OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Detroit Public Health and Safety Committee Meeting – April 20, 2026

City Council — Monday, April 20, 2026
BodyDetroit, Michigan
SessionCity Council
DateMonday, April 20, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:38:05

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Now I'd like to call to order our public health and safety standing committee for Monday, April 20th, 2026.

0:08

May the clerk please call the roll.

0:10

Good morning.

0:11

Councilmember Gabriela Santiago Romero.

0:13

Present.

0:14

Councilmember Denzel and Tom McCampbell.

0:17

Councilmember Mary Waters.

0:21

Madam Chair, we have quorum.

0:22

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

0:24

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

0:35

Would like to ask if there is a motion to approve our minutes from our last session.

0:42

Hearing no objections, our minutes from our last session will be approved.

0:46

Uh for chair remarks today.

0:48

Just want to share that we do have a 130 p.m.

0:50

dangerous buildings hearing session later on.

0:53

So if you are uh tuning in, you are early.

0:56

I welcome you to come back at 130 p.m.

0:59

If you are on the list of the dangerous buildings, uh, if your properties on the dangerous buildings list.

1:06

Um, until then, we will go into the rest of the agenda for today.

1:11

We'll start off with public comments.

1:13

Um, everyone, we will give everyone two minutes today for public comments.

1:17

I don't see anyone here in person for public comments, so we will turn over to the folks that we have online, and I'll give everyone online two minutes to raise their hands if you are calling in for general public comments.

1:30

So at 12 oh excuse me, at 10 oh 12.

1:33

Excuse me, at 1012.

1:35

Let me drink some more coffee at 1012 this morning.

1:40

We'll be cutting off public comments.

1:42

So if you are online now, please raise your hands.

1:46

We'll put two minutes on the screen for folks, and we'll begin with the folks that we have online given nobody here in person.

2:05

And how many hands do we have raising?

2:08

Who do we have first?

2:15

And just let me pull that up in a second.

2:18

Okay.

2:30

Our first caller is Denise Dar Denise Darnell.

2:35

Okay.

2:36

Mr.

2:37

Nell, if you can hear us, you have two minutes.

2:41

Good morning.

2:42

Can I be heard?

2:42

Yes, you can.

2:43

Good morning.

2:44

All right, Dr.

2:45

Darnell here.

2:46

I want to voice my support for some of the line items on your agenda for today.

2:51

I see council member Benson's uh memorandum to recognize financial literacy month, especially for our youth.

2:59

And that just happens to coincide with one objective that Eucharist on my real estate development team is offering as a closed loop development system, where we propose financial literacy and credit counseling for our prospective home buyers so that when they buy their home, they can stay in it and continue to afford it.

3:20

I also support council member at large Mary Waters memorandum for getting information on quit claim deeds and defraud.

3:29

I think she's doing great work in that area.

3:32

I also hope the city will fund the grant for United Community Housing Commission so that they can provide legal representation for those who are at risk for losing their homes.

3:42

And as we know, they are very hard-working uh organization in our city, helping a lot of people and have also supported Mary Waters deed fraud informational meetings.

3:55

Finally, I hope the city will also fund the supplemental emergency ambulance services so that our response time is reduced for those who are calling 911.

4:06

Have a great day.

4:07

That's the end of my comment.

4:09

Thank you very much.

4:10

Thank you, Doc.

4:11

You as well.

4:12

Public comments is now cut off.

4:14

General public comments is cut off.

4:16

Who do we have next?

4:18

Our next caller is Cunningham.

4:27

Brother Cunningham, if you can hear us, you're up next I'm pulling over to the side of the road for safety.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████████21%
Public Safety███████████████████19%
Public Comment████████████████16%
Public Transit████████████12%
Parks and Recreation███████7%
Technology and Innovation███████7%
Environmental Protection██████6%
Contract Management█████5%
Blght██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Detroit Public Health and Safety Committee Meeting – April 20, 2026

The Public Health and Safety Standing Committee met on Monday, April 20, 2026, at 10:12 AM. Chair Santiago-Romero called the meeting to order with a quorum present. The agenda included public comments, unfinished business, and new business items including contracts for environmental due diligence, demolition, police firearms, EMS services, and transit technology, along with several resolutions. The committee also noted a separate dangerous buildings hearing scheduled for 1:30 PM.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Denise Darnell expressed support for financial literacy month recognition, Councilmember Waters' work on quit claim deeds, funding for United Community Housing Commission for legal representation, and supplemental emergency ambulance services to reduce 911 response times.
  • Brother Cunningham gave a personal statement, referencing prayer and the difference between being humble and subservient.
  • Caller ending in 169 repeated a definition of revenge.
  • Ms. Hughes questioned the environmental due diligence contract (6.1), asking about contaminated dirt (“dirty dirt”) and whether the city is using its own money to clean up. She also questioned grant funding for the Joe Louis Greenway demolition and criticized the lack of a rec center in District 7, urging better spaces for youth downtown.
  • Caller ending in 039 made a statement about electoral commission issues and a personal grievance regarding a homicide case.
  • Betty A. Varner, president of DeSoda Ells World Black Association, promoted a health fair and provided information about free legal clinics for title/probate issues (Home for Generations Clinics).
  • Jedante Smith raised concerns about a payment plan scam, dangerous buildings list accountability, the Bustles Family Center development, and criticized city officials for not meeting with him. He also called for nuisance abatement at a property owned by Nicole Curtis.
  • Mr. Foster urged council to hold violence interrupters accountable for the $20 million state funding, criticizing police response and tokenism.
  • William M. Davis encouraged political participation and voting, noting low turnout.
  • Maurice urged the police department and council to ensure the mayor's six-point public safety plan does not increase teen-police encounters, citing research against overreliance on incarceration.
  • Caller ending in 124 questioned the environmental due diligence contract (6.1), demanded a “dirty dirt map,” and raised concerns about the land bank’s use of eminent domain, alleging charter violations.
  • “Please protect pollinators” (caller) did not speak; call was dropped.

Discussion Items

  • 5.1 – Memo on abandoned property at 10631 Whittier: Received and filed.
  • 5.2–5.4 – Memos on after-hours establishments, quit claim deeds, and deed fraud prosecutions: Brought back in two weeks.
  • 5.5–5.6 – Resolutions on financial literacy month and compost awareness week: Received and filed.
  • 5.7 – Memo on accessibility at 36th District Court: Brought back in two weeks.
  • 5.8 – Memo on demolition-to-construction pivot: Received and filed.
  • 5.9 – Emergency demolition contract for 2164 Harding: Brought back TBD due to ongoing issues.
  • 5.10 – Emergency demolition contract for 3736 LRE: Approved and sent to formal session.
  • 6.1 – Environmental due diligence contract (Monique Smith Group, $3.5M increase): Members McCampbell and Santiago-Romero questioned cost recovery from contractors who contaminated soil. Law department requested to provide a confidential report on potential causes of action. Item brought back in two weeks.
  • 6.2 – Demolition of commercial structures for Joe Louis Greenway (Adamo Demolition, $653,400): Approved, sent to formal session with a request for a presentation on economic impact and neighborhood development.
  • 6.3 – DPD special response team firearms (Michigan Police Equipment Co., $108,232.50): Approved after discussion on storage, safety, and non-use at protests. Commander assured they would not be used for nonviolent protests.
  • 6.4 – Contract for legal representation: Referred to Internal Operations Committee.
  • 6.5 – Mobile bus ticketing app extension (Token Transit, $2.9M increase): Approved and sent to new business. Discussion included local vendor opportunities and data collection.
  • 6.6–6.8 – Supplemental emergency ambulance contracts (Arch EMS, AmeraPro EMS, Superior Air Grounds): Approved and sent to new business. Deputy Commissioner Hillman outlined plans to potentially bring more services in-house.
  • 6.9 – Transit vehicle tracking system (Swiftly, $1.22M): Approved and sent to new business. Director highlighted improved real-time accuracy and rider communication.
  • 6.10 – Fiscal year 2026 community education recycling grant: Approved and sent to new business.
  • 6.11 – Report on vape use on city property: Received and filed.
  • 6.12 – Resolution recognizing April as National Arab American Heritage Month: Approved to new business.
  • 6.13 – Resolution recognizing April 28 as Workers’ Memorial Day: Approved to new business.
  • 6.14 – Resolution recognizing April 15 as Youth Homelessness Matters Day: Approved to new business.
  • 6.15 – Memo on contaminated dirt and resident safety: Brought back in two weeks.
  • 6.16 – Memo on 2026 EPA Air Quality Awareness Week: Brought back in two weeks.

Key Outcomes

  • Approved contracts: Emergency demolition at 3736 LRE (5.10), demolition for Joe Louis Greenway (6.2), DPD firearms (6.3), mobile ticketing extension (6.5), three ambulance contracts (6.6, 6.7, 6.8), transit tracking system (6.9), and recycling grant (6.10). All were sent to formal session or new business with recommendation to approve.
  • Items held/brought back: Environmental due diligence (6.1) held for two weeks pending law department report on cost recovery. Several memos (5.2–5.4, 5.7, 6.15, 6.16) brought back in two weeks. Emergency demolition at 2164 Harding (5.9) held TBD.
  • Referrals: Contract 6.4 referred to Internal Operations Committee.
  • Next meeting: No public health and safety committee next week; formal session resumes Tuesday, April 28, 2026.

Meeting Transcript

Now I'd like to call to order our public health and safety standing committee for Monday, April 20th, 2026. May the clerk please call the roll. Good morning. Councilmember Gabriela Santiago Romero. Present. Councilmember Denzel and Tom McCampbell. Councilmember Mary Waters. Madam Chair, we have quorum. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Given a quorum, we'll go right into the agenda for today. Would like to ask if there is a motion to approve our minutes from our last session. Hearing no objections, our minutes from our last session will be approved. Uh for chair remarks today. Just want to share that we do have a 130 p.m. dangerous buildings hearing session later on. So if you are uh tuning in, you are early. I welcome you to come back at 130 p.m. If you are on the list of the dangerous buildings, uh, if your properties on the dangerous buildings list. Um, until then, we will go into the rest of the agenda for today. We'll start off with public comments. Um, everyone, we will give everyone two minutes today for public comments. I don't see anyone here in person for public comments, so we will turn over to the folks that we have online, and I'll give everyone online two minutes to raise their hands if you are calling in for general public comments. So at 12 oh excuse me, at 10 oh 12. Excuse me, at 1012. Let me drink some more coffee at 1012 this morning. We'll be cutting off public comments. So if you are online now, please raise your hands. We'll put two minutes on the screen for folks, and we'll begin with the folks that we have online given nobody here in person. And how many hands do we have raising? Who do we have first? And just let me pull that up in a second. Okay. Our first caller is Denise Dar Denise Darnell. Okay. Mr. Nell, if you can hear us, you have two minutes. Good morning. Can I be heard? Yes, you can. Good morning. All right, Dr. Darnell here. I want to voice my support for some of the line items on your agenda for today. I see council member Benson's uh memorandum to recognize financial literacy month, especially for our youth. And that just happens to coincide with one objective that Eucharist on my real estate development team is offering as a closed loop development system, where we propose financial literacy and credit counseling for our prospective home buyers so that when they buy their home, they can stay in it and continue to afford it. I also support council member at large Mary Waters memorandum for getting information on quit claim deeds and defraud. I think she's doing great work in that area. I also hope the city will fund the grant for United Community Housing Commission so that they can provide legal representation for those who are at risk for losing their homes. And as we know, they are very hard-working uh organization in our city, helping a lot of people and have also supported Mary Waters deed fraud informational meetings. Finally, I hope the city will also fund the supplemental emergency ambulance services so that our response time is reduced for those who are calling 911.

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