Before we begin, Madam Clerk, will you please call the roll?

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

Councilmember Scott Benson.

I mentioned I.

Councilmember Letitia Johnson.

President.

Councilmember Denzel McCampbell.

Councilmember Renata Miller.

Councilmember Gabriela Santiago Romero.

Present.

Councilmember Mary Waters.

Present.

Councilmember Angela Whitfield Callaway.

Council President Pro Tempera Coleman A.

Young the Second.

Here, thanks for that Pro Temper on there.

You're welcome.

Council President James Tate.

Mr.

Chair, you have a corn president.

Mr.

President, you have a quorum present.

Thank you, ma'am.

I appreciate it.

We are now back in session.

Would now like for the Detroit Transportation Corporation to come forward.

And right after we're going to have the Detroit Detroit Department of Transportation afterwards.

In addition to this particular budget hearing, let's see.

We have the people mover as well as the transit police who's going to be joining us as well.

Madam Clerk, if you can please note that we've been joined by Member Miller.

Clerk was on.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon, Chair.

How are you today?

Doing well, doing well, and welcome and congratulations and welcome to your first budget hearing.

Yes, this is exciting.

I am like very excited.

I am.

Look, we ain't gonna talk about it right now.

Yes, we are all family.

Glad to have you back.

And so uh being this my first through the chair, being this my first budget hearing, I am going to officially greet you all and go through my notes.

Um, I I just this is this is amazing.

So, yay.

Okay.

So um, good afternoon, honorable city council.

It is a pretty it is a privilege and a pleasure to be with you today.

Um, I am Malia Howard, General Manager for the Detroit Transportation Corporation, or as you lovingly know, the Detroit People Mover.

Uh, to my right is our general manager, Deputy General Manager Ernest Latham.

To my left is our finance director, Miss Karen Foster.

The Detroit People Mover plays a vital role in advancing the mayor's bold push to showcase Detroit as an exciting, easily accessible and forward-thinking city as a visible elevated circular system connecting commuters to the downtown neighborhoods, small businesses, entertainment venues, and riverfront attractions.

The system reflects Detroit's innovative approach to mobility by enabling residents and visitors to seamlessly explore downtown without transportation barriers.

We are not only strengthening transit, we are strengthening Detroit's economic engine and reinforcing our identity as a modern and opportunity-rich city.

Slide two.

Yeah.

From this slide, you can see the basic overview of the people mover.

Um, we have been moving the people, as I like to say, since 1987.

We operate as DTC, a 2.9 mile elevated transit rail system, which includes 11 driverless fleet vehicles or trains, 13 stations, and approximately a 15-minute ride around the entire circular system.

As you know, our system is free, so we offer an opportunity for uh residents and visitors alike to travel through our great downtown district um without that barrier to financial um hardship.

We also connect to the D Dot Q line and Smart Lines.

We currently have 85 employees, which includes our transit police.

The next slide.

Thank you.

The Detroit People Movers Free Fair continues to provide access to employment, government offices, downtown businesses, and essential amenities for Detroit residents and visitors of all ages.

Residents are important riders for the people mover, not only because we appreciate their support, but because everyone should experience downtown and take part in the city's destinations, programs, and events.

Additionally, we would like to recognize a few partners and organizations that the people mover worked with in 2025, one of them being Enjoy Detroit, which is a nonprofit dedicated to providing mentorship to at-risk youth and resources for the unhoused.

This organization actually brought a group of teens to the Detroit People Mover for a virtual reality scavenger hunt where they learned about downtown and all of the amenities that we have to offer.

Another group is Motown Soul, which distributed 10,000 pairs of new socks to community organizations for our unhoused neighbors from our financial district station.

And during December, Detroit moves its people, which is a nonprofit organization, and provided they provided a holiday give back across multiple stations in our system, which was led by Santa himself and Mrs.

Vesel Claus, so ICE Veso's mother was sent Mrs.

Claus and her dad was Santa for that event, which was amazing, by the way.

And they joined families, 140 families, by the way, were provided with gifts and an opportunity to meet a lot of Detroit's local talent.

We also have made great strides with increased ridership.

From 2023 to 2024, we saw an increase of 64% or roughly a 420,000 additional riders in the system, which also includes obviously the NFL draft.

But we've seen a 23% increase from 24 to 25 fiscal years, which is about 250,000 riders, and that's even with our system being closed for two months for rail replacement.

We also, next slide.

Oh, thank you.

We also want to show you real progress in action and discuss and provide updates on our fleet replacement, our system study, our strategic plan, and our community benefits agreement we have with the Water Square project.

In 2024, DTC purchased train cars from the Toronto Transit Commission or TTC.

Retrofitting these vehicles represents and presents an opportunity to phase in and replace existing rolling stock, which gives DTC approximately seven to ten years to plan for procurement and secure funding for our next generation of vehicles.

The acquisition of the 16 TTC vehicles avoids costly refurbishment to existing vehicles and the new procurement of new vehicles, which eases our capital obligations.

Again, making us ensure that we stay fiscally and financially responsible for all the funds that you provide us for our operating expenses.

The study explores how the system can improve first and last mile connections and better integrate stations as well as recommendations for pedestrian access and safety.

We have had two in-person meetings and two virtual meetings.

The final round of community meetings will happen within the coming weeks, followed by a full study wrapping up over the summer, of which we will ensure that all council members have access to those meetings so that you can participate personally and/or send staff.

Also, for more information on what has come out of those studies thus far, you can go to our website to view that, the PeopleMover.com.

Also, next slide.

DTC has begun a $1 million community benefit agreement for infrastructure improvements at the Water Square Station.

This is a part of the CBO for the JW Marriott Water Square project.

The station's exterior will be refreshed with upgrades as well as new lighting, paintings, and updated features.

We plan this project to be finished by next spring.

Another investment by the People Mover, or DTC, is the Michigan Central Multimodal Facility Project.

This will be a new transportation hub located at the Michigan Central Innovation District that will further connect Detroit to regional and global transportation networks.

The goal of the MCMF is to position the region for greater MOP, multimodal connectivity, create a transformational gateway to Detroit, the region, and the state of Michigan, as well as advance innovation within the transportation industry, cementing Michigan as a destination for ongoing talent attraction and outside investment.

The FY27 budget will provide resources to invest in all staff through trainings and efforts to improve our employee engagement and building DTC into a great place to work.

During FY26, stewardship improvements have occurred through updates with our procurement and accounts payable policies and procedures.

As a point of note, all updates are reviewed by DTC's auditors and other key stakeholders for input on reasonable reasonableness and completeness.

We are currently making updates to our current financial systems as well as full review and update of our entire procurement manuals and all financial policies to ensure they are in alignment with current city, state, and federal guidelines.

Building a diversified revenue base for DTC is a top priority in FY27's budget.

Unique sponsorship and advertising are key focus points for success in this budget.

We have begun drafting a to best optimize our sales and marketing opportunities.

Requests from department leadership, requests from department leadership have been received for our budget.

We are reviewing requests in comparison to existing revenues in which the city's operating subsidy award is critical.

I want to say that again.

Thank you so much.

Uh Madam Director Howard.

We're going to start with questions from Member Waters.

Oh, anyway.

So good to see you.

You as well, ma'am.

Um I want to hear a little bit more about Central Station, and can you help me to envision that route?

Oh, yes, ma'am.

Okay.

So the you want to talk the Michigan Michigan Central Project.

Yeah.

Okay.

All right.

So the multimodal facility is going to be like none other.

This is going to be a location.

We are the project lead, the developer, and the owner of the project.

So we are going to be bringing uh together Amtrak, Greyhound, other uh private um mobility entities into one place where we can cultivate innovation and provide that much needed connection with Amtrak in Canada.

And so that is the purpose of this project is to reconnect the under the underwater tunnel from Canada to Detroit to bring that passenger rail back here.

With that being said, the North South Rail Project, if you have heard of it, um, which is creating connectivity off of the Wolverine Line, the Wolverine Line for Amtrak, all of us have taken it because it goes to Chicago.

But the Wolverine Line starts in Pontiac, so it hits Pontiac, Royal Oak, the Boulevard, and then traverses to Dearborn Ann Arbor.

Um, ultimately, they are still in their study, right?

So that could still be the potential, but there is a potential for the Wolverine line to drop into Michigan Central.

And with that being said, being able to drop into Michigan Central again utilizing that rail, we have Canadian passengers coming across, right?

They can then go either to Dearborn, Chicago and go out west, or you can go north to Traver City or Potosky.

And so that is the critical link for this spot and space.

And so bringing together again, Amtrak, um, the DAX bus possibly because of the the airport is right there, getting people to obviously there's parking involved in this in this location, but being able to connect all of those modes of transit in one spot is completely innovative for us uh in the city, and again goes back to what was in that location.

Yeah, so I'm looking forward to really talking to all of you about as we continue to move forward and build this out, all of those processes, but that is the ultimate project.

Oh, oh, okay.

And to the regarding the same the question, um we're looking at what's timing and cost.

How does that you don't know it?

Timing right now, it's all still brand new.

So we're still in in negotiation phases and and conversation phases.

So hopefully by the end of the month, I can give you something more concrete uh once we've solidified the entire package.

Yeah, um, but right now it's a 40 million dollar investment.

Investment, yes, ma'am.

And of course, Ford is critically involved in this entire space.

So, yes, ma'am.

Well, that is great.

There's gonna be a whole lot going down going on down in the Michigan Avenue area.

Yes, we're about to do some some my street maintenance down there too.

Yes, ma'am.

There's a whole MDOT study and business feasibility study that's happening.

So that corridors is literally figuratively uh taking off.

Yes.

Um, tell me about maintenance of the of the tracks.

Are we able to to maintain that uh which which are you talking about Amtrak or our regular DTC?

Right.

Yes, ma'am, Ernie.

Captain, I want to bring in um our deputy who is completely invested.

Brother Latham has been here for 39 years.

He actually built the original.

He's there.

So yes, sir.

As you speak to maintenance of the track chair, we have a very rigorous maintenance uh program.

Uh actually, we're going into a phase, it's it's to enhance our customer satisfaction.

We're bringing in uh some new laser geometry cars to do measurement.

Um we're gonna do another phase of grinding, and what it'll allow us to do is use our internal resources instead of uh staff going out physically taking stick measurements with gauges.

We'll use the laser, uh it'll go out and it'll point us exactly where to go in two nights, right?

The the information will come back.

So that's some of the technology pieces.

We we constantly do noise counts and uh to make sure we're uh quiet for our downtown neighbors and our passengers.

So this spring is good.

We want to be finished by early summer um with the grinding um or the laser measurements, and we'll start having the ground forces down doing any other work that they need to do.

But the work typically is done when everybody's home sleep at night.

Um we have an entire crew that takes care of that effort.

Okay, all right, very good.

Then thank you so much.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Thank you.

Member Johnson.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair, and good afternoon.

Um can you share um if you're seeing any increases in ridership as a result of the people mover being free?

Oh, yes, uh, through the chair.

Yes, ma'am.

Um, so we increased 23% last year.

The first year that it was the free ridership took place was roughly the end of 2024, begin of 2025.

So we have seen a 23% increase in ridership.

So we keep our turnstiles so we're free fare, but the turnstiles are there so we can count uh rotations who's coming into the system, and so that's how we keep count.

Uh, we are looking at some new technology to remove those turnstiles and like aerial count folks um as they come into the station uh to be more effective, but we have seen a significant uh increase, and we hope to continue to see that.

We have um also uh revamped our social media and our website to to be more robust and into the system and allowing folks to engage with us while we engage with them as they're writing.

So if you've seen um there's a group of podcasters who regularly are on the train um doing a myriad of things, but all that visibility is I mean, they literally tell the history of the train, so that visibility has allowed us to increase our ridership.

So, yes.

Thank you.

And our it is there a finite amount of time that the um the people mover will be free.

Our intention is for it to always be free moving forward, so we are just constantly that's why we uh redid our sponsorship and created a real strategic plan for advertising and marketing so that we can get additional sponsors to continue to have that for free.

And so um, I believe that is going to be positive, and we will we will never go back to charging a fair.

All right, D dot.

That's a question coming up for you.

Um thank you for that.

So do you all um do you have any collaborative efforts to uh work with work to connect riders with multi-mobility options?

So they take the people mover.

I I think we were having this conversation with um director Hutchins as it relates to connecting folks to various forms of transit.

So if someone takes the Jefferson bus to the Renaissance Center and then they can jump on the people mover and go, you know, to this location, and then if need be to jump on the queue line and and take them even further.

Do you all do collaborative work like that?

Yes, ma'am.

So the art through the chair, yes, ma'am.

The RTA has this amazing app called the Transit app.

Um, and when you it when you go to download it, it's just a green roadway.

Um, and so that app actually geolocates you.

So wherever you're standing, like the other day I was in Lansing and gave me around the Capitol every bus I could connect to at that particular moment.

So with our app here in the city, um, the people mover, smart, d dot, and q-line are all on there.

So if I get off at the financial district, it's captured where I'm at and can point to where the next stops are, when the when the Q line is coming, it it's an amazing app.

So, yes, ma'am, and you can pay uh well, I'm not gonna speak uh before that.

So they are working on ways for you to pay for your Smart and D dot fairs through that app.

Awesome.

Yes, ma'am.

All right, thank you so much.

We have additional questions that we will send over to you.

Yes, ma'am.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Member Santiago Romero.

Thank you, Mr.

Presidents through you.

Good afternoon.

Good to see you all again.

I am happy to hear about the increased ridership since I started on council, but then Director Kramer, I asked for free ridership, and it's exciting to see the outcomes.

And yes, we will continue to push for this to happen with D D dot as well.

We will get there, I believe.

Very excited about the Michigan Central work happening.

Um when that started, uh we asked to save the rail.

We saw the potential in the future, and it's exciting that we are saving the rail, looking to uh expand that.

So it's gonna be very exciting.

Parking is gonna be a huge thing, so let's just keep that in mind as we are building a new soccer stadium.

As Corktown is already very tight.

Um, we need to make sure that we have parking set aside for those that come from Canada, travel around.

So just keeping that in mind for all of us as we plan.

When it comes to the people mover itself, it's exciting.

Yes, the podcasters, um, the partners that you're working with.

Thank you for working with us in the Ruth Ellis Center.

Um, when we heard last year of an incident on the people mover, um, again, for folks who don't know uh our office was uh we were reported that there was a queer couple on on the the train um that were getting accosted really and felt unsafe.

Um so we launched a campaign where everyone belongs here in the city, so thank you very much.

I've I've heard uh good uh responses from young black here folks in the city that feel a little bit more welcomed, a little bit more seen.

So thank you for working uh with us on that.

Speaking of the space making it more welcoming and uh for everyone, are there public restrooms in and around uh the people mover?

If not, is there capacity to build restrooms around the stations?

Um I am really thinking about as we're building the city, uh making sure that we have amenities for our families for residents as they're downtown as as they're using um our transits.

So wondering, are there restrooms around the infrastructure of the people mover?

And if there's not, is there capacity to build public restrooms in and around the people mover?

Through the chair.

Uh within our platforms, no ma'am.

There is no yielding, giving, there's no room for that.

Um, there are businesses geolocated.

I will say that I will investigate this and make a note to get back with you on it about other businesses that might have restrooms available for uh individuals and families.

So I will respond to you uh with that, thusly, but um inside of our existing system, no ma'am.

Okay, thank you.

You're welcome.

And and thank you for looking into this.

This is gonna be a collective efforts.

I know a lot of our businesses don't let um people in unless they are customers.

And and what we need are our public spaces for for folks that are walking around our our downtown as we invite them in to use the restroom without having to go to a Starbucks, etc.

Um, and purchase something if they don't need to nor want to.

Um, so thank you for working with me on more accessible public restrooms and amenities for residents.

Um my last question is around if you wouldn't mind sharing a little bit more what you're doing.

I have some idea of what you're doing, and it's really fine.

Um, but using the people mover as a third space as a community space, um, wondering how you may be thinking about the platforms, the people mover and connecting um residents.

Has there been any discussions around using the people mover as a third place or community space is the question through the chair.

Yes.

Simply put, yes.

Um, and so as we we are approaching our 40th anniversary next year, next July 31st, and so we are building in a lot of activities for this year for towards the tail end of this year, um, to make this truly an inviting opportunity for people to come in and fellowship.

Now, with that being said, we have to look at all of our facilities because some of our stations are they can't handle a volume of people.

Um, right now, I can think of the Greek town station, obviously, when Roadblock is about to open back up for activities there, as well as the Michigan station being a little bit larger in its footprint and quite possibly forecast.

Um, so I will keep you definitely updated on how we can continue to integrate the community into our bringing them into our space because that is truly important.

For me, movement is coming.

And so that is a big deal for me as a as a resident.

And so being able to use our stations as uh platforms to share out with the world, every genre of house and techno is uh is something that I'm looking forward to attempting to do this year.

So that is the plan, but definitely we'll be on deck for next year.

But yes, um, and any ideas that any of the council members have will be much appreciative.

Um, and if you want to host a day on the train, let's host a day on the train um and get your constituents down and um ride them through all the possibilities because people who live necessarily in five points might not be riding the people mover, they might drive down and park, know exactly where they're going, and then never touch the station.

But if we've got block clubs and others who want to engage in our space, we definitely want you on our space.

Um, and with that being said, I'm also undertaking um as a former Don a activity, start going to block club meetings and really promoting um our services so that people know that we are available, and we're also putting together um, albeit they are lots, but we are putting together a list of all the parking lots that are adjacent to our stations so that people know that if you want to go to financial and you want to ride and you want to jump on the queue line, if you needed to, you could park in the bill building parking struck structure and then hop on and explore downtown.

So I just want to make sure that we have everything available for all of our riders.

Do the chair, thank you.

I think that's a great idea.

It sounds like a pro tip booklet from the people mover.

We were told that you could park at the Ford Underground station here and just take the poop a mover to the Lions Stadium for probably ten dollars versus 50.

Uh so that seems like a good pro tip that can be shared with the public.

Um, and uh utilizing the people mover as a third space community gathering space is great.

Um Ms.

Howard, I too love movement.

And if you bring T if you bring DJs to every station, I will go to every station and enjoy the city that way.

So it's a great idea.

Um thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Thank you.

Um so excuse me, in terms of the the artwork, there's a lot of uh wonderful artwork at each one of these stations.

I think we had like a preliminary conversation, but we might as well put some sunlight on it so the world knows any changes being made uh to any of the artwork that is currently um uh install at the various stations as well as talk to us a bit about the maintenance of that artwork because it's important, that's it's just as important if you will.

Through the through the chair to you.

Um it is completely important.

Um the artwork was commissioned over 40 years ago, and we have samples of it in our actual office uh that that artists had to submit um before they were selected, and so the maintenance of the artwork.

I do I'm gonna I'm gonna I'm gonna ask my deputy because he is the runs the maintenance facility on that, but hold that question.

Um what was your second question, Chair?

I apologize.

Just the artwork and the maintenance art.

Any any new changes?

So new changes that are coming, um, and and ahead of our 40th anniversary, um, I will be working dutifully with uh Pro Tim Young um and his family because we will be honoring uh Mayor Coleman Young and changing the name and renaming the financial district station to the Coleman A.

Young station.

Um we will be looking to commission um a bronze piece or artwork that depicts Mayor Young to be installed in that space.

Um and with regards to the upkeep of the existing artwork, do we have?

Through the chair.

Um it's on a regular cycle over five years.

Um the large pieces we we treat them as precious artwork, so it's very we treat them like they're fragile, right?

There's a only a couple companies local that that we trust to clean them.

So every five to seven years we have them come in and they got a special process where they come in and meticulously wipe these things down from top to bottom, no excessive spray, no excessive chemicals, because we cherish those those pieces and we don't want anything to happen to them.

Where are we at on that cycle?

Like, are we at the beginning, end, just so we'll know and what is those?

What is that contract look like the dollar amount to maintain of these particular pieces of art?

We're gonna have to take that back out.

I think the last time we did it, it was pre-COVID.

So we're getting close to the case.

Yeah, it's time to come back around and put it out to be.

I know there's two companies local that that would do it.

So some of them actually have like um uh uh stones that are in cement, so that may need tightening up or that type of maintenance, not just the cleaning, but you know, tweaking a bit.

Okay, looking forward to seeing that.

And as we talked about, you you talked about COVID, everything has gone up, you know, since uh the COVID COVID uh pandemic um and how how have how has the DTC um adjusted its model um of sponsorship of um the wraps that go around the advertising uh as a result of the fluctuation, the increased fluctuation across the board with everything.

How have we been able to adjust uh with that?

And what's been the response?

So through the chair.

Um, so it has been very, and I'm gonna let Miss uh Karen uh address as well because she is our finance director, but I believe that we have literally been very good stewards of all of our city, federal, and state dollars.

And so again, we want to make sure that we increase our revenues since we don't have a fare box.

So the wraps have been critical.

Um I actually have two contracts to sign today uh for those wraps.

And so the more we get out here and push for sponsorship, the more since I've been general manager, that is a conversation because I had previous ties with the business community in my former role.

People were coming up to me asking me, letting me know that they want to sponsor a station, wrap a train, how can we do this?

How much does it cost?

They really want to be involved.

And so, and I'm excited for that because that just allows us to continue to reimagine our space.

And so you typically will see two cars wrapped with basically the same, like you'll see the bell tire, the GM uh U of M has a double train now.

And so what I'm trying to do is provide a um uh economic opportunity for people to just do one train to do one car.

And so we couple cars together that have similar viewpoints.

So if it's talking about Myers and we're talking about, you know, feeding the community, right?

So if it was a D-Win or another um community organization that wanted to wrap the train, and so we are vigorously going after advertising dollars and partnering with like Brooklyn Outdoor to help us find those opportunities.

And so we anticipate having increased revenue of two million dollars.

That is the goal that we are pushing for, so that we can offset any funds that came out of COVID, so we can continue to build up our reserves and and do what we need to do.

Okay, thank you so much, and we will go next to member McCampbell.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair, good afternoon.

Congratulations on that role as well.

Uh I am deeply excited about the people moving.

And the things that you are doing, including the um not having a fair, I think that is also critically important.

I I just have a general question because my colleagues answer or asked some of the questions I had.

And thinking about the success or the success that you want to see in the people mover, how does that look 10 years from now?

How does the system look to you 10 years from now?

And as you're thinking about, you know, as you talk about the funds that you're requesting, um, do you feel that the budget for this fiscal year moving forward fits into your vision for the system moving forward?

Through the chair.

Uh congratulations to you too.

Thank you.

I I'm very excited that you are here.

Um, so uh the funds that we have, we are gonna be good stewards of the funds that we have cur um requested.

So we are gonna stay within what we have requested.

Um, and it is critical that we operate in that mode to have a balanced budget to make sure we're doing what is right and correct with the people's money.

Um we are gonna do that.

Um, we are not gonna ask for anything additional because we understand the priorities of our mayor and of our city, and so we're gonna stay within that framework.

Um, I am so sorry.

The other part of your question, because money always rains in my ears, so I apologize.

You're fine.

Thank you for that answer.

I think about your success looks like for the system.

Success for me, um and success for this system is literally expansion.

Um, and so being able to create a way to move our system out towards Michigan Central, but to also move our our system back going towards the east.

So in the study currently, uh residents have identified five possible modes uh to expand the system, Michigan Central being one, a truncation up Grand River to support the uh UMCI and that casino.

Um another one um up woodward, um, oddly enough, um, because originally the the people mover's intention was to go down woodward um as an elevated rail.

Uh we've had people request uh going out to and expanding around to Eastern Market, um, which would shift the Broadway station that way and then bring it back around on the other side of uh Comerica and Ford Field, and then finally out Jefferson east uh to the new Unitarole site.

And so for me, and for our system to thrive and grow, we've got to pick a mode by which we know we're gonna capture the most people, the most intentionality, and what what makes sense to bring um innovation and tech and and that space into the city.

So being able to, and this is just how I envision everything, um, the expansion of Amtrak, the Wolverine Line dropping into Michigan Central, right?

The people mover is there.

You can catch your Greyhound, you can get in your own personal vehicle and go home from once you came.

Um you can catch the train back to Canada, um, or you can get on the people mover and drop into Water Square, drop drop into the Renaissance Center to your hotel, the Millender Center, and continue around the path.

And so it's gonna continue to how I see it is growing and moving more people into our city as opposed to um going into any other hoteling or convention center.

Uh, they're gonna come here because we provide that quick service from from the train platform out to the people mover platform and into the city.

So that's what the next 10 years look like for me.

Of course, we're gonna modernize our trains.

Um that's also another capital improvement that we have to start focusing on, but that's how I see it.

Absolutely.

I I I appreciate that.

I um I appreciate that vision and I appreciate the conversation around how it is connected to the other modes of transportation.

I you know, I will take you up on that offer of uh having spending a day on the people mover and inviting folks down from District 7 because we are a district that doesn't touch downtown or it doesn't touch the areas that you are speaking of.

But I think when folks like you said, when folks are coming down, I'm someone, especially when I know it is busy that I will park my car, get on people mover and go around.

Um, and as well, also like on opening day, there's a perfect way to do that.

Perfect way to get around.

Absolutely.

Uh so I I thank you for bringing that in.

I I don't know if you had this, I always ask folks I asked RTA and ex uh director Kramer as well, as you or has there been any thoughts on maybe this fits into that as we're thinking about the opin for Wayne County.

Um, has there been any thoughts on how the people mover fits into that?

And maybe it may be thinking about that um at the trans station, the multimodal, having that be a stop for smart to get out to Western Wayne.

But has there been any thoughts around that?

Not yet.

Uh through the chair, I apologize.

Um, not yet, because we're still, you know, they're doing the rapid bus transit model for MDOT, and so on those four truncations with the RTA, which is Michigan, um Grash it, Washington, and goodness gracious, I forgot.

Oh, Woodward is the other truncation.

So, not yet.

But as more comes available, and as we start to integrate more, I will definitely keep you up to date on that.

All right.

Thank you so much.

You're so welcome.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you.

Pro Tim Young.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Uh excellent, good to see you all.

Uh, congratulations on your new gig look good in it.

Appreciate you.

Uh, I just wanted to ask you really quickly.

Um, can you talk to me about your the plans for the expansion?

And what I mean by that is are you coordinating with the RTA for it to expand beyond the city's borders into the suburbs?

I know you talked about expanding, you know, in terms of down Michigan.

Are you also talking about expanding down Jefferson?

Are you also talking about expanding up Woodward?

Is that gonna go to because it seems like to me like you're expanding to the railroads?

Because I know in Michigan Central Station, they're talking about bringing the railroads back over there.

So it seems like you're trying to do that halfway.

Are you talking about going to Jefferson too and maybe um having like um and maybe microtransit or something like that, kind of pick up the rest of that dis or the bus service that goes down that line, or are there any other bus services that you plan on expanding this, any other routes I've had said through the chair.

Um, right now we're in we're in, I'm thinking of everything.

Um I really want the R, I know I'm gonna say this.

I really want the RTA to go down to eight mile.

Um, I need to, I need a Q line at eight miles.

So I have a whole plan, right?

I don't run the Q line, but I have a plan for the Q line.

So and I know they don't want to hear that.

But we're in the same wavelength.

I want the I want the Q line to go to eight mile because I live on eight mile, and so if I could just drive and park at Jason Hargrove or catch the bus and then transition at Jason Hargrove to the Q line and then come downtown.

I don't have to drive my electric vehicle.

But all that being said, um, for us personally, right now we're in this very early phase of thinking and ideating about an expansion, but really keeping our thoughts open because we want the public to really be invested in this space, and I really want to hear what they have to say.

So once this first phase ends, we'll move into phase two, which will then start to talk more about okay.

Here's the the best two options or the most cost-effective options, and then this is how we want to route this because then we have to take into consideration right-aways, construction timelines, disruptions, and and go through that whole next phase of community engagement.

But for right now, it's just those five thoughts, and then hopefully, um, not hopefully, we will um pick a thought and move through it.

So, but I will keep you updated.

No, I appreciate it.

But not down Woodward.

Right, okay.

Okay, okay.

So make sure.

Okay, excellent.

No, I think, and uh I just wanted to say this was something that meant a lot to my father.

Yes, what he wanted to do, and he fought for this for a very long time.

And uh part of the reason why he couldn't be able to expand this into the suburbs was because of differences at that time within the region.

I just wanted to say when you're talking about um honoring my father and naming this after him, this means a lot to me and my family.

Can you just talk about are you planning on partnering with Detroit Public Library?

And um also um with uh either with with Wayne State as well in terms of the history oh I'm sorry, not Wednesday, um uh the Charles H.

Wright Museum, because they have a culminate young building in there.

Are you talking about partnering that at all?

Because that's a big part of his legacy, and this is not exactly the way I thought it would be done, but you're kind of completing that with the expansion going into the suburbs.

Are you gonna talk about partnerships?

Are you gonna talk about at all?

Can you just kind of go into great detail what that is?

And please don't spare to like really lay it on thick, because you are talking about my father and I am President Pro Temperance.

I really kind of like impressed me here when you're talking about this history, please.

Through the chair.

Uh, yes, so we really want to capture what I I feel and fears.

People really don't know the history of how we got the people mover.

And so they just believe it magically appeared, and that's not the case.

And so we have an entire archive.

We have our own library at the People Mover.

Um, we have an actual librarian who's also an architect who's an art who's our archivist.

She keeps all this information together.

So with them, the Charles Wright, H Wright, the historical museum, um, the library system because of the Skillman, all of that, all those people will be at the table when we are discussing what this vision looks like.

And so when you and I sit down with this largest committee that we're gonna build together to really make sure that this is meaningful and impactful for not just you but the residents, but the greater metropolitan area.

That's what makes sense.

And so um, yes, you are going to see some great things come out of this.

I just I need you to know that.

Trust me.

I know you trust me.

I have no doubt.

I just want to kind of try to pull it out of you what that looked like.

And I really just wanted to hear you like explain it, say it.

Um, this this is gonna be um, this is gonna be real.

This is gonna be real.

So I just want you to know that everything.

I I know this is not um what we're talking about, but I just got finished reading the book, the quotations of Koman A Y.

And so he talks about the people mover in the in that book.

And so yeah, just pulling all of that out.

Um, we're gonna make sure we we highly honor him in this vein.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you so much, Pro Tim.

Member Miller.

Thanks for joining us.

Uh as one that's I don't have much to say about the people mover.

Uh, you pretty much answered a lot of the questions that I had in mind.

Uh, but I will say I am excited about it.

The expansion.

It is one of the most ideal places for people with family reunions.

I'm sorry.

Anyway, could you hear me now?

Yep, yes, ma'am.

Okay, I just wanted to say this is um one of the the main focuses for our family reunion when they come to town.

And it seems to rain every time they come.

So we need the people mover downtown.

Uh, it is a go-to place for any white, anybody that visits Detroit and it has maintained this velocity in all these years.

I I you already touched on the um advertising dollars.

I would pay to advertise on the people mover.

I think it's a great revenue stream.

You've already mentioned it, but uh trust me, that is an amazing idea.

I was wondering, had you ever partnership with any of the lots, the distant lots.

I don't know if you have a logo or anything, or say, listen, and so someone pulled to this lot, they have a logo there and say this is a great way to connect to the people mover uh uh uh almost a reduced fare here and then a free ride, maybe with a map showing like where they could get to the closest entrance if they park off site.

But people could look at the brochure and know that this is the people mover link here at this lot.

Maybe it could be a partnership with some of the lot owners to reduce their fare if we connect people here uh to catch the people more from from this site because people often look to they don't mind walking, but they just don't have the direction of where to go for the entrance and their loss, and like how can we park far away and get to where we're trying to go as far as the um theaters or the opera or uh just the casinos itself, but it'd be uh nice to see a nice people mover logo and partnership with the lots.

Um my other thing is I'm glad you're a visionary because with vision comes growth and expansion.

I'm glad you're visionary because with vision comes expansion and growth.

I would like to see Jefferson move up on your list.

You get a list of uh places to expand out.

Well, if you could move Jefferson up, you mentioned to get the most bang for the bucks.

So on Jefferson, we have seven senior buildings and ten apartment buildings.

And let me tell you, if you want it to be filled, that is an outing for a senior or people just uh that's on disability.

If they want to jump on the uh people mover, you mentioned stopping at the unerol site, I would encourage you.

If you're gonna do it, let's just do it big and go to Gross Point, then they could park there, and maybe you might want to add a little fare on that one.

You never know.

It'll be a quick ride downtown because they do that in the suburbs, they have places where you park and you jump in and do a ride share.

Why not come down Woodward and just catch the people mover?

It would save so much in just transportation, parking, uh the traffic that we deal with on Jefferson now that we have the bike lanes and all the one way, all the two-lane parking, it's just really slow at times, and that would really um alleviate some of the tension.

But as far as the people mover go, I hope in my lifetime that I get to see this expand out in one direction, and maybe we could put a little pressure on the um other one on what we're to come all the way down because um it's time that we take off and have some actual.

I know you said 40 million dollars for the train station portion, but it'll be nice to see some of these come to fruition in our lifetime as we continue to build out our city and as we continue to grow.

So I'm excited that you are a visionary and that if it don't make dollars, it don't make sense.

So let's raise the money, it's fine the money that we can get some of these things that I'm sure all of us would love to enjoy in the city of Detroit, especially coming down Jefferson.

And that would even mean people going to the fireworks.

Fireworks is so congested in Detroit.

There's nowhere to park, people get turned away because they cannot get close enough.

Imagine if the people mover came down, everybody jumped on because the buses can only go so far either.

But if you're above and you have the people mover coming in, they can actually exit and actually enjoy the fireworks in the city of Detroit.

Thank you, uh, madam sir president, and thanks for joining us today.

Thank you.

Kylie, any additional uh any emotions that we would like to place before we release Director Howard and team.

All right, seeing none, floor is yours.

Any closing remarks?

Through the chair.

Thank you so much.

Uh, and and congratulations as well, uh, Councilmember Miller.

Um, you are absolutely right.

As in my in my former life, I was the senior coordinator uh for senior citizens for uh Mayor Duggan.

And so being able to take the people mover down to all those senior buildings would be exceptional.

Um, they we have such a population.

We know we we have riverfront towers or riverfront yeah, towers that taps into our system, but being able to go down to Jefferson, go down Jefferson and capture that population of folks would be amazing.

Um, because at Senior Friendship Day, as council member water knows, um, because she has her her own senior uh friendship uh event, being able to tap into that community and service them is the most amazing thing possible because being able to hop on the people mover, come off at Millender or Financial, drop down onto the queue line and go out to DMC for your appointments, go up to the boulevard to Ford for your appointments.

That is that is a way that we can move people around with ease and keep them elevated and they're not having to stop and they can make it to their appointments in time.

And so I I received all of that, especially the wayfinding portion with regards to the lots, and so I will be responding to you uh with that as well.

But um, what I want to say is thank you so much for listening and for hearing our journey, and we just appreciate you.

And any questions that you have, please feel free to send to us.

Um, for all of you, you have my real phone number, so y'all can text me too if you need it.

But um, but with that being said, I just want to thank you for all that you do.

All right, that's it.

And that wraps up your budget here in your very first one.

My very first one.

I am excited.

Okay, we stopped taping.

Okay, so look, I am so excited.

I could not wait to do this.

I was just like, oh, I get to do this for real today.

Um, so like it's a big deal when you go from you know, helping to write the budget to oh, I gotta do my own budget.

So, yeah, so it was it was it's a big deal for me.

So thank you.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Yes, ma'am.

Um, so I will see you all again soon.

Yeah, thank you.

First one's free, just letting you know.

First, I know first one's free.

We'll see you next year.

Wait, through the chair.

Can I honestly say I was out?

This is a budget book.

I was prepared.

So please send your questions because we'd appreciate it.

And um, again, thank you so much.

I appreciate all of you.

All right, we appreciate you.

First one was free.

Yes, ma'am.

Yes, ma'am.

It's all gonna be good with you, though.

All right, so we'd now like to bring forward uh D dot, Director Kramer and team.

Come on down.