Detroit City Council Formal Session

Documenters reporting: https://detroit.documenters.org/assignments/detroit-city-council-formal-session-14646/

City website: https://detroitmi.gov/government/city-council

Today’s agenda: puhttps://pub-detroitmi.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?Id=c6353234-5a3d-469f-b543-2e1d0a50a752&Agenda=Agenda&lang=English

10:03 waiting and the Zoom is showing this screen.

Meeting called to order at 10:04 am

Going into invocation (prayer).

Council president Mary Sheffield is giving Cass Tech high school student Cyrus Woodbury a Spirit of Detroit award for being the first wrestler in Cass Tech’s history to win a Division I state championship.

“We extend our heartfelt congratulations on your historical achievement,” Sheffield said.

A speaker, I think named Letty Lazar, is presenting an update about the Grand Prix.

The Grand Prix will return downtown during the last weekend of May.

They bought new fences this year which she said looks more professional.

Tractor trailers operate on 100% renewable diesel and race cars operate on renewable race fuel.

They also have youth internships, because “there are dozens of jobs behind every driver that you see.”

They’re continuing a mobility innovation race team creating autonomous racing vehicles. Kids worked on the cars to learn coding skills.

Now we’re going into the annual Belle Isle update.

The presenter (possibly Tom Bissett) said the park is fully staffed this year, with 27 state workers, nine park rangers, and a volunteer position through the Belle Isle Conservancy.

Park manager Karis Floyd unfortunately passed away.

The position is now open, he didn’t post it for a while because Floyd was irreplacable.

The park is also participating in “Leading Environmental Apprentices into the Future, an extension of their summer youth employment program.

Attendance grew between 2023 and 2024. He anticipates slightly lower attendance this year but the island is still busy.

They are working through development proposals for the Belle Isle Boathouse

Lt. Todd Szyska, who leads the Belle Isle law team has started speaking.

Some stats:

He said a frequent issue on the island is speeding. They are working on training officers to use radar guns

Community policing engagement continues.

Some holiday/seasonal events:

Szyska is leaving his position and introduced the person taking his place, Damon Owens.

Now Amanda Treadwell is presenting.

A $29.4 Million investment was made into Belle Isle in the 2024 fiscal year.

They also made some road improvements on the island.

Meagan Elliott with the Belle Isle Conservancy is speaking now.

She celebrates the Belle Isle Aquarium, which had 201,751 visitors in 2024 and is already seeing a 75% increase in visitors in 2025.

The Belle Isle gift shop features nine Detroit-based brands.

The conservancy partners with a variety of city agencies:

These are some of the top visited places on the island. The conservancy wants to connect the different activities across the island.

The conservancy is looking for opinions on what priorities should make it into the island’s strategic improvement plan. They’ll be at a few events across the city for engagement.

Council member Angela Whitfield Calloway asked if there are blue recycle bins on the island because she sees a lot of trash on the island.

They have a 10 yard recycle dumpster, but they want to implement better recycling opportunities.

She’s excited about the summer programs for youth and asked if they hired any Detroit residents. Almost everyone hired was a Detroit resident.

Member Calloway is talking about how unfortunate it was that Belle Isle decided to demolish their zoo because other cities don’t require residents go to a suburb city in order to go to the zoo because they have one within the city limits. https://www.bridgedetroit.com/demolition-decided-for-belle-isle-zoo/

Council member Johnson wants a better understanding of what’s being done to mitigate flooding on the island.

A presenter said that removing the asphalt where the zoo was and installing native plants will help mitigate flooding because asphalt causes water to pool and not absorb in the ground.

Johnson would like to try seeking out grants to pursue more funding for green infrastructure initiatives.

Council Member Coleman Young II said the island has been pitch black when he’s on the island at night. He’s wondering if there’s a temporary solution to this until they come up with a long term plan to improve lighting on the island.

The park is waiting on 207 lights they ordered. They have some lights in the meantime that aren’t as bright but to make it safer in the meantime. They also want to think of other lighting opportunities like some lights on trails and parking lots.

Young asked if there will be any investment into adding more bathrooms on the islands and keeping bathrooms clean more frequently.

He also wonders if anyone can vend on the island, are the people he sees Detroit residents?

Some ARPA funding will be dedicated for restroom improvements.

There’s also vending machines and a few food trucks. They want to expand opportunities for more trucks to be on the island.

Now the council is sending reports to the different standing committees.

Going into public comment.

1. A resident with the Barton-McFarland neighborhood association has a complaint about motor city makeover. She worked with them for many years but this year was awful. The materials she requested weren’t there.

1. Wonders why all the people presenting about Belle Isle were white, since Belle Isle is in a predominately Black city. She also had other issues with how the city invests its money into people who don’t give back to the city.

1. Senior resident said it’s unfair the city wants to take her house using eminent domain. It might be because of the solar farm project. People voiced concerns about displacement related to the solar farm project during the planning stages.

1. Cunningham Cunningham Cunningham (frequent commenter) talks about his work giving free rides to disabled seniors and gives out bus passes.

1. Detroit People’s Platform’s housing justice team member is working to find equitable and sustainable solution to housing issues in the city.

1. Detroit People’s Platform (hereinafter DPP) member is a single mother with four children said finding housing is hard because of issues with income and credit score restrictions.

1. DPP member said she’s here for a national day of action for housing. Said they need to prioritize community wealth building to repair predatory land practices. They want the city to develop a social housing model like used in other cities.

1. DPP member also pushes for a social housing program. Addressing housing deficits, especially for families and low income residents, invest tax dollars in permanent affordable housing.

1. DPP member raising several children said more housing is needed for families. The city needs a social housing plan.

1. DPP member from district 1 pointed out that the council discussed the Belle Isle presentation for almost two hours. If they can dedicate this time for that, they can dedicate time like that towards finding and implementing housing solutions.

1. Architect and development specialist went to the board last month about addressing complaints with the city’s work performance. She said the city is trying to liquidate 22 acres of people-owned park land in District 1 to a private developer without following correct processes and procedures.

1. Urges the board to support affordable housing to bring the community together.

1. Two residents have complained about a situation at Pingree Park causing issues for residents. It sounds like a football team has been playing at the park and hasn’t been respectful to the neighbors.

1. Saying the solar farm plan has been causing issues. Said it doesn’t mention eminent domain is part of the plan.

She promoted “Detroit solar scam” which is fighting the eminent domain used to take homes for the project. https://www.detroitsolarscam.com/

1. Somebody bought land to start a farm, he wasn’t able to finish his comment but I think it might be in danger of eminent domain.

1. Someone with the league of Indian Nations of North America said there are tribes operating in and out of Detroit because of the treaties they operate under.

1. DPP member said city council can solve the housing crisis caused by speculation, lack of new builds, and unaffordable costs. The city needs to declare a housing crisis. He’s also a transit organizer and encounters people without stable housing frequently.

1. Encourages everyone to look up the 26 board members for Belle Isle.

1. Also has complaints about the Pingree Park problems.

1. Said affordable housing gives the foundation to build a better life. The demand for affordable housing has exceeded the current supply.

1. Commenter has been homeless on and off. She’s been on a waiting list for CAM (a referral service for affordable housing) for several years now. She’s been trying to find employment, buy a home through the land bank but was denied due to credit. She’s calling and calling but not getting anywhere

1. Resident is upset that Cunningham’s car broke down that he uses to give rides to residents.

1. Resident wants an update on what happens with commenter 21, and doesn’t want to see what happened with the family who had to sleep in their car in the casino parking lot.

She also addresses how affordable housing prices are determined based on area median income and isn’t representative of the incomes of Detroiters because it also considers incomes from other parts of the metro area. Also issues with over-assessing homes.

1. Steven Rimmer of the Detroit Tenants Association is calling in solidarity with the DPP. Said the city needs permanently affordable, publicly funded, and community controlled housing that isn’t operated by corporate landlords.

1. Thinks the city should maintain its own park, I think they are referring to Belle Isle.

1. Documenter Sherrie Smith on behalf of the Tenants Rights Commission speaking in support of prioritizing permanently affordable housing options for Detroit residents.

1. Urges the city to stop evictions and make sure all residents are housed in some way. Mentions people being repetitively cycled through shelters that don’t meet their needs.

1. Resident and co-chair of the Detroit Immigration Task Force speaks in support of the language access ordinance, stresses this is important for immigrants who come here from a variety of different regions.

1. Resident with Warriors on Wheels supports the DPP. Wants to shout out the Grand Prix organization because they gave volunteers sensitivity training.

Wants social housing brought to the city, and needs to be permanently affordable.

1. DeSoto Ellsworth Block Association president said the city’s deputy Mayor came by and had good conversation with the association. Mayor Durhall came as well.

1. Said DPP hasn’t done anything for the affordable housing crisis. He said high cost of construction holds back affordable housing.

1. Brightmoor resident supports DPP’s social housing demand. Also asked council to monitor DWSD’s use of housing and urban development (HUD) funding in Brightmoor. Said DWSD behaves as if the residents are just obstacles in the way of a blank canvas.

1. Supporting the language access ordinance because she wants to make sure her immigrant family members, friends, and neighbors have equal access to city services and programs.

1. Another resident complaining about the Pingree Park issues.

1. Seriously concerned about the neighborhood solar initiative because the city is using the project as a basis to use eminent domain to take homes for the project.

1. Michigan Immigrant Rights Center policy and communications leader supports the language access ordinance. She thinks its important because it allows all residents to fully participate and benefit from civic life in the city.

1. Said she doesn’t want to see what happened to the homeless family who slept in the casino parking lot happen to the commenter who spoke earlier about struggling to find affordable housing.

1. Supporting the language access ordinance. Said some city departments provide translation but others don’t. The ordinance would ensure each department has language access plans and a dedicated staff member to execute the plan.

1. Meeko Williams of Hydrate Detroit shouts out the housing advocates. He said it’s a shame that people are still coming down to city council looking for affordable housing. Said it’s also hard to own a house.

He wants to buy a house, but is unable to due to lack of affordability and stipulations with city programs.

Public comment has ended. I think they might want to take a recess. Now there’s no audio.

Ok session is back to order. A few council members are now absent.

Line items 7.1-7.3 approved. 7.4 was postponed for next week so the OCO can mend issues with a spreadsheet.

Now the language access plan that residents discussed in public comment. The ordinance was placed on order of third reading and is considered read. A board member wants to know how many languages would need accommodation. They’re anticipating Spanish, Arabic, and French.

But there may end up being more languages that need to be accommodated as people from different areas continue to migrate here.

They are essentially codify what the city is already doing into an ordinance given the current administration’s hostility toward immigrants.

The city wants translators available to help ensure there’s no language barrier or confusion when obtaining city services.

The director and deputy director of CRIO is here to answer question. One council member (I can’t see who) asked what CRIO already does.

The director said their language access program serves anyone who needs interpretation or translation services for any public service needs. They have services like a mobile hotline, ASL interpreters, and they contract with someone who can translate up to 350 different languages and dialects.

Council member above asked if there are many difficulties about language barriers right now. The director said no.

The deputy budget director, Donnie Johnson, said the first negative fiscal impact of the ordinance would be due to needing two additional staff members with CRIO. The second is due to translating documents.

Johnson said the way the ordinance was written, if most documents were deemed vital public documents, then they would have to translate a large number of documents.

They don’t have numbers on how expensive it would be because they don’t know what will be considered a vital public document and therefore how frequently they will require translation services.

I still can’t see council member names. I’m going off my own voice recognition.

The highest language requests are for Spanish, Arabic, and Bengali.

She wants to see more data and evaluations before moving forward, since the city doesn’t have many ARPA dollars anymore. “We’ve got to be very careful about what we do,” she said.

Council member Young said this is a federal requirement. He really supports the ordinance because, for example, Council member Gabriela Santiago Romero, should not have to translate Spanish in a meeting because a resident can’t speak English.

The CRIO director said they could have a Spanish interpreter at their weekly meetings. That’s a service they offer.

He mentions escalating violence in Myanmar leading Rohingya Muslims to migrate to Bangladesh, and how this impacts immigration into the United States and Detroit, and how the board needs to be aware of and talking about how these global events impact things here.

Member Santiago-Romero said there isn’t uncertainty on how much this would cost because the city already provides all the requirements listed in the ordinance. This would just codify those language services into city law.

They are only going to translate documents that people requested be translated. They won’t translate every single document released.

Member Benson asked, if this were passed today, when would it start? The CRIO director said he doesn’t have a date right now. With the new staffing required by the ordinance, they wouldn’t be able to ensure this is being done by the time the next fiscal year starts on July 1st.

Member Mary Waters said she’s only concerned about the potential fiscal issues.

Member Johnson, referring to CRIO offering Spanish interpreters, asked if there is already someone in the department who could come provide those services. They confirmed there is already somebody employed to offer these services.

Santiago Romero said they’ve been working on this ordinance for over a year.

City council unanimously approved the ordinance.

Onto 18.2. Approved with a waiver.

Various lawsuit settlement requests approved.

These items approved no objection.

19.1 approved with a waiver.

Items 19.2-6 approved, with a waiver on all. The address in 19.6 is incorrect in the agenda but correct in documents.

20.1-4 approved. Waiver on 20.3.

They want to postpone the vote on these three items until the end of the meeting because they are waiting for a city employee to answer questions.

21.1 put on third reading and considered read. Approved by roll call.

These items approved!

A motion to postpone 21.5 to next week was approved. 21.6 was approved.

21.7-21.8 approved with a waiver on 21.8.

21.9-21.10, approving grant applications, approved with a waiver on both.

Back to 20.5, they postponed to next week because the city official wasn’t available this week.

Okay done with all the line items! With no more business, it’s adjourned at 2:35 pm.

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