Speaker numbers apply only to this recording.
The Committee of the Whole, chaired by Councilmember Angela Whitfield Callaway, convened on October 7, 2026, to consider appointments, public comments, legal updates, and numerous agenda items. The meeting opened with an invocation and remarks on global student protests and Detroit's count day for school funding.
For thou Lord will bless the righteous with favor, will thou compass him as with the shield, and that is Psalms 512. And let us keep all the students in Paris in our prayers. They are protesting due to molding their buildings, ceilings caving in, inadequate supplies, no books, no teachers in the classroom. Does that sound familiar? But they have taken matters into their own hands, and we asked the Lord to shield them, as this scripture says. And the students are trying to make their voices be heard. And we know this count day here in the city of Detroit. We're hoping everyone has gotten their student to their school. It is not too late to get your child into the school where they are enrolled, and it's not too late to enroll. We know that state funding is based on hit head count, and that head count is today in Detroit public schools, and I think across the state. So again, we keep all the students here in the state in our prayers and in Detroit, and all those wonderful students in Paris fighting for better education opportunities. That is my chair remarks, and public comment is now closed. It is 1003. Public comment is now closed. Do we have anyone here in the committee of the whole who would like to make a statement? If you could please sit at the chair that's vacant, the police officer will guide you. There is a button at the base of the microphone. If you can just hit that button, the light will turn green, and you have a minute and a half, sir. And good morning after you introduce yourself. Thank you. Good morning, and thank you for uh the comments about the students in Paris and uh the importance of count day. Got my kids to school this morning and came right down. So uh I'm here about item number 10.21 on the agenda that is the uh interim moratorium on uh zoning for data centers in the city of Detroit that would extend out and follow through on the moratorium that you all unanimously voted on in March. It was brought by Councilmember Santiago. Could you introduce yourself? I'm sorry. Did you introduce yourself? I'm sorry, thank you. I was so inspired by your comments, I forgot. My name is Eden Bloom, and I am uh here this morning representing uh Detroit People's Platform and my family and my kids. Um that item is about the moratorium on data centers, and Detroit People's Platform wanted to share our results from a survey that we conducted. We have over 500 responses, primarily coming from folks in food pantries that we're partnered with. Uh, we surveyed, and overall, the our survey results demonstrated that more community engagement and public education are needed before the city moves forward with data center policy. Uh a more informed community is more likely to produce policies that align with the interest and priorities of Detroit residents. We believe that this extension of the moratorium would give folks that opportunity. The study, the the survey results said 66% say they oppose data centers being built in their neighborhoods. 74% of respondents oppose providing local tax breaks to data centers. 71% said promises of job creation do not change their views on data center development, and 63% said they would support the moratorium. And based on these results, Detroit People's Platform is standing with community to support a moratorium and hope that you move this forward uh in your committee today. And thank you. Appreciate you. Thank you, um, Mr. Bloom for surveying those 500 folks, taking out the time to do that.