Detroit Public Health and Safety Committee Meeting - July 20, 2026

The Public Health and Safety Standing Committee, chaired by Councilmember Gabriela Santiago Romero, met on July 20, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. The agenda included a presentation on the city's demolition pipeline, a public hearing on technical amendments to Chapter 28 (removing redundant definitions related to adult businesses), and numerous contract approvals. The meeting also featured general public comments on topics ranging from contaminated dirt to solar farms and police drones. Several items were voted on, with the committee sending multiple contracts to the full council and deferring others for further information.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of minutes from the previous session (unanimous).
• Routine items: 7.2 (memo re: data center water usage) received and filed; 7.6 (memo re: waiver of blight fees) brought back after recess (September 14); 7.7 (memo re: resolution to prioritize demolition) brought back in one week; 7.8 (vacation petition) brought back in one week; 7.9 (HRD renovation contract) sent to new business with recommendation to approve; 7.10-7.11 (community violence intervention contracts) sent to new business; 7.12-7.23 (various demolition contracts) sent to new business without recommendation, except 7.13 brought back in one week; 7.24 (memo re: Detroit at Work) brought back after recess; 7.25 (tethered drone contract for fire department) sent to new business with recommendation to approve; 7.26 (grant application for police drones) brought back in one week; 8.1 (mass communication system Everbridge) sent to new business; 8.2 (engineering services for central lounge elimination) sent to new business; 8.3 (police command training) sent to new business; 8.4 (dangerous buildings findings) received and filed; 8.5-8.6 (deferral recommendations) concurred; 8.7-8.8 (encroachment petitions) approved; 8.9 (vacation petition) brought back in one week; 8.10 (memo re: MPSC hearing resolution) brought back in one week; 8.11 (memo re: heat mitigation at detention center) brought back in one week; 8.12 (memo re: railroad improvements in District 7) brought back in one week; 8.13 (memo re: accounting of contaminated fill sites) brought back in one week; 8.14 (memo re: CVI program questions) brought back after recess; 8.15 (resolution opposing data center water usage) approved as amended.

Public Comments & Testimony

• General Public Comments (10:00-10:07 a.m.): Due to the busy agenda, speakers were given 1.5 minutes each. Key positions:
  • Brother Cunningham criticized DDOT, stating that 50 attendees were at July input meetings, and called for a bus ride-along.
  • Dr. Denise Darnell expressed concern about “dirty dirt” used to backfill demolition sites, referencing reports of 650 suspected sites requiring environmental review and cleanup costs up to $27 million. She urged the city to ensure EPA standards are met.
  • Betty A. Varner promoted an annual event on August 1 providing school supplies and activities.
  • Cindy Dara opposed a tax capture on commercial property millage, arguing it is unconstitutional and affects renters. She stated she would vote against school millage.
  • Jedante Smith alleged corruption involving former Mayor Mike Duggan and Sonia Hassan, and called for investigations into the contaminated dirt scandal and opposition to solar farms.
  • A caller (name not shared) criticized KMAC and Councilmember Santiago Romero.
  • William M. Davis noted limited mask supply at Adam Butzel, poor street conditions, and encouraged voting.
  • A caller from solar areas complained that housing upgrades were given to some residents as compensation for hosting solar arrays, calling it a bribe, and criticized tree removal.
  • Denise Lyles agreed about trees and called for community input in planning and development.
  • Susan Steigerwald expressed concern about police drones, citing privacy violations and risk of excessive force, and urged council to vote no. She mentioned she is with DSA.
  • Owner Papa called for a moratorium on all demolitions until contaminated dirt is cleaned up, and opposed any millage.
  • A final caller thanked Councilmember Waters and others for assistance.
• Public Hearing on Chapter 28 Amendments (10:30 a.m.): Four callers spoke. Most criticized the hearing as unnecessary or a waste of time, with one caller (Carolyn Hughes) arguing that the demolition presentation should have been a public hearing. Another caller (Mr. Foster) emphasized community input over government surveillance. The hearing was closed, and the item sent to new business with recommendation to approve.

Discussion Items

• Demolition Presentation (10:15 a.m.): Director Tim Pell and colleagues presented an overview. Key statistics:
  • FY26 stabilizations: 271 for DPD/BC task force, 33 for Detroit Building Authority, thousands of board-ups.
  • Residential demolition costs: emergency ~$18,000 average, planned ~$25,000 average.
  • Commercial demolition costs: average ~$400,000 (range wide).
  • Fill removal/replacement: 100 properties excavated, 450+ identified exceeding contractual standards (state's generic residential cleanup criteria). Average cost per site ~$36,000 (including verification), plus initial sampling $5,000-$6,000.
  • New quality controls: fill sourced from only 7 public pits, monthly inspections, and sampling at source before departure.
  • Director Pell stated that most contaminated sites do not present imminent health risk because fill is buried under a foot of clean material and vegetation.
  • Councilmember Santiago Romero asked about funding: $10 million set aside, but estimated need $15-20 million. Director Pell said they are in constant talks with administration and finance.
  • Councilmember Waters emphasized preserving salvageable homes instead of demolition.
  • Vice Chair McCampbell requested a breakdown of cost centers via memo.
• Chapter 28 Public Hearing: Law department explained that the amendment removes duplicative definitions (e.g., adult arcade) that already exist in Chapter 5. The committee voted to send to full council with recommendation to approve.
• Item 7.9 (HRD Renovation): Procurement specialist explained that Angelus Diamond (Novi) was selected as highest ranked technical proposal over Detroit vendors. Approved.
• Item 7.25 (Tethered Drones for Fire): Fire Department and Homeland Security explained that tethered drones provide continuous power for fire incidents, infrared for hot spots, and real-time visuals. No data recording, used only for emergencies. Councilmember Santiago Romero expressed comfort with fire department use but noted concerns about police drones. Approved.
• Item 7.26 (Justice Reinvestment Grant for Police Drones): Deputy Chief Mark Bliss described the grant application for drones to address drifting/drag racing and large public gatherings. Data retention 30 days, not shared with federal agencies. However, the Board of Police Commissioners is still developing policies. Councilmember McCampbell preferred to wait for policy completion. The item was brought back in one week for due date information.
• Item 8.1 (Mass Communication System Everbridge): Replacing Code Red. Multi-language capability, geofencing, and seamless migration of existing subscribers. Councilmember Santiago Romero asked about multilingual notifications and water main break alerts. Approved.
• Item 8.2 (Central Lounge Elimination): Director Brundage explained this is the first phase (preliminary engineering and environmental assessment) for removing railroad crossings in Southwest Detroit. HDR (Ann Arbor) with three Detroit subconsultants doing 44% of work. Councilmember McCampbell requested updates on other crossings in District 7. Approved.
• Item 8.15 (Resolution on Data Center Water Usage): Councilmember Waters moved to amend the resolution to include the Michigan legislature, EGLE, and the governor's office. Approved as amended.

Key Outcomes

• The demolition presentation was received; a memo on cost centers will follow.
• Chapter 28 amendments sent to full council with recommendation to approve.
• Numerous contracts approved for new business: demolition contracts (7.3-7.5, 7.12-7.23 except 7.13), CVI contracts (7.10-7.11), tethered drone contract (7.25), mass communication system (8.1), engineering services (8.2), police training (8.3), encroachments (8.7-8.8), and data center resolution (8.15).
• Several items deferred or brought back: 7.6 (after recess), 7.7 (one week), 7.8 (one week), 7.13 (one week), 7.24 (after recess), 7.26 (one week), 8.9 (one week), 8.10 (one week), 8.11 (one week), 8.12 (one week), 8.13 (one week), 8.14 (after recess).
• The committee recessed at approximately 12:00 p.m., to reconvene at 1:30 p.m. for dangerous buildings hearings.