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Record of Proceedings

Detroit City Council Planning and Economic Development Committee – October 5, 2026

City Council — Monday, October 5, 2026
BodyDetroit, Michigan
SessionCity Council
DateMonday, October 5, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 40:25

Original source
Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.

Speaker 1

0:00

Councilmember Gabriella Santiago Romero.

0:02

Present.

0:03

Councilmember Denzel Anton McCampbell.

0:06

Mr.

0:06

McCampbell, Member McCampbell is on his way now, so his absence is excused, noting that he should join us shortly.

0:13

Clerk will so note.

0:14

Councilmember Mary Waters.

0:16

Madam Chair, you do not have a quorum.

0:18

Thank you, Madam Clerk.

0:20

Giving a lack of quorum, we will go into our public comment for this morning.

0:36

We will begin with public comment with the folks that we have here in person before I turn it over to the folks that we have online.

0:44

If you are online, please raise your hand now so that we can add you to the queue.

0:50

And again, I will be cutting off public comments at 10.07.

0:55

So folks have two minutes to raise your hands, and everyone will have two minutes for public comment this morning.

1:08

Followed by Mr.

1:09

Ruben Crowley, followed by Joel Bannerman.

1:15

And I'm gonna ask everyone to uh wait until we give you the mic to uh to share any thoughts this morning.

1:21

Miss Tines, whenever you're ready, your clock is on the screen, so you can begin whenever you're whenever you're all set.

Speaker 2

1:27

Good morning.

1:28

Um I just wanted to bring out it was brought to my attention by Steve Reimer last week that the owner had told you that I'm mentally ill.

1:38

There's no mental illness here.

1:39

He's caused a lot of people that who stand up against him, and I can prove that.

1:44

Attorneys from Lakeshore Legal Aid had told me that he has many citations on his properties.

Unassigned speaker

1:50

Um

Speaker 2

1:50

Busman, Chief of Staff, Linda Wellesley told me over two years ago how many of his renters from all over different properties complained about him, and nothing has been getting addressed uh for some reason reason.

2:03

Um, and as I stated, he um threatened Steve Reimer last year to get off his property, and I'm pretty sure he has let you know that.

2:11

Um, this owner has a history of abusing his tenants, including not only just me, but I'm the main one they're targeting right now.

2:18

Many people are complaining about these electrical vibrations and headaches in this building using military grade technology.

2:26

The police department, I guess don't have the ability to uh to check for the different uh frequencies of what's going on, but people are dying.

2:34

Um another thing, if he's trying to play up that I'm mentally ill uh about anything, Reverend Edward Pinckney, who's friends with um Miss Waters, uh councilwoman, he knows that that's not true.

2:46

He even told an attorney, J.S.

2:48

Patel last year, that I'm speaking the truth about my ex-husband and what he's done to our children and controlling them.

2:54

And he's trying to do the same to my daughter-in-law in Florida, who's a doctor, stating mental illness because he raped our children and getting away with a lot.

3:02

So I just wanted to put this on record.

3:04

I'm very solid and sane, and I'm going to continue to come after this owner until he shut down or he lose his property.

3:11

You don't have a right to murder people or to target people, like the way he's using his professional connections to do so by him being a lawyer.

Unassigned speaker

3:21

Thank

Speaker 1

3:21

you, Miss Tynes.

3:22

Thanks for coming down.

Speaker 2

3:23

Uh

Speaker 1

3:24

if the clerk can please note we have been joined by member McCampbell.

Speaker 3

3:26

Clerk was so note.

Speaker 1

3:28

And we will now turn it over to Mr.

3:30

Crowley, followed by Joel Bannerman.

3:34

And public comment is now cut off.

Speaker 4

3:47

Mayor begin.

3:51

Okay, uh, Gabriela Santiago Romero, you're a liar.

3:55

You lied about the findings on the allegations of voter fraud by anonymous citizen report.

4:02

And uh you said you read it on May the 9th, 2024, and that was a lie.

4:07

You didn't have it.

4:09

Nor did any other council members because I supplied it to them on May the 20th.

4:19

Now I called your office on May the 20th, 2024, and they said that they didn't know anything about the report, but you came back and said that you talked to your staff, and they said they didn't talk to me.

4:31

That was another lie.

4:33

You're a liar.

4:35

And that Denzel McCampbell.

Unassigned speaker

4:38

Uh

Speaker 4

4:38

you can look at me, sir.

4:40

You then jumped into something that you don't know nothing about.

4:44

Now Nini got to get what she won't.

Unassigned speaker

4:46

I done went through the whole city, the whole county and the state of Michigan, and it's only assistant Wayne County Medical Examiner Jeffrey Hudson and the University of Michigan left.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Public Comment█████████████████████████████████████████████46%
Procedural█████████████████████████26%
Contract Management██████████10%
Public Safety███████7%
Domestic Violence Awareness███3%
Environmental Protection███3%
Public Engagement███3%
Drainage Fee██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Detroit City Council Planning and Economic Development Committee – October 5, 2026

The committee began without a quorum, conducted public comment, and later achieved quorum. Members discussed demolition processes, contracts, transit safety, and domestic violence awareness, with several items postponed for further information.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Ms. Tynes (in person): Complained about her landlord, alleging the owner labeled her mentally ill, has a history of tenant abuse, and uses “military grade technology” causing electrical vibrations and headaches. She denied mental illness and stated she has documentation of citations. She urged action against the property owner.
  • Ruben Crowley (in person): Accused Councilmember Gabriela Santiago Romero of lying about receiving a voter fraud report on May 9, 2024, and accused Councilmember Denzel McCampbell of making uninformed statements. He also referenced a medical examiner investigation. The chair warned his speech bordered on hate speech and could be aggressive.
  • Joel Batterman (in person, Transportation Riders United): Urged councilmembers to participate in National Week Without Driving. Noted that over one in five Detroit households lack a car—more than twice the national average—and that bus service lags behind other cities (e.g., Chicago has 20 frequent bus routes; Detroit has only one, the Jefferson, running every 10 minutes on weekdays). He invited councilmembers to ride a bus route in their district.
  • Dr. Denise Darnell (online): Expressed full support for agenda item 6.6 (domestic violence awareness month), described its history since 1981, and listed the Detroit Police Victim Assistance Program (313-833-1660). She urged voting on November 3rd.
  • Betty A. Varner (online, President of DeSoda Ellsworth Black Association): Requested administration funding for the Fenkell Corridor revitalization and asked for a waiver of land use hearing fees (e.g., $1,500 for playground equipment) for Black 501(c)(3) organizations. She thanked the council for new businesses opening on Fenkell.
  • Owner Papa Mission (online): Criticized agenda item 6.2 for requesting a confidential report on contaminated sites and called for a moratorium on commercial demolitions without oversight. He also said heat mitigation requests were late and criticized the city for turning down federal immigration enforcement dollars.
  • William M. Davis (online): Called for greater financial literacy programs (e.g., Ladybird deeds, wills, trusts) and improved air quality monitoring in Southwest Detroit, citing health concerns. He stressed renewable energy and environmental safety.
  • Jacqueline (online): Commended Councilmember Santiago Romero for her constituent service, suggested she teach a masterclass to colleagues, criticized other councilmembers as “cute but ain’t special,” and quoted “it’s expensive to be poor.”

Discussion Items

  • Demolition Process: The chair announced no demolition contracts on today’s agenda, stating that conversations with administration would occur this week to clarify funding and oversight. Contracts are expected back in committee in two weeks, possibly on next week’s formal agenda.
  • Unfinished Business (5.1–5.4):
    • 5.1 (Resolution requesting MDOT to make Rashid Avenue safer): Received and filed.
    • 5.2 (Follow-up to demolition presentation): Not yet on eScribe; brought back in two weeks.
    • 5.3 (Heat mitigation plan at the detention center): Mr. Washington confirmed it is being uploaded; brought back in two weeks.
    • 5.4 (Site-by-site accounting of contaminated backfill): Still being finalized; brought back in two weeks.
  • New Business – Office of Contract and Procurement (6.1): Contract #600769 amendment #1 with Quator Corporation (Southfield, MI) for emergency services operator training. The contract increases by $75,000 to a total of $125,000. Jamar Rickett (Executive Manager, Police Communications) explained that state mandates require training for 911 operators; two of four original vendors backed out, leaving Equitur and the 911 Training Institute. The contract covers only state-mandated training (no AI). No Detroit-based vendors were available due to state certification requirements.
  • Law Department (6.2): Memo regarding demolition costs and collections. The chair noted responses were provided but needed review; brought back in two weeks.
  • Department of Appeals and Hearings (6.3 & 6.4): Dangerous buildings findings and orders for August 28, 2026, and December 4, 2026. Both received and filed.
  • Legislative Policy Division (6.5): Resolution requesting MDOT to make Grashiet Avenue safer for all users. Approved and sent to formal.
  • Miscellaneous (6.6): Memo requesting a resolution recognizing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The resolution was not yet on eScribe but was submitted Friday. Approved with the condition that the resolution be attached when sent to new business for approval.

Key Outcomes

  • Unfinished business items 5.2, 5.3, and 5.4 were postponed to return in two weeks.
  • Contract 6.1 was sent to formal meeting with a recommendation to approve (no objections).
  • Memo 6.2 was brought back for further review in two weeks.
  • Dangerous buildings findings (6.3, 6.4) were received and filed.
  • Resolution 6.5 was approved and sent to formal.
  • Resolution for domestic violence awareness month (6.6) was approved and sent to new business with the expectation the resolution text will be attached by Tuesday.
  • The committee will not meet on Monday, October 12, 2026, in honor of Indigenous Peoples Day.
  • Shades of Pink Day was announced for October 6, 2026.

Meeting Transcript

Councilmember Gabriella Santiago Romero. Present. Councilmember Denzel Anton McCampbell. Mr. McCampbell, Member McCampbell is on his way now, so his absence is excused, noting that he should join us shortly. Clerk will so note. Councilmember Mary Waters. Madam Chair, you do not have a quorum. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Giving a lack of quorum, we will go into our public comment for this morning. We will begin with public comment with the folks that we have here in person before I turn it over to the folks that we have online. If you are online, please raise your hand now so that we can add you to the queue. And again, I will be cutting off public comments at 10.07. So folks have two minutes to raise your hands, and everyone will have two minutes for public comment this morning. Followed by Mr. Ruben Crowley, followed by Joel Bannerman. And I'm gonna ask everyone to uh wait until we give you the mic to uh to share any thoughts this morning. Miss Tines, whenever you're ready, your clock is on the screen, so you can begin whenever you're whenever you're all set. Good morning. Um I just wanted to bring out it was brought to my attention by Steve Reimer last week that the owner had told you that I'm mentally ill. There's no mental illness here. He's caused a lot of people that who stand up against him, and I can prove that. Attorneys from Lakeshore Legal Aid had told me that he has many citations on his properties. Um Busman, Chief of Staff, Linda Wellesley told me over two years ago how many of his renters from all over different properties complained about him, and nothing has been getting addressed uh for some reason reason. Um, and as I stated, he um threatened Steve Reimer last year to get off his property, and I'm pretty sure he has let you know that. Um, this owner has a history of abusing his tenants, including not only just me, but I'm the main one they're targeting right now. Many people are complaining about these electrical vibrations and headaches in this building using military grade technology. The police department, I guess don't have the ability to uh to check for the different uh frequencies of what's going on, but people are dying. Um another thing, if he's trying to play up that I'm mentally ill uh about anything, Reverend Edward Pinckney, who's friends with um Miss Waters, uh councilwoman, he knows that that's not true. He even told an attorney, J.S. Patel last year, that I'm speaking the truth about my ex-husband and what he's done to our children and controlling them. And he's trying to do the same to my daughter-in-law in Florida, who's a doctor, stating mental illness because he raped our children and getting away with a lot. So I just wanted to put this on record. I'm very solid and sane, and I'm going to continue to come after this owner until he shut down or he lose his property. You don't have a right to murder people or to target people, like the way he's using his professional connections to do so by him being a lawyer. Thank you, Miss Tynes. Thanks for coming down. Uh if the clerk can please note we have been joined by member McCampbell. Clerk was so note. And we will now turn it over to Mr. Crowley, followed by Joel Bannerman. And public comment is now cut off. Mayor begin. Okay, uh, Gabriela Santiago Romero, you're a liar. You lied about the findings on the allegations of voter fraud by anonymous citizen report. And uh you said you read it on May the 9th, 2024, and that was a lie. You didn't have it.

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