The Detroit City Council met in formal session on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, with a quorum present. The meeting opened with an invocation by Rev. Jerome L. Warfield Sr., followed by recognition of students from Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School by Councilmember Mary Waters. The council approved a consent calendar, heard public testimony on multiple issues, debated several contract and policy matters, and adjourned after acting on resolutions and reports.
Councilmember Scott Benson. Councilmember Letitia Johnson, present. Councilmember Denzel Anton McCampbell. Present. Council Member Renata Miller. Councilmember Gabriela Santiago Romero. Councilmember Mary Waters. Present. Councilmember Angela Whitfield Callaway. Member Calibird didn't send a memo indicating that she would be tardy. And Mr. President, the clerk office has received notice that Member Gabrielle Satiago Romero will not be present today. Thank you. Council President Pro Tem culminated on the second. Council President James Tate. Mr. President, you have a quorum. Thank you, man. We have a quorum, which means we're now in session. Uh, we'd like to note Madam Clerk that we have been joined by Member Miller. She's on the screen. Clerk was so note, Mr. President. Thank you so much. All right. There being a quorum present. We will now we are now in session. We will now begin the collection of public comments. Um for those who would like to speak. Please raise your hand if you have not received one of these cards. If you're in the com in the auditorium, please raise your hand again if you have not received one of these cards and you would like to speak before this body. If you're at home, just raise your hand on Zoom, and we will make sure we collect you and put you in the queue to speak before this body. Providing this morning's invocation, uh Pastor, if you can come on forward, please. Uh, we have none other than Reverend Jerome L. Warfield Senior, who serves as a senior pastor of Unity Baptist Church located at 7500 Higherman, also known along that stretch as Reverend Velman D. Stotts Avenue following its secondary street renaming. Uh, Pastor Warfield has been a consistent presence in both the faith community as well as in service to the people of Detroit for decades. In addition to his pastoral leadership, he has served in senior executive roles within our city's criminal justice system. He is a former two-term, two-term uh chair of the Detroit Board of Police Commissioners and currently leads the board's uh office of chief investigator, where he continues to work to strengthen accountability and improve case review. We thank you for being here with us this morning, providing this morning's invocation, Pastor Boardfield. Thank you, buddy. God of our weary years, God of our silent tears, thou who has brought us safe thus far on our way, thou who is by thy might led us into the light, keep us forever in the path, we pray. Divine Holy Spirit, we invoke your presence within this chamber, occupy the hearts of those seated in these positions of power. The Apostle Paul declared, now the Lord is that spirit, and where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. Father, we seek that liberty today. Grant them the freedom to serve without ego and to lead without fear. Grant these leaders the king discernment of a Joanne Watson to see truth. Grant them the relentless advocacy of a Irma Henderson to speak for the silenced, grant them the expansive love of a Marion Mahathy to embrace the vulnerable, grant them the iron strength of a Clyde Cleveland to withstand the pressure, grant them the profound compassion of a Nick Hood Senior to heal our divisions. The Prophet Malachi asked, What doeth the Lord require of thee but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God? Let justice be the foundation of every ordinance, let mercy be the filter of every budget, let human humility be the garment of every council member.