Neighborhood committee service and standing committee will now come into order with a clerk.

Please call the roll.

Council President Pro Tim call me on the second.

Here.

Councilmember Scott Benson.

Councilmember Renata Miller.

I think she's here.

She should be on our way.

All right.

Excellent.

Is there a motion to approve the minutes?

Motion is made.

Are any objections?

Here the minutes are approved.

Native chairmarks.

You'll now go on to public comment.

Is there anybody here that wants to give public comment?

All right, go on.

Okay, we got one person.

Anybody else?

All right.

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

Mr.

Smith, go ahead.

Public comment is now closed.

Public comment is now closed.

Public comment.

It's now closed.

All right, Mr.

Smith.

Go ahead.

Floor is yours.

Two minutes, sir.

Perfect.

Good afternoon good afternoon.

I want to say uh so the DGC is a quasi-governmental entity, just like the land bank is.

They are the first, to my knowledge, City of Detroit, uh entity to do uh use eminent domain to take property at a mass scale.

There's something called Jefferson Village, I believe it's in District 4, that was taken from I I don't I got the facts, baby.

I ain't gonna never lie to you.

If if I'm lying, I'm flying.

They were the first entity to ever take property uh through eminent domain, which is uh very interesting.

So they have a lot of powers that they don't act like they have, and they are also hiding behind that veil of a little bit of privacy of uh being private.

So also Simcock.

So there's a lady named Beverly Watts, she's on the Board of Police Commissioner.

She used to be a member of SimCog, and she ran she ran for office as a board of police commissioner with Renata Miller, and so it's Simcock seems to be a big uh topic of discussion with Mr.

Oh, don't look at my time, uh Scott.

You know I was coming to you.

Scott Benson and Renata Miller are pushing zoning to be stu to stay at the municipal level, but yet they are ignoring Cronos concrete that is in District 3 that is owned by the Maroon family that is a 3405 Gaylord that has 3.44 acres of vacant land that was once called the Sunny Side Neighborhood that was residential homes that was zoned in for that was improperly zoned because it was zoned before the city of Detroit did a lot of zoning.

The Lower East Side all around has homes that are built with factories in front of them, which should be in which are improperly zoned.

So to punish residents who are currently living with toxic dust being spewed out is is reprehensible, right?

And so I think it is very, very sad that Scott Bensman's focus more on data centers, which the maroon families also have uh interest in, and also DTE, because a lot of the data, a lot of the solar farms are in district three, and they relate it to the Cronos Concrete Land Swap deal, which I'm gonna make sure I have every single page of.

So it's very, very sad to see sitting council members taking money from billionaires and ignoring residents' concerns while being hypocritical about zoning at the local level.

I know you're looking at my time.

You hate hate when I speak, I got the facts, but good day.

Thank you.

All right.

Uh who do we have next to the queue virtually?

Good afternoon, Mr.

Chair.

The first caller is Betty A.

Varner.

All right, Ms.

Varner, floor is yours.

Two minutes.

Uh good afternoon to all within the sound of my voice.

I'm Betty A.

Brown, the president of the Soda Elsewhere Black Association here today, gonna share share the information about the health fair that our association is going to be uh sponsoring with the MySEP's Michigan Vision Doctors.

It's gonna be April 18th from 10 a.m.

to 1 p.m.

It's gonna be at the Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church, 7151 Finco Avenue, corner of Monica.

There will be a flyer coming out in the near future.

Uh the what we're gonna be offering is free eye exams and screenings.

All the services are gonna be free for children and adults.

We're gonna be uh sponsoring health screenings done by uh uh DOC and also done by the the community health connections and court again.

All these services are gonna be free April 18th from 10 a.m.

to 1 p.m.

It's gonna be uh for the metro Detroit area.

So you don't really have to live in be a resident of the city of Detroit.

You can live in the suburbs, wherever.

Just if you need the services, come and get these free services.

The uh the vision doctors, they are going to be bringing the equipment in to the church, and you will get an exam just like you were in a doctor's office, and everything is free.

We know that there are a lot of people having challenges with their health insurance because of all the riff rack that's going on in Washington.

Even people who have insurances, they're saying their deductibles have been raised and their uh office visits are more expensive.

So come and take advantage of this service.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ms.

Varner.

We appreciate that.

Who there's next to the queue, Mr.

Bo.

Mr.

Chair, the next caller is William M.

Davis.

All right, Ms.

Davis, floor is yours.

Two minutes.

Uh good afternoon.

Could I be heard?

Yes, sir.

I don't know if y'all been reading the paper just today.

Umorthy came out with the fact that by the retired Detroit cop accused of leading a double life as a serial rapist.

You know, supposedly at least five women was raped, uh sexually assaulted, not just women, but young girls too, you know.

Pre, you know, pre-adult women.

And you know, I don't think the city should be involved with helping to pay any expense for people like that.

You know, I think that uh especially as a retiree, you know, we got too many questions about cases that are coming up and that we are the citizens of Detroit are paying for.

Uh we and whenever we have police officers that's involved in raping or selling drugs, we should not be supporting them.

You know, a former police officer current ones.

So hopefully more is done to distinguish the fact that you know there are some offices we should represent, but there's some we shouldn't.

Uh, when I was a police commissioner, I was one of the very few that used to record vote against people being promoted that have bad records.

You know, we need to make sure that all of our officers are above board and are doing a good job for the people of the city of Detroit.

And of course, district seven needs a library, needs another library, and we need a recreation center.

We're the third largest district, but we are not getting any love from the city of Detroit.

We cut only one library, and many districts have two or three, and not even one recreation center.

We were supposed to have the heaven, the Hellamore Center, but you know, we lost Ari because we have more population than most other districts.

So y'all have a good day.

Thank you.

Thank you.

We appreciate that.

Who's next in the queue?

Mr.

Bo.

The next caller's owner Papa.

All right, floor is yours.

Two minutes.

Uh good afternoon.

And through the chair, may I be heard?

Yes, ma'am.

Thank you.

Um, you could at least give people 15 minutes to call in when you open up your meeting.

I think that's standard for uh an open meeting.

Um, yes, Miss Varner needs help.

You're over the neighborhood, you are a council member at large.

I need to hear a report from you on how Mrs.

Varner is going to get her waiver, because if anybody deserves a waiver, the citizens do.

Uh, my house went into um uh bankruptcy when this city went into bunk bankruptcy, but I have not received uh a letter that it's out of bankruptcy.

I would like for you to do an investigation on why that is.

How come I have not received a letter saying I'm out of bankruptcy?

I would also like to find out from you, Mr.

Young, why um why is it that I have been living in my house over 40 years, and now I I see my uh assessor has changed it to uh not owner occupied.

I'm pretty sure that Mr.

Hornsby is involved in something that is under underhanded as usual, as as as as his assessments are, but it's incumbent upon you as a as a representative of the city and and of the neighborhood's committee that you um do something for the neighborhoods, you know.

You have all these general things to say.

You need to do something very specific because that's what your job is, it's very specific.

I need to find out from you how this occurred because an investigation needs to be had of how my owner-occupied house all of a sudden was not owner-occupied.

You understand?

I never submitted any paperwork to them changing or sold my house, and you can see it on all the records.

So, how did this happen for Mr.

Hornsby to let LLCs to have our owner occupied?

And that is how that happened.

But I need you to investigate it.

I need you to do your job for the people and the neighborhoods and support, Ms.

Varner.

Thank you.

Who we have next to the queue, Mr.

Bo.

That was the last call before you close public comment.

All right.

If you have, if you want anything or any help from our office, you call this number 224248, 224, 4248, 22448.

2244248 224424A.

I look very forward to everyone's calling me at that number.

All right.

We are now going to go to New Business.

Mayor's office.

Submitted resolution authorizing petition of Apex Events.

LLC request to hold the Grand Slam 2026 on April 3rd, 2026 from 9 a.m.

until 5 p.m.

The same day at 1526.

Broadway, Detroit, Michigan, 4826.

Set up will begin at 9 a.m.

On April 1st, 2026 and complete by 6 a.m.

on April 3rd, 2026.

Tear down will begin at 6 p.m.

on April 3rd, 2026 and completed by 9 a.m.

on April 4th, 2026.

Is there a motion to move line item 6.1 to formal session with recognition for approval to be put onto new business?

Motion be made on any objections.

Hearing done line on 6.1 be moved to formal session with recognition for approval to be put onto new business.

Lionel 6.2 petitioner Rodney Howell request to hold the white dinner party on August 29th, 2026 from 5 p.m.

until 10 p.m.

the same day at Riverside Park.

Setup will begin at 10 a.m.

on August 29, 2026, and be completed by 3 p.m.

on the same day.

10 now will begin on 9 p.m.

at 9 p.m.

on August 29th, 2026, and completed by 10 p.m.

on the same day.

Is there a motion move?

Line item 6.2 to formal session with recognition for approval be put onto new business.

Motion made are any objections.

Here now, line 6.2 we move the formal session with recognition for approval, we put onto new business.

Request to hold the walk.

MS Detroit on May 3rd, 2026 from 8 a.m.

until 12 p.m.

the same day at the Aretha Franklin Amphitheater.

Setup will begin at 12 p.m.

on May 2nd, 2026 and completed by 8 a.m.

on May 3rd, 2026.

Tear down will begin at 12 p.m.

on May 3rd, 2026 and completed by 3 p.m.

on the same day.

Is there a motion move?

Line item 6.3 the formal session with record dates for approval to be put onto new business.

Motion has been made are near objections.

Hearing done line 6.3 be moved the formal session with recognition for approval, be put onto new business.

Lion 6.4 petition of RF events.

Request to hold the high tail to L5K on May 8th, 2026 from 6 p.m.

until 9 p.m.

the same day at 2375 Franklin Street Detroit setup will begin at 10 a.m.

on May 8th, 2026 to be completed by 3 p.m.

on the same day.

Tear down will begin at 8 p.m.

on May 8th, 2026, completed by 10 p.m.

on the same day.

Is there a motion to move line of 6.4 to formal session with record dates for approval be put onto new business?

Motion made already objections.

Here and line on 6.4 be moved to formal session with record dates for approval be put onto new business.

Office of Contracting and Procurement Line Item 6.5 Contract 600 7608.

100% Major Street Bundy to provide tree trimming and removal services.

Contractor J Back Tree and Debris LLC.

Location 14390 Wyoming Street, Detroit, Michigan, 48238.

Total contract about 3 million dollars.

Is there a motion to move line on 6.5 to formal session with recognition for approval and put onto new business?

Motion's been made.

Are there any objections?

Here, Lionel 6.5 to move the formal session with recognition for approval.

You put onto new business.

Line 6.6, Office of Chief Financial Officer / Office of Development and Grants.

Request to accept and appropriate the fiscal year 2026 with United States Fish and Wildlife Service Bird Medal Grant.

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

USFWS has awarded the City of Detroit Journal Services Department GSD with the fiscal year 2026.

United States Fish and Wildlife Service Bird Meadow Grant valued at $16,000 and $30.

The federal share is valued at $160, no $16,630.

Let's say they get $16,630 of the approved amount.

The total project cost is $33,755.

This is a non-cash award.

Is there a motion to say line on 6.6?

The formal session with record date for approval be put on to new business.

Motion be made.

Are there any objections?

Lion 6.7.

Request to accept the donation of a permanent sculpture within the Bioswell area in Eliza Howe Park.

Sidewalk Detroit has awarded a donation of a permanent sculpture to the City of Detroit General Services Department.

Valued at $70,000.

There is no match requirement for this donation.

This is a non-cash donation.

Motion has been made.

Are there objections?

Here in line of 6.7, we move to formal session with record dates for approval.

We put on to new business.

I'll go to member reports.

No report from member Benson.

Vice Chairman Benson.

We'll go to member Miller.

Tomorrow we're celebrating women's history month right here at K Mac on the 13th floor.

I'm looking forward to seeing all of our amazing dynamic women in the auditorium between 12 and 3 p.m.

tomorrow.

Mary Waters at large, councilwoman, and I have joined her to bring back awareness for women that are unapologetically in leadership with our permission.

Look forward to seeing you there tomorrow, 12 to 3 at KMAC, celebrating women's month.

Nice.

All right.

Anything else?

Without objection, neighborhood community service standard committee is now adjourned.