OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Detroit City Council Neighborhood Community Services Committee Meeting - July 9, 2026

City Council — Thursday, July 9, 2026
BodyDetroit, Michigan
SessionCity Council
DateThursday, July 9, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 36:47

Transcript — Verbatim
0:04

Good afternoon.

0:06

Council President Pro Tim Coleman Young.

0:08

Here.

0:09

Councilmember Scott Benson.

0:11

Councilmember Reneta Miller.

0:13

We have core, Mr.

0:15

Chair.

0:16

Excellent.

0:16

Thank you, madam clerk.

0:17

Is there a motion to approve the minutes?

0:19

Motion.

0:20

Motion made on any objections.

0:22

Hearing that means now be approved.

0:24

We're gonna move on from negative.

0:25

We move on from because I have negative chair remarks, and we will now go to public comments.

0:30

Who do we have in the queue for public comment, Mr.

0:34

Bo.

0:37

But there's no one in all in the in the there's no one in person wants to get public comment, right?

0:44

Go on once, going twice, going three times, gone.

0:47

All right.

0:49

Who do we have virtually, Mr.

0:51

K Mr.

0:52

Bo?

0:53

Mr.

0:53

Chair, our first caller ends in 169.

0:56

All right.

0:57

Public comedy is now closed.

0:59

Public comedy is now closed.

1:01

Public comment.

1:05

It's now closed.

1:07

All right.

1:08

Go ahead.

1:11

Floor is yours, two minutes.

1:13

Hello, can you guys hear me?

1:15

Yes, sir.

1:18

Great.

1:19

Everyone must read the Willie Lynch letter.

1:21

It's a 1712 speech outlining psychological control techniques for enslaved populations through scholars widely recognized it as modern fabrication.

1:32

Um it explores themes of breaking the female to influence offspring and creating division amongst enslaved people to ensure long-term control.

1:43

Thank you for listening.

1:45

Thank you for my time.

1:47

Thank you.

1:48

Who do we have next in the queue?

1:49

Mr.

1:50

Boy, the next call is Betty A.

1:55

Verner.

1:55

Arm is Vernon, floor is yours, two minutes.

2:02

Uh good afternoon to all within the sound of my voice.

2:05

I'm Betty A.

2:06

Von the president of the Soda Elsewhere Black Association advocating for my community think a quarter.

2:12

We're still in need of monies.

2:14

Hopefully, uh when Mr.

2:16

Dabbitt comes to the council, him and his sons for the vision of opening up a mini market on uh Finkel and Wyoming that the council will be supportive.

2:27

We're looking for volunteers and uh support for our um a rise Detroit event that's gonna be August 1st.

2:37

We're still in need of a barber.

2:40

Uh we would like to uh provide the services that we have provided uh in the past years of being able to uh have free haircuts for the uh the young and the youth residents.

2:54

Also, uh we will be doing hair braiding, giving away um hygiene products, school supplies.

3:03

Uh there will be multiple services available, there would be a bouncy house.

3:08

We will be giving away uh bikes free, they will be grilling hot dogs, there will be uh multiple games, family fun games.

3:17

So we're hoping that um everyone will come out to enjoy themselves.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural███████████████████████████████████████39%
Contract Management██████████████████████22%
Homelessness█████████████13%
Public Safety██████████10%
Community Engagement████████8%
Water And Wastewater Management████4%
Parks and Recreation██2%
Economic Development██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Detroit City Council Neighborhood Community Services Committee Meeting - July 9, 2026

The Neighborhood Community Services Standing Committee met on July 9, 2026, under the chairmanship of Council President Pro Tem Coleman A. Young II. Committee members present included Vice Chairman Scott Benson and Councilmember Renata Miller. The committee considered a consent agenda of routine approvals, heard public comments, and moved 12 new business items—including event permits and contract amendments—to formal session with recommendations for approval. Key discussions focused on waste oil removal services and extended shelter bed capacity contracts.

Consent Calendar

  • Approval of previous meeting minutes was moved without objection.

Public Comments & Testimony

Six callers provided testimony:

  • Caller (ends in 169): Urged everyone to read the Willie Lynch letter, describing it as a fabricated 1712 speech about psychological control techniques.
  • Betty A. Vernon (President, Soda Elsewhere Black Association): Advocated for community support including funding for a proposed mini market at Finkel and Wyoming, volunteers and supplies for a Rise Detroit event on August 1st, and payment of a $1,500 land use hearing fee for park expansion.
  • Caller "Black Bag": Expressed grievances against City Council and the Mayor, alleging mismanagement of school funds and claiming a crackhouse problem in District 3 was resolved without DPD assistance. He stated, "all y'all gotta go."
  • Dante Smith: Expressed support for Crashana Anderson for District 11 state representative and hinted at plots against himself and council members.
  • Cunningham: Thanked Council President Pro Tem Young and his chief of staff for their kindness and community outreach.
  • Denise Lyles (District 5): Thanked council and urged awarding contracts to Detroit-based companies, criticizing outside contractors for disrespectful behavior.

Discussion Items

  • Item 6.9 – Waste Oil Removal Services Contract Amendment (GFL Environmental): Councilmember Miller questioned why Priority Waste, the city's primary waste contractor, did not win this contract. Administration (Deputy Director Jarrell Harris and OCP's Kelly Channel) explained that a competitive bidding process was conducted, Priority Waste was invited but did not respond. Councilmember Miller expressed dissatisfaction with Priority Waste's pattern of low bids and amendments and requested information on whether Priority could handle oil removal. The item was moved to formal session with recommendation for approval.

  • Items 6.10 & 6.11 – Extended Shelter Bed Capacity Contract Amendments (Cass Community Social Services): These amendments increased funding by a total of $89,589.61 for warming center and rotating shelter services that had been extended into February and March 2026 due to severe weather. Candace Morgan (Manager, Homelessness Solutions Division) explained that Cass Community provided two additional months of service without a contract in place, essentially extending credit to the city. Vice Chairman Benson expressed concern about putting social service providers at financial risk and suggested using emergency contracts to protect them. Councilmember Miller inquired about prompt payment ordinance violations; Law Department's Graham Anderson stated it was not an issue. The items were moved to formal session with recommendation for approval.

  • All other new business items (6.1–6.8, 6.12) were moved to formal session without discussion:

    • 6.1: Mother of Divine Mercy Parish – Sweetest Heart of Mary Pierogi Festival (August 7–9, 2026)
    • 6.2: Contract for LA28 relay
    • 6.3: Chinatown Redevelopment Corp – Detroit Chinatown Block Party (July 25, 2026)
    • 6.4: Majestic Theater Center – Outdoor Concert (Sept 27, 2026)
    • 6.5: Concert of Colors (July 18–19, 2026) at Detroit Institute of Arts
    • 6.6: Lager House – Pig and Whiskey Festival (July 30 – Aug 3, 2026)
    • 6.7: Unnamed event at Eastern Market (July 28, 2026)
    • 6.8: Amendment for senior food access program (DEGC, $550,000 increase)
    • 6.12: Nighttime family outreach services contract (Neighborhood Services Organization, $29,403)

Key Outcomes

  • All new business items (6.1–6.12) were moved to the formal session with recommendations for approval, without opposition.
  • Administration agreed to consider using emergency contracts in the future to protect social service providers from extending credit to the city.
  • Councilmember Miller requested that future waste oil removal solicitations include Priority Waste and that the office be informed if Priority offers the service.

Member Reports

  • Councilmember Miller introduced interns from the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation and thanked them for their service.

Meeting Transcript

Good afternoon. Council President Pro Tim Coleman Young. Here. Councilmember Scott Benson. Councilmember Reneta Miller. We have core, Mr. Chair. Excellent. Thank you, madam clerk. Is there a motion to approve the minutes? Motion. Motion made on any objections. Hearing that means now be approved. We're gonna move on from negative. We move on from because I have negative chair remarks, and we will now go to public comments. Who do we have in the queue for public comment, Mr. Bo. But there's no one in all in the in the there's no one in person wants to get public comment, right? Go on once, going twice, going three times, gone. All right. Who do we have virtually, Mr. K Mr. Bo? Mr. Chair, our first caller ends in 169. All right. Public comedy is now closed. Public comedy is now closed. Public comment. It's now closed. All right. Go ahead. Floor is yours, two minutes. Hello, can you guys hear me? Yes, sir. Great. Everyone must read the Willie Lynch letter. It's a 1712 speech outlining psychological control techniques for enslaved populations through scholars widely recognized it as modern fabrication. Um it explores themes of breaking the female to influence offspring and creating division amongst enslaved people to ensure long-term control. Thank you for listening. Thank you for my time. Thank you. Who do we have next in the queue? Mr. Boy, the next call is Betty A. Verner. Arm is Vernon, floor is yours, two minutes. Uh good afternoon to all within the sound of my voice. I'm Betty A. Von the president of the Soda Elsewhere Black Association advocating for my community think a quarter.

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