City Council - Regular Meeting

totally.

Yeah. You'd be good. Yeah,

I read that. I was just like, "Yeah, I just let Mike know I'll during the public I'll reference it." We filled one of these out already.

Sure. Why? Why are we getting another one of these? We filled one out already. I don't think everybody has. I think that's why everybody's getting Well, I did and I'm not doing another one. You guys You need me to do another one? I did one. If you did one for this year, I think I think you're good.

Kim might tell us otherwise. Oh, okay. All right, we all set. Uh, hello everyone. It is Tuesday, February 3rd, 2026, 7 p.m. This is the city council regular meeting. Would everyone please rise for the invocation given by Councilman Curley followed by the pledge of allegiance? Our gracious heavenly father, we I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

All right. And just before we call the role, I just want to warn everyone, I've told my colleagues already, I'm on call for my day job. Uh so sometimes I get a call from a detective or an officer on scene. So, I might have to stand up and answer that because I don't know if it's an emergency until I see what they're calling for. So, if I stand up and walk away, that's what that's about. Um, uh, please call the role. Council member Baker here. Council member Curley here. Mayor Kleinfeld here. Council member Shadlick here. Council member Scott here. Hey. Approval of the agenda. So moved. Mr. Mr. Mayor, if I may, I'm sorry. Um, good.

Uh, and then this coming Friday, um, Ryan, our new city manager, will be celebrating his birthday. So, happy birthday to Ryan, too. Okay. Thank you. Okay. Did you forget about yourself? And Ryan has a birthday buddy. Harvey, what? Oh, Friday. If you're going to do if you're going to do all the birthdays, my birthday is Friday. Oh, yes. I know.

What they did deserves to be recognized. The fire citation is awarded for service in the line of duty that requires unusual thoroughess, determination, and initiative in the performance of a difficult assignment. [snorts] The service must have been instrumental in protecting life or property. It may include an act of exceptional courage and bravery or when, because of the outstanding nature of the act, a life is saved. [snorts] So with that, on November 14th, 2025, firefighter pounders, firefighter [snorts] Shamansky, and preservation of life. In recognition of their courageous performance under dangerous conditions, their calm execution of a primary search, and their unwavering commitment to the citizens they serve, it is hereby recommended that these members of the East Point Fire Department be awarded the fire citation for their actions at the California Street Fire. So, congratul meeting. Um the general ordinances I think it's on page 19 in the agenda packet 18 and 19 uh regarding article 7 section 7.01 accessory uses buildings and structures. Um, they're making a change for detached accessory buildings, which would be like garages where they are wanting the sideyard set back to be 3 feet from the fence line. Um, I know in my neighbor, the garages that I've seen, the garages that I've seen, there's nothing next to the fence. There's nothing next to the

fence. There's an empty backyard. It's not like it's next to a house or there's an empty backyard. It's not like it's next to a house or another garage or that. Um, you know, and the issue that I have with it as a homeowner is if I decided to rebuild my garage or if something were to happen that I had to rebuild my garage, there's also setbacks as far as how far away from the primary residence it has to be. So in so in effect to follow that ordinance and this ordinance check to follow that ordinance and this ordinance change. I would have to the uh council members. I did send you um videos in your emails this afternoon uh with the exception of Councilman Curley. Unfortunately, I don't have a working email address for you. Anyways, East Point has uh specific ordinances being farm animals in addition to exotic and dangerous animals. And so, Chief Haynes witnessed the church. And again, I attached uh pictures and videos for you to view this because this is direct evidence of these violations in both the Michigan Anti- Cruelty Statute and the AWA. Rabbits are extremely fragile. and further suess is susceptible to hypothermia, frostbite and upper respiratory issues in these drastic conditions. On that particular day, it was 28 degrees with the white biting windchill and the rabbits had no way to escape the wet heavy snow falling on them for over an hour and they also can't be mixed. Cannot access it through foyer.

Thank you. Anyone else wish to be heard? And seeing none, I believe I believe uh uh Mr. Albbright, you had something to add before I close the hear. I do. Thank you, Mayor. Uh yesterday, uh city administration and uh myself received uh a public comment submission from Charles Blackwell. It was received via email at 1:19 uh in the afternoon. Um, pursuant to the city's uh uh pending um approval of an ADA policy, uh, support. Uh, move for approval and support. Please call the role. Council member Baker, yes. Council member Shadlick, yes.

Council member Scott, yes. Council member Curley, yes. Mayor Kleinfeld, yes. We have no scheduled hearings or unfinished business, so we'll move right into reports from administration. Uh, Mr. Mattis.

Good evening everybody. Um I wanted to start by saying thank you for a great state of the city. Uh yesterday Mayor Kleinfelt great work there. It was a lot of fun for everyone. Um a couple other things going on this week are about elections. It'll be a busy year for elections in 2026 beginning with the May election. Um lots lots to come with that. Um the uh members council got the flyer for the tax prep workshop. Um there's free tax prep for qualifying individuals through the library. So if you're interested, that'll be on our website. Um the flyer will be in the lobby as well. And then I have some homework for council. Um my contract um calls for a 60-day review of me. Um and that's a council project. So that's one we can talk about more um in the coming week or so. But uh it's been 60 days already at 9:30 uh in conference room B. So, if anyone is interested in attending, it is open to the public. Um the

we'll get that posted in all the things in the normal way here first thing tomorrow. Yeah. Thank you. And um uh the council's in receipt of um the proposed ADA public comment policy. Uh city administration has had an opportunity to review it. Um Mr. Blum did have some comments which have been incorporated into the proposed document. Uh this isn't a document that would require a first and and second reading because it is not an ordinance. It is a policy. So it can be council had a chance to further review those proposals. Those are being brought by the city's animal control officer.

I think those I'd rather uh kick that over to Ryan to determine what and how he wants to put that on the agenda and okay, you know, if you want to do any like background information after you've had a chance to look at it. Okay. And then um Mayor Council's in receipt of our monthly status report. I'm happy to answer any questions. Any questions for Mr. Albreight? All right. Thank you. Thank you very much. Uh, we'll move into new business. Item eight, out of order.

Okay. Okay, I got you. I got you. Um, and so I believe the items that were I believe the items that were brought up, for example, the hearing of public are brought up, for example, the hearing of public are actually under item B. So you're dealing actually under item B. So you're dealing with 123. Yes. Yes.

I would move I would move to give second reading and to adopt ordinance number to give second reading and to adopt ordinance number 26-1253 zoning text amendments adult use marijuana establishments. Are there any comments on that? Please call the role. Council member Shadlick, yes. Council member Curley, yes. Council member Scott, no. Council member Baker, no. Mayor Kleinfeld, yes. Item B, uh, second reading, adoption of ordinance number 261254, general amendments.

Mr. Mayor, I would move uh to approval of the second reading and adopt ordinance and adopt ordinance number 26-1254 to amend sections of the zoning ordinance. Is there support? Support. Um I have one question. What what did council think about the uh what was differently? Please let me know. No, I think we're I think we're fine. All right. Um, any other comments or questions on this item then? [snorts] Please call the roll. May Mr. Mayor, I didn't get the support. I'm sorry. I got

Council Member Curley twice. Councilman B. Well, yeah. Councilman Baker supported the second time. Thank you. Council member Curley. Yes. Council member Baker. Yes. Mayor Kleinfeld. Yes. Council member Shadlick. Yes. Council member Scott. Yes. Um, I just want to make sure that [clears throat] there's plenty of input from us and plenty of input from the citizens of what what they're looking for and I think there'll be an option. I mean, this is just sort of looking at it and planning and then we'll ultimately have to make a decision.

So, it's just just planning then. Correct. City manager. Correct. at this point. Do you have some other Did you have other questions?

No. I wanted to I wanted to designate um for exhibit EB2 which is EB2 which is to provide education to to provide education to school-based and youth focused pro uh focused school-based and youth focused pro uh focused programs that discourage programs that discourage and prevent misuse and designate ated to Mcome Monasuri Academy and thus uh police and fire would not have to worry about that designation.

Okay. So, first I guess I'll I'll break down. So, first you're making a motion for to reconsider. Yes. Okay. You're making a motion for to reconsider. Yes. Okay. I'll support that. And then

directed towards live right and we have EB3 which is directed towards um first responders um public safety but I think we also discussed um designating funds to for programs that were schoolbased and we don't have any anything specific. So, I would just prefer that we um specify the exhibit and just designate it just to a school to just uh avoid any of that complication. So, we still can have uh money go to fire and um to to

So, what I'd like to do just to kind of keep it organized because there was a motion um at the last meeting is just do a motion to reconsider reconsider first and then if that passes um then I guess whatever you're specifically thinking you can pitch that to council and then like debate it at that point. Does that make sense to everyone? Yes. So, right now, just if the vote, we're just going to vote on whether or not to even reconsider. All right, I understand that. Please call the RO. Council member Scott, yes. Mayor Kleinfeld, yes. Council member Shadlick, yes. Council member Baker, yes. Council member Curley,

no. Okay. So, now at this point, um I guess if would you like to kind of specifically Yes. So,

I don't know even the right way to ask it. I know what I'm thinking, but I'm um I guess my question is because I was thinking about this um even after our last meeting is that um designating funds to like live right and to the school. Now, um I guess I want to make sure I guess I want to ask what is the proper way for us to do that? like there's I think there needs to be some conversation as to how we do it. Um I don't have a problem with with providing funds. I just want to make sure we do it the right way so that um

apply for any other designation just so we have documentation of how the money had been spent. And that being a contract of an amount that high, we probably approved that at council level, right? Okay. Yep. So I think for this is just saying hey this is what we'd like to do with the funds kind of go to them and say East Point's interested in supporting you what do you guys say and if you'd have to like figure it out from there if they pull a CDBG and that spended it can be reallocated somewhere else. Okay. So

okay I got I guess one more question uh for Mr. Blum. would uh I guess uh would it be would you advise that we What about that? Oh yeah. [laughter] Okay, that was my only question. Thank you. Okay. No, I appreciate the up to language too. I think that makes sense. So Okay. Um All right. I mean I don't have an issue. I think it just same as live right. It would be basically saying to administration like reach out to them and kind of look at the same thing. Um there wasn't a motion, was there?

Uh not yet. Okay. Um yeah, I mean I'm okay with that if you want to someone wants to make a motion to kind of include that as one of the allocations. Okay. So, I motion that we would from the opioid um settlement fund that we would allocate the 40,000 to live right um recovery court. uh we would allocate uh for exhibit EB or then we would allocate 40,000 to MCOME moniatory academy

going to amend your motion to say up to 40,000 because that's I guess still tentative towards them reaching a an agreement um and it's not to take away from it but I guess just saying up to 40,000 that way if they like say if the school say oh you know I don't hypothetically we we don't need that much or we don't whatever um or we won't need that much right away. Um that money will still be there if they need it, but I think I feel just a little more com comfortable saying up to 40,000. Um so would we be saying up to 40,000 as well for live?

Yes. Yes. [snorts] Um, so what would happen if they don't use the 40,000 and it's just returned back to us? Uh, well that would be a council decision, but I would assume it would just roll back into the public safety bucket and let them use it on something else. Yeah. So So I mean I think up to is a language that I don't think would be important. I think we should just say 40,000 and just allott it to them. um for use and if it's not used it will be returned back to us um from my understanding is that not um I guess that's that

to safety um to safety um no I mean if you disagree with it you can but I I know what my support will be that's it's literally not changing any monetary designation um but to me just for clarity I I'm more comfortable with saying up to but that's that's just my position some rest of council may feel differently

I think um I don't mind having that language and I honestly the more I'm thinking about it sitting here I don't know that it this is really uh where that decision gets made I think when we have the discussion on the agreement and when we actually set the amounts in the budget because when we set the amounts in the budget that money sits there until I mean it and half goes to the fire department or or does the entire amount goes to public safety? Public safety was like the umbrella that included both the fire and the police department. It was broader.

In reality, the police and fire department are going to split that money. I think that was kind of a discussion for when we found out what what they thought they could do with it. I mean, kind of I think administration would take a look at that and maybe figure it out. It the public safety designation was to tie their hands a little bit less. Um well, on that. Okay. I cuz when we first started they wanted to do something that we we didn't say was one of the purposes. So I How would you know what the purposes are?

We outlined them. We we discussed them during the meeting. So we now that we're having the motion for reconsideration when we have the um document prepared by Mr. Blum that has the subsections uh specifically highlighted on these are what the purpose is that the city intends to spend the money on. I think we could just make a new motion if if you want to make it clear. If you want to do half to half to please and have to fire, we can make that change. It's a we can paint with a broad brush at this point and we will fine-tune that over time um as we as we learn more as we um determine what the best programming will be, what the expenses are related to that and go from there.

Does that help? No, that's okay. Well, well, what I can say is um I'll be willing to support um it being a 50-50 split between fire and um police. So, I mean, if you want me to put that in my my motion. Well,

yeah, I think after your comments now, now I'm feeling again like the public safety might be. So, I don't however you want to do the remaining. Okay. Um, so it's going to be the same motion. I'm going to be the same motion. I'm not adding up to 40,000. I'm just going to say 40,000. Not adding up to 40,000. I'm just gonna say 40,000. It's fine. I was done. It's fine. I was done with it. Okay, cool. I'm like [laughter] I was I was sitting there waiting for the vote. Like with it. Okay, cool. I'm like I was I was sitting there waiting for the vote. Like

So 40,000 would be 40,000 would be designated to live right. 40,000 um designated tool designated to live right. 40,000 um designated to mastori. and the remaining um $266,777 the remaining um $266,777 63 um to public safety. Um, mayor, I'd like to ask support. I'd like to ask Randy R. Randy, how did whoever whoever determined what how much money we get, how did that come about? Please. Council member Scott, yes. Mayor Kleinfeld, yes. Council member Baker, yes. Council member Curley,

no. Council member Shadlick, no. All right. And I've lost my G. Are we at the payroll number? Payroll bills. Okay, that's what I figured. All right, I move that we pay the bills in the amount of $2,498,364.13. Is there support? Support. All right, any questions? Please call the roll. Council member Baker, yes. Council member Scott, yes. Council member Curley, yes. Mayor Kleinfeld, yes. Council member Shadlick, yes. Okay. And with that, the second hearing of the public is open. Would anyone wish to be heard?

[clears throat]

people and that's going to continue. And everybody's hurting for money, but I don't care. I'm all for it. This money should go directly to our police and fire. They know exactly what to do with it because a lot of other departments are doing this. This to me looks like money laundering. Uh I demand the uh council release immediately the minutes of the closed meeting with the uh Moses Roses group. And I'd like to see any film that's there, too. Uh I need to see uh this council sitting around smoking blunts, passing around money in paper bags because we know Moses Roses is an entirely cash business. I don't trust any of you. So, uh them I don't know what you guys are arguing about cuz you I didn't even understand that resolution. You guys sit up here and hem back and forth and I don't know what you even came a conclusion to.

Thank you very much. Anyone else? I just received this a few minutes ago. As a licensed veterinarian, I have significant concerns regarding the conditions under which rabbits were housed and exhibited at an event described as a nativity scene with lurmia, immune suppression, gastrointestinal gias, and respiratory disease. Metal trailers and carriers exacerbate heat loss, especially when ventilation gaps allow wind penetration. Prolonged exposure under these conditions without access to a warm enclosed temperature regulated environment does not meet generally accepted veterary standards for adequate shelter or species appropriate care. Additional concerns arise from the reported proximity of rabbits to poultry birds during the event. Housing rabbits and poultry together presents a wellrecoognized disease risk. Poultry common. The assertion that rabbits live outside on a farm does not negate these concerns.

Thank you very much. I'll email this to you guys. Thank you. Anyone else wish to be here?

Jennifer Nicholas. Um, at the last city council meeting, I had asked about the motion that you made after the close session on January 6 declaring Moses Rose is eligible for a retail marijuana license. The motion stated that they met the criteria by December 31st of 2025. I'm kind of confused because um, as far as I know, they opened 2023. Planning Commission immediately approved special 2023. Planning Commission immediately approved special land use and site plan. City council approved it April 4th of 2023. Moses Roses had purchased their property in February of 2023. No work was done during all of 2023. They did not pay their 2023 property taxes. They still have not paid all of their 2023 property taxes. In 2024, they got a site plan extension. Still no work was started and they did not pay their 2024 property taxes. Still have not paid their 2024 property taxes. So, um, you know, I understand you approving their retail license because it seems like they were close enough to the deadline. But my problem is with the wording of the motion that you are saying,

smoke weed, I don't drink, I don't do anything. and the strongest thing that I drink is pop and that's on occasion. So, I don't know anything about any secret meeting about that. And in regards to the opioid settlement money, um there are guidelines that different entities have to follow. I've done volunteer work with groups that also focus on prevention uh and deal with opioids. Care of Southeastern Michigan is one of those entities and I've done volunteer work for several years until my work schedule didn't allow me to do it any longer. So there are other entities um that do provide services to East Point residents. We were specifically here in East Point doing work reaching out to students in the school. The uh focus was on prevention for students and families. We were a resource care provided resources. Care did also Narcan training. They also had uh uh programs for people. And before I support it, I want to make sure that I understood clearly what was stated. And I've done that countless times up at this table. Um because I don't want to I don't want to make the wrong decision. Um I can respect your your thoughts about uh giving the money to police and fire. I have no problem with that. I mean, you know, with with that being your viewpoint, but if there are other entities that are um and part of of what we were looking at and what Councilwoman Scott said was that like with the Monatory Schools and since we're telling ages, I'm 47 today. 47 years old. And even though Councilman Curley said he knows all of our ages, he always gets my age wrong. So, with that, I hope everybody has a good night and see you at the next one. Councilman Curley.

Oh, I'm sorry. There was one more thing. Sure.

Uh, shout out again to the fire department, to our officers that uh save lives. It is a labor of love that you guys do also with our police as well. That is a labor of love. My hats off to you. Uh, and I have the utmost respect for your departments. So, thank you, Councilman Curley. Couple [sighs] things. Uh first of all, I don't know. I don't know if maybe and I don't know if this is going to be back on a agenda again. I doubt it. I doubt it. So, I'm disappointed. But I'm disappointed in that. But I know I know that we it was democracy up here. um that we everybody gave their opinion and then everybody voted the way they wanted to vote and that's okay. That's fine. Uh lastly, sir, you you when you come up, you got to be very careful with your insinuations or your suggestions that anyone that's sitting here right now participated in something illegal, whether it's and I don't know about a meeting. Is that what you said? I I um some terrible things in our history of 250 years and we're going to get we're going to get through this. I can see I can see it coming. I can see the judges not backing down. And that's a good start. That's a good start. So I pray for the people in Minnesota. Even as we speak now, they're out they're out demonstrating. No violence. No buildings have been burned down. They're vi they're they're they're

protesting in a great way. So let them protest. It's colder than hell out there. I I don't know if I'd be out with a cold weather like that, but they're not harming anybody. The only harm that they're giving is the people from ICE that are doing the things that they've done. So, I don't want to hear from anybody that that they're being disruptive. They're not being disruptive. They're doing what Americans

read um that would support women cardiovascular health. Uh based off my re research and statistics, there is one heart attack every 42nd.

Um so, annually um we have about 85,000 heart attacks a year. 605,000 are new heart attacks. And what we can do is actually learn how to do CPR to help save lives. So if CPR is administered within the first five minutes, it actually increases the chance um 75% of the chance of the person who experienced a cardiac issue to survive. Heart disease is the number one disease um in the world and the number one disease in the United States. Um, it is also Black History Month and so I would like to make mention to two black inventors. We

um, we need to we talk a lot about a lot of problems up here, but we also need to uh, tout our employees when they're doing a great job and do something right. So, thank you very much and congratulations to them. Um, uh, just regarding I guess the debate, I know sometimes it can look a little it can take a little longer and seem like it's unorganized, but that's because we have our sunshine laws here. We have to have the debate at the table. We can't call each other up and organize how we're going to vote. So, we have our our conversations here in the open. Um, and happy birthday to everyone to my left except Randy. And uh [laughter] um and I guess lastly uh if I know the question had come up previously about the um votes. I guess I would