Detroit City Council Internal Operations Committee Meeting - March 25, 2026
Detroit City Council Internal Operations Committee Meeting - March 25, 2026
The Detroit City Council Internal Operations Committee met on March 25, 2026, with Chair Angela Whitfield Callaway presiding. Councilmembers present: Angela Whitfield Callaway, Scott Benson; Renata Miller was excused. The meeting included public comments, discussion of litigation and settlement items, and a focus on addressing disruptive behavior in the chambers.
Public Comments & Testimony
- In-Person Comments:
- Mr. Cuttingham expressed support for free or reduced bus fares for low-income residents (using Bridge Card) and urged the council to provide bus tickets and validation for residents attending public comment.
- Mr. Ruben Crowley made disruptive and profane accusations against council members, alleging a cover-up of a murder and referring to council using vulgar language. He was removed from the chamber after a brief recess.
- Virtual Comments:
- William M. Davis called for reducing lawsuits against the city, increasing voter turnout, and improving police information sharing per district.
- Owner Papa criticized the treatment of Black residents, referenced a raid on Councilmember Benson's home, and questioned the city's indemnification practices. She also disparaged Councilmember Benson's past conduct.
- Betty A. Varner, president of DeSoda Ellsworth Block Association, provided information on the MI Choice Waiver program for seniors and disabled individuals to receive in-home care and become eligible for Medicaid.
- Foster urged compassion and referenced Martin Luther King Jr., stating that unaddressed grievances can lead to violence, and called on the government to be proactive.
- A caller ending in 124 complained about being ignored by council, asked whether a data center is planned at the state fairgrounds, and criticized the lack of response to her concerns about the elections department.
Discussion Items
- Unfinished Business:
- Line item 6.1 (status of law department representation for inspector Cappy Williams) was removed per the law department.
- Line item 6.2 (status of memo about mayoral appointments to the tenants' rights commission) was brought back in three weeks.
- New Business - Settlements:
- 7.1: Settlement in Kenneth Mann vs. City of Detroit for $60,000 – approved and sent to formal session.
- 7.2: Settlement in Lavon Hill vs. City of Detroit for $4,000 – brought back in one week.
- 7.3: Settlement in Eric Lloyd vs. Auto Club Group Insurance for $15,000 – approved.
- 7.14: Settlement in McCann vs. City of Detroit (transportation) for $255,000 – approved.
- 7.15: Settlement in Navit Solutions LLC et al. vs. City of Detroit for $2,861 – approved.
- 7.16: Settlement in Bloomfield Hills Surgery Center et al. vs. City of Detroit for $25,000 – approved.
- 7.17: Settlement for $45,000 (case details not specified) – approved.
- 7.18: Settlement in Damon Ash vs. City of Detroit for $67,500 – approved.
- New Business - Legal Representation and Indemnification:
- Items 7.4, 7.7, 7.8, 7.9, 7.10, 7.12 (related to a police arrest dispute) were consolidated and approved to formal session with a recommendation to approve. Law department stated officers acted in good faith.
- 7.5: Representation for detective Donald Upshaw – approved to formal.
- 7.6 and 7.11: Representation for officer Demetrius Curtis and related case – combined and approved to formal.
- 7.13: Representation for sergeant Orlando Doveen Harper – brought back to a date to be determined for potential closed session.
- New Business - Ordinances and Memoranda:
- 7.19: Councilmember Waters’ memo on an ordinance amending the tenants’ rights commission – brought back in three weeks.
- 7.20: Councilmember Santiago-Romero’s memo on AI and Oracle system policies – referred to DOIT and brought back date to be determined.
Key Outcomes
- The committee approved multiple settlements and legal representation items, mostly without objection, moving them to formal session.
- Councilmember Benson made a motion to start tracking dates and times of disruptive public comment behavior, particularly incidents involving profanity and threats. The motion was referred to LPD (Legislative Policy Division). He also requested information from the health department on mental health support services for the public.
- Councilmember Callaway directed the law department to research and provide a draft of a sign listing prohibited behaviors in the meeting chamber, to be delivered by end of day.
- Both motions were passed without objection.
- Member report announcements included:
- Deadline for senior solid waste discount (50% reduction on garbage fees) is April 15, 2026; call 313-224-3560.
- 312 new speed humps planned for 2026; residents can opt out by April 24.
- DPD 12th precinct Easter egg hunt on April 4, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Palmer Park; RSVP to Sgt. McGee at 313-596-1221.
- Free lead testing for Detroiters (children and adults) available through the Health Department at 313-876-0133.
Meeting Transcript
If the clerk could so kindly call the roll. Good morning. Councilman Ramsa Winfield Callaway. Present. Councilmember Scott Benson. Councilmember Renata Miller. She has an excused absence today, sir. The clerk will so note. Madam Chair Dakota. Thank you so much. We have invocation. Miss JC is our um pastor on the line to provide invocation. Good morning, Madam Chair. The pastors here. We have Rev. Dr. Melvin Andrew Davis from New Prospect Missionary Baptist Church. Good morning, Reverend Davis. How are you? Good morning, uh, Councillor Callaway. I'm well. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you today for the gift of leadership and for the opportunity to serve our community. We lift up our council member Angela Whitfield Callaway and her entire team before you. Lord, grant them the wisdom to make sound decisions, courage to stand for what is right, and the compassion for the people they have been called to serve. Lord God, their conversations and their planning and their work today so that it leads to peace, progress, and the common good for all. In your holy name we pray. Amen. Amen. Thank you, Pastor Davis, and welcome again to Detroit. We are so happy that you are the leader of new um Prospect Missionary Baptist Church on the corner of Pembroke and Livernoy and Stopo. Um I love you. Thank you so much for the welcome. Absolutely. I tried to get you to get that nine million dollar um bishop mansion over there. Remember, we talked about that when I came to the church a few months back when you first came to the channel. If it's not it, if it's not purchased, we'll get it soon. Well, guess what? Guess what, Pastor Davis? It sold for $800,000 about two months ago. It was missed for $9 million about 18 months ago, and just recently it sold for I think was $800,000. So we've missed our opportunity. Oh, we pray for another one. Lord, that's a miracle. It is a miracle. But thank you so much, and I'll see you at church service real soon. God bless you. All right. It's from Alabama, and that church had um didn't have a permanent pastor after the passing of Wilma. The community, but he is doing an amazing job.
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