Taylor City Council Regular Meeting - July 2, 2024

The Taylor City Council met in regular session on Tuesday, July 2, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. in the Taylor Municipal Building, 23555 Goddard Road, Taylor, MI. Present were Council Members Charley Johnson, Angie Winton, Douglas Geiss, Jill Brandana, Lindsey Rose, and Tina Daniels; Mayor Tim Woolley; City Clerk Cynthia Bower; Treasurer Michelle Tocco; and Corporation Counsel Ed Plato. The council amended the agenda to add Mayor Communication item 6.1 (Taylor North Little League canister drive), change item 7.1 from August 6 to August 7, 2024, and change item 7.18 from $3,000 to $5,000. It then approved the amended agenda and the minutes of the June 18, 2024 meeting.

Consent Calendar

• Taylor North Little League canister drive (6.1): Approved for July 12-13 and July 19-20, 2024, to help with all-star travel costs.
• Insurance renewals (7.3-7.7): Approved coverage for July 1, 2024-June 30, 2025 through Nickel and Saph, Inc.: Old Republic general liability/auto/no-fault/etc. $843,724; Travelers property/crime/inland marine $399,897; NASPPG judicial liability $4,923; AIG primary law enforcement liability $570,819 (an 8.21% increase); Upland Specialty excess law enforcement/public officials/EPLI $302,625. Broker Steve Saff Jr. said the city emerged from a hard insurance market and that adding public officials/EPLI to Old Republic gave $12 million in combined coverage; property values were increased about 25% for inflation.
• Huron River Watershed dues (7.8): Approved annual dues of $60,667, funded between Major and Local Streets accounts over FY 2023-24 and FY 2024-25.
• FY 2024/25 departmental purchase agreements (7.9-7.15): Approved not-to-exceed amounts: DPW $351,000; Animal Shelter $221,500; Vehicle Maintenance $582,500; Compost Site $298,500; Water Transmission $590,500; Water Customer Service $167,500; Ordinance Department $25,000.
• Compost site tub grinder repair (7.16): Approved $18,019 sole-source repair by Vermeer for the tub grinder upper boom, funded through Compost Equipment and Maintenance; staff said the 2003 machine's part would take 3-4 months to obtain.
• Police Tahoe repair (7.19): Approved Downriver Body Works low bid of $5,723 to repair 2022 Chevy Tahoe #94, funded through General Fund police equipment repair and maintenance.
• Commercial vehicle enforcement training (7.20): Approved $3,770 payment to Michigan Police Training for two officers, funded through Act 302 Police Training Fund.
• WOW Business phone/internet agreement (7.21): Approved $100,644 per year for a 3-year term, not to exceed $301,932 plus communication fees, funded through General Fund Utilities and Communications. Staff said the 27% increase funds speed upgrades: campus links rise about 700% from roughly 120 Mbps to gigabit speeds, and internet access rises from 400 Mbps to 1 Gbps.
• Police & Fire Retirement System review (7.22): Received and filed the investment performance review for March 31, 2024; fund balance rose from about $137 million to about $143 million during the quarter, about a 6.5% increase.

Discussion Items

• Public hearing with Judge Martha M. Snow (7.1): Approved setting a public hearing on August 7, 2024 (moved from August 6 because of the primary election), with Judge Snow subpoenaed to attend and be questioned under Charter Section 6.16. Discussion noted Judge Snow had ordered the entire Taylor City Council to appear in her courtroom and made public statements the council wanted reviewed. Corporation Counsel Ed Plato said Charter Section 6.16 is broad, that in 45 years he had never seen a judge do this, and that he believed the judge's action was wrong, interfered with council's legislative process, and was contrary to Michigan law. He expected the Attorney General's office might move to quash and mentioned a Judicial Tenure Commission complaint as another avenue.
• Detroit Region Aerotropolis and CMAC presentation (7.2): Received and filed. Christopher Girdwood, CEO of the Detroit Region Aerotropolis Development Corporation, and Scott Christie, owner/president of CMAC Transportation, presented CMAC's background: a disabled-veteran-owned logistics and trucking company with about 800,000 square feet of warehousing, a workforce about 12% veterans (32 veterans among 273 total associates per presentation), and 216 combined years of military service. CMAC purchased 38 acres on North Line Road between Beach and Inkster in Taylor and is seeking a future PA 198 abatement through Aerotropolis. No abatement vote was taken. Officials described the PA 198 process, including a 30-day council disapproval window for the industrial development district, and a community benefit agreement with hiring and contracting goals of 51% for DRADC member-county residents and contractors, quarterly reporting of hires by zip code, and enforcement/reversion to full property taxes if goals are not met.
• Detention for identification ordinance, first reading (7.17): Approved first reading of an amendment to Chapter 32, Offenses, adding Section 32-42. It would require a person detained during an investigatory stop, under reasonable suspicion that they committed, are committing, or are about to commit a violation of the code or state law, to provide their name. Officials cited Hiibel v. Nevada and Terry v. Ohio and said it aligns with state law.
• Tuition reimbursement (7.18): Withdrawn. The administration asked to remove the item for further review; no motion was made, so the item died. The agenda had been amended to increase the amount from $3,000 to $5,000 before withdrawal.
• Redistricting proclamation (Open Business): Councilwoman Brandana proposed a proclamation objecting to the proposed Michigan Senate redistricting map Crane A1 because it splits Taylor, and calling on judicial review to reject it and keep Taylor unified. She said no public hearing was held downriver or in western Wayne, and noted deadlines of July 5 for objections, July 12 for responses/special master report, July 19 for further briefing, and July 26 for court adoption. Councilwoman Winton and Councilwoman Rose said they had insufficient time to review the data and could not vote for it. The motion failed on a 3-3 roll call vote: Brandana, Johnson, and Geiss voted yes; Winton, Rose, and Daniels voted no.
• Vacant City Council seat (7.23): No nominations were offered, so no appointment was made.

Public Comments & Testimony

• During the redistricting discussion, Edward Clickard said the commission did not properly notify or contact the city before splitting it; Chairman Geiss responded that hearings were held and that Taylor should have been more engaged.
• In open business, Martin Juilliard asked whether council members have authority to direct city attorneys or police personnel regarding towing and whether city attorneys can represent elected officials in personal matters. Corporation Counsel said the premises of the questions were false.
• Edward Clickard described his daughter's recent accident: an officer said the car could be taken home, but Area Towing impounded it, and the cost increased from $227 to $402. He asked why the city contracts with Area Towing. Council members said the towing contract is under review and is to go out for bid in August; Councilwoman Winton and the police chief responded to allegations about a separate towing intervention, with Winton denying any abuse of power.
• Resident Hall said he obtained about 30 confidential/privileged emails apparently leaked by a former council member and asked how to file an ethics complaint. Corporation Counsel said the complaint procedure begins with the city clerk and that release of privileged communications would violate attorney-client privilege.

Key Outcomes

• Amended agenda and June 18, 2024 minutes approved unanimously.
• Routine consent items, insurance renewals, purchase agreements, and contracts were approved unanimously unless otherwise stated.
• Public hearing with Judge Snow set for August 7, 2024.
• First reading of the detention-for-identification ordinance approved.
• Tuition reimbursement item 7.18 was withdrawn without action.
• Redistricting proclamation failed 3-3.
• No appointment made to vacant council seat.
• City Clerk reported about 7,200 absentee ballots mailed for the August 6, 2024 primary and noted election inspector openings and upcoming city events.