OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Detroit Public Health and Safety Committee Meeting - March 23, 2026

City Council — Monday, March 23, 2026
BodyDetroit, Michigan
SessionCity Council
DateMonday, March 23, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 58:10

Transcript — Verbatim
0:01

Good morning, everyone.

0:02

I would like to call to order our public health and safety standing committee for today, March 23rd, 2026.

0:10

May the clerk please call the roll.

0:11

Yes, good morning.

0:12

Councilmember Gabriela Santiago Romero.

0:15

Good morning, present.

0:16

Councilmember Denzel and Tom McCampbell.

0:19

Member McCampbell mentioned that he's on his way.

0:22

The clerk will know.

0:23

Councilmember Mary Waters.

0:25

Present.

0:26

Madam Chair, we have quorum.

0:28

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

0:28

Given the quorum, we'll go right into the agenda for today.

0:32

Just another notes that we are in budget.

0:35

So we're gonna go into the agenda rather swiftly.

0:40

First item is approval of our minutes.

0:42

We did receive our minutes from our last session.

0:44

If there's a motion to hearing no objections, our minutes will be approved from our last session.

0:51

No chair remarks for me, other than just reminder of our truncated time.

0:56

So I'm gonna go through jump into public comment for us this morning.

1:01

Public comment is now open.

1:03

If you would like to make public comment, please raise your hands now.

1:07

A cut off public comment in two minutes.

1:10

So at 9 07, public comment will be cut off.

1:15

I will first begin with the folks that we have here in person.

1:19

I believe we have Mr.

1:21

Crowling.

1:21

Who else do we have?

1:23

Please raise your hands.

1:24

Understood.

1:25

Please raise your hands if you're here to make public comments.

1:29

All right, thank you.

1:30

And please raise your hands online if you would like to make public comments as well.

1:34

We'll begin with the folks that we have here in person.

1:38

And then we'll turn it over to the folks that we have online.

1:42

For in person, Mr.

1:44

Crowley, I think you're the only one.

1:45

If you wouldn't mind taking a seat, okay.

1:52

All right, sir.

1:52

Good morning.

1:54

Mr.

1:55

Crowley, we have an agenda we have to get to, if you wouldn't mind.

2:05

All right.

2:07

If we can begin his time, thank you.

2:10

Hey, you're a liar.

2:12

Today is Jimmy Roof Brothers' birthday.

2:14

That's my offad.

2:16

The day she was born on.

2:18

She told the truth.

2:19

She was stand up for real.

2:21

Now look me in my eyes.

2:23

I brought it down here just so you can see nothing but my eyes.

2:29

You cheated in.

2:30

Teeted in public official here in Detroit.

2:34

You know it.

2:35

I told you so many times, and you're a liar.

2:38

Dennis Winfrey been teething in elections for I believe over 15 years.

2:45

But I can prove 2020.

2:48

2021.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Contract Management███████████████████████████27%
Procedural███████████████████19%
Public Transit████████████████16%
Engineering And Infrastructure████████████12%
Transportation█████5%
Historic Preservation█████5%
Public Comment████4%
Zoning and Land Use███3%
Health Services██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Detroit Public Health and Safety Standing Committee Meeting - March 23, 2026

The Public Health and Safety Standing Committee met on March 23, 2026, at approximately 9:00 AM. The meeting was called to order by the Chair, with Councilmembers Gabriela Santiago Romero and Mary Waters present; Councilmember Denzel McCampbell joined later. The committee quickly moved through a truncated agenda due to budget season, approving multiple contracts and deferring several memos. A notable walk-on resolution to establish free bus fare for K-12 students was introduced and sent to the full council for approval.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Mr. Crowley (in-person) accused the Chair and others of lying, alleging election fraud by Dennis Winfrey and referencing specific dates (May 9, April 25) and a report by Conrad Mallett Jr. He was cut off after his time expired.
  • Betty A. Varner (online) , President of the De Soda Elsewhere Black Association, announced a free health fair on Saturday, April 18, 2026, from 10 AM to 1 PM at 7151 Finco Avenue (Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church). Services include free eye exams, health screenings by Detroit Community Health Connections, DMC, and others, open to all Detroit Metro residents.
  • Brother Cunningham (online) advocated for free bus fare for all, criticizing DDOT for inadequate and unreliable service, especially evenings and weekends. He noted a Pittsburgh program offering half-off bus fare for SNAP recipients. The Chair acknowledged his comments and referenced a later agenda item on student free fare.
  • Caller "owner Papa" (online) expressed frustration over blight violations not being enforced, claimed Detroit is #1 in STDs, and criticized leadership for moral failings and failing to address dirty dirt after snow melt.
  • Caller ending in 169 (online) requested DDOT budget priorities: expand unarmed transit ambassadors, borderless paratransit, shelters and benches at 15% of stops, maintain stops, free fares for all students, and study a free fare system.

Discussion Items

  • Approval of Minutes (Item 1) : Minutes from the last session were approved unanimously without objection.
  • Unfinished Business (Items 5.1-5.7): Memos on after-hours establishments (5.1), city cameras (5.2), blight violations (5.3), eviction moratorium (5.4), public restrooms (5.5), quitclaim deeds (5.6), and commercial buildings with liens/demolition (5.7) were either received and filed or deferred for 1-2 weeks.
  • New Business - Contracts (Items 6.1-6.14): Discussed and approved numerous contracts:
    • 6.1: Smart intersection data collection (LogIQ software, Vancouver, Canada) – 8-month extension, anonymized data shared with Wayne State. Approved.
    • 6.2: ADA paratransit services (Del Ray United Action Council, Detroit) – increased by $11,741,450.14 to total $18,447,122.49. Approved.
    • 6.3: DPD 2nd Precinct building improvements (D'Angelus Diamond Construction) – time extension through June 2026. Approved.
    • 6.4: DDOT uniform contract (Enterprise Uniform, Detroit) – 2-year, $324,295. Approved.
    • 6.5: Tow truck parts (Worldwide Equipment Sales, Livonia) – 3-year, $100,000. Approved.
    • 6.6: Stabilization of commercial structures (DMC Consultants, Detroit) – extension for Vaughn's Bookstore at 12115 Dexter. Approved.
    • 6.7: Police uniforms (Enterprise Uniform) – increase of $220,000 to total $440,000. Typo in TEDA report noted and corrected; approved.
    • 6.8: Tow truck repair (Bill Jones Enterprises, Taylor) – 3-year, $200,000. Approved.
    • 6.9: Ending HIV epidemic grant (Wayne State) – $995,269.80 through Feb 2029. Approved.
    • 6.10: Bus repair (ABC Bus Inc., Fairbault, MN) – 5-year, $2 million. Approved.
    • 6.11: Deferral recommendation for 18816 Cardany. Approved.
    • 6.12: Grant application to Michigan Recycle Coalition for FY2026 community education. Approved.
    • 6.13: Accept FY2026 Ryan White HIV/AIDS grant. Approved.
    • 6.14: Accept $2,000 cash donation from Community Economic Development Association of Michigan for Office of Mobility Innovation – used to retain a fellow. Approved.
  • Resolutions (6.15-6.16):
    • 6.15: Resolution declaring March 18 as Don Eason Day. Approved.
    • 6.16: Resolution establishing March 2026 as Women's History Month. Approved.
  • Petitions (6.17-6.22):
    • 6.17-6.20: Vacations for alleys (DD Metro LLC, Hispanic Manufacturing Center, Detroit Land Bank, Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment) – all approved.
    • 6.21: Downtown Detroit Partnership smart city interactive kiosks locations – approved.
    • 6.22: Detroit Blight Busters vacation for Orchard Village Apartment Complex – approved.
  • Memos (6.23-6.26): All deferred for two weeks: cannabis zoning compliance, documented abandonment at 10631 Woody, emergency demolition process, city response to missing persons.
  • Walk-On Resolution: Free Fare for Students K-12: A resolution to make DDOT free for students ages 5-19 was walked on. Director Robert Kramer explained it would be a 6-month temporary change (April 1 onward) funded through DDOT's current budget, allowing data collection and community outreach for a more permanent program. Councilmember McCampbell and Santiago Romero co-sponsored. Approved and sent to new business.

Key Outcomes

  • Unanimous approval of all contracts (6.1-6.14) and resolutions (6.15-6.16) with recommendations to formal or new business.
  • Deferred memos (5.1, 5.3, 5.4, 5.6, 5.7, 6.23-6.26) for 1-2 weeks for additional information.
  • Walk-on resolution for free student bus fare sent to full council with recommendation to approve.
  • Public comment received on election fraud allegations, health fair announcement, DDOT service complaints, blight enforcement, STD rates, and transit priorities.
  • Next meeting: No specific date announced; memos will return per the deferred schedules.

Meeting Transcript

Good morning, everyone. I would like to call to order our public health and safety standing committee for today, March 23rd, 2026. May the clerk please call the roll. Yes, good morning. Councilmember Gabriela Santiago Romero. Good morning, present. Councilmember Denzel and Tom McCampbell. Member McCampbell mentioned that he's on his way. The clerk will know. Councilmember Mary Waters. Present. Madam Chair, we have quorum. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Given the quorum, we'll go right into the agenda for today. Just another notes that we are in budget. So we're gonna go into the agenda rather swiftly. First item is approval of our minutes. We did receive our minutes from our last session. If there's a motion to hearing no objections, our minutes will be approved from our last session. No chair remarks for me, other than just reminder of our truncated time. So I'm gonna go through jump into public comment for us this morning. Public comment is now open. If you would like to make public comment, please raise your hands now. A cut off public comment in two minutes. So at 9 07, public comment will be cut off. I will first begin with the folks that we have here in person. I believe we have Mr. Crowling. Who else do we have? Please raise your hands. Understood. Please raise your hands if you're here to make public comments. All right, thank you. And please raise your hands online if you would like to make public comments as well. We'll begin with the folks that we have here in person. And then we'll turn it over to the folks that we have online. For in person, Mr. Crowley, I think you're the only one. If you wouldn't mind taking a seat, okay. All right, sir. Good morning. Mr. Crowley, we have an agenda we have to get to, if you wouldn't mind. All right. If we can begin his time, thank you. Hey, you're a liar. Today is Jimmy Roof Brothers' birthday. That's my offad. The day she was born on. She told the truth.

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