Budget Hearings - Law Department, Library, Board of Ethics
Detroit City CouncilRemote
Join meeting: https://cityofdetroit.zoom.us/j/85846903626
This assignment is for three budget hearings:
1:00 p.m. - Law Department
2:00 p.m. - Library
3:00 p.m. - Board of Ethics
Check the source website for additional information
Reporting
Edited and summarized by the Detroit - MI Documenters Team
Law Dept. budget looks lower because it doesn’t include Project Clean Slate or lawyers for ARPA-funded contracts; proposed increase for the library budget; proposed decrease for Ethics Board budget, already the lowest budget of all oversight agencies
Law Dept. budget looks lower because it doesn’t include Project Clean Slate; proposed increase for the library budget; proposed decrease for Ethics Board budget
I’ll be live-tweeting the Detroit City Council Budgets hearings today at 1 p.m. for #DETdocumenters
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09:25 AM Mar 17, 2023 CDT
Law Department - 1 p.m.
Library - 2 p.m.
Board of Ethics - 3 p.m.
Find the full agenda here: pub-detroitmi.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?I…
A public comment session also took place prior to me joining the Law Department hearing at 1 p.m.
I'm guessing we are waiting for Councilmembers to return from a short recess.
A quorum is present.
According to the agenda, Council has eight major questions after conducting their analysis.
Mallett said attorneys who work for the "Clean Slate" project have been moved to a non-department budget - which explains the decrease in budget
detroitmi.gov/departments/la…
Mallett said he would be happy to return for a closed session to continue this discussion.
bridgedetroit.com/legal-settleme…
Mallett said the current data management system has made it difficult for lawyers to clock their time, making it difficult for them to bill the department for the time they worked. A new system would fix this
Mallett said the interns were not hired due to changes leaving nobody in charge of managing that project.
Mallett said it depends on the nature of the service being offered.
There is a lot of commotion and giggles going on in the background, I think a member spilled a drink.
Mallett said the Law Dept. is not driving this conversation, but the Risk Management Team is and they are involved in those talks
Mallett said it all starts with the tone of dept. the leadership of the Fire and Police Departments, which has shifted given the new circumstances facing the city
Mallett said the law dept. is taking a more firm attitude in some of these instances and "I'll leave it there"
Mallett offered to discuss this in greater detail in a future closed session. Johnson agreed.
Mallett said this is not something his dept. has ever done but they will take the suggestion. "We would be glad to cooperate but I don't know that we could lead it."
Mallett said the program is tied jointly with DESC to provide job training and Clean Slate has become a direct link to improving employment.
Mallett said yes, but the dept. has not been in communication with any firms who assist with immigration services
Mallett said BSEED issues a ticket, which is then paid (or not), but after that point, there is no way to regulate... 1/2
freep.com/story/news/loc…
Mallett said the tracking system is the lawsuits that are filed.
cbsnews.com/detroit/news/d…
Mallett said they are currently determining how many citizens they will be able to help.
Next up... we are talking about Libraries, check out the agenda here:
pub-detroitmi.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ash…
Brown said the balance of the fund has increased by $12 million from 2020 to 2022.
bridgedetroit.com/etroit-public-…
"We are using our fund balance for one-time capital expenditures," Brown said.
Conley, my childhood library 😉, is getting a new basement floor and needs some other repairs before it can be reopened.
Brown said the biggest obstacle is having staff to work at those branches when they re-open.
Montieth has structural damage, including needing a new roof, for which no capital funds have been identified.
Johnson made a motion to put the DPL budget into executive session. Motion passed.
Brown said DPL has collected bids to repair the structural damage to the basement. Once a bid is chosen, a timeline will be in place.
Brown said internal discussions have taken place but nothing has been moved forward. Santiago-Romero offered her assistance in fundraising.
Mondowney said to Councilmember Durhal, that a further discussion needs to take place about this budget so Council can better understand the situation.
Councilmember Waters asked what the current literacy programs are at DPL.
Waters asked about the participation rate.Mondowney said they've had hybrid programs that are advertised and used commonly
Councilmember Benson has questions about the fund budget, which is currently at $28 million and wants DPL to start thinking about building new state-of-the-art branches in communities.
What would the cost be to make that branch whole, Benson asked?
Brown said a full report will be presented to Council in April about Skillman.
Since 2015 the fund balance has been used to restore six libraries.
Benson asked for a verbal commitment from Mondowney...1/2
She said the Library System needs to be up to the 21st Century, not 'one library' being renovated to the 21st Century.
Mondowney said former Mayor Coleman Young looked out for the Library, implying the current Council is not helping the Library in the same way.
Councilmember Whitfield-Calloway asked about the Sherwood Forest Branch.
Brown said Chase and Hubbard will be open in the next few months, depending on the HVAC upgrades. Conley is also slated to open once repairs are done and staff is found.
Mondowney said they have in the past but not recently.
Mondowney said no, she just asks that the city not tax capture.
Santiago-Romero revised her motion to work with the DPL to work with the City on fundraising efforts and efficiencies
Mondowney said there is a dedicated technology lab at one branch and other branches do have designated computer areas.
Mondowney said they hired a lobbyist in 2017 but it is unclear whether the current legislation applies to DPL.
Mondowney said DPL will be approaching Council soon about being added to the ballot.
Whitfield-Calloway said copies of the mystery memo are being made. Mondowney said to look at page 4 and how "contradictory" it is.
Young II reminded her this happened already, last year.
Waters made a motion to put the exception in the closing resolution.
Young II said public comment has been moved up to accommodate those in-person from the Library Committee.
1: In support of ending library tax captures. Said they disagree with the way DPL is being managed
2: A member of the library commission said they would like Council to freeze or end the tax captures.
4: A long-time member of the library commission said they would like to freeze the tax capture.
Councilmember Durhal said (for maybe the third time today) that the City Council does NOT raise tax captures. It is not possible. Durhal said Council "has done what they can from this table."
1: asked Councilmember Durhal to find a way to make his ADA meetings online because residents are having difficulty attending in-person.
Durhal said they've found a solution and it's coming soon.
3: does not support the city being affiliated, or assisting, DPL. Said they should be independent institutions.
Young II closed public comment at 3:56 p.m.
5: had technical difficulties and was skipped
6: said the Law Dept. is corrupt
Be back in 5!
Here's the agenda: pub-detroitmi.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ash…
In 2022, the board held 10 total meetings and provides advisory opinions to the Mayor and City Council's Offices.
The board also rolled out a new logo and Learning Management System in 2022.
Phillips said in 2022-23 there were 3 investigations, 9 requests for advisory opinions.
Motion approved.
This concludes my coverage of the Detroit City Council Budget Hearings on Friday, March 17, 2023
For more meeting coverage, check out documenters.org 🎉
Attachments
Agency Information
Detroit City Council
The Detroit City Council is the legislative body of Detroit, Michigan, United States. The Council is responsible for the creation of local laws—called ordinances. Additionally they pass resolutions, motions, and the proposed city budget. The full-time council is required to meet every business day for at least 10 months of the year, with at least eight of these meetings occurring at a location besides city hall. The council may convene for special meetings at the call of the mayor or at least four members of council. Areas of responsibility for the Budget, Finance and Audit Committee include, Budget, Finance and the Auditor General.
City Council members are elected on the same cycle as the Mayor and will be elected in 2021. Seven members represent the seven council districts, while two members are elected at-large.
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