Budget Finance Audit Committee Meeting Summary – May 13, 2026
Budget Finance Audit Committee Meeting Summary – May 13, 2026
The Budget Finance Audit Committee of the Detroit City Council met on May 13, 2026, with Chair Denzel Anton McCampbell presiding. Councilmembers Letitia Johnson and Mary Waters were present. The committee reviewed audit findings, handled routine items, and approved an ARPA fund reallocation.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Betty A. Barner, President of the Soda Elsewhere Block Association, expressed support for new businesses in the Finkel Corridor, including a home health care agency at Finkel and Monica and a mini market with gas pumps at Finkel and Wyoming. She requested council support and funding for a land use hearing fee.
- William M. Davis (Commissioner) questioned whether city vehicles are required to stay within Detroit, suggested savings from reduced travel, and asked about interest generated on city funds. He advocated for a full audit of the prior administration and opposed residents paying for "dirty dirt" costs.
- Legendary Detroiter (Mr. Crawley) alleged election fraud in the 2024 presidential primary election, claiming a ballot was improperly counted for Mary Elaine Beckman. He called for the Elections Director to appear before the committee.
- Ms. Hughes (Owner Papa) criticized the confidentiality of the risk management quarterly report, questioned ARPA fund spending on blight (which she said created more blight), and urged focusing remaining funds on youth and seniors. She also raised concerns about paramedic fund transfers without a feasibility study.
- Brother Cunningham relayed a personal story about a former DDOT chief and offered a prayer, mentioning that he is "God's child."
Discussion Items
- 5.1 Unfinished Business – Resolution on Cinder Bill 559, 560, 561: Chair McCampbell requested a four-week deferral to align with state legislative developments. The motion carried.
- 5.2 Participatory Budget Expansion: Postponed one week for a response from the Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO).
- 5.3 Audit of Detroit Employment Solutions Corporation (DESC): Auditor General Laura Goodsby presented a memo noting the office lacks resources to perform the requested audit immediately but will include it in the annual risk-based plan. She referenced prior audits of DESC's use of compliance fee dollars. Councilmember Waters noted concerns about how funds were spent. The item was received and filed.
- 5.4 Risk Management Quarterly Report (Third Quarter): Attorney Graham Anderson explained the report is privileged because it contains sensitive litigation information. Settlements and indemnifications are handled through the Internal Operations Committee. The report was received and filed.
- 5.12 Audit of Detroit Health Department Food Safety Operations: Chief Auditor Kevin Asadi and Auditor General Laura Goodspeed presented 11 observations related to cash handling weaknesses, including unsecured checks, untimely deposits, lack of segregation of duties, and failure to use the cash room. Health Department Director Ali Abazid reported that by April 27, 2026, a dedicated OCFO cashier had been placed on-site, the scanner repaired, and staff retrained. OCFO Deputy CFO Regina Greer confirmed ongoing process improvements. Vice Chair Johnson asked about impacts on minority-owned businesses. The report was received and filed, with a plan for a forensic audit.
Key Outcomes
- Approval of Minutes: The minutes were approved without objection.
- 5.1 (Cinder Bill Resolution): Deferred for four weeks.
- 5.2 (Participatory Budget): Deferred one week.
- 5.3 (DESC Audit): Received and filed.
- 5.4 (Risk Management Report): Received and filed.
- 5.5 (Independent Agency Item): Deferred one week.
- 5.6 (Independent Agency Item): Received and filed.
- 5.7-5.11: Various motions to defer or receive and file, all approved.
- 5.12 (Health Department Audit): Received and filed.
- 6.1-6.2 (Board of Review Responses): Received and filed.
- 6.3 (ARPA Budget Transfer): Approved a resolution authorizing the transfer of $5.3 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds: $5 million for the Grow Detroit's Young Talent program and $300,000 for the Mont Elliott Senior Center. Funds come from projects that have ended or have surpluses. The OCFO anticipates an additional $5 million in reallocations by early June 2026, with council discretion on allocation.
Member Reports
- Councilmember Mary Waters announced a Skill Trade Task Force meeting on May 20, 2026, from 4–6 p.m. at Farwell Recreation Center (2711 Outer Drive East), and recognized Police Week.
- Councilmember Letitia Johnson thanked community members for a career day at Wayne Elementary and reminded District 4 residents of a monthly meeting on May 18, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. at Impact Church (1284 Elmdale).
- Chair McCampbell promoted the Skill Trade Task Force and announced a virtual District 7 meeting on May 19, 2026, featuring the Department of Neighborhoods and the Public Lighting Authority (mid-block lighting program).
The meeting adjourned.
Meeting Transcript
Budget Finance Audit Committee meeting for May 13th to order. With that, Madam Clerk, would you please call the role? Councilmember Denzel Anton McCampbell. Present. Councilmember Letitia Johnson. President. Councilmember Mary Waters. Mr. Chair, you have a quorum. Thank you, Madam Clerk. That'll move us along in the agenda to approval the minutes. Members should have received a minutes and with that is their motion to approve. Motion. There's been a motion to approve the minutes and no objections. The action shall be taken. That'll move us on to public comment. For folks that are joining us for public comment, we'll cut off the request for public comment at 10. If you are joining us via Zoom, please use the raised hand function. Seeing no one here in person for public comment. Currently, we'll move over virtually. Thank you. Good afternoon. Good afternoon, Ms. Varner. You speakers will have two minutes. Good afternoon to all within the sound of my voice. I'm Betty A. Barner, president of the Soda Elsewhere Block Association here this afternoon to advocate for my community. We are still in need of monies for our Finkel Corridor. We are excited because there are new businesses that have opened with a new business that has opened, and there is a husband and wife team that lives in that community that has purchased a building that has been vacant for uh 30 to 40 years. And they are renovating this building to have a home health uh care agency. And that is wonderful for our community, and that will be located at Finco and Monica. There is a brother team, the Dabish Brothers, I call them. Uh they are uh in the process of wanting to open up a mini market at Finkel and Wyoming, where the McDonald's used to uh was located. And they are will be coming uh to the council to go through that process and to get their approval. I'm hoping the council will support uh this uh business opening up in our community. We are a um food desert. We don't have a supermarket in our immediate area, and their business is going to be a mini market and uh six gas pumps, but the most important thing they will have fresh produce, dairy. There will be a deli that will have a cold and hot foods. It is needed in our community. So please support, and we need monies for that land use hearing fee. Thank you. Thank you, Miss Varner. Next speaker, please. The next caller is Nini's friend. Mr. Crawley, good afternoon. Uh, you have two minutes. Mr. Crawley, Nini's friend, you have two minutes.
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