Neighborhood Community Service Standing Committee Meeting - June 25, 2026
Neighborhood Community Service Standing Committee Meeting - June 25, 2026
The Neighborhood Community Service Standing Committee met on June 25, 2026, with Council President Pro Tem Goldman Young, Councilmember Scott Benson, and Councilmember Renata Miller present, achieving a quorum. The meeting included public comment, approval of minutes, and discussion of several agenda items, including a residential parking permit area, a street festival petition, and a park donation.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes Approval: A motion to approve the minutes was made and passed without objection.
Public Comments & Testimony
Five callers provided public comment. Key points included:
- Caller 1: Expressed frustration that public comment was not left open for five minutes, referenced disturbing prior meeting involving houses purchased for solar, questioned the framework for the city's nuisance abatement property process, requested a copy of the current condemnation process, alleged waste, fraud, and abuse, and called for a health study in neighborhoods affected by solar projects. Provided contact information.
- Caller 2 (Engine 534): Complained about secrecy in the nuisance abatement program, claimed the city and land bank are being sued for illegal condemnation, criticized council members for voting for it, accused the administration of lack of due diligence, violations of the city charter, and environmental neglect, and criticized DTE and solar projects.
- Caller 3: Simply stated, "Please stop violating Detroit City Charter," then disconnected.
- Caller 4 (Legendary Detroiter): Announced his candidacy for precinct delegate as a Republican, alleged election fraud by Janice Winfrey since 2020, claimed city council members were cheated in, and declared his intent to run for Michigan Senator.
- Caller 5 (960): The caller identified as Cunningham, then a constituent (Rochella Stewart) asked about contaminated soil at demolition sites, the timeline for remediation, and the inability to purchase lots due to contamination. Also advocated for voting "yes" on the Wayne County Transit Millage and school proposals.
Discussion Items
- Line Item 5.1 – Residential Parking Permit Area: The Municipal Parking Department presented a resolution to set a public hearing for a residential parking permit zone on 2nd Street at Peterborough Street. Councilmember Benson motioned to bring the item back in one week to allow further discussion with the department director. The motion was seconded and approved.
- Line Item 6.1 – Greektown Neighborhood Partnership Monroe Street Weekends: The petition requested weekend closures on Monroe Street between Bobien and St. Antoine from July 10, 2026, through October 3, 2026. Councilmember Miller expressed concerns about why only one block of Greektown was included, while other blocks remained under construction and businesses were struggling. Councilmember Fife (online) echoed these concerns, noting delays in street construction and the exclusion of two other blocks. The committee initially motioned to bring the item back in one week, then after hearing from Ms. Fife, confirmed the motion to bring it back in one week for further information.
- Line Item 6.2 – Donation for Elevated Walkway in Brewer Park: The Kresge Foundation (cited as "Cannes Field Consortium" in transcript) donated an elevated walkway, trees, and an outdoor classroom valued at $300,000. Councilmember Benson questioned the structure's safety and liability. Alex Weatherup from General Services clarified it is a solid wooden walkway, not a rope bridge, with guardrails, and will be inspected like other park installations. The committee voted to send this item to formal session with a recommendation for approval.
Key Outcomes
- Minutes: Approved without objection.
- Line Item 5.1: Brought back one week for further discussion.
- Line Item 6.1: Brought back one week for additional information and a meeting with the Greektown partnership and DEGC.
- Line Item 6.2: Sent to formal session with recommendation for approval.
- Member Reports: Councilmember Miller announced a coffee event on June 26, 2026, at Cree Cafe. The vice chair reported attending a specialty court graduation ceremony.
- Adjournment: The committee stood adjourned without objection.
Meeting Transcript
Neighborhood community service standing committee will now come into order with the clerk please call the roll. Good afternoon. Council President Pro Tim Goldman Young. Here. Councilmember Scott Benson. Councilmember Renata Miller. Mr. Chair, we have quorum. Excellent. All right. Um is there a motion to approve the minutes? Motions made are any objections. Here none of the bits will be approved. We have negative chairmarks. We'll now move to public comment. Do we have any in-person public comment? All right. Seeing none. All right, we will now go to virtual public comment. How many people do we have with the queue, Mr. Bo. Good afternoon, Mr. Chair. We currently have five individuals with their hand raised for public comment. All right, five individuals. Okay. Public comment is now closed. Public comment is now closed. Public comment. Is now closed. All right. Who here first in Q, Mr. Bo. Mr. Chair, the first caller. All right, two minutes. Good afternoon. And through the chair, may I be heard? Yes, you may. Oh, thank you. Um you you should at least leave it open for five minutes. You know, people don't you don't start on time, and so people should have a chance to to log in. Um your last meeting was very, very disturbing to me because many of the houses that I saw on that purchase agreement uh were houses that were also on a list of houses that were bought for the solar. I'm not sure what's going on here, but it's a little hanky panky going on here. And I'm wondering why the memorandum or the request for the framework for the city's nuisance abatement property is not with you. The the it's in the neighborhoods, and it seems that everybody else is driving this except for you, who are supposed to represent the neighborhoods. I think that you and Mr. Benson should put your heads together and think about how you're going to clean up the dirty dirt that you guys caused in the city. Why you're now in secrecy talking about the nuisance abasement pro abatement property seizure and condemnation process. I have asked for a copy of the current one.
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