Detroit City Council Formal Session – May 12, 2026
Detroit City Council Formal Session – May 12, 2026
The Detroit City Council held its formal session on May 12, 2026, beginning with an invocation and a testimonial resolution for retiring Detroit Land Bank Authority (DLBA) Chair Erica Ward Gerson. Council then heard public comments on housing accessibility, data centers, public safety, and property complaints, followed by discussion and votes on multiple contracts and appointments.
Invocation and Presentation
- Invocation was delivered by Brother Gary Wagner, Executive Director of the Capuchin Soup Kitchen, focusing on food justice and hospitality.
- Testimonial Resolution was presented by Councilmember Scott Benson honoring Erica Ward Gerson for her 12 years as DLBA Board Chair. Highlights: oversaw restoration of 13,000+ vacant homes, productive use of 30,000+ vacant lots, homeownership opportunities for 6,000+ Detroiters, and generation of $2 billion in value for Detroit homeowners.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Dessa Cosma (Detroit Disability Power) urged that Mayor Sheffield's Thousand Homes Initiative include accessible housing for the 100,000+ adult Detroiters with mobility disabilities.
- Betty Lyons complained about $600 million allegedly stolen from residents and criticized attorney Fink's office in Bloomfield Hills. Praised Councilmember Callaway for questions.
- Cunningham advocated for rider input on D-DOT, handing out bus passes and urging better on-time performance and route frequency.
- Dante Smith raised concerns about Cronos Concrete and the Maroon family purchasing industrial property in District 3, warning about dust and zoning issues.
- Josh Mann opposed the Flock surveillance system, citing privacy concerns and ties to Peter Thiel; warned about future in-car monitoring.
- Adrian Times reported retaliatory treatment at 375 W Grand Boulevard after a city inspection; requested FBI investigation into building management.
- Terry Jones alleged his home was stolen through improper legal proceedings and asked for federal investigation.
- Eden Bloom (Detroit People's Platform) asked that the data center working group be elevated to a formal task force with public notice and accessible records.
- Casey Peller (Detroit Disability Power) supported contract 600717 (KMA Associates) for an accessibility audit; urged disability inclusion in the Thousand Homes Initiative.
- Betty Varner (Soda Elsewhere Black Association) promoted Local 68 apprenticeship program and urged removal of income requirements for home accessibility programs.
- Julian Gonzalez (Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation) called for balanced public safety investments, emphasizing CVI programs alongside technology like ShotSpotter.
- Darren McGleskey criticized the city’s solar takings as similar to Black Bottom slum clearance; alleged the city spent $2.8 million decommissioning a site that still stands.
- Pamela Walker Dawson (75-year-old homeowner) supported a formal data center task force for transparency.
- Multiple callers raised issues with data center development, housing conditions, bus service, and the need for cleaner streets.
Discussion Items
- Data Center Working Group (Councilmember Benson) – He clarified that the working group is developing zoning regulations; four subcommittees are meeting; the goal is to have recommendations to the planning commission by late June. Benson stated the threat is having no regulation, not regulation itself.
- Land Bank Board Appointment (Line 17.7) – Council debated appointing Javont Glenn to represent council on the DLBA for the remaining six weeks of the term (through June 30). Councilmember Miller motioned to approve Glenn for that term while collecting resumes for the new four-year term starting July 1. Motion passed over objection (member Santiago-Romero recorded objection but resolution approved).
- Accessibility Audit Contract (Line 18.1) – Councilmember Callaway objected, citing concerns about compliance backlog; HRD staff said 21 of 55 HUD projects are past due for inspection, but they are not seven years behind. Objection was maintained, waiver denied.
- Ambulance Contracts (Lines 20.3-20.5) – Three emergency ambulance coverage contracts (totaling over $4.5 million) were postponed one week after debate over the need for a longer-term plan to bring EMS in-house and increase Detroit firefighter residency. Council also requested a concrete framework from the fire department.
- Fink Law Firm Contract (Line 17.3) – Amendment 16 with Fink Bresack (total $6.37 million) for legal services, including Herman Kiefer litigation. Councilmember Callaway requested quarterly reports; Councilmember Santiago-Romero questioned why a new RFP was not issued. Contract was approved with objections from Callaway and Santiago-Romero.
Key Outcomes
- Testimonial Resolution presented to Erica Ward Gerson, unanimously recognized.
- Data Center Working Group – Council took no formal action; working group continues with goal to write zoning regulations by year-end.
- Land Bank Board Appointment (Line 17.7) – Javont Glenn appointed for the remainder of the term through June 30, 2026. A full process for the new term (starting July 1) will proceed with candidate names due by May 18.
- Accessibility Audit (Line 18.1) – Contract with KMA Associates ($207,800) was approved despite objection from Callaway; waiver was denied.
- Ambulance Contracts (Lines 20.3-20.5) – Postponed one week; council requested a concrete framework from the fire department on the transition to in-house EMS and increased Detroit residency.
- Fink Law Contract (Line 17.3) – Approved; council requested quarterly reports. Objections noted.
- Other Approvals:
- Deferred compensation contract (Line 16.1) approved.
- Planning Commission resolutions (Lines 16.2-16.3) approved.
- Internal operations contracts (Lines 17.1-17.2, 17.4-17.6) approved.
- HRD contracts (Lines 18.2-18.3) for shelter services approved.
- Fire department ambulance contracts (Lines 20.3-20.5) postponed.
- DDOT Safety Plan (Line 10.6 moved to new business) approved.
- Event resolution (Line 20.1) approved with councilmember Santiago-Romero's query on parking coordination.
- Meeting Adjourned at approximately 1:45 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Sure, Councilmember Scott Benson. Scott Benson. Councilmember Letitia Johnson, present. Councilmember Denzel and Tommy Campbell. Councilmember Renata Miller. She is online. She says here, but it looks like she's muted. Oh, she's muted. Here. Thank you. Councilmember Gabriela Santiago Romero present. Councilmember Mary Waters. Councilmember Angela Whitfield Callaway. Council President Pro Tim Community on the second. Here. Council President James Tate. Here. Mr. President, you have a quorum. Thank you. We have a quantum, which means we're now in session. Want to let everyone know if you would like to provide comment to this body and public comment. Provide you with a white public comment card. If you're online, please raise your hand and we will put you in the queue. Again, if you would like to provide comment to this body during this session, please raise your hand, and someone from the team will be walking around and provide you with one of those cards. Give you an opportunity to speak. If you're online, raise your hand, and you will be placed in the queue. Providing this morning's invocation, we have none other than Brother Gary Wagner, who serves as the executive director of the Capuchin uh Soup Kitchen found Capuchin Food Soup Kitchen, period. Founded in 1929, the Capuchin Food Soup Kitchen is a Detroit-based ministry that provides nutritious meals, clothing, and support services, including addiction treatment and tutoring to individuals and families facing poverty. The Capuchin Soup Kitchen in Detroit provides essential services, uh including nearly 1,000 hot meals across two locations in Detroit, uh located one of them located at 4390 Connor, and the other at one, two, six, four Melgium Street. Floor is yours, please come forward. Thank you, Councilman uh President Tate. Um grateful for this invitation to be here today. Um, and I'm grateful for all the work that each of you do uh on behalf of our city. My own councilwoman is uh councilwoman Mary Waters because our old one went off and decided to take a different job. And uh Mayor Sheffield. Uh and I'm very grateful that the mayor on the day that she took the oath of office January 1st, went to the fire department, to the police department, and then to the capuchin soup kitchen. And uh I think that's a sign of where her heart is, and we're grateful for that. Uh the capuchin soup kitchen, as council president take said, has been here for many years. Just want to say one thing. Uh Buddy's Pizza, uh, good Detroit institution, 50 years has supported the soup kitchen. And when I was at one of the restaurants, I went up to a couple, and I said, So are you here to support the soup kitchen, or did you just wander off the street for pizza and found out you're going to be supporting us as well? And she said, Well, we wandered off the street, but I'm glad that we're supporting the soup kitchen. And then she said, Let me tell you something. She said, When I was 21, I was an unmarried mother with a little boy. And I used to go to the Capuchins, and she meant the services center with uh, and she said, I like the carts because I could put my little boy in the cart and shop for the food and clothing that we needed, and it really helped us at a difficult time in our life. And I said, uh, thank you for telling me that. And how old is that little boy now? And she said, 29, married, has given me three grandsons, and he's a Marine. Wow.
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