Detroit City Council Public Health and Safety Standing Committee Meeting - September 28, 2026

The Detroit City Council Public Health and Safety Standing Committee met on Monday, September 28, 2026, with Chair Gabriela Santiago Romero presiding. Members Denzel Anton McCampbell and Mary Waters were present, establishing quorum, and the committee approved the previous session's minutes. The agenda included public comment, a presentation from the 2026 Tow Rate Commission, numerous unfinished business items, demolition contracts, and several large procurement contracts.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Peggy Goodwin, representing police authorized towers, said energy prices have hit towers hard, citing diesel at $6.83 per gallon and a 27% gasoline price increase from December 2025 to June 2026. She said tower rotation has decreased dramatically without warning after contracts were signed, that motorists ultimately pay the fees, and that towers have historically honored hardship when asked by police. She called the towers legacy family- and minority-owned businesses.
• Mr. Foster urged the committee to investigate the nonprofit that funded the office referenced in item 6.11, criticized CVI-funded organizations, and cited the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy case, saying a 10-year RICO lookback should guide prevention. He said, 'There is no honor among thieves.'
• Dr. Denise Darnell thanked council members and the director of disability affairs for a disability task force meeting, expressed support for item 7.10's $2 million contract for polycarbonate boarding materials to secure vacant homes, asked that research confirm the contract is fair, and encouraged residents to vote.
• Ruben Crowley Jr. accused the chair of not reading a voter fraud report, alleged a specific absentee ballot issue in the February 27, 2024 presidential primary, and announced he would run as a write-in candidate for Michigan Senate beginning October 1. Chair Santiago Romero wished him well and said she believes in the democratic process.
• Brother Cunningham praised the chair and Vice Chair McCampbell and spoke about faith and unity.
• Betty A. Varner, president of the Soda Elsewhere Black Association, expressed support for a proposed mini market with gas pumps at Thinko and Wyoming, citing the area's food desert conditions and lack of supermarkets. She said the owner agreed to offer healthy snacks and asked council members to support the investment in the community.
• Carolyn Hughes asked the Inspector General to investigate the committee and council, questioned the chair's length of service, called for a hold on demolitions, questioned why Troy received $2 million for item 7.10, asked who owns 5379 Joy Road, and opposed more downtown sidewalk spending while neighborhoods need repairs. The chair later read Charter Section 4-106, stating council presidents appoint committee chairs with majority council approval and that the charter contains no term limit for chairs.
• Renard Monchenski, a District 6 resident and organizer with Detroit People's Platform, asked the committee to invite MDOT to present on the traffic, accessibility, and transit impacts of the Renaissance Center and I-375 projects. The chair said she would look into having MDOT present.
• William M. Davis, vice president of the Bart McCrawling Neighborhood Association, praised the Dearborn Detroit Block Party, called for reasonable tow and storage fees, asked for more litter prevention education, and requested more information about data centers.
• Troy Ginyard of Troy's Towing said fuel costs have risen to $7.19 per gallon, noted the Tow Rate Commission did not vote for an increase, and urged the committee to examine the cost per tow and the effect of inflation on small towing businesses.
• Jim Brunell of North Corktown used his comment time to ask the chair's opinion on private property rights.
• Cindy Dara said she had been treated unfairly by the election commission, alleged election cheating, and urged voters to support Democrats in national races.

2026 Tow Rate Commission Presentation

• Laura Goodspeed, City Auditor General and Tow Rate Commission chair; Captain Jason Adams of DPD; and Peggy Goodwin presented the commission's findings. The commission includes the Auditor General, a DPD representative, a BSEED representative, a towing industry representative appointed by City Council, and a public representative appointed by the mayor's office. Goodspeed noted the mayor's office did not appoint a public representative.
• The commission is required to review police authorized towing and storage fees at least once every two years and submit a recommendation to City Council by October 1. The final commission meeting was held September 24, 2026.
• There are currently five police authorized towers: BBK Towing, Bobby's Towing, 7D's Towing, Troy's Towing, and Wade's Towing. City Council approved three-year contracts from August 2025 to August 2028.
• The presentation showed roughly 31,000 police authorized tows per year from 2023 through 2025, with DPD performing about 20% of tows in 2023, 29% in 2024, 40% in 2025, and a projected 47% in 2026. DPD averaged about 32% of tows over the period.
• The commission voted to keep current rates and fees unchanged for the next cycle, including the DPD $75 administrative fee. Bonding, insurance, licensing, storage, boats, trailers, and out-of-town retrieval fees also remained unchanged.
• In discussion, Captain Adams said DPD's police towing and impound unit was established in 2018 to address historical improprieties and has become more efficient, reducing reliance on contractors. He said each DPD tow saves the city contractor hook fees and noted the five contractor contracts total $11.25 million, or $2.25 million each over three years.
• Peggy Goodwin said bad actors in towing history included police and government officials, and she said the DPD towing unit carries a $2.2 million tax burden. Goodspeed said the commission stayed within its chartered fee-review role and concluded current fees are sufficient to provide service regardless of whether towing is performed by DPD or contractors.
• Vice Chair McCampbell asked about debris left at accident scenes. Captain Adams said city ordinance requires towers to clean up, and complaints should be reported to the police towing and impound unit or through 911 so the incident can be linked to the CAD ticket for follow-up.

Demolition Contract Discussion

• For items 7.1 through 7.11, the committee discussed that demolition contracts coming forward are now largely emergency payments for work already completed, rather than approvals for future work. Members expressed frustration about funding, contaminated backfill, and lack of transparency, while acknowledging the city must keep buildings safe. Member Waters said she is concerned about approving more demolitions before the city knows how it will pay for backfill and related costs. Vice Chair McCampbell cited specific contract amounts of $84,000 and $58,000 and called for a more complete package and stronger safeguards to prevent contaminated soil problems from recurring. The items were brought back for one week.

Member Reports

• Vice Chair McCampbell reported on the disability task force meeting, a community canvas, and work with Detroit Fire Department members to install smoke alarms, noting they knocked on nearly 400 doors.
• Member Waters reported on the retiree task force meeting scheduled for October 9, Sister Strut, and breast cancer awareness efforts. She noted Black women die from breast cancer at a rate 40% higher than white women and encouraged mammograms and participation in Shade the Pink Day on October 6.
• Chair Santiago Romero reported on the Lead with Love Fellowship, the Equitable Development Task Force, and ongoing concerns about data centers. She made a motion for LPD to draft an interim zoning moratorium to pause permitting of new data centers until council approves regulations. Vice Chair McCampbell voiced support.

Key Outcomes

• The Tow Rate Commission presentation was received and filed. The committee approved a motion directing LPD to draft a proposed resolution containing the commission's approved fees for the next rate cycle, with a follow-up memo from the Auditor General. The proposed fees are scheduled to take effect July 1, 2027.
• Unfinished business actions: 6.1 was brought back in three weeks; 6.2 was approved and sent to formal session with a recommendation to approve; 6.3 was sent to formal session without recommendation; 6.4, 6.7, 6.8, 6.13, and 6.14 were brought back in two weeks; 6.5 and 6.6 were received and filed; 6.9, 6.10, 6.15, and 6.17 were brought back in one week; 6.11 and 6.16 were brought back with dates to be determined; and 6.12 was received and filed.
• New business actions: 7.1 through 7.11 were brought back in one week for further demolition discussion; 7.12 was approved and sent to new business with a recommendation to approve, with OCP asked to provide an itemized equipment list before the next day; 7.13 was initially brought back one week and later reconsidered and approved to new business; 7.14, 7.15, 7.16, 7.17, 7.18, 7.19, and 7.20 were approved and sent to new business with recommendations to approve; 7.21 was approved and sent to formal session with a recommendation to approve; and 7.22 through 7.25 were brought back in two weeks.
• For 7.17, the DDOT-SMART 50/50 revenue-sharing agreement extension was approved after reconsideration. DDOT staff said the extension was time-only and that they would research whether the August millage affects the revenue-sharing agreement.
• The committee approved a motion directing LPD to draft an interim zoning moratorium on new data center permitting until council approves data center regulations.