Detroit City Council Formal Session
Detroit City Council
Politics
Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024
10:00 a.m. — 2:00 p.m. EDT
2 Woodward Ave Detroit, MI 48226 (Directions)
Join City Council Zoom Meeting: https://cityofdetroit.zoom.us/j/85846903626
Check the source website for additional information
Reporting
Edited and summarized by the Detroit - MI Documenters Team
Note-taking by
Paige Rollins
After lots of discussion and public comment, councilmembers approve the Bubble & Buffer Zone ordinance 8-1. Councilmember Angela Whitfield Calloway voted no. And a decision on towing rates was postponed another week.
Live reporting by
Amber Umscheid
After lots of discussion and public comment, councilmembers approve the Bubble & Buffer Zone ordinance 8-1. Councilmember Angela Whitfield Calloway voted no. And a decision on towing rates was postponed another week.
Amber
@organizedoracle
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09:01 AM Oct 1, 2024 CDT
The Zoom link to join today's meeting can be found on the city's website >> detroitmi.gov/government/cit…
detroitmi.gov/government/cit…
A link to today's agenda has been provided as well >> pub-detroitmi.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?I…
pub-detroitmi.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx?I…
We are called to order at 10:09am. Councilmembers Durhal, Santiago-Romero, Calloway, and Tate are absent. There is a quorum present.
Opening the meeting with acknowledgement of Breast Cancer Awareness month beginning today. Council and other staff members are wearing pink today to show their support.
Journal from Sept 10th session was approved. No recommendations. All reports were referred to appropriate committees. No voting action items and no communications from the mayor moves us right to public comment.
🚨 Public Comment -- 1. Cunningham called to share his information with the community and encourages everyone to take the bus. 2. Friend of Cunningham's shares an experience she had where someone with a handicap had to use the wrong stall because the bathrooms were closed.
3. Claims over $600 million has been stolen from Detroit in overpaid property taxes. 4. Volunteer shares experience with aggressive protester while working outside a clinic walking someone inside, the protester refused to stop and yelled "don't kill your baby" in their face.
5. They thanked Santiago-Romero for visiting an abortion clinic and sharing her experience that a "pro life sidewalk counselor" only spoke to her with no harassments. 6. Another caller sharing the same sentiments as above.
7. Commenter wants council to thank the lord for giving them the power they have and states that this ordinance is to silence Christians.
8. Another commenter sharing bible verses and states passing this ordinance means "they want woman to be yelled at" because moving sidewalk counselors further away only means that they must raise their voices to be heard.
9. Commenter mentions the lord's wishes and even if unborn babies are not recognized with legal rights they should still not be killed. 10. Asks if he can pray or wear a religious shirt within 15 feet of a facility, he questions where he will be silenced in public next.
11. Says ordinance is counterproductive and prejudicial with no protection for protesters or pro lifers. 12. Asks council to check records of all pro lifers and states that none have been charged with harassments charges.
13. Shares that a Christ Clinic was founded in Detroit to provide health support so woman don't have to get abortions. 14. A single mother shared her experience with an abortion clinic and the decision she made to not have one because she felt like a dollar sign.
15. Urging council to say no to 18.2 due to lack of due diligence. 16. Requesting permanent speed radars near Greenfield/Curtis/Pickford area as it has been dangerous for the bike lanes, schools, and businesses.
17. A lawyer sharing her interpretation of the law and states the buffer and bubble zone is constitutional. 18. Called to attention a memorandum up for discussion today and asked for it to be considered.
19. Shared about folks protesting in front of his church and compared that to pro lifers in front of clinics. 20. Asks for 20.8 to be approved and implement fees immediately. 21. From Detroit Towing Association asks for approval on increase today.
22. Urging police officers to not be allowed to take up spaces in shelters when they are capable of paying for their own space.
23. Inquires about MOU for land bank. Says if Lieutenant Brandy Cole gets any type of settlement, he will flood the rooms with protesters. Commenter mentions these articles >> wxyz.com/news/dpd-suspe…
wxyz.com/news/dpd-suspe…
24. Seeking financial support from council to start a nonprofit that supports breast cancer survivors. 25. Shares that government should be neutral and create secure and safe environments for people to freely make choices.
26. Says she had a great bus ride at Woodward and 7 mile but the bus to the SW Detroit was over an hour. She also had issues with the bathrooms at Butzel.
Apologies friends, I just had a power surge! I was down for about 5 minutes and not sure how many commenters I missed, but we are still in public comment and I am getting back to it.
30(?). Has helped 1000s of woman at her office with full support on rent, education, and other resources. 31. Reminds folks that this ordinance is not discussing abortion or 1st amendment rights. And confirms that this is to protect protesters.
32. Wants to know if council has a surveillance list of people getting abortions like they have a list of protestors. 33. We all have to make the right decision no matter what the topic is and we have to live with that decision.
34. Comments that the limits should be clearly defined including sidewalk markings related to the ordinance. Also makes a comment that council needs to be more punctual. 35. Advocating for walk-in showers for all seniors.
36. BBK Towing is seeking support on the tow rate increase. 37. Found errors in letters the tax coalition sent out and folks need to be informed on the corrections. 38. "People in the womb are discriminated and continually murdered at abortion".
39. Referring to line item 26.6 and is encouraged that this is a step in the right direction. 40. Gives strong support for the ordinance and comments that most of those against aren't even from the city of Detroit.
41. Ms. Hammer supports the bumper zone and the low emission transit efforts. 42. Questions affordable housing and shares some stats he found. President Sheffield offered to sit down and have a conversation with him with "real facts".
43. Asking council what about a recreation center in District 7 and why other districts are getting more services. Durhal responded that groundbreaking will be this fall. 44. Another commenter having issues with restrooms on bus routes especially when disabled.
45. Concerned that District 3 is losing park funding and asked agenda item 8.2 not be approved due to resident concerns. 46. Voicing opposition to buffer zone. 47. Wants to know when else does Detroit restrict the right to protest just because it makes others uncomfortable.
48. "why are we discussing a buffer zone if the counselors are so calm and lovely to be around?" 49. Speaking out against the ordinance because it "silences unborn children, Christians, and men." **That is the end of public comment!**
There is back and forth conversation about AMI and how the process has enormous timeline w/ multiple approvals at different levels. HRD monitors developments they have invested in through income verifications and affordability agreements. A public hearing will be scheduled.
Councilmember Calloway and Tate raised some concerns. Jones from OCP came on to clarify. Line item 17.1-173 approved.
11 resolutions from the law department - 17.4 through 17.15 have been approved. A waiver has been attached to 17.15.
Resolutions 18.1 and 18.2 were approved with a waiver on 18.2 and an objection from one member.
Discussion around 18.3 requesting an update on timeline of projects, MDOT will share an update with council. Resolutions 18.3 through 18.7 have been approved. Waivers on 18.4 and 18.7.
Member Calloway discussing 19.1, 19.3, 19.4, 19.6, and 19.8 where over $400k+ was added to contracts when a basement was discovered after contract. Project Manager Anthony Watts is sharing about structure and drone footage related to depth and dimensions.
Resolutions 19.1 through 19.8 approved. Member Calloway objects to 19.4, 19.6, and 19.8. Member Santiago-Romero objects 19.1, 19.2, 19.3, 19.4, 19.7, and 19.8.
Moving to 19.9 and 19.10 and Member Calloway has "quite a few questions", mainly why if contract ended 2022 but services continued through 2023. Jim Glavin shared this is regards to payment of services rendered to the vendor used for COVID vaccine scheduling.
Deputy Director of DHD, Christina Floyd, shared that employees that are no longer with the city were still rendering services despite the contract ending but services that were rendered need to be paid. Items 19.9 and 19.10 are approved. A waiver request was rejected for 19.10.
Moving to discuss 20.1 regrading buffer and bubble zone ordinance. Attorney Adam Saxby is on to what the ordinance means. The Gazette wrote an article covering some of the feedback received so far. gazettextra.com/news/nation_wo…
gazettextra.com/news/nation_wo…
Member Waters asked if this could cause a potential political problem and if it can carry over to other types of situations beyond healthcare facilities? Saxby said the answer is no.
Member Calloway shared that she watched the Health and Safety Committee and many brought up Hill v Colorado. Saxby said it is one of many cases this was modeled after, and was decided by supreme court in 2000.
This ordinance is content neutral within the bubble. However, if individuals are outside the bubble, this does not impact their speech. This will be enforced through DPD by Chapter 31 and would be a misdemeanor.
Q: Are there other buffer or bubble zones in Michigan? A: Saxby is not familiar with any.
Member Young is giving a history lesson and I need to sign off for a few. I will do my best to circle back and update here what I can.
Member Johnson talks about who usually uses these clinics and services and the access to healthcare they typically have. She thanks Santiago-Romero for putting folks safety first and foremost on this ordinance.
Member Waters says she didn't know these organizations existed until yesterday, and she said she is grateful they do exist.
Member Santiago-Romero shared her experience visiting one of these healthcare facilities. She was approached by a white male sidewalk counselor that was giving her unsolicited opinions. She shared she wasn't even there to receive abortion services and received harassments.
The 8 Foot Bubble Zone and 15 Foot Buffer Zone Ordinance passed with 7 yes and 1 no. Councilmember Calloway was the one no vote, and Councilmember Benson is not present.
Item #20.2 - Abatement and Demolition of 85 approved Residential Properties, 50 of those are privately owned. The goal is to have all properties owned by end of Jan and all demos completed by Q1 2025, and turnover site control Spring 2025.
Line items 20.2 through 20.5 approved. Objections on 20.2 from Members Calloway and Santiago-Romero. Waiver objection on 20.2 Waiver objection on 20.1
Councilmember Benson requested to reconsider so he could vote on the record making it pass with 8 yes and 1 no.
Line item 20.7 approved. Resolutions 20.8, 20.9, and 20.10 were approved.
Discussing item 18.5 - Transferring 13189 French Road from Detroit Parks and Rec to City of Detroit Airport Dept. Community Engagement around this will begin in late Nov around what would replace the lose of the park.
All reports are referred to appropriate committees. With no other items on the agenda this meeting was adjourned at 2:47pm.
One correction: 20.8, the increased towing and storage rates suggested by the Tow Rate Commission, was once again postponed for one week. It was not approved.
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.