Detroit City Council Formal Session, 10 a.m.
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Reporting
Edited and summarized by the Detroit - MI Documenters Team
Controversial agreement to transfer land at Riverside Park to the Detroit International Bridge Company was approved.
Watch the meeting live on Channel 10:
http://detroit-vod.cablecast.tv/CablecastPublicSite/watch/6?channel=1
If you’re following along with me today, watch for ‘🚨’ to signify the start of public comments
The meeting is called to order at 10:0 am! 🎉
Note: Scott Benson and Coleman Young II are not present. https://t.co/SL0bbiiy2l
Another note: Benson has been absent for a number of meetings lately. It seems more frequent than usual to me. https://twitter.com/kayleighrenel/status/1628048689674571778
Councilmember Fred Durhal is presenting a Spirit of Detroit award to House Speaker @SpeakerJoeTate. After playing in the NFL and later serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, Tate was named Michigan’s first Black Speaker of the House earlier this year.
Speaker Tate (bottom right) was present in-person to accept the award. He kept it short and sweet but expressed gratitude for the award and said his door is always open. https://t.co/82lQz7Lwre
Council members Young, Johnson, Waters, Durhal, and Sheffield shared kind words about Speaker Tate and thanked him for his work.
Sheffield reminded attendees that they will have an opportunity to speak during public comment. If there are any disruptions, outbursts, etc., officers will remind them of the rules. If they continue to be disruptive, they’ll be escorted out.
Items under Sections 6 through 9 were referred to the appropriate standing committee(s).
Council President Mary Sheffield said she is stepping away from the meeting today to attend the homegoing service for Arielle Anderson at Zion Hope Missionary Baptist Church.
Sheffield will be attending Arielle Anderson’s homegoing service today with @SpeakerJoeTate. She said she’ll be presenting a testimonial resolution in her honor.
- Had various complaints about the way city council and the administration are handling things.
Note: my connection isn’t great on Zoom. I missed the second comment.
- Russ Bellant - spoke about the missing funds from the Detroit Public Library.
More on the issue from @MalakSilmi @media_outlier: https://outliermedia.org/inspector-general-declines-to-further-investigate-400k-missing-from-detroit-public-library/
Anddd audio isn’t working on Zoom. I missed the 4th comment while I switched to Channel 10.
- Has had issues obtaining her late grandmother’s home from the Detroit Land Bank Authority. She received short notice about a court date and wasn’t able to attend. The city has told her it’s not on a list. She feel the city is harassing her family.
- Asked council to consider to deny the Mouron land-transfer deal. Said they need more time to re-negotiate a deal.
- Also asked council to consider denying the land transfer to Mouron land-transfer deal. She said they’ve gathered over 1,000 signatures in which the neighborhood is asking for community protections.
Quick synopsis of the land transfer deal with Detroit International Bridge Company from @joeguillen @axios
https://www.axios.com/local/detroit/2023/02/21/hubbard-richard-residents-fear-moroun-takeover
- Representing Urban Information Network, they offered to broadcast the city’s public access channel(s) so they can reach more Detroiters
9-11 all asked council to deny the land transfer with Detroit International Bridge Company. Two spoke in Spanish.
Councilmember Whitfield-Calloway said she feels it’s a disservice to the community to not have a translator present so council members can understand the concerns of non-English speaking residents.
Council President Pro Tem James Tate said council members can request a translator ahead of the meeting. He noted that none of them requested one.
Councilmember Gabriela Santiago-Romero said she’s asked for translating services during last year’s budget deliberations and since then.
Santiago-Romero said she’s keeping track of what residents are saying but doesn’t feel it’s her job to translate comments when the city has the resources to provide translation services.
- Wants City Council to get to the bottom of their concerns regarding public notice for bonds issued in the past.
- Said he just left bond counsel’s office (Miller Canfield). Said they didn’t know where the Legislative Policy Division got the information provided in a memo about the issue of public bonds.
Durhal responded to the two previous comments about bond issuances. His office sent the gentleman a letter responding to his concerns. The Budget, Finance & Audit committee plans to have Miller Canfield at the table for a future discussion about these concerns.
- Opposed the land transfer deal and said the community has been lied to in the past. Believes they’re illegally taking over public roadways.
- Opposed to the land transfer deal.
“They have taken hundreds of houses to the detriment of our community. They have consistently delivered community deficit instead of community benefit.”
- Said he’s previously provided documents to the city that clearly show he’s paid his property taxes since 2016. Despite doing so, he is receiving letters from the city to get on a payment plan to avoid property tax foreclosure.
Sheffield has returned (that was super quick!) and said she thought they line itemed his issue take discuss it in committee. Her office will follow up with him.
- Licensed realtor. Supports Riverside Park and wants to see the deal completed. Feels it’s been beneficial for the residents in and beyond the neighborhood.
- Pointed out the overwhelming opposition heard this morning vs. overwhelming support that was heard last week.
20 (Cont’d) Encouraged council to “resist the temptation to succumb to inflammatory rhetoric and unfounded accusations in a misinformation campaign” and uphold the decision made by council 8 years ago
- Said the community and city officials have been working on a committee related to the land transfer deal for years. Urged council to approve the deal.
- Wasn’t happy about the timer, which they called a “burglar alarm”. Said the Ilitch’s have failed to provide 50,000 tickets to sporting events as they were required to do and said they would. Said it’s an “insult” to everybody.
- Said there’s a lot of missing teens in the city and they’ll be dealing with that. (I’m not sure who “they” are). Wants to stop tax captures on the library and block “tax schemes.” Doesn’t think the DLBA should exist and her family has had issues with the authority.
- Concerned about the impact to residents living near the land transfer deal. Said although they feel close to a deal that benefits all, they feel the work they’ve done to get to that point would be overturned if the land transfer is approved today.
- Thanked Whitfield-Calloway for inviting her to come to today’s meeting. Is working on an initiative that educates the public about police stops. They had something to pass out that has a QR code they can use to see a list of attorneys
- Said she recently visited the Riverside Park site and doesn’t feel it’s the same as it used to be.
- Representing Detroit Skate Academy. Said little has been done to maintain an ice rink they frequently use. They’ve asked that funds be allocated for the center that maintains the rink. Feels it’s important because residents can leave the city to skate elsewhere.
Whitfield-Calloway thanked the academy for all they do and said she supports them. Sheffield asked to line item the issue re: machinery needed to maintain the ice.
- Government Affairs Director for Comcast, shared info about their internet essentials program that provides internet access to eligible families for a low monthly price. When paired with the Affordable Connectivity Plan, internet is free for eligible residents
That concludes in-person comments! Now onto virtual participants
Santiago-Romero added to her previous comment and said she’s asking the city to provide Spanish and Arabic translators. She said it’s nice to not be the only councilmember asking for translation services. She spoke in Spanish and addressed residents who spoke today.
- Their family enjoys going to Riverside Park. Asked council to honor the agreement. They want to enjoy the park and have it finished.
- Said Sheffield’s staff said they’d be purchasing a box of hand warmers and asked when that will arrive. Thanked Whitfield-Calloway for the sweatshirt she gave her while at the nursing home.
- Supported a resolution for a subsidy from the Downtown Development Authority to the Detroit Public Library, specifically they said they’re in support of it until the library can be excluded from tax captures.
31 (cont’d) also asked about the status of report on tax abatements granted since 2017 Doesn’t know why the city keeps working with Moroun but feels Riverside Park is important because it’s the only bike-friendly access to the river.
- Wants to keep Riverside Park as they are frequent visitors.
- Asked council to stop stalling the land transfer so they can get the park done. Also questioned whether Santiago-Romero flip-flopped her position to supporting the land transfer when she’s historically opposed the project.
- Opposed to the Riverside Park deal, District Detroit, looting of Black-owned homes and wealth, and illegal foreclosures.
- Spoke in support of Riverside Park. They’ve frequently visited the park over the last 30 years. Feels the transformation is “phenomenal”
- Asked council to support the land transfer. Feels DIBC is against the progress of Detroit.
- Supports having money allocated for ADA-accessible homes. Said walk-in showers are considered a luxury, but it’s not for seniors and individuals with disabilities
- Opposed the land transfer until residents are protected. “This is home. Do not allow DIBC to take over.”
- “I cannot wrap my brain around the paradox of the city’s development vision vs. the Bridge company’s plan to expand their reach in our neighborhood.” Asked council to support residents and vote no on the land transfer.
- Lives in the FCA impact area. Said DIBC has been a bad operator in the area for years now.
- Said they look forward to council’s resolution supporting the George Floyd Justice and Policing Act. Asked council to reject all requests for legal representations for police officers, noting that one of them had 56 complaints.
- Said DIBC isn’t buying residential properties for development and improvement, instead they let properties deteriorate and then have them torn down. Asked council to vote no on the land transfer.
- Supports riverside park and noted various improvements that have been made since the deal was originally made. Asked council to let them finish.
- Said the city hasn’t fulfilled it’s obligation to fully fund Right to Counsel. 5 months have passed and the Office for Eviction Defense isn’t open to the public.
- Asked the city to stop spending taxpayer’s money on things that don’t benefit taxpayers. Feels the city is doing too many things for “what ifs.” Feels developers need to use their own money.
- Asked about schools and safety. She has a speech impairment and I had trouble understanding the specifics she was asking about.
- “Roses are read, violets are blue, hey Detroit city council members, I hope Hubbard Richard residents’ health matters to you.” Asked council to negotiate the land transfer in good faith.
- Thinks the budget surplus should be appropriated when council discusses next years budget. Said they’re sick of funding high rise projects and not seeing progress.
- Wants Riverside Park to be finished. Said council to finish their commitment. Said it’s time for residents to make the CEO of the city (the mayor) “bow down” and put funding towards Right to Counsel, DWSD’s Lifeline Plan using ARPA funds.
- Opposed the land transfer. Questioned why DIBC owns property. Asked council to oppose the plan until they know what it is.
- Co-Chair of the Immigration Task Force. Called about 16.2 - a contract with Clark Hill. Said information about the project shared previously was incorrect.
51 (cont’d) The contract is not to serve Afghan refugees and asylum seekers. That work was done dutifully by a network of non-profits. Said the city has not provided financial assistance to help employed immigrants and refugees.
51 (cont’d) Said the contract is actually to assist middle to upper-income employees seeking sponsorship to become employees with the city of Detroit.
- Said despite residents paying property taxes, their properties are still under threat. Asked where the help is to address the issue.
- Doesn’t support the land transfer deal. “How many times have we seen millionaires wipe out entire communities for the good of the business?”
- Supported residents requesting to delay the land transfer deal while they negotiate benefits for the community.
- Played a clip of President Biden discussing opposition to Russian aggression.
- Supports delaying the land transfer deal until an agreement is reached with the community
- Asked the city to stop drag racing and red light running in Detroit.
- Supports delaying the land transfer deal. Said residents are working hard to keep their communities together.
15.1 is a request to appropriate funds from a budget surplus. Sheffield asked the administration to address concerns raised by residents regarding using this money to fund Right to Counsel
Steve Watson, Office of Chief Financial Officer, said the city can’t use general fund dollars to fund Right to Counsel. The surplus funds are from the General Fund.
Question about the number of sidewalks the $20M allocation will address
Ron Brundidge, Dept of Public Works, said they originally appropriated $4.1M for sidewalks repairs. This addresses 15,000 sidewalk slabs. The $20M will pay for an additional 75K+
Brundidge said they’re going develop programs so block clubs can request repairs for their neighborhoods. These requests would be considered priority.
DPW will be working on a program in partnership with the General Services Department to address sidewalks commercial corridors. They’ve identified 10 corridors.
The city has approx 3.1 million sidewalk squares. They estimate 15% are in need of repair. They didn’t provide a number for the number of backlogged requests.
Regarding green infrastructure improvements related to sidewalks, Brundidge said they have areas that have grass and landscaping in a median between the sidewalk and roadway.
Brundidge said although the city has done permeable pavement projects in the past, they haven’t really utilized that for sidewalk improvements
Brundidge said they are prioritizing replacing as many damaged sidewalks as they can. Opting for permeable pavement vs. concrete would limit the # of sidewalks they can address because it costs more
Water requested to postpone the request to appropriate budget surplus money for various purposes.
Whitfield-Calloway said it feels rushed and she found out about it in the news prior to it coming before council
(Ope, way to go news! 😝)
Whitfield-Calloway was hoping to address the budget surplus during upcoming budget hearings but they’re instead being asked to hurry up and spend extra money now.
Durhal opposes postponing the budget surplus request. He said this request is coming to them ahead of construction season which positions the city to use the funding in a timely fashion. He also said the surplus has been discussed in-depth in Budget, Finance & Audit
👀⚡️ Steve Watson said this request doesn’t appropriate the entire surplus from last fiscal year, which was going to be around $130M.
The remaining $73M in General Fund surplus funding will be included and deliberated on during the upcoming budget season.
The motion to postpone the request to appropriate budget surplus funding for one week was approved. Durhal and Young voted no.
Prior to the vote, Johnson noted that 4 members will be absent next week.
➡️ Now on Section 16.
16.3 and 16.5 were postponed for one week while councilmembers await responses to their questions
16.1, 16.2, 16.4, 16.6-16.9 were approved
Council is getting ready to vote on appointments to the Reparations Task Force. They’ll vote via ballot for these appointments.
👀 There’s some confusion about the way appointments are made for the Reparations Task Force
Each council member could nominate two people from their district. Out of those nominated, council members would vote for nine nominees with the top nine receiving appointments
Sheffield said she thought that council members could defer to other members about preferred nominees for each district
Young also said that it was his understanding that each council district would appoint someone to the Reparations Task Force
In a nutshell, council members thought they could appoint one per district. They could only nominate two for an interview. If both nominees aren’t among the top 9 vote-getters, neither of them would be appointed leaving districts w/o representation on the Reparations Task Force
Appointments for Reparations Task Force are highlighted in yellow. Also indicated the # of votes each of the 13 nominees received. Apologize for the sloppy-ness, it’s the best I could do with a pointer finger 🤣 https://t.co/f0ZXEmrKVc
👀We are now on the Riverside Park land transfer deal with Detroit International Bridge Company.
The matter was moved out of committee with a recommendation to deny.
Santiago-Romero is reading a statement about the land transfer. A lot of what she’s said echoes concerns of residents who spoke during public comment
Santiago-Romero said residents were told by DIBC that they will likely expand the customs plaza.
Residents are asking for 3 things
- Transfer properties they own on St. Ann St to a community land trust
- DIBC transfers properties in the Hubbard Richard neighborhood to a community land trust
- Guarantee that DIBC will enter into its own community benefits agreement, if and when there’s another expansion in the future
Santiago-Romero said those who’ve called in support have failed to mention the current negative environmental impacts residents are experiencing due to truck traffic from the Ambassador Bridge
Santiago-Romero urged other councilmembers to vote no on the land transfer until the community finalizes an agreement with DIBC
Santiago-Romero: “I am not here to fight a park. I am here to fight for the health and right to breathe clean air for every single person that loves Detroit, who live here and who visit our beautiful city.”
Crystal Park, Deputy Director of General Services Dept, discussed the background of the agreement with DIBC that was approved in 2015.
City council approved the land transfer in 2015 which in exchange, the city received “prime realty” off the water. Completion includes the parking lot, boat launch, fishing area, aquatic amenities, etc. These things are all in the second phase of the agreement.
Sheffield said she’s on the fence. She specifically noted legal obligations in the existing agreement and said she’s been in some of the negotiations with DIBC.
Matt Moroun, Detroit International Bridge Company, is present to discuss the land transfer deal.
Moroun said his family’s company was not getting along well with the city in 2014. There was no cooperation either way. When the opportunity to make a deal for Riverside Park came up, he met with the Mayor’s office and city council members.
There were a number of public meetings and he said, “it wasn’t always fun.”
Moroun said the original agreement went against all of his training but he decided to break the cycle of a hostile relationship and he stepped up to negotiate benefits for the community.
Moroun said they evicted a warehouse tenant that was paying good rent to demolish it. They transferred $3M for the park improvements, installed windows at the train station ($4.1M), etc.
Moroun said installing windows at Michigan Central Station selfishly turned out well for him when they sold it to Ford Motor Company. “What a gem!”
Moroun said they’ve honored their commitments and he’s asking the city to honor their side of the agreement today.
Moroun, on behalf of DIBC, said he pledges to the city that he will work with them on other requests they’ve made. He said he made a mistake in allowing the Riverside Park agreement to be held up in exchange for talks on another agreement.
Moroun said he believes there’s positive outcomes they can reach but he doesn’t want to engage in discussion about another agreement when this one is still outstanding and “being held hostage.”
Matt Moroun: “But to threaten this agreement indirectly or directly, and the city’s obligation to make good on it in hopes that I agree to something else, or I get leveraged into something else, is not proper.”
Moroun said he’s confident he can build on the relationship he’s developed with the city, one that’s not filled with hard feelings, based on the fact they’ve accomplished good things together under the existing agreement.
In an nutshell, Moroun has argued that he needs this agreement to be finished first before he can engage in negotiations about future commitments and community benefits.
Santiago-Romero: “I understand that you may have done what you had to for this agreement that was made with the mayor, not with the community, but with the administration that you’ve done your due diligence ont hat end. “
Santiago-Romero said there’s still many things that continue to impact residents in a negative manner that has made it hard to trust his word.
Moroun responded to Santiago-Romero and said he’s always willing to talk but asked why he would enter into another agreement before this one has been lived up to.
Moroun said he worked on a number of community benefits before the city ever did anything. He said he has a good track record now.
Moroun spoke about the request to transfer lots to the Hubbard Richard via a community land trust. He thinks they’re close on that.
Moroun said it’s not “proper” to take the one thing his company is supposed to get out of the agreement and hold it as leverage. “Why is it necessary to hold up the first one as leverage over those discussions?”
Sheffield said she wants to hear from Corporation Counsel to make sure that if they vote it down today and require them to return to negotiations, that the court would come back and say there’s a breach of contract
Conrad Mallett, Corporation Counsel, said the judge would order council to place the land exchange agreement back on the agenda for a vote if the focus is specifically on performance.
Mallett doubts a judge would order an outcome and take the decision away from council.
Mallett said he thinks they have a “very difficult position to defend” and the direct pathway out of all of the various hypothetical is to recognize and accept that DIBC delivered on each one of the promises that the agreement required.
Mallett: “Every step that the agreement said should be taken has been accomplished. We, the city of Detroit collectively, we are the ones who have failed to keep our word.”
Johnson asked what DIBC is planning to do with the land. Moroun said the land would be used for buffer and maintenance of the bridge between the park and the bridge.
Moroun said he thinks the property is fine after the environmental clean up was done. He doesn’t own it right now so he can’t speak to what was done/what can be done.
Durhal applauded the efforts of Santiago-Romero. He’s glad to see movement in terms of negotiations and relationship-building that’s taken place between the community and DIBC.
Durhal is also concerned about the council’s obligation to uphold their end of the bargain, noting how council has handled contractors when they’ve failed to uphold commitments they’ve made. He questioned the message it would send to the community.
Durhal said the community has very legitimate concerns. “I believe, that it is very important to honor that trust works both ways, whether it’s from our business community.. whether it’s from our residents.
Durhal said his vote is based on keeping the city’s obligation, just as they would if they make a commitment to the community.
Brad Dick, General Services Department, said the Joe Louis Greenway will connect to Riverside Park. If it’s not completed, it will connect to a dirt road with many pot holes
Mallett reiterated his concerns as stated earlier. He said he doesn’t want the city to end up being sued over the land exchange agreement because they didn’t exchange the land as they agreed to.
After the city is sued, if they are, there’s also a strong possibility the city would be ruled against. If the city is ruled against, restitution would be requested.
Tate said he’s probably the person most responsible for the land transfer lingering on for as long as it has, due to the fact that he chairs the Planning and Economic Development Committee.
Tate said he’s sat across the table from DIBC many times and told they need to work on their bad reputation in the community because he’s sick and tired of every deal involving DIBC ending like they’re seeing today.
Tate said he challenges Moroun and his to team to sit down with the community. He commends them for doing just that. He said he’s taken himself out of that process because he didn’t want to influence things one way or another.
Tate said he undestands the challenges that Santiago-Romero has faced regarding meeting the expectations of residents that supported her, voted to put her in office and expect her to get across the threshold on things they hold dearly.
Tate said he voted to support Santiago-Romero with a motion to deny in committee and he’ll stand with her today. He’ll do so in the event that council rejects the transfer and they come back to the table for further negotiations
Benson: “Our word has to mean something but we also need to hear the community and honor their request.”
Corporation Counsel Conrad Mallett: “Yes, in my judgment, we are in breach of the contract.”
He said the city has had 14 months to consider whether all of what DBIC has done meets the terms and conditions. He believes they have.
Mallett said all that’s left to close the deal is to transfer the property as the city agreed to
A motion was approved to request that LPD amend the current community benefits ordinance to include language about the development of a bridge.
⚡️⚡️City Council approved the land transfer with Detroit International Bridge Company, which finalizes the original land exchange agreement.
Johnson and Santiago-Romero voted no.
➡️Section 18 on the agenda
18.1 was postponed for one week. 18.2 through 18.4 were approved
➡️ Section 19
Up first, Whitfield-Calloway’s ordinance shared electric personal mobility device parking standards (electric scooters). The ordinance was approved
19.7 is a resolution urging the administration to adopt the mutual aid box alarm system (MABAS)
Representatives from the fire department were present to explain the process.
19.9 and 19.10 were removed due to council members who will be absent next week. The remaining items under section 19 were approved.
Items under sections 21 through 25 were referred to the appropriate standing committee(s).
Whitfield-Calloway
was the only councilmember who requested to speak for members report.
⚡️👀 Whitfield-Calloway announced that her office will be asking the city to reduce the property tax rate millage rate for city operations by 2 mills from 19.952 mills to 17.952 mills starting July 1st, 2023
Whitfield-Calloway will be asking to repeat the process for a reduced millage over the next 5 years.
Whitfield-Calloway said she hopes her colleagues will join her in support of the request. She provided limited details as she ran through the announcement super quick.
We’re now in the 5th hour of today’s formal session so there wont be any other member reports today.
With nothing further on the agenda, the meeting was adjourned at 3:16pm! 🎉
This concludes the Detroit City Council Formal Session meeting on Tuesday, February 21st, 2023.
For more meeting coverage, check out http://documenters.org 💃🏼
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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.