Tuesday, April 14th, 2026.

Good morning, Madam Clerk.

Good morning, Mr.

President.

All right.

Will you please call the roll?

Councilmember Scott Benson.

Councilmember Letitia Johnson, present.

Councilmember Denzel and Tom McCampbell.

Present.

Council Member Renata Miller.

Councilmember Gabriela Santiago Romero, present.

Councilmember Mary Waters, present.

Councilmember Angela Whitfield Callaway.

Council President Pro Tem Commune Ayon a second.

Here.

Council President James Tate.

Here.

Mr.

President, you have a quorum.

Thank you, ma'am.

We have a quorum's meetings with now in session.

We will now begin the collection of public comment cards.

Those are the individuals who would like to speak before this body.

If you're in person, if you're in the committee of the whole and you would like to speak before this body, you have an opportunity to do so very shortly.

Just raise your hand, and someone from the team will provide you with one of these cards, and we will get you in the queue if you're at home.

Watch it on Zoom.

Hit that button and raise your hand that way, we'll collect your information and put you in the queue in that capacity as well.

We will now have this morning's invocation.

Providing this morning's invocation is none other than Pastor Kessler Humphreys.

Should we come forward, please?

Of the daughters of Anna Ministries.

Thank you for joining us this morning.

Yeah, you can give a round of applause.

Thank you for joining us this morning.

We appreciate you so much.

And uh the floor is yours.

Good morning.

Good morning and praise our God.

To our wonderful mayor, Mayor Mary Sheffield, in her absence.

Please, I want her to know that she has our prayers and have our support.

To the president leader of this great council, Councilman James Tate, to President Pro Tam at large, Coleman A.

Young the second.

And I would be remiss if I didn't acknowledge the leadership of District Four, of which I reside, Councilman Letitia Johnson, to the head of every department represented, to the police chief and fire chief of our great city, and if there's any clergy present, I acknowledge you and thank God for your love and obedience and serving the body of Christ to every family, man, woman, boy, and girl, and to my neighbors and fellow citizens, which comprise of the very fabric of this city.

A big thank you to Kalia for this honorable invitation to invoke the presence of God.

And last but never least, to my own husband, Andrew, whom without I could not do what I do.

Unless the Lord watch the city, the watchman watches in vain.

Let's go before the throne of grace, kind and gracious father.

Before I ask you for anything, I first want to thank you for everything.

I thank you that you were so gracious and kind to keep us through the night and to wake us this morning as once again we find ourselves sound in our minds and in our bodies.

I thank you that even as we speak, you are holding back the forces of evil that would seek to destroy us.

But your strong hand of love, mercy, and protection is upon us, and the blood of Jesus will prevail, and it will never lose its power.

So now I ask that your anointing be upon each one of these that you have selected from among the masses to serve the people of this great city called Detroit for such a time as this.

Lord, I pray that you give knowledge and wisdom in every decision that is made.

Give each one to open their vows of compassion and considering the poor and marginalized of our city, and give them strength and courage to perform the duties that they've been asked that they've been tasked with, and to perform them with humility, honesty, integrity, and without hesitation, and to make us that great metropolis that I believe you intend for us to be.

Lord, remember our medical community, those that watch over us when we're sick and in need of health care, guide our judicial system, and I pray that you bless our educational system and every legitimate business establishment, and if it be your will, Lord, add to us in number, in commerce, and in trade.

And if it be your will, Lord, add to us in number, in commerce, and in trade.

Lastly, we will agree with the writer of Psalm 91 and 2.

We will say of you, Lord, that you are our refuge and our fortress.

You're our God, and in you will we trust.

We pray this in the matchless and powerful name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and we say amen.

It is so and so it is.

Thank you.

Pastor Humphrey, thank you so much.

And I'm not sure if you have the opportunity or the ability to stick around with us.

We would love to have you, but totally understand if your schedule does not allow.

How many won?

All right, gotcha.

We all won in the city of Detroit.

I will tell you that because we have a gentleman.

If you watched the Super Bowl, you saw him running up and down the field, and he's been doing that for 11 years in the NFL.

And that is none other than Mr.

Sean Smith.

Mr.

Sean Smith, referee Sean Smith.

Come on down, thank you.

Referee Smith, now come on this way.

We want to let everybody see your face.

Um Smith, excuse me, uh, really stands as an example of what uh we have to offer uh in the city of Detroit.

He's a Cody and Lum, Cody alum, uh, right here uh in the city of Detroit now district seven.

Um and I'll start off with uh Sean Smith's story begins uh again right here in the city of Detroit, and it reflects what steady commitment can lead to over time.

A graduate, as I mentioned, of Cody High School, he is he stood out as an athlete and went on to compete at Eastern Michigan before continuing his education at Fair State University, where he earned his uh degree in accountancy.

Uh uh that focus and attention to detail would later uh define his work as an official in the NFL.

His journey into officiating started early.

He was first working as a Pop Warner uh referee as a young man and continue uh while at Eastern Michigan University and then officiating high school games while at Fair State.

Those early years on those Michigan fields shaped his approach and built the consistency and control that has carried him forward.

Sean Smith entered the NFL in 2015 as an umpire and earned the role of referee in 2018.

Over time, he worked his way into the postseason assignments uh and is a trusted uh alternate for multiple Super Bowls.

This past season, he reached a new level and took us with him Detroit.

Uh in his 11th year in the league, he was selected as the head referee of Super Bowl 60.

Now that's a round of applause.

That alone is a big deal.

But you know, we want to talk about the historic uh portion of that.

Uh, he has become the only the fourth uh black lead official in NFL history to do so.

That's that he has shared in media interviews that uh in that moment uh during the coin toss, there was a little bit of nerves.

That's to be understood, even a professional as a man of himself.

Um that tells you everything again about this man, and it all started as I said before, right here in the city of Detroit.

His journey is a reminder to our young people and to Detroit as across the city that consistency uh matters and hard works plays hard work pays off.

He represents what is possible when you stay committed to your path.

It is my honor, ladies and gentlemen, to stand before you and present uh to him this testimonial resolution signed by all my colleagues, and on behalf of this body, as well as the residents of the city of Detroit, ladies and gentlemen, please uh join me in congratulating Mr.

Sean Smith, referee and accountant and a counselor.

Y'all do better than that.

We want to give you an opportunity to provide a few words, please.

Well, first of all, I would like to say thank you all.

Um it was just a uh a really proud moment.

Um when I started out down this journey, um I had no idea where it would take me.

And uh never knew that officiating would be a life changing moment.

Um, you know, I'm a I'm a kid from the uh Herman Gardens, exit nine, as they say today.

Um and you know, I never knew where athletics would take me.

I you know, I uh growing up wanted to be a uh NFL player by my mom's house.

Um when I realized I wasn't gonna be an NFL player, uh, continue on to get my education, and uh once I started uh you know family early, I wanted to get back into sports in some capacity and still have a job.

And uh I found that officiating gave me that satisfaction where I can have work life balance, uh, be able to have my family be able to continue down my my career path and still be involved in sports.

But the goal when I got into it wasn't to make it to the NFL, make it to the Super Bowl, it was just to be involved in the game.

And um I can say where this football has taken me, the officiating capacity, the folks, my brothers that sit there, um, the impact that I've made, you know, across the country, and and just the the uh support that I received from the city when I when that assignment and it went public, it was just overwhelming.

It was just overwhelming because there was the folks from Herman elementary school from Rutterman, you know, middle school, from Cody, from Ferris, from former employers, everybody was excited, and I was just you know glad to be a part of that that journey and could give folks some excitement about you know getting to the Super Bowl.

And it was just it was just an amazing experience.

I was able to take my family there.

Um, for those that had never been to the Super Bowl, and it was just it was just amazing.

And everything about it has just been great.

So I'm I'm just truly, truly, truly honored to be here before you today to accept this on behalf of Detroit.

I I take Detroit with me everywhere I go.

Um, you know, never plan on leaving.

Um, this is this is home.

We'll always be home.

You know, even when I'm on the field, I'm always looking for a kid from Detroit.

Tell them I went to Cody, and we go back and forth.

Normally it's a kid from CAS, but we go back and forth about it.

But um, it's just always fun.

And you know, it's just much respect.

I appreciate the console.

I appreciate everyone who had something to do with this.

I was definitely surprised.

My wife didn't tell me anything.

My boy's sitting there in the back.

We were on a call last night, they didn't mention anything.

You know, I see Horatio in the airport, nobody mentioned anything.

So, you know, I owe you guys all something.

But you know, like I said, I'm I'm just very, very, very thankful for this honor.

And it's just truly a privilege.

And uh thank you guys.

Thank you.

So, member Benson, uh, if you look on this gentleman's wristband here, you'll see that he's wearing the old black.

Oh, I say the black and go.

Alpha O6.

I ain't gonna get home six.

So we uh so I learned about this prior to even calling out into the media about Brother Horatio, and I appreciate you for passing that information on.

I know you indicated you have some other uh referees who are here as well.

You guys can stand up, please.

So you see he's wearing TSL.

Although you know, you know.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um, I just want to say congratulations to Sean Smith.

Um, he and my husband actually refereed together, uh Tony Davis.

The only question I have is why didn't you take him along with you?

But I I just text him to let him know that we were providing you with this testimonial resolution, and he asked me to tell you congratulations.

So thank you for representing the city of Detroit in the way that you do, showing our young people who they can be and what they can become.

So thank you for being being a shining example of a Detroit kid.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

So it's always good to see a good alpha man up here, uh leading the way something that we're used to.

But when you often see umpires and referees at that level, you all don't look like you are unfit.

So, what is a typical physical fitness regimen for you all?

I mean, you're running, you're you're leaping, you're you're avoiding.

I mean, so you gotta be in pretty good physical shape.

What do you all do to stay in that shape?

Um, so for me, I I've always been an athlete or claim to be an athlete.

I'll never be able to keep up with the kids there or the men that are on that field.

Um, they're always gonna be the same age as I continue to get older and slow down.

But uh my my motto is I just want to look like I can keep up with that.

That's half the battle, because I know I can't keep up with them.

But no, it takes a lot of discipline getting to the gym, um, and you know, trying to balance that diet.

I love my sweets, but you have to stay away from the sweets, but just getting into the gym and just trying to keep that discipline, because as you age you gain a little bit more, but it's all about just trying to look like you fit as opposed to being fit.

So that's half a book.

Thank you.

Uh Miss Smith, I would just say thank you so much for all you do and for paving the way for so many and being a pride of District Seven and Cody High School.

Um, seeing you in that role.

I know um, are you myself as a as a fan of sports?

I I had knee problems, so I couldn't play sports, but to just see folks in that role, um, especially from the city of Detroit.

I just want to thank you and really give honor to all your accomplishments and to you, so thank you.

No, thank you.

And thank the council for that you do, because you guys don't really like realize it, but you're a lot like officials.

Because it's a no-win situation.

It's gonna be one of those teams that don't like us, even though we're out there just being a guardian of the rules, making sure that the game is played fair.

So sometimes it's a tough job.

And I can empathize with you guys because we're kind of in that same boat living in the in the glass bowl.

So appreciate the hard work and the commitment that you guys make for the city of Detroit, what you do because we know it takes a lot of hard work and compromise and sacrifice, and we appreciate you.

Thank you.

One more for you.

Um I'm a Miami.

I'm sorry, Miami Dolphin.

Um, and um, so we've gone to a few Super Bowls in our lifetime.

So I have been watching football for a very long time because of that connection.

So we know what you did on the field.

We watched you, and congratulations.

And you are the role model for not just young men, but young women too.

Young women too.

So thank you for being an excellent role model.

Thank you so much.

And I do regret to inform you that our system just went down.

So we're gonna have to recess to the call of the chair, but that's not gonna stop us from taking a photo, probably.

So we let's get that going.

Uh so I shall recess to the call of the chair until we get our um audio visual equipment back up.

Test one, two, three tests.

Yes.

We're good.

I heard that.

Like to call back to order for my session for today, April 14th, Thousand Twenty Four.

Madam Clark, please call the road.

Councilmember Scott Benson.

Councilmember Letitia Johnson.

Councilmember Denzel Anton McCampbell.

Present.

Present.

Councilmember Mary Waters.

Councilmember Angela Wickfield Callaway.

Council President Pro Tim Coleman Ayon the second.

Council President James Tate.

Mr.

President, you have a corn.

Thank you.

We have a corn, which means we're now back in session again.

Apologize for the uh break in the action, if you will, because of the mechanical failure or the tech failure.

We're working through that, y'all.

We just had uh referee Sean Smith who joined us.

It's a blessing to have him here with us today.

But we have some other special guests who are joining us, and I will pivot to member McCampbell to give their introduction.

Member McCameron.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Um, I would like to take a moment to welcome the amazing students from Noble Elementary and Middle School and District 7.

Uh the night.

We have more than 20 students here joining us, and I thank them for being here to see their city government at work.

And uh I know I know we have like a future council member, future mayor, you know, um, and leaders of all manners here with us today um in this group.

And I'm especially glad that they're here as we have a conversation and take action around what our young folks need here in the city of Detroit and their city of Detroit.

So they must be a part of that conversation and lead that conversation.

So I also wanted to thank my colleagues for also helping to make sure that they feel that they feel welcome here and to the students.

I just want to welcome you to your Detroit City Council and will y'all please stand for recognition.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

And um, they will be around, they're gonna hear from uh, of course, members of council and also members of administration.

So um they'll be around this morning.

If other colleagues want to say hello to them, please do so.

Thank you.

All right, thank you so much, and welcome again, students.

Thank you for being here.

Uh, we will now cut off the collection of public comment cards.

Uh, madam clerk.

Uh we will proceed to the budget, audit, and finance standing committee.

A submittal of a memorandum.

The memorandum will be referred to the budget finance and audit standing committee for the internal operations standing committee.

Three reports from the law department.

The three reports will be referred to the internal operations standing committee for the neighborhood and community services standing committee, madam clerk.

One report from the mayor's office.

The one report will be referred to the neighborhood and community services standing committee for the planning and economic development standing committee.

Two reports from various city departments.

The two reports will be referred to the planning and economic development standing committee for the public health and safety standing committee.

Six reports from various city departments.

The six reports will be referred to the public health and safety standing committee.

We will now move to voting action matters under other matters, madam clerk.

There are no items, Mr.

President.

Under communication from the mayor and government officials and agencies.

There are no items, Mr.

President.

All right, we will now call for public comment.

We have a number of individuals who have raised their hand.

We're going to give everyone two minutes for public comment today, both in person and online.

For those who have not been here before, once your two minutes are up, we will need you to release the microphone so that the next person will have an opportunity to speak.

Have to give everyone the same amount of time.

And we will not be providing uh commentary during your public comment.

We're going to wait until all of the public commenters have concluded, both online and in person, before we begin engaging in our comments on this side.

So just want to let you know if you have not been here before.

Followed by Rohelio Landine, followed by Betty Lyons.

Come on up to that microphone.

Yes, sir.

And when you see that, you know, see a button in front of that mic.

Uh, you're gonna push it into the red turns green next to it, right on the mic at the bottom of the base.

There you go.

Okay, good morning, guys.

Uh more.

As you guys been knowing, I started coming down here last November, but I've been studying with Judah and Ramon, right?

And I was looking over a lot of different um issues that's been going on in the city of Detroit, right?

And so I asked Food and I asked Ramon.

I'm like, is the mob squeezing the city council?

What's causing the issues?

The reason why the things that's going on in the city of Detroit, as far as the bonding, as far as the contracts, as far as a lot of things that's going on.

He say no, he say the mob not squeezing them.

He says um they're not getting scrolled by nobody.

So basically, what is going on is you guys are making these decisions when it comes down to the community and leaving the community out, and we voting you guys in.

My thing is it's time off for that.

The government is like going to catch up with guys.

It's like it's nowhere in the world that these moves can be keep putting down.

Then I have a question.

I'm just curious because I was looking at these contracts from last week, right?

They call me young junior, right?

Is it true that the contracts can be assigned to individuals outside of the city?

As mentioned, we're gonna give comment after everyone completely.

Okay, you know, I'm just curious, right?

Because I'm looking at it, like I'm looking at the 10 million dollar contract, another 10 million dollar contract, and I'm like, it's not going to the citizens of Detroit, they're going to outsiders.

And I'm like, if they squeezing y'all, why don't y'all put it on the floor?

Because if not, there's something has to give.

You know, and I'm not gonna hold you guys up no more, but I'm like, it's time out for it.

And I don't think that it's gonna keep blasting like that, man.

There's no way possible that these things can continue to happen, and the citizens of Detroit have to accept this, knowing that the corruption.

I was looking at some corruption cases from 2021.

Miss Light.

It's like it's a note writer that the corruption is just mandatory, huh?

Next speaker, bean, followed by Betty Lyons, followed by Fidel Listed Council, President Tate, Pro Tim Young, and everyone else.

Uh I hold you all in very, very high regard.

Uh, several weeks ago, you all took the initiative to pass a resolution for moratorium on data centers.

Subsequent to that, uh, I came and I expressed my wishes that you all would reconsider.

I'm here to double down on that.

And since then, um, I commend uh this council on I understand under the leadership of member Benson, who last Friday convened uh a group of folks to uh bring that under discussion.

But last week we heard the governor uh step up in no small way and take leadership and responsibility with uh and and the key word there is responsible data centers uh for the state.

Uh the mayor has acquired uh a fantastic human resource in Hillary Doe, who led the state in terms of the Grow Michigan initiative, which was a two-year study on population increase opportunity and growth for the state.

We now have that resources within the administration here uh in the city of Detroit, and we are the direct beneficiaries of that investment on the behind on behalf of the state that we can now incorporate into what we're doing here in the city.

My point is we have everything.

I brought a copy of El Central and an article that I wrote this week.

And perhaps the most important thing in here isn't the article itself, but the infographic of all the maps of DCs all over the country where we're at in the scheme of things.

I encourage you to read it.

Uh check out Crane's, check out the chronicle and uh review pancakes and politics where the governor uh came down with that.

Uh numbers pretty much sorry.

Thank you so thank you for the check.

Thank you.

Our next speaker, Betty Lyons, followed by Fidel L, followed by Faith Smith.

You have the preachers come here every week, but on council, you have evil.

Romero supports abortions, which is the spirit of Moloch.

She supports sexual perversion, and the STDs are exploding from that belief.

She and the rest of you supported Dugan, an evil man of Satan, who let those people at the Leland Tower be treated inhumane while he was in council, while he was mayor, and y'all backed everything.

You backed, you backed the stealing of 600 million dollars in stolen property tax from the Detroit people.

That's evil.

You continue to support evil, the support of these immigrants that are illegal.

That is wrong.

But you won't give justice to the ones who made Detroit, Detroit.

You won't give us our justice.

You sit up there every week, and now you have Mag Campbell.

Yeah, I keep thinking McDonald.

Um waters, and of course, Romero over all that evilness of support of the evil people that come to this country, but you won't support us your own, will you?

No, you won't.

You have these liquor stores all near the schools.

There you go.

The gas stations full of Muslims.

You let them do what they want, making money, beer cat cans everywhere, because you allow them to be around our neighborhood, but you go to Dearborn, go to Ham Trammon, go to South Phil.

They won't allow it.

So do what you're supposed to do.

Stop having these.

All right.

Next speaker for Dale L, followed by Faith Smith, followed by Brother Petter.

Hey, I was gonna address y'all, but talking to y'all is like talking to eight devils.

I'm gonna talk to the young people.

Don't be fooled with these people trying to get y'all down here.

I want y'all to pick up this right here, and look how many millions of dollars they give it to companies that's in Nova, Plymouth, Michigan, all outside of Detroit.

Don't none of y'all stay there, nor do y'all parents get there.

Don't be fooled by these suckers.

They suck a ducks.

They we got millions of dollars, and they don't give.

Here's my proof to that.

When you walk in here, you seen any construction, you see white man's and Mexicans.

You got the airs running our parking lot, but they got y'all down here to show you this big beautiful building.

They got billions of dollars to my so-called gangsters out in the street.

I say y'all thugs because thugs kill other black people, other black, and robber.

If you a gangster, you'll put pressure on this city council, your mayor.

That's a real gangster.

You understand me?

They got billions in dollars.

Ain't nobody you ever robbed in your life had billions in dollars.

So you gangsters, y'all gotta step up.

Last but not least.

This is why I call y'all the lowest form, low life, no good, son of a gun.

But y'all Christians, some of y'all college educated, and most importantly, y'all democrats.

James Tax, you've been on this city council since 2010.

You have promised that you're gonna do something in the neighborhood in 16 years.

Downtown look beautiful, but our neighborhood looked like pure detract.

You didn't even know what was going on on Seven Mile and Greenfield.

And guess what?

There's a slew of apartments like that.

McCampbell, come up Joy Road, Chicago, Plymouth, and go all the way down to Living North.

You're gonna see the same thing again.

Where these gangsters at next speaker for Dale, excuse me.

Next speaker, Faith Smith, followed by Brother Cunningham, followed by Ruben James Crowley Jr.

Um, I want to know how do y'all feel about um I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

Please please do not disturb the young people.

Gonna ask you not to disturb the young people.

Folks just want to get on YouTube, want to get on podcast.

You can you can leave.

All right, yes, ma'am, Miss Faith Smith.

Thank you for joining us.

Um, I want to know how y'all feel about what Mary Shift has said.

Pull that mic in front of you because we want to hear every word you have.

I want to know how y'all feel about what Mary Sheffield said was best for the kids in Detroit.

Say it one more time for I want to know how y'all feel about what Mary Sheffield said was best for the kids in Detroit.

Oh, about investing in the kids in Detroit.

Like what's best for the kids in Detroit.

Okay.

So what I don't know how are you a member of Noble?

Okay.

I don't know how long you all are sticking around.

We'll make sure we have that.

I'm gonna have that conversation with you because we you have protocol here where we are making sure that we have all the comments afterwards.

But I will tell you that we are in support of our young folks, uh, without a shadow of a doubt.

We're looking to find ways to improve uh their lives, your lives.

Um, but again, we'll have more conversation afterwards, brother Cunningham.

313 313, 444, 9114, 313, 444, 9114.

313, 444, 9114.

The numbers made so you can remember it this Thursday, April 16th.

Um, the meeting starts at 5 p.m.

via Zoom, the D DOC input meeting.

We're meeting at 43 at 7700 2nd Avenue, Detroit, Michigan, 4202, 5th floor.

Um, we normally um do these in the in the middle of the hybrids that D dot has.

We do like uh uh a hybrid um in those offices, and we have pizza, we have wings, um, and I find a way somehow to get the get the scrounge up, uh 31 day passes, and we uh raffle those off, and those are worth 70 for I mean, guess all most of y'all under the sign of my voice.

That's no money to me.

That's money.

70 that's a savings for a person, and it's two um 31 day passes will be wrapped off, raffled off on that day.

If you would like a flyer, I have physical flyers, or you can text me, say flyer 313 444 9114, and someone on Facebook who's been regularly coming to the meetings.

She's seen the post about it, the hybrid and the pizza and stuff like that, and she's been coming on regular, and I give her a ride.

So a person wants to ride there in back.

We can do that.

Um, so it's 313 444 9114.

Again, this is the input meeting.

We're having a uh our own hybrid.

We have phones or phones around the table.

Um, asking people to bring their charger and their phone if they have it, and shout outs to Mr.

Renard, uh, who partners with me on these hybrids in between the hybrid that D dot has.

So uh just thank you very much.

Uh everybody stay prayed up.

There's a lot going on.

Yes, sir.

Thank you, brother Cunningham.

My next speaker, Ruben James Proudly Jr., followed by Rail Stewart, followed by Claude Norwell.

This horrible morning.

It's time to now start, including not limited to be moved for purposes and uh temporary fan from the city clerk's office of other city facilities.

Hey, this is a letter from Comrade Mallet Jr.

I got it Saturday morning.

I just opened it up.

It's a warning about disorderly conduct.

I caught Janet Winfrey, Gina Avery Barker, and Daniel Baxley cheating in Detroit Alexis.

You a liar.

Y'all, y'all cheating in.

Every last one of you.

And Angela Whitfield Callaway, you can sit over there and play like you are AKA.

I got AKA's on my line on my list, a long list.

You should check with some of them and find out how I'm cut for real for real.

Since you want to perpetrate, and Scott Benson, I told you who I was.

I ain't lying, I'm young blood for real.

From the boots of projects in 1980, and real from the back seat of that black limousine.

The black limousine at the Charlie Plaza apartments parking garage when I was 17.

I built that Detroit people move right there.

I put the tracks on it.

I was the leader of the track team at the age of 17.

My first take-home check was 2356.

When I got kicked out of high school by Woodhouse in 11th grade, I ain't got no reason to lie about nothing.

I am young blood.

And I'm now missing role.

Hey, oh, y'all cheated in public officials, meaning well, but she won't.

She won't that tag of suicide up off her mama, Kenisha Coleman, DPD case 20-11 112.

And now I gotta do what I gotta do.

Oh, y'all cheated in.

And I ain't lying about sugar honey ice tea.

Jenny's been cheating, I believe, for 15 years, but I can prove since 2020.

And I gave the information to Donald Trump.

Comrade Mallet, and it's better to smoke B.

Thank you.

Next speaker, the real steward by followed by Claude Nurwood, followed by Katherine Geiton.

I'm actually a resident of course.

So let me read this and say what's happening here with us.

What happened to us was now suddenly reserved of long-term neglect.

Mr.

Stewart, can you put a mic in front of you, Mr.

Speaker?

Oh, yes, so we can hear you.

Um didn't happen overnight, conditions declined over time.

System broke down.

Um was done to stop it by the member by the um owner and the city agencies responsible.

And I'm gonna quote something but say it here.

My man Sean said something.

You guys are referees to make sure the game is played right.

The game not being played right for us.

And I want to mention this, it's been a sense of I think core more comorbidity, blood pressure roles, people going to the hospital.

That's been my crew because of just that stress.

Something gotta be done about this because I'm serious.

I got friends that their ailments and medical conditions escalated because of worry, anxiety, things like that.

Um you guys are the referees.

Please make sure the game is played right.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Our next speaker, Claude Hillwood, followed by Catherine Geigton, followed by Karen Lippowitz.

Good morning, City Council.

My name is Claude Nowood.

I'm an elected official for the city of Detroit, District 7.

And I represent the community advisory council.

I've been down here.

I spoke with you guys a few times before, and it's about the same subject, and that is city chairman.

What the city charter states.

Detroit City government is a service institution that recognizes its subordinates to the people of Detroit.

And the problem again that we keep talking about every time I come down here is that the city charter needs to be admitted.

Now our work throughout the city goes from east to west.

Although I was elected in District 7, we have no boundaries.

And you know what?

Through our findings, we go through the city all the time.

District one to seven.

I never run across any of you guys in the city.

None of you.

Only one person I run across.

And that's Miss Watches.

But you know who my main endorser is?

My main supporter.

Denzel McCamp.

Even when I'm down here speaking on different issues that's going on, he and his staff prepares information so that I could present it on our YouTube page, TikTok, Instagram.

I run across none of you people.

And that's not to put no shade on you.

I know you're very busy.

Thank you so much.

Next speaker, Catherine Guyden, followed by Karen Lippowitz, followed by Stephen Rimmer.

Good morning.

My name is Catherine Guyton.

I'm a resident of the League House and a member of the Detroit Tenant Union.

What we are going through is not just about housing, it is affecting our mental and physical health.

The stress of displacement, the uncertainty about the future, the instability.

People are struggling.

I am struggling.

And what about Mr.

Howard, Mr.

Howard?

We got word he passed away yesterday.

A Leland resident, displaced.

And he was battling cancer.

And during his final days, he had to go through this all along and losing his home, dealing with stress and uncertainty that no one should ever have to face at that point in their life.

That isn't humane.

That is inhumane, truly.

No one should have to spend their final days like that.

He couldn't call out on nobody.

When we were at the Leyland together, we were our unity.

We were a hall.

But he couldn't call on nobody because he was out there somewhere by itself.

The situation is not just about policy.

It is a human issue.

And it demands a real response.

The plan needs to move forward, regardless of what happens in court, because people cannot keep living like this.

And I say it's a travesty every day.

I am down to my last.

I'm losing weight, losing sleep.

I am tired.

I have a grandson.

That's just not an issue.

And he hasn't been in school all year.

I have run out of finances.

I am fed up to the sky.

This shouldn't even be we're going halfway through the year right now.

We're halfway through the year.

We left when it was freezing bicycle call, and we gotta go back in that building when it's hot as hell.

It's just not fair.

Next speaker, Karen Lippowitz, followed by Steven Rimmer, followed by Lat.

Oh, I'm sorry, followed by Joshua Mann.

Good morning, Council.

My name is Karen Lippowitz.

I'm uh reading a prepared statement from Faye Falconer, a Leland tenant who can't be here this morning.

She writes, this situation has hurt me in ways that are hard to fully put into words.

After more than 10 years at the Leland, I never imagined that my family and I would be forced into such a devastating situation with so little time to prepare.

What made it even more painful was that we were told one thing, relied on that information, and then we're suddenly faced to have to leave almost immediately.

It was shocking, overwhelming, and incredibly stressful.

I lost access to nearly everything I own, including clothes, furniture, family photos, jewelry, electronics, and irreplaceable personal items that can't be replaced.

My family and I were left with almost nothing, and the emotional toll has been enormous.

On top of that, I'm in nursing school, and I did not have any of my materials this semester, which made it even harder to keep up and stay focused during an already heartbreaking time.

This has affected every part of my life.

It has caused financial hardship, emotional distress, and a deep sense of instability.

I felt displaced, helpless, and burdened by the loss of the things that carried memories and value.

My family has not caused this, and yet we are the ones bearing the pain and the stress and the consequences.

The damage has been far greater than any material loss.

It has affected our peace, routine, and sense of security.

This has been going on for four months.

Four months.

With meetings, court sessions, council hearings, and no progress, nothing.

It has also required my time to go back and forth to hear the same thing again and again.

My gas money with no progress.

I can see that situations like this can clearly affect a person's physical and mental health.

Please help us.

Thank you.

Our country.

Myself, our legal team, Conrad Mallet, and the attorneys from City of Detroit all signed off on this agreement.

But right now, the plan is tied to the outcome of the bankruptcy case.

And that is a serious problem for us.

And the court, both the judge and the US trustee have raised possible has raised the possibility of the case being dismissed.

Concerns about the sale of the building, not having enough money to claim, pay off all of the claims in the case.

And we're being told that if the case is dismissed, the plan disappears.

This was said in the last bankruptcy hearing by corporation council.

They said if this case doesn't go through, the plan is done.

Residents' futures are being tied to a legal process that may not even continue.

And we are still in a pattern of instability and uncertainty.

We are asking for a clear commitment from this body.

The plan must move forward regardless of what happens with the bankruptcy court.

The city has the ability to act, and we need you all to do so.

There are a lot of issues going on here in the city of Detroit around housing in particular.

You see, Leland has one, but I think this is just one example of a broad issue that we're facing.

14% of properties in Detroit are compliant.

Only 14.

We saw the press release from Mayor Sheffield about the 61 properties that she's targeting.

We think that is a good step.

The Detroit Tenor Union would like to be a part of that process.

Because we saw in a Leland situation, three years went on with the city of Detroit stepping in, filing lawsuits, and it led to displacement of these people.

Not to mention Mr.

Howard passing away.

And think about these young folks that are here.

What is the city going to look like when they are able to get into housing?

Will they be able to rent here in Detroit?

Thank you.

The next speaker, Joshua Man, followed by our final in-person speaker, Ms.

Wendy Gill.

The time begins now, sir.

All right, students in the back.

Listen up.

Flock surveillance is something that y'all need to be fighting for.

Our city council's in a position where they can remove uh extreme surveillance system.

Uh that's taking away the privacy from everybody.

Privacy, something that you're gonna want, and something that you're gonna want for your children.

Everybody's entitled to it.

Oakland County just approved drone surveillance from flock.

This is insane.

You all have the power to take this away.

In 2024, the government mandated that all cars have to have interior camera surveillance by 2027.

We'll have no privacy in our cars.

We'll have facial recognition in our cars, audio monitoring from our cars to our telephone poles to our freeways to our phones, to our houses.

Use your power to save us, protect us and protect the generations of the future from this.

Ghost Murmur is a CIA AI app that's being implemented into these drones that can sense a heartbeat from 40 miles away.

They're using it to retrieve soldiers overseas.

So we're gonna have drones surveilling us that are monitoring us, watching us, can sense our heartbeats inside of our cars, inside of our air, inside of our telephone pools.

We owe it to the students in the future generations to protect them and let them experience the privacy that we were all blessed to have because that's a blessing, and it's a it's a birthright, it's a God-given gift that's being stripped away from us by people in power, and you have the power to remove this.

I hope you lose sleep over this.

You people really should look into this.

If you don't know what it is, look into flock, and you get this serious.

Thank you so much.

I'll finally speaker in person, Miss Wendy Deal.

Good morning, Ms.

Gil.

Ms.

Gill, can you put that mic down so we can hear?

Thank you.

Hi, I'm Wendy Gill.

I'm part of the leading group.

I lived at the leading for 10 years.

I'm with the Detroit tenants unit.

Um don't let our future depend on something that we have no control over.

We need certainty and we need stability.

Stability comes through money and home.

So I'm hoping that you all will um you know, okay.

What you already said before a couple weeks ago, that we get our money, we get a chance to move in, move out because it's affecting my family.

My family is uh, you know, I have grown children, but they have their children, and then a couple of my sons, they're not they're helping having a hard time with their family.

So, and that home gave me a cheap home, a very inexpensive home where I can take care of my family because I'm their grandmother.

So I don't know, I'm not a very good speaker, but I hope you understand what I'm saying.

And when you give money, money comes back to you.

When you give money, money comes, it's a spiritual thing.

When you give it, it comes back.

So don't be afraid to give us money what we our needs are.

Be the first be the first place in uh uh the United States, uh Detroit Black City with all the people here too.

That we're strong and we're for the people, and we make sure they all are wealthy and they can read and write and think.

Thank you, bye.

Thank you.

Just so you know, we do have called on the um law department to provide an update on where things stand with Leland House at the end of public comment.

We should now transition on to our online public commenters.

Team, how many callers do we have and who do we have first?

Good morning, Council President.

We have 17 callers online with our first caller being called and user.

Call and user, the floor is yours.

You have uh two minutes, general public comment.

Can I be heard?

Yes, ma'am.

James Tane, I would like for you to start doing more at council president to stop the drugs from being sold in on downtown on Michigan and Washington Boulevard.

This is really disgusting.

I would like for you as council president to start taking action other than breaking uh just brushing people off when it comes to these slum landlords having inhabitable environment that when you contact building and safety, they'll claim it's up the code.

Yet when we send you pictures and videos, regardless of the district, nothing gets done, and this has been going on continuous for more than 15 years, and I got evidence to show it, other than brushing me off and going to the next caller or having someone that is ghetto and ratchet, want to sit back and try to act like they're gonna check you on every single thing.

When people call your office, they expect actions to be done, not to be ignored, unlike what your staff does.

You're gonna have to do better as the president, and you're not doing your job.

I'm very disappointed, and I want you to know that.

And you know I'm gonna keep calling and asking, and I always back up whatever I complain about with audio tape and video.

Please do better.

You already allowed somebody to freeze to death, and you had no sympathy for them.

You allow ill immigrants to get housing before a woman lost her children, and you're gonna pay for that.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

Who you're next to the queue.

Our next caller is Betty.

All right, Betty, two minutes.

Betty, two minutes going once.

Betty, two minutes going twice.

Betty two minutes going three times.

Betty two minutes going three times in a third.

All right, Betty, you can submit your comments in writing.

Who am next to the queue?

Pro Tim Young.

Our next caller is going to be Darren McCleskey.

All right, Mr.

McCleskey, two minutes.

The floor is yours, sir.

Hi, good morning, counsel.

Thank you for hearing me.

Again, sorry for last week.

Um, it would be very helpful if you called out the future virtual callers, just like you do for in-person, because people who are calling it virtually are typically even more busy than the people who are there in person trying to pay attention.

It would just be very helpful and may save a net amount of time versus calling people back at the end.

Just a suggestion.

Okay.

Um, I know I talk a lot about the solar takings, which are still happening.

State fairground looks absolutely disgusting.

Please drive through that area.

A woman talked about a broken bus stop.

Go a block away.

There are four foot stumps everywhere that are just splintered.

There's I don't know about power lines, but all sorts of utility lines on the ground, mattresses piled up, tires everywhere.

You guys left it in a very disgusting state for over six months, and now that the snow's melted, it looks horrible.

Um, I don't know what the long-term goal is there, but as it comes to dirt and backfill and all of the inquiries going on there.

I appreciate you guys trying to rectify the situation.

One question I have is for the solar sites, because those all happened very recently, all those demolitions, probably 30, 40, 50 residential demolitions.

Are you guys gonna be removing solar panels and then digging under the solar panel arrays and in between solar panel arrays to take up dirty dirt and then replace it?

Because that could be a much bigger cost in addition to the 3.5 just for testing that you guys are talking about today.

That's in addition to the 7.7 million in attorney fees.

So as the costs explode, I think it makes sense to go slower and move smarter.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

Who do we have next to the queue?

Our next caller is going to be iPhone.

All right, iPhone, floor's yours too many.

Yeah, uh I've got a minute.

Huh?

Well, where is it?

Come on.

Good God.

Where's my time?

I can't I can't hear you.

Can you hear me?

Hello.

Hello.

Hello.

Mute.

You on mute.

Unmute yourself.

Here.

Wait a minute.

We're we're already hold on, hold on, hold on.

Start start a clock back.

All right, thank you.

All right, two minutes.

Sir Fucker.

God.

How do you do it?

How do you do it?

Where is that?

You didn't let me unmute.

You're on.

I can't hear you.

Can you hear?

You breaking up.

Can you hear?

No.

I'll get you now.

Go ahead.

We can start my time over.

I can't.

I can't.

I couldn't try all right.

Uh start o'clock over.

One more time.

One more game.

Start over.

Go ahead.

My God.

Can we like put her like let her call back or yeah, put her on hold and let her because she has a technical difficulty.

I don't want to.

Yes, bro.

Pro Tim Yeah, we'll put her in the um queue back over.

Who's next?

Our next caller is going to be Karam Imam at Detroit.gov.

Karam Imam, if I mispronounced that, I apologize.

Go ahead, two minutes.

Karam.

Going once.

Karam going twice.

Quran going three times.

Karam going three times in the third.

All right, Karan.

Submit your uh questions in writing.

Who we got next?

Next caller is going to be Mia Anderson.

Okay, Miss Anderson.

Floor is yours.

Two minutes.

Hold on now.

Two minutes.

Pro Tim Young, I believe that caller has dropped from the Zoom.

So can we move on to the next caller?

Respect.

Who's next in the call?

Next caller is going to be Melody Richards.

All right, Miss British.

Go ahead.

Floor is yours, two minutes.

My name is Melody Richards.

I am a resident of the Lebanon House.

And a member of DT uh U Union.

You've heard from all of us today, different stories, but the same reality.

We were displaced.

We are living with uncertainty.

And our future is being tied to something we cannot control.

But you can't control what happens next.

You can make the decision to move the plan forward regardless of the bankruptcy case.

That is what we are asking for today.

This is about whether the city will stand with us, the residents, not just in words, but in actions.

Yes, you may.

Yes.

Thank you.

Because we have all the youth that's running downtown in the city of Detroit at night on the weekends.

That since you're going to tear down a Renaissance Center, give them a place to go and be able to, you know, um bring in David Buster, some kind of amusement park or some kind of theme that our young people can go to, skating rings.

We don't have any theaters in the city of Detroit.

No kind of amusement for those age of children.

And I don't think that is right that we always consistent.

Our children have to be bad and locked up, locked up just to uh get them under control.

They just need somewhere to go.

We could use one of those towers for um making it a trade center as well so they can learn a trade, computer classes.

You know, you got so many different options, and they could be controlled because you have you can get metal detectors in there so they can roam around food courts, make it available for them to have a place to go downtown and be neutral, not east side west side, sort of thing that that children have a safe environment also and make it um family friendly as well.

So that's my suggestion for the city of Detroit to do, as well as I'm still looking for to have someone to help me to assist me with the Martin Luther King Memorial Park.

I'm still looking for some kind of resolution on that.

That's in district five.

Um, I'm gonna try to make it to some of those meetings so we can find out what can be done with that park.

We um last month we had a person found dead in that park.

So I want to know what we're gonna do about renovating the Martin Luther King Memorial Park.

And I uh yield my time.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

We appreciate that.

Who do we have next in the queue?

Our next caller, council pro tem is going to be owner popping.

All right, all right, floor is yours, two minutes.

Good morning, and through the chair, may I be heard?

And through the chair, may I be heard?

Yes, you may.

Thank you.

I hope the young people don't put their faith in you.

Uh young people put your faith in God.

Uh, these people are not an answer for anything that you might uh deem necessary.

Um, 7.1.

I'd like an investigation on how the PRE was removed from people who are the primary residents, and how they were later given to LLCs.

Um 11.2 and 11.5 young people.

This is about black maternity.

Um, we have the highest rates of um infant mortality death, and um the black maternity of black women, the outcomes are very negative more than any other group of people.

They have um memos on the uh agenda, but let's see what they're gonna do about it.

11.3 is also a memo about EPA, about uh the air quality in the city of Detroit, and we know that uh air quality in the city of Detroit, according to the EPA, is the sixth worst in the country, possibly the world, but at any rate, 19.1 through 19.3 is 22 million dollars plus for partitioned equipment over five years being given to, as Mr.

Fidel pointed out, no pie in Plymouth and someplace in Indiana.

Um, we have young people in District 7.

Ask your council member why we have no recreation center in District 7, even though your parents pay taxes.

This is called taxation without representation because we have no representation in District 7, is the reason why you have no recreation center to date.

I would also like to um caution this city council on how it's spending our dollars because you're sending the parents of these children into bankruptcy.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

Who's next in the queue?

Our next call is going to be Tahira Ahmad.

All right, Mr.

Millard, the floor is yours, two minutes.

Hello, thank you, and good good morning.

Good morning, young people.

You're doing the right thing coming to see how governor city government is being worked, and you've got to own you.

You're gonna be the ones being those seats.

Um, I represent the coalition for property tax justice, and you need to young people need to know that you uh housing is a human right, and the people of Detroit have the homeowners have been illegally um taxed over 600 million dollars to a billion dollars uh illegally and have lost over a hundred thousand homes, and so as a coalition, we have banded together to find out what how we can uh remedy this illegal action, and we have lost those homes, and that means that's um uh uh lives and homes that we deserve to keep.

The coalition for justice released a new report card evaluating the first hundred days of uh Mayor Sheffield's administration, and the results are mixed back, but crowd progress is within reach.

Um, marking day 100, coalition leaders impacted residents and legal advocates came together during our press conference to assess how the administration is measuring up to our first hundred days plan for property tax justice in Detroit.

While the Sheffield administration has made some progress, it is currently receiving failing grades on two out of five key criteria.

Still coalition members remain hopeful that continued collaboration can move the administration toward earning a across the board.

Uh the the letter A.

Um, across the board.

All right, thank you so much.

We appreciate that.

Who is next in the queue?

Next caller is going to be Zoom user.

All right.

Floor is yours, two minutes.

Hello.

You're on two minutes.

Yes, I'm calling in today about the uh the Leland situation.

And I'm trying to find out what's going on with Conrad Mallet.

He's not the mayor of the city of Detroit, and he's a defense attorney for the city of Detroit.

And he's a defense attorney for the city of Detroit.

So why don't you guys start making decisions on your own?

And if you make a mistake, he's here to defend you.

I've been coming down there for over five, six years that you guys know about in the last two years.

I've been presenting receipts of information to clearly show that the city of Detroit misapplied payments to my property taxes that were paid to the city of Detroit that you left for the Wayne County Treasurer to take my property, knowing that I paid, and the Wayne County Treasury even knows it's still in court.

You're not standing up for anything.

He represents the district that the properties are in.

Does nothing.

This city council is a joke.

And I'm moving for removal of the city council members.

And it can be done.

So I don't understand why you guys just sit there and actually do nothing.

And people have been coming down here.

And it's almost like we tape recorders saying the same thing, and you guys do nothing about it.

But like it's a joke.

But you only do something when it's your family members or friends of yours that you try to take care of.

Those days are over with.

And we're here to remove you guys.

Yeah, yeah.

Here, here.

All right, thank you.

We appreciate that.

Who's next?

Next, our next caller is caller inning at 169.

All right, floor is yours, two minutes.

Hello, can you guys hear me?

Yes, we can.

Great.

I just want to say thank you for praying for Brother Cunningham.

Um, don't thank him, bank him.

He's a good candidate to help.

He don't he won't drink your money up, he won't drug your money up.

He's good ground.

If you thought about helping him, that was the higher power.

Do it.

Thank you for my time.

Thank you.

Who do we have next in the queue?

Our next caller, Pro Tim Young, is going to be Bell.

All right, Bell.

Go ahead, floor is yours, two minutes.

Good morning, council.

My name is Marcellus Bill.

I'm a resident of the Lela House and a member of the DT, the Detroit Tennis Union, through the Leland House tenant union.

We were told this building had a future.

We were told redevelopment was coming.

We were told to stay.

And based on those promises, many of us did.

Even as conditions declined, even as concerns grew, we stay.

Because we believed there was a real plan in place.

But what we got in return was instability, displacement and uncertainty.

The future we were promised never came.

So now we have to ask who is being held responsible for those promises.

Because right now, it feels like we were encouraged to stay just as long enough to be pushed out.

That is not redevelopment, that is not development, that is displacement.

When I feel like that was the old system, calling the city to check on our apartment when it's not right, and then the call, then to let the landlord know that it's not right, which they know the stumblers know it's not right.

Instead of you guys automatically going to check these places instead of us calling you guys to check the places.

What happened to the Lela House residents who've been caught up and been displaced?

What happened?

All right, thank you.

We are next in the queue.

Good morning, Todd.

Within the sound of my voice, I'm Betty A.

Barn, the president of the Soda Elsewhere Black Association.

Day after day, I call in.

I'm normally uh giving resources or talking about the needs for my community.

Focusing on our think a corridor.

But this morning, I would like to say thank you to the council and the administration for the help that we have received throughout the years for our association.

This year will be our 11th year doing the work that we're doing to improve our community.

So I don't want to give the impression that we are not thankful for the help that we have received because it has been a blessing.

But we need help for our thinker corridor.

We are having problems now with laddering, people uh hanging out on uh a vacant lot on Finco.

Uh they are gambling and they are drinking.

And uh we need the think of corridor to have a continuously clean up.

It needs to be continuously patrolled.

We want to have a good look to market our thinker corridor.

No one wants to come to a neighborhood, a corridor, and start their business when there are people hanging out, drinking, and the corridor is not clean.

Uh we need these services.

We need monies for our thinker corridor.

So I'm asking for help, and we are appreciative for all that the council and the administration has done for uh our community.

Uh don't forget our health fair is April 18th this Saturday.

Thank you.

Next caller, please.

Our next caller is going to be Jadante Smith.

Caller, the floor is yours.

We have two minutes, general public comment.

Negative, sir.

We know the routine.

Uh, your time begins now.

Thank you.

So uh Nicole Curtis has a house of 451 Eastern Boulevard.

She has not been held accountable.

It's been vacant for five years.

The backyard is a forest.

You know, I see you do something about that.

Phono's concrete needs to be down zone.

Homelessness is a pervasive issue in the city that's not being addressed.

District one has issues uh specifically around Greenfield and uh Grand River.

These those are part of buildings that are on Greenfield that push people out who are homeless and they're pushing door on towards Greenfield and River.

Also, uh Letitia Johnson, are they not appreciate that slicker mark you made towards Nar Stand Anderson?

She knows Scott Benson and her district manager very well, and they don't help.

Well, Kayana might help a little bit, but Scott does not help.

Also, uh at large members, you seem to ignore certain resident issues and only pick the issues that you want to fight.

We do not want to see that.

I request a meeting with Gabriella Sanchaga Romero, Mary Waters, Scott Benson, Angela Woodfield Calloway.

You're coming up next, and I'm gonna request a meeting with every other city council member as well.

Also requested a meeting with the mayor to no avail.

Also, Scott, uh no, James Tate.

So I'm I'm a president of a business uh association in your district.

You will be meeting with me in my businesses in this district.

There's no avoiding that.

Also, I have a lot of connections in the Brightmore neighborhood.

And I'll be meeting with Don Wilson Clark very soon about some of the issues over in Brightmore as well.

Uh also there's a man named Dion Dawson.

He owns a house in the 15,300 block of Lawton, which is in district five.

It's a vacant house.

He is behind 11 years on taxes since 2014.

There's no payment plan for a vacant house that you can have for uh before 2023.

You have to have all taxes paid to have a house and a payment plan with the Wayne County Treasurer.

I'm gonna release all the information I have on Dion uh Larkins.

He also has a uh a building at 1600 West Fort that is behind several years in property taxes.

He has a house in New Boston that is behind 12 years in uh property taxes.

He has a house, the house of New Boston is also terrible.

He's his one eight mile that is behind several European property taxes.

How do we have people losing house every year?

He gets to have as many years as he wants to pay next caller clips.

Council President, our next caller is going to be William M.

Davis.

William M.

Davis, you have two minutes for public comment.

Hello, can I be heard?

Sir, okay.

I like to say, let people know that right now from 11 to 2 at the Northwest Activity Center, there's a senior expo, you know, where you could go and get free haircuts, food, vendors, health screening, free raffles, and live music.

You know, uh, we need to know more about things like that that's happening to facilitate assistance for seniors and others.

Uh, we can do more and should do more in the city.

There are opportunities for improvement.

Also, thinking back to earlier about the citizen advisory council.

I used to be the I was the co-chair of University City Aces and District Council.

President Maurice.

A whole lot better than uh the community advisory council is a smaller.

I was elected along with the other people that was on our council.

Uh, because R.A.

Tessie won.

Uh NAACP president and others are president face testing too.

Council.

And that's talking going on.

I also think that you know, at one time we got one third of the state budget for a project that was the calamette project down by the way state area right off of between third and John C Lodge uh between four going south.

Uh, but I I think we could do more.

We need to explore perhaps doing something more something related to, like citizen district councils related to the uh citizen for these other councils that really don't have no power and no teeth because we have planning, we had community and economic development, we had a lot of city agencies to interfacing and helping us with our developments because we did a number of developments.

But things are different now.

That was a different era, you know.

That was back in the 1980s.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And I know we're getting close to our public comments, including a bid request for Mr.

Grant and Graham Anderson or someone from the law department to come before us.

Uh still putting that call out yet again.

I'm not sure if Miss Sullivan or Mr.

Washington are listening, uh, either one again tapping someone from the law department to provide an update on Lila.

Next caller, please.

Council President Ardenal caller, noting that three folks raise their hand after cutoff is going to be Miss Marguerite Maddox and Scarlet.

Marguerite Mannox Scarlet, the floor is yours, general public comment.

We check the microphone lash colour.

And I am a gladly high.

And I would like to say about hey.

And it's dear there.

I would like to say it if you I dream it.

Hold on.

Hold on to their dreams, go ahead.

Can you no matter where you're at?

No matter how long it takes.

Can come to shit you back.

Yes, it will come to live shaking.

We need to be shut in.

And the king isn't and kidding.

He was back.

Our shitty.

And then I got me to come hang out.

Like all of us.

My grandmother.

We had out the window front.

We should have found that on the head suit we can find a spot.

Come on.

And the news to God need to get.

Shame on you.

And we have him.

We need more assessment.

And this is my next pad.

He cake.

And again.

Thank you.

Thank you.

It takes us to our to the end of our public comment.

Um and would like to now follow the law department up.

Provide an update on Leland House where things stand.

Please introduce yourself for the record.

Thank you all for being here.

Good morning, Council Chair Jason Harris.

We're all set.

Sounds better.

Morning, Council President Jason Harrison from the City of Detroit Law Department.

Good morning, Albert Council members.

Grab Anderson Law Department.

Was there a specific question?

Did you want me to give a job?

Just give us an update.

It's been a couple of weeks since you all have been here.

We've heard that things have stalled.

Um looking to get an update on this side of the table, but certainly for the residents who have come down and spent uh the better half of the morning with us as well, please.

Sure.

Thank you, Council President.

Um the good news is on April 3rd, uh United States Bankruptcy Court Judge Maria Oxhom entered an order approving the tenant property removal procedures.

So that was done on April 3rd.

And as many of you would recall, that was a result of a very strenuous negotiation that occurred on April 1st uh before retired Wayne County Circuit Court Judge uh Lita Popkin.

So the tenant property uh removal procedures have been agreed to.

Uh currently speaking, HRD is working with tenants to register them for purposes of coming into the building for the period of I believe between May 4th and May 20th, May 4th and May 24th, uh under supervision of HRD, the Detroit Police Department, uh also I believe Mr.

Also, I believe Mr.

Kincaid will be involved to make sure that the tenant property removal procedures are followed.

There's going to be tenants are going to be allowed to have two individuals with them to pack up their small belongings and things of that nature.

All of this is codified within the order the judge oxhome entered on April 3rd.

We also were in court on April 9th regarding the uh the building ownership.

So attorney here get a little closer because I mean you just said a lot of very important information that I want to make sure that people truly hear.

Sure.

So get a little closer to that mic so we can hear your sure.

Yeah, that information.

Do you all want me to repeat that or do you all hear what he said to the residents?

Okay.

Otherwise, I want to make sure you hear it.

I can certainly repeat.

Just a little bit.

Okay, go back to to the April 3rd, which I'm on April 3rd.

Thank you, Council President.

On April 3rd, uh United States Bankruptcy Court Judge Maria Oxhoma entered an order approving the tenant property removal procedures.

That came about as a pretty long negotiation that was supervised by uh retired Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Lita Popke at the offices of Jams on April 1st of 2026.

The good news is uh the procedures are now in place.

HRD and GSD have started to facilitate uh interaction with the tenants to make sure they are registered for the May 4th starting date, wherein tenants will be allowed into the building over a 21-day period, uh seven days a week as they register for, I believe they have three four-hour periods where they'll be allowed to go into the building to pack up their small belongings.

That's step one.

Uh, and then uh the packing company will come in to pack their major belongings.

That's step two, and then step three will be GSD will remove those belongings and uh send them to the appropriate addresses for those who have been permanently located, and that we uh they've also set up a temporary location where temporary storage will occur uh for these tenants.

Uh, we were in court again on April 9th, last Thursday.

Uh, we're in the court uh entertained uh the building owners' uh effort to sell the building.

It's called a motion for bidding procedures and a motion for sale.

The judge did not rule on those motions.

They will be heard again on April 16th.

The judge just had a few concerns about what a legal term called administrative insolvency.

We're essentially attempting to make sure that there's enough money in the bankruptcy case.

This is all legal jargon, uh, so that the bankruptcy can be properly uh moved forward.

Uh, we will be back in court on April 16th for the court to hear these motions.

There's been strenuous conversations uh regarding making making sure that the administrative insolvency concern that she raised is addressed.

We have another call today at 12 o'clock with all the lawyers involved in the case, including the lawyer that's representing all the tenants, and that's I believe in about 15 minutes that I'll be participating in.

Uh yesterday on April 13th, uh, through the supervision of uh the DBA, uh, the electrical and the elevator vendors are in the building assessing, trying to make sure that we can get the electrical power on and the elevator working for the 30-day period that we're dealing with for purposes of removing the procedures.

And that's our summary.

All right, thank you.

Happy to take what so it was approved that the deal was approved on uh April 3rd.

It's now 11 days later, and uh the beginning of the removal of the properties won't begin until uh at the early as May 4th, correct?

That is correct.

Residents certainly want to know if the agreement has been approved.

Why can't it just begin right now?

So walk through the process of what is uh delaying the movement from April 3rd to May 4th.

Sure.

Thank you, Council President.

So the vendors had to be given leave time, honorable council members, for purposes of trying to rectify both the electrical problem and the elevator problem.

They could not immediately, just because the deal was approved by the court on April 3rd, uh, we could not immediately allow the tenants to be in because there is no electricity there and the elevator isn't working.

Through the strenuous work of GSD, DBA uh and HRD and the law department and our interactions with the vendors, they said they needed anywhere between three and four weeks to get the power on.

So the good news is that process started yesterday.

The vendors are in there now assessing, attempting to make sure that they can get the electrical power working and the elevator working.

And that's why embedded in the tenant property removal procedures that were approved on April 3rd is that three or four week lag time, so to speak, Council President, because you couldn't have tenants go in there because of the fire marshals original issue in December, which is that the building is unsafe for any human being to be in there.

So we had to give leave time approximately three or four weeks before we could have the tenants uh come into the building under the supervision of both DPD, HRD, and with the assistance of HRD, uh, which will begin, I believe, on May 4th.

I just want to make sure that dates right.

But that that to answer your question, Council President.

That's why we have this three or four week leave lag time.

Okay, and then uh the hearing is taking place on April 16th.

Yes.

Does that have any ability to undo the agreement that has been made for the property removal?

It does not, uh, council president, for the simple reason that Judge uh Judge Oxhome signed the order on April 3rd.

So that order is in effect under federal law because of her signature and her approval of it.

That is not changing based upon uh the hearing that's to occur this coming Thursday.

And if something does change, we certainly will apprise this honorable body.

Okay.

The last question for me is for you.

You mentioned that residents would be able to sign up uh to uh register.

Where do they do that?

How do they do that?

How soon can they begin to do that?

No, thank you, Council President.

I defer to HRD.

It was my understanding that there's a link that has been set up uh and that has been communicated to the residents.

HRD council president has been doing a very good job even prior to this bankruptcy being filed and communicating with residents.

I would defer as to the specifics as to when that link was set up.

Uh I do know for a fact that it is live.

I do know that there are already uh residents that have registered for it.

I do not have a number for you as to how many have registered thus far.

Uh, but Miss Chelsea Neblet and her office have been working feverishly on this, and that process has begun as an up and is ongoing.

Okay, thank you so much.

Colleagues, any additional questions regarding this matter?

Uh, member Callaway, followed by Pro Tim.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair, and good morning, gentlemen.

Um, real quick question for those who don't have access to um a cell phone or laptop.

Is there any reason why you couldn't post something on the door for people who are going back to see what the movement is so they can know what the link is and capture the information there, or even post a QR code?

Because a lot of people have fallen off the grid.

There they don't know about a link, they won't know about a link, but they probably have someone or maybe themselves who are still going to the building to see if it's open so they can retrieve their things.

So it would be my recommendation that we post something on the door that is visible, large print, QR cult possibly, just letting them know what um what the next steps are.

Through the chair, uh council member Callaway, I absolutely will relay that to HRD.

That may have already been done.

I'm not certain, but I certainly will relay your comments as soon as I leave this set.

Something on the door, it's a lot of glass around there.

I think one of the um areas has been boarded up, but there's enough space to post it.

So people, when they're over there, they can see what the next steps are.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you.

Uh ma'am, I do see your hand, but we unfortunately can't go to we can't go out to the audience, but we do appreciate your participation, though.

We want to make sure you have this information.

That's number one.

We want to make sure you have this information.

Uh pro tem.

Thank you.

Um, I don't know if you can thank you so much.

Good morning.

Uh, thank you so much uh for being here.

I don't know if you can ask answer too much about this if you can't answer this because it's sensitive about the case.

Let me know.

But I just asked the question about the lawsuit itself.

Um, one, are we talking about pursuing triple damages for what happened?

Is there a plan afterwards?

Is there a plan afterwards?

Sorry.

Sorry, bro.

Yeah, yeah, maybe I don't know.

Someone bug is in there.

All right.

Is there a plan to set up a fund afterwards for the residents that's paid for out of that?

And I also want to ask afterwards, from my understanding, the gentleman that owns this building owns a number of nightclubs in the city of Detroit.

Are we going after him and those clubs?

Are we going after him in terms of not being able to do business in the city?

I mean, we need to be able to say an example that this type of behavior cannot happen.

So I just want to know like if you can't answer because it's my understanding.

I'm not trying to make it all that's the case.

But I just want to know what are those things that we're doing to make it clear.

It's wrong.

We cannot continue to have this happening yet from that standpoint.

Thank you.

Through the chair, uh, Councilmember Young.

Uh, there is not a plan at this point to set up any type of treble damages or anything like that.

And let me just back up a little bit.

Once the building is sold, that is the end to the case, which which is a little bit of good news because it's out of the hands of the owner that allowed this type of behavior to go on for multiple years.

Right.

That is why before we were in bankruptcy court, the city of Detroit, through count corporation counsel mallet and myself, sued the building owner in state court.

That was in December of 2022.

But we're not sitting on our hands.

This has been going on for two years.

We've been doing that for a long time.

It's not like now, what was being done before that, I can't tell you because I wasn't here, but we did attempt to prosecute them civilly in December of 2022.

And just when we were getting close enough where the building would have been declared a public nuisance, we could have gotten a receiver appointed.

That's when they pulled the button and filed bankruptcy.

Because they their position was we just don't have the money to do the repairs.

So now that we are under federal jurisdiction and bankruptcy court, if and when Judge Maria Oxhom approves the sale of the building, the parties are done.

Uh the owner of the building is done, the Leland House LLP, the Higgins Family Trust is done for all intents and purposes, and the state court action will be dismissed essentially because this issue has been adjudicated.

Now, let me cut you off, and I just want to say now that's just that's just for that property.

That's correct.

That's correct.

I mean to catch up from this is a burning question I have.

From from legally, from our perspective, could we then make policy saying that if you go through this process and you are convicted of doing these things, that we can then ban you or bar you from doing other business in the city of Detroit, or are there legal process, are there due process issues, or I think it'd be Fifth Amendment issues with that constitutional.

Before you before you respond, Mr.

Stewart, Mr.

Stewart, up top.

Mr.

Stewart, we wanted to make sure you had this information because I know you were coming down looking for info.

This is regarding Leland House.

This presentation just wanted to give you a heads up.

That's what this was about.

All right.

You're welcome.

You may proceed.

Thank you.

Through the chair, Councilmember Young, that's probably a question that we can answer in writing for a couple reasons.

Okay.

One.

Please submit it.

If he owns other buildings or the Higgins Family Trust owns other buildings, we would go through the normal process.

Are they in compliance pursuant to BC?

Do we consider it to be a public nuisance?

Okay.

But basically in this case, we can't go to those.

Uh we can't we can't touch those other properties unless they also have violations in those other properties, right?

I'd like to properties are in compliance, but the but the building, obviously, but the lealing is it.

We can only deal with the as far as the Leland is concerned, not in terms of the constitutionally speaking.

I believe that's correct.

I don't know if it's constitutionally speaking, but I believe that's correct.

But we'd love to get you an answer in writing specifically to make sure that these other buildings that are on are not part of the Leland House LLP.

I don't believe they are.

Okay.

We want to be specific in our answer to you.

So they have to be part of that trust or part of that in order to deal with okay.

No, I just I just want to make sure because I I really feel that we have to be able to make a statement that that is fundamentally wrong.

And I also understand that the reason why you didn't pursue criminal charges was because this did not rise to the level of a criminal negligence, even though they were negligent civilly.

Can you just kind of explain to me what that level, what what had to happen for it to be criminal, and why could you only file that civilly, just so the audience can understand, and from my understanding as well.

Yeah, and I believe you you asked that question of corporate corporate uh council corporation counsel mallet recently as well.

Yeah, um when we filed the lawsuit, there was an assessment that this was a civil claim.

Okay there was not any form of a criminal assessment because we felt that the public nuisance statute would give us the relief that we want it.

Um, as to whether or not these types of cases, whether it's this case or other cases, should be prosecuted criminally.

I just want to remind you that typically when BC inspectors go out and when DPD uh goes out, sometimes they do write misdemeanors for certain blight violations.

That does happen where they are prosecuted in 36th district court.

Uh but relevant to uh you know, any further type of criminal prosecution, we certainly can respond in writing.

And and I appreciate the the question, Councilmember Young.

I know you're aware of what happened in Flint with the water and things of that nature.

Give give us a chance to give you a thorough answer on that as to why this case was different.

No, well, I just want to say one, it's not that you didn't look at that.

It's just that it didn't rise to that level.

I want to make that clear.

One, and secondly, I just want to say the reason why I'm pressing that is because you're talking about people who are living in a building from my understanding with no electricity.

You know, people could get stuck in the elevator, God forbid, they can starve in the elevator, people fall down elevator shafts.

It's happened before, you know, uh people can be living in unhabitable conditions, and that could affect their health, especially senior citizens.

Uh so you know, I'm assuming they also could potentially affect air quality as well as things of that nature.

So people's lives are at risk because they don't have access to electricity.

And so I just thought that because of that, that might rise to that level of criminality because people's health are at threat here.

And so I just wanted to make that aspect clear.

So um, so and I just wanted to say this and I'll wrap this up.

Like I know we got to go.

But I also just wanted to say that with first of all, I would uh you're you is the case ongoing or has the judge decided already that that um through the bankruptcy case is that is it is it ongoing case?

Has the judge decided that?

And I don't know if HRD is here, but I want to ask is there a plan for if the judge decides that this, you know, that um to approve to remove the ownership of this bill or the legally building.

Um is there a plan on what to do with that building?

Through the chair, thank you, Councilmember Young.

So the case is still ongoing.

Yeah, that's what I think.

Uh the the what we are seeking is that the honorable court in the city of Detroit will concur with this motion when the debtor or slash the owner, uh Leland House LLP, files a motion, which they have actually for uh both sale and approval of the bidding procedures, which are managed by the bankruptcy court, right?

That has been filed.

We are awaiting a ruling from the court on that.

The renewed oral argument on that will be this coming Thursday on the 16th.

We would hope that the judge will approve it on that day, but she may do like she did last week and adjourn it for further negotiations.

Wherein uh she wants to ensure that there's enough money in the bankruptcy case for the bankruptcy to proceed for the purpose of facilitating the sale procedures.

Uh once the building is sold, council member Young, whoever the new owner is, is gonna have to uh comply with the vacant property ordinance.

Okay, we're gonna have to use the clear boarding, you're gonna have to make sure that it's secure so that we have people going in the building.

Um, and then I defer to HRD on the appropriate departments on whether or not there'll be a development plan and that type of thing.

We'll probably know more once and hopefully if the building is sold.

I don't mean to uh make you uh uh genie and get you in the prediction trouble here, but do we have an estimate of how long this case potentially could go on?

I know that's kind of possible.

This bankruptcy case?

So yeah, but do you think this will be a long drag-out case, or do you think this will generally speak through the chair?

Generally speaking, Councilmember Young, bankruptcy cases do not lag on.

Uh, and in my opinion, uh Judge Oxhom is is moving relatively swiftly.

Okay.

Uh, she's trying to make sure that everything complies with the bankruptcy code.

No, I do not suspect that this is gonna lag on uh in terms of another.

I hate to put a date and time out there.

I don't think this is gonna lag on.

She's moving relatively swiftly.

Okay, thank you so much.

Thank you.

I appreciate it.

Thank you, Ms.

President.

Thank you, colleagues.

Any additional member Santiago Meryl, followed by Member McCampbell.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Through you, good morning.

Um, my question is regarding uh the comment need of if the case is dismissed, then there is no support for residents.

How likely is that?

Because it's really concerning when all of these plans are based off of us making sure that this case is solved.

What happens if this case is dismissed?

So through the chair, councilmember Santiago Romero, I I think I had indicated that we filed a state court lawsuit in December of 2022, which is still pending.

Okay.

Uh what we've been doing is adjourning that pent ultimate motion where we're asking the state court judge, uh Judge Annette Barry to declare the property a public nuisance and to appoint a receiver to do things similar to what this bankruptcy judge is doing.

Okay.

Uh have to deal with the creditors, you have to get the building sold.

If they if they're insolvent and they can't take care of the building, uh it the law department right now is proceeding through the bankruptcy uh initiative, and we that is what we are focused on.

Uh, if if it does come to a situation where the bankruptcy is dismissed, again, because on a parallel track, we have the state court case pending, we will proceed with the state court uh uh action and attempt to have our show cause motion where we'd have the property declared as a public nuisance.

Um, as long as the bankruptcy court is is actively dealing with this, which is a good sign.

Uh I I think the judge over the last uh three and a half, four months since the bankruptcy was filed on dec, I believe it was the beginning of December.

Um, I think she is doing her very best to try to manage this and make sure that the building is sold within the confines of the bankruptcy code.

So we will have another update for this honorable body on the 16th.

But yes, to answer your question, we do have a state court action pending where many of these issues will have to be resolved if the bankruptcy is dismissed.

Okay, thank you for that clarity.

That would only add more time that residents have to wait, unfortunately.

So it sounds like we're pretty confident.

I I feel like we've done the work.

I have been a part of this conversation since from the very beginning.

Um do you have any sense of whether or not this will be dismissed through the chair?

Um councilmember San Diego Romero, I'm always reluctant.

We're always reluctant to kind of speculate as to what a judge will do.

Um, we do feel that there is a good faith argument to be made that the bankruptcy should stay in place and that the building should be sold.

And those are the the pleadings that the city of Detroit has filed through our outside council Miller Canfield under the guidance of corporation counsel mallet.

Uh we feel that the case should remain in bankruptcy and it should not be dismissed.

As to what Judge Oxhome is going to do, we will see hopefully this Thursday.

Um, and if she adjourns it, we will see within the next couple of weeks.

But every time she keeps the case in bankruptcy, that's a good sign.

She's she's had the authority to dismiss this case since it was filed in the last three and a half months, and she has.

So we're just following her lead, and hopefully uh this will get done expediently.

Through the chair, thank you.

I I I agree.

Um, and really grateful for all the pressure being put on all of us to solve this rights, even the mediation.

Um, then I asked to really force us at the table to to have these hard conversations are really to speed this process up.

So thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Through you uh good afternoon now to you.

Uh thank you for the update.

I I do want to go um additional questions on the status of the case and understand that that you don't want to speculate.

I understand that because we never know what a judge is thinking in that.

But I think because it has been so long, and I know we have the state action going, that would just add time to this.

I want to is there a is there a backup plan to make sure that at least the retrieval items continues if this case is dismissed.

I I understand that we feel good about that one, but I think um our the residents of the Leland building deserve to have some type of backup plan so that they're not waiting um additional weeks and months.

So is there a backup plan if this case is dismissed beyond the state action in court?

Through the chair, I I think council member McCampbell, the state court action is the backup plan at this point, wherein a receiver, if the court rules in favor of the city and declares the property a public nuisance and appoints a receiver, the receiver can facilitate all of those things.

Property removal, making sure that the building is boarded up, etc.

Uh, I think short of that, that that is the plan.

That's the the state court has to essentially give us the tools necessary through our pleadings uh to make sure that the tenants are taken care of.

And and does through you, Mr.

Uh President, thank you.

Um, does that does that reset the clock on this process that has already started with the retrieval?

Well, and through the chair, so council member Campbell, we're adjourning our motion this week in state court, which is still pending to about two weeks out because we're trying to address the very issue that you're you're highlighting, which is there, we don't want there to be delay.

Our our hearing in state court is queued up.

It was supposed to be this coming Friday.

It won't be now because, in fairness to all the parties, since we're going to federal court on Thursday, and we don't know necessarily what's going to happen.

The proper protocol is we would adjourn the state court motion.

We're only adjourning that two weeks.

So there will not be a major delay.

Uh Judge Annette Berry from the Wayne County Circuit Court certainly has the right to deliberate uh pursuant to uh the law.

And uh I I do not know once we adjourn, if I do not know if when we adjourn that state court hearing, if she'll make a ruling that day, similar to what happened in federal court a week ago, but by all means, I mean, corporation council mallet has us making sure that we're doing this as expeditiously as possible.

But by all means, I mean, corporation council mallet has us making sure that we're doing this as expeditiously as possible.

Uh, hence the reason why we're not going to adjourn it 30 days, three weeks, et cetera.

So we can get right into state court.

We hope at the end of April, if this case is dismissed.

We hope that's not going to happen.

But to answer your question more directly, that is the purpose of the state court action as well, to have the property deemed unsafe or public nuisance and have the receiver as an arm of the court handle all of the logistics that we're talking about right now in federal court, including the tenant property removal procedures.

So we would hope if that's the case that we could get this process uh recalibrated for the beginning of May.

Um, but we're hope we're not there, Councilmember McCampbell.

We're in bankruptcy court.

She could rule in our favor on Thursday, and hopefully we'll be moving on.

But the good news is again, the vendors are in the building right now, both the electrical vendor and the elevator vendor, number one.

And number two, the other good news is HRD is facilitating uh property removal dates for the tenants right now through their online link.

Thank you.

And I hope that, yeah, I do hope that um the rule is in favor on Thursday, so we don't have to go to any of those uh uh contingency plans.

I will also echo what pro Tim Young brought up, is that I know the immediate thought is making sure that our the residents get their items.

I do think we, as I mentioned before, we have to look deeper and what led us here.

Um, if there is a need to change the code as such that we can hold folks more accountable, um, if they have other buildings, if they had other properties that they just can't leave one um and disrepair and leave folks out there like this.

Um, I am deeply interested in that.

And I will also say um, as we're thinking about the tools, I know we're going through court action right now.

I will continue to say that we do have to explore imminent domain um as an option here because this is this is going on for a long time.

And and if we are if the court action does not get us to a place we have, um that is another tour that we should explore.

So I thank you all, and thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you, councilmember.

Thank you.

And I see member Miller's hand.

Member Miller.

Good morning, everyone.

Uh through the chair, I was wondering through counsel if the case is dismissed.

Does that mean that the residents will have the opportunity to sue the owners to the law department?

Uh through the chair, uh relevant to uh the the tenants' opportunity to sue the owners.

I can't really give guidance to that.

Um I'm I'm sure that there are lawyers out here who certainly would meet with them to discuss those types of things.

They currently are represented by a counsel through their union.

Um, but I but I don't know that I can give an opinion.

I certainly can refer the question to the corporation council as whether or not they can do that.

Um I I wasn't asking for guidance.

I asked a simple question.

If this case is thrown out, does this mean they have the opportunity to sue?

It's either yes or no.

Because in my opinion, if that's the case, then I would like to know if that's an option.

Not that you're saying that they should, but does that open the door for them to sue for damages to grievance uh for numerous things?

Because if that's the case, we can start pursuing out and hope it get thrown out so they can have their just day.

So I'm not asking for guidance, I'm just asking, does that open the door for that?

Through the chair, council member Miller.

I think that's something I would concur with corporation counsel about, and we could respond in writing.

I can tell you that they have filed proofs of claims right now in the bankruptcy court through their lawyer.

Uh, as a lawyer on this case, I would suspect that that would continue if this case is dismissed.

They have consulted with quite a few attorneys.

Uh, would defer to them on whether or not that's part of their plan.

Thank you very much, sir.

Thank you.

Colleagues, any additional on Leland House?

Thank you.

Were there any additional responses to any of the public comments that came, colleagues?

Before seeing none.

All right, madam clerk.

Uh understanding committee reports for internal operations standing committee from the office of the city clerk, city planning commission.

Mr.

President, I just want to clarify that we are that is not for internal operations standing committee, should be for the budget finance and audit standing committee.

Councilmember McCampbell, a resolution line item 17.1.

All right, member McCampbell.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Motion to approve.

There is a motion to approve line item 17.1.

Any objections?

See none, an action shall be taken.

For the internal operations standing committee under unfinished business.

Council member Benson in ordinance not in a roll call.

Line item 18.1.

Member Benson.

Thank you.

I'm going to take from the table to amend and renumber chapter 18 of the 2019 Detroit City Code.

Fire Prevention and Protection.

Article 1, Detroit Fire Prevention and Protection Code by Amending.

Division 1, Composition, Purpose and Scope of Code.

Section 18 TAC 1 TAC 1 Composition to make technical corrections necessary to update language from the 2015 NFPA to 2021 NFPA.

And section 18 TAC 1 TAC 3 scope to make technical corrections necessary to update language from the 2015 NFPA to the 2021 NFPA and add factors which are considered prima fascia evidence of compliance with this code by amending division two national fire protect protection association fire code and amendment thereof section 18 TAC 1 TAC 21 Adoption to make technical corrections necessary to update language from the 2015 NFPA to the 2021 NFPA and Section 18 TAC 122 amendments and changes by adding 1.7.12 TAC 1.7.12.10 1.7.14 1.7.15 1.7.17 TAC 1.7.17.3 1.11 3.3.43 3.3.44 3.3.68 TAC 3.3.68.3 3.3.135 3.3.198 TAC 3.3.198.15 20.1.1.3 TAC 20 0.1.1.8 and 20.20.2.2.6 by amending 1.7 and 1.7.7.7 and by renumbering and making technical corrections to 1.7.7.7 13 TAC 56 1.10.3 1.10.3.1.10.5 1.16.1 3.3.199.32 TAC 3.3.199.32 TAC Alpha 0.2 13.1.14 and 10.1.1 for the purpose of updating the division to incorporate the 2021 fire code as amended by amending division one finishing resurfacing and refinishing of bowling lanes and reconditioning and resurfacing of bowling.

Pins, section 18, TAC 1, TAC 43, bowling lane resurfacing to make technical corrections necessary to update language from the 2015 N FPA to the 2021 NFPA by amending division 4 fireworks and pyrotechnics, section 18, TAC 1, TAC 65, permit for public display fireworks or articles, pyrotechnic to make technical corrections necessary to update language from the 2015 NFPA to the 2021 NFTA and by amending division nine storage handling and use of ethylene oxide for fumigation and for fruit and crop ripening.

Section 18 TAC 1 TAC 161 purpose to update the purpose to act in concert when NFPA 55 compressed gases and cryogenic fuels code chapter 14 TAC storage handling and use of ethylene oxide for sterilization and fumigation 2020 edition and section 18 TAC 1 TAC 164 permits to make necessary technical changes to make necessary technical changes for the purpose of updating the code to reference the 2021 NFPA laid on the table March 10th 2026.

Hearing no objections, that action will be taken.

Uh member Benson.

I move the ordinance be placed on the order of third reading and considered read.

Hearing no objections, that action will be taken.

Councilmember Benson.

Discussion.

With discussion.

Through yourself, uh to the law department.

And just wanted to give a brief update on what this means.

There's a lot of jargon here.

Um, not really intuitive of what we're doing here.

I was wanted to make sure that we had a basic understanding of the public heard.

It's a basic executive summary of what we're doing, why it's important.

For the chair, absolutely through the chair to uh council member Benson and this body and the public as a whole.

Uh, the purpose of this ordinance is to bring the current city of Detroit's fire code up to speed to be inconsistent with the state of Michigan's fire code.

Uh so that's why this is very long.

Um strung out uh law ordinance that council member Benson had to read.

There's a lot of details with that.

It's the type of thing that the average person's not going to notice, but it's absolutely very important.

Uh devil is in the details, and uh the fire chief as he spoke to at uh internal operations last week, said this will uh allow them to uh better perform their position.

Um, in addition, um I would ask that this ordinance be moved as amended.

There was a scrivener's error we caught on the last page, which I have correction here for the clerks.

Um it has nothing actually with the body of the ordinance, but it was something we caught on the last page, so I would request that we move this uh as amended to make sure we have that error corrected.

Thank you.

Thank you, Member Benson.

Mr.

Chair, I move the ordinance be passed as amended.

There being a roll call required.

Madam Clerk, will you please call the roll?

Councilmember Gabriela Santiago Romero.

Yes, Councilmember Mary Waters, yes, Councilmember Angela Whitville Callaway, Council President Pro Tim Young.

Yes, yes, Council President James Tate.

Yes, Councilmember Scott Benson.

Yes, Councilmember Letitia Johnson, yes, Councilmember Denzel McCampbell.

Yes, Councilmember Renata Miller, yes.

Nine years that motion passes, Mr.

President.

Thank you.

The ordinance is approved.

Member Benson, I move the title to the ordinance be confirmed.

Hearing no objection, colleagues, that action shall be taken.

Mr.

Chair request a waiver.

Is there request for a waiver on that particular item?

Any objections?

Seeing none, a waiver should be attached.

Thank you, colleagues.

Thank you.

From the Office of Contracting and Procurement, Madam Clerk.

Council Member Whitfield Callaway, four resolutions.

Line items 18.5, 18.2 through 18.5.

Contract number 600 3874-A5, 100% city funding, amendment five to provide an increase of funds and six-month time extension for legal services.

Contractor Clark POPLC, total contract amount, 405,000.

Contract number 6006202-A1, 100% city funding, amendment one to add funding and one time one time one year time extension for ASL interpretation services.

Contractor depth community advocacy network incorporated, total contract amount, 315,000.

That's for CREO.

Contract number 6007203-A1, 100% grant funding, amendment one to add time and funds to provide community outreach for eligible Detroit residents experiencing housing instability and or facing proceedings.

Contractor United Community Housing Coalition Total Contract Amount 332,000.

That's for law.

Discussion.

With discussion, uh member McCampbell.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I just have uh uh few questions on 18.5 if there's someone from the administration for that.

All right, Sullivan or Mr.

Washington.

We have anyone available for 18.5.

I should think uh is coming down right now.

Good afternoon, Tony Passion.

Good afternoon.

All right.

Thank you, Member McCampbell.

Thank you.

Good afternoon.

Just a few questions before this case management system.

Um will help identify uh folks who maybe miss some paperwork or um help identify you know uh owners that are repeat bad actors when it comes to uh dangerous buildings or any other factor there.

So through through uh the president to member McCampbell, yes, this is going to be a transformative case management system that's going to cover all DH operations, so not only our blight court dockets, but our administrative appeal dockets, like clearances um in our in our other functions.

So it will have a public-facing portal relative to your specific question about missing paperwork and those types of things.

Again, um DH does not issue the tickets, so this would be an opportunity for residents to or or property owners to engage with the public-facing portal regarding um their information and what their uh hearing dates and tickets are.

Also, um we've the first mailing we undertake to uh respondents is a judgment.

So there would be a very different looking public-facing portal that we believe will vastly improve the the resident experience as far as repeat bad actors.

Again, that's the function of the ticketing, the first time offense, second and third, but this will have um updated reporting capability, so we'll be able to search and identify those individuals much more easily.

I hope that's responsive, sir.

Absolutely, thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um, yes, absolutely.

Thank you.

And I appreciate that.

That's great to hear.

And I also wanted to make sure members of the public heard um in that way as they're interfacing with us.

So thank you for that.

And if you you uh additional question is that as we if this were to bring brought on, it sounds like it will really change the way people are interacting.

So I'm just wondering, do we know that if there are any other departments that hold hearings that could possibly streamline it to this if it if it works out well?

Um, through through the chairperson to uh member McCampbell.

So DH is is uniquely situated as an independent hearing tribunal.

So we adjudicate the blight tickets, as I mentioned, and also function as an appellate body for department decisions.

So this say this case management software and docketing system would be would be contained just within DAH.

Um as far as the workflows in and of other um, for example, the Board of Zoning Appeals or things like that.

I really don't think that the workflows would match up in a in a meaningful way, and also this preserves our our independent uh functioning as well.

All right, well, thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh member Santiago Romero.

Thank you, Mr.

President, and thank you, Member McCampbell, for the question.

Um we fits on uh public health and safety and the dangerous buildings process, I believe would benefit from a program management system like this, or case management management system like this.

Um, I know that we asked B seed what it would take for us to do something similar like this.

Um, and and just for everyone to know, it would cost about 130 to have an FTE to manage um to bring something like this in-house.

Um, so member McCampbell asked, asked the question is if if we could use this um in other ways.

So I guess what I'm gonna ask if it's okay with you.

I I want to learn more about what this will do, how we can interact with it, uh, because I think that we need a similar software in for B seed or for the dangerous buildings process, um, because there's a lot of communications that the public either misses or that we miss that that's going on.

Um, and it seems like this will keep track of communications, keep track of the workflow correct, so that we're able to see all of that in in one picture.

Uh through the chair, uh to council member Santiago Romero.

So DAH does conduct the office hearings for B seeds dangerous building dockets as as the committee uh in the council is aware.

So this actually um has the potential to be included in our case management system because we handle those hearings.

Through the chair, so then that goes to member McCampbell's question.

I think well, that's specifically my question then is if we could use it if we could speak with you about how we could use this as a council as well, the information that you'll be gathering so that we're better prepared during the dangerous buildings process.

Very much so, and I and I apologize.

I do understand now the direction that you're going with your questioning.

So, yes, I believe that all users, including uh the members of this honorable body will have a much different experience with the data coming out of DAH under the new system and the reporting.

We're currently using a retired IBM reporting platform, um, which which again is functioning and and gives the data that's needed, but this will be a much more modern interface uh than our than our current legacy systems.

Okay, thank you.

And Mr.

President, I'm not sure this might be a question for OCP, but we often talk about keeping things in the city.

This is a two million dollar contract going to Novae.

Just wondering what happened through the bidding process uh for this contract.

That might be a question for OCP, Mr.

President, not sure.

If you're not from if even as we can have someone from OCP come.

I'm happy to answer, but I of course always defer to the experts at OCP, but I do have the the bid info.

Um it was competitively bid uh with one Detroit vendor responding.

But again, I don't know where Malik is if through the chair.

Yes, sir.

Yes, if we can promote Latrice Yelder.

Right, we will promote her.

Can we see yourself on the screen, ma'am?

Please introduce yourself for the reference.

Good afternoon, everyone.

Good afternoon.

Uh, we will allow for the question to be repeated.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Uh, through you, good morning.

Uh, just wondering if you wouldn't mind sharing with us the procurement process, the bidding process for this contract.

It's a rather large contract over two million, um, going to no lie.

And it was mentioned that there was one Detroit bidder uh wondering um what the results were of that.

Yes, thank you.

Through the chair to council member Santiago Romero.

This uh project was competitively bid.

It went out to 668 vendors and invitations and four respondents.

Enoble was the uh was the highest rank uh vendor, and that was the determining factor for us to go with them.

They met all the requirements that were set forth in the RFP criteria.

Okay, and if you wouldn't mind sharing, it was there was a mention of the Detroit vendor.

Where did they fall short?

With our Detroit vendor, it was product quality and capability, their proposal uh introduction and their solution and approach to the system.

Those were a few areas that they lag behind the other competition.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Thank you.

Alex, any further member Johnson.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um good afternoon, Director Pastula.

I know we sent over a couple of questions to you.

One was in regards to how far back the data will go once the data is shifted to this new platform.

Um, and I did receive the response.

So I'm wondering if the community has the ability to access the archive data.

So through the chair to council member Johnson, thank you.

Um, yes, I'm glad you uh were were able to see those answers.

Uh so for the benefit of of everybody, everybody else.

So all DH data is preserved.

Our legacy system was created in 2005.

So the that information is is is viewable currently.

All DH data will preserve be preserved under the new system.

So whether it is an active uh matter or an archived matter, that data will be available um for viewing as it currently is.

Again, it will be an updated platform, it will be easier to interact with, but the data will be present and searchable.

Okay, thank you.

The only reason I ask is because sometimes because there's so much data, it takes, especially if you're using a cell phone, it takes some time for the system to go through all of the data that's there and produce a response to an address uh a blight ticket number or anything of that nature.

Do you have a sense of whether or not the the new system will move faster?

Uh through the chair, yes, ma'am.

We expect it will be will be considerably faster.

Okay, and still all of the data will be easily accessible for residents.

Yes, ma'am.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Colleagues, any further?

Uh pro tom y'all.

Hi, how are you doing?

Always good to see you.

Um, I just wanted to ask you just really quickly.

Uh, does this have any artificial intelligence capabilities that you're doing with at all?

And and and why and why not?

Have you looked at that?

So through the chair, uh, it's nice to see you as well, pro tem always.

So the artificial uh intelligence capabilities are are not integrated, so it will have the search functions and and the reporting and data analysts, data analytics that we program it to, but there is not an AI component.

Um, it's my understanding the city is is working towards an AI policy, and so um you know we'll be open open to that when those when those uh discussions are are concretized.

So we're waiting.

So we're waiting until that so we have a one, we have a policy, and exactly it'd be a centralized system that would be able to deal with the entire city and all of its functions and departments.

Is that basically what you're kind of trying to tell the just a bit?

That sir is my understanding again.

As to the specific contract, it does not have um AI in it.

No, thank you, I could reject.

Thank you.

Colleagues, any further seeing none, there was a motion to approve line items 18.2 through 18.5.

Any objections?

Seeing none, that action shall be taken.

Uh from the law department, clerk.

Council member with Bill Callaway, seven resolutions.

Line items 18.6 through 18.12.

Line item 18.6 through 18.12, member Callaway.

Motion to approve.

There's a motion to approve, colleagues.

Any objection discussion with discussion, member Johnson.

Um thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I have a question in regards to line item 18.8.

Um attorney Anderson, I believe you may have gotten this question from the team.

So can you share?

I know there was a request for a closed session relative to this matter.

Yes.

Um, can you help me to understand how line item 18.8 would impact that um the plan to have a closed session?

So through the chair to council member Johnson at this point to hold a closed session on this matter would be boot.

It would it would be boot.

It would not uh no longer really have any bearing.

Once a matter is settled, there's no longer a need for a closed session.

And one thing I want to reiterate to this body to the public is that officers have or all Detroit employees, I should say, are represented and indemnified until we go through the final process.

We have a closed session, then a vote comes before this body, and this body then decides to deny that indemnification and representation.

So they have it by default until we go through that very long process.

Um in addition, even once that happens, there have been times that this body has voted to pull indemnification from an officer, but then an arbitrator has then gone back and uh overruled this body.

So it is a very uh difficult process, and it's uh both very favorable to the police officers in the union.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um, through you to Attorney Anderson, my question was more along the lines of if this if we hail this up to allow for a closed session to be held.

Um how that would actually work.

That's a fascinating question, Councilmember Johnson through the chair.

In theory, I believe this body could do that.

And I'll leave it at that.

Uh in theory, I believe this body could do that.

Thank you.

Um Mr.

Chair, I I would like to uh make a motion to postpone line item 18.8 for one week.

College has a motion to postpone the vote for line item 18.8 for one week.

Any objections?

Seeing none, that action shall be taken.

Thank you.

Any further colleagues?

There's a motion on the floor to move and approve line items 18.6 through 18.12 minus line item 18.8.

Any objections?

See none, that action shall be taken.

Colleagues, it's been a request.

I know member Callaway indicated she's gonna leave the uh the table.

Um, and it was request to move line item 11.2 is a referral.

Uh she's looking to get a vote on that particular item.

I do understand that uh line item 11.5 also is on the same particular matter, and I think it's imperative that our colleagues figure out which one moves forward.

Um I know there was a desire for both to be moved forward, um, but we are now at the point where we're ready to uh go to that at that point.

Before we go to you, Pro Chair.

Uh have their name on these two uh memos.

I will start with member Callaway who made the request first and the move go to member Santiago Romero.

Mr.

Chair, I don't see there um there being a reason why both names can't go on the resolution.

My resolution has prepared we our office submits this every single year.

We submitted it first this year, and this other resolution request came secondary.

So I'm meetable to um the other colleague if she would like to join me on the resolution.

But I would like to make a motion to walk mine on my resolution is ready.

Um, and also line item 11.1, sir, knowing that I have to leave the table to go to a press conference for motor city makeover in district two.

Yes, ma'am.

Now I do know you said that it was secondary, but both are appearing at the same time on the agenda.

But I made my request um before budget.

Right.

Mr.

President.

Member Santiago Rumer.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Uh we have submitted this resolution and had it approved in the past, and we have moved this forward uh via the request of mothering justice, an incredible organization that I have worked with in the past as an organizer.

And the rules the resolution that we have on this agenda, the same agenda as Member Calla's resolution is the one that Mothering Justice gave us.

And the language um is very similar to the one in LPD.

I'm gonna assume LPD used similar language in the past of previous resolutions um that have been submitted by this body um by both myself and member Callaway.

Uh so I hear you, Member Callaway, and the resolution that we have on the agenda um is directly from Mothering Justice.

Um, I think it would make more sense that we support the resolution from the organization that is moving this forward.

Um, and I thank you for moving this importance uh issue forward as well.

So that is my ask, and and in my I'm just going by what makes sense here, what we've been asked uh by the organizers that are leading this work.

Um, and my item to be walked on would be 11.5 and I do remember member Callaway.

We can put in the name of the council, we can join both of our names together.

Um, but when it comes to the resolution, mine comes directly from the organization.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Mr.

Chair, perhaps we should hear Calloway.

Yep, hear from Mr.

Whitaker in terms of process when we have um two similar um resolutions, memorandums on the agenda.

Sure, Mr.

Whitaker.

I think we spoke earlier.

I wish I could walk.

Um, Mr.

President, yes, sir.

These types of items really is a matter of the body and not for LPD to sort of uh insert themselves into this uh sort of family situation.

Right.

So I would really appreciate it if you you know joining one of the we took time writing that resolution and we said that resolution, the resolution that that member Callaway supports.

Um, but the body can choose.

I think they're basically in full support of what the organization is asking for.

So it's just a matter of which what language would you like to assert, and that's a choice that the body should make.

So um I would make the recommendation as in the name of the council.

That way it will alleviate any of that.

My verses, because I think we're all on the same page.

Yeah, Mr.

I um if this is a whole second I can give any votes here.

I can go ahead and just move member.

That is the exact same thing.

And I'm not here to say who who does it who doesn't.

I we have always done this work, and we will continue to do this work.

My only ask is that I believe we should move forward with the organization's resolution that asked us to do this forward.

Uh, but the language is the same.

So whether we move 11.5 together and put that in the name of the council or move member Callaway's together.

I'm actually okay with either one, but I want to make it noted that our office, our office was asked to do this directly from the organization.

Thank you.

All right, thank you so much.

Uh member Callaway, would you like to move line item 11.2?

Um motion to well, first we have to move to new business.

My apologies.

Motion to move to new business line item.

If we can take them together, Mr.

Chair, 11.1 and 11.2, or do you just want to do 11.2?

Because these are two that I have to move to new business because I have to leave, leave the table.

But I'd like to make a motion to move them both to new business and to vote them um to vote on them.

Right.

So let's deal with uh 11.2 first.

All right.

Flex, there's a motion to place uh line item 11.2 uh into onto new business.

Any objections?

See none, then action shall be taken.

All right, colleagues, is there a motion to approve line item 11.2 motion seeing objections that action shall be taken.

Discussion?

Uh with discussion, member Callaway.

Um, being a black mother of four children, um, I'd like to read the resolution.

Black men's maternal health week held annually from April the 11th through April the 17th.

I won't read the whole thing and founded and led by the Black Mama's Matter Alliance.

It's a week-long campaign dedicated to building awareness, advancing activism, and fostering community to amplify the voices, perspectives, and lived experiences of black mothers and birthing people.

And whereas the purpose of Black Maternal Health Week is deepen the national discussion on black maternal health and to expand the understanding of the root causes of black maternal health inequities, recognizing black maternal mortality as a global crisis affecting black women, not only in the United States, but throughout the world.

Discussion.

Thank you, Mr.

President, and just want to thank Mothering Justice for their work in making sure that we are supporting Black Mothers.

And I want to thank them for asking us to support them with the resolution as they have in the past, because deeply I understand the need for all of us to support our families, whether you're black, brown, whites, new or native to the city.

I'm just really grateful for the work that they've done.

And I know the importance of making sure that we're supporting all families, all mothers, and know how deeply ingrains the outcomes of brown mothers, brown families are um in supporting our back or black families as well.

Um, and I will ask Mr.

Presidents that I join this resolution as well since we um move forward, a very similar one.

All right, college has a motion for approval line item 11.2 discussion uh with further discussion, member McCampbell.

Just the double check, uh, Mr.

Chair, are we making this in the name of the council?

Um, I'm gonna make that recommendation as I said earlier, but we're gonna get the vote in first.

Any objections?

Seeing none, that action shall be taken.

Colleagues, is there an objection to placing this item in the name of the council?

Hearing no objections, madam clerk, then action shall be taken.

Right.

Um, there is a there's a further uh request for placing line item 11.1 onto new business.

Umber Callaway.

Yes, thank you, uh Mr.

Chair, Mr.

Chair, being a member of United Nations Greater Detroit chapter for the last decade of um um of my career.

Um this resolution supports the United Nations recognition of the trafficking of captured Africans and African descendants and racialized chattel enslavement of African descendants as the gravest crime against humanity.

This was passed by the United Nations on March the 25th, 2026.

The resolution calls upon the United Nations member states to engage in discussions on reparative justice, including a full informal apology, measures of restitution, compensation, rehabilitation, assurances against future violations, and changes to laws, programs, and services to address racism and systemic demoscrape um discrimination.

And whereas reparations are a remedy for a debt long ow, arising from centuries of stolen labor, stolen land, stolen wealth, family separation, racial terror, and state sanctioned discrimination and violence are intended not as charity, but as redress, repair, and restitution for historic and continuing harms.

And whereas the legacy of trafficking of Africans, racialized chattel enslavement, post-emancipation, subjugation did not cease with formal abolition, but but was reconstituted through sharecropping, combat leasing, Jim Crow segregation, redlining, educational inequity, housing dispossession dispossession, and racially discriminating criminal legal systems, including in Detroit and Detroit has a deep history of reparations advocacy evolving from the pioneering federal lobbying of reparations rate, Jenkins, and Congressman John Conyers Jr.

to the 2021 voter approved municipal reparations task force, initially chaired by the great Queen Mother, Jo Ann Watson, a lifelong advocate for reparations for the descendants of slaves.

Therefore, be it resolved that the Detroit City Council recognizes reparations as redress for a debt oath and supports reparative measures, including apology restitution, compensation, rehabilitation, assurances against future violations, and changes to laws, programs, and services that perpetuate racial inequity.

The Detroit City Council hereby affirms and supports United Nations General Assembly's recognition that the trafficking and enslavement forcibly captured Africans constitute the gravest crime against humanity.

Now be it finally resolved if the Detroit City Council transmit copies of this resolution to the mayor of the city of Detroit, the United Nations General Assembly, and the African group of the United Nations.

And Mr.

Chair, I want to thank LPD for drafting this amazing, amazing resolution.

And it was a historic moment at the UN on March the 25th, 2026.

And I am so glad and gratified that this city acknowledges that decision to call it what it's what it was and what it still is, the gravest injustice to humanity.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you.

There's a motion to place line item 11.1 onto new business with discussion.

I'll just have one.

I know that uh this was approved uh by the UN on March 25th.

Is there any reason why we we can't send us through the normal process?

Why are we looking to pull it out to vote on to new business regularly?

I mean, you know, there's a lot of other resolutions on here as well.

Just looking at the but just the two that I'm just okay, Mr.

Chair.

Just trying to understand the timeliness of this particular item and what the necessity is for pulling it out.

It was just my decision.

I mean, we have a right to ask that it be moved forward under new business, and I never do it, but this time I'm asking they both move along the same lines under new business with um with the vote with the motion.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

It's just imperative.

This happened March the 25th, soon we'll be a month.

I thought it should have been done, but I didn't we didn't get it done until after budget.

But I've been um when I got notification about the decision on March the 25th, we took action, and so I'm just hoping that we can do it during this formal session, which is the first form of session after budget.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Pro Tim Young.

Thank you.

Uh look, I support moving this uh now.

I and I just wanted to ask you this this is an excellent uh resolution.

I I just wanted to ask you, does this also include language about this being a genocide?

Does this also include slave breeding?

And does it also include um uh sterilization through eugenics process?

And and and maybe, and if it doesn't now, would you consider maybe doing that again or another resolution to address that too?

Because this is a great resolution.

I I I support it wholeheartedly 110%.

I just think it's important to add that as well.

I know you can't add numbers, but I think the statistics are about 15 to 22 million people overall through slave race, badges, black people that die from all those things.

So I I think it's an excellent resolution, but just a little tidbit just for future reference.

Thank you, thank you.

Thank you.

I've got it.

Thank you, Pro Pim.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Member Callaway, any feedback?

No, just if we can move it to new business and um vote.

Thank you.

Member McCampbell.

Uh thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Um, I uh I'm in support of move to new business.

Thank you, Member Calloway, for um pushing this and and getting it done.

Um I just want to uh note um because the United States was the member on the UN to vote against this.

Um, I think if you would be on the last resolve if we could send this to our congressional representatives as well, every single one of them, so they can know where the city of Detroit stands on this.

Yes, Mr.

Chair, if I might add, Member Kelly.

Thank you.

That's an excellent um suggestion.

We'll do that.

And United States, Israel, and Argentina voted against this resolution at the United Nations.

There were 100 123 that support it, three that opposed, and 53 that abstain from the vote.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you.

All right, colleagues.

There's a motion to place line item 11.1 on to new business.

Any objections?

Seeing none, that action shall be taken.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Colleagues, is there a motion to approve line item 11.1?

Motion.

There's a motion to approve line item 11.1.

Any objection?

See none that action shall be taken.

Mr.

Um Chair waivers on both line item 11.1 and 11.2.

Thank you, Ms.

Chair.

Colleagues, there's a request for waivers on line item 11.1 and 11.2 with discussion.

Pro Tim Young.

Is it okay, Member Calloway, if I join you on this?

Absolutely, sir.

On both?

Yes.

Um, well, that's we've already done the name of council for line item 11.2, but 11.1 is the one you look at.

Yeah, 11.1 is one I want to join.

Yes.

Discussion.

Uh, with further discussion, member McAuley.

Can we also just make this in the name of the council?

Colleagues, uh, is there any objection to placing this item in the name of the council?

Seeing none, that action shall be taken.

Thank you.

All right.

Um, Madam Clerk for the neighborhood and community services standing committee from the Office of Contracting and Procurement.

Okay, Mr.

President.

Council President Pro Tim Young, three resolutions, noting that line items 19.1 through 19.3 were all postponed from last week's formal session, and also noting that they are all for the general services department.

Contract number 6007480, 100% IPA, street maintenance, city funding to provide construction partition equipment and supporting services, contractor, BEC Enterprises, LLC, doing business as brown equipment company, total contract amount, 756, 840 dollars.

Contract number 6007678, 100% IPA slash street maintenance slash city funding to provide construction partition equipment and supporting services, contractor, McQueen Equipment LLC, doing business as McQueen.

Total contract amount, 10 million 111, 115 and 20 cent and contract number 607594, 100% IPA slash street maintenance slash city funding to provide construction partition equipment and supporting services.

Contractor, McAllister Machinery Company, Incorporated, doing business as Michigan Cat, total contract amount, 11 million two hundred thirty-four thousand four hundred thirty-eight dollars.

Council President Pro Tim Young, three resolutions.

Pro Tim Young.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I moved to approve line items 19.1 through 19.3.1 through 19.3.

Any objections?

See none, that action shall be taken.

Uh for the planning and economic development standing committee from the Office of Contracting and Procurement, Madam Clerk.

Council Member Johnson, two resolutions, line items 20.1 and 20.2.

Contract number 6007600, no cost agreement to provide continued hosting and maintenance for Detroit Home Connect Affordable Housing Portal, Contractor, City Wise Software LLC.

Total contract amount zero.

That's for housing and revitalization.

Contract number six zero zero one hundred six zero zero seven seven eight nine, one hundred percent opioid settlement funding to provide low barrier access to health care and medications for opio user disorder for individuals experiencing homelessness.

That's for housing and revitalization.

Council member Johnson, two resolutions.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Move for approval on line items 20.1 and 20.2.

College, there's a motion for approval of line items 20.1 and 20.2 discussion with discussion.

Uh member Benson.

Thank you.

Maybe I didn't catch it, but this is a no-cost contract for three years.

But they're providing a service.

Why are they willing to provide a service for no cost?

Member uh Benson, which line item?

Uh excuse me, 20.1.

20.1.

Uh Mr.

Washington, anyone available?

Yes, through the chair.

You can promote Michelle Robinson.

We'll promote that individual.

Good afternoon, ma'am.

Please introduce yourself for the record.

Um, good afternoon.

Through the chair, my name is Michelle Robinson, and I'm the director of housing services here in the housing and revitalization department.

All right, thank you for joining us.

Uh member Benson.

All right, thank you.

Ms.

Robinson, thank you.

Lyme 20.1 has the no cost agreement uh for citywide software for three years.

Why are they prepared to offer service and manage maintain, but not charge any money?

Um through the chair to councilman Benson.

Um they're providing that cost to us.

Um, they're providing the service to us um via no cost um through a separate market.

So they have a separate market rate listing function, um, which will entitle it'll have entities with over 20 market rate properties for rent.

They'll pay a listing fee.

So through that fee, they're able to provide that service to us with no cost.

Okay, and so they're providing that service in the city of Detroit.

Yes, that is correct.

Okay, thank you.

All right, colleagues.

There is a motion for approval line item 20.1 and 20.2.

Any objections?

Seeing none, that action shall be taken.

Mr.

Chair, I'd like to request a waiver on both line items.

College, just a request for waivers on both items, line item 20.1 and 20.2.

Any objections?

Seeing none, waivers should be attached.

From the city uh from the city planning commission, excuse me, madam clerk.

Council member Johnson, a resolution line item 20.3.

Johnson.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Move for approval.

This is to authorize the alterations in a PCA zoning district at 500 Woodward Avenue.

This is for a um a new building sign.

I think there's a motion to approve line item 20.3.

Any objections?

Seeing none, that action shall be taken.

From the planning and development department, Madam Clerk.

Council member Johnson, a resolution, line item 20.4.

Member Johnson.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Move for approval.

This is a property sale of numerous vacant lots on Whitman Place.

College has a motion for approval on line item 20.4.

Any objection?

Discussion.

With discussion, member waters.

All right, so thank you.

Um Mr.

President, I want to ask um.

Who's purchasing this property exactly?

I you know, I get a little scared with these LLCs.

And what's the purpose of the property again?

Um I mean of the sales.

I mean, this is a lot of property.

I'm gonna ask uh Mr.

Trong, who's joined us, provide that information for you.

Mr.

Strong, please introduce the question.

City Council presentate.

Uh, could we have council member waters repeat the question?

Um, it's just uh it's that blackout period when we get elevated.

Gotcha.

Waters, if you can please repeat the question.

All right, so the first thing I said is that LLC's always raised a red flag for me.

They're asking these are a lot of properties that they want to purchase.

Uh, what's the reason?

Um for the for the purchase.

Yep, the Anvas Key 3 LLC is owned by Michigan Box Company.

Uh they're the owner and operator of the adjacent business that's operated there for decades.

Uh they produce corrugated box materials, so you know, as I spoke um at PED.

Um, you know, those translate to anywhere from packaging for pizza boxes that you use to food and beverage shipping containers.

Um, and they also you know help with uh cardboard boxes for industrial users.

Um they do uh hire uh and have uh Detroit employees, uh and that's the the company doing business as uh behind the LLC.

So you are a little muffled, frankly.

What yeah, what are they going to build on this in this property?

Uh it'll be used for additional parking and then future um redevelopment for uh potential expansion.

Um, but they do have truck traffic.

Um, you know, as they ship uh the the packaging and materials that they produce there.

Mr.

Chair, Mr.

Chairman, through through you thank you.

Um I'd like to ask member Johnson if I could postpone for one week, please.

Member John Chair Member Johnson.

Uh thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Absolutely.

Motion to uh postpone line item 20.4 for one week.

Motion's been made to postpone line of 20.4 for one week.

Any objections?

Line 20.4 will be postponed for one week.

Thank you.

We'll be in touch, sir.

Thank you, Mr.

Chief.

Excellent.

Any other questions, comments, or concerns?

Okay, is there a motion to move line items?

2.1 through 20.3.

21.1.

No, 20.1 approved, Mr.

Chair.

21.

20.3.

No, it's one.

20.4 is postponed.

Oh no, that's right.

We've got to we've all 20.400.

Okay, I got you right.

I'm sorry.

Yeah, I got to give me apologize.

I'm sorry, everybody.

All right.

My apologize at waters.

All right.

Office of contracted and procurement.

Um no wait.

Did you already read the line on 21.1?

Yes, Mr.

Chair.

We are in the public health and safety standing committee.

And from the Office of Contracting and Procurement, Councilmember Santiago Romero, three resolutions, noting that line items 21.1 through 21.1 was postponed from last week's formal session.

Contract number 3091451, 100% blight funding to provide emergency commercial demolition of 3916 joint road.

Contractor DMC consultants incorporated.

Total contract amount 81,890.

That's for construction and demolition.

Contract number 3091173, 100% bond funding to provide emergency residential demolition of 1474 E State Fair.

Contractor SC Environmental Services LLC total contract amount 18,063.

And contract number 3091361, 100% bond funding to provide emergency residential demolition of 4742 Fisher Contractor SC Environmental Services LLC.

Total contract amount 18,179.

That's for construction and demolition.

Council member Santiago Romero, three resolution.

Motion to approve.

Any objections?

See none that action shall be taken.

Or request to speak before council.

Council President Pro Tim Young, a resolution line item 22.1.

Uh line item 22.1 pro Tim Young.

Thank you, uh, Mr.

President.

Uh I like to postpone line of 22.1 for one week.

All right, there's a request to postpone the vote for line item 21.1 for one week uh with discussion.

Uh pro tem.

I don't know if you would like to uh send this item to LPD to uh provide us with some uh insight input on this item before uh next week.

No, we most certainly can.

I uh there was a conversation that I want to have with it as well prior to, but it LP, but I'll never turn down LPD wanting to provide insight.

So if LPD wants to reside, is I am waiting with Bay Breath.

So do I need to make that motion?

Yeah, I know that's kind of what we had talked about when these items come before us.

We've before we vote on them, we send them to LPD so they can do a workup and analysis, and then uh from there will allow us to make the most uh prudent decision if that's possible for this body.

So motion to assign an analysis for line item 22.1.

All right, colleagues of motion on the floor uh for an assignment for LPD line item 22.1.

Any objections?

Seeing none, that action shall be taken.

Again, madam clerk, we did uh postpone that vote for line item 22.1, correct?

Was that just a discussion?

I may have stepped over that one.

Correct, Mr.

President.

Thank you.

Okay, we did approve it.

Line 22.1.

Yes, ma'am.

Yes.

Oh, for postponing, got you.

Yes.

All righty.

Thank you much.

Uh, we will now move on to the new business portion of the agenda uh from the mayor's office, madam clerk.

Council president pro Tim Young, six resolutions, line items 23.1 through 23.6.

Uh pro Tim Young.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I move to approve line items 23.1 through 23.6.

Colleagues, there's a motion to approve line items 21.1, excuse me, 23.1 through 23.6.

Are there any objections?

See none, that action shall be taken.

From the office of contracting and procurement, madam clerk.

Council member Santiago Romero, three resolutions, noting that line item 23.7 was postponed from last week's formal session agenda.

Contract number 600746, 100% city funding to provide specialty uniforms and other specialty items.

Contractor Alley Brothers uniforms, total contract amount 275, 324 and 40 cents.

That's for police.

Contract number 6007 eight zero six, one hundred percent major street funding to provide emulsified asphalt, contract or catillac asphalt LLC.

Total contract amount 750,000.

That's for public works.

Contract number 600740, 100% city funding to provide diesel filters, cleaning, repair, and testing services.

Contractor DPF cleaning specialist LTD.

Total contract amount 140,000.

That's for transportation.

Council member Santiago Romero, three resolutions.

Member Santiago Romero, line items 23.7 through 23.9.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I would like to send 203.7 back to committee.

We got more questions came up for us after discussion.

So we'd like to send through excuse me, 23.7 back to public health and safety.

Colleagues, there's a motion to send line item 23.7 back to committee.

Any objections?

See none that action shall be taken.

Member Santiago Romero.

Thank you.

Motion to approve 23.8 and 23.9.

As a motion to approve line items 23.8 and 23.9.

Any objections?

Seeing none that action shall be taken.

Request to waiver, Mr.

President for both items.

It's a request for a waiver on line items 23.8 and 23.9.

Colleagues, any objections?

See none that action shall be taken.

Thank you.

Thank you.

From the office of contracting the procurement, madam clerk.

Council President Pro Tim Young, a resolution line item 23.10.

Contract number 600763, 100% CDBG funding to furnish, deliver, and plant up to 400 trees across three city parks, Peterson Park, Chandler Park, and Patton Park for one year.

Contractor pain landscaping incorporated.

Total contract amount 250,000.

That's for general services.

Council President Pro Tim Young, a resolution.

Pro Tim Young.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Uh, I would just like to say before I move this, I want to just give a very special shout out to Member Benson for his advocacy about trees and tree canonies.

I think that this is a direct result of his advocacy.

So I just want to say shout outs and kudos to him.

Uh I would like to make a motion to move line item 23.10.

There's a motion to approve line item 23.10, colleagues.

Any objections?

Seeing none, that action shall be taken.

All right.

From the office of um pro Tim Young.

I like to request a waiver on line on 23.10.

That's a request for a waiver, colleagues, on line item 23.10.

Any objections?

Seeing none, waiver should be attached.

From the office of the chief financial officer, office of development and grants.

Madam Clerk.

Council Member Santiago Romero, a resolution.

Line item 23.11.

Member Santiago Romero.

Motion to approve this is a prince.

All right, looking forward to this one.

There's a motion to approve line item 23.11.

Any objections?

Seeing none, then action shall be taken.

Request to waiver, Mr.

President.

There's a request for a waiver.

Colleagues on line item 23.11.

Any objections?

Seeing none, then action shall be taken.

Thank you.

Thank you.

From the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Office of Development and Grants, Madam Clerk.

House of President Pro Tim Young, two resolutions.

Line items 23.12 and 23.13.

Uh member excuse me, pro Tim Young.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

I would like to request a waiver on line item 23.12 and 23.13.

Oh, I'm sorry.

I like the request.

I'd like to move to approve line of 23.12 and 23.13.

I'm gonna hit myself there.

Sorry.

No problem.

There's a motion to approve line items 23.12 and 23.13.

Colleagues, any objections?

Seeing none, that action shall be taken now.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Now I would like to make a request or for a waiver on line item 23.12 and 23213.

All right, colleagues, this is a request for waivers on 23.12 and 23.13.

Any objections?

Seeing none, waiver shall be attached.

For the president's reports on the standing committee uh referrals and other matters for the internal operations standing committee, madam clerk, Mr.

Chair.

Um thing before before we go forward, madam clerk, uh member McCamp.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Before we go to referrals, actually, if I can move to remove 28.12 from the referral list.

28.12.

Oh, sorry.

This is a resolution in support of the cumulative impact bills, but it's my understanding that member Johnson led that last year.

So um as a request to remove line item 28.12.

Yes, sir.

Any objection, colleagues?

Seeing none, line item 28.12 should be removed from the agenda.

Thank you, madam clerk.

Thank you.

Uh, for the president's reports on standing committee referrals and other matters for the internal operations standing committee.

Five reports from various city departments.

The five reports would be referred to the internal operations standing committee for the neighborhood and community services standing committee.

Three reports from the mayor's office.

The three reports would be referred to the neighborhood and community services standing committee for the planning and economic development standing committee.

Three reports for various city departments, noting that line item 27.1 should be from the law department.

The three reports will be deferred to the planning and economic development standing committee.

Plus you for the public health and safety standing committee.

13 reports from various city departments, excluding line item 28.12.

The 13 reports will be referred to the public health and safety standing committee.

Under consent agenda, there are no items, Mr.

President.

We will now move to member reports.

And we'll start with member Benson.

No reports.

All right, member waters.

Just a couple of quick reports.

Um tomorrow, Wednesday from 4 to 6 p.m.

at Labor's Local 1191, uh skilled trade uh task force meeting that is at 2161 West Grand Boulevard Wednesday tomorrow from 4 to 6 p.m.

2161 West Grand Boulevard.

I hope that you will join us there.

Um task force members are uh waters, uh Miller, and McCampbell.

Um the second thing I want to ask um Mr.

President, I have a copy here in my hand.

I'm gonna pass to my colleagues.

It's just um budget funding that our that our mayor requested from the Michigan state legislature, and I wanted to ask through you that um, and I thought there was some pretty good ask for funding.

Um wanted to ask that LPD draft a resolution from city council if you all approve to uh sent to Lancing in support of what our mayor is requesting.

All right, is that a motion now?

That's a motion, as a motion for assignment for LPD regarding uh uh state budget LDSI requests.

Any objections with discussion pro tem young.

This is is this is not just a request for for information.

This is also the draft a resolution to send to Lansing that you are um sponsoring, right?

Well, then we're sponsoring that.

Oh, okay.

No, I just want to make sure I knew what it was.

I'm supporting.

I just want to make sure I know process.

Okay.

Thank you.

Colleagues' motion on the floor.

Any objections?

Seeing none, that action shall be taken.

Okay.

Member Waters.

Thank you.

That's it.

Mr.

President.

Thank you.

Member McCamble.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Just want to, I know Member Calloway had to step away, but I just wanted to thank her for the ceremony, the secondary street name ceremony over the weekend of Viola Liazzo.

I folks may know that this uh she was from Detroit and went down to Selma, Alabama, and was um horrifically murdered uh by the Ku Klux Klan during the civil rights movement.

Um and it was uh uh a great ceremony and family members were there.

Um, the uh secretary of state as well as state legislators were there as well.

And I was happy to attend.

Um some folks may know, but my mom uh was born and raised in Silma, Alabama in 1955, so in the heart of the civil rights movement.

Um, and growing up, in addition to, of course, educating me around the civil rights movement.

She made sure that I knew about uh Miss Viola um and importance around allyship and accomplices in this work towards justice.

So I just want to highlight their ceremony and thank Member Callway and all the folks that were involved in that ceremony as well.

Okay.

Um, for events this uh Saturday on April 18th.

We will uh there will be the District 7 Master Plan meeting from 10 a.m.

to 12 p.m.

at St.

Susanna Cody Rouge Community Resource Center, which is located at 19321 West Chicago.

So again, uh April 18th at 10 a.m.

I encourage residents to please do attend this very important uh meeting.

And then next Thursday on April 23rd, there will be the community business research fair resource fair at the Boys and Girls Club um on tirement from 11 a.m.

to 2 p.m.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you.

Member Johnson.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

I first like to start out by saying thank you to my team, to folks within the administration who attended our um developer summit uh 2.0 is what we called it this past Saturday at the community center at AB4 Park.

Always a great discussion, great conversation about how we build housing density in the city of Detroit.

Um, and also want to thank Madam Mayor, Mary Sheffield, for coming by and um sharing her vision as it relates to housing.

So great conversation.

Looking forward to continuing those conversations as we move forward.

I would like to share with everyone that our city council evening council meeting is happening this evening in District 4 at the Fountain of Truth Church, located at 9801 Chalmers at 7 p.m.

And then tomorrow at the same location.

Mayor Sheffield is hosting her district for charter mandated meeting at 5:30 at Fountain of Truth Church.

So you all get two bites at the Apple.

Um I will be there tonight and tomorrow.

Um, so if there's anything that uh you all would like to chat about, I'm sure we will see you either in person or via Zoom.

Again, see you all tonight, 7 p.m.

Fountain of Truth Church.

Thank you, Mr.

Chair.

Thank you.

Looking forward to it.

Member Santiago Romero.

Thank you, Mr.

Presidents.

Uh want to share 46 residents.

Uh we're going to be joined by the planning departments to discuss the master plan agro-medical limited recenter this Thursday, April 16th from 5:30 to 7:30.

Please join to be your email is to design and plan the city.

Also want to welcome residents to join us for our office hours at Kemini Rec Center this Monday, April 20th, from 4 to 6 p.m.

And also want to thank uh one of the knees from Balmonosi and IJ Masters for coming out this Saturday.

Special shout out to Council President for joining us for for dancing some zoom by and it was so much fun.

We had other uh city staff as well.

It was really lovely to see you all.

Um good uh to see you.

Looking forward to next year.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Thank you.

Um, Member Miller had a good time too, Santiago Romero.

Member Miller.

Good afternoon, everyone.

I just wanted to give a shout out to Councilmember Mary Waters and the Skilled Trace Task Force.

I received a acknowledgement that one of our attendees had been placed with focus hope.

He has been trying for a year before coming to the skilled trace task force kickoff, I believe it was in February.

And his family is excited.

They send the best wishes, saying they look forward to more people being um uh careers being transformed into something positive.

Then I wanted to tell you in live member waters that your uh task force is definitely a blessing to a lot of our residents in Detroit.

Secondly, I want to say our District Five Charter Mandated Meeting with Madam Mary Sheffield and Resource Fair is April the 16th.

That's at Bethel AME Church at 5050 St.

Antoine in Detroit.

I makes it our district five residents with questions and that needs help to receive customer service and resources.

Attend the resource fair by our mandatory chartered mandate meeting for district five on Thursday.

And it is again April 16th.

And I will not be present, but I will be there in spirit.

My team is there to answer any other additional questions at both the events if you have uh questions.

And I look forward to seeing you guys in the near future.

Thank you, Mr.

President.

Thank you.

Pro Tim Young.

Thank you, Ms.

President.

On Wednesday, April 8th, I had the pleasure of hosting Senior Zoo Day with Ellis Manor and Myers Plaza co-op.

We had a great time together, and I would like to thank them for spending their morning.

Oh Miller, you might want to be a little static here.

Um Wednesday, I was invited to attend the book signing with Congressman James E.

Cliver for his latest book, The First Eight, a personal history of the pioneering black congressman who shaped a nation.

I was honored to present a tribute to the Congressman at Fellowship Chapel, where Dr.

Reverend Wendell Anthony is the pastor.

Thank you, President Tate, for allowing me to attend the function in your absence.

It was amazing.

And finally, on Friday, April 10th, I hosted Coffee with Coleman at Craig Cafe.

The turnout was amazing.

It was awesome, and the establishment was beautiful.

I would like to thank the Crawford family who owns the business with two sons who played in the MBA.

Thank you, Chief Procurement Officer Sandra Ustall and Sierra Williams, contractor and procurement specialists for attending the meeting with over 70 people in attendance.

They had lots of questions on how to become contractors with the city, and we were able to answer all of their questions.

Thank you so much for everyone that was in attendance.

This is my member report.

Thank you, President Tate.

Thank you, Pro Tim.

And I don't have any member reports, colleagues, but if there's no objection, I would like to ask Director Todd.

I would like to defer my time to you.

You would like to come forward.

Believe you have a message you wanted to relay to this body.

I'm so thankful to have you back here in the space, sir.

Hearts and minds still go out to you as well.

All right.

Thank you so very much, Council President.

To you and this honorable body for a moment of privilege.

I did just want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to each and every one of you for your individual and collective expressions to me, to my family with uh my mother's passing.

Um we are most appreciative of everything that we have received.

There has definitely been a lot of love shared.

Uh extend thanks uh to you for the testimonial resolution that you provided.

Uh, also to Mayor Sheffield and the mayor's office for the proclamation, uh, to the planning commission, to the historic destination advisory board, as well as the Detroit Entertainment Commission for their support and certainly to Mr.

Whitaker and uh all of my colleagues at the legislative policy division and my colleagues elsewhere within city government.

We have definitely received a great deal of love.

And um, I just say that uh my sister and I, indeed, our entire family are most appreciative.

We're blessed to have Maslyn Hamilton Todd as a mother, uh dedicated to her family, devoted to my dad.

Um very committed city servant and employee in the health department, uh, and certainly a woman of God, very active in our church.

We will all miss her greatly.

She has made her mark and we move forward in her spirit.

And again, just thank you and trying to bring back a moment of uh levity.

Thank you again, in particular, members Vincent and President Tate for your presence and your words.

Yes, Mr.

Tate.

Uh, my mother and many others at the church did follow a trend in the 80s and the 90s uh with square dancing, but no, I haven't done it since elementary school.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh we love you, uh Director Todd, Mr.

Todd, Brother Todd.

We love you and your family.

This is, you know, we often talk about and I say it when I provide these testimonial resolutions that a lot of times people think we have all these perks.

And if they only knew what life is like on this side of the table, but truly the the perk that I appreciate the most is being able to provide uh recognition and support for those who have come before our community and done just great work.

And your mom 24 years of uh service um with the health department here in the city of Detroit, she you know passed it along to you with 30 plus years now uh of you know service to the city.

So thank you again for allowing me an opportunity, and I'm sure um member Benson is feels the same as well for allowing us to share that moment with you and your family.

And uh like I said, we love you and just only want the best for you, man.

Thank you, thank you so much.

All right.

Discussion?

Uh, with further discussion, Member Benson.

I just want to say uh share those words.

It was an honor and privilege to be able to uh support the uh president um and share those words.

Thank you.

Thank you.

We still want to see that square dance, you know.

I'm just saying you're on the hook now.

YouTube, YouTube.

All right, under adoption without committee reference, madam clerk.

There are no items, Mr.

President.

Under communications from the clerk.

A report on approval of proceedings by the mayor.

Uh the report will be received and placed on file under testimonial resolutions and special privilege.

There are no items, Mr.

President.

Thank you so much.

There'd be no further business to come before this body.

Uh one item of discussion, uh, Member Benson, before we uh Mr.

Brad.

Save rounds.

I did not um explain.

Can you get a little closer to the microphone?

I do have a save round.

Uh this Saturday will start the celebrations for Earth Day.

And we have our annual Earth Day Awards, the Green Task Force, and this year we're moving it to the Detroit People's Food Co-op.

And it starts at 10 a.m.

and it goes to noon.

And so all the colleagues are invited.

We've had many colleagues come in the past, and we give out about a 10 awards citywide to advocates and practitioners uh for sustainability, and we always have hot grits and eggs.

And so if one thing that we know that not everybody wants to see the sustainability community coming, but they love to come eat with us.

And so those who attend, we have eggs, hot grits, and we have a great time.

So hope to see everybody there.

Thank you.

All right, thank you.

Colleagues saying that if there is no if there's no objection, this meeting now stands adjourned.

This meeting is adjourned.