For information on joining tonight's meeting online or in person, visit the city's website here:

Here's a link to tonight's agenda:

Highland Park City Council is made up of five elected officials. Here is the list, with their corresponding titles and districts. To save characters, I usually refer to them by last name only.

Monet is helping me with my pre-research

Okay enough messing around - in the Zoom meeting room at 7PM - doesn't look like they have a quorum. No Martin, Manica, or Thomas.

President Thomas just arrived. The legal rep just reminded him that for a closed session they need four council members. (there is a closed session item on the agenda today). Everyone is just chatting so far.

Manica just sat down, President Thomas calls the meeting to order at 7:02 PM.

Thomas reads their mission statement aloud. "The Mission of the Highland Park City Council is to implement the City Charter and to make legislative decisions that provide for good government, public peace, health, safety and prosperity for the city."

➡️ III Motion to Approve the Agenda
Update to the agenda - Item 6 is not ready.
Motion to approve, by Manica with amendment to remove item 6. Motion passes.

➡️IV Approval of Minutes
Here is a link to the Regular Meeting minutes from 7/1/24 - there isn't a link to the Workshop meeting minutes on the website.

Ash-Shafii has a correction for the minutes from the workshop.
Manica moves to approve the minutes with the amended section under "Adjournment" that Ash-Shafii recommended.
Motion passes.

Martin has now arrived. Correction - they voted previously to approve only the Workshop minutes, they just approved the Regular Meeting minutes from 7/1 in a separate vote

➡️ Mayor McDonald may speak to the council.
Uptick in burglaries. Mayor McDonald urges everyone to alert the police in the event of a burglary - don't put on FB or call her directly. If you see something, say something (to the police).

Mayor McDonald thanks Detroit city councilwoman Mary Waters for walking through the neighborhoods in the 3rd district with them.

🚨 Citizen's participation - specific to agenda items only (only 2 items on agenda, including closed session)
Lisa Stolarski, treasurer - after closed session, can they tell us who is council for the city and who is council for the police department?

➡️V. Motion to Convene into Closed Session
Motion carries. Closed session begins at 7:15 PM. I'll keep an eye on the room and report back once session resumes.

The council approaches the room, 7:33 PM.
Motion to reconvene the regularly scheduled meeting - motion passes.

➡️ V b.
Motion to approve this resolution.
Summary is provided by someone from legal - if approved, the new agreement would be in place until June 30, 2026. Salary increases, even with these increases we're still 'behind the 8 ball.' Only affects four employees.

Ash-Shafii asks him to explain the signing bonus.
- Because they aren't receiving retro-pay (which would be tens of thousands for all of these individuals) one $1k check for each of them to cover this, for giving up retro-pay.

Robinson asks for a list of the employees that this affects, they will do this for her.
Vote on item V. b.
Passes unanimously.

🚨 Citizens' Participation - for any issues, not specific to the agenda.
Community Park cleanup Saturday 7/20 at MLK Park from 10-1pm, clearing out an alley way that's been dumped in, clearing out some brush. Please bring any tools that might help.

Lisa Stolarski - who represented the police and who represented the city of Highland Park in the negotiation?

Resident of Highland Park. Questions for council members:
Robinson - Houses that are getting torn down that don't need to be, what happens next?
Manica - find out when the meters are going to be installed.
Ash-Shafii - needs someone to refill potholes.

Has lived in Highland Park for 65 years. Houses being torn down that don't need to be. Worried trees that need to be taken care of will cause electricity issues.

HP resident. Used to live on Waverly and was always getting broken into. Rainbow Center methadone clinic is near there and attracts drug dealers. Is there any kind of solution?

Thanks the council. "I know the power of the city council."

(moving to online commenters)
Glenda McDonald, mayor - The houses are being torn down by HUD and by Wayne County Land Bank. Highland Park is not tearing down any houses.

➡️ Council Affairs
Ash-Shafii - last meeting was rough, but residents didn't care about the budget issues. How are you enjoying the increase in your property taxes? "I'm at a point where I'm wondering what I'm fighting for."

Martin - thanks everyone who reached out to her when she was recovering from a car accident. Addresses people who were mad that she was absent - "I'm more than just a yes or a no." Why are property taxes going up? If we're overspending as a government that's a problem.

Martin cont - comedy show fundraiser Aug 11 for the library (which is now closed, she wants to see it open).

Manica - be aware of your surroundings, stay safe and cool, take care of your yard and landscaping.

Robinson - very poor audio quality, not speaking into a mic. I think she mentions that there is a recall vote for her, those collecting votes are misleading people and saying it is for voter registration.

President Thomas - reads the mission statement again. "Misinformation and lies come out like wind around here." Property taxes are not going up because of us - take it up with the governor.

Map shows highest increases in property taxes.

He is very incensed over misinformation and lies spreading around. Allegedly Pro Tem did not live in Highland Park when she began her campaign for city council, hits is why the recall vote is happening.

After a rant, President Thomas bangs his gavel and declares that the meeting is adjourned at 8:08 PM.

If you find anything inaccurate in my tweets, please email documenters@outliermedia.org with the subject “Correction Request.”

Meeting adjourned at 8:08 PM. This concludes the Highland Park City Council meeting. The next meeting is scheduled for 8/19/2024. For more meeting coverage, check out .