Whitfield Calloway.

Present.

Councilmember Scott Benson.

Benson I.

Councilmember Renata Miller.

I do believe she's on her way.

Clerk was so note.

Madam Chair, you have a coin present.

Thank you so much, Madam Madam Kirk.

We do have a prayer that's been provided by Peter Rhodes.

If you all will allow me.

Dear God, thank you for your love and guidance.

Help us to always walk your path and to never be alone or to be a stone in anyone else's path that might cause them to stumble.

So the word for the day is don't be a stone in someone else's way, causing them to fall and stumble.

Thank you.

Thank you, Peter, for that beautiful word.

All righty.

Is there a motion for the approval of the minutes?

Motion.

Without objections, the action shall be taken.

There are zero chair remarks.

Public comment will be cut off in two minutes.

It is now 10.01.

Public comments will be turned off at 10.03.

Is there anyone else?

Is there anyone here in the committee of the whole who would like to make public comment?

You'll have two minutes.

If so, um, you can take the first two seats there.

I see Mr.

Cunningham and I see the young man sitting next to you.

The um police officer there will guide you to the chair once you sit down.

Mr.

Cuttingham, you can go first.

You'll introduce yourself.

Um, and you know, um, to press the button at the base of the microphone and it'll turn green.

Again, you'll have two minutes and good morning to both of you.

But Mr.

Um Cunningham will start with you first.

Um 313 313, 444, 9114, 313, 444, 9114.

313, 444, 9114.

That number was made, so you can remember it.

Um, so I'm giving out ice water and busting every Friday.

And I actually been so hot, been giving out frozen cold water during this heat uh uh that we're going through right now here in the great city of Detroit.

Um I need your help in helping people.

Of course, you know the engine is giving me a problem, about 1500 to fix.

Um and I appreciate those that have helped um behind the scenes or boldly.

Um I always say this won't touch not God's anointing.

Cunningham needs to do his servants, Cunningham, no harm do me no harm, less harm.

Uh if you're a child of God, unity to hold somebody down is not good unity.

In history, we've had bad unity like slavery and other things.

There's good unity and bad unity.

Let's not morph the word unity into just being good.

Let's tell it like it is.

Unity is good or bad.

And karma is seed time and harvest.

Yes, don't put a hurdle in my pathway in helping people and mercy, mercy, mercy.

Fix D dot, improve the system.

D dot is in bad, bad shapes.

They're only on time, 65%.

D dots on time, 65%.

D dots on time, 65%.

D dots on time, only 65%.

That's hideous.

That's hideous.

It's just not good.

Uh, and also, councilman, we have in prayer before the sessions again downstairs.

Um we need to pray.

We just need to pray.

Okay.

Thank you, Mr.

Cuttingham.

And when we schedule that prayer walk around um this building, I'll make sure you include it.

Okay.

You'll get a personal um invitation from me.

And I think we should probably do it sooner than later.

Okay.

And thank you for your service.

Thank you.

Okay, you take care of yourself.

You want to introduce yourself, sir?

You have two minutes.

Uh good morning, council.

My name is Ronald Wallace Jr.

Um, I'm from Detroit.

I represent Team Cunningham.

A very growing uh street movement, grassroots, for real, for real.

Righteous.

Um, this morning I want to just hit the topic about the bus situation, DOT, man.

It's a bus, it's a bus thing.

We're not asking for superman.

We asked him for the, you know, something that our babies and people in the working class can, you know, get back and forth to work.

You know what I'm saying?

Peacefully and clean, you know what I mean.

Um, this has been a long fight, and it shouldn't take that long to fight just to clean a bus or tell these drivers to be on time, especially nowadays with the economy, man.

Um, I also want to say that uh, you know, everybody knows Cunningham out here, man.

Um very beautiful brother, very beautiful her.

Now he got the hood with him now.

You know what I'm saying?

In a righteous manner, though.

Um, he needs help, man.

We can only do so much, man.

You know, I see more of him than I see a politician out there every day, man.

He's coming out of his pocket for real, for real.

And sometimes he don't feel good.

He's missing a lot of things.

And you know, to be very candid and frank, you know what I'm saying?

You know how the hood goes.

If he holler, we're gonna make sure he gets it.

But sometimes, you know, that's a righteous brother.

He he know he ain't gonna, you know, it got to come from the people, man.

Third thing, politicians for real for real.

It's a thing in the hood, man, like this.

If you out there and your shoes look too clean, you ain't out there.

You feel me?

I don't I don't hope that didn't blow over nobody's head, but you know, y'all get the point, man.

It's cool.

Y'all gonna be hearing from Team Cunningham in the future, man.

Thank you a lot, y'all.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Stay safe and stay cool.

Yeah, you too.

Okay.

Y'all be good.

You be good too.

Team Cunningham.

Team Cunningham.

All right, anyone else in the um committee of the whole who'd like to make um public comment in person?

If not, uh, we'll go to our virtual callers.

Ms.

JC, good morning.

And how many callers do we have online?

Good morning, madam chair.

This morning we have nine hands raised for virtual public comment.

Okay, our first caller is the first caller is William M.

Davis.

Mr.

Davis, you have two minutes.

Uh, good morning.

Can I be heard?

Yes, sir.

Okay, I'd like to start out by letting my fellows in the Detroit retirees know that the Detroit Active Retired Employee Association, who normally meet the first Wednesday of every month, uh, who normally meet at St.

Matthew St.

Joseph Episcopal Church will not be meeting today.

We will not be meeting today.

Uh, also we are mourning the loss of our brother.

Rudolph Ruby Malcolm.

Uh, he was uh one of our founding members.

You know, he recently passed.

Uh, he was an outstanding star uh with the city church retirees with DOT and in his um the Sale Gardens neighborhood for years.

He's gonna be missed.

His service is gonna be July the 11th.

Uh from uh 10:30 a.m.

family hour, then the service is to start actually start at 11th at St.

Matthew St.

Joseph Episcopal Church, uh, where he was uh a deacon and a hard working member.

And as I try, you know, move on a little bit.

Uh also I think that you had a really nice meeting the other day, dealing with Bright.

We more of us need to make sure our city is much cleaner and that we need to do more about people dirty in our city.

And a lot of the people that are dirty in our city are fellow Detroiters.

Some of the same Detroiters that if they was going into, like I live near Dearborn.

I was a police commissioner where I used to, my area board, Dearborn DeBron Heights in Rutford.

People come from those communities, and they are dropped something, and we do we have Detroiters coming from those communities.

They'll drop something here, but won't drop it in those communities or other communities.

So we need more respect for our communities.

We need to make sure we have signs posted saying that there is a fine for literature.

We need to do more to make our city more presentable.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Davis, and thank you for coming to our blight orientation meeting.

Um, I think it was on uh Monday at Adam Bustle Rec Center on Linden in District 2.

Our next caller is the next caller is Dr.

Denise Darnell.

Dr.

Darnell, you have two minutes and good morning, ma'am.

Good morning.

Can I be heard?

You can be heard.

Okay.

And top of the morning to you, council member Angela Whitville Callaway, one of the hardest working council members on staff.

I heard a gentleman mention the millage for the Wayne County Regional Transit System at the city council meeting last night.

I attended Wayne County Commissioner Angelique Peterson Maybury's event in District 5 at the Liberian Heritage Hall yesterday, and it was clearly explained how this millage will benefit the residents of Detroit.

And I want to share just a few key points.

Public transport trap public transportation is an affordable lifeline for seniors and people with disabilities, as we hear so often from Brother Cunningham.

It benefits workers, students, and families throughout Wayne County, connecting them to jobs, health care, education, and daily needs.

If voters approve the millage, it will support and expand transit services throughout the entire county, which will allow Smart D Dot and other community transit providers to enhance services across all 43 Wayne County communities.

If voters approve the millage, it will continue and expand transit services and improve connections throughout all of Southeast Michigan.

The investment will support thousands of residents who rely on safe, reliable, and affordable transportation.

And we know research shows that a robust public transit system is key ingredient for attracting young people, and that's right in line with our mayor's initiative for bringing people back into the city.

The bottom line is that the average homeowner with a home value at 200,000 will cost about $8 per month.

And of course, that adjusts up and down, depending on the home value.

I just want people to make an educated decision when they cast their vote for August the 4th.

God bless you all.

And I want information about the prayer walk.

Have a great day.

Bye-bye.

Thank you.

Thank you, Dr.

Darnell.

How the how the work spreads real fast.

That's great.

We'll make sure that you are included as well.

You'll get a personal invitation from us.

Our next caller is Miss JC.

The next caller is Jadante Smith.

And before we go to Mr.

Smith, if you are calling from multiple devices, your hand will be lowered.

If you are calling from multiple devices, I have one caller that's calling from three different devices.

You are not going to be called on.

So if you're calling from multiple devices on Wednesdays, you are not going to be called on.

Mr.

Smith.

Good morning.

I want to say the shot spotter vote was very disheartening yesterday.

I didn't get to talk about a lot of things that I wanted to talk about, but Detroit needs economic development for residents.

Detroit needs support for the victims of the real housing, uh, real token housing uh fraud scheme.

Lots of those residents are still in those apartment buildings all around the city, especially in district three.

Um they need help with relocation services because the city didn't condemn some of those buildings.

The city didn't properly uh shut down some of those buildings, and people uh have moved in who shouldn't have been there, and it's created even bigger problems.

So we're gonna make people be homeless as we're suing real token and we're not uh rehousing any of the individuals who are uh victimized by real token.

I think that's super unfair, and I'm gonna make sure the media knows about it.

And uh, Councilwoman Callaway, I know you know about it.

You were uh a poster child for the lawsuit.

Also, I'm very disappointed in you, Councilwoman Callaway, because of your initiative, the Board of Houses without involving me.

I you had no, to my knowledge, no real initiative, the board of any houses, and you see me doing it around the city for the last six months to a year, and you seem to have commented on my personal Facebook page about that and said you helped me, and then now you're doing this with Detroit Police Department, which I mentioned, and I brought to council without me.

I think that's disingenuous to take someone's idea and not give them any credit and just do it without them.

Also, Colonels Downs only needs to happen.

I think that's something that's very important.

Uh also, I wonder where Scott Benson is.

Can we put a bat signal out for Scott Benson or for district manager in District 3, or for uh Mayor Madam Sheffield all across the city for the issue of homelessness?

There are about to be 1,100 homeless homeless people in the city of Detroit just due to federal cuts, let alone the thousands of residents affected by real token, let alone the people who are losing their jobs and facing evictions as we speak.

And we have a eviction ordinance that says you cannot evict a person if your property is not up to code, and we're still evicting people.

So, what are we doing about homelessness?

We're talking about buses a lot, but what are we doing about homelessness?

What are we doing about economic economic opportunity?

What are we doing about the literacy rate?

What are we doing about training Detroit workers to take jobs here?

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Smith.

I don't know what you're talking about.

I don't go around um advocating for homes to be boarded up, not unless they're in district two.

I don't think there's any idea that you can suggest to me that I would probably give it any traction or action or attention to.

Um, what I did do when I first joined the council in 2022 on October the 8th, I cleaned we my staff and I and volunteers cleaned up maybe this is what you're referring to, blight.

And the blight was trash and tires and mattresses going up along Wyoming, Southfield side of um south side of the lodge, and north side of the lodge in my district.

So I don't venture outside of my district.

We have eight other council people to do that.

So um there's nothing that any kind of suggestion you could ever give to me that I would give any attention to, Mr.

Smith.

So let's be clear on that.

Our next caller is um uh member Miller.

I just also wanted to address the caller, our mayor who is adamant about helping homeless.

I think you mentioned it probably about seven to ten times homelessness, homelessness, homelessness.

She just created an entire department for human health and homelessness.

I suggest that maybe you talk with the Dons or even her administration regarding her initiative that is moving full throttle to advocate for homelessness in the city of Detroit.

I think you might be amazed if you actually take the time to sit in on some of those hearings or some of those um city halls or some of those Doncasts.

I think you might be amazed if you actually take the time to sit in on some of those hearings or some of those um city halls or some of those Doncasts.

And I believe all your questions would actually be answered.

And then you wouldn't have to waste time calling in to badger the city council regarding that human homeless and health um task force that she has set out.

And I think you would be satisfied, and whoever's hired you, uh, you guys can maybe save some money for all the times that you do call in because it's it's just I don't even know what to say.

I am just shocked by the the amount of time that's put in, and I know you're on the clock with someone.

I I almost got the answer.

Uh the Reverend who's paying you.

But nevertheless, I would, if you're that insincere about homelessness, please, please by all means contact our dons in District 5 or whatever district that you reside in or have the um tenacity to call out district two and three.

It seemed like a lot.

Uh seemed like a person of indebted to me, but that's another neither here nor there, but I would definitely see the mayor's office for that homeless initiative.

It is uh moving forward.

Um, she has an amazing people that she's brought in to work on it.

And I think our city will see a turnaround when it comes to whole homelessness because our mayor truly has um taken that plight on with this administration.

Take care.

And thank you, sir.

Well said, Member Miller, thank you.

Thank you so much.

Our next caller is next caller is Owner Papa.

Owner Popper, you have two minutes.

I thought we weren't supposed to respond after callers.

I thought that's what Tate said.

Oh, that's that's on Tuesdays only.

How can Belzebal B Elzeball call out Biel's ball?

You're gonna have a walk around the city around the building.

I don't know what you think that's going to do.

Um a lot of you have caused this homelessness.

You have you have been the arbiters of it.

And whether the mayor advocates for homelessness or not, she is the cause of a lot of the homelessness, and so are many of you that sit on the city council today.

You can't tell people about stones when you are a stone.

It is absolutely ridiculous that we can't have public transportation when millions and millions of dollars have been spent on it.

Or shall I say, wasted.

This body gave away millions and millions of dollars yesterday, probably about a hundred million, 46 million for this, 50 million for that, and very little for our children.

You all are the problem.

How you vote, how you allow things to come across your table that are illegal, how you perform in a non-transparent way with all of your confidential um Mr.

David Whittaker.

Uh always has something confidential he wants to present.

Uh after a problem comes up, it's always a confidential answer that he gives.

It's not confidential, it's very public to those of us who know who what's going on.

This body is corrupt and it performs in a very corrupt, disingenuous manner.

God will get you.

And the prayer walk, Miss Hughes, is going to do what it's going to do, and hopefully you'll join us and you'll get a personal invitation as well.

Thank you, Miss Hughes.

Next caller is the next caller is Betty A.

Varner.

Miss Varner, you have two minutes.

Uh good morning, madam chair.

Within the sound of my voice, I want to start off by uh thanking you, uh, council member um Callaway for the work you have done in our community.

Uh, because that is the community you mentioned, is the community I live in.

So I want to thank you for doing the work to help uh keep our uh neighborhood and community clean.

And I'm new to uh district two, and but when you did this work, I was district seven, but was very proud that you took the time to focus on our community.

I'm asking that the council will uh support uh Mr.

David and his sons when he becomes when he comes to the council and go through the process in regards of his vision to open up a mini market with six gas stations that is needed in our community.

The mini market is needed.

We are considered a food desert.

I'm hoping that uh the council and the administration will support and find monies for the think of corridor so that we can have a um a corridor that is uh successful corridor like other corridors that have been revamped throughout the city of Detroit.

Uh my organization, the Sodales were black association.

We are having our annual August, I mean our annual arrived Detroit event, August 1st.

We're in need of um a barber, uh volunteers to help us set up and break down our tents.

It's gonna be a family fund event.

Uh everything that we do it and give away is gonna be free.

And so please, please, if you can volunteer and help us out.

Thank you, Miss Far Varner.

The next caller is next caller is number ending in five three four.

Caller ended in five three four.

You have two minutes.

Caller ended in.

Yes, Miss Wark, you have two minutes.

Okay.

You know the reason I call in on two devices, member Callaway is there's frequent hand lowering going on.

And so when you guys can make sure that stops, then I'll stop calling in on two devices.

You should have called me uh called me by my first hand, which was please answer my question.

My question is this that I've asked repeatedly, I've never have not gotten an answer to.

Why do the people in the targeted solar areas get housing upgrades and the rest of us don't?

There was no community benefits agreement for that project.

There was no CBO process.

So why do the rest of us not get housing upgrades if you really want to lower the carbon footprint?

And you know there's a lot of people, elderlies especially, who need their roofs fixed, they're losing a lot of energy out that way.

And also at the IBEW last night, uh I wow, I was surprised to see their solar panel things in the parking lot.

And at the end I was talking to some people and those those panels actually move to uh catch the light.

So I know member Callaway, you're the hero, the biggest hero in fighting against the solar insanity plan.

But please, we deserve an answer because it looks like to me that people got bribed with the housing upgrades, but the rest of us didn't, so that the people would go in and not care about the people losing their property.

The uh you really need to oversee the law department because frankly they committed fraud on the residents by not telling us a lot about the solar plan and then acting like you had a proper public hearing when we didn't get all the information.

It's really about the renewable energy credits, isn't it?

And how can you have a project committed when you don't have all the property rights yet?

I mean, I'll be reaching out to the Department of Treasury myself because I just don't this is like so unbelievable to me.

The IBEW who seems to care about themselves and jobs and not people losing their property.

Thank you, Miss Warwick.

The next caller is you have two minutes.

The next caller is Cindy Dara.

Miss Darr, you have two minutes.

Good morning.

Miss Dara, you have two minutes, ma'am.

If you can move Ms.

Darr to the end of the no here.

Okay, here you are.

Good morning, Miss Dark.

No problem.

Uh okay, so uh I want to call in about I want some of these preachers to get their vans out.

You know, the uh guy from North Carolina that's been so involved in politics.

They need to take people to the polls like they used to.

We used to have uh speakers on top of the vans telling people election day.

I think they fed people when they came to the polls.

But uh I want people to make sure they vote in the primary and they've already started early voting, and it's either easier for people to go to these voting centers than sometimes to find their own precinct.

But the the churches and the the community uh and people in the church that can get there by themselves should be starting to get other people there that can't get that aren't normally voting and get them registered.

They've got to take proof where they uh have proof of location that they're actually citizens of Detroit, and uh they take a bill like a or some kind of something that'll show that they're actually Detroit rather than so their ID and register uh at the uh uh election department on the boulevard.

Uh McKinney strike against John McKinney based on a bunch of life, and people uh need to get the word out that those are based on the way they do legislation and put poison pills onto a good bill.

Thank you, Ms.

The next caller is the next caller is the next caller is cricket icon.

Cricket icon, you have two minutes.

Good morning, Mabby Heard.

You can be heard.

And uh yeah, I'm not trying to be funny, but I know I hear these people come up to the table and constantly want to get our taxpayer money.

And we always get only one or two minutes, and then we can't get what we need when you've been paying taxes for over 50 years, 70 years.

I think it's terrible.

I asked for this my bathroom to be redone as a senior.

75 years would be 76 in October.

I when I worked in 1988, I had a I had a bathroom done to my house.

But my bathroom needs to be redone.

I know it's supposed to be funds out there, but these other funds, like I was hearing about the opera yesterday where they take the money putting it every place else.

I need my bathroom done.

I have I I have the old town's tub.

I have well, I had taken some uh stuff off my walls because I was tired of it and the insulation that's in it, I believe it's contagious.

It was it's contaminated because when they put that in there, that was over 15, 20 years ago.

Uh number two, uh the the buses.

I was going to the six-mile bus uh the other day, and I was at the middle of the street and I waved the busy seen me, and they just passed me right back right up.

When I was at one one day on uh eight mile and uh road, my ros.

The lady was there, which I'm glad she told me what kind of job she does, that she was writing that person up because I tapped on that window and she seen me, and this person just pulled right up.

So they need better drivers to pay attention, especially when there's a senior that's trying to get on the bus.

And also I don't like it because e-corse is uh got all these signs over here trying to lure our city Detroit students there, they shouldn't be able to do that to these lots.

So, like I say, I need to oh, and my my my door head done, they put some crackhead ribbons in there, no Riley.

That was our last caller.

Um we are going to move back to our agenda.

Thank all of our callers who were in person and who called in.

Um line item six, unfinished business, status of the law department settlement in the lawsuit of level one physical therapy, Dayland Fields versus the City of Detroit in the amount of 45,000.

Is there a motion?

There's a motion to loop move line item 6.1 to formal with a recommendation for approval.

Any objections?

Hearing on that action shall be taken.

Line item 6.2 status of council member Denzel McCampbell submitting a memorandum relative to rules for community advisory council.

Is there a motion?

Motion to discuss.

Motion to discuss.

Mr.

King through um LPD.

Good morning.

Uh good morning, sir.

Madam Chair, committee members, Edward King, LPD.

Uh, this item should have gone to East Gribe yesterday.

Can we bring this back in one week, please?

Motion to bring back in one week.

There's a motion to bring line item 6.2 back in a week.

Any objections?

Hearing none, that action shall be taken.

Line item 6.3, status of council member Renata Miller submitting a memorandum relative to questions regarding the community advisory council.

Is there a motion for discussion?

Discussion.

Discussion.

Member Miller.

Mr.

King, I sent the memorandum in regarding uh CAC D5 starting a uh nonprofit or looking for a grant that they would be sure is over, and I just need a direction.

Mr.

King.

Mr.

King.

Madam Chair.

The specific questions that were just asked regarding the grant.

CACCs can solicit grants and donations.

However, they cannot become a nonprofit on their own standing.

And to answer Councilman Benson's question from last week.

CACs are an agency of the city.

So they would have to follow the same procedures as any other department when they're soliciting grants.

And it would have to come through council for approval.

Some of the questions are addressed in 6.2.

I would humbly suggest that this committee review 6.2 and we can bring this back 6.3 back in another week.

If there are further questions, can we have them put in writing and sent to our department?

Member Miller.

As we're postponing this, they're having meetings, doing paperwork, and getting documentation.

This was like not probably it did not line up, but 6.2 is one direct question.

I just need the answer to that.

So I could proceed because they are the branch that consults with the council person.

They provide all the neighborhood questions and answers.

And I don't want to see them go down this path if it's inappropriate, especially when they don't have the proper information.

And if they're not coming before council or uh following the same procedures, they need to stop.

Okay, we will we will have something in writing next week.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Is there a motion to bring this line item 6.3 back in a week?

Motion.

There's a motion to bring line item 6.3 back in a week.

Any objections?

Hearing none, that action shall be taken.

Thank you, Member Miller.

Line item 6.4, status of council member Denzel McCampbell submitting a memorandum relative to questions on employee pay raises.

Motion.

Mr.

King, any um updates on this line item?

Madam Chair, this item was directed to HR.

Okay, so we should um Miss Sullivan.

Can you have someone join us from HR?

Good afternoon.

This item was responded to on 623 from HR.

Do we still need a representative to join?

Um so let me ask you this, Miss Sullivan.

So the item was ref um responded to in writing to Mr.

Um Member McCampbell.

Through the chair, yes, ma'am.

Okay.

Thank you so much.

Is there a motion to move line item 6.4 to formal with a recommendation for approval if he has if this I'm sorry?

Mr.

King.

I'm sorry, madam chair.

This would be received and filed.

Is there a motion to receive line item 6.4?

Discussion.

Discussion.

Member Benson.

Do yourself to the administration.

I'd like to hear them address this to the public, so public can hear.

I I have the writing, but I think the public would benefit from hearing directly from the administration on how the wages and living wages apply across the different um levels and qualifications of employees in the city of Detroit.

Ms.

Sullivan, did you hear Mr.

Member Benson's um questions and requests?

Through the chair, yes, ma'am.

If we could bring this item back to the end of the agenda, I can try to get a representative on it.

Thank you, Miss Sullivan.

Is there a motion to bring line item 6.4 back at the end of the agenda?

Motion.

Okay, without objection, that action shall be taken.

We are on line item 6.5.

Status of council member Scott Benson submitting a memorandum relative to a state planning program income eligibility requirements.

Is there a motion for discussion?

Motion.

Mr.

Anderson.

I was just in a meeting yesterday.

The final copy for review is sitting on attorney longs desk.

I would ask for two-week bring back with the holiday week just to make sure that everything is uh complete uh above in uh two weeks for you.

Motion to bring back in two weeks.

There's a motion to bring line item 6.5 back in two weeks.

Any objections?

Hearing none, that action shall be taken.

Line item seven under new business, office of contracting and procurement.

Line item 7.1 submitting a resolution authorizing contract number 600 699 2-A as an Apple II, 100% special revenue funding amendment number one to exercise renewal option for one year toll management services.

Contractor is professional account management LLC out uh Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Um previous contract was from March of 2025 to July of 2026, which means it's about to expire in a couple weeks.

The amended contract will take us through July 14th of 2027.

The increase amount is zero, and the total contract is four hundred and fifty-five thousand dollars.

Is there a motion?

Is there a motion on this one?

There's a motion to move line item 7.1 to formal with a recommendation for approval.

Any objections?

Objection, Councilmember Scott Benson.

Um hearing one objection, Member Benson.

And I'm going to defer to the parliamentarian with the one objection, it can still move to formal.

Okay.

Noting that one objection, and I I'm sure my colleague will bring it up on Tuesday.

So is there a motion to move this line item to um to formal?

Without without, yeah.

Without recommendation.

I make a motion to move to formal without recommendations.

Okay.

There's a motion to move line item 7.1 to formal without recommendation.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Thank you to you both.

Through the chair.

Yes, madam clerk.

For a point of clarity, I do have that member Benson has opposed.

So the um motion to move forward the two without recommendations from the two.

Yes.

Members.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Line item 7.2, submitting a resolution authorizing contract number 600-6359-A as an Apple 1, 100% city funding.

Amendment number one to provide an extension of time for investigative case management software system to various city departments, including the OIG, the Ombudsman Creole, Board of Ethics, and B OPC, the which is the Board of Police Commissions, Commissioners utilizing General Services Administration, GSA.

Um contractors wingswept, LLC out of Garner, North Carolina, and the amended contract period is July 23rd 2024 through July 2028.

The total contract amount is I don't see it on my page.

Um Member Miller or Member Benson, do you see the total contract amount?

It's not on my page.

938,000 dollars.

And this is through do it.

Um is there a motion?

Motion to discuss.

Motion to discuss, member Benson.

I was opening it up for my colleague to discuss they had any questions or concerns.

No, no questions for me.

Member Miller, you have any questions on line item 7.2?

Okay.

Is there a motion?

Motion to approve is in the formal.

Motion to um approve and sent to formal line item 7.2.

Any objections?

Hearing none, that action shall be taken.

We are now on line item 7.3, which is the chair.

Yes, madam, yes.

Uh through the chair, the administration would like to ask that 7.3 be removed from the agenda.

It was submitted in error.

Okay, so before we um got to line item 7.3, there is a um request to remove it by the administration.

Is there a motion to remove per the administration's request line item 7.3?

Discussion.

Discussion.

Member Benson.

Um through yourself to the administration and to yourself as well.

I believe it's more appropriate that that type of request come prior to the vote, and that should come directly to the chair prior to a starting session.

The optics are not a positive one when we've already voted, and then the administration makes a request to remove an item and not give the chair the proper information prior to starting the session.

I just want to make that very clear.

That that is not a proper way to do business.

I hope in the future you will afford the chair a greater level of information prior to starting the session if you have requests of this nature.

Thank you, Member.

Absolutely.

Thank you, Member Benson, for your advocacy.

Thank you for your support.

And thank you for your recommendation, Miss Miller.

I'm sorry, Miss Sullivan.

I hope you heard that.

So if the administration to member Benson's point is going to remove an item, you probably knew prior to this morning that you're going to move the item, so it shouldn't even be on the agenda.

So I would hope to Member Benson's point that that courtesy would be extended to me as the chair moving forward.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, Member Benson, for that.

Line item 7.4 submitting a resolution.

Contract number 600-7905, 100% city funding to provide legal representation for the city of Detroit.

Contractor Shermita Kilpatrick and Associates PLLC located in Auburn Hills, Michigan.

Is there a motion for discussion?

Discussion.

Thank you, Member Benson.

Mr.

Anderson, I know this is $15,000.

Um, and it goes through June 30th, 2027.

Is that the correct amount?

$15,000 and through the chair, both of those numbers are correct.

Okay.

What other number are you looking at?

I see one.

You said the 15,000 number.

Yeah.

And then you said uh the date, June 30th, 2027.

Okay, both of those dates.

Okay.

Um the date and the number.

Okay, so um just it's a small amount.

Um, why are we going all the way out to Auburn Hills?

There's not somebody right here on Woodward, Randolph, Larner, Congress, that's local.

It doesn't seem like it's a major, you probably get somebody fresh out of law school passing the bar, being able to practice to probably handle this.

Why are we going to Auburn Hills with $15,000, which is city money?

I can't, I I just don't understand it.

So I know I'm going to object, but it's that what's the explanation for this?

Through the chair, that's a fantastic question, Councilmember Callaway.

Uh I uh would ask for the opportunity for a week bring back to give a more uh in-depth response because I think that is a very fair tough question.

Yeah, and then also uh Mr.

Anderson, while you're getting an answer to that question, what is the case all about?

I didn't see it in the teachers report.

I'm not understanding, and I'm hoping I'm going to be advocating for that this small of a contract.

It doesn't have to go to Auburn Hills to a law firm.

It should stay in Detroit.

I'm going to continue to say that.

So absolutely I I know I will not be supporting this law firm.

I'm getting this city funding.

So um is there a motion to bring this back in a week?

Motion.

Motion to bring line item 7.4 back in a week without objections, that action shall be taken.

Thank you, Mr.

Anderson.

Thank you, Member Benson.

We are now in the law department.

Line item 7.5 settlement in the lawsuit of Minose.

I hope I'm pronouncing that correctly.

Mun, yes.

Okay.

Gaston versus City Detroit case number 25-019387-C as in Cat HS and honey.

File number B as in boy, L is in love 25-1658.

The law department is authorized to agree to entry of an order and settlement in the case of in this case on the following terms and conditions.

And I'm going to um ask for a motion for discussion.

Discussion.

Um Mr.

Anderson.

Through the chair, I know uh attorney Jason Harrison will be joining us briefly to explain this settlement.

Uh it could be any moment I would ask for uh a bring back when he arrives.

Okay.

Is there a motion to bring this back um upon the arrival of attorney um Jason Harris?

Motion to move the end of the agenda.

Okay, there's a motion to uh move line item 7.5 to the end of the agenda without objection that action shall be taken.

Line item 7.6 settlement and the lawsuit of cleric offered versus the city of Detroit $15,000.

Case number 25-00526-N is in Nancy, I as in Igloo, file number L is in love 25-8011, B as in boy, P as in Paul 370, police department in the amount of $15,000.

Is there a motion for approval?

There's a motion to move line item 7.6 to formal with a recommendation for approval without objection that action shall be taken.

Line item 7.7 settlement in the lawsuit of Aisha Jones individually and as next friend for her minor children, Daviana Jones and Natri Jones versus the City of Detroit, case number 24-008224-inus and Nancy Ias and Igloo file number Ellis and Love 2401090.

CMG Cat Mary Girl, Department of Transportation, in the amount of 27,000.

Is there a motion?

There's a motion to move line item 7.7 to formal with a recommendation for approval without objection.

That action shall be taken.

Line item 7.8, settlement and the lawsuit of Michael Newson versus the City of Detroit, the Department of Transportation.

And the amount of and I don't see the amount.

Okay.

Thank you.

Is there a motion?

Motion to do some formal recommendation to approve.

Okay.

Discussion.

Uh through your to yourself.

Not sure if we've been joined by the attorneys.

For 7.5.

Through the chair, we have.

All right.

So is there a motion to move line item?

Thank you, Member Benson.

Is there a motion to move line item 7.8 to formal?

Motion.

There's a line there's a motion to move line item 7.8 to formal with a recommendation for approval without objection.

That action shall be taken.

We'll move back to line item 7.5 with the law department.

We've been joined by attorney Jason Harrison from the law department.

And you all could take these seats here once you take your seat.

If you can hit the mic, who's ever going to speak first?

Hit the button at the base of the mic, it'll turn green.

If you can introduce yourself, and then the young lady, uh she's gonna stay there.

Here you go.

Okay.

Good morning, Mr.

Harrison.

Thank you, madam chair.

Good morning.

Morning.

Introduce yourself for the record.

Morning, madam chair, the honorable body.

Uh Jason Harrison, supervising assistant corp counsel of the Blight Division of the Law Department.

I have my colleague.

I'm Bethany Smith.

You have to hit your microphone, ma'am.

There's a button at the base of the mic, it'll turn green when it's active.

Okay, thank you.

I'm Bethany Smith and Assistant Corporation Council at the law department.

Thank you, Ms.

Smith.

Thank you, Mr.

Harrison.

Okay.

Um tell us about 7.5.

Through the chair, thank you, uh, Councilmember uh Whitfield Calloway and to the group.

Uh this is a lawsuit uh that was filed by the City of Detroit against Gaston Munoz, who's a residential enterprise owner.

Uh he owns uh teens of properties, hundreds of properties in the city of Detroit.

Uh when we filed this lawsuit in December of 2025, we only filed against 10 properties uh at that time, and those were deemed to be by BC the 10 worst properties uh in the city.

Uh traditionally, uh under this corporation council, what we attempt to do is to use the lawsuit, uh honorable body to uh absorb more properties if at all possible.

We were able to do that in this case.

Uh we successfully obtained a default against Mr.

Munoz and two of the corporate entities that are named by as defendants in this case.

There are multiple defendants named.

Um accordingly, we then move for default judgment uh and successfully served Mr.

Munoz because we had served him before the defaults, and then step two, move for the default judgment.

That is when he obtained a lawyer who we have been working with over the last, I'd say about seven or eight weeks, uh, who contacted us and said, hold on, hold on.

Uh we said we are not holding on, we're moving forward with the default judgment unless you agree to add another 280 of your properties that are out of compliance to this lawsuit.

Uh of course they agreed.

Uh we were successful in doing that.

Uh we negotiated with them through a couple through two or three week period.

Uh we have attached the order that was entered by the Wayne County Circuit Court, which essentially gives the terms of what the settlement would be.

Uh I do want to note that term 10 of that order entered by Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Halil Farhat uh indicates that the settlement is contingent upon this honorable body's approval uh pursuant to the city code uh in the city ordinance and uh if you look at terms one, five, and six, it talks about the orbit.

And when I say terms one, five, and six, this is of Judge Farhat's order.

Um the orbit is approximately between two hundred and ninety and three hundred properties under term two A of the order.

Mr.

Munoz has a responsibility to abate ten properties per month under two B of the order.

The deadline for Mr.

Munoz to complete abatement of this voluminous amount of properties is November 30th of 2028 under 2C of the order.

Uh Mr.

Munoz must request reinspections, which is pursuant to protocol from the Building Safety Engineering and Environmental Department, so that once he says every month I have completed these 10 properties, BC then has the opportunity to go out and reinspect and make sure that those properties were abated according to any correction orders or notices of violation that have been issued under 2D of the order.

Upon certification by BC that the reinspection was completed pursuant to the correction orders, the city has agreed to reduce the amount of blight tickets to 50% for the given properties for that month, 10 properties per month.

Under 2E of the order, BC will issue a certificate of compliance once the blight clearance is issued by the DAH.

And as you can see, under both 2D and 2E, honorable body, this is this is pretty much protocol.

We're not going to believe you when you say that you fix the property.

B seed has to go out and certify that you indeed did fix the property.

It's also protocol that in some cases where you have a voluminous amount of properties that we will agree to reduce some of the tickets.

The benefit for the city is that we want abatement, we want compliance, uh, we want a better situation for our neighborhood, so to speak, where many of these residential properties uh sit.

Uh under 2F of the order issued by Judge Farhat, uh, the city and the HRD will provide defendants, uh, Mr.

Munoz with names of viable candidates for housing once the certificate of compliance and the DAH blight clearance has been issued.

We want to make sure that the properties are habitable.

Uh but HRD is indicated to the law department, and I'm sure this honorable body is aware that they have the capacity and usually have an ongoing list of viable housing, viable candidates for housing or who are looking for a suitable place to rent or to purchase.

Uh under, and this is a key term that I wanted to bring to this honorable committee's uh attention.

Term three of Judge Farhart's order indicates that Mr.

Munoz must pay and negotiate the other balances owed to various departments in the city of Detroit.

Uh one of them is the Detroit Water and Sewage Department.

Uh we are not giving him a break on those balances.

As you can imagine, with 300 properties, that's quite a bit of money, likely owed.

Uh, we did put a footnote in the memo sent to this honorable body indicating that the DWSD as well as the Treasury and as well as B seed are currently compiling all of these balances that are owed for the more than 290 properties.

We wanted to make sure we submitted this to this honorable body uh since the order was entered by Judge Farhardt of the Wayne County Circuit Court on May 27th.

We wanted to make sure that this honorable body was clear though that these bodies are being compiled, or these balances rather are being compiled and that Mr.

Munoz is not excused from dealing with these three departments and the balances associated with the properties.

And again, those departments are Detroit water and sewage, number one, number two, it is B seed.

And as you know, B seed has a host of fees that are owed to them as a part of doing their business outside of the Blight tickets.

And we've listed them for this honorable body uh within the order that was entered by Judge Farhart and in the settlement memo.

Those would include reinspection fees, permit fees, uh biannual use license fees.

We were very hard with Mr.

Munoz and his lawyer and said, look, we're not cutting you a deal on those.

You own a lot of properties.

This is money that is owed to the city of Detroit.

You must interact with these three departments while this case is under the court's jurisdiction, which he now will be required to do because this case is under court jurisdiction and the associated 290 to 300 properties, and he must resolve those balances.

Under terms four and seven, just for the honorable body's review, uh and it's typical that we do this in these residential enterprise cases.

Uh you see that we've done it in the Kefalinos case.

We're also doing it in the real token case where you have these residential or commercial property owners who own voluminous amounts of property.

BC it assigns a project manager to interact with the representatives from the company on a monthly basis, sometimes uh every other month.

But in this case, uh, because there are so many issues associated with the properties that Mr.

Munoz either owns or manages, uh, we will be meeting with him monthly uh to ensure that the 10 properties that he's required to abate per month are completed uh and to make sure that he cannot come back and say, Oh, well, I was trying to reach the city of Detroit, no one called me back.

That's not the issue.

We've given you a project manager, we've set the monthly meetings, you're not gonna have any problem reaching anybody, and BC has been doing a phenomenal job as it relates to this Kefalinos uh enterprise issue, which was approved by this honorable body uh over a year ago.

Uh and then term number 10, which I may have mentioned already, this is contingent upon City Council approval.

One to make sure that this honorable body is aware of what's being done, uh, is aware that this is a huge opportunity uh that the law department in BC does now bringing to this honorable body, and on that basis, uh we will be uh uh hopefully moving forward, and if there's any questions, we're happy to answer them.

Thank you, uh Mr.

Harrison.

Um discussion, Member Benson.

All right, thank you.

Um Mr.

Hurston, thank you.

Uh, this is good information and a great way to start holding what would probably be defined as a slum lord accountable in the city of Detroit.

Now, with that said, what is the balance sheet look like for this slum lord?

Does he or his corporation have the financial ability to rehab 10 properties per month?

Uh, through the chair, thank you, Councilmember Benson.

So when we filed this lawsuit in December of 2025, there was no response.

And that's why we were able to take step one, which was obtaining a default against him under Judge Farhart's jurisdiction.

Uh then we went to step two uh and pursued a default judgment, which is now adjourned because we have this settlement uh before this honorable body.

Typically, what we will do is we will attempt to, when the party answers uh, council member Benson, attempt to obtain the answer to that question.

What is your financial capacity to do what it is that you're trying to do?

Um we do not know what his his we did not do an asset check here.

Uh we tried to move very quickly over the last six months.

Uh we were successful in doing that.

Uh I'll just cut to the chase, Councilmember Benson.

If he chooses to file bankruptcy, that's on him.

You can see we just had that situation with the Leland House.

The reason why that worked out somewhat is because the the owner who owned the Leland House no longer owns it.

So the bankruptcy court did an excellent job there.

It's out of their hands.

Uh hopefully, and I don't mean to to go off on a tangent, but hopefully the new owner will do a better job.

We don't know if that's going to happen here.

What I will say is that Mr.

Munoz has been interacting with Chief Enforcement Rush uh Officer Russian's uh designee over the last six months.

I mean, I've been on calls with with Mr.

Russian and Mr.

Munoz, where they already started abating properties before the city sued him.

So that is an Olive branch.

That's a sign of good faith.

Uh Chief Enforcement Officer Rushing can give you the number of properties that had been abated before the December 2025 filing date.

Um we look at that as demonstrating some semblance that he's able to do what it is that he's told us to do.

Uh whether he does or whether he doesn't, even if this ends in another property owner's hands, we have filed this pendants, and I believe we're almost through the 299 properties.

I want to interject here.

So you filed Liz pendants or are doing so on all of the property.

So we will now have an ownership interest or at least have clouded title on the properties owned by Mr.

Munoz.

Through the chair.

You're absolutely correct.

And I'll just add one modification.

We're in the process of filing those list pendants.

I believe we're roughly through about 100 of them.

We hope to finish the rest of them over the next couple weeks at the register of deeds.

Interjection number two.

Member Benson.

Does that protect us from bankruptcy?

Do we continue to have an interest in that property if bankruptcy is filed as a way to get out of this court ordered agreement?

Well, what it protects you from is the property uh is likely either not going to be sold through the chair.

I'm I apologize, council member.

Uh it's likely not to be sold uh because of the clouded title, or it can be sold and certified by a real estate uh title company with exceptions.

In other words, we are selling this to you from Mr.

Munoz to party B, but you must go and fix this.

If the bankruptcy court gets control of it, everything stops.

Because as you know, Councilmember Benson, the bankruptcy uh court, when they go through a chapter 11 or chapter seven, is in charge of all of the money, including any money that would be used purportedly to abate a property.

The reason why that's good though is typically what the court will do in a bankruptcy action, uh, especially in chapter 11, is they'll determine how much money there is, and if there's money enough to liquidate, if there's money enough to move forward, then the properties will in fact be sold to a viable owner, number one.

Number two, the bankruptcy court can appoint a receiver who is responsible for uh selling the properties.

All of those things, when we look at the current status quo, Councilmember Benson, are good things.

I mean, what we want our viable owners to own these properties and for us to be able to get people into this housing uh because of some of the housing issues that we're having in the city.

Okay.

And so to if Mr.

Munoz does not comply with this court owner order in agreement, what is the nuisance abatement option here?

What is the option to get new responsible owners for these properties?

So if he doesn't comply, the great thing about court jurisdiction is we can file a motion with the court, council member Benson say, look, we've been doing this Judge Farhat for four months now.

He was supposed to do 10 properties for a month.

He has not obtained B seed certification or certificates of compliance for these 40 properties over the last uh uh four months.

Your Honor, we want him held in contempt.

We want to show cause him as to why these properties shouldn't be sold or transitioned now.

That's the great thing about court jurisdiction.

And I'm glad you're raising that point, council member, because before the lawsuit and before this settlement that's before this honorable body, we didn't have that ability.

Now, if he doesn't do as you've indicated, council member Benson, what he says he's gonna do, we can go back into court, and I'm sure corporate council mail would have us do that.

We're not gonna allow this to lag over a year, lag over six months.

And when these 30-day meetings start, of which we've already had one, he needs to demonstrate that he can do what exactly what's in this order.

Interjection number three, has he demonstrated that financially?

After your first meeting.

Yes.

Yes, he's 10 homes a month.

That is not an insignificant amount of money or work.

We're how how are we looking at after our first meeting?

He he did some of the 10.

The reason why council member Benson, I'm not trying to be facetious that we we kind of uh gave him a little bit more time for the first 30 day period is because we hadn't been before this honorable body.

Term 10 of the order that was issued by Judge Farhat says that the city council must approve this.

So we did we we really did want to start effectuating the order, so to speak, until we allowed you all to breathe on this.

Interjection number four.

Sure.

So you need us to approve this so that you all are now on solid ground to enforce this judgment.

Is that accurate?

Absolutely.

Which you're not there yet.

No, not until this honorable body approves it.

We've we've started in some respects, I think our reported that DWSD is working on compiling their balance.

The Treasury is working on compiling the balances that will be due this summer for these properties.

Uh and B seed is currently working on all the things associated with biannual license fees, reinspection fees.

Uh we should be ready.

We've been told by these enterprise departments in the next week or so, but we certainly want this honorable body to be aware of what we are doing, what we're trying to do and asking for your approval.

Discussion through yourself, madam chair, and excuse me, I'm gonna come come back to LPD.

Should we at this table act prior to having or having at least visual of the administration's working board of monies uh discussions, basically the baseline for their tracking of this through the chair member uh Mr.

King uh Councilmember Benson, I can't answer that question at this time.

Uh if you'd like to put it in writing, we could um give you a response as soon as possible.

So I don't know if we need that.

What I want to do, so what I'd rather not do is hold this back if it's necessary to get an approval to the law department to effectuate this.

I'd rather see us start to hold somebody accountable.

My concern is on our oversight part, we then lose oversight.

This is now gone.

We have no idea what is happening where you all are as far as oversight.

I'd like to see an actual dashboard.

There are money zone, law department, BC, 10 homes, the addresses, where are you in that process.

I'd like to see a dashboard and a reporting out at least quarterly.

Uh that will be three meetings reported out to this body once a quarter, so that we can at least keep track of how this is going.

Not trying to interject or influence how you all act, but I do want to understand how you are acting, the success that you're having, and how this person is being held accountable.

And then if you all determine at some point, this is not working, we're going to go with the nuclear option here.

We want your properties and we want them to go into somebody else's hands.

I'd like to know when that decision is made and when that process is started.

Sure.

Through the chair, that that is not a problem.

Quarterly reporting is is not a problem.

Uh in it, and is Councilmember Callaway knows, even if you send us something through the municipal division, I shouldn't say something, a memo requesting information, we can do that monthly.

That is not a problem whatsoever.

But you're absolutely right, Councilmember Benson.

There's a huge opportunity, which is why we would like to proceed right now.

We did want to, from a 360 degree perspective, inform this honorable body that the three balances are still being compiled.

Uh, but we really are looking uh for this honorable body to approve so that we can actually start the teeth on the operation side of holding him accountable in his entities.

Okay, and then my question to my colleagues, and I this is what I would like, I would like to actually see you all here quarterly and just a brief reporting out.

That I would make that motion.

I want to hear from my colleagues and see what you all are thinking because this is a big deal, I believe, to show that we can actually do this.

But I also wanted to see how we're doing it, where we're successful and where we're not successful, and where we may need to modify for the future.

But I also think the community seeing the fact that we're holding a slum lord, and this is a notorious slum lord with 300 properties in the city of Detroit, and managing and maintaining a repair uh program of 10 properties a month is no small feat, which also means that there are significant dollars that need to be invested here.

And I'm just really curious if they have the ability to do that.

You know, they have to go into debt, go talk to their bankers.

What are they doing?

How are they doing it?

And I want to know who the program manager is.

I want to see your dashboard, successes, failures, what you all are thinking as we move forward in this.

I hope this could be replicated in the future as well.

If you all do this correctly, which I'm sure you will, and this can be a great opportunity to highlight how we as a city hold SCOF laws, hold our slum lords accountable to the residents of Detroit.

So I I that's what I'm thinking here.

But I really do want to hear from my colleagues.

Maybe I'm off brand or this off off mark here.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr.

Member Benson.

Mr.

Harrison.

And then um Member Miller.

Certainly, thank you, Councilmember.

Now we we have done this before, uh, Councilmember Benson, as I indicated.

The Kefalinos consent agreement, they have complied with uh there, as you might recall, there's a hundred and eight properties within that consent agreement.

They've complied over 50 percent during this consent agreement period.

About 55 of the properties uh have been done.

We recently extended the consent agreement to give them time because as you indicated, Councilmember Benson, they're cooperating.

They're actually doing what they agreed to do.

They also demolished uh property uh on the east side.

Uh, and I I I think that was uh council member Johnson's district, she's very well aware of it.

That was part of the consent agreement.

My colleague Tamara York Cook and Courtney Moore are currently handling the real token situation where it's my understanding that that is going reasonably well as you look at whether or not the needle is being moved.

So we've done it before.

Uh we try to be very aggressive, but we absolutely uh council member into the sound body can provide quarterly reporting in some form of a dashboard.

Okay.

Thank you, Member Benson.

Thank you, Mr.

Harrison.

Member Miller.

Good morning, sir.

Thank you for joining us through the chair and Mr.

Harrison.

I am excited about what I am reading in the court order.

Um, especially uh number three and below, I think are in January, February.

We brought um I was asking BC about the noncompliance, which we realize that um acts are asking the question that there were 85,000 landlords, um 15 percent were compliant.

We left 22.4 meeting down on the table that the city could have collected.

So for me to see this is exciting.

I was wondering out of the 300 properties, how many are uh occupied?

Do you have any idea?

I do not know through the chair.

I do not know the answer to that question, Councilmember Miller, but we can figure that out quick fast.

And the reason why I'm asking is because uh do you have any other uh big heavy hitter developers?

I mean that really uh businesses that have the same thing.

He has I met a guy that said he has two thousand properties in this area.

And I was at a community meeting and he was upset that three people were complaining about his properties that were flooded for numerous months, and he said that I have two thousand properties, and I don't understand why they're so upset.

We're doing the best that we can to maintain.

So when I bring the name to you, I would like to see how many of his 2,000 properties are actually compliant.

If he's on the list for um blight, uh if he's on the list for uh non payment of uh inspection fees, permits, and just certificate of compliance.

I think we have a list of at least two people that we are have we've been tracking for this same situation.

Um I know the mayor's made a commitment to by the end of the year have so many in percentage to fall into compliance, and I am on board with that, but I would like to see um additional names come forward because 300 properties is a lot, there's a lot of properties, and if you can buy 300 properties, sure you can fix up some properties.

I don't doubt that he cannot fix these up, member Benson, because he's continually to buy properties.

This is a lot of assets throughout the city, and I'm I'm looking at my colleagues seeing how many is in her district as she highlights here.

Um but when I saw this this morning, I was really shocked.

All over the city is buying properties and had this many not compliant.

And it's just gross.

This is gross, negligent on his behalf and someone on the city's behalf.

So I'm glad to see that the law department, because often when they come forward, we're saying, what is the law department doing?

Uh our residents are asking, they're continuing to get tickets after ticket, and they just pay the tickets.

They have no problem with just paying the tickets.

It's like just it's nothing.

But when we start putting paperwork and documentation and requiring that they bring their uh and we start taking uh taking their money, then it becomes the issue.

So let's take all the money we can get because the city deserves it.

Um we have bills and debts that they owe.

So I am happy to support this going forward, and I hope we can do it expeditiously.

And um, thank you, member uh Benson for uh ex uh asking for the the three times a year to have uh update our support moving forward even quickly.

Say it thank you to the chair.

Thank you.

Thank you, um member Miller.

Just a couple questions.

I want to thank my colleagues.

Um wonderful I idea and suggestion for the quarterly report.

Um what is quarterly?

Is that gonna be every three months or every four months?

Quarterly, I think would be every three every three months.

Every 90 days through this year, Councilmember, yes.

Okay, so that means that we should expect to see one of you or someone from the law department um coming before this body, this committee.

So we're gonna mark it on our calendar so we'll know exactly when you're going to come.

I know my staff is writing it down.

So um, yeah.

Okay.

And then also, what does that look like?

If we're talking about 299 properties, um 10 a month, when when is the first month?

Um when is that gonna kick in?

And then how many months are we looking, or how many years?

Is that gonna be like two and a half years that he's going to not have all these properties brought up to um into compliance and at the same time while the time is you know um going on, the properties may fall into further um disrepair, and we have to live around it.

So, how many um what's the time?

Every if we're doing 10 every month, I don't know the math, and there's 290 properties.

How many months is he going to be allowed to take his time and fix up these properties?

Sure.

If we're saying 10 a month, right.

Thank you, Chair.

The the the court order uh indicates under section 2B that the deadline for Mr.

Munoz and his corporate entities to complete abate abatement is November 30th of 2028.

Um that's that's number one.

Secondly, uh, Council Chair, the the we would have our first meeting post-approval by the Senorable Body in the month of July.

Uh I'm meeting with their lawyer tomorrow morning.

Okay.

I had a status conference on the Munio's case this morning uh with Wayne County Circuit Court's chief judge, Pro Tem uh Farhat.

So we're moving very quickly.

But to answer your question directly, we would meet with him in July to see where he has gotten since the May 27th entry of the order by this court and also uh post presenting to this committee uh where we will begin uh putting you know holding him accountable and making sure that he's doing what he's doing.

Okay.

I don't know if I answered all your questions.

You did Mr.

Harrison.

Uh one more thing before I go to you, um Member Miller.

Um why are we allowing a slum lord to continue to buy properties?

Do we have any rights as a city as a municipality to prevent him from continuing to build his portfolio and continue to um be a slum lord or I I just understand what are our rights as a city um to um put a stop to folks like him?

And he's had a bad reputation for a long time.

Um people have come in here and complain about this particular um individual a long time.

Um so what are our rights as a city?

Do we have to allow even with the Jacobson's brother, Jacobson brothers, um, through real token?

What are our rights?

Why do we have to get to this point before we start exercising our rights on behalf of the people?

He has 200, and probably has more than this.

These are the ones that we're aware of, but he probably has more than this because as with the Jacobson brothers, they had a what a hundred and something LLCs.

So what are our rights as a municipality to prevent this before it gets to this point?

Do we have any rights?

Can we stop him from buying all these properties that obviously he he can't even manage and it's not rehabing and they're probably all out of compliance.

Why is he allowed to continue to buy properties when the properties that he owned prior are not in compliance?

I would think maybe we should have an ordinance or something where if a person has like 10 properties and they're not in compliance, why are we continuing to allow him to buy more properties and they're all out of compliance?

I don't think any of these are probably in compliance.

No, thank you, Council Chair.

The the when party A wants to buy property from Party B, those are deemed to be private transactions.

The city might not even know about them.

I would defer to uh the the uh contracting and procurement department on an answer of of the city's policies and procedures, some of which I'm sure you're very aware of, where we prohibit uh contracts to be issued based upon something that we know about the parties, whether it's illegality, whether it's poor performance, uh I would defer to that honorable body, whether or not there's an ordinance that's available uh that there would be some form of a revision necessary.

I would defer to that's certainly a memo you can or question you can ask the law department, and I would defer to our municipal division.

Uh but traditionally, when you say how did someone like this purchase all of these properties?

And I'm not certain about this, Councilmember Callaway, but I'm I'm somewhat certain that of all the properties that he's purchased, I don't know that the city was the seller.

So we would not have known that Mr.

Munoz, that Mr.

Kefalinos, that you know what I mean.

There are some transactions where the city may be selling properties again.

I would defer to our transactional group and to HRD, but traditionally, in many of these train in some of these transactions, I won't even say many because I don't know.

If it's a transaction between private parties, the city wouldn't be aware.

The good news is when we when we become aware, there are things that we can do like we're doing in this lawsuit.

Um I'm not aware of Mr.

Munoz's attempting to purchase other properties.

What I am aware of is that this put a little bit of fear in him and understood that we were watching him and that we will sue you and that we will show cause you and require you to come and testify before the judge, which no one not many people want to do if they're doing wrong.

Um so I don't know if that's sufficiently answers, but that's that's certainly something we could look into.

Yeah, I appreciate I think he needs to probably be investigated.

How do we need to know some of these homes aren't from that little old lady who fell on hard times, older woman?

He how how do we know there's not any fraud involved here?

He needs to be the this needs to be fully investigated.

So I don't know if our if our um um office of the inspector general can get involved, but this needs to be investigated.

This I'm just feeling um uh I'm just not feeling comfortable.

I mean, I know we're gonna move forward, but all of this needs to be investigated.

Um I don't know if there's any fraud involved.

I don't know if he has stolen properties, I don't know if he's engaged in.

I'm not accusing anybody of anything, so let me be clear on that.

I'm just asking, inquiring, whether or not there's any fraud involved in him getting all these properties, and um 16 of them are in my district.

I'm certainly gonna look into it, so I've written them down, but I want to know whether or not there's any um fraud involved in him acquiring these properties and whether or not he swindled some old woman, because some of these properties I know the areas where they're located in my district, and they're mostly senior citizens, sir.

Mostly senior citizens.

So I would want um to call for an investigation to dive a little deeper than what we're diving into here and just see whether or not there's been some fraud um um participated in or uh or um engaged in.

And then also um I'd I'd like to, while we're on it, and you brought it up, Mr.

Um Mr.

Harrison, I'd like to um make a motion to have the municipal division of the law department um to look into um uh whether or not um the the just the fraud, just the fraud, and whether or not these transf these property transfer were um were legal because now and whether or not he owns the deed.

So I'll give you more information.

I know Peter's jotting it down, but that's going to be a motion um for the law department, the municipal vision division of the law department to look into whether or not there was any fraud involved and um whether or not we can um prevent these type of types of slum lords from acquiring additional properties when they're out of compliance with the properties that they already own.

So what are our rights as a municipality?

So I'll give you more details, but that is um that is my motion.

Um well, can one of my colleagues make that motion?

Okay, so you you got the um you got the task, the assignment, Mr.

Anderson.

Um this is a very serious matter, and when I'm looking at some of these properties in my own district, I know these areas, and um I kind of know who who lives on those streets and in those communities, and they're they're seniors.

So I have one more thing, and then I'm gonna turn it over to member um Miller, and then we'll um defer to you, Mr.

Harrison.

Um Madam Chair, you asked for a motion.

Yes, motion okay I made it.

Okay, he made the motion.

Any objections?

Hearing none, that action shall be taken.

And I'm sure you got all of that, Mr.

Anderson.

If not, you and you and Peter can get together and uh flush out what I um I just asked for.

Absolutely.

Um I'm just concerned that um someone is allowed, and I know there's more properties because I've been hearing about this this um gentleman for a lot of years since I've been on the council.

Um and if it's two if it's 299 here on paper that we know of, I'm sure there are more because you know they can get them in all these different LLCs, and I'm seeing a list of the different um LLCs on um on the first page of I guess this would be the court order.

So there's a lot of names, a lot of addresses.

Um and anyway, um, if I can remember the other question, uh member Miller.

Yes, through the chair, yes.

My my question is regarding unpaid property taxes out of 300, and can you provide our office with how many of the 300 the 299 properties are up to date on taxes?

Uh I know for our residents, if you're three years behind, your house goes to foreclosure, and we just had three 500, I believe 500 residents go in the foreclosure for the auction about three weeks ago.

So if you have 300 properties, I am I'm just curious.

Like, are we because it says here we're going to discuss, negotiate, and resolve.

We don't need to discuss or resolve unpaid property taxes, they should just be on the foreclosure list automatically for sale.

They should be taken, like everybody else's property is just taken.

So if he has unpaid property taxes beyond the three years, each one of those should have been on the past list, and he should lose access to them immediately.

Immediately, because we do not give any grace for our residents except if you have meet a requirement to have your taxes um in uh payment plan or you have some special type of health or or issue where you can get um even a reduction.

But I'm sure these these requirements don't apply to this person here with 299 properties.

So um I don't think we should be negotiating for unpaid property taxes, it's not fair, it's not right.

They should just be gone, lost.

So out of those two ninety-not, if you can provide our office with the current status of those taxes for those properties.

And if this has never been done, it's time to show and prove that this is what we're gonna be doing right now.

Take in the properties that are unpaid for property taxes, and the city the city can recoup their funds, and we can move on to the next person that can handle these properties diligently and provide adequate housing for our residents in Detroit.

So no negotiations, three years, the same thing that applied to our residents.

There was just 500 in the auditorium.

I walked past the auditorium and I said, What is going on today?

And that was a day that those 500 people were losing their homes, and it was dishonor for everyday working citizens to try to maintain one house, let alone 300 299.

So I would like to see the um the total, the outcome for the uh property taxes uh for those 299 properties.

Thank you.

Thank you, Member Miller.

Thank you so much for that.

And also, sounds like a predator here.

Um praying on the vulnerable, um, might be in that auditorium about to lose their property.

He probably has somebody there sitting there listening, taking notes, and going up to whatever floor they need to go to to see which ones are about to be foreclosed, and then they scoop them up.

Um another person's despair becomes his property.

So um that's unfortunate.

But we don't have a homeless problem in this city because we have all this housing stock.

Um we got a lot of homeless people.

We just um awarded $13 million on Tuesday.

I didn't um to um some homeless uh organizations, organizations that focus on and concentrate on and in the business of keeping people homeless in my estimation, because we shouldn't have anybody homeless in the city with all these properties.

And it was 700, I think, with uh real token, and now we have 300 here.

That's a thousand though, those are a thousand houses.

Um Mayor Sheffield that you were talking about.

We got them for you.

We just found them for you.

We got 300 here, muz, I guess that's his name.

How do you say it again?

That's correct, Council Chair Gas and Moon.

Okay, so we got I hope somebody from the administration is listening.

Miss Sullivan, let Mayor Sheffield know we have found her thousand houses.

We have 700 through um I um through real token, and we have 300 here.

700 plus plus 300 is a thousand.

So we don't have to build any.

We got them right here.

These just have to be rehabs.

So, Mayor Sheffield, hopefully you are listening to me, everyone under the sound of my voice.

Everyone under the sound of my voice.

We got 300 in front of us.

We got 700, I believe it's 708 through real token.

That's over the thousand properties that the mayor has promised.

So we um have just kept another promise for her, and hopefully she's listening.

But we don't have to build, we just have to rehab.

It might save the residents some money.

But anyway, um, that's it for me.

Um, any other um discussion, any additional discussion?

Hearing none, is there a motion?

Motion.

There's a motion to move line item.

Let's see.

7.5.

What is it?

7.5.

7.5.

Yes.

To formal with a recommendation for approval.

Um without objection, that action shall be taken.

Thank you.

Uh Mr.

Harrison and your colleague.

Thank you so much.

But hopefully, um that quarterly report is coming.

Discussion, madam chair.

Yeah, Mr.

Member Benson.

And this is the LPD, please correct me here if I'm incorrect.

We can direct LPD.

We can't direct the administration.

What we can do is make a strong request.

You all have to agree to the quarterly reporting and to the information.

With whom should we speak to ensure we have that agreement?

Through the chair, I'll manage that discussion.

Okay.

We need anything from this body.

Um, I think just good communication through the chair, which I have for making sure we have time on the agenda when we have that discussion.

All right, so we don't foresee any challenges in making sure that we hear back from you all within the next 90 days.

Correct.

All right.

Just make sure we get I would like to have a a cadence where we know and have that manageable on this side as well, obviously, for the chair.

Through the chair, absolutely.

We like to uh showcase our victories and we appreciate you giving us our that opportunity uh to not always be the bad guys to the city of Detroit residents.

We're we're happy to show we do a lot of things.

Mr.

Anderson all righty.

So what we'll do, um, thank you, Member Benson.

What my office will do, we'll just um make put the calendar together and make sure that it's on the agenda.

We'll work with the administration to make sure that the dates for every um every three months is on the um internal operations calendar on our agenda.

Madam Chair, my member suggestion that you open up and you notice a quorum may be present that way to invite the colleagues to come and ask questions as well.

Say up today.

It may come, they may not come, but just give them that opportunity because this is this has been a very high profile um case, and it's been a very long time coming.

So thank you all.

I want to give you all kudos as well for the hard work and this win.

You probably don't hear that very often, but thank you all.

Thank you all for the support.

Yeah, well, um, thank you, Member Benson.

Thank you, Member Miller, thank you, Mr.

Harrison.

I I forgot your name, young lady.

Um Miss Smith.

Bethany, yes, okay, and uh Mr.

Anderson, Mr.

Harrison, you do good work.

Um you are helping out in the historic Palmer Park area with all those apartment buildings.

I can't wait to hear about the conversations that I know the receiver had with the potential buyer.

I'm hoping for some positive um reports from that.

And I thank you for all that you're doing to make sure that people are treated fairly in the city when it comes down to real estate and other matters.

Um real estate is a big deal in the city, and the ownership thereof is so important, especially to our senior citizens being able to age in place and keep their homes and not be scared and nervous about somebody knocking on their door or following their property.

Maybe they you know get behind and trying to take their property.

So thank you so much for um for being the overseer on those processes.

I really appreciate you, sir.

Thank you, Councilmembers.

The law department thanks you as well.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

All righty now.

We move to line item 7.6.

Um submitting a resolution.

We're at 7.9.

Oh, I am 7.9 because we went back to 7.5.

Okay, thank you, madam clerk.

We are now on 7.9 settlement in the lawsuit of Minayata, Yeager versus the City of Detroit, General Services in the amount of $37,500 for a tort settlement.

Um, is there a motion?

There's a motion to approve line item 7.9.

Any objections?

Hearing none, that action shall be taken.

Line item 7.10 settlement and the lawsuit of Catherine Williams versus Anthony Hunter and the City of Detroit, case number 24-0129 1-in, as in Nancy Iason Igloo, file number L24-01264, etc.

in the amount of 115,000 dollars.

Is there a motion?

Motion to approve.

There's a motion to approve line item 7.10.

And this is a is this GSD.

Through the chair, I believe this is the D DOC.

This is D dot.

Okay, I don't see it on my.

So is there a motion on line item 7.10?

Motion is in the formal recommendation to approve.

There's a motion to move line item 7.10 to formal with the recommendation for approval.

Any objections?

Hearing none that action shall be taken.

Line item 7.11, settlement in the lawsuit of Southfield Transportation Service.

Is there a motion?

There's a motion to move line item 7.11 to formal with a recommendation for approval without objection.

That action shall be taken.

Line item 7.12 in the lawsuit of Shane Michael Ratten versus the City of Detroit in the amount of $75,000.

This is um DPD.

Is there a motion?

And the settlement is $75,000.

There's a motion to move line item.

Member Benson?

Motion is an informal recommendation.

Okay.

There's a motion that's in line item 7.12 to formal with the recommendation for approval.

Any objections?

Hearing none, that action shall be taken.

Line item 7.13, the board of review submitting report relative to the property assessment board of review appointments.

This communication is to bring attention to the ending term of the current members of the property assessment board of review.

The term for each of the nine members will expire on December 31st, 2026.

And so I understand that the board of review will send each council member information about whether or not their candidate not their candidate, but the person on the board that represents their district.

Is there a motion to receive and file line item 7.13?

Motion.

There's a motion to receive line item 7.13 is a report from the board of review.

Hearing no objections, that action shall be taken.

Line item 7.14.

This is from the Office of Chief Financial Officer, Office of Contract and Procurement.

Submitting a resolution authorizing city council recess Wednesday the 29th through Monday the 31st.

Is there a motion to receive and file?

Motion.

There's a motion.

Madam Chair, action is necessary on this item, so it should be approved and sent to formal.

Okay.

Correction.

Is there a motion to send to formal 7.14 for approval to formal?

There is a motion.

Any objections?

Hearing none, that action shall be taken.

Discussion.

Discussion.

Madam Chair, 713, I'm going to request that you announce at next formal the necessity of our colleagues to submit letters for their board of review appointees.

This is we're more proactive here and I'll leave it at the chance that somebody else is going to do that.

Because it's going to fall to this body.

It is correct.

Okay.

Thank you, Member Benson.

I know Peter is jotting that down.

We'll make the announcement next Tuesday.

Our colleagues want to submit names for candidates to serve on the board of review.

Thank you, Member Benson.

That we'll make sure that happens.

All right.

So 747.14.

Is there a motion?

I'm sorry.

15?

Okay.

Office of Chief Financial Officer, Office of Development and Grants.

Submitting a resolution.

This is a request to accept an increase in appropriation for the Michigan indigent defense commission grant.

From Michigan, indigent defense commission grant in the amount of 437,000.

This funding will increase appropriation 21542, previously approved in the amount of seven over seven million dollars by the council on December the second 2025 to a total of over 8 million dollars.

Is there a motion to accept this grant?

Discussion.

Discussion.

Member Benson.

I like to get a half million dollars.

I mean, how did they just give us a letter to say, hey, here's another 437,000 dollars?

How did we apply for this?

How does this work?

Through the chair.

Good morning uh committee.

Uh Ron Ormando, indigent defense uh chief for law department.

Uh so if I I uh it Councilmember Barrett's been through the chair.

That's a great question.

And essentially that's what they did.

They called me up and said, Would you like an additional 470,000 dollars?

Uh because we know you run a lien program and we think you could use the money, and I said, yes, please.

Uh that's the short answer.

I I I could go into more depth, but uh I'm happy to if you'd like.

But uh I have a reputation with the state for running a very lean program uh and providing still providing the accurate certain the adequate services to the people of the city of Detroit, and uh they appreciate that.

They're taking money away from other jurisdictions all over the state.

Uh they're they're with they're taking money out of their proposed budgets, and we were one of three around the state that were offered more.

All right.

So did I hear this correctly through yourself, Madam Chair?

Is it Mr.

Manuel?

Uh more Mandos.

That's what I thought.

Okay, Mr.

Mormando, I saw this on the application.

So they called you and said, I hear that you run a very lean ship, Mr.

Mormando, and we want to give you more money.

That's correct.

And that is fantastic to have you in that space then.

And how do you plan to use this additional money?

Uh we use this money for various things.

Primarily, it will go to pay the attorneys who represent the indigent defendants in the 36th district court.

Some of those dollars will go, a very small percentage of those dollars will go toward things like investigative services or uh uh some of the software that we use to support those services, but we run at a uh uh less than nine percent in support of our overall budget is for supporting the program.

The other majority of that goes to pay for the actual service.

So are you managing other attorneys who are doing this, or are we doing this in house?

We have about a hundred attorneys on our contract, they're all contracted attorneys currently.

Paying them per hour for this type of work.

Uh currently the current rate is a hundred and thirty dollars an hour.

Or excuse me, a hundred and twenty-five an hour.

Uh it will go up to a hundred and thirty on October first.

Um increase.

Yeah, it's not much, but so a hundred and so what is the going rate for a criminal defense attorney for an entry level?

Entry level hourly.

If you're not doing this type of work, if you're if you're doing retained work, it's a little bit difficult.

I I was a criminal defense attorney for many years prior to coming to this program.

Uh but most criminal defense attorneys don't charge hourly.

They charge flat rate depending on the the type of case.

However, uh you could say for an entry-level attorney, generally speaking, $200 to $300 an hour uh for more uh experienced attorney, you could go $300 to $500 an hour.

Not for misdemeanor work, which is what we're covering in 36th district court, though.

Okay.

I mean, so then is $125, $130 that anywhere near competitive then for misdemeanor work?

It's it is the um it is competitive as far as appointed counsel.

If we look at uh and I apologize, through the chair, I'm sorry.

If we if we look at what the appointed council was making prior to the MIDC uh inception in 2018, uh in here in the city of Detroit, as an example at 36th district court, an attorney would could work all day in this in the courtroom and make 200.

That was for eight hours of work or nine hours of work.

Now they get paid by the hour.

And in appointed cases where there were it's an individual attorney working with an individual client and has to do research and write a motion and file that motion and argue those things and prepare for a trial, they weren't getting paid for out-of-court hours.

So you could write a motion, do a trial, all that prep work, and we we calculate roughly every hour in court in a trial.

There's about three hours of prep time is roughly what we think about.

You weren't getting paid for those three hours.

You were only getting paid for that, and you got a flat rate of maybe two hundred dollars for the trial.

So you were losing thousands and thousands of dollars.

So I will tell you that of the hundred attorneys or so that are on our roster, all of them are ecstatic uh with how much they're making now compared to how much they made seven or eight years ago.

Uh in fact, we have a a gentleman uh who's eighty just turned eighty-three this year.

He's been doing house counsel in the 36th district court for more than 40 years.

And he's he wants to retire, but he literally said to me on his 83rd birthday, I'm not going to retire because I'm making more money now doing this than I ever have.

It's hard to walk away from the money.

So he's very happy to keep earning the money.

And he's a longtime resident of the city of Detroit.

Okay.

So then the next question is are these mission-based attorneys?

I mean, 125 an hour, that's doesn't seem high on the scale from what I've seen from their billings, including one uh for a law firm that we just approved a contract we just approved today.

Correct.

Uh so criminal defense is a calling.

That's what I thought.

Uh it it is uh not everybody, not every attorney likes to do it.

So I would say to your question, council member, yes.

All right.

Thank you very much.

It's very helpful.

My pleasure.

Thank you, Member Benson.

Um I have a couple questions, and thank you for the work.

Congratulations on the grant.

Thank you.

Um how many Detroit base attorneys on that list of a hundred?

And I also like to request a copy of the list of, you know, not any personal information, just uh their name and um where they live, just not the address, just the city.

Yep.

I just want to see how many Detroit-based attorneys are on the list of a hundred.

Also like to, and I'll put this in writing, but you can there's there they're just basic questions.

Um the number of Detroit-based attorneys, how many African Americans on that list, how many women are on the list, who actually hires the attorneys?

Is that you yourself, sir?

You interview them and hire them?

We go through a process, and I will tell you that we we don't reject attorneys unless they are not qualified.

Okay, who hires them?

I do.

Oh, ultimately uh myself through with OCP, they have to qualify through the OCP process with the City of Detroit's guidelines.

Okay.

How many women?

How many African American lawyers?

Detroit-based.

Who cuts the checks?

Who who actually administer administers the payment process?

Does the city, or do we have a third party administering the payment process of cutting the checks?

I can answer that question easily, right?

Now that's grants accounting, City of Detroit.

Accounts paid ultimately through grant uh accounts payable with the City of Detroit.

So at $125 per hour, how many hours can they work?

Or do they regularly work on any given day in 36th district court?

Uh because I know it's not is is it eight hours?

I'm I can't imagine them working eight hours.

No, most of them don't work eight hours per year.

Some of them do on occasion.

It depends on the court docket which courtroom they're assigned to on a given day.

Sometimes it's an hour, sometimes it's eight, sometimes it's more if they're preparing for trial.

It's uh and some of the attorneys uh I will say some of the attorneys might only work 15 hours in a month, and some work a hundred hours in a month.

Okay it depends on what their threshold is.

Some of them this is augmenting their practice, some of them this is their complete practice.

But I can get you that data easily.

Okay.

Um and that that that's it for me.

Those are the five questions, and um I'll put them in writing, but I think I saw the two of you writing them down.

Member Miller, you have any questions?

Okay.

Um I will make sure you get them, but I saw the two of you writing jotting them down.

Um any further discussion?

Discussion, madam chair.

Member Benson.

This is just one last item.

And just looking at the contract we recommended for approval um earlier, the paralegals make 125 dollars an hour.

That's what they that's they bill at.

So the chair just to uh paralegals are not paid for under this program.

No, no, no.

So this is a different contract.

This is a comparison.

Oh, okay, I'm sorry, I misunderstood.

Paralegals on the contract we approved to make 125 an hour.

And here we're paying licensed attorneys 130 an hour.

Yeah.

So just mission-based.

So I'll just wanted to acknowledge that as well.

If I may, through the chair, the the the reason for uh the dollar amount set there, that dollar amount is a minimum uh set based off of the minimum that the Michigan Indian Defense Commission sets for the minimum rate for the state uh through the MIDC grant.

We're not allowed to pay less than that for misdemeanor work.

Some of the attorneys that work in the felony in the third circuit court that do felony work can make as much as 200 or or more an hour.

So it's based on the type of case.

Uh the majority of our case are the lower threshold that that's why they're at that lower rate.

They're getting that money directly, though, for the most part, not paying it to a firm who's then using it to cover all of the things that a firm covers.

But the discussion, but it still just shows they are mission-based.

They are here because they believe in that work.

And that also needs to be recognized.

We're paying 130 now, which is not a whole lot of money for someone who has a law degree and had to spend that money to get the law degree, but to be prepared to do that and then come and protect those who need the type of support.

To me, it just it speaks volumes about who's in that space and work they're prepared to do.

Through the chair, I could not agree more, and every attorney on this roster believes in the mission, or we wouldn't add them to the roster.

Simply put, the it it is it is a calling to do this type of work and believe in the type of work and help people on what is generally one of the worst days of their life when you when you look at somebody who's got to go stand in, they're terrified most of the time to stand in front of a judge and be accused of a crime, even if they committed that crime, they still deserve that representation.

Madam President, I want to also recognize the fact that attorneys prepare to do this type of work are part of the foundation and bedrock of our democracy, is to protect those because you are innocent until proven guilty.

And your willingness to come and stand in the breach there is also huge.

I also want to recognize the fact that the federal government currently has been adversarial to those who are prepared to stand in that breach.

And so that should also be recognized.

That not only you prepare to do that for low comparatively wages, you're prepared to do that with the threat professional and or maybe physical harm to yourself and your family.

So that should also be recognized.

Through the chair.

I could not agree with you more.

You're singing my song.

Thank you.

Thank you for saying it out loud.

Um, thank you, Member Bens.

I have another question for you before um before before we um take action on this particular line item.

Do you hire um law students?

We currently do not have a program to bring in law students uh for to work with these attorneys.

There is a court rule with the state of Michigan that allows in in a uh public defender office a proper public defender office where uh they can work alongside licensed attorneys.

Oh, they can also do that in the prosecutor's office.

The the commission, the Michigan Indian Defense Commission is working to change that rule, that court rule, so that we could bring in law students to assist these attorneys under that court rule.

Um I am currently working with the state to look at the possibility to bring some students in the future uh from Detroit Mercy from Wayne State Law to come here to do some of that work under that court rule as well.

We are doing we're going to be looking at uh next year feasibility study of that that um will allow us to do that in the hopefully not too distant future.

We currently are not allowed to do that by court rule, but we are looking to make that change so that we can.

Okay.

Um hope that change will be uh um will become a reality because that'll support your program.

That's right.

The services that you um offer um to this population, um, those who need the legal services, start them off young and get them um, you know, get them inspired to do this um to do this work.

So thank you so much.

Any other questions from my colleagues?

Okay.

Is there a motion?

There's a motion to send line item 7.15 to formal with a recommendation for approval without objection that action shall be taken.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you very much.

Absolutely.

Yeah.

Good work.

All right.

Um human resources and labor relations division, line item 7.16, submitting a resolution authorized the implementation of 2024-2027 labor agreement between the city of Detroit and employees represent represented by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, principal clerks, local 214.

Um is there a motion for discussion?

Um Mr.

King.

Is this something we should be receiving or file or sending over to formal Madam Chair?

This is a resolution that should be approved at the formal session.

Okay.

Is there a motion to send line item 7.16 to formal?

Discussion.

Member Benson.

Can we talk about the wages here?

Um would you like to see HR?

Because I think we had another line item that we said we were going to bring back.

Um, and I think it had to do with HR.

Yes, ma'am.

Thank you.

Thank you for that.

Um, I think with that one, we did say um on 6.5, that would be brought back in two weeks.

Law asked for two weeks supported by member Benson.

So line item 6.5 if it's a two-week bring back.

Coming back at the end of the agenda.

Is it 6.4?

Okay, 6.4.

Okay, so 6.4 is the one that's going to be brought back at the end of this agenda, and that is the status of council member Denzel McCampbell's um questions on employee pay increases.

But line item 6.5, madam clerk is to be brought back in two weeks.

That was the motion.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you, ma'am.

All right, so is there anyone, Miss Sullivan, who can talk to us about this particular line item, and it is line item um 7.16.

Miss Sullivan?

Yes, yes, through the chair, we have Anita Ellsworth on.

Miss Ellsworth.

If you want to introduce yourself and um your title, what division you work in or department, and member bit Benson has questions.

Good morning.

Oh, good morning.

Good morning, honorable body.

Good morning.

You want to introduce yourself and your title?

Yes, I'm Anita Ellsworth, Labor Relations Administrator, City Detroit, Labor Relations Division.

Good morning, ma'am.

Good morning.

Okay, member Benson.

All right, thank you.

Uh looking at the language here, I do see uh the recently approved 21 dollars and 45 cents living wage increase is applicable here.

I didn't see if there were wages that started above this, and I do see a 2% increase in a 25 cents an hour increase.

Can you just give us an update on what's what are we seeing here and how we improve in the quality of life for these principal clerks?

Okay, so for this contract, it's roughly about 130 employees citywide.

And so uh some of the wages are above the 2145, so that takes into account some of the things that the reason why you don't see um all of the titles having that affect them, just some of them.

So there is a tiered approach to the living wage um amounts as well.

So anyone over those amounts in supervisory positions, we did take a tiered approach, and so those tiers are represented in the wage schedule for this particular group.

Okay, and then where do the principal clerks typically serve?

So right now, our principal clerks are citywide.

The majority of them though are at the police department.

So the titles, there's about four different titles in this contract.

We have clerk four, uh, office assistants, office management assistants, and so um those particular clerk clerk fours are at city other than the police department, and then the OMAs are throughout the police department at precincts, um, and the chief's office and different areas that they they have throughout the city.

Okay, thank you.

You're welcome.

Thank you, Member Benson.

Um, Miss Ellsworth, I have a couple uh questions regarding are these civilian positions or sworn officer positions or combination of both, and are there any vacancies?

Because we know a lot of people who need jobs, and DPD has the largest budget in this city.

And when you apply, I know one person, you know, a couple people, they can't seem to get on, but other people who have other jobs working, you know, um, can come in, work that job and still work for DPD.

So I'm just trying to figure out do they have any vacancies in this classification and whether or not these are civilian or sworn officer positions?

Yes, through the chair, yes, these um positions are civilian, civilian only, no sworn positions in this contract.

So when you're speaking of uh this group of people, yes, there are vacancies available.

I do believe that Katrina Patilla, the director or Chanel Baldwin is also online to answer any HR questions.

I do not know at this time how many vacancies that they have available, but they will be able to address that if they could be uh promoted uh to answer that today.

They they did say that they would be available for you.

Thank you so much, Miss Ellsworth.

And can those two individuals be promoted, please?

Good morning.

Ms.

Ellsworth, do you said who Miss Ellsworth, you said who would be um available?

Because I don't see anybody.

Yes, through the chair, that would be Director Katrina Patillo or DPD HR manager Chanel Baldwin.

Are either of them available, Miss JC?

Always rejoining as a panelist.

Good afternoon through the chair.

This is uh Katrina Patilla, director of HR for the Detroit Police Department.

So we currently have one vacancy for the OMA position, and that's it.

That was quick.

Miss Patilio, I sent you an email about a month or so ago.

Can you send me a list of all your vacancies across DPD?

Or should I put that in writing?

You said you sent me an email.

I I'll find a month.

After um for all the vacancies.

Yeah, all vacancies across DPD civilian um particularly not sworn.

Sure, I can see your list.

Any questions from um my colleagues?

Uh I would like to be included on the email as well as possible.

Ms.

Um Director Patillo, did you hear that um member Miller would also like a copy of your list of vacancies for civilian positions?

Yes, I can get that.

Um when can we get that?

I can have that for you no later than tomorrow.

Okay.

All righty, thank you so much.

All righty.

Any other questions for my colleagues?

All right, thank you so much, Director Patillo, Miss Baldwin.

We didn't see you on screen, and Miss Um Ellsworth, we thank you very much.

We look forward to getting that list.

Thank you, ma'am.

All right, motion is a formal recommendation to approve.

Okay, there's a motion to send line items 7.16 to formal with a recommendation for approval without objection.

That action shall be taken.

We are now at the end of our agenda.

We are on line item legislative policy division, line item 7.17, submitting a report relative to the Michigan Liquor Control Commission public on premises license.

Um Mr.

King.

Motion to discuss, Mr.

King.

Yes, madam chair.

Um this is a report that I requested.

Yes, ma'am.

And it is prepared.

So is there a motion just to receive and file?

That is correct.

Okay.

Is there a motion to receive and file the report from line item 7.17?

Uh discussion.

Discussion, Member Benson.

Ma'am, sure.

Do you want to talk about that report?

I know this has been very high time.

Yeah.

Um, thank you.

Thank you, Member Benson.

The reason why I requested the reports because I know for a fact the state of Michigan continues to um grant licenses for liquor um purchases or consumption, and we're way over the limit that the that the state says um that they have in place, but the state continues to grant these licenses.

Um, and I just wanted to know how far we are over the limit and whether or not this was in um in a violation of that, but this particular license to serve liquor on the premises does not um violate that particular law from from what I understand.

But I'm gonna defer to Mr.

Anderson or someone from the law department to explain it better than I've just tried to.

Mr.

Anderson.

Through the chair, I did not author this report.

I would not be uh the best one to explain this.

So I'm sorry, LPD.

I'm sorry, LPD, madam chair.

You are correct.

Uh this particular license is for businesses usually in a specific district.

Uh this license right here is not transferable.

So once the business is no longer in operation, this license is extinguished.

Yeah.

Thank you.

Thank you, Member Benson, for um asking.

Is there a motion on line item 7.17 to receive and file?

Without objection, that action shall be taken.

There is now members' reports.

Member Benson?

No report.

Member Miller?

No report.

And um, I don't have a report.

Is there a motion to 6.4?

6.4.

Thank you.

Um, end of agenda.

Thank you.

And I just mentioned that to Madam Clerk.

Status of Council Member Denzel McCambo's um questions on employee pay raises.

to receive and file motion without objection that action shall be taken there is now members report member benson no report no report member miller no report and um i don't have a report is there a motion to 6.4 6.4 thank you um end of agenda thank you and i just mentioned that to madam clerk status of council member denzel mccambo's um questions on employee pay raises this was already brought back um from the 17th so is it would that be law or lpd on line item 6.4 um i'm sorry miss select yeah yes through the chair the hri representatives are not currently available so they ask that this item be brought back one additional week okay is there a motion to bring line item 6.4 back in a week motion without objection that action shall be taken is there a mission motion it's considering no other um matters to come before this body is there a motion to adjourn motion thank you all so much committee is adjourned thank you