Saginaw City Council Regular Meeting – October 13, 2026

The Saginaw City Council met on October 13, 2026, at 18:19:33 UTC, with Mayor Moore presiding. Eight council members were present; Mayor Pro Tem Garcia was absent. The meeting included a public hearing on a Shaheen Development commercial rehabilitation district request, extensive public comment, a city manager's report that included a police transparency update, approval of the consent agenda and three resolutions, and introduction of two ordinances. All motions were approved by voice vote; no roll call votes were reported.

Announcements

• The clerk announced early voting at 618 CAS from October 24 through November 1, daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with extended hours until 7 p.m. on Wednesday, October 28. The city clerk's office will match additional hours for voter needs.
• Four 24-hour ballot drop boxes are available: behind City Hall, at Fordney Park near the Gratchett Avenue entrance, at Financial Plus Credit Union at 1837 Bagley, and behind the SVRC Marketplace near the Riverwalk entrance at 231 Southwater.

Public Hearing: Commercial Rehabilitation Act District

• The public hearing concerned a request from Hamilton Street Real Estate LLC and Riverfront West QOZB LLC, subsidiaries of Shaheen Development, to create a Commercial Rehabilitation Act District at 212 and 218 South Hamilton, 303, 309, and 315 Adams, 200, 304, and 400 South Niagara, and 202 Mackinac.
• Brady Duke of Saginaw Future spoke in strong support, saying the mixed-use Old Town project would add housing, strengthen the Old Town-riverfront connection, support local businesses, and expand the tax base. No other speakers came forward, and the hearing was closed.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Melanie Velasco, a Saginaw resident, noted Breast Cancer Awareness Month, mentioned a recent shooting in Saginaw County, and urged action on street lights, sidewalks, trees, abandoned houses, and road funding.
• Brian Bowen, a retired city employee and property owner at 740 South 10th, said that on June 23 of this year, a city employee left a fire hydrant running across from his property during nearby road construction. Sewer water flooded basements 3.5 to 4 feet deep at 740, 737, 731, and 730 South 10th. He said tenants were displaced, furnaces and hot water heaters failed, and neither Spring Line Excavating, MDOC, nor the city had resolved the claim.
• Julian Zamora, a tenant, said the basement flood contained toilet paper and feces, destroyed his carpentry tools, and left the unit without heat or hot water. His fiancée, who recently had open heart surgery, could not stay there, and he said they were showering at the YMCA.
• Kim Rowan of Fight for Democracy Mid-Michigan invited residents to the No Kings Weekend event on the Green Acres sidewalk, 1:00 to 2:30, focused on voting and registration. She spoke about her love for Saginaw and urged residents to help improve the city.
• Jeffrey Bowles of Saginaw CAP requested updates on the Stephanie Anderson case and on a groundhog infestation he said needs a citywide response. He invited the community to a Know Your Rights forum on October 17 with attorney Alan Crawford and law enforcement, and a voter education forum on October 19 at 6 p.m. at SVRC's second floor.
• Krista Mann said she is not opposed to development but asked for a public accounting of the last 10 years of development incentives, discounted property sales, tax abatements, brownfield reimbursements, and public spending on private development sites. She also asked for data on jobs, wages, affordable housing, and net tax revenue, and for developers to disclose private investment, public assistance, and measurable community benefits before receiving incentives.
• Denita Dorsey said she is not opposed to lifting the tax cap but wants a clear plan for how additional revenue will be used, including measurable outcomes and tracking. She listed parks, youth employment, vacant properties, affordable housing, food deserts, and investment in overlooked neighborhoods; she also asked whether the money would simply cover operating expenses, benefits, public safety, and retiree obligations.

Council Remarks

• Councilmember Balls urged residents to get involved in young people's lives after recent shootings, saying the city should be too small for that crime. He supported transparency on tax revenue and called for improved parks, including Ojibway Island and Morley Park.
• Councilmember Ostash congratulated Mayor Moore on receiving a top Michigan Municipal League award. He assured the flood-affected residents that staff would follow up and that council should receive a report. He discussed the 47-year-old tax cap, saying Saginaw has lived on $3.8 million in property taxes; he cited staff cuts from about 1,500 to about 400, police falling from over 100 to about 40, and Bay City's 17 mills and $23 million in property taxes compared with Saginaw's 7.5 mills under Headley. He estimated lifting the cap would yield about $650,000 in the first year and more in later years as development occurs.
• Councilmember Braddock expressed sympathy for the flooding victims, called for updating Virtua Park, and noted that internal investigation disciplinary actions are expected to be completed within 90 days.
• Councilwoman Wiggins encouraged residents to attend planning commission and zoning meetings, supported tax cap removal as a way to reduce dependence on grants, and said making budget transparency clearer is a reasonable request.
• Councilwoman Hammond thanked staff for attaching HUD subrecipient agreements to the agenda. She said the current tax cap makes granting tax abatements fiscally advantageous to the city, and she supported community-benefit requirements regardless, citing Jackson's rule requiring at least 30% affordable units at or below 80% AMI for significant housing tax credits. She also asked for upfront reporting on jobs and benefits.
• Councilmember Media, an electrician and trades advocate, said job creation must be paired with job training, and described helping a young man enroll in Dorsey Schools' first electrical technician program, which started October 5 on a full scholarship.
• Councilwoman Seals celebrated Mayor Moore's lifetime membership award from the Michigan Municipal League, announced her own Level 2 Elected Officials Academy certification, and asked for prayers for Mayor Pro Tem Garcia, who was recovering from surgery. She called for unity and trust.

City Manager's Report

• The fire awards ceremony was listed for October 13 at 10 a.m. at Fire Station 1. Note: the manager called it 'tomorrow, October 13th,' which conflicts with the meeting date given as October 13, 2026.
• The fifth annual We Love Saginaw Businesses Trunk Retreat will take place Tuesday, October 20, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., at Celebration Park, 1830 Fordney Street. Businesses can register through October 19; it is hosted by the city, the Downtown Development Authority, and the Saginaw Economic Development Corporation.
• Construction updates: the MDOT State Street project is expected to return to normal traffic patterns around the first week of November; paving and restoration work will continue, and traffic signal work is not driving the timeline. The city's Weiss Street project is expected to be completed by mid-November. Weiss Street remains closed between Mackinac and Bay and Mason, with local one-way access only; drivers were urged not to bypass road-closed signs.
• On the Saginaw Community Alliance for the People police accountability resolution submitted August 31, the manager said most requests are already covered by existing police policies and oversight. Planned improvements include formalizing when outside agencies conduct independent investigations, creating a consistent public reporting format for complaints and use-of-force investigations, publishing annual aggregate data, providing periodic status updates for significant investigations, ensuring CPAC receives quarterly reports, filling the CPAC student seat, and sharing officer training summaries. An online reporting portal is being developed, modeled on East Lansing and Michigan State Police, and policy changes and sample reports will go to council and the city website.
• In Q&A, the manager said the Old Town parking structure was temporarily closed for contractor rework and should reopen; the internal investigation of police officers involved in a recent incident is still ongoing and they are not working streets; he will check the road dip at Mackinac and Weiss; and police overtime contracting is available through the department for events. He said his tax-cap 'wish list' would focus on parks and quality of life, including restrooms, staff presence, and park activation projects such as Rochester's $11,000 Mini Forest project.

Consent Calendar

• The consent agenda was approved by voice vote with no exceptions.

Ordinance Introductions

• First ordinance: an amendment to Section 14.34 of the City Code regarding bids and bonds would create exceptions allowing vendor changes without separate council approval for water treatment chemicals, wastewater chemicals, road salt, sand, and brine. Discussion noted supply-chain volatility, vendors unable to fulfill contracts, and that purchases would remain within approved budget line items. Councilmember Hammond asked to retain access to vendor and product information. The ordinance was introduced and laid over.
• Second ordinance: amendments to Sections 117.03 and 117.09 of Chapter 117 would allow no-loitering signs on private property so police can enforce no-loitering and parking rules when businesses are closed. Councilman Young described his banquet hall parking lot problem and said police indicated the change would help. The ordinance was introduced and laid over.

Resolutions

• The council adopted the resolution establishing the Commercial Rehabilitation Act District for the Shaheen Development parcels. During discussion, Councilwoman Hammond asked about the 202 Mackinac parcel; staff said the parcels are within a block and may be connected to future phases.
• The council adopted the appointment of Phil Carwat as trustee and Travis Hare as alternate trustee to the Mid-Michigan Waste Authority Board; a council member asked whether it was a reappointment and was told yes.
• The council adopted a resolution acknowledging the 65th anniversary of the sister city partnership with Tokoshima, Japan. Discussion included a planned visit from the Japanese delegation and a possible return delegation in two years.

Key Outcomes

• The consent agenda and all three resolutions were approved by voice vote.
• Both ordinance amendments were introduced and laid over for further consideration under charter provisions.
• Council directed staff to follow up on the South 10th Street sewer-water flooding complaints and provide a report to council, and the city manager agreed to inspect the Mackinac and Weiss road level difference.
• The city manager committed to delivering police-accountability policy updates and a sample reporting format to council and the city website.
• The public hearing was closed with support from Saginaw Future and no opposing speakers.
• The meeting adjourned by motion.