing much more work.

I believe they're doing the study around um uh Chaldean families and the history here.

So they're expanding.

Um and I truly appreciate um, you know, highlighting more of our Mexican heritage here.

But we have Bangla Town, a huge African population in D1, huge Middle Eastern population in in D7.

Um, so have you had conversations with them because they're doing a lot of the work of uncovering that history, of putting that into record and just wondering if we are working with them to highlight that work.

One thing that we're talking about, maybe doing they just recently completed um their work around um Hispanic uh heritage in in D6, uh, but they want to do an event.

What if you you know grab some of their work, highlighted in the museum, did something more synchronized.

Um so just wanted to share that and hear your thoughts.

Yeah, no, I love that.

Um they um we are great partners.

Okay.

Um, people call us all the time because they think we do that too.

So like literally every week.

Someone is talking about some historic building, and you know, how do we get this designation and all of that?

So, you know, they're on speed dial um for sure.

Um, you know, being the keeper of all of Detroit stories, we take that really seriously, you know, as you know, and as we evolve as an organization, um, you know, I I I love the idea of um and I hadn't thought about that about um you know them coming more regularly.

Um, you know, we've had our we have our community gallery, which quarterly we rotate exhibits through um for community organizations that don't have a place to tell their story, but I think it could be much more than that.

Um so um perhaps we can email about that and you can send me those contacts so that we can follow up directly with them through the chair, happy to.

Uh so we can work on that.

I think there's a lot of um opportunity there for us to learn more because there's such good work happening, and I think the more that we're exposed the better.

Um my last comment or question is around programming.

Excited to hear about the field trips.

I love that.

Um wondering what's um programming looks like in partnership with maybe after school um or summer school um programming.

The National Museum of Mexican Arts in Chicago is very intentional around summer programming and after school programming to reduce uh youth violence and also to address mental health among young people and children.

Um they do photography, uh, you know, courses, uh they do podcasts at the museum, they have poetry, graffiti.

Um around the museum itself, there's a ton of murals, so they're using their space to really bringing in everything and utilizing it for programming to support issues in the neighborhood.

Do we do any of this kind of programming?

Is there opportunity for this kind of programming?

So during the summer, we have Camp Detroit, which is a week long program, and we target students in grades third through fifth.

Okay.

Now during the school year, we're pretty much pushing into high schools.

And like I share, I reached out to Western International to because that's a high population of Hispanic students to become a part of our heritage, Hispanic Heritage programming this past October.

And you know, we had the ICE threat, so that was you know that is all that um pushing into the Arab communities to lift that Arab voice because Detroit is not just is predominantly African American, but Detroit is a very diverse city.

So my goal while I'm here serving along with Ilana is to really diversify the stories that we are telling and capturing all cultures, which makes us a rich city, richer city.

So throughout we're working, I'm working with teachers like every week.

I think you know, directly to your point that we haven't done, you know, after school sort of um, you know, programs.

I um I would I know and I may made note.

I I want to um explore a little bit more.

I think for us it right now it would be a financial capacity issue to do that, you know, there's liability and all of those things, but I love the idea of our museums being a community hub in being more than just a place where there's dusty old history, right?

And so um Rodney's done such a great job of starting um our engagement and evolving with young people, and that could be a post-millage thing, is what I'm thinking as far as you know, having um expanding um how open we are to you know, perhaps land a program like that.

Through the oh yes, and realistically, I want to speak to transportation after school, and that's that's a major issue, even our weekend programming.

Um it has been a slight barrier to the number of students we could have engaged in our programming.

Through the chair, understood, and I think there's an opportunity here because the administration, I believe we have a a youth or school coordinator, right?

We have someone that's focused in our children.

Let's work with them.

Let's work with the administration who is putting money into our after-school programming and into our rec centers.

Maybe this can be a way that we can help our museums as well if we're also addressing those needs of reducing violence, engaging our youth um, and giving them more opportunities.

Um, I'm gonna make that a closing resolution uh motion, um, more programming with the city.

Um I will work on the language, Mr.

President, just but just for now, a motion for closing resolution uh for youth programming with our museums, and we will work that out on the background.

Colleagues, there's a motion on the floor.

Any objections?

Seeing none, then action shall be taken.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Member Johnson.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair, and good afternoon to all of you.

Um certainly do appreciate the presentation.

Um, and I know Mr.

Deal, he sends me text messages to share uh videos of what our young people are doing in collaboration with the muse with the museum, and I'm not sure.

I I forwarded the video you sent to me to Pro Tim, and he may not have gotten it because my my cell phone is a little wonky, so I am going to ask for you to send it to him.

It was a portrayal of his father.

There was there was a a young man who recited, he was basically Mayor Coleman Young, um, and he had a recital that was done.

So it was it was amazing.

And so I certainly do appreciate your tie, your connection to our students, to our youth.

And so I really do appreciate that.

And I did here to schools in District 4.

So thank you for that.

That's because he's a district four resident, just so you all know.

So I I do want to ask a question about that.

So Ms.

Rue, I know you indicated that you are now working on taking the museum and artifacts into the community.

What I heard though was downtown facilities.

Have you considered perhaps doing a collaboration with the schools to have artifacts in the schools to encourage more students to be engaged and interested in what you have at the Detroit Historical Museum?

That's a great idea.

I don't know that we have actually thought about that.

You thought about that.

Okay, so I landed I went I landed at the Detroit Historical Society because I did a pop-up museum on the East Side in District 4, and so Elana was so impressed.

They pulled me away from my first love, which is the school building.

So yeah, my the goal, and that's another reason why we're interested in engaging with city council each district to um build that relational capacity so we know what the needs are in your community, and then we pull in the schools and do a um triangulate, you know, the experience between the Detroit Historical Society, the district office, and then a school building.

Let's maybe make that a pilot in district four this year.

You guys decide uh school that will start at, I mean, obviously, artifacts have to be kept safe and all of that, but our team is expert at that, and we also are the keepers of all of the school's history, so you know that's an easy place to start, or you know, uh historical figure who graduated from that high school or something like that, you know, is what I'm thinking.

So I love that idea.

Awesome.

Now I love that idea.

Um, yes, I would love to, and Mr.

Deal doesn't need any connections with DPSCD, he has all of them, uh, but I'd be happy to work with you on that as the city council liaison to DPSCD, and there's an event next week um where we can have those conversations and talk about that connectivity.

Um so I love that.

Um I my next question is relative to the budget.

So if council was able to um provide the support that you requested, how are you planning to address still the 250,000 dollar deficit?

Um well you know we do have um an amount in reserves, and as I said, really the um it's our you know, human capital that is um that is the result of the deficit.

Um we actually had anticipated it being um quite a bit more this year.

The board had approved a much larger deficit budget, but we have had a successful year.

We're moving things in the right direction.

We also were fortunate to get an unexpected bequest from a member, you know, which which really helped us out as well.

Um so you know, I think um we're we're at a crossroads right now.

It's such an interesting time strategically for the organization where you know the millage scenario um allows us to be everything we ever wanted to be and more.

And we have and then the divergent path is is no millage, where I'm sure you know we retain support from the city, but we have to make uh you know harder choices about who we are, and that's where you know it probably will result in a smaller team and um probably reduced numbers of exhibits that we are doing um each year.

Uh right now our board is comfortable with having you know with running a small deficit um because we're working so hard for this millage.

Um, but we realize it's just you know we can't we can't count on it, so we are prepared.

Um, you know, I think it would be at the end of this fiscal year to determine, you know, um it if we really don't see that a millage is in our future or it gets pushed out to 2028.

We're looking at a different scenario.

Thank you.

And and just on that note, so are there dollars in your current budget to continue working towards the millage?

Absolutely, yes.

All right, thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you, Member Johnson.

Member McCampbell.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Good afternoon now.

Uh I is thank you so much for the welcome and uh I actually uh officiated a wedding at the Detroit Historical Museum, and it was a great um place to be.

And I I agree with the Pave Streets was a highlight for me as well.

And and also agree with my colleague um member Miller on the unfortunate aspect of the millage.

Yeah, the political games there.

We would expect democracy if you pass a bill out of two chambers.

It should go to the governor.

That's what we're taught in grade school, right?

So hopefully the Supreme Court takes action quickly to agree with that.

I know a lot of questions have been asked around community outreach, but just thinking about, and I know this is dependent on it, maybe dependent on funds, but for example, Rouge Park just uh celebrated their 100-year um their centennial anniversary.

And so it's just thinking about uh the deeper partnerships around those type of places and institutions around um the city to take the museum and partnerships to where folks are in the community.

So I know it's already been talked about a little bit, but just thinking about do you all have any other plans on that front as we see the historical aspect, but also as we're seeing a lot more happen in Detroit around um arts and music and and places popping up around the city that will become or are those places where folks now are engaging to be part of the city's history.

Right hopefully if that makes sense in that question.

No, it does.

Um we love it when we can be more out in the community.

And I didn't realize that Rouge Park had that anniversary.

I mean, we're kind of becoming like a go-to.

This is it's something that we have in our quiver, is that we are great at helping organizations and companies celebrate important milestones.

And so please let us know, you know, if there are businesses or parks or anything in your district that have um, you know, uh something to commemorate coming up.

We would love to partner with them.

Um I think that there is a lot of opportunity to create um, you know, kind of history in place with um things like parks.

So, you know, we work with the Riverfront Conservancy on historic interpretation.

So if you're walking down the riverfront, you would see uh, you know, we call them a reader rail, but you know, where you learn about like if this is what it looked like, you know, whatever, you know, 325 years ago.

Um here's the history that happened right here in place, and so we would love to do that more with um you know places like Rouge Park.

So it does come down to funding sometimes.

We've been fortunate um that oftentimes those organizations have some funding, and we can maybe meet in the middle if they can't fund the whole thing.

Um but um right now I think we just need to know about it.

So, you know, please let us know.

And it's probably not too late for us to do something with them.

So yeah, I don't I don't think so at all.

Uh our friends of Rouge, they're they're doing a great job, and I think that connection will be great there.

Yeah.

I even think about like the um even you know, as we talk about the auto industry in Detroit, um, but also now with urban farming, D Town Farms is in uh Rouge Park, and also the co-op that was built out of that, like that history in that way.

Um so just thinking about those ways.

Well, and they're making history today.

So let's not forget.

I mean, we're also the only ones who are collecting history as y'all are making it.

Yeah, so you know, those sorts of things when something new starts, you know, being able to capture photographs and the documentation from those organizations so that it can be part of the collection.

So a hundred years from now, when people are looking back, they'll know you know who founded it and what was the story and why did they do that?

For sure.

Thank you.

And my second question is around um you highlighted the um number of Detroiters that are employed at the society.

Um definitely uh on the 24.

Are how many of those folks are full-time and part-time?

What's the breakdown there?

I looked at the peril yesterday to do that.

I believe it's about I believe it's about um full-time residents in Detroit and the rest are um students uh gotcha working part-time.

So I would just say I I would love to see that number go higher.

Yeah, um, much higher, especially for this to be a Detroit institution and history around it and uh institution that's supported by taxpayer dollars to the Detroit taxpayer dollars to see that more.

Um and even like uh opportunities since you are a uh uh certified autism center, like there are places like the Drew Transitional School that can help um uh get even more folks, especially students to have uh that are neurodivergent to have that employment opportunity as well.

Um so just would love to see efforts around it.

I if I can make a motion to put that in the executive session on uh just to think about the tracking and and ways to increase that.

All right, colleagues, there's a motion on the floor.

Any objections?

This goes to uh member McCampbell.

It was to track employment of Detroit, yes.

Okay, thank you.

Yep.

All right.

I am happy to tell you one second.

There's a motion on the floor, colleagues.

Any objections?

Seeing none, that action shall be taken.

Thank you.

I was just gonna report that this past year we hired um our first black female curator in the history of the historical society.

And um she's fabulous.

Her name is Taylor Claybrook.

Um, she's lead on the Wayne County History Project down at the Guardian building.

Um so um, you know, we're um she's actually helping us work on um recruiting a more diverse workforce.

Um museums around the world struggle with this uh, you know, with um because there aren't many um people of color always going into arts and culture and sp specifically the museum field, so we're committed to that as well.

But thank you for those suggestions.

And I and I know it's it's uh widespread thing.

I think it's just more even more opportunities for us as we talked about schools and such to tap into um getting more folks in museums and arts and generations.

So thank you.

Thanks.

All right, thank you.

Director, uh so I I want to kind of take us back to where you talked about collecting or capturing today's history.

How are how are you doing that, right?

Um there's a lot of things that are happening right now, and I know there may not be exhibits about today's history, but where do you and how do you go about collecting that history of today and where do you store it?

I mean, it it's in particular uh documents.

Um nowadays documents are you know electronic, you can store them in a in a uh something that looks like this as opposed to a big warehouse.

Um so how are you collecting and how do you identify what documents, what artifacts, items that you uh will be collecting uh during this time right now that we're in.

No, it's such a great question.

Um so a couple things I'll say.

One is that a hundred percent of our staff are responsible for collecting history.

So when people are out and about, you know, I think about where this really came to the forefront was during COVID and uh Black Lives Matter marches and things like that.

We had staff who were on the street taking photographs and video and collecting the handouts and all of that stuff, so that those would be part of the archive and masks and stuff, you know.

That was um all of those sorts of things.

Um the most substantive way we're doing it right now is through collecting oral histories.

Um so we do that through the Hustle Project through our you know, the people who are nominee um nominated for that.

We also have um an expansive neighborhood oral history project, so that we're capturing the stories of all of Detroit's neighborhoods before those folks are gone.

Um and those are all stored online, they're available online through our digital collection.

So if you go to Detroit Historical.org, you can search you know a topic or a person, and um, and there's a whole oral history database.

Um, you know, the thing about it is you never know what's going to be important, um, you know, a hundred years from now.

And so you kind of have to try to collect all of the things, and the easiest way to do that is digitally because we only have so much space.

We're really space constrained.

Um, so we we do collect um you know 3D artifacts as well.

Um we do calls out to the community if we need something in particular, and people really step up.

Um, an example of that is we did a history about um Detroit diesel and asked for folks to bring artifacts from um you know their time working there, and that was a really popular thing.

A lot of people responded to that.

So it's just it's an ongoing daily thing.

Um, you know, the um the first time that I um met with um our new mayor since she was mayor, I talked to her about you know being the first female mayor of Detroit that um you know her um papers, you know, uh everything that would go around you know, her kind of her archives that we would be honored to when she is finished with her term to um you know accession that into the collection um so that we can keep that, and I would say the same to all of you.

You are all making decisions all the time that affect the city, you know what your most important decisions are.

Um so you know, please let us know where your partners in that.

Well, I'm I'm going more towards you all identifying those on because some you know sometimes this is what we do for a living.

Right.

What we do every day, so you know, it's not necessarily we don't look at it from the same vantage point of those who are looking from a historical land.

Uh how are you all you know, encouraging outside of just send us everything once you leave, being more specific.

Now give you an example.

So on uh Wednesday, December 10th, 2014.

That was a huge day for us.

That was the date that the city exited bankruptcy.

Uh we signed a document, uh, all council members.

I don't know if you have that document in your possession or even a copy of that document in your possession.

Those are very important things as we talk about COVID.

While we had the uh uh a lot of the protests that were going on in the community, we have oral history there, government still continued.

That was hard.

That was challenging at that time, and I don't know how you're capturing that portion of our history around that time, you know, um, as it relates to government uh and governmental figures.

I always I always feel you know, um enlightened and uh definitely more educated when I am able to see an elected official from 30, 40, 50, you know, even beyond years ago and go, wow, this is this is what they thought about.

This is the c climate and conditions, and I get the chance to hear it directly from them.

So uh and then back in the day, you know, you had a lot of reels, and I talked about last year.

This is an extenuating uh extension of the conversation I had last year.

Um when I would go to your web or your your YouTube page and watch all of those great videos, you know, that back in the day you would have to dust off the the real nowadays, everything is electronic, so folks get rid of that stuff really quickly.

So just again trying to figure out how are you all uh making that connection even with our media services department today, because if they get to a point where they have their um their drives are full, they'll go through and check, okay.

We don't need that anymore, don't need that anymore, and they toss it.

Right.

So now a lot of good stuff, a lot of the bloopers that we saw with uh mayor Coleman Young were awesome.

Because again, it humanized.

Yeah, a lot of film on him.

A lot of good stuff.

But there's a lot of there's a there's a number of other elected officials that have gone through uh this building and have made an impact.

And I don't know if you have joined Watson, uh Kwame Kenyana, just in my time here.

Right.

Um I don't know how much of that information of their history that you have in your collection outside of someone going, I'll collect it for you and get it to you.

I don't know if you've reached back to the city to to grab that information.

Yeah, I'm I'm not sure.

I'm I'm interested when I get back to talk to our um director of collections.

So I mean it's really that team's responsibility.

Um it's it's not a huge team, but they're you know, small and mighty, and um I love the idea of connecting with your media services department.

I'm not sure that that's happening, and you know, I agree with you.

I mean, that there is um we have unlimited space for digital, right?

So it is smart, it seems smart to me to um collect those things because you don't know what will be important.

Um I think ultimately it's an inexact science, and that um, you know, that's uh, you know, I'm I'm glad you I'm glad you brought it up.

Um so if you could help make that connection to media services, that would be wonderful.

Yeah, I absolutely will.

As you know, I've been always talking about this space because that table and all that stuff got tossed out and that was not good.

So I've been talking about this for quite some time.

So and I've always said, let me know how I can help.

You've given me an opportunity to do so now, but I'm also looking for just a little bit more guidance from your side of the fence.

I understand.

No, I look forward to having that conversation.

Okay.

Sure.

Um, I think another important strategy, and I tried this for two years um since I've been here at the museum, is really developing relational capacity with with each district.

Um, I think that helps us in real time capture you know what's going on in individual districts.

So if you all I can give you my card, and I know I'm already connected to uh councilwoman Johnson's um district.

If I can have a business card and be connected with your city, your um your community liaison, um, that would be great.

And that way we can have ongoing meetings to individualize and then at large, you know, city at large collaborate.

Okay.

And again, I'm I'm I appreciate that, but really focusing on the government.

These are these are individuals who, you know, again, we got a lot of history right here.

Even with that people are making a lot of firsts just sitting at this table, even so um I'd like to place into a closing resolution, uh someone please uh move for me on my behalf, a motion to the closing resolution, uh, and we'll get the language together, but um building that relationship um with our media services uh department and the uh historical society.

Motion any objections?

See none, then action shall be taken.

We'll have some additional questions coming your way, but um appreciate all the work you all do.

Great job.

Um pro Tim Young.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Uh hello everyone, good to see you.

Um I wanted to ask you very quickly, I just wanted to ask you has there been any discussion at all about using artificial intelligence to be able to operate uh the museum.

I have some analysis here from um from uh museum and city outlier and museum in City Detroit, some other uh sources that says that a this if you're talking about a full modernization cost, uh artificial uh intelligence collections digitization would be 300,000 to 600,000 visitor um AI guide system, 150,000 to 300,000 dollars, uh predictive analytics to be able to use data to be able to predict what would happen, or sensor plus sensors be 100 to 200,000 and data infrastructure would be 150,000 to 300,000.

So your total startup cost would be about 700K to 1.4 million.

Now that would that would pay for itself over the years, but the reason why I'm saying that is because your total estimated savings from that investment would be about 550,000 to 1.2 million a year.

About 10% to 23% of your organization's annual operating expenses.

I just want to say, has that send that to me?

Yeah, I've seen that document.

Has that been something that you've looked at at all?

If so, you know, you plan on implementing it.

No, no, no, it's no, it's fine.

I don't know.

Oh, okay, okay.

Yeah.

I I like live.

You I uh I I come from Lands, because I'm just people talking over each other, yelling at each other.

So I like live on the discussion.

I'm sorry, Mr.

Bryant, I have to forget my rampunches this year.

Go ahead.

Okay, thank you.

Um I mean, it's certainly a hot topic in the museum field in general.

So I would love to you know get the specifics of where you found that.

Yeah, um.

We certainly um we are committed to um not using it for um writing.

I mean, our our curators are very specific about that.

That this is you know, I think like they're artists, right?

And they say, and so historical research can be aided by it, but we are a primary source, and so it's very important that we retain that.

But I think from a business perspective, it's very smart, and a lot of museums are going that way.

I think we have felt right now that we have um, and I don't want to get behind the eight ball, but we have budget constraints, and um that that's something that's in our future in a post-millage future where we would love to invest in that.

I mean, I you know, I use it sort of personally myself, and I see the benefit of it.

Um there is um the the National Museum Conference of the AAM, it's a main focus for them this year.

So um, you know, we're excited to hear more about how other museums are doing that.

I would love to have take it a step further and have augmented reality in the museum.

So when you're in the streets of old Detroit and you go into one of the shops, you're like interacting with a shopkeeper or something.

I think that would be incredible.

Right.

But I felt like it's you know, right now, but I mean, I love to hear the um cost savings.

I'm sure that's true.

So if we can keep talking about that, please send that to me.

Just for everybody, let's say all makes it reality, is digital information posted over a real world environment.

So that's what you're referring to.

And virtual reality, which in the entire virtual world create as well for art.

So no, no, I appreciate that.

That that's a great thing.

I thought that might be something that'd be helpful.

I also just wanted to ask my second question.

I also wanted to ask about um partnerships per se.

Has there been any partnerships with um Fort Wayne at all that you've been looking into at all in terms of any anything you're doing in terms of with in the actual historical museum about Fort Wayne and about the history of that and the Native American community, and has there also been any partnerships with them at all?

Um well, the Fort Wayne Coalition is I think it's starting to pick steam back up again.

I mean, that would really be that organization.

Um, but it has been you know defunct a little bit um for a while here.

We um, you know, as you know, we have the couple of buildings at historic Fort Wayne um and GSD kind of runs the rest.

Um, you know, we do partner with the Native American community with specific historians that we work with, but not um, you know, we I'm not exactly sure the the focus of your question, but I I want to make sure I'm answering it.

I mean, that it is very important to us.

Um that's been a tough one though, and sort of who takes ownership of what's happening at Fort Wayne and Well, no, I'll just ask you, like, you know, was there any plans to do tours at all?

Was there any plans to talk about the history of what that means to the city of Detroit, you know, in terms of in your because what what I like about the historical museum is that you talk about things that may not necessarily be talked about, but that people know that are valuable, like you could go in there, you can see Detroit Lions history, you can go on there and see, you know, in terms of um in terms of the arsenal democracy, in terms of World War II.

There's like lots of different things that you can talk about, and I feel that that's a potential for a partnership for a lot of history that people don't know.

I I I I I'll kind of um going off the top of my head here, but I I have a lot of ideas about the fact that one Detroit is the home of the birthplace of techno.

I don't know if that's something that you're doing.

I know the Charles H right museum, they have a little bit of a lot of people.

Featured in our motor city music is.

Yeah, I I I also know that I think uh they might be in Detroit or around Detroit, but I know uh Tim Allen and Madonna came from here.

I didn't know that.

Um I'm not saying that we lionized these people, but New Jack City, again, I'm not saying we lionized this, but the movie New Jag City, that came from the Chamber Brothers in Detroit.

And I think that's different kind of history that people should know about how our culture has influenced and spread across the world.

And I think Detroit Historical Museum is really in a unique place to be able to do that because you talk about history that nobody else talks about.

It's important history.

I was there recently when you talked about where we had the issue in terms of uh the China the Asian community for the Chinese perspective, in terms of what they contributed.

And I also think it's important.

I don't and forgive me if um if our member Romero already hit on this, but I think particularly with what's going on in our climate, our Latino community.

I think and what they've contributed, as well as um as well as the Air America, even though it's not in Detroit, but like right on our border, dear born in America community.

I think it's really important for us to understand their contributions and what they've had.

And I feel that your museum is in a position to be able to really highlight that, educate people more than other people.

So we're the only ones that that's our responsibility to do that.

Yeah.

So I'm I'm I'm really excited, proud of it.

Um so no, that that that was more like a rant statement.

There was a question, but uh thank you.

I appreciate it.

Um I don't think we're in a position to be able to make motions for other members.

Is that something is that something I can do?

Because she's not here, but member from put it in her name.

Yeah, please, I appreciate that.

But member waters wanted to put in the executive session uh Fort Wayne as it pertains to I believe the relationship between Detroit Historical Society and Fort Wayne Museum.

I I'm assuming that's what you or she want in that relationship and how that works.

So if you could do that, I appreciate that.

I like to make a motion to I like to make a motion to put the Fort Wayne uh historical museum historical society in executive session.

I know we'll get the the language clarified by Mr.

Water Street.

Uh we'll make sure that motion uh is now before the body, colleagues.

Any objections?

See none, that action shall be taken.

Thank you, Pro Tim.

Member Benson.

All right, thank you.

Um, and thank you all for being here.

And it's been a great journey, frustrating at times, uh, talking about the millage, and trying to get to that point where we can actually put it on a ballot and secure the revenue stream for the city of Detroit.

And so I want to thank you for that commitment.

Six years is a long time.

We've been doing it in my office for eight years prior to my being appointed to the board, and so just looking forward to the the end when we can actually get it on the ballot and get it approved.

And you're absolutely right.

We're gonna be expending more money for additional uh polls this year just to bring more uh confidence to our partners in Oakland and Wayne County to the potential success of this millage once we are successfully able to get it on the board.

There's a number of items, and I want to bring these to my colleagues.

If you look at your presentation on page 11, you'll look at your revenue trends, and these are positive.

And I'm really excited to see what you've been able to do under your tenure, and the fact that human capital and leadership really do matter when it comes to our assets and our cultural institutions and how this body, as well as our new mayor, have continued on with the commitment.

If you look at the city of Detroit investment from fiscal year 2019 all the way through the proposed budget this year, we've had a 4X increase and what we have a city have committed to the library.

And I also got to think a couple of those years were ARPA funds, and so I'm not sure we're gonna be able to continue this in perpetuity, but and that also brings us back to why the millage is so important, and also remind my colleagues that this is our asset.

We own the museums, we own the artifacts, and we have to invest in our assets.

You all are the stewards, but we as a city have to continue that investment and just looking at the trends and what you've been able to do, it's just fantastic, and just looking at concern for me though, is still the fact that we as a city make up close to one-third of your operating budget, and that that's critical just because the vagaries of our own budget and in the tightening and in a tightening atmosphere financially, that causes concern for me for the future success of our assets, and I'm sure it causes concern for your board that the need to diversify your revenue stream, which goes back to the millage and the importance there.

But I want to make a couple of uh motions.

Number one, I want to add to the closing resolution, and I heard you and my colleagues, uh closing resolution motion to encourage the location of artifacts in K Mac and on the 13th floor, including the offices of city council members.

And if you go to Washington DC, you'll see that their artifacts and art artifacts are stored within their offices or displayed in their offices.

So motion.

There's a motion on the floor, colleagues.

Any objections?

See none, then action shall be taken.

Member Benz.

And then another uh motion, and this will be to LPD for the creation of a resolution, the second time we've done this, to reinforce city council's support of the millage for our cultural institutions within the region.

That is an Oakland County and a Wayne County millage, and just to reinforce our commitment to supporting that millage, which will hopefully beyond 26, been more pragmatic.

I think it may be 28.

But we're hoping to get that done, and we need to show our continued support to both executives at the Wayne and Oakland County levels.

That's a motion.

Colleagues, there is a motion on the floor.

Any objections?

I just wanted to know are you looking to have this done with the budget or ahead of time?

Yeah.

If time allows ahead of time during the process, I can simply be approved during the uh our our typical standing committees.

Okay, thank you.

All right, colleagues, there's a motion on the floor.

Any objections?

See none, then action shall be taken.

Uh and we shall open up uh for the collection of public comments at this time.

I have this.

I know I didn't say we were about to go to the public comment.

I'm sure I got you.

Member Benson.

All right, thank you.

And just so uh don't have much in the way of questions, but just more statements about our need to continue to support our cultural institutions and to have leadership that can actually grow.

And so we didn't see this level of growth in the past, and now our cultural institutions have seen a situation where we were hand to mouth.

It's not that situation anymore.

Obviously, we're still having situation deficit spending at the historical society, but it was much larger at one time, and that has come down, and that's a direct relationship to your leadership.

So, my question, and this is capital, opening the Woodward entrance.

That location, fantastic.

It will be great to have the ability to enter and highlight that entrance off of Woodward.

What is the cost to do that?

Boy, that's a great question.

Um I don't know, but we could find out.

Um it's it's larger than you would think because um since 1990, when the ADA went into effect, that is not at all an accessible entrance.

So, as you know, because you come to so many things, we often open that entrance.

Um, and there are there's actually the you know the former ticket booth.

Um, we use it as a volunteer lounge now, and we have some AV storage and all of that.

Um, but we have those grand stairs that go up.

Um, so it would be a significant project.

I mean, it would be in the millions for sure.

Um, as part of the Detroit Cultural Center initiative.

Um, I'm the chair of the Cultural Center Association Board.

Also, and we know that whole um cultural project that the DIA launched, and we are part of there.

Um, the plans that we have for that um include a reopening of that entrance.

Um it was in the tens of millions of dollars to do that whole project itself.

Um I would love that too.

Um, and I we can certainly revisit that particular um specific item.

And um we'd love to do that once we get these other things taken care of.

Okay, and then looking at the map where you identify the different states that come to visit, there should also be a map that identifies the different counties that come to visit as well.

And while you are located within the city of Detroit and owned by the city of Detroit, you're a regional asset, which is why that millage is so important.

We take on the one-third of as a city the cost to run and operate that institution, but we really do need to expand that to the other institutions, and we and we need not forget that the state can also come and take away an underperforming asset.

The DIA, once saved by the city of Detroit, is now legally, we are now as a city legally incapable or barred from ever owning that institution again, although the city of Detroit is the one that saved that institution in the night early 1900s, and that's part of history that's forgotten and the level of disrespect that we saw from the state because they saw an underperforming asset.

We cannot allow our city-owned assets to fall in disrepair and be underfunded because they can be taken away from us again, just a lesson and just something that we need to look at.

These institutions are critical, they tell our story, and our story deserves to be told, and we need to protect them and invest and protect them.

We have to protect our culture because nobody else will.

Another shout out to our millage, which will be coming up on the ballot in a couple of years.

And I see your pen, protect culture.

So thank you for that.

I personally thank the mayor for her commitment to supporting that because she didn't have to make that continued level of investment, but she did, and I really do appreciate that.

And this is a direct result also of council leaning in heavily into protecting our assets and to protecting our own culture, and you see that revenue trend and what it means when city council uh leans in and takes charge and control of our own history and our own destiny.

Thank you.

Thank you, Member Benson.

And we'd like to now close out the collection of public comments.

Member Callaway.

Floor's yours.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair, and good afternoon, everyone.

Um had a great time on the field trip last year.

Thank you so much for the hospitality for my team and our interns.

We had a great time.

We still talk about that experience.

I didn't know that the collection resource center even existed until that visit that day.

So all that's there is just absolutely amazing.

Um so thank you again for um for opening your doors to myself and my interns.

I'm always um I'm surprised that when I go to Greenfield Village, and I was there two weeks ago, and to the Henry Ford Museum, that they have a line outside of the door.

Because I'm in the line.

Um, they have this huge IMAX theater, they have the cool cafe next to it, they're selling the popcorn, they're just doing their thing over there, and it's just always packed with people.

And I I just never see that at um the historic um museum.

And I'm wondering what are they doing?

And you probably can't answer this now, that we are not.

Um, so they have this amazing um artificial intelligence movie um slash film two weeks ago.

The place was packed.

I was there, I got my tickets online.

I don't see that with, and not criticizing, but it's just a way for us to elevate and um tell our story and to open our doors a little wider.

But I went to that movie, and it was just people from all over, different age groups, very diverse, and it was an amazing film on our artificial intelligence.

Um I'm just hoping that we can have those type of opportunities that would um appeal to people that would entice them to come to the historical museum.

Um, just recently, um, the Greenfield Village slash Henry Henry Ford Museum just had the historic Jackson home from Selman, Alabama, relocated on their campus.

So now that grand opening is going to be June of 2026.

They also have the Rosa Parks bus.

They have the Abraham Lincoln chair.

I just would hope that we could do something that would appeal to folks like me.

I already know about the museum.

I've been going there since I was a little girl.

Um, but to people who come into the city to visit, they don't usually go to the museum here.

I don't see them here.

There they go out to Greenfield Village, I guess because you can see that off of 96 when you're coming in from um from the south, um, traveling north.

But um it we just just need to do a better job of promoting what we have because we have a lot.

We have much more than they have at that location, but they seem to always be able to put their hands on something that's going to uh draw nationally.

That bus draws nationally.

You have people in there who not speaking English, not speaking Spanish, speaking German, speaking a different language, talking about what they're seeing.

And I always am inquisitive, and I ask them, you know, where are you from?

Which country, how far did you?

And they will tell you from Germany, Switzerland.

They are coming from all over the country to see what's at the Greenfield Museum and the Henry Ford, but not so for us.

So, but we have what it takes to have those travelers travel a little bit beyond from Dearborn to Detroit, it's just a mile or two away.

But um, so I'll talk about some of my um some of my ideas with you.

But the DIA, the DIA is doing an amazing job.

I was at Mackinac last year, and they have the Inside Out program, and it's celebrating its 15th year.

I got them to come to Palmer Park, so we have some of their reproductions at Palmer Park.

They're even on our post office box.

I mean, I'm sorry, our post office building on the Livernoce side, right there on the outside of the building, because it was just a request, and they made it happen.

So you can travel throughout Palmer Park, it's a huge um park.

Not a lot going on, but people are now coming there just to see the the reproductions.

And they're all on display, they have a like a walking trail.

It's just amazing.

So it would be wonderful to one of my colleagues' points.

If we could do something similar for um the historical museum, something similar to an inside out where we can take some of these reproductions to the people, because they're not coming to the museum.

We talked about this.

We're not engaging them.

It's not interactive.

It kind of reminds me of what it used to be when I was younger.

It still is.

Even the facade, the outside, we talked about this.

It would be wonderful if we can take one of those cool cars that you have in storage, put it on the grass just sitting there, and have it just go around.

I drew the picture so I can show you.

Just the base, like they have at the auto show.

They put the car on this revolving platform, just so people, when they're driving down Woodworth, will see this car because we got amazing cars in storage.

They're they're sealed up.

I don't know which one we could bring out, but we need to bring them out.

We need to we have so much in storage.

We need to put these things on display and showcase them and give people a reason to come to the historic museum.

And and I'll I'll share all my ideas because as we were as you can see, I've been writing.

I mean, I had some questions listed, but it I've gone beyond that.

So I just want to see us do so much better.

Because I I mean I love Dearborn, I love the the um the um Henry Ford, I love Greenfield Village.

But I just want to be able to attend um the theater at the historic museum.

I go to the theater at the DIA, they have a whole weekend um schedule of films, amazing films.

I don't know if we can, I don't know if we have the capacity at the museum, but that's something we can talk about, even if we just set aside a space to have a a day at the theater at the museum.

Um so I I'll get you my questions.

And the last thing is I brought this up and I bring it up every year.

I I was at the museum recently, and I keep telling you guys that Marvin Gaye has the wrong name under his picture in the music room, and it's been like that for like a decade.

So I'll I'll meet somebody there and I'll I'll keep showing you.

But the name, not if you change it in the last couple weeks, but the name under Marvin Gaye, I think it's David Ruffin.

So I don't know if they've been swapped out, but it's the wrong name, and I brought it up, and I even sent an email.

So I I'll find the email.

But um, hopefully we can make that change.

And then lastly, the Christopher Columbus bus that's out in Lavonia.

Um, do are you responsible for um inventorying?

If I don't even know if that's a word, maintaining an inventory of all of our artifacts.

How does that work?

How does um a unilateral decision is made to move a bronze bus outside of the city?

There is somewhat of an agreement.

I got a copy of the agreement, but it's very vague agreement written by and signed by Brad Dick, um, our former COO.

But it doesn't really uh I don't know if it's insured, if it's stolen, what happens?

But it is at a a banquet hall, um Arminian Banquet Hall in Lavonia, and it's been there since COVID.

So if you all can look into that, um, I've reached out to GSD and they said they have, and I have it in writing, they don't really have any intentions of getting the bus back, but I don't know if the director of GSD can make that unilateral decision in terms of whether or not we will get our bus back.

And then um I have a I have a uh a laundry list of questions, but um I hope that and and my last the City Hot Rod and Muscle Cars.

It's gonna be it's a big film at the at the Henry Ford.

I'm going to go see it and the Blue Wells, their IMAX Theater.

So I think that would be a draw if we could just do something like that, and the films that they're showing, it's a sellout.

And maybe we can get the film while it's there, and they can just loan it to us so we don't have to pay extra costs to show it.

I don't know how that works, but let's see what we can do about building um a relationship we don't already have it, and then arts and cultures, black folks love arts and cultures.

We are arts and culture, so if I think we've reached out to Spelman College, we have a brand new 40 million dollar arts and culture center there.

We have artists, um Miss Varnett Honeywood globally low, coming out of Spelman, coming out of Howard.

So I'll share some information with you so we can connect because they they are out there, they are showing interest, but they're not staying here, they're going to DC, they're going to Chicago because the opportunities are not here for us.

But I have all my questions, I'll make sure you get them.

Thank you so much, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you all so much.

Thank you, Member Callaway.

I believe uh Member Miller had uh a motion that she wanted to move.

Member Miller.

Yes, I'd like to make a motion to move 3.2 million as requested to the executive session.

There's a motion on the floor, colleagues.

See no objections, that action shall be taken.

Any final words?

No, thank you very much.

Come visit.

Hope to see you soon.

Thank you so much.

All right, colleagues, in an effort to get us.

I know we have a one o'clock uh committee, a standing committee meeting in effort to get us back on track.

Uh, we're going to, as I mentioned before, have abbreviated public comment, just noting that there will be for the public who's watching right now on April 7th.

I'm sorry, March 30th.

My apologies, March 30th, between 5 and 7 p.m.

There will be a full opportunity for uh public comment to discuss the entire budget.

So just want to make that very clear.

March 3 March 30th uh in the Irma Henderson Auditorium as well as online.

We will have hybrid opportunity to discuss the entire for the public, the entire budget, but we're gonna have abbreviated public comments uh during the public hearings uh in this upcoming in the upcoming weeks.

So I will provide everyone one minute for public comment.

I don't see anyone in the committee of the whole.

Uh team, if we can get the clock up for the public who uh has joined us online and would like to provide public comment.

All right, we got the clock up.

Uh Miss Ramsey, who's our first caller.

Good afternoon, sir.

Our first caller is Miss Betty A.

Varner.

Miss Betty A.

Verner, the floor is yours.

General Public Comment.

Good afternoon, to all within the sound of my voice.

I'm Betty A.

Byrne, the president of the Soda Elseworth Black Association.

And uh about three years ago, I advocated for these uh walk-in showers for seniors and for people who are disabled.

Honorable Mary Waters, her staff, and her, they have a list.

And now we have found out that uh that now with this new home repair, that uh the walk-in showers have been added.

Nobody notified me.

I've been on that list for three years, plus other folk that I know seniors and people are disabled.

And the issue is because we were told by the administration and the council that their uh the monies, well, really it was the administration that the monies was not that was allocated for those walk-in showers was not going to be used because they was too expensive and they wanted to use that money to help more families with their homes.

You have people on list, and so we decided okay, not not an option.

We had work done.

Now we're not eligible.

Please work.

Thank you so much, Ms.

Varner.

Next caller, please.

Our next caller is concerned citizen.

All right, caller, the floor is yours.

General public comment.

Caller, are you there?

Miss Ramsey, let's put that caller at the end of the queue and go to the next, please.

Can I be heard?

Yes, there you go.

Yes.

Good afternoon.

What I want to know is I know I didn't get here answered yesterday when I was talking about the senior citizen at 65.

They were shopping up there at Myers, and they told her that she couldn't bring her cart inside of the building with a bus where she was waiting on the bus.

Not she wouldn't wait on it, but she had to use the bathroom.

So I want to know what can be done about that because you know, a lot of us are not driving.

So if she needs to use the bathroom and take her buggy in, it should not be have to, you shouldn't have to leave it outside, President Tate.

I hope that'd be addressed because that's not right for seniors to have to leave their hard own money earn money out there in that on the outside of the building, and somebody can take her stuff, hers, anybody else.

So I wish you all would address that.

Thank you very much.

Okay.

Um, we're gonna have uh Member Calibury gonna give you a response after we go through our our callers, uh, but we you will get a response.

Thank you.

Uh next caller, please.

Our next caller is William M.

Davis.

As we get the clock set to one minute.

All right, there we go.

Mr.

William M.

Davis, the floor is yours.

You're gonna have one minute, uh, good afternoon.

Can I be heard?

Yes, sir.

Okay, I'd like to start off with the port authority.

You know, I travel a lot.

You know, I was just in uh Tampa, a new grandson down there, and you know, Tampa, um uh Cleveland, uh Buffalo.

Um, a number of cities have much better port authorities and utilization of their ports than what Detroit does.

I mean, and many of these cities are smaller than Detroit.

I think we could do a much better job than what we're doing, and we should be able to generate money.

Uh also separately, I was disappointed with the his, you know, the historical museum um presentation.

Uh, they should have had a slideshow, they should have had more information.

And they also should be asking for some more money from the state, you know, for the you know, for the museum on Bell Island.

You know, you know, they they they they take stuff from us, but they need to be out paying for stuff.

And also um, they used to do more uh when I lived down on campus at Wayne State, they was more engaging with the community groups, they're not that engaging anymore.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next caller, please.

Next caller is caller ending 039.

All right, caller, the floor is yours.

You have one minute general public comment.

Caller, are you there?

All right, miss.

Yeah, I'm here.

Can you hear me clearly?

Floor's yours.

All right, James V Frog Tate Jr., it's Black Dag Root talking to you.

Now, if you look over to your right, that's where she should be at Angela Whitfield Callaway, District 2 representative.

I wanted to inform her in front of all the yard that I'm back in district two, a resident in District 2.

I'm a resident in every district in the city of Detroit.

And I'm gonna say this for the last time.

Did not shoot herself.

DPDK 20-11112 and the present and current commander of the homicide division, Rebecca McKay.

I saw her a couple weeks ago, a few weeks ago, at the Board of Police Commissioners meeting, and she said she had evidence.

All right, thank you so much.

Next caller, please.

Next caller is iPhone.

All right, caller, the floor is yours.

We have one minute general public comment.

Yeah, I am good afternoon.

Um, I appreciate Calloway's questions and suggestions.

That's the promotion thing is in Detroit.

Hold on, Mr.

Oh, you didn't start me.

Hello, can you hear me?

There you go.

Now the clock started.

Okay.

Anyway, I appreciate that.

Uh the even much recreation.

See, there's a lack of really reaching out and and maybe the staff and the people can help if we they could help for the mouth if we get something good enough that they'll talk about it to their friends.

But um anyway, I've been cleaning up my back, you know, and uh trying to catch the water and garbage cans so that it doesn't run where they turn toward that mic downshot.

I've got a historical building.

I've got full of historical papers that I save, and they're not they're not neat, but somebody may have photograph some of them and save them because I saved a lot of political stuff.

I've been here since 1967.

So I got interested in 70s.

So I but I my building is unique inside.

That's what makes it interesting historically.

Thank you.

Next caller, please.

Theresa, the floor is yours.

You have one minute general public comment.

Teresa, are you there?

Teresa, are you there?

Ms.

Ramsey, let's go to the uh put this caller in the queue and go to the next, please.

Okay, our next caller is Owner Papa.

All right, caller, the floor is yours.

You have one minute general public comment.

Uh good afternoon.

And through the chair, may I be heard?

Yes.

Carolyn Hughes, thank you.

You know, a hearing after every hearing, there's supposed to be a public hearing.

I need I had questions for the port authority.

One of them was do they do they partnership with um the ROTC?

Detroit has a rich or they used to have a rich ROTC program, and that would be great to involve those people who may have a mindset to be merchants or see merchants or work on the um on the in that kind of area.

And uh I I do thank Mr.

Council McCampbell and uh Councilman McCalloway for your uh thoughtful questions to to the submitters.

Um, if we're going to spend a lot of money, if we're going to support these places, they should support us.

I think they should have a direct relationship with DPCS and DPS so that we get to look at the programs that they have instead of them being, you know, um to one district, they should be across the city.

And I think that would be a good idea to involve district seven since we have no recreation center to create a program and fund it for those people, those young people in the 7th district to uh have an enhanced summer.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next caller, please.

All right, next caller is Kamu Jawara.

Caller, the floor is yours.

You have one minute general public comment.

Appreciate it.

Um thank you firstly to council members for letting us know about budget hearings.

I've heard from half of y'all about these.

So I'm just tuning in and learning a lot about the city.

Um, I want to express as a DHS member um that it is really really great to plug into the museum.

Some ideas that come to mind, um, particularly from what y'all were sharing is maybe having more org sponsored adult field trips to exhibits, having more places where people can get membership.

So thinking about a lot of our DPS and PSL sporting events, um festivals, um, even like Michigan Central and these big like attractions, having more kind of pop-up places to get memberships.

Um, and the last idea is just maybe considering tagging it on to big scale events, right?

Like movement festival and creating more opportunities for people to um kind of passively get a membership.

Um, but just to kind of encourage more people to use it.

Um, but that's that's it.

That's my time.

Thank you.

Next caller, please.

So we are back to Teresa.

All right, Teresa, the floor is yours.

You have one minute.

General public comment.

Teresa, are you there?

Going once.

Going twice.

Going three times, Teresa.

Are you there?

Unfortunately, we're gonna have to move on.

If you would like to provide your comments to the clerk's office, they will be placed onto public record.

Who's our next caller, please?

That brings us to the close of public comment.

All right, colleagues.

We will uh recess the expanded budget finance and audit standing committee uh for the purposes of allowing us to re what time you want to come back.

Colleagues, I know we're set for two.

Especially how much time does the uh committee need.

Uh member McCampbell, how much time you have a time for an hour, but if we could come back to give folks time to you know eat lunch real quick, yeah.

After so, I would say two fifteen, two thirty if that was two thirty.

Yeah, all right, colleagues.

We will reconvene at 2 30.

Uh, with this further discussion.

I just wanted to respond to one of the comments.

Sorry, my two colleagues.

Um, Mr.

Crowley indicated that he was relocating to the second district, and he can contact my office if there is any need for relocation resources.

There are some available, and we're more than happy to support him in that relocation.

Thank you.

You're very welcome, sir.

Uh member Callaway, my apologies.

That's okay.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I wanted to respond to Miss Riley.

Um, Myers um grocery carts are not supposed to go into the Jason Hargrove transit center.

What happens is most of the seniors of well, we have a lot of seniors who are the ones who have to go and retrieve the carts.

We have to uh help retrieve the carts because you we they're left at the transit center, and sometimes we some folks try to pull them into the transit center with all of their belongings, not just groceries.

So um it makes sense that there is a restroom at the front door of the Myers, so and there's security all around.

So it just let your um your friend know that she can use the restroom at the front of Myers and her grocery cart can stay right there with her because there's security at the restrooms, but the carts aren't supposed to leave Myers and be taken into the Jason Cargrove Transit Center.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you, Member Callaway.

Colleagues, we shall recess until 2 30.